Reality Bites--part 5
While the others were out and about, Amanda decided to have a talk with Xavier. She had been slightly worried about what happened at the mall and the presence she sensed. She had telepathically asked Xavier to meet her outside.
"Is there something wrong, Amanda." Xavier asked as he approached.
"You're actually ' talking ' to me?" she replied.
Xavier looked at her slightly puzzled. Amanda hated teasing him, but he was cute when he was confused. She also knew that now wasn't the time to be flirty.
"I sensed something at the mall, just before Jonas changed. It was the same feeling that I got every time one of us appeared. I think someone else has been brought through and I don't think that she/he is too friendly."
"I'll have Hank look in on it." Xavier replied authoritively. He turned around to leave when...
"Do you have to go?" asked Amanda.
"Why do you ask?" he questioned.
"Well, I have a hard time falling a sleep when I'm in a strange place, so I was wondering if you could give me a..a.. tour."She replied nervously.
"At this time at night?" he asked warmly. The acceptance in his eyes.
"Well, why not?" she replied sheepishly.
Xavier indicated the path he wanted her to follow.
/This is so cool,/ she thought. /I'm definitely going to change my favorite's list./
A.C.
==========Danger Room==========
Cara leapt out of the way, throwing herself headfirst into the bushes...just barely avoiding getting blasted by the Sentinal's red laser beam.
She crashed out the other side of the bushes, ducked and rolled, trying to get away from the giant hands that were coming ever closer to catching her.
/If I can just get behind it.../ she thought frantically.
Once again she jumped out of the way of the Sentinal's swinging hand, and leapt onto a tall boulder which stood off to the side of the Sentinal...thinking that she could jump from it and land behind the Sentinal.
But, she slipped on a loose rock, and fell into the waiting hands of the Giant. She still had one arm free though, and quickly whipped one of her poker chips out of her coat...she charged it, aimed, and let fly! She threw her free arm over her face, to protect herself from the resulting blast...
The small plastic disk met the Sentinal's neck with a thundering crash...effectively separating the Sentinal's head from its body...and it started to fall.
Cara shrieked as the Sentinal fell...it was still clutching her tightly.
First its body met the ground, then it's arms...Finally, it's hands fell to the ground, almost as if it were all happening in slow motion.
Cara nearly fainted as she saw the ground hurtling towards her.../This is really going to hurt!/ she thought grimly...
The shock from the impact shot through her body, as the giant hand that held her finally made contact with the ground. It bounced once, then came to a complete rest, and all was still once more.
"ooohhh," Cara gave a quiet moan. "that really hurt..."
She tried to move, but she was still stuck in the Sentinal's grasp...and she couldn't get free!
"I guess I'm going to be stuck like this til morning...won't that be a big laugh! Oh well, at least I was able to take down the 'mighty sentinal'. Huh...it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be!" she thought, smiling to herself...
Her gloating was interrupted however, by FOUR PAIRS OF GIANT RED, GLOWING EYES appearing in the tree tops...
Four more Sentinals emerged from the trees, all reaching for Cara...she screamed as the Giant hands hovered over her...
****************
"ZING!!" Two glowing objects hurtled through the air, and crashed into two of the Sentinals...blowing them both apart.
The two remaining Sentinals stood up straight, and looked in the direction where the attack had come from. Cara looked too, as well as she was able. What she saw took her completely by surprise...Because there stood Gambit!
"Never fear, Mon Petit'...For Gambit is HERE!" He said, winking at the bewildered girl.
He turned his attention to the two Sentinals..."Why don't you fight Gambit instead?" He said, "He make a more interesting target, Non?"
The Sentinals left the shaken girl, and went after the "more interesting target".
They didn't have a chance though...For Gambit knew this training session inside and out. He could go through it with his eyes closed. Needless to say, it was all over for the Sentinals in a matter of moments.
As soon as the last Sentinal fell, the Danger Room suddenly reverted back to its normal state...The sentinal which held Cara disappeared in a flash of light, and she was left sitting on the cold floor.
Rainfall
Gambit walked over to the shaking girl, and held out his hand...Cara's red eyes widened in bewilderment. She stared at the outstretched hand for a moment, then, ever-so-cautiously placed her own hand in it. Gambit pulled her gently to her feet.
