The Cale Storyline Redux Story 1 Chap 9

Attention: Generation X and their villains, as well as any other mutant mentioned in this story, is property of Marvel Comics. The character Richard Cale is named after family relations. Any other reference to anything copyrighted is a chance happening.

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Changes Redux

Chapter 9: Calm Before The Storm (Audio)(Original)

As the sky started to change from day to night, Richard finally left the Biosphere. He had hung back after the session with Everett Thomas, since switching abilities all day had taken a toll on him. It had been a few years since he had ever had to worry about that, since his hometown was mutant friendly; so he had forgotten how draining it had been.

Taking his time had also allowed him a chance to admire the area the school was in. It was peaceful and quiet, a perfect place to allow one to focus on things, especially things that would require mental concentration. He sighed, allowing that peace to enter into him, knowing full well that in a few moments time, he may have to deal with everyone and all their abilities again. Everett had let slip about going out to get some food.

As he reached, and entered the main building of the school, he almost walked into Emma Frost. The fact that she had seemed to pop out of nowhere, and into his path almost surprised him, had his ability not picked up on hers. He knew that she had actually owned the school, but ran it in accordance of the dream of Charles Xavier, at least the Charles Xavier prior to the rage that was Onslaught. He then wondered if she was a bit like Xavier in that way, especially as he picked up on some loss linked to prior students of hers. His musings were cut short, however, when she asked, "How was your first day, Richard?"

For a moment, Richard did not want to answer her. Part of him was still a little unsure of her, especially since she tried to poke around in his mind. Of course, he could respect that they were in the wake of Onslaught, and she had to be sure of the school’s safety. “It has been going well, Ms. Frost. Is that all you wanted to know, or was there something else?”

He waited for a moment, and then Emma nodded. “There was something else. It’s about your medical condition. Is there any chance that it could be a problem at a crucial moment?"

Richard sighed, since he had figured this would be the point of concern. He was well aware that as mutants, and that the place had ties to the X-Men, that they may get called to battle. It had been evident earlier by what he had seen. He even figured why it was a concern. She was worried about the students in her care. "Ms. Frost," he said, keeping his tone calm, "I have been medicated for the problem for years, and haven't shown any signs of seizures since I reached my late teens. It is possible that the condition has gone into remission, and should not be a problem. It is even possible that I may be able to stop taking the medicine."

He saw her nod, but she kept her tone level. "I just hope you don't have something happen when someone attacks us. If it were to happen, there...." Emma had trailed off, but since he had an idea about her powers, he knew what she was getting at. He had already sensed the loss due to former students she had. Now, he had realized that under her cold exterior, she could be a motherly figure.

He held up a hand. "I understand. If it were to happen, there might be injuries, or worse. I realize you don't want to lose any of us now like you lost the others." He saw her blink, and then turn away from him. He realized she had possibly forgotten about that part of his power. He then sighed and continued. "Sorry. I know it's not in my power to promise this. If it is any comfort, Emma, I have a good feeling that what happened to them, won't happen to us, no matter what."

For a moment, he saw the headmistress of the school look at him, but there was something different in her look. Something that conveyed a feeling of kindness. She then spoke softly. "That's the first time you've called me Emma. Until now, you've been formal with me, almost cold. I won't deny that after this morning, it wasn't warranted, but this is the first time you've spoke with compassion to me."

He blinked for a moment, realizing what she said had been true. On the first day, while he was still settling in, something about her put him on edge, but he had been formal because of her position as teacher. After her attempt to get into his mind, he turned cold to her. Now that he had gained an insight to her, due to his powers, he found the good person in her.

He wanted to apologize for his actions earlier, but she held up a hand to him. "It's alright. I find myself agreeing with Sean. Your ability to communicate with Penance is a blessing, but I think you have the potential to do much more. In fact, I could even see you leading this group in due time." He wanted to protest to that, but before he could, she had left, most likely heading back to her office.

Deep down, he hoped she was wrong. He was never really comfortable when put in the position of being in charge. Sure, he had helped some people get some good grades on assignments in school, but he hated the pressure. Being the leader of a team in a life and death situation, however, was not something he was looking forward to.

He put those thoughts out of his mind as he approached the foyer. He could hear some sort of argument going on. When he reached the door, and entered the room, he saw the two who were arguing, Monet St. Croix, and Jubilation Lee. The latter was almost shouting. "I say that we go eat at McDonald's."

