Xxx Men Series

X-men Story

Author's Note: As usual, text in bold is used for emphasis, text in italics indicate telepathic conversations and underlined text is used to indicate electronic communication. Text in superscript just means that explanatory notes are available at the end of the chapter.

Dedication: This chapter goes out especially to Candice and Greg - the freaky couple I have fallen in love with. (^_^)...that was joke, in case you think I was being serious, lol. But seriously now, you guys have helped me out more than I can say and I wish nothing but the best for you two in 2k7 and beyond.

X-men Story
Chapter Thirty One

**
"Home Sweet Home"**

We arrived at the Mansion in the evening. At around a quarter to six, to be precise. Looking out of the window, Bryce and Indra took in the sight of the Xavier Estate in awe. Yes, the overhead night view with the shimmering lake in the backdrop was enchanting. To my surprise, I noticed that all the trees that had been damaged during our former crises were replaced. Including The Grove. Jenny probably had a hand in that. Scott announced that we should all take our seat, as we were about to land. We all complied. It was then that a thought came to Bryce.

Bryce: "Um, where do you guys land this thing? I don't see a runway.'

They didn't know it then - but the Blackbird was a Vertical Take Off and Landing aircraft. It didn't need a lot of room to take off and land. Indra glanced around and tried to locate a possible airstrip. It was in vain and they both directed the question to me once again. The Blackbird was by then descending.

"Look out the window and see what's happening to the ground immediately below us."

They nodded and followed the suggestion. When they saw the basketball court split down the middle, and slide open to reveal the interior of the subbasement hangar, they gawked.

Indra: "Damn! Have you ever had any accidents with students falling in there when this plane takes off?"

The basketball court design was only meant to serve as an effective cover for its true purpose. The 'court' was never used by students under any circumstances. As a matter of fact, the fence around it was there to serve as a reminder to prevent students from entering - as if the school rules weren't enough.

Bryce: "Rick, this is one seriously bitchin' kinda school!"

Ororo and the Professor both looked in our direction. I could see that they were looking forward to having The Talk with our newest students as soon as they had a chance to get settled in. Professor Xavier always liked to be the one to personally inform his students about the true purpose of the school. I was informed not by my parents (who must have known Professor Xavier's quirk) but by the loose tongues of my then new friends. They introduced me to the concept of the X-men and the true ideals of the school, what our teachers really did for a living...as well as Bucket Brain Magneto. I laughed at the remembrance.

Professor Xavier exited the Blackbird first in order to lead the way. Scott and Logan went next, tired after their time in the cockpit. I would have thought that the autopilot wouldn't have needed THAT much supervising - but hey, they were the pilots. They knew best. Ororo nodded to me and walked out. I turned to my new friends, offered to telekinetically tow their luggage and cleared my throat to get their attention.

Indra: "Yeah?"

"When you step out of the plane - you may be surprised at what you see. Don't be nervous or scared or anything. In time, all will be explained."

They both nodded at me, already dumbstruck at having seen a basketball court split and open up into a secret underground hangar. Of course Utopia was high tech. But they had a very conventional airstrip. There were no secret, hidded hangars or secret anything for that matter. After all, Utopia didn't serve as a base of operations and training facility for undercover mutant vigilante heroes.

Bryce: "Wow! I feel like I'm on Star Trek!"

Indra frowned as we all walked along the subbasement passageways, heading for the elevator.

Indra: "Don't start. That Star Trek obsession is one of the few turn offs you have."

Bryce made a comment about Indra's Lost fantasies and they both started blushing when they realized that they were being closely listened to.

Bryce: "Hey, I'm a wanna be Trekker. Speaking of which - don't you think that Professor Xavier resembles Captain Picard of the Starship Enterprise?"

I always marvelled at the close resemblance between Professor Xavier and Patrick Stewart myself. That bald plate they both shared in common really contributed to the similitude. Up front, Professor Xavier heard the talk, took it as a compliment and laughed. Not ones to be left out, Ororo and Logan both joined the conversation in good humor.

Ororo: "I've often been told that I look a lot like Halle Berry."

Indra and Bryce chuckled under their breath at such a vain statement. Logan proudly interrupted Ororo's rant with one of his own.

Logan: "I was drivin' my bike down the street one day with a leather jacket on, and three teenaged girls stopped me, beggin' for my autograph."

Indra: "Why would they do that?"

With a mildly pompous expression and tone, Logan explained himself.

Logan: "They thought I was Hugh Jackman."

We three looked at both Ororo and Logan disbelievingly.

"Oh please. You don't look anything like Halle Berry, Ororo."

Ororo huffed in a frivolous manner.

"And as for you, Logan...don't even insinuate that you and Hugh look alike. He is SO much hotter!"

It was Logan's turn to frown at my pronouncement...

Scott: "Oh stop griping. He's right."

Logan raised an eyebrow and added wickedly,

Logan: "What, so you think Hugh Jackman is hotter than me too?"

Scott: "No, dumbass. I meant that I agree with Rick that you don't look anything like him."

Ororo giggled, like a teenaged girl, at the idea and added that Hugh had nothing on Logan. That we should all take her word on that.

"Well I stand with what I said. You both don't look like them - so don't even bother to suggest it."

They both grumbled as a couple, as the rest of us laughed. Finally, we entered the elevator. It was a prettly basic elevator trip - longish as usual, but smooth. Until the elevator was suddenly rocked by a jerky motion.

Logan: "What the hell?!"

Indra: "Um, sorry. It was taking so long - I thought I might speed the journey up."

Professor Xavier quickly glanced at Logan with a facial warning to wipe the alarmed look off his face. Then he turned to Indra.

Professor Xavier: "I'm sorry, but I should have mentioned that the upward journey from this level would take a while. From now on, please do not accelerate our motion without warning us first."

At Utopia, unless powers were being put to a dangerous use, there was an active encouragement to use them as often as possible. The idea was that by regular usage, mutants would learn to get accustomed to them. There was no really comprehensive system of mutant ethics - aside from the taboo on mutant powers used for violent purposes. Indra and Bryce would have a lot to learn.

Indra: "I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again."

Eventually, there was a beep and the doors slid open. We all exited the elevator and walked out into the ground floor, leaving the luggage in the Elevator for the time being. (It was one of the elvators reserved for X-men usage. And with the secret code of Professor Xavier entered it - it wasn't going anywhere.)

"Home at last!"

Bryce: "It's beautiful."

Indra: "Old fashioned...not like mine. Hmmm, I might want to find me one like this to buy someday."

Professor Xavier: "Please consider yourselves not as our guests, but as members of our family . This is as much your home as it is ours. And please do take an opportunity to get aquainted with the surroundings, students and staff."

After some more words to Bryce and Indra, the Professor bade us farewell for the time being. Logan and Ororo did as well and walked off debating which of them looked more like a celebrity. Scott asked me to show our guests around the building for the next half hour whilst he went to secure their rooms. He offered to drop my luggage off along with the others' while he was at it. So I took him up on the offer. I glanced at my watch.

"Well, we have a little while before dinner too. Just give me a few moments to locate someone."

Bobby?

Rick?! You're back!

That was certainly fast. He must have been close by, I thought.

Yeah. Where are you?

Bobby: Lounge...ground floor lounge.

I've brought home a surprise present!

With mock, childlike glee coloring his thoughts, Bobby responded.

Bobby: You did?! What?

A couple of boy toys.

I giggled and he must have sensed the impression of joviality in my transmitted thought patterns.

Bobby: Okay, what are you talking about, really?

So I quickly explained the situation to him and asked if he would like to personally meet our new gay couple. He was thrilled at finally being able to be open about our relationship to people other than those in our own little group of confidant. And obviously delighted that there would be more 'out' gay people around. It could help prepare the climate for his own coming out of the closet.

The front porch seems empty. Meet me there.

He happily agreed and so I led Indra and Bryce out onto the front porch.

Bryce: "What's going on?"

Indra: "Aren't you going to show us around? Introduce your friends? Or maybe...you changed your mind?"

I assured them that I was indeed going to follow through on that plan. But the very first person I wanted them to meet was my very special friend. Just before they could say anything more, Bobby came running onto the front porch, surprising our two new students. They both gasped and gawked when Bobby just ran up and planted a hot wet one on me. He just loves attention.

Indra: "Okay! I think I understand - "

Bryce: " - what you meant by very special friend!"

As Bobby finally let go, I added jokingly,

"Indra, Bryce - this is Susan."

We all laughed as Bobby said hello.

Bryce: "So...are you two out?"

Bobby: "Rick is, but for now - he insists that I stay in the closet."

"For your own good."

Bobby sighed and asked Indra and Bryce whether they were going to keep their love a secret. He made sure to warn them that there were some very bigoted and homophobic students around the school. But he did reiterate my point that the teachers were understanding and supportive. His one exception to the second statement was that he mentioned Mr. Kurt Wagner. I didn't think that Kurt was worth wasting the breath to mention. But apparently, Bobby did.

Bryce: "We are not going to hide it. If anything - I'll be flaunting him around!"

Indra: "If people can't deal with it - then let them shut their eyes or walk way."

Bobby smiled at them and turned to me.

Bobby: Why can't we be like that?

Because, they have parents who know about them being gay already and support them. Suppose your dad pays another visit here before your eighteenth birthday, and the students know that you're gay, and one of them yells it out for him to hear?

That obviously would not be a good way for him to find out. Bobby mildly frowned.

Bobby: My dad wouldn't care. He'd still love me.

Poor boy. I used to think that my father would have been like that... Until I was rudely awakened. Sure dad was gradually working his way up to acceptance - but the turmoil I had to face when the process was just underway was not something to be taken lightly. I didn't want that for Bobby.

A little while longer isn't going to hurt.

Bryce and Indra noted the long silence, saw Bobby's slightl frown and carefully asked if there was something wrong.

Bobby: "No, nothing's wrong. Just having a little telepathic talk. Sorry, it's rude."

"Okay, now that you've met Susan...I think we can do the tour and introduce you to some of my friends."

While we were walking off, I sensed Bobby making contact with my mind once more. Not wanting to make Bryce and Indra feel left out of our conversation, we kept walking and talking, whilst simultaneously trying to conduct our own private conversation.

Bobby: I don't know what Ray will say.

I don't care what he says.

Bobby: You don't, but they will. With you, it was different. He didn't know that you were gay from the start. He got friendly with you based on the notion that you were straight.

Bobby did have a point. A very cogent one - his thought processes were improving! Of course I understood what he was trying to say. If Ray knew that Indra and Bryce were gay from the very first meeting, then he might just not give them a chance and distance himself from them. He did get friendly - despite our ups and downs - with me. And when my secret became known, Jubilee was able to convince him to at least act decently. Although, I didn't know if it was all an act. Maybe a part of him was sincere. When he and Jubilee had their argument and went their own ways for a while - Ray's attitude to me didn't change.

Bobby didn't know if the other male friends would just follow Ray or make up their own minds. Well, aside from John and Jake. John was an independent thinker. He'd treat Bryce and Indra decently. And Jake for obvious reasons would have no problem with them. As for the other guys...Bobby didn't know what to think. But I would have liked to believe that they had come a long way too. David agreed to impersonate me - a gay guy - in order to help me out with my therapy session. Bobby didn't know that. Roberto even joked around once that if he were gay, he'd go for Peter's one hundred percent pure bred Russian muscle. They had come a long way and were never openly homophobic like Ray was.

Bobby: And with the rift between Ray and Jubilee going on... She won't have as much say.

Rift? Wasn't that rift over? I thought it was. When the testing was going on they had started to act nicer to each other again. Shouldn't their ridiculous argument be resolved by the time of my return? Bobby replied that as soon as the unknown guards and scientists had left, their cold war had begun anew.

Bobby: I just don't want them getting hurt at the very first 'friendly' meeting they have here.

They won't. They're...more confident about their sexuality than I ever was.

Indra: "Are you two talking again?"

Bryce: "I hope it's not anything bad about us?"

They laughed.

Bobby: "No, no. Just catching up. It's been practically a week and I need to make sure my boyfriend here didn't mess around with any hot guys."

Indra: "Well, I did catch him eyeing someone's ass in the showers..."

"You liar! I kept my eyes to myself!"

Bobby: "You'd better not be lying..."

As we walked past the Rec-Room, I sensed the distinct mental impressions of four particular students.

"Ah, I sense Amara. And she's with John, Jenny and....Ray."

Bryce: "Well, let's see if your friends are as crazy as ours."

Smiling a tad bit nervously at the mention of Ray, Bobby led the way...

**
"It Rhymes With Ray"**

Amara: "Rick!"

I could honestly say that I never understood the female urge to hug one another upon meeting. I mean, what is it with a girl hugging her girlfriends at each and every meeting? I know the straight guys in the Mansion all watched me with envy whenever Amara hugged me in public. And with Jenny in on the action...their jealous and angry looks intensified.

"Okay, enough! I feel more and more like a girl when you guys do this!"

And I meant it. I was gay. And that didn't mean that I was a sister in a brother's body who still was deserving of sisterly treatment nonetheless. They each took an arm, another thing they both had gotten into the habit of doing, and led me (I tried in vain to resist) to a seat. Bobby cleared his throat and they looked up at him. Seeing two new faces, they all said "hi" in unison. I shook myself free of my two haggish minions and walked over to Bobby.

"Guys, this is Indra and Bryce."

Bobby took a seat himself as the rest of them waited for an explanation.

"They were guests at that place I was sent to. They're going to be new students here. They were really good friends to me."

John giggled softly in a rather lascivious fashion.

Jenny: "You made good friends there? I told you my bindrune would bring you good luck."

Hearing that, Ray said he spoke for all present (he had a habit of speaking for all anyway) and welcomed them to the school. Everyone followed with their own welcome and insisted that Bryce and Indra take a seat. They had not yet moved a muscle. There were a lot of empty places to sit, but they kept standing.

You guys sure that you want to be open, right?

Bryce: Hell yeah!

Indra: Let's do it!