"Why did you help me?" asked Cara, staring up into Gambit's eyes..."After what I did..."
Gambit placed one finger on her lips, silencing her..."Gambit be willing to forgive and forget...Let's jus' start over, Non?" he said softly. He smiled at Cara.
Cara's eyes were wide.../was Gambit flirting with her?/ she wondered...all she could do was nod her agreement.
He smiled and said, "That's mon petit'..."
He turned from Cara, walked a few steps and bent down to pick up Cara's bo from where it had fallen. He handed it to Cara.
"Now, petit'," He said in a more business-like tone, "Gambit tink's we should begin where we left off...you still need training with your bo..."
They had just gotten into their fighting stances, when something occurred to Gambit.
"By the way, mon petit'," he asked, "what did you use to take out dat Sentinal?"
Cara grinned, and she reached into her coat pocket. She pulled out a blue pokerchip and held it in the air where Gambit could see it. He smiled...
"You know petit'? Dat uniform is a definate improvement!" He said, winking at Cara.
/Okay, now I KNOW he's flirting!/ Cara thought, and grinned.
And they got back into their fighting stances...
***************
Rainfall
"I hate this place and wish it would go away. The pain...why won't it end. I can't stand it."
The straps continue to dig into his forearms. The doctors bustle around the room rechecking the straps on my bed. /It's not like I'm gonna kill somebody. I'm a schizo, I'm terminally ill and suicidal not homicidal, well maybe a little. I know if they poke me with a needle one more time I'm gonna rip out their hearts./
The I.V. drips continue feeding him the morphine decreasing his pain as he drifts off. The doctors know he won't last through the night. Then there's a bright light and falling.....falling....
The mansion shakes as a body impacts the roof setting it on fire. The body tumbles off the side hitting the ground with a sickening smack.
The world goes psychedelic as my eyes open.
"What a trip!" They close once again as he collapses.
Beast and the others rush the injured man to the medlab.
"How's the kid doing Hank?"
"Not good I'm afraid."
**I'm not a kid!** A voice made up of many calls outta nowhere.
SNKKT! Logan turns, expecting an attack, only to see the injured man rise up and pull away the sensors and tubes from his body. Beast and Wolverine reach to restrain him only to fall through him.
"Leave us alone."
"US?"
Chaos
==========Outside==========
Jonas stretched out and yawned... it probably looked rather amusing to see a 40 foot long Dragon stretch like a cat and extend it's wing's to the full wingspan, over 70 feet wide. Rocking his jaw a little and smacking his lips, there was a rather strange taste in his mouth.
/Dragon morning breath?/ Jonas thought and could not resist a rumbling laugh.
Sammi blinked... /What was that?/
"Hello, sleep well?" Jonas said with a smile looking down at the newly awoken Sammi. "I was about to try and fly back to the mansion and see if I can change back, join me?" Jonas said eager, but a little sad, hoping that he could change back to a dragon later.
"Are you sure you can use your wings?" Sammi asked and looked at him skeptically.
==========Garden==========
"You are a quick learner." Xavier said rather impressed.
(Thanks.) Amanda said tiredly, they had been practicing for hours and she was starting to get a little dizzy.
Amanda decided that she would maybe take another step here, but something yelled for them both.
"Out of the way, Out of the WAAAAY!!!" Sammi and Jonas yelled out in unison. Jonas tried to come in for a landing...holding Sammi carefully in his hands.
"Is that... Jonas." Xavier said marveling at the Animal hurling down at their position, Xavier had not seen him before.
"Yes and he is coming in way to quick, MOVE."
Amanda and Xavier got out of the way just in time. Jonas plunged into the ground headfirst, digging into the ground...and for a moment seemed to stand on his head...before slowly flipping over on his back.
"Umpfe..." he let out. And shook his head trying to clear his big head.
Sammi sat down beside him... rather dizzy. "Next time I ask if you can do something like that...don't try to impress me if it will make you crash." she said and put her head in her hands.
Jonas spit out some dirt that had been scooped up in his big mouth.
"Then don't ask it of me." he said a grin on his lips.
The large crash had awoken everyone in the mansion, and Jonas looked at them upside down as them came out from the mansion.
"What?" he asked as the looked at him with big eyes. "Never seen a dragon crash land before?"