At that moment, Richard felt he was back at the college he had been attending. He had seen this exact scene, both prior to, and after the Onslaught threat. The only difference between those scenes and now was that the participants in the fight were all younger. He also noticed, out of his peripheral vision that Sean was standing right next to the door he was standing in. The combination of the scene, as well as him feeling Sean's powers in him, made him grin.

It was during that moment, however, that Paige had spotted him, and he figured she was going to bring him into the argument. "Listen, there's Richard. Let's ask him what he'd like. He might want to join us eating out."

Almost at once, everyone turned to face him, and were voicing their opinions. Monet had mentioned Olive Garden, a place he would rather never go, due to a bad experience. Angelo and Everett were quick to suggest Taco Bell. Mondo, due to his own laid back nature, didn't care where they went. Both Franklin and Jubilee wanted to go to McDonald's. Paige was suggesting Wendy's, but that place wasn't high on his favorite places to eat list. He noticed that Chamber wasn't voicing an opinion, most likely due to the fact that he didn't seem to need to eat. The only three not present were Artie, Leech, and Penance, but he figured it was because they would all stick out, or it was safer here than out in public.

He raised his hands, and calmly said, “Enough, I’ve made a choice.” No one stopped talking, but since they were all saying their suggestions so loudly, he had to repeat himself, only louder. He had tapped into Sean’s power, and added that to his answers. “I said enough.” Everyone was hit with the scream, and it was just enough to knock most of them down. He had noticed that Jubilee saw it coming, and hit the floor first.

His little stunt didn’t go unnoticed. He saw Sean giving him a stern look, but he didn’t fully regret what he did. He noticed Sean was crossing his arms as he said, “Lad, I wished ye hadn’t done that. I did nae even know you had my powers, but we try to make sure we don’t use those powers on one another.”

Richard nodded, and responded. “Sorry, sir. I had to stop them, and they didn’t want to listen.” He paused for a moment, and then asked, “Are you going to be driving us to the place, Sean?”

He saw the headmaster nod. “Aye, but that won’t happen until they decide on someplace to go. It’s the one thing they can never fully decide on. So I think they wanted you to decide.”

For a moment, Richard felt like he was in the spotlight. He was new, and being put in the proverbial lead. At least it wasn’t a life or death decision. “Well, I have. I wouldn’t mind a meal at McDonald’s.” The choice was met with a few groans, and a yell of delight from Jubilee.

With that decision made, he left the school, with the others, and got into a vehicle big enough for all of them. He even made sure he was in the back, close to what he figured was the safest mutant to sit next to, Everett. He then relaxed as the vehicle moved, and hoped the day would not end.

D.O.A. stood near the limo he usually drove. While it looked old and run down, it worked better than most new ones. That was, of course, to his master's liking, but right now, his master needed time alone. His master was Emplate, the mutant vampire, and his master was upset about the mutant that had gotten away. D.O.A. could not fathom how the mutant they were going after had gotten by the master, since he was certain he saw the young man following Sean Cassidy out of the airport. In fact, during the whole ride back to the master's lair, he heard Emplate say many times how he couldn't see the mutant's aura. At least the Master's Hellions could sustain him for a bit.

D.O.A. knew, however, that his master missed his favorite meal ticket, the mutant that Generation X had dubbed Penance. It was for her that the master had really set his sights on the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, although he was certain it would have happened in time. He was also certain that, in time, the master would get that new mutant, especially if the mutant was at the school.

He stopped his current thought process when he heard a familiar voice from the recent months. He was glad his size allowed him to remain hidden behind the limo, for as he looked over at the nearby McDonald's, he saw the mutants of the school. He noticed Monet, the master's sister, and she looked a bit upset, which was a normal look for her. He then saw Synch, whom Emplate had enthralled and sent away, only to lose the grip he had on the mutant. Next he saw Jubilee exit, and thoughts of vengeance crossed his mind. He remembered how the young mutant managed to trick the master.

Then he saw the young man again. It was obvious that the man had been sitting with Everett and Jubilee, but he was still unsure of what the boy's powers were. It was obvious, though, that the young man was a mutant, since he was part of the school. He knew what he had to do now. He had to wait, of course, until all of the students that had gone to McDonald’s were inside. If they saw him, they would suspect an attack was going to happen, and the boss