Bobby's eyes flitted nervously about as Bryce and Indra started moving. The anxious motion of Bobby's eyes increased manifold as our new students headed for the same region of the sofa. Everyone's eyes widened as they sat down, VERY close to one another's position. As Bryce shifted his arm and brought it around Indra's shoulder in a very distinctive manner, there wasn't a mouth around that wasn't gaping.

Ray: "G-g-g-"

John's giggling increased. Amara scoffed and patted Ray on the shoulder.

Amara: "The word is GAY. Rhymes with RAY."

The look on Ray's face was mostly unreadable. He looked shocked...but thankfully not angry. Indra and Bryce looked on questioningly. John was wickedly grinning at me. With a quick glance at Bobby he began,

John: "So Rick, you said that they were really good friends of yours at that place, huh? Was Jenny's little charm responsible for you getting lucky?"

Bobby's left eyebrow twitched, incidentally reminding me of Jean.

"Don't even start, John!"

Jenny and Amara giggled uncontrollably and that broke the nervous mood. Ray's mouth closed and he didn't utter a single homophobic comment, either veiled or overtly - and Jubilee wasn't even around! Yay!

Bobby: That seemed a little too easy.

You're being paranoid.

Bobby: Hey, you keep telling me that a good dose of paranoia is healthy.

When you have something that should best be kept hidden - at least for a while. Their case isn't like yours.

John: "Hmmm, they're...cute. Are you sure that nothing went down, Rick?"

"Fuck no, John! You know I ain't no slut. I don't ever plan on making your past mistakes."

Hearing John (as a joke) calling them cute, Bryce and Indra carefully questioned whether John was gay.

John laughed and nodded whole heartedly. Indra and Bryce smiled from ear to ear. Jenny however clarified. Just as she did when John once mentioned that he was a fan of hot, sweaty, man on man action.

Jenny: "The only 'gay' John is ever going to feel, is 'happy'. Isn't that right, John?"

He agreed, grinning, and said that he was straight.

Ray: "So what do you guys do? Abilities, I mean."

They told him and everyone enlightened them about their own mutant abilities. The talk reminded them of my reason for leaving in the first place.

Amara: "Did they solve your problem?"

I wasn't in the mood for a long explanation then. I figured that I'd explain it all later. For the moment I replied,

"Yes and no. They say that I'm Class 4 - telepathic, telekinetic. Telekinesis dominant. According to mutant energy ratings anyway. But the Elemental powers are causing some problems. I'll explain later."

Ray: "And what about you guys? Bryce? Indra?"

They both replied that they were unclassifiable.

Ray: "Oh."

"So the scientists are done with the tests? They're gone?"

Ray: "Yeah. Professor Xavier analysed the results."

Amara: "Turns out, we have a few of them Class 5 mutants in the school besides Mike, Jean, Jenny and Bobby."

Well, in as large a school as the Xavier Institute - it was a statistical certainty. I did wonder how much though.

"How much, exactly?"

Amara: "Three."

Only three? Well, they were exceedingly rare. But if three Class 5s were also on the X-men roster, I thought that the odds would favor a fair number in the school population too. A number proportional to that of the number present on the X-team. No matter, the scientists often said that mutation seemed to defy the laws of probability. Who was I to question them?

"What does Professor Xavier plan on doing?"

I knew that there had to be some sort of plan involved. The Professor liked to talk everything out in person. And being a Class 5 mutant was something that warranted talking out. After all, Class 5 was the most powerful class of mutants in existance, according to the Mutant Energy Potential Rating Scheme's current form. He would want to enlighten them as to the true potential of their powers, no doubt. In addition to reinforcing their sense of ethics.

Ray: "He had a talk with them."

See, what did I tell you?

"And - "

Ray glanced at Indra and Bryce.

Ray: He wants Scott to begin training them in the Danger Room. Not just the basic exercises that all students take. The full deal. He wants to guage their power and try to help them live up to their true potential.

"Anyone we know?"

Ray shook his head and said he didn't really know any of them personally. But he was shown photos and had seen them around the school. I supposed that we'd meet them eventually. After all, Ray did say that the Professor wanted to put them through the same Danger Room exercises we used, to guage their powers.

Amara: "Oh, forget about that for the time being. Tell us about your trip!"

And so I had to divulge.

"Once upon a time, on an enchanted island far away, there lived an evil witch named Soula..."

**
Flashback # 1
Time - Sometime in the past...
Location - Somewhere in the depths of Antarctica**

Dr. Nathaniel Essex: "That's it my dear. Cease your struggles. It is useless to resist."

Dr. Nathaniel Essex gazed upon the now calmer woman, shackled before him. She looked to be no more than twenty-five, at the most. But she was older than her appearance led one to believe. Far older. As he himself was...

Celestia: "This blashphemy will not go unpunished!"

Since she had been captured and handed over to him, Celestia had done nothing but threaten Divine Vengeance upon him. Stroking her hair ( a curiously inderminate, yet tantalizing mix of everchanging blonde, brown and red strands ) he enjoyed her discomfort.

Dr. Nathaniel Essex: "You're not the High Priestess to me. You're nothing but a genetic breeding cow. But such a beautiful one nonetheless."

That wasn't entirely true. Celestia was so much more to him than just another genetic experiment. She was the decisive factor in the successful fruition of his grand scheme.

Celestia: "This hidden land will never fall under your sway. You may have been able to find a way to suppress my powers. But my people will put an end to your insidious agenda."

Nathaniel laughed. It was a stroke of marvellous luck that he had rediscovered, what its inhabitants called, "The Savage Land". All he had wanted was an out of the way locale where he could conduct his genetic research in peace. As the most mysterious and uninhabited of the continents, Antarctica was a natural choice. While getting test subjects to his hidden lair proved difficult at times, the uninterrupted study was worthwhile.

And then came the day when his newly recalibrated scanners detected strong bio-electrical signals emanating from the interior of the continent. Life signs... And judging by the scanners' reports - they were the lifesigns of myriad organisms. Not just plantlife, but animal as well. All from a continent that was thought to be hostile to anything but the lowest of creatures. So he went with his underlings to investigate. Very few things shocked a man the like of Dr. Nathaniel Essex. But even he was left completely speechless at what he had found.

Hidden deep within the interior of Antarctica was a lush, tropical environment. But the vegetation was so unlike anything Nathaniel had ever seen on his journeys. How on Earth was it possible? Why wasn't it a frozen wasteland like the rest of the continent? What could account for this?

A world the like of which mankind had thought long dead, thrived before him. A world where lifeforms long extinct outside of Antarctica, still flourished. Here, in what was called the Savage Land, one could see the different stages of human evolution all at once. In different locations within, various humanoid lifeforms held their strongholds. Fantastic reptiles, the Mighty Lizards stalked other localities. It was always said that the Dinosaurs died off before man started to evolve. They were never contemporaries - not so in the Savage Land.

To a Geneticist, obsessed with evolution, it was akin to a themepark. A place to play around in. He had to claim it for his own. The opportunity to alter variables and witness how evolution might have progressed in what if? scenarios should be his. And so, he determined to go about enslaving the Savage Land's denizens. With his superior intellect and technology, it should have been easy. The emphasis was on should have been. It was anything but.

They came to oppose him. Celestia's people. Bearing technology far superior to anything Nathaniel ever encountered at the time, wielding powers that rivalled the best of mutant abilities, they stood against him in the defence of their...charges. The land and its inhabitants were under their guardianship, they said. Nathaniel was not one to let defiance go without a response. He retreated back to the safety of his lair. Spending the next decade of his life, he fought for the possession of the land. His genetically engineered mutates and mutant henchmen, while bringing much of the Savage Land under his control, could not bring the Empyreans, Celestia's people, to their knees. It took the treachery of her sister, Zaladane, to deliver the High Priestess of Empyrea into his grasp.

As he suspected, with their High Priestess missing, the Empyreans stalled. When they learnt where she was, and under whose custody she was in, they besieged Nathaniel's lair. Though they did not act for over two years in fear of what he might do to her, they maintained the seige. The fools... Their zealous devotion to their Spirituality worked in Nathaniel's favor. It bought him enough time to put his master plan in motion....

Dr. Nathaniel Essex: "I always wondered what would have happened if other branches of humanity, besides Homo sapiens, had been given the opportunity to evolve. And here I am, looking at you - the answer to my question."

Nathaniel did not understand how the Empyreans could comprehend English. But linguistics was of no consequence to him. Genetics was far more interesting and important. The genes of Celestia were mostly identical to human and mutant genes - with the exception of a few key strands of DNA. It was those strands that concerned him. He had determined that it was the numerous genes on those strands that had to be responsible for her overwhelming power.

Nathaniel had bred Elementals before. But none ever approached the potential of Celestia. He had come to realize that it was her presence in the Savage Land that kept the entire region from freezing. Hence her people's determination to reclaim her. The Savage Land was starting to revert back to its subzero temperatures. Apparently, the interim High Priestess, Zaladane, wasn't as powerful as she had claimed - her powers could not match that of her sister's.

Dr. Nathaniel Essex: "If it wasn't for your sister helping me...I would never have stood a chance against you."

And he meant it. He struck a deal with Zaladane. She would deliver a sample of her sister's blood to him for analysis. Using the secrets he unlocked, he would conquer the Savage Land. In return, Zaladane would receive her own private kingdom to rule as she saw fit. Celestia's DNA revealed a way to bring her under his power. A systematic inhibitor, custom made by Nathaniel to match her genes, was all it took to render the mighty High Priestess, Celestia, helpless.

If you can't beat them - breed them...

Dr. Nathaniel Essex: "You should be proud at having been found worthy to bear my child."

Celestia: "Impossible. You won't succeed. My powers will never be yours. I cannot bear offspring at this time. It will be another seventy solar cycles before I am once again fertile."

Nathaniel begged to differ. Certainly, Celestia appeared to be sterile. But where there's a will, there's a way.

Dr. Nathaniel Essex: "Each cell in that tempting body of yours possesses a full DNA complement. Just as is the case in other organisms. I can extract that DNA. Then I'll simply obtain some egg cells, discard the DNA in them and add yours. I'll then have an egg almost exactly alike to what yours would have been. All that truly matters is that the DNA inside the containing cell is yours. I'll tinker with the zygote, and when I'm satisfied, I'll implant. Of course, I normally gestate my creations in the growth chamber. But you will be bearing my child. I'll just have to inject the required pregnancy hormones into your bloodstream periodically."

Whilst scorning sentimentality, the more human part of him made Nathaniel concede that his child deserved a little special treatment. If only in the gestational stage of its development.

Celestia: "So, you've thought of everything?"

Dr. Nathaniel Essex: "Yes, my dear. You will provide me with the means to extend my boundaries."

It was pointless to torture Celestia into serving him. She had a pain threshold that was simply astounding. She would never give into Nathaniel's demands. No, he needed a child who he could train and mold on his own. Someone who could be brought up in a manner precribed by him. Someone who would be completely loyal and unquestioning.

Dr. Nathaniel Essex: "I hope you don't mind. But I want our first child to be a boy. I've already taken the liberty to screen my sperm sample for Y chromosome spermatozoa."

Yes, a boy. A woman could only generate limited gametes at a time. Usually one egg per month. But a man could plant his seed in many fields, as it were. A perfect breeder. If Nathaniel decided, he could have an army without the hassle of genetically engineering eggs - no small feat.

Celestia: "You can't control my power, Essex. Only I can do that. All you could do was take it away so you could mate yourself with me. You plan on controlling our...son? He will destroy you, maybe himself in the process. I almost wreaked total destruction on the Savage Land during my own immature phase. I had to undergo strict training to master my abilities."

Dr. Nathaniel Essex: "Oh, I'm sure I can think of ways and means to make a naughty boy behave. Well, time for that DNA sample..."

"Mutant Ethics"
Time: Present
Location: The Xavier Mansion

Jean: "Mr. McKenzie."

"Miss Grey."

Jean's opinion and treatment of me did not seem to have changed during my short sojourn. To be honest, I was hoping that by the time I returned to the Mansion, things would be miraculously okay between us. But walking into the special Mutant Ethics class Professor Xavier organized, made me realize that it was a hope in vain. But at least some positive ground was covered. Betsy had started to act a lot more like her old self. She at least referred to me on a first name basis.

Betsy: "Good morning, Rick."

"Good morning, Miss Braddock."

Jean: "Would you please have a seat Mr. McKenzie? You're keeping the rest of us waiting."

I glanced around, looking for a comfortable place in which to sit. Spying a good location, I sat down next to Amara. There weren't many people present. As a matter of fact, I made a mental count of about sixty-five. Sixty-five Class 4 mutants? In the entire school. A school that housed nearly three thousand students? I did the mental arithmetic. That was just a little over two percent of the school population. I wasn't a statistician - but that didn't seem realistic to me. How could that be? Before the discourse, due to be given by Professor Xavier, began, I mentally posed the question.

Professor, why are there so few Class 4 mutants in the school? A large proportion of the X-men are Class 4. Why doesn't the pattern hold for the student body?

Professor Xavier: The large proportion of Class 4 mutants among the X-men is primarily due to Cerebro. Years ago, Cerebro could only locate mutant signatures of certain intensities. In this new classification scheme, those signatures would be rated Class 4 and above. As the years wore on, Hank and I managed to tinker with the technology. As a result, we were able to locate mutants whose signatures were of different strengths. According to the Mutant Power Potential Scheme, the average percent of the mutant populace at the Class 4 level is approximately 2.4 percent. The overwhelming majority of mutants are Class 3s.

I glanced at the assembled seniors. Most of them were Class 4s. The exceptions were Logan, Warren, Kurt and Remmy. They were Class 3s. And of course Jean and Michael, who were Class 5s. The newer / junior X-men were mostly Class 3s. Only me, Jake and Amara were Class 4 mutants. And only Bobby was Class 5.

Magneto helped you build Cerebro, right? So he's got to be like a genius. And you're no slouch either. So why didn't you -

Professor Xavier: At the point in time Magneto helped me build Cerebro, the only mutants we knew of were ourselves. We thought that our mutant signatures would be a good general guideline to work by. As time wore on, I realized that there was variation in the mutant signature spectrum. So Hank and I altered the technology.