======
Admiral
"O.K. Show's over... everyone back inside. I need a certain Dragon to change back." Sammi said trying to look mad, but that bloody smile just wouldn't stop. Then she realized that Jonas'
clothes were shreds and said, "Wait, Gambit. Come here."
He walked over a little afraid. "What you need Gambit for petit'?"
She looked around him and said, "Go, I only need him for a second. He'll be unharmed, I promise."
Everyone went inside.
When she knew they were all gone she said to a very curious Gambit, " I need you coat."
"Why, petit?"
"Because his clothes are shredded. And I need him to change back now. So give me your coat."
"Sure thin', petit." Gambit handed her the coat and said, "Dat be all?"
"Yah, thanks." She said and he went back inside.
When they were the only ones left outside, she turned to Jonas who was now standing right. "You can turn back, right?"
"I can try."
"Please do it for me." She said with a smile.
******************************************************************************
jubilee_79
"O.K. Show's over, everyone back inside. I need a certain Dragon to change back." Sammi said. "Wait, Gambit. Come here."
He walked over. "What you need Gambit for petit'?"
She looked around him and said, "Go I only need him for a second. He'll be unharmed. I promise."
Everyone went inside.
Cara had run outside at the same time as Gambit...they had still been in the Danger Room when they heard the crash...
/Is Jonas going to turn back into a human? Cool!/ she thought, as she turned and went inside.
It was interesting knowing a talking dragon, but...she missed Jonas more as a human.
/Sammi and Jonas sure make a cute couple,/ Cara thought, smiling as she remembered them by the broken tree.
She made her way to her room, very slowly...her three hour workout with Gambit had left her feeling quite sore.
She entered her room, walked up to her bed, and sprawled out on it width-wise not bothering to change or anything...she was fast asleep as soon as she hit the mattress.
Rainfall
==========Outside==========
Jonas Took a deep breath, filled his large dragon chest with air, and concentrated...PAIN... red pain deep inside somewhere, he screamed or roared in a voice that must have been heard for miles, before he slowly began to change back in to a human form.
The large wings folded in to his back, the horns grew back into his head, and the gray, lizard looking skin started to revert back to a normal human skin.
He fell down to his knees, It was over, he was a human again, but that pain... he felt a little stiff and he could not stop shaking as the pain faded went away.
Admiral
*****************************************************************************
"Oh Jonas, I'm so sorry. I didn't think. I should have realized that it would hurt you." Sammi said.
"Are you O.K.?" She asked as she put the coat around him. She kneeled down next to him and put her arms around him.
"Why did you want me back in human form so bad?" Jonas asked, putting his arms around her.
She pulled back from the hug and looked into his eyes and said, "Because I really wanted to do this." She leaned her head in and kissed him.
jubilee_79
**********
"Now that's a roar." Logan said and blinked as they heard the pain filled roar as Jonas had changed.
"He could be hurt... should we not go out and check on him?" Scott asked and started to walk for the door.
Jean stopped him, Xavier and Amanda looked at Jean with understanding.
"I think he is ok..." Jean said and looked at Scott.
Sammi pulled away from the kiss, blushing not nearly as red as Jonas.
"I... I..." he stuttered. /I'm in heaven./ he thought.
Sammi looked in to his eyes. "I heard you last night..." she said with a smile.
Jonas eyes widened. "But... you were sleeping?"
Sammi shook her head.
He smiled. "I heard you at the mall, I wanted to call to you but... I had to stay quiet."Jonas placed his hands on each side of her face and kissed her again, feeling her arms snake around him pulling him close.
"You know I would love to stay here all day, but it's a little embarrassing to sit here dressed only in a coat." Jonas said, turning red again.
======~sigh~ :)
Admiral
-------------------------------------------------
^=next personality
-------------------------------------------------
"Who are you and where am I?" The young man staggers back falling through the bed.
"Calm down son. What's your name and the last thing you remember?"
"Needles, morphine, lights and then pain. That's nothing new though...I'm pretty used to pain. I'm..."
^Don't tell them anything Jamar. They only want to hurt you and do more tests.^
He begins to shake his head trying to clear his thoughts. The sudden movement makes Wolverine edgy.
"Calm down kid!"