If Magneto helped you build Cerebro - that means he could have a mutant tracking device of his own. Right?

Professor Xavier didn't see why not.

Jean: "Professor, it's time we started."

The Professor nodded and greeted us all.

Professor Xavier: "Well, here we are, gathered yet again for another Mutant Ethics discourse. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

The gathered students smiled. Professor Xavier had been very occupied of late. With the almost non-stop drama, our Mutant Ethics lectures were skimped upon. As far as I knew, when the results of the mutant tests were released to the Professor, he grouped the students by Class. And then he determined to speak with each group separately.

Professor Xavier: "...now, I am going to be quite frank. According to the scientists who spoke with me, Class 4 and Class 5 mutants are going to be watched very closely by the government."

That piece of news set everyone on edge.

Professor Xavier: "We must remember that the reason these tests were truly conducted was to guage the potential risk to the human population. And as Class 4 and Class 5 mutants, we have the potential to either do great good...or grave evil."

A hand went up.

Professor Xavier: "Yes?"

Boy: "Are you a Class 5, Professor Xavier?"

At that, the Professor revealed that he was in fact a Class 4 mutant.

Professor Xavier: "There are only seven Class 5 mutants in the school. However, only two of them are here with us at present."

The Professor pointed to Jean and Michael and made the facts about their Class known to those of us who weren't aware. He then pointed out to the gathered students that the majority of the senior X-men were Class 4 mutants.

Professor Xavier: "Many will expect us to succumb to our darker impulses. Just because we have been blessed with great power, many will expect us to use that power for our own selfish ends. Power corrupts...and so forth. But it is our responsibility to enlighten them. To show them where our true potential lies. We must show them that our differences need not divide us, and that we can use our gifts for the greater good of all."

Another hand went up.

Girl: "They don't seem to want to believe that. I've been watcing the news. Ever since these tests have been forced on us, people have been protesting. They're saying the same things you're saying now. The government doesn't want to hear it. And neither does the public."

She had a point.

Professor Xavier: "Actions matter more than words."

Boy: "So we all get to join the X-men and -"

With a raised eyebrow, the Professor dampened the excited boy's ardor.

Professor Xavier: "No. We all know that eventually, most of you will leave this school and go out into the wider world. Now that these tests have been carried out, people will know of your mutant status. Employers, insurance companies, healthcare facilities, colleges... In your everyday lives, you must all exemplify the teachings of this school - you must change the social climate at the base of the social pyramid...and work your way up from there. Don't tell them - show them."

The X-men showed the public that mutants could work for the good of all when we saved the Bayville High students. And the public seemed to have accepted that act of mutant vigilantism as a good thing. But that was before a mutant controlled hostage crisis had taken place at the Bayville City Hall. That same public had, for the most part, agreed that it was okay for the government to lie about the Sentinel Program. They mostly supported the idea of robotic 'policing' of the mutant community. And the Professor wanted us to go out in the wider world and live with the prejudices that would be hurled upon us? Prejudices he didn't deny would be cast on us because of our mutant heritage. For that fact and nothing more.

Boy: "There were those students on the news. They got kicked out of school because they didn't go for the tests. And the police tear-gassed a protest group earlier this week. Aren't we supposed to stand up for our rights? You know, the rights of mutants too?"

Professor Xavier: "Yes, but by non-aggressive means. By acting in a violent manner, we will be handing the government more ammunition. We will give them greater justification to take action against us."

Girl: "So...we're supposed to help our fellow man - both human and mutant. And we're just supposed to do that, knowing that the humans hate our guts for something we have no control over."

Professor Xavier: "Precisely. We must show them that we don't see our differences as a hindrence to unity. That we don't color our actions based on the way they treat and think of us. That they are the ones whose perspective needs altering."

He made it sound so easy.

Professor Xavier: "...and I trust that detailed reports of your individual mutations have been delivered to you?"

I myself had been reading mine over and over again, exploring different interpretations. Cecilia's report scrutinized every aspect of my condition. And from what she could tell, my Elemental powers were not mutant in nature. It could only have meant that my father was not mutant at all. At least not in the generally accepted sense of the term. He was human. A human with altered genetics, he would have been considered a mutant because his DNA was different by the earliest of geneticists. But he wasn't technically because he didn't have a mutant X-gene...just a whole lot of other ones on his Y-chromosome.

When the realization came to me, I immediately went to see Hank and ask his opinion. He confirmed that I was indeed right. I might have caught some of Tierra's paranoia on Utopia and added it to my own stock. The first thought that came to me was that Colonel Fury might want to get my father into custody for testing. After all, if regular humans feared mutants as much as they appeared to...and Fury was human...they might be very interested about the prospects of empowering humans with advanced mutant abilities, might they not? Something in the line of defense?

Hank and the Professor set me at ease. There was no plan of taking my father into custody or trying to repeat whatever procedure had been done on him or any other male ancestor. So they said anyway. Apparently, the research that Cecilia was carrying out on my DNA was sufficient to satisfy the good Colonel. After all, the extra genes I had on my Y-chromosome were identical to my father's. Not to mention that they also had samples of my father's DNA to make comparisons.

Girl: "But if mutants start fighting for their rights...will the X-men try to stop them?"

I refocussed my attention to the discussion. The seniors and Professor Xavier didn't answer that controversial question right away. It gave the student body enough time to ask a few more controversial questions.

Boy: "Wouldn't that be like...betraying our own people?"

Girl: "Aren't the X-men supposed to stand up for mutant rights too?"

The Professor reiterated his stance.

Professor Xavier: "It depends on the manner in which mutants stand up for their rights. If it is non-violent, then of course we will not stop them. But if there is the potential for damage to life - both human and mutant - involved, we will have to put a stop to it."

Call me crazy, but the majority of the gathered students didn't seem too pleased with that response. And I could understand why. When I was in Nova Roma, in a completely mutant accepting society, I was an indisputable believer of Professor Xavier's philosophy. But the United States was not Nova Roma. The forcing of mutants to reveal themselves could only be the first step. As a former, in the closet, gay boy - you can understand why forced revelation of secrets was such a touchy issue with me.

Jean: "Supporting such actions will only spark off a war. Something none...well, most of us don't want."

Girl: "If we are the next step in evolution...then it could be argued that an inter-species or...intra-species war is inevitable. Survival of the fittest and all. It's how nature works."

She had a point...a point that the Professor was quick to squelch.

Professor Xavier: "We, as the dominant lifeform on the planet, are blessed with something no other animal possesses. Sentience. We are conscious of our consciousness. It places us above that particular dictate of Nature. We have the potential to solve our differences in other, more constructive and mutually beneficial ways."

The talk wore on and I realized that I wasn't the only one in there with some doubts...

**
"Doctor Karl Lykos"**

Emma: "Rick, I'd like you to meet the new counsellor, Dr. Karl Lykos."

Whilst I was away at Utopia, our new counsellor, Emma's replacement, had made his debut. Emma, naturally, gave me the full scoop on him. It came as something of a shock when I found out that he wasn't a mutant - but human. I suppose Professor Xavier had decided to try and start phasing in human members of staff. After all, how could he talk about human-mutant unity if our school was composed of only mutants. That wouldn't exactly be social integration and unity. It would be segregation.

I casually took in the man before me. He was around six feet, two inches tall, with sandy blond hair and a compact, yet well muscled physique. I didn't think it to be good manners to ask for an age. But he must have been in his early thirties. I suppose he fit the description of handsome. Emma seemed to be captivated with him, particularly his smile. I wondered how Professor Xavier would have responded if he saw - imagine him jealous. (^_^)

"Good morning, Dr. Lykos."

Karl: "Oh, I insist that all students call me Karl."

He stuck out his hand and offered a handshake. His grip was quite firm.

"That's...quite a handshake, Karl."

He grinned and replied,

Karl: "You can tell a lot about a man from the way he shakes hands."

Just as I was about to ask what exactly, Emma interrupted.

Emma: "Karl is the son of one of Professor Xavier's former medical associates."

I suppose the fact that Karl as a human in a secret mutant school, made me a little suspicious. And that may have contributed to the somewhat cool response I gave to his introduction. Emma must have sensed it and mentally gave some background information to illustrate that he could be trusted.

"Really?"

Karl: "Yes. My father and Professor Xavier went to Oxford together. They even practised medicine together for a while - among other things."

That led to my next question. Was he a medical doctor or a psychiatrist?

Emma: "Karl graduated first in his class at medical school AND he's also a licensed psychiatrist and psychoanalyst."

Emma basically proceeded to shower Karl with praise.

Karl: "Emma, you're making me blush..."

They both looked at each other with darling expressions. Maybe Emma and the Professor weren't as tight as Jean and the others believed. Or I once believed for that matter.

"So - you're human."

Karl: "Aren't we all?"

"Sorry. I should have said non-mutant."

Karl: "Yes, I'm a non-mutant human. But I'm hoping that it won't adversely impact my tenure here. As a matter of fact, I hope that through me, the students will learn to interact and trust humans. It will be an asset when they move on to the outside world."

Considering the massive show of distrust I witnessed during Professor Xavier's discourse, I didn't know what to make of that statement.

Emma, does this guy know about the X-men?

Emma: Why, yes.

Emma: "Karl, he wants to know how much YOU know about the X-men."

Karl: "Well...one of the other things Professor Xavier and my father did, was search for mutants together. My father was the first person Professor Xavier revealed his powers to."

Karl went on to explain that Professor Xavier wasn't always comfortable with his mutant abilities. As a matter of fact, as a young man, he was downright self-deprecating. It was Aaron Lykos, Moira Mactaggert and Erik Lensherr (now known as Magneto) who convinced him that there was nothing wrong with him and bolstered his sense of self worth with their support. It came as a surprise to learn that. Professor Xavier had never mentioned anything much about his past. The way he talked...I always got the feeling that he was always as enlightened and never experienced any self-doubt.

Karl: "...and when Professor Xavier went out in search of other mutants, my father went with him. I know all about what goes on in this place."

"Oh. So how has the school's reception been?"

He and Emma frowned slightly. From what they told me, it was as I thought. With Karl's debut, the number and frequency of visits to the counsellor's office had drastically dwindled. Yes, a lot of the students really went for counselling to see Emma. But when that factor was taken into account, the decline exceeded the expected level. Who could blame the students? Karl made his debut right after a massive surge of anti-mutant sentiment by the majority of the human population.

Emma: "Just give them some time, Karl. They're still suffering from the withdrawal symptoms of yours truly."

Emma and Karl both laughed at that and began glancing at each other once more.

Karl: "Well, I have got to be going. I've got a job to do after all. I'll see you later, Emma."

What was I? Chopped liver? Emma cleared her throat and eyed me.

Karl: "Nice meeting you, Nick."

"That's Rick."

Karl: "Yeah, okay. See you, Rick."

We watched him walk down the corridor and disappear around the corner. Well, I merely watched. Emma oogled.

Emma: "Isn't he a nice man?"

She wanted my opinion?

"Yeah, I guess."

Emma: "And so handsome too."

It seemed pretty darned obvious. But I just had to ask for asking's sake to be one hundred percent certain.

"Emma, are you...interested in Dr. Lykos?"

She looked at me with a look of mock shock.

Emma: "How could you tell?"

"Are you going to act on your feelings?"

Emma: "I just might. And I'm rather fortunate, darling."

"How so?"

Emma: "Well, Ororo is with Logan. Jean is with Scott. Betsy is with Warren and Rogue is with Remmy. All the women are in stable relationships. I can relax and take my time with Karl."

Jean with Scott? Not so dear lady. But I doubted that Jean would have tried anything with Karl. First and foremost, she wanted the student body to think that Scott was her baby's father. Hiding a relationship with Karl from the student body would be extremely difficult. She had recently broken up with Jonathan Lennox. And there was the possibility of a rebound phase - but Jean wouldn't hook up with Karl if she wanted to save herself from shame in the eyes of the students. After all, if she had to be unwed and pregnant, it was better for everyone to think that it was her supposed longtime lover, Scott who was the father...rather than a someone else.

Emma: "It's too bad I didn't meet him before...when I had money. Then I could have gone all out."

I guess Emma had finally decided to move on from the Professor. No offence to Professor Xavier - but I didn't see what he could do for her in the sex department. After all, the Professor was old enough to be her father. Not that I considered Emma to be a whore, but sex always seemed to worm its way into my head when I thought of her. There wasn't any doubt in my mind that her sex life was important to her. And I suppose that there was only just so much that Astral sex could do.

"No matter, Emma. I can tell he likes you."

Emma: "Most men DO like me, dear. But Karl - he's one of the few I like in that special way. I have a good feeling about him."

"Well, go get your man. And don't worry about money. Judging by my observations, women are usually the ones who want the pricey gifts and stuff."

Jubilee and Ray's current squabble was proof enough to reinforce that opinion of mine. One of Jubilee's most used points was that Ray didn't appreciate/spend enough on her.

"Usually, men just want one thing as evidence that someone cares about 'em."

With a devilish glint in her eye,

Emma: "Hmmmm...I do so wonder what that could be. Care to share?"

"Just a little TLC, baby."

Laughing scandalously, we walked off...

**
"Give Us A Little More Credit"**

Professor Xavier: "You still haven't revealed who you are exactly."

Michael: "It doesn't seem to affect your trust in me."

Xavier had been trying in vain to persuade the man before him to disclose more information about himself. It had been that way since their first private meeting. Whilst it was true that Xavier trusted the man, he doubted that all of the X-men would put up with the lack of information on an indefinite basis. Xavier's trust was based on the fact that he was convinced that Michael had indeed tried to protect him from his psychic attacker. How Michael had known about the planned attack or where to find Xavier...was uncertain. But one fact did seem clear. Michael was telling the truth in that he was there to help prevent the attack. And for that, Xavier was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and, by extension, so was Colonel Nick Fury.

Professor Xavier: "I still don't understand how you know about Magneto. His existance is unknown to the vast majority of -"

Michael: "That doesn't matter. Just believe me when I say that he's clueless about these tablets and their prophecies."

The stone tablets. There were three in existance. One was under the care of the X-men, sealed away in the vault. The other two were in the possession of the mysterious psychic thief, who was quite possibly the unknown attacker as well.

Professor Xavier: "My X-men are...strong willed. Their silence isn't going to last indefinitely. I can't reasonably ask them to keep trusting me without -"

Michael: "They'll just have to trust me."

Professor Xavier: "Trust is earned."

Michael: "I know that. I've been trying."

Whilst that was true, as evidenced by his participation in the mission to retake Jean from Leash's clutches, several of the X-men, both junior and senior, still showed their distrust in subtle ways.

Professor Xavier: "That could take a while. It will be much more expeditious to simply reveal some personal information. Like a last name for example."

Michael: "I don't know if -"

Professor Xavier: "What is it that you fear?"

Michael: "My life's story so far...it's a far cry from coherent and even further from simple."

Professor Xavier: "You should give us some more credit. We've had our fair share and more of complicated pasts."

Michael: "I just don't think it's a good idea."

Sighing, though not determined to give up, Xavier relented for the time being.

Michael: "Thanks for returning my gauntlet."

Xavier nodded. Certain of the X-men weren't too pleased when they learnt about that.

Professor Xavier: "So you'll be accompanying me to the Museum Of Ancient Antiquities tomorrow?"

Michael nodded and so Xavier left him to his thoughts...

**
"Jubilee Cracks"**

The hallway buzzed with the drone of poorly suppressed whispers. All along its length, every boy and girl stared at the manner in which Bryce and Indra held hands as they walked towards the front door. They had revealed to me that they didn't usually do stuff like that, but they wanted to shock the school populace and let there be absolutely no doubt as to what their sexualities were.

Indra: "Honestly, Rick - start showing a little pride."

I suppose he was right when he had said that. The whole school already knew about my being gay. And the people who mattered didn't care. So why should I care what the people who didn't matter thought? I confess, the self-assured manner in which Bryce and Indra dealt with their sexuality gave me some confidence. Which was one reason why I took several different colored cans of fabric spray paint, got a plain white tee and did the unthinkable. Namely, I spray-painted a large, rainbow colored "lambda" symbol on the front and dared to show my face in public.

Jubilee: "It is about damned time you did something to express your individuality!"

Amara scoffed at Jubilee's comment and gave me an unimpressed look.

Amara: "If you wanted something so bad, couldn't you at least ask for my help? I could have made it more trendy."

Jenny: "It's the message that counts, Amara."

Amara: "Well, you should at least look good while portraying a message. People will take you more seriously."

Of course I knew better than to emblazon a pink triangle onto my clothing.

"You guys think I'm doing the right thing? Right?"

They all nodded and I felt a little better. I had begun to have my doubts when one particularly aggravating boy from one of Jean and Betsy's Psionics classes had told me that drag was more my style! If there was one thing that got to me - it was the thought of me doing drag. I just had to cuss him out as he exited his class and I entered mine.

Jubilee: "Now if only you'd let Bobby in on this."

The other two nodded in agreement. That of course was out of the question. At least until Bobby was eighteen and legally independent. Then he could drape himself in the Rainbow Flag and parade around the school in just that for all I cared. But not a minute before that day. His birthday was only a few months away. He could wait a little while longer. Couldn't they see the validity of my reasons for making Bobby wait? I thought that girls were supposed to be sooo much smarter than that.

"Don't tell me how to deal with my man, Jubes."

Jubilee: "Excuse you!"

"You didn't take my advice about going back to Ray."

She scoffed and flaunted her newest bit of bling - a twenty four carat gold ring, with a bigass diamond whose flash made even Scott gawk. And that's through lenses designed to filter optic blasts too!

Jubilee: "Brian and I are perfectly happy and we're going strong."

With the sheer amount of flowers, perfumes and jewellery that Brian had been showering upon Jubilee - I was surprised he wasn't going broke in the process as well.

Jenny: "Come on, Jubes. We both know that you're using that boy to get Ray jealous."

The very idea! You can imagine my disapproval of Jubilee doing that. She was supposed to know better. Especially since she was always giving everyone else sage and ethical advice. Hypocrite!

Jubilee: "I am not. Brian is a very sweet guy."

Poor deluded boy...

Amara: "Totally lame in bed though."

We all gasped. I was aware that Amara was once a girl who...got around a lot. But she fucked with Brian? Amara wasn't there when me, Bobby, John, Roberto and Ray first met Brian. And I had never seen her and Brian together in the same place. But it was obvious that she knew who she was talking about. Jubilee scoffed once more and vehemently denied it.

"Don't tell me that you're having sex with him!"

Jubilee: "What do you take me for? Of course I haven't had sex with him. I take my time, okay."

Jubilee then explained that it took a whole year with Ray before they had sex. He was totally non-pushy in that year - but once they hit it off...well, things just took the natural course from there.

Jenny: "You know, I think Brian is expecting you to put out."

Amara: "And put out like a filthy cockwhore, judging by the sheer amount of gifts you've been receiving."

I agreed. No matter how much Jubilee claimed that he was merely 'appreciating' her. He'd probably appreciate her a whole lot more once he started getting some from her.

Jubilee: "We haven't done anything more than hugging and kissing - like Ray's been doing with those two whores. And that's the honest truth."

"I think you should stop before someone gets hurt."

Amara: "Yes, Brian has been hurt and rejected enough in his life."

We all looked at Amara questioningly once more. I was a bit disbelieving - Brian was an Adonis after all.

Jubilee: "How would you know? I thought all that you were after in your past days was sex? Did you take the time to get to know Brian or something?"

Amara nodded, and added that it wasn't really by choice. She explained what had happened when they 'tried' to have sex.

Amara: "First off, he's like four inches hard. And trust me, I have a good measuring eye when it comes to these things."

All our eyes popped! Wasn't the average size six and a half inches? And he was four inches long...when he was hard? Amara wasn't yet done.

Amara: "It was hell to get him hard too. As if his miniscule dick wasn't enough, he made ME feel sexually inadequate! The thought that I couldn't turn him on with ease was depressing!"

She went on to say that she humored him and had the most boring time of her life. Several times he slipped out and she hadn't even noticed it until she felt him sticking it in again. Needless to say, I had to forcibly maintain my facial expression so that my true thoughts weren't showing.

Amara: "I didn't even have anything nearly resembling an orgasm, for God's sake. I hope you remember these words of mine when you lose Ray forever due to your stubborness, Jubilee. There are some things money cannot buy, sweetheart. Sure you can rent a boy toy - but you cannot buy true love. Besides, you better get Ray back - you don't have any real money to rent an acceptable boy toy with."

Jubilee: "Oh please. Ray will never leave me for those two bitches."

"So you admit that you're using Brian to teach Ray a lesson?"

Jubilee: "Okay, look - I told him that I'm a Here Today, Gone Tomorrow kinda girl. If I just up and leave him, he won't be hurt cuz he knows what to expect."

I had my doubts about that, but I didn't vocalize them. For the moment, another thought had occurred to me. Brian may have been showering Jubilee with gifts with the expectation that she'd give him some pussy eventually. But what was motivating those two bitches Ray constantly wore around his arms? I remembered hearing a psychologist talk about men and women. Women usually trade sex for intimacy...and men usually trade intimacy for sex. Was Ray having sex with those two, outrageously hot, girls? The idea made Jubilee's expression morph into one of horror. Amara, as usual, found a way to make the thought a whole lot more disturbing.

Amara: "I think a more frightening question would be - is he having sex with them at the same time?"

That had its effect on Jubilee.

Jenny: "Amara! Can't you see that Jubilee is in - "

Jubilee: "Oh God, Ray can't go a week without real sex! I have to find out. I just have to."

That quirk that nearly all women share - if anything's going on, they just HAVE to know about it. Even though Jubilee had apparently severed links with Ray - with the exception of those short few hours when the mutant testing was in progress - she just HAD to know. After all, it was the selfsame Jubilee who spied on Rogue when she crossed over from The Brotherhood and joined the X-men. Sneaky to a fault.

"What will you do?"

Our Princess was only too willing to lend some assistance.

Amara: "I can get you one of the the security cameras that my father installed. You can bug his room."

Amara, as Princess of Nova Roma, had secret cameras hooked up in her quarters long before I ever did. She was a royal heiress after all. Extra security could never be a bad thing.

Jubilee: "I don't have a cardkey to his room anymore. He took it away."

Jenny: "Pity you can't walk through walls."

Amara: "Yeah, with a live feed from that wireless camera...you could tune into his room at any time of day or night. It even has a range of - "

Once more we all looked at Amara with raised eyebrows.

"Amara, have you ever bugged some boy's room?"

Amara: "No! We both agreed to make a movie. It was sent to my computer directly and I burned a DVD when I got back to my room."

Ugh...thankfully she had since amended her ways. I hoped that she either destroyed all copies of that DVD or had them stored safely. If that ever got out to the public, the Royal House of Nova Roma would be disgraced! Jubilee quickly diverted our conversation back to what really mattered.

Jubilee: "I can't walk through walls. But I do have an idea."

She proceeded to bore me with her eyes. As did Amara and Jenny when they apparently caught her drift.

"Why...are you looking at me like..."

The realization hit me full on.

"Oh hell no!"

The idea of Ray's reaction and his treatment of me if he ever found out was enough to get me totally nervous about Jubilee's plan.

Jubilee: "If I can't get in through the door - I can get in through the window."

I took it that she wanted me to levitate her up to the level Ray's room was on, from the outside of the building.

"Ray has come a long way with regards to how he treats me. I don't want to take a giant step backwards."

Jubilee: "It's the easiest and safest way to get up there."

"It's something that only a girl would do - I am not a girl and don't want to be a part of this plot."

Amara: "Of course you're not a girl. As a matter of fact, you're just half an inch short from being twice the man Brian is at his best."

How the hell did she know I was seven and a half inches...Bobby!

Jenny: "A man's worth should not be judged by the length of his penis, Amara. It's not the size of the boat - but the motion of the ocean."

The rest of us merely laughed. Yeah...right.

Amara: "That statement coming from a virgin? Listen honey, no matter WHAT they tell you - size DOES count. Wait, John's john isn't a ...midget is he?"

"Little John."

We all - minus Jubilee - laughed at the idea.

With a sudden pleading note to her voice, Jubilee begged me to reconsider.

Jubilee: "This will not make you girly. It's just that I'm desperate. I'd do it for you."

She wouldn't have to! Because I'd NEVER go so low as to sneak a camera into an ex's room. Eventually though, her begging got to me. Jubilee's plan was to use Jenny to spy and report Ray's position in the building, whilst I snuck her into his room from the outside under the cloak of darkness.

"Oh alright! I just hope we won't get caught is all. Let's go and get this shit over with."

Amara: "Ooooh, espionage! This is SO the drama! Come along people! We've got to go get dressed the part - find anything black!"

Whoever said she could come along? She must have felt entitled since it was her camera Jubilee planned on using. Without wating for a response, Amara rushed off to change and get her camera...

**
"Since When Do You Play Dress Up?"**

Bobby: "You goin' somewhere?"

He didn't really sound like he was asking.

"N-no!"

Just like my response didn't really sound convincing.

Bobby had entered my room just as I was about to exit through the window. But that wasn't all he did. I had to avoid a hurled icebolt too! When he entered, Bobby saw a black clad, male figure with a concealed face. It was hard to find something with which to hide my face at first. Eventually, I cut a portion of a leg off one of my pants, knotted one end, cut eyeholes, stretched it a bit and threw it over my head. It looked more comical than threatening to me. But given the fact that someone had snuck into my room on more than one occasion, Bobby decided to capture the 'intruder' first and ask questions later.

Bobby: "Since when do you play dress up?"

"I -"

He made a comment about whether I secretly tried drag as well. For the second time that day, I fumed.

Bobby: "Just kidding. So, whose sexy spy are you?"

"Spy? Why would you think I'm a spy?"

Bobby: "You're dressing in black from head to toe, covering your whole body and have that shitty...THING over your head. You weren't leaving through the door either - you were about to fly out the window. It's obvious you plan on doing something and you don't want anyone to recognize you. Anything fun that I should be involved in?"

Now why couldn't he analyse and deduce like that more often?

Bobby: "I'm wating..."

"Look, it isn't my idea. It's just that Jubilee..."

With Bobby blocking the window, I had to reveal Jubilee's plan to him. I didn't want to let Jubilee and Ray's quarrel impact my relationship. After all, keeping secrets from Bobby wouldn't be in our best interest. He saw his boyfriend about to sneak off after dark - if I were in his shoes, I'd be asking some questions, yesiree.

Bobby: "God!"

"I know!"

Bobby: "This reeks of Jubilee, alright."

"I'm only doing it cuz she's desperate and has been begging me to. I'd never, ever agree to such a thing if it weren't her asking me to. Hell, I'd never even contemplate it."

Bobby: "Well, go on then."

I was about to, but remembered something.

"What were you heading in here for? You left a half hour ago and told me that you -"

Bobby: "Oh, I just wanted to...to borrow something."

"What?"

Bobby: "Um...where's Bike Bang?"

Bike Bang - the last copy of the biker boy porno that I had managed to get at Ye Olde Kinky Towne.

"Bedside...second drawer."

He smirked, took it and left. As did I...

**
"Agent 007.5"**

Jenny: This is Blackthorne, come in Sparkler.

Jubilee a.k.a. Sparkler responded to the call of Jenny a.k.a. Blackthorne. I had decided to not even attempt at using my telepathy. There was no telling who could be listening in on a telepathic conversation being transmitted across the school.

Jenny: The Playboy is currently engaged in the ground floor lounge with his Playmates. The coast is clear.

Amara a.k.a. Drama Queen smiled excitedly as Sparkler finished up her correspondence. It was Amara's idea to come up with and use codenames. Jubilee thought that her overly dramatic streak was acting up once more. But then it became clear that it would be advantageous to use aliases. If anyone managed to hear any of us talking, they wouldn't be able to understand much of what was going on if codenames were in effect.