"DON'T CALL ME KID!!!" Jamar screams. Shards of ice begin jutting up from the floor between him and Wolverine.
/Jean!/
**Yes Logan!?**
/The new kid's about to pop./
Jean begins to scan the room. What she finds inside the young man's mind makes her cringe. There is a sea of boiling emotions overflowing in his head.
**Jamar calm down!**
"Who said that?"
**I did.** At that moment a red-headed lady enters the room followed by a blonde who looks like a model out of Frederick's of Hollywood.
**Just calm down. We're here to help you.**
He takes a step and falls down, unconscious. Jean looks over at Emma.
"What!?" Emma said. "It was taking a bit longer your way so I improvised."
Chaos
Maria slowly got out of her bedroom. "Oh... my head. Mental note, never eat a bowl of ice cream in the middle of the night."
She put on her new clothes and walked down to the med lab.
Suddenly, she saw Emma and Jean running toward the med lab. Invisible, Maria followed them praying that it was nothing serious.
She entered the room to see another guy lying on the floor dazed and confused. "Who is he?" Maria asked Jean.
Jean blinked and replied, "We founded him on the grounds. He could be another lost one. Turn visible and talk to him. He might trust you."
Maria Cline
Leilee walked into the room, barefoot and dressed in only a large teeshirt that reached her knees, having just woken up. Her long brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and she was rubbing the sand out of her her brown eyes. "Hey. everyone. Wassup?"
She stretched slightly and walked over to the door. After taking a couple deep breaths, she grinned and called out, "S'about time, you guys!" With that said, she turned back to Cyclops and Xavier. "Um....guys? I still need a costume and a mentor. So, Xavy, who's gonna train me? Is he cute? When am I gonna meet him?"
*****************
Leilee
==========Danger Room==========
"Come on, that the best you can do." Jonas said sweat running down his face.
Two glowing red eyes appeared out of nowhere followed by a devil smile.
"Not even close, mon ami." Gambit lashes out and hurls a glowing card that strikes the ground behind Jonas, sending him flying forward and tumbling around.
Without time to recover, Gambit brings down his bo staff for the kill. (All he needs to do is touch him on the face.)
Something Glimmers in the light, and stops his bo only and inch from Jonas' face, Gambit smiles approvingly.
"Cat got your tongue?" Jonas said as he shoved away Gambit's bo and flew to a standing position.
"Gambit still think it's something out from a comedy movie, no one fight's with a hockey stick. Non?" Gambit was swinging his bo in one hand.
"Maybe, but it saved me, didn't it." Jonas smiled and was feeling a little cocky. They had been fighting for a long time, Gambit had not been able to touch.
"Oh, well, will it save you now?" Gambit jumped around in a serious of movement that was so complex that Jonas had no way of telling what he was doing.
Suddenly he landed on his feet, his back turned to Jonas.
"What was that good for?" Jonas asked forgetting himself and lowering his guard.
"I needed some things." Gambit turned around and his hands threw a collection of small stones at him.
Unprepared, Jonas backed of as they exploded around him.
Gambit was not late to take the advantage, kneeling down and driving his bo in to the back of Jonas knees flipping him over.
"Damnnnnnn!" Jonas said as he lost foothold and fell back, and was about to fly away when...
"Hello Mon ami." Gambit said looking in to his eyes.
"Oops." Jonas said and saw the end of the bow come down in his forehead.
"Gambit wins, Non?" Gambit said smiling wide, as Jonas hovered back to his feet, instinctively rubbing his forehead, not that it really hurt.
"Careful or I'll turn in to a Dragon and eat you." Jonas said.
===Control Room===
Cara watched from the control room with Rogue and Hank.
"He is getting better, but he has a real problem maneuvering at high speed flight." Rogue said scratching her neck.
"He's showing massive signs of improvement, probably much thanks to the weapon he asked me to make for him." Hank said, proud that he had manage to create the strong metal hockey stick that Jonas had requested, when asked if his needed some sort of equipment.
But Hank was more impressed about Jonas' new uniform that he had constructed, when Jonas had changed back into human form and found that the old uniform didn't work.
The new uniform was Blue and Black with lots of metal pads and lines; it was designed to split up in segments if he ever changed in to a dragon, then reassemble into the uniform again when he returned to human form. Jonas had requested that Hank add some metal shoulder, knee and elbow pads for style.