Jenny chose BlackTHORNe because of her plant based powers. Amara's love of Drama and royal heritage inspired hers. And Jubilee's pyrotechnic-like powers made her choose Sparkler. Amara was all for calling me Agent 007.5. I however would not have a codename based upon dicksize. Instead, I decided to just use my dad's old nickname. I wasn't in the mood for coming up with anything overly creative for a short, one time stunt.

Sparkler: "You ready, Wildfire?"

Sighing, I nodded and the three of us walked around the outside of the building as stealthily as we could.

Drama Queen: "Couldn't you cut that pants' leg a little more neatly, Wildfire?"

I had no choice but to use it. The nervousness and the thought of getting caught made my hands shake whilst I did the cutting. Besides, Amara and Jubilee were lucky. Amara - due to her past life - had a sadistic set of leather masks. One was feminine and one was masculine. But they fit Jubilee and Amara well enough. It hid their faces, which was the most important thing. And there I was with a cut and tied off pants' leg looking stupid.

"Okay, let's go."

That said, I focussed and the three of us started to ascend the height of the building. Jubilee took note of the windows and presently ordered me to stop at the window to Ray's room.

Sparkler: "Well, open it already!"

Drama Queen: "Yeah, I can't wait to have a look around."

I muttered for them to shut up. Whilst there was an ordinary lock on the window and it wasn't electronic in nature, I had to be careful or I'd break it. And then Ray would know for sure that someone or someones had been in his room. After a minute or two, we all heard a faint click and the window slid open under the influence of my telekinesis. We hovered in and dropped to the floor. Jubilee, an expert navigator in the room (naturally), quickly found the light switch and was about to flip it. It turns out that Amara had a real knack for the spy scene.

Drama Queen: "Wait!"

Sparkler: "Why?"

Apparently, Amara decided that it would be unsafe to turn on the very bright electric light. If on the odd chance Ray went outside and saw light coming from his room, he would know people were in it. She had a point. Ever since the revelation that person/s unknown was/were making visits to my room came out - everyone was keeping an eye out for disturbances in their own rooms. Jubilee activated her power, and a flickering, multicolored light bathed the room. It was strong enough to see by, but weak enough not to show through the drapes that hung over the window.

Drama Queen: "What is that smell?"

I was surprised that SHE of all people didn't recognize it. Since she went cold turkey, she must have gotten rusty.

"Guys...I think that smell is...cum!"

A look of realization flashed across Amara's features, whilst a very disturbed version appeared on Jubilee's. I spied around the bed and relieved the tension. Sure enough the smell was strongest there - but I saw something more in the weak light. A towel on the floor beside the bed. Ray was an animal - things were scattered all over the place.

"Look, I think this is his cumrag."

I levitated the towel and held it suspended midair.

Drama Queen: "Ray's probably just jacking off, Jubilee. I doubt you have reason to worry...yet."

Jubilee looked doubtful and did the unthinkable. She bent over the bed and began sniffing like a dog / bitch! Satisfied that the smell wasn't coming from there, she started sniffing around the towel.

Sparkler: "You're right! It IS his cumrag. He's been masturbating! And judging by the strong smell - there's a LOT of cum absorbed in that towel."

Me and the Drama Queen both grimaced in aversion at the sight of Jubilee carrying on her investigation. Of course, I wasn't disgusted with the thought of cum...exactly. When I was in a horny mood, it was okay. When I wasn't in the mood - and I sure wasn't in the mood at the time - it was better left alone.

Drama Queen: "Eeew! Men are disgusting animals."

But she couldn't get enough men in her past!

"Eh hem!"

Drama Queen: "SOME men are disgusting animals."

Sparkler: "Oh please! It's not all that bad! Let's just find a place to stash this camera."

That said we started looking around.

Sparkler: "Bookself...perfect."

Amara arranged the camera and I figured that we were done. Or so I thought.

Drama Queen: "Let's take a look around whilst we're here."

Jubilee was all for it and so they both started rummaging around in the faint light looking for long, blonde and black hairs.

"Jubilee, your hair was long and black before you dyed it. And it's been long and blonde for a while. I don't think you'll be able to tell your hairs apart from those other girls - especially in this light. We've done what we came to do. Now let's be going - I need some fresh air fast."

Sighing, Amara and Jubilee agreed and we leapt out of the window, telekinetically locking it behind us. And that was that...

Meanwhile, in Genosha...

Brainchild: "I've done it, sir! I've managed to record a complete conversation between Mystique and her associate. You will not believe what I've just learnt!"

Magneto smiled in satisfaction. At last, some more of Mystique's plan was about to come to light. The newly installed, secret, cameras had revealed that she had been making increasingly frequent visits to the main communication room in the dead of night. With each visit, Brainchild grew closer and closer to pinpointing the location of the mysterious co-plotter. The signal had jumped from Antarctica to North America about a week before - Mystique's accomplice must have been mobile during that time.

Magneto: "Load the audio recording."

Brainchild quickly complied and they both listened in earnest.

Mystique: "Well Nathaniel, I must say that I'm very impressed that you were able to infiltrate SHIELD."

Nathaniel: "Yes, I managed to accomplish on my own what that fool, Fantasia, could not. A large amount of personal information on Xavier's students and X-men is now in my possession. I'm still working on decrypting the information though. But I have no doubt in my mind that I will crack the security codes soon enough."

Mystique: "That information could prove very useful to me, Nathaniel."

Nathaniel: "That I know. I ruined my chance to capture the boy on my own. I was a little too eager to carry out an investigation on him in my guise as Dr. Sullivan. You know how protective Xavier is of his students...and this one isn't just a student, he's an X-man. So I guess I still have need of your skills after all."

Mystique: "There will be a slight change of plans. When I capture the boy, you will send the information you have before I give him to you. And if you expect to receive the human prisoners of our war - you will keep the original bargain as well and loan him to me so that I can seize control of Genosha."

Nathaniel: "Very well, Mystique. But be warned, don't get too greedy in your quest to control The Brotherhood. You'll be toying with a force that even I don't fully understand."

Mystique: "How can you not understand? You're the one who's responsible for -"

Nathaniel: "While they're all releated and there are great similarities between Human, Mutant and Empyrean genomes - blending them all together complicates matters. His father was half human - half Empyrean. And yet when Joshua was born and I tested his DNA to determine his potential - it wasn't anywhere near his mother's. Powerful...yes. But not quite what I was looking for. Under more advanced scrutiny, I realized that the majority of the Empyrean genetic potential was dormant. You do know that many genetic traits skip a generation and then reappear, don't you?"

Mystique: "Yes."

Nathaniel: "My simulations revealed that Joshua's son would exceed his power levels manifold, BUT only if he were exposed to that peculiar energy that pervades the homeland of the Empyreans. I detected a significant amount of that energy in Joshua as a newborn. His mother's body surged with it. It was a pity that she escaped before I could question her fully about that. Genes and environment are what determine if an organism lives up to its potential in most cases. Having the genes aren't enough in this case - the Empyrean environment and its energy are needed as well. Joshua has the right energy type - but not the potential I'm after. His sons will have the potential - but not enough of that energy form active physiologically."

Mystique: "But you have developed a machine that will generate that energy signature, right?"

Nathaniel: "Not exactly. My machine can generate a close match. I hope it will forcibly unlock all of young Rick's potential."

Mystique: "And the reason it won't work on Joshua is because -"

Nathaniel: "Some of the genetic traits skipped his generation. He can manipulate the Elements on a Macrocosmic level - but does not have the potential to personally control them on a molecular one."

Mystique: "From what I already know, this Rick is attuned to all the Elements. What exactly will your...procedure do?"

Nathaniel: "Hopefully, it will elevate him to his grandmother's level. He'll gain the ability to perform Elemental transmutations without limits."

Mystique: "You mean things like weather manipulation - like Storm?"

Nathaniel: "Storm would fade in comparison to Celestia. Unlike Storm, Celestia could manipulate the Elements on a Macrocosmic and Microcosmic scale. Before her capture, she once tried to disrupt my technology by reconfiguring the mineral composition of the rocks surrounding my base on a molecular level. She converted the hematite, in the rocks my fortress stood on, into magnetite. The resultant magnetic field severely damaged my computers. And that act was a mere nothing to her."

Mystique: "What about pure, refined metal? Could she affect pure metal?"

Nathaniel: "Oh yes. Most Earth Elementals can't affect metal apart from metallic ores in rocks. But Celestia had access to all Elemental transmuting abilities. Warping pure metal was a simple matter. Had I not received a sample of her blood secretly from her sister and developed a suppressor drug - it was possible that she could have single handedly obliterated my forces."

Mystique: "And that's what you plan for the boy? I'm surprised that you would trust me enough to loan him to me."

Nathaniel: "Of course I don't trust you. I know what's become of the men who have. I have ways of controlling my creations. If you were to...try anything foolish, I'd be able to turn the tables on you. Let's hope it won't come to that."

Mystique: "Of course it won't. Many have called me crazy, but none have ever called me foolish."

Nathaniel: "Good. Well, I'd best be going. The Savage Landers are acting up once more."

Mystique: "Go get 'em, tiger."

Brainchild: "Well? What do you think?"

Savage Land? Empyreans? Macrocosmic and Microcosmic Elemental transmutation?

Magneto: "Summon Lance immediately. Let's find out if he has any idea who this follower of Xavier's is exactly."

**
"So What If He's Human?"**

Professor Xavier: "...and whilst I'm gone you are to obey Betsy's instructions. Is that understood?"

Those were the Professor's final words before leaving the Mansion with Scott, Michael, Logan and Ororo. Finally, they had the time to pay the museum curator a visit. It was their hope that with his help, they'd be able to source some photographs of the Khemmenu tablets (ones that museums usually take of exhibits)...photographs that Mistress Margali could read and interpret. Whatever happened to Michael's big talk about knowing the story on the tablets? Anyhow, I suppose they must have wanted to find out if Mistress Margali could determine any alternative interpretations by reading the hieroglyphic script.

Unfortunately, with the nation on paranoia mode when anything 'mutant' came up, no one knew how the curator would respond to a mutant team. Things were different from when they first saw him. Thankfully, when the Professor contacted the Chief of Police, he was willing to vouch for them and agreed to accompany the X-men to the Museum Of Ancient Antiquities. That said, they accepted his offer gratefully and departed.

John: "Did you see what Michael was wearing? His glove thing. Since when did he get that back?"

"John, just keep an open mind and trust him a little. That gauntlet IS his property."

Amara: "Yeah, if someone took your lighter, you'd be all up in their face and -"

John: "That's different. Open mind? I wish you people would open your eyes. Scott and Logan at least seem to have theirs open."

Yes, that was true. Logan was pretty much paranoid about a lot of someones and somethings. And Scott...well he seemed to have a bone of his own to pick with Michael. I couldn't count the number of times I saw him scowling at Michael for no apparent reason. Ororo was as open minded as ever, as was the Professor himself. John kept bringing up the fact that no one knew anything much about Michael, or where he came from, what his true intentions were...etc, etc, etc.

"But I read the files, okay. There's lots of things you don't know about certain members of the X-men. And you have no problem trusting them."

There was next to no information in the files about Logan and Remmy for instance.

John: "....yeah, well - they've proven themselves."

Amara: "So let Michael have his chance to prove himself."

"The way John was acting about Michael, a fellow mutant, I can only begin to ponder his true thoughts about Karl."

John's eyes grew rather shifty at that statement.

Amara: "He seems nice enough."

John: "Couldn't Professor Xavier find a mutant shrink? Isn't this a bad time to introduce a human here? With the general human public on mutant paranoia alert?"

"I suppose it's as good a time as any. With the way students here are starting to hold humans in contempt. Maybe the Professor feels they need a reminder that not all humans are bigoted, hypocritical bastards."

They both looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Come on, don't tell me that you haven't thoughts about humans that way since the mutant testing and registration. Not at least once?"

Neither of them denied it.

John: "I guess with Emma joining the X-men and being too busy, the school needs someone like Karl around. But I still think a mutant would have been better."

Amara: "So what if he's human?"

"Amara, you grew up in a human dominated - yet mutant accepted society. That has never been the case here."

Amara: "Look, the humans are discriminating against us...let's not sink to their level and discriminate against them."

John: "I'm...not discriminating. I don't HATE Karl...I'd just have preferred a mutant."

Amara: "Good, cuz some humans are trustworthy, unbigoted and accepting."

She grew up with people like that. And yes, she was right. The problem was - you never could tell who were the good ones and who were the bad, one hundred percent of the time. All you could do was hope...

**
"We Can Handle It From Here"**

Curator: "Please...don't touch that."

Michael: "But I'm not touching it. See, no hands."

The curator modified his statement and requested that he stop levitating the priceless relic.

Michael: "Oh alright."

Michael frowned openly but replaced the small terracotta figurine on its pedestal.

Curator: "So, have you come any closer to finding the thief?"

Chief Maclean shook his head in the negative whilst the gathered X-men examined the photographic printouts before them.

Scott/Cyclops: "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Rogers."

The curator nodded and expressed the desire that they all come see him if ever they needed further help.

Chief Maclean: "So, where do we go to now?"

Professor Xavier: "We'll need to take these to be deciphered by a...friend of ours. Hopefully, once we discover what's so special about these artefacts, we'll be able to track other similar pieces and capture our collector thief. We're very grateful for your assistance."

Chief Maclean: "So, I take it that means we gotta scram now, huh?"

Professor Xavier: "We prefer to say...we can handle it from here and if anything comes up - we'll get back to you."

Mumbling, somewhat incoherently, that it was as much a matter for the police department as it was for the X-men, if not more so - Chief Maclean and his fellow officers departed.

Professor Xavier: "Let's get to Mistress Margali. I want her opinion on these right away."

Watching from not far away...

Lord Bennet: "Look, there they are. Come along, children."

Teenaged Boy Girl: "Yes, father."

The three, concealed figures watched on as the X-men boarded their jet and flew off. Once the jet was a safe distance away, all three rose into the ether and gave chase. Mysteriously, no one in the area took notice of them as they streaked off into the distance...