The uniform looked really sci-fi, Hank had asked if he should paint it black and add some blinking lights.
===Danger Room===
Jonas snapped the hockey stick to the magnetizing holding on his back, oh this was a cool uniform.
Losing to Gambit didn't seem all that bad any more, but then again, the world could come to an end right now and he would still be happy.
/Sammi./ he thought and took a deep breath.
"Who is next?" Gambit said but was cut off as the speakers sounded.
*Everyone report to medlab*
Admiral
(What is going on?) Amanda sent out telepathically.
(It would seem we have another visitor from your world.) replied Xavier.
(Well, dont let Logan greet him or you'll have a destroy med-lab to go with you war room.)
(I am afraid they have all ready met.)
(I'll be right there!)
Amanda entered the med-lab, to see shards of ice and flames of fire everywhere. In the center of it was a young man who looked like he wasn't all there. /You think they would be able to handle this better,/ thought Amanda.
(Hello. My name is Amanda.) she sent out towards the boy.
Before she could hear the professor's warning to stay out of his head, she was hit by a wave of confusing thoughts and images. The pain from the outburst was so intense, Amanda found herself falling under it as a horrified scream escaped her lips. Her last thought was that this boy was going to be trouble.
A.C.
"This is a war zone!" Jonas yelled as he entered the medlab... he was quick to grab Amanda and pulled her out the door and handed her to Gambit.
"Leave us alone!!" the young man in the center of the room screamed out.
Jonas looked in to see if there was any one else.
Jean, Emma and Logan were locked up to the wall with a thick layer of ice.
"I'm going to get them out." Jonas said and rushed into the medlab.
"Jonas, wait!" Rogue yelled out but was thrown aside when a layer of ice covered the door.
Admiral
Jonas ran to the block of ice and started to smash with his gloved hands.
"Need help?" a voice asked.
"Sure." Jonas said as he stepped aside.
Maria reappeared and screamed at the block of ice. The ice cracked and shattered as the boy threw up another ice wall where Maria was. Logan, Jean, and Emma lay on the floor.
Jonas pulled Maria to the side. "Thanks." Maria said as she turned invisible again. "You guys okay?"
"We're fine." Logan said as he helped Jean up.
Jean focused and said, "I'm getting Bobby here. He should help out."
"Leave us alone!"
"STOP REPEATING YOURSELF!" Maria boomed as she began shattering ice all over the place.
Maria Cline
Sammi came running from her room when she got the message. "I hope I'm not too late." She said to herself she had a gut feeling that someone was hurt. She picked up her speed as she came around the corner. She saw Emma and asked, "Emma What is happing?"
"One of your 'friends' is going berserk." She replied with her usual coolness. As Sammi got closer she saw Gambit but didn't see Jonas. /They were training together, where could he be?/ she thought. The feeling of danger got stronger. /Oh no. Oh please. Oh please. Don't let anyone be in there./ She thought as she heard Maria scream. /Damn.../ She pushed her way through the crowd.
"Sammi, Don't!" Cara yelled as she passed.
"I'll be fine they need serious help." Sammi said not even stopping. She got to the door and took a defensive stance. She saw Jonas and Maria on one side and the others making their way slowly towards the door.
"Be careful, Darlin'." Logan said as they we safely out of the room.
She slowly crept along the wall making her way towards Jonas and Maria. When she was standing behind them she looked up to see someone she hadn't seen in years. "Jamar?"
jubilee_79
Leilee, not hearing what Sammi said, ran forward, reaching out with her power. /No...Not there...not there...THERE!/ She pressed slightly, forcing the brain to release large amounts of Serotonin, calming the boy. His tantrum quickly lost wind and he sagged back on the hospital bed.
She then slowly walked forward, gently placing her arm around him. "Shhh....It's ok....calm down. We won't hurt you...." She rocked him back and forth in a slow, steady rhythm.
Jamar opened his eyes. "Hi Sammi," He whispered softly before falling fast asleep, leaning on Leilee's shoulder.
Leilee
Leilee held Jamar a few moments more; then laid him gently back down on the bed. She reached out with her hand and brushed his hair away from his forehead...then turned and looked at the others.