**
"You?!"**

Betsy: "Well, Professor Xavier was supposed to introduce you - but as he and our other two leaders aren't here, I shall have to conduct this exercise."

We juniors were assembled in one of the conference rooms with Betsy, Hank and Warren. Their plan was to introduce the other four Class 5 mutants in the school to us. For good reason too. Outside of the X-teams, there were just three students besides Jenny who fit that classification. It was the wish of the Professor that they train in the Danger Room with us in the near future to help them hone their powers more effectively. They wouldn't be joining the X-men, but they would be trained using the Danger Room as such to help foster their mutant development.

Warren: "First off - we have Jennifer Hansen....who, I have been told, you are all aquainted with. Although it could be argued that after that lust inducing pollen episode, MOST of the school can lay claim to that -"

Betsy: "Warren!"

Warren: "Sorry."

The door slid open and Jenny walked in, greeted us and took her seat.

Hank: "Next, we'd like to introduce Shiro Yoshida."

The door slid open once more and an Asian guy walked in. I recognized him from my Elementals classes with Ororo. It wasn't surprising that he didn't say anything to anyone present. At least to me it wasn't. He always kept to himself.

Warren: "Third up is...Ryan O' Connor."

A tall, fair, red haired boy entered, waved around and took a seat.

Betsy: "And last, but certainly not least, we have - "

The door slid open before a name could be called. An intimidating, black haired boy arrogantly strolled inside and took the initiative to introduce himself. I didn't pay as much attention to the name as it was the visual that captured most of my attention.

"You?!"

He grinned wickedly.

Betsy: "This is Julian Keller. A student from one of my Psionics classes."

Jubilee: "Rick, do you know this guy?"

Not exactly...other than the fact that he was the one who suggested drag to me, and teased me about my rainbow lambda tee-shirt. The very one who I had to cuss out earlier. Realizing that I hadn't answered, I quickly gave them the rundown mentally.

Betsy: "Julian, please have a seat."

Hank: "Now as we all know, there are just seven Class 5 mutants in the school. Professor Xavier thought that it would be a good idea to guage the extent of your abilities by - "

Julian: "So when do we get a shot at the training missions?"

Betsy and the others frowned, replied that it would be soon enough and asked the cocky Julian to calm himself down. Jenny and the other two Class 5s from the student body, seemed to have their composure under control.

Hank: "Jennifer has the ability to affect the physical and energetic systems of plant based lifeforms as well as increase or decrease their growth on a biomolecular level. Not to mention inducing near spontaneous mutation of plantlife and granting sentient traits to ordinarily unconscious flora...and that mindaltering pollen she produces."

Warren: "I'm sure the entire student body is grateful for her speedy recovery of the school's prime make out spot."

Hank: "Mr. Yoshida is not only a Fire Elemental - but he also has the potential to manipulate energy and affect the thermodynamic properties of any material on a molecular level. Quite frankly, he is the polar opposite of you, Bobby. Whilst you can decrease the energy content of matter - Shiro can increase it."

Betsy: "Which brings us to Ryan O' Connor. Mr. O' Connor is a very gifted psychic. We've always known that he was something of a three in one - possessing Telepathic, Empathic and Psychometric powers. Now that he has been ranked as a Class 5 mutant, we'll have to alter our training strategies accordingly."

We all then looked at the impatient Julian Keller. What was his power?

Hank: "Mr. Keller is telekinetic. As a Class 5 mutant, he - "

Julian: "Yeah, that's right. Look out, Jean Grey - here comes Julian Keller!"

Betsy, Hank and Warren sighed, mildly annoyed. The rest of us were also not impressed or amused.

Hank: "You're in the same category as MISS Grey, Julian. But individual mutants in a group are all different. Your personal rating may lie above, equal or lower Miss Grey's. Let's not be too hasty, shall we?"

Julian's spirits weren't dampened in the least. He once more leaned back in his seat in a show of comfort.

Julian: "So what's the plan? How are you going to 'guage' our powers?"

That was where things got interesting. Apparently, the plan wasn't to just let them all train with us in the Danger Room. They were going to train against us as well. Well...most of them. Jenny would have to be 'guaged' outside because there weren't any plants or soil in the Danger Room. And her testing would need to be of a gentler, non-combat nature at the beginning. She'd be evaluated by Hank based on her ability to alter the plant life outside later on. The other three, Ryan, Shiro and Julian would be pitted against suitable opponents in the Danger Room.

Betsy: "Ryan, the best person for you to face in a 'one on one', would be Jacob. You're most adept telepathically. Let's test your telepathy against his first. The Professor will handle your empathic and psychometric training himself. Up for it Jacob? Ryan?"

They both nodded exitedly.

Warren: "Storm thought that the best matchup for Mr. Yoshida would be - "

John: "Yeah, yeah - I'll do it."

Warren frowned at being interrupted.

Warren: "Amara. You can't generate flame, John. Amara, you'll be facing Mr. Yoshida in a guaging exercise."

Hank: "Which leaves Julian. I think we all can see where this is going."

Jamie: "Where?"

Hank: "Julian is telekinetic. Rick is the only telekinetic on the junior squad."

Yikes!

Julian: "You mean?!"

Betsy: "Yes, Julian. You'll be training with Rick."

Julian: "Well, this shouldn't be too hard."

Betsy: "Julian, you may be a Class 5 mutant - but that's only a measure of Potentiality. NOT actuality. Rick has had much more experience than you. All of the junior squad have had much more experience at applying their abilities."

"Wait, do we get to use all our abilities, or just the ones that -"

Hank: "Just the particular power that your opponents possess. In this case, Jacob uses telepathy. Amara uses her Fire based powers and not any Earth based ones. And you will only be allowed telekinesis."

Our three senior X-men motioned us along and we exited the conference room...

**
"Bad News...And Not So Bad News"**

Professor Xavier and his gathered X-men sat in silence as the ever-veiled Margali scrutinzed the papers before her. She hadn't yet spoken, and it was impossible to obtain any clues from her hidden facial expression. Finally after a lengthy half hour of perusing the photographed inscriptions, she looked up from the table and addressed all present.

Mistress Margali: "There is bad news and...not so bad news."

Scott: "What do you mean?"

With a deep sigh, Margali began to explain herself. The portion of the complete tablet that she had translated, when the X-men last visited, seemed to suggest that the world was in danger of being destroyed by the despotic rule of one being. But having translated much more of the inscriptions and interpreting the prophecy in context, she had come to the conclusion that the world would probably not be destroyed physically. That said, the world per se wasn't going to end. Instead, a way of life would probably meet its demise.

Mistress Margali: "The Twelve Houses of Mankind shall submit to One Master."

Professor Xavier: "The Twelve Houses of Mankind?"

Mistress Margali: "I believe that it is possibly an astrological reference. There are twelve moving stellar constellations that correspond to twelve fixed regions in space. The fixed regions are known as the houses."

Seeing their confused expressions, Margali once again elaborated. Every man, woman and child on Earth was born under a particular star sign. And each of those moving star signs correspond to a particular fixed region of space - a house. If all the houses have one master, then everyone would be under the control of the said being. It could be the prophecy's way of saying that the control of the foretold being would be completely universal. It wouldn't matter if one was human or mutant. So long as you belonged to a House - or was born under the stars - then you would be under the rule of The One.

Michael: "Anything else?"

Mistress Margali: "There are twelve beings with the combined power to prevent this apocalyptic prophecy from coming to fruition. That we know. I'm speculating here - but what if those twelve defenders represent each of The Houses of Mankind?"

Logan: "...and you're point is?"

Ororo: "Logan, show some respect."

Mistress Margali: "Very well, I can see that you're the type that likes to be spoonfed. IF those twelve represent the Twelve Houses of Mankind, then they would have to consist of individuals who not only have something in common with the Twelve Gods - but they must each be born under a different star sign as well. One defender for each sign - all humanity would be represented."

Michael: "A lead! When we find these people - we check to see when they were born as a test! Everyone HAS to be of a different star sign."

Mistress Margali: "Now, I admit that it is just a deduction. But there are so many references to astrology - it just may have validity. Not to mention that one of Gods mentioned, Mekentis, was a Star God incarnated."

Logan scoffed almost silently, having trouble understanding what was being said - as was his usual.

Mistress Margali: "To the ancients, the stars were living beings with power and influence over mortal man. That was how they interpreted an idea."

Logan: "That's a bit farfetched."

Mistress Margali: "We interpret the same idea differently today when we ponder about the prospects of extra-terrestrial life...about beings from beyond those stars."

Scott: "Back to business. The inscriptions say that ALL would be under the control of ONE. In our context, it means humans AND mutants. So I guess it's safe to say that the person or persons responsible for bringing about something like this about aren't very concerned with genetic differences? Just about domination."

Mistress Margali: "Something else has been bothering me."

Michael : "What?"

Aten. Akhenaten. A pharoah of ancient Egypt who was responsible for the very first recorded monotheistic religion on Earth. He rebelled against the great divinity Amon and the Gods - Amon's representatives. Instead, he chose to worship a form of the sun god known as Aten. He was responsible for contructing the great city of Akhetaton. It was the one and only time in ancient Egyptian history that the authority of the Gods was challenged. A challenge the like of which the prophecy predicted - the fall of the Gods.

Akhenaten banned the worship of other Gods and caused a great rift in Egyptian society. He forced all others to worship in his manner, destroyed the images and temples of other Gods. He was deemed to have been insane. When his daughter spoke out against him, he had her raped and executed that all would bear witness. After his mysteriously sudden death - some say that he was murdered - Egyptian society recovered and Aten was reduced to a mere minor divinity of little consequence.

Mistress Margali: "Historians viewed his actions as a political move against the priesthood of Amon. They were far too powerful for Akhenaten's tastes. But I'm beginning to wonder if he wasn't perhaps aware of this prophecy and could have been trying to lay the foundations for its fulfillment, so to speak."

Ororo: "I'm convinced that Magneto isn't the one this prophecy speaks of. He was completely clueless when we mentioned an assassin and missing stone tablets."

Logan: "He mighta been lying?"

Professor Xavier: "Lying is for the weak who have something to fear from the truth...or the insecure. Magneto is neither."

Scott: "Okay...now that I think about it - I'm willing to concede that maybe Magneto isn't the guy."

Mistress Margali: "And here is something else that's interesting. Having read these inscriptions, it's safe to say that they were not written all in the same time periods. The hieroglyphic script from the different portions of the tablets belong to different time periods. In addition, the astrological concepts do not match the time periods of much of the hieroglyphic script. Different people must have carved those symbols on the same tablet over a long period of time - constantly updating it. I'll have to take my time in translating much of the writing. I'm not exactly called upon to use ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics often - I've gotten somewhat rusty."

It was agreed that copies of the printouts would be left with her.

Michael: "So...different people wrote on the same rock? Over long periods of time?"

Mistress Margali: "Prophecies often belonged to the temple seers. Now, if Akhenaten was indeed trying to contribute to this prophecy's fulfillment, then the priests of the temple of Amon would have been in direct opposition. They oversaw all the other temples in upper and lower Egypt. Perhaps the priests of Amon forsaw this warning prophecy. And Akhenten eventually found out about it and tried to expedite the process. The priests would have viewed the prophecy as a warning from Amon and tried to prevent it. Prophecies are often revealed in parts as time goes by. They could have added portion by portion over time - hence the somewhat different forms of hieroglyphics."

Scott: "Maybe the priests recognized Akhenten's alleged schemes...and were responsible for his mysterious end."

Professor Xavier: "Intriguing."

Mistress Margali: "Amon's prophecies often dealt with the well-being of all Egypt. It appears that this one deals with all mankind. Pity that it is so difficult to discern. I'll keep trying and will report my findings."

Professor Xavier: "Thank you for your assistance, as always."

After some further exchanges, it was time to leave.

Mistress Margali: "Just a moment - Michael. Can I have a few minutes with you?"

Everyone glanced at Michael curiously.

Mistress Margali: "Oh it's nothing serious...just want to have a word or two with him about the damage he caused to my carnival when he was last here."

Professor Xavier: "We'll be waiting in the jet. Take all the time you need, Mistress Margali."

That said, they left Michael and Margali alone in the tent...

**
"That Was Low"**

Julian: "That all you got?"

I didn't understand it. Everyone else had defeated their opponents in the combat oriented field tests fairly easily. But Julian Keller was proving himself to be more than problematic. What made things worse was the fact that he actually seemed to enjoy taunting me during the entire test's duration. Julian was in another of Jean and Betsy's Psionics classes. As such, I had never personally witnessed his telekinetic prowess. Hank had set the Danger Room computer to recreate downtown Bayville. There were ample objects to manipulate, ranging from dustbins, benches, bikes to cars.

Julian: "Here, catch!"

At that, he almost effortlessly lifted two cabs and hurled them to my position. I didn't even bother to try "catching" them, but hovered higher to avoid contact instead. I knew from my first Sentinel exercise in the Danger Room, that one car was hard enough for me to lift. I wasn't going to waste precious energy to try blocking two being hurled at me. The speakers that relayed audio from the monitoring room were on and I could hear the gasps...and the comments.

John: "I don't get this. In Nova Roma we saw Rick shift a landslide. What is taking him so long to beat this guy?"

Jake: "Rick wasn't the one moving that landslide, John. He was only a focus. The ones moving it were the group of telekinetics in the town below. They just chanelled their power into Rick via a mental link."

Hank: "In other words, Rick was like a magnifying lens. Those telekinetics were like the sun's rays."

Julian: "I always knew I had talent. It was just that Miss Grey never let me use it to the full."

"If you have all that talent - then why aren't you on the junior squad?"

Julian: "For some reason, Miss Grey and Professor Xavier never thought that I was ready. But maybe this session will open their eyes when I trounce you, eh? Now I can finally have my chance to cut loose and not hold back any!"

With that, he caught hold of my midsection and mentally started to drag me downward. I simultaneously focussed on lifting myself upward and pulling him along with me. He frowned and we both applied ourselves to our telekinetic tug of war with gusto. For a little over ten seconds, I thought that I was winning. Certainly, I was rising at the time, albeit slowly. Then, without warning, I was brought right down to ground level with a violent telekinetic yank. I hit the ground with a hard thud. To make it even more humiliating, I found that try as I might, I could not muster the strength to get up. Chest down, head to the side and limbs outstretched, I was pinned motionless to the simulated sidewalk. Julian walked up with a satisfied smirk on his face.

Julian: "Yeah, bite the dust of defeat."

"Alright, you made your point. Now cut it the hell out."

Julian: "The better man won."

He seemed to find that funny as hell and laughed. I knew why, and scowled.

Julian: "Say...you're the man, Julian. Come on, say it."

I wasn't about to sink any lower and give the bigoted fool anymore satisfaction.

"You're so insecure about your manhood that you need the likes of me to validate it?"

That angered Julian but served to distract him sufficiently. Precisely what I had in mind. Whilst he was in the process of making a retort I managed to wriggle out of his mental grasp and catch him in a hold of my own. Before he could react, I sent him into a quickly revolving orbit around my position. I couldn't lift as much weight as he could, at least not easily. But there was one thing I knew about telekinesis from experience. In order to move something, you first have to focus upon it. At the rate Julian was revolving, everything must have been a blur to him. Of course telekinetics can move objects they can't see. But Julian was moving too fast, not to mention that he was too disoriented, to form a telekinetic grasp.

"You wanna get off the ride?"

I heard him drone out something about feeling sick.

"Do you admit defeat?"

After a short pause, he agreed and I set him down upon the ground as hard as he had done to me minutes before. The Danger Room returned to its non-transformed state. Julian stumbled to his feet and death glared me.

Julian: "That was low."

Coming from him, it was to laugh at. I gave him the chance to claim victory. But no...he wanted to add insult to injury by refusing to let me up until I fed his bloated ego.

"Hey, don't blame me if you were too dumb to seize the opportunity when I admitted defeat. You'd have truly won if you didn't try to gloat. Haven't you learnt anything from cartoons? When the bad guys waste time gloating - they lose."

With an angry scoff he turned and exited the room. With a very poorly hidden smile, I followed...

**
"That Sounds Like A Plan"**

Location: Mutant Intelligence Gathering and Hazard Termination (MIGHT) Headquarters

General Andrew Reynolds closely scrutinized his presentation slides for the last time, and finally called his meeting to order. Assembled before him were among the highest-ranking military officials and politicians in the country. Not to mention the president of the United States himself. All bore the stern facial masks of men on duty. Asking for the approval of the president, and receiving it, General Reynolds proceeded.

General Reynolds: "I'll just get to the crux of the issue that made me call this meeting. We all know about the mutant terrorist attack on Cyberstar Labs that took place some time ago."

All present affirmed the statement. Cyberstar Labs was under contract to develop and build a revolutionary new version of mutant scanning technology. It would allow for the long distance tracking and marking of mutant DNA. The project was delayed, and the protoype moved, due to the security reasons. A spy posing as a scientist was discovered on the premises. Unfortunately he was able to escape capture. But his discovery opened the eyes of Cyberstar and they moved the prototype to a secure location.

General Reynolds: "A group of unknown mutants somehow breached the outer boundaries and entered the main building. We have no choice but to assume that the spy was one of their people and that they were trying to steal the mutant scanning prototype."

Of course, none present knew that those mutants were none other than the X-men.

President Kelly: "At least their plan failed."

General Reynolds nodded in agreement with the president's statement, but there was something about the manner in which he did it that made everyone uneasy. With a sigh, Reynolds explained that a complication had now been discovered. Namely that the intruders had apparently been able to hack into the data network and steal large amounts of scientific and other data from Cyberstar's memory banks. The news was not taken well - and that was putting it very, very mildly indeed. There was an awkward pause as all present waited for the president to react to the news.

President Kelly: "What exactly did they steal?"

Kelly's words were forcibly kept calm, but everyone could see the strain on his face. After all, not a few of Cyberstar's programs could spell disaster for his political career if information were to ever find its way into the public's domain.

General Reynolds: "We don't know. But the data has multiple levels of encryption. It will be far from easy to decode it. Which gives us some time to set a trap."

His idea was straightforward, but logical. It was highly unlikely that there was just one mole at Cyberstar. The odds were that there could be several, each stationed at different departments of the company. If Cyberstar were to run a fake mutant oriented program, it could attract a spy's attention. And then members of the unknown mutant group might be tempted to revisit Cyberstar once more - but security would be ready for them. With proper planning, it just might be possible to capture at least one of them for interrogation.

President Kelly: "That sounds like a plan. Get started on that immediately. We have to locate these intruders, preferably before they can bypass the data's encryption."

All nodded and General Reynolds moved on to discuss the particulars of his plan...

**
"I Know Exactly Who You Are"**

Michael sat down, semi-nervously fidgeting in his chair under the gaze of Mistress Margali. He wouldn't admit it to anyone else, but the woman's perpetually veiled countenance was disturbing to him. And not just a little. Under normal circumstances, he judged the sincerity of others by their willingness to at least make some eye contact, and not being able to read Margali's eyes made him ill at ease. For one thing, he could sense only slight emotional and thought patterns from her.

Michael: "So...I'm sorry about all the damage that I caused."

Mistress Margali chuckled amusedly and remarked that it was a mere nothing for her magicks to repair. Michael curiously wondered what he could have been made to stay behind for if the damage was "nothing" for her to undo. She had said that it was the damage that she wanted to talk to him about. The woman's voice broke him out of his musing.

Mistress Margali: "Mi-ka-el, you're name's Middle Eastern in origin. He who is like God... You're quite a powerful young man."

His name's meaning? Surely there was more to her request to speak to him alone than that.

Michael: "Um, not to be rude or anything...but is there something that you - "

Mistress Margali: "Yes."

Apparently this Margali woman liked to keep people in suspense as she said nothing more for close to a minute. Michael could tell that she was enjoying the look of curiosity playing across his face. Losing some of his cool, he spoke up somewhat impatiently.

Michael: "Well, are you going to enlighten me anytime soon?"

Her next statement was enough to totally unsettle him.

Mistress Margali: "I know exactly who you are. And what's more, I know precisely why you're here."

Michael: "Oh, really?"

It was all that Michael could bring himself to say. He was shellshocked, but felt it unwise to let Margali have the last word.

Mistress Margali: "Why, yes."

Forcefully restoring his cool façade, Michael risked a small smirk.

Michael: "I think you're bluffing."

Margali chuckled once more, Michael really didn't like the sound of it. But he disliked the sound of the next statement she made even more.

Mistress Margali: "Askani."

It wasn't the word that he disliked - far from it. It was the sound of it coming from her. His composure crumbled.

Michael: "H-how do you know - "

Her voice became warmer, almost gentle.

Mistress Margali: "Now that I have your utter and complete attention - we are going to have a little talk."

He could only nod in agreement.

**
"The Truth Revealed"**

Irene: "Who are you?!"

Irene's voice reverberated in the surrounding darkness. She was in one of her lucid dreams again. Of that much she was certain. She was standing within a small, illuminated circle. The space all around her was pitch black however. Her inner sight could not discern anything in the void beyond other than the fact that she was not alone in the strange place. Summoning her courage once more, she demanded an answer. When she received none, some of her fear transformed to anger.

These unbidden entities wanted her active participation in some plan of theirs. She knew that. That was the reason she was receiving her apocalyptic visions. They wanted her to somehow try and prevent it from happening - all very well and good. But how could they expect her to trust them one hundred percent if they revealed nothing of themeselves to her?

Irene: "Either I get some answers, or you can find someone else to be you medium."

The threat didn't intimidate the unknown ones in the least - or at least Irene didn't think so. But nevertheless she felt that she had managed to make some sort of a connection. True to her gut instinct, she sensed an unknown personality within her mind. She knew what a mental probe felt like - and she was being subjected to one. Strangely, she didn't mind it - after all, these "visitors" had been linked to her for quite some time, she felt accustomed to them in a way. When the probe was complete, a voice spoke up from somewhere in the darkness.

Entity: "It is imperative that you trust us. Your species is in grave peril."

Irene froze. Your species?!

Irene: "So you're not human? Riiight..."

Entity: "We are not of your planet."

Irene: "Surely you don't mean that you're extra-terrestrial. God, I really must be going crazy. "

Entity: "We are not of your race, or of your solar system."

Irene became distrustful at that statement. If these "people" weren't human, and expected her to believe that they were alien, then how could they be speaking in English? She brought up that fact as a challenge to their credibility.

Entity: "The mental probe we subjected you to was our way of aquainting ourselves with your language, beliefs and customs. In essence we...downloaded your personal data into our group consciousness in order to determine how best to commune with you."

Mulling it over, Irene admitted that it was logical and credible. Telepathy could do a lot of things. Yet she still had misgivings and the entities could sense it.

Entity: "You do not trust us. It was precisely why we did not wish to reveal anything of ourselves to you. Perhaps your mental evolution has not yet reached a level where it can accept the concept of extra-terrestrial life. Distrust appears to be one of your species' greatest barriers to overcome."

Irene: "It's shocking. But...I can handle it. I can...try to trust you. I have to take that chance."

Entity: "You possess a unique mind, Irene. Of all your species, you appear to be the only one capable of receiving our transmitted visions in their entirety."

Irene: "You mean, I'm the only person on Earth having these visions?"

The unknown speaker verified it. Irene puzzled over what she had just learned. Assuming that the speakers were being honest - why were they so concerned with humanity's future? After all, no alien race had ever bothered to make contact with Earth before. Of course, there were those crazy signals that NASA revealed some of their space probes picked up on occasion. But they had always been traced to sunspot activity or electrical problems and such, unless...

Irene: "Have you ever tried making contact with us through technology before."

Entity: "No. That would involve the strong possibility of revealing our existance to your entire population. The threat of cultural contamination would be too great. It would directly interfere with your development and evolution as a species."

Irene: "You're interfering now."

Entity: "Only because it cannot now be avoided any further - and the interference is indirect."

Irene: "What do you mean?"

The speaker went on to explain. It was originally planned to make use of Irene's mutation in order to inform her of the brewing threat to her world. She was not supposed to know that her visions were originating from the minds of another race. But her mind was far more powerful than they had originally believed. She sensed the presence of others. What was more, she threatened to be uncooperative if no answers were given to her. So in order to ensure that she would continue to be cooperative, it was decided to reveal some knowledge to her.

Irene: "Wow, a threat from me that actually worked. This is a first. Why does our future matter so much to you anyway?"

Entity: "Since time immemorial, our race has roamed the galaxies. It is comparatively rare for a species to achieve all that yours has, so young in its development. Few worlds manage to advance to such a level. Humanity will be...as your kind would say...going places. It is an untold tragedy whenever an advanced species such as yours destroys itself or has itself destroyed."

Irene: "Has itself destroyed?"

Entity: "As if the ecological destruction your species is perpetrating upon your environment isn't enough - if that doesn't bring about your end...something else will."

Irene: "I need to know more. Why do you show me things so...piecemeal...little by little?"

Entity: "To prepare your mind gradually."

Irene: "If you know anything much about our race, then you'll know we aren't typically very patient. Whatever it is, show me. I can handle it."

Entity: "You're quite eager."

Irene nodded. When faced with the destruction of one's world, it would be stupidity to wait to act.

Entity: "As you wish. Behold the very possible fate of your world."

The circle of light brightened and expanded into a brilliant explosion. When it's intensity died down, Irene realized that she was standing on a mountain top, surrounded by miles upon miles of uninhabited, rocky country. You may wonder how it is that a woman "blind" from birth could understand what a mountain could be. Irene may have been blind physically, but her inner sight allowed her to see mental images of the external world. And what she saw puzzled her. Everything looked peaceful enough. What was so wrong? As the thought ran through her mind, she felt the presence of her guests and their spokesperson once more.

Entity: Our race forsaw this. We have been sending visions of the past and future we received to you. We cannot ethically act upon our visions as we are sworn never to directly interfere with the future of another sentient race. But we can warn you so that you can act accordingly on your own. This particular vision depicts Earth a little more than two thousand years from now.

Irene: "Everything's so peaceful."

Entity: Yes, indeed it is now. But the means by which this peace was attained was anything but. The cost was the total extermination of all life on your world. Look around you. Can you see any signs of life? The smallest plant or animal? Look to the base of the mountain. Do you see any trees?

The scene shifted and Irene found herself standing amongst crumbling ruins. Buildings that would put modern day skyscrapers in their shadows were slowly crumbling apart. Strange machines rusted away upon cracked streets, nothing but a mess of rubble. And no sign of life anywhere. Just as in the mountainside. Irene shuddered.

Irene: "Why?"

Entity: Apparently a chance for evolution to start over afresh.

Irene: "How?"

The circle of light appeared around her once more. It similarly brightened and exploded with brilliance and Irene found herself on a grassy plain of some sort. The sound of terrible rumbling from above instantly made her look up, frantically searching for its source. The clouds were obscuring her vision - at least at the start.

Irene: "How far into the future are you showing me?"

Entity: This event will occur just over one thousand years from your present. That is if your mission fails, Irene.

The clouds then parted and the sight of mechanized, columnar forms could be witnessed. Some sort of alien technology, Irene ventured to suggest. The black metal was patterned with glowing yellow segments. Like a serpent, Irene thought. Further study of its form made her realize that it was attached to a spherical object composed of a similar black metal with the same yellow markings. The entire sky was almost filled with the object. With a sudden motion, the columnar portions became pliable, and shot down into the ground below.

Entity: Fear not. You will not feel be harmed of suffer any painful sensations this time. Our previous visions were tapping into your sensory nervous system. We apologize that our methods were not refined then and caused you undue pain.

Irene: "It's okay. And thank you for your concern. What's happening? What is that...thing?"

The strange, giant machine continued to drill its tendrils into the ground.

Entity: It is but one of many similar devices dispatched to your world. Your previous guess was correct - it is alien in origin.

Irene: "Who the hell sent it?"

There was no response for some time.

Entity: That knowledge may be overwhelming. Your mind may refuse to accept it. It may result in a crisis of your belief systems and similar psycho-spiritual issues.