Cara stood in the doorway, her worried eyes taking in the scene...she wanted to be able to help, but she didn't know what she could do. She felt helpless in these situations. She frowned and looked down; and noticed that the ice had melted, making several puddles of water on the floor. She absentmindedly trailed her foot through one, swishing it back and forth.
Beast noticed Cara's dejected expression. He understood how she was feeling, and decided that she needed something to do to take her mind off of it.
He surveyed the puddles of water, then said... "Cara, would you please go find a mop and a bucket? We need to clean up this water before someone slips and gets hurt."
Cara was puzzled; but she turned around and went in search of a mop and bucket as Beast had asked.
Rainfall
When everything had quieted down and after they moved Jamar to a room (being that the med lab was destroyed), everyone moved to the kitchen to discuss what happened. As they were walking, Jonas and Sammi lagged behind. She was holding his hand and wasn't about to let it go. She was thinking about Jamar and how the last time she saw him was when their foster parents had him locked in that hell hole they called a Psychiatric Hospital. That was the night she ran away to live in the mall. She snapped out of her thoughts when she realized that they had stopped walking and Jonas had asked her something.
"What? I'm sorry, I was thinking." Sammi said looking into his eyes. She saw hurt and flinched a little and thought, /Did I cause that?/
"I asked you, How do you know him?" He said praying that he wasn't her boyfriend back home.
"Jamar and I lived at the same foster house when I was a kid. He was my best friend and I was his. I was the only one who could deal with him. He has MPD or as I always called it Mulitple Peeps. When we were 13 our 'parents' thought it would be better for him in a mental ward. I didn't so when they had him put away, I ran away. That's when I ended up living in the mall. I haven't seen him in over 7 years." Sammi said not taking her eyes off him.
"Wow. And now he's brought here. You're worried about him aren't ya?" Jonas said as he saw the saddness in her eyes.
"Ya, I don't want to leave him alone. I did that once, I don't want to do that again, ever." She said.
"You Love him, don't you?" Jonas said. He was hurt he could tell by her voice that she cared for Jamar.
Sammi looked at him for a moment, then realizing what he meant she said," Ya, like a brother. I Love you. And only you." And she kissed him.
jubilee_79
Cara sat at the kitchen table; the conversation from the others milled around her, but she didn't say anything...she only listened. She was deep in thought as she looked at the hat she held in her hands. She had found it in the utility closet when she went to get a mop...
It was simply an old, blue fisherman's hat that looked like it had seen better days...nothing special really, but it held interest for Cara. Because it looked like her dad's favorite hat...it seemed almost a connection to what she had left behind...
She placed the hat on the table, took a handful of poker chips out of her coat pocket, and began to play tiddly-winks...
*************
Rainfall
Jonas watched carefully as Hank inserted the I.V. in the boy's arm, memories coming to the surface.
A hospital bed... green robes... scalpels... he swallowed, years of pain and suffering, it may have saved his life, but what was left after was a ruined shell that had taken years to heal.
And it was not until now that it was finally a closed wound, and even now, it hurt, always would.
He hugged back on Sammi's hand and looked at her with understanding.
"What is wrong, why do you give him that." Jonas asked Hank sadly.
"I'm afraid the boy is ill, I'm not sure from what." Hank said and stood up.
Jonas fingers trail down to the back of his hand still holding Sammi, rubbing his fingertips over it.
Something was screaming inside him to leave here, his entire body wanted to run away, as when he was a boy strapped to a bed in a surgical room, seeing the black rubber mask come down on his face.
There was something about this young man that made him feel as if he had been through the same thing... maybe worse.
Jonas felt and obligation to help him, not only for the fact that he was like a brother to Sammi... but for the fact that he looked like someone that had spent a long time strapped to a hospital bed.
"He looks so peaceful." Maria said carefully.
"Yeah, but I believe that on the inside... what you would consider peaceful, is for him simply to give in to the pain." Jonas spoke from the heart before he realized it.
It was surprising that memories could hurt this much, physically hurt, there was a pain in his stomach and he felt sick.
"I need to sit down." Jonas said and staggered quickly finding a chair to sit in.
"You ok?" Sammi asked concerned.
"Yeah, bad memories that's all... Bad memories."
======
Admiral