Irene: "My belief systems were challenged when you revealed yourselves to me. I don't care what I have to go through. I'm just one person, it's not like you're telling my entire species. If I end up needing some serious therapy, it's a small price to pay to prevent this from happening."

Entity: Your sense of selfless service is a credit to your race. Are you certain that you wish to know?

Irene steeled herself and nodded.

Entity: That machine is one of many commanded by a being known as Exitar. In your tongue, it means The Exterminator. He is of an enigmatic and ancient cosmic race known as the Celestials.

Irene: "What could we have done to incur the wrath of these aliens?"

Before a response could be given, the ground started rumbling. The machine's central, spherical core began glowing with even greater fury. The tendrils did likewise. But that wasn't as disturbing as the sight of the grass withering into yellow, then brown and finally crumbling into miniscule particles of dust. The wave of death began spreading over the entire plain until there wasn't a spot of green left in sight. There was nothing left but caked soil, bereft of any sign of flora whatsoever.

Irene: "How is this possible?"

Entity: All life on your world is carbon based, built upon the carbon-carbon molecular skeleton. Exitar's devices are disintegrating your lifeforms on a molecular level.

Irene: "But won't we fight back? Weapons and - "

Entity: Your technology will be no match for that of the Celestial's.

Irene: "What did we do to deserve it? If we were just destroying ourselves anyway, why didn't they just let us kill ourselves off?"

Entity: Because a being from your world, the one whose rise to power you must stop, had the potential to overwhelm the Celestials. He was or rather, will be, a very real threat to them. His despotic regime would have spread to other worlds beside your own. The Celestials were acting to prevent his tyranny from spreading across the galaxy.

Irene: "So you think we deserved this? Couldn't they have just destroyed this...being and spare the innocent?"

Entity: The Celestials tyically judge the worth on an entire species, not individuals. In their eyes, your entire race was unworthy of life. You failed by their standards. Your existance had to be erased as you were, to them, evolutionary failures. In order to ensure that ALL humans are exterminated, Exitar's devices are targeting all cabon based lifeforms, including plants and animals. They were willing to take no chances. As humans were the dominant lifeforms on Earth, they felt that if humans failed their standards - the other lifeforms would not be worthy of life either.

The pronouncement made Irene seethe with anger.

Irene: Who the hell gave them the right to pass judgement upon us, upon our entire world?!"

Entity: They felt they had the right...since mankind owes its very existance to their actions in the very beginning of your evolution.

Irene: "Y-you don't mean..."

The ramifications of the speaker's statement hit Irene full on.

Entity: They did not create your race. But when your species was in its protoform, they came to Earth. They altered the genetics of the proto-humans, resulting in different offshoots of humanity. All of them are now extinct - except three.

Irene: "Oh, dear God..."

Entity: There is mainline humanity, the ones known as mutants, and another offshoot who refer to themselves as the Empyreans.

The scene shifted and Irene found herself back in the dark room, standing within the circle of light once more.

Irene: "Empyreans? Why don't our scientists know about them? Are they on Earth?"

Entity: "Yes, but they were moved to the southern icelands of your world early in their development. Their existence is secret because they were hidden away from the other branches of mankind by the Celestials. They were intended to be the Celestials' representatives on Earth. We do know that they have developed some advanced technologies."

Irene: "Southern icelands...that must be somewhere in Antarctica. Do they know much about the Celestials?"

Entity: "They believe that the Celestials are Gods and see themselves as their Chosen."

Irene: "How do you know that?"

Entity: "I have witnessed some of their actions personally through astral projection."

Irene: "So the Celestials experimented on us and the result was three separate sub-species?"

Entity: "Yes."

Irene: "This being you keep mentioning, the one who will have the potential to overrun the galaxy and conquer the Celestials. What division does he belong to?"

Entity: "He is a genetically pure mutant. In fact, we believe that he may be the very first advanced mutant ever."

Irene: "You mean..."

Entity: "His existence began almost five thousand years ago from your present. In the place you know as Egypt. So our psychic probes into the past have revealed."

Irene: "And he survived a thousand years into our future from our present?! Then he had to be approximately six thousand years old when the Celestials arrive?!"

Entity: "Yes. How exactly, we do not know. We have several suspicions. It may be due to his mutation. Or...due to other factors..."

A sudden thought came to Irene.

Irene: "These Empyreans - did the Celestials destroy them too?"

Entity: "They disappeared from the evolutionary records at some unknown point. Their whereabouts one thousand years from now are unknown to us. If they were somewhere on Earth at the time of Exitar's arrival - then they would have certainly been killed as well."

Irene expressed her shock that the Celestials would even destroy their alleged representatives on Earth.

Entity: "They won't have any qualms. After all, if the Empyreans couldn't watch over Earth and prevent the chain of events - they too would have failed by Celestial standards."

Irene grew quiet for some moments as she marshalled her thoughts.

Entity: "Will you be able to deal with these revelations, Irene?"

Irene: "I'll just have to. I can ponder when my job is done. I do have a few more questions - if you don't mind?"

Entity: "Ask and learn."

Irene: "Are you and your race any match for the Celestials?"

Entity: "We do not engage in warfare. If you mean by your question, whether we possess offensive weapons technology that can sucessfully deter Celestials, then no. The weapons we possess now are merely historical relics from our race's antiquity. We do possess defensive systems however."

Irene: "And have you ever done what the Celestials have done - experimentation on other species?"

Entity: "No. But we have interfered with the development of other races in our distant past. Purely to help them of course - or so we thought we were doing. Our mistakes made us realize that races should be allowed to develop without outside influences. There are some things a species must realize on its own."

Irene: "The Celestials interfere and you do not. Your ideologies seem to be polar opposites."

Entity: "Indeed. Which is why we have done our best to shield worlds from Celestial lifescans - in the hope that if they believe a world is inhospitable to life, they will leave it as it is. Earth was unknown to us at the time the Celestials visited."

Irene: "How will the Celestials learn about the state of Earth's affairs?"

Entity: "The Celestials typically conduct an experiment, then leave a world in order to give the test species involved adequate time to mature. Then they return to judge. However, it is highly likely that their vicegerents, the Empyreans, have been sending data to them. The Celestials returned to Earth somewhat before the proper time for your ultimate judgement came. Or will return rather."

Irene: "You said that the Empyreans view the Celestials as Gods?"

Entity: "Yes. They are grateful for the Celestials' intervention in the evolution of your species. Our sensors have detected transmissions leaving Earth from the suspected Empyrean zone. Hence, we infer that they have been faithfully collecting data and transmitting it to the Celestials."

Irene: "Your sensors? Where are you...exactly?"

Entity: "My race no longer has any homeworld. I personally have been monitoring Earth from the dark side of your moon for millenia. As a representative of my people."

Irene grew puzzled. She was certain that she felt the presence of multiple minds in her visions. And she had the distinct impression that even in the strange room, she and her speaker were not alone.

Irene: "I sense others. Others like you and yet - "

Entity: "All members of my race share a permanent psychic link. We are never truly alone. What one of us knows, all of us know - save such thoughts that we may wish to keep private. You may be in direct contact with me, but you are indirectly sensing others of my race."

Irene: "I hope that we can get to know each other better. I suppose it won't be wise for me to reveal your existence to anyone else?"

Entity: "You would be correct in that assumption."

Irene: "Just one more thing - what should I call you? Do you have a name?"

Uatu: "I am Uatu of the Watchers."

**
"Jean Van de Kamp? - You Be The Judge"**

The sound of Jean's bellowing was more than a little annoying. I'm the kind of person who hates being disturbed while having a bath after a long day. And Jean was disturbing. Not surprisingly, she didn't bother to make mental contact with me, but relied on the intercom. She had been communicating mentally with me less and less lately (at least outside of Psionics class where it was her teaching duty to). I was prepared to pretend that I didn't know she was at my door. But she was using the intercom, there was no way I could argue that I didn't hear. For all I knew, she could have been acting in an official capacity. And ignoring her then could have meant trouble.

Jean: "Would you open this damned door? I know that you're inside."

I activated the intercom to reply to her impatient request.

"Hold your horses! I'm not decent!"

In an attempt to anger me no doubt, she made some wisecrack or other about that statement whilst I fumed and dressed. Finally satisfied, I adjusted my expression and opened the door. There she stood with a bag of some sort, hand on hip, eyebrow raised and a semi-smile playing across her face.

"Well?"

She didn't answer at first, she just reached into her bag, took out an envelope and handed it to me. Since when was Jean the postlady, I wondered. I read the writing on the envelope and saw that it was indeed addressed to me and was from the desk of none other than Professor Xavier. At first I thought about the transference of my custody rights. But that idea was quickly squelched - everything was handled expeditiously and was supposed to have been overwith. I then wondered if perhaps I was in some sort of Jean Grey related trouble - hence her attempts to hide her smiling.

Jean: "Look, the sooner you read the letter, the sooner I can be out of here."

Curiousity finally getting the best of me, I opened the envelope and took out a letter bearing the seal of Professor Xavier. What I read confused me. It basically said that Jean wanted to have a look around my quarters and I was to let her do so. It was basically a warrant allowing Jean to enter my quarters. Why would she want to do that?

"What, you convinced the Prof that I've been stashing weed up in here or something?"

With another scaringly sweet smile, she replied.

Jean: "No, nothing as silly as that."

Entering, she reached into her bag and took out something. Ignoring me, she walked over to the furthest end of my room and stood by the window, examining it closely. Another thought popped into my head.

"Is this about the unknown person or persons coming in here?"

Jean: "Far from it."

I then saw that the object she took out of her bag was a tape measure, of the kind construction people sometimes used. Jean began to measure the length and width of the window, then proceeded to do the same for the walls, cabinets and other pieces of furniture. She made little memos to herself in a small pad and moved on to the bathroom. I followed her in and saw that she was noting the color of the tiles and such. Finally she exited and went back into the main room. Unable to control myself any longer I demanded that she explain her actions that instant. Jean was only to happy to do so.

Jean: "I need a nursery."

My mouth popped open! She needed a nursery?!

"You don't mean that my room - "

Jean: "It may just happen. You see, my room simply does not have the space for a play area and nursery combined. But yours does."

Whilst I forcibly controlled my breathing she explained that if the situation were to require it, I would be asked to vacate and take up residence in her quarters and she would start living in mine. She knew some contractors who would be able to redesign my room into a darling area fit for her baby. Hence, she was planning ahead and taking measurements and such. Not to mention planning the décor. I would be lucky to have her quarters and should be grateful that I wouldn't be asked to move into a shared room like many of the other students.

Jean: "Well, say something. What do you think?"

I thought some nasty, shielded thoughts about her, that's what I did. Pity that I couldn't tell them to her without getting into trouble for serious disrespect.

"You know, I'm starting to see you in the same light that I saw Bree van de Kamp in. And let me tell you - I've almost always disliked Bree."

Jean's sure of herself smile merely widened.

Jean: "Well, I'm not exactly throwing you out on the street, at a gas station in the middle of nowhere am I?"

No, but I was always glad to have an extra large room and she wanted to ruin that. And she was no doubt doing it just to spite me for helping Emma.

Jean: "I'm offering alternative accomodation."

Curse her little play on words - she must have thought she was sooo witty.

"This is my room and that's the way it's going to stay."

My show of bravado did nothing to phase Jean. I wasn't surprised as I myself wasn't convinced that there was anything that I could do to stop or delay her insidious agenda.

Jean: "I'm SO sorry for the inconvenience. But we have to think about what's best for the baby now. Not to sound presumptuous - but I don't think you have a chance with that card in my hand."

Oh, the baby's welfare, is it? I knew that if she played that baby card - as she seemed to have very real intentions of doing - she'd win. The look on my face must have been very entertaining to her as her smile spread across her face even more. But I felt as if I had to say something - even if it would be empty.

"We'll see about that."

It was all I could think of to say - which goes to show how beat I thought I was. Moving to Jean's room would pose all sorts of problems. For one thing, the teachers' floor was well equipped with security cameras. All along the hallways. And they were always on, twenty four-seven. Bobby's nighttime journeys to my quarters would be made so much more problematic. And me leaving my room in the dead of night (to go to Bobby's) on a regular basis would seem so mysterious as well.

Jean: "Well, I've gotten what I've came for. I'll just be going now. By the way, I hope the baby is a girl."

"Why do you wish that? I thought that you didn't mind either way. God knows there's no more room in this mansion for another female with your traits."

Jean: "Well, I want a girl now - imagine an adjoined nursery in hot pink. Sweet!"

With a final grin, Jean departed. Bitch, it's so on now!

To be continued...

End Notes:

So...

Who are these Empyreans exactly?

What are the full ramifications of Doctor Nathaniel Essex's schemes? He was posing as Doctor Sullivan, wasn't he?

How will the plan of MIGHT turn out?

Who are these mysterious Watchers in contact with Irene? And why does she not know about the Empyreans when it's obvious that Mystique and Nathaniel Essex do? Has Mystique been holding out on her?

Prophetic information from the Watchers and the Khemennu tablets? Which is correct? Or do they both have validity?

Mankind, the end result of a genetic experiment by an enigmatic race, known as The Celestials?

And what of Michael? What does Mistress Margali know about him that's got him so jittery? Surely it must have something to do with that cryptic word...Askani?

First off, thanks for bearing patiently with me for this - the first chapter of 2007! I always recieve emails from people worried that I maight have stopped writing this story. Relax guys and girls - that is not going to happen! (^_^)

Secondly, I want to say thanks again to everyone who reads this story. I started writing this story in 2005 and in a few more months this fanfic will be celebrating its second anniversary. In all that time, I have never been skimped on feedback either. And that's one of the reasons why I won't stop until this story is complete. I'd like to once again thank all my...fans (^_^) Your incessent feedback has helped me improve so much and I hope you'll be satisfied with the storyline as it unfolds.

Oh, and this is late but....HAPPY NEW YEAR!

If you would like to make a comment on this or other chapters, then email can be sent to

phoenix_587@yahoo.com

or

birdofflame_587@yahoo.com

Also, if you'd like to join my group, the address is at

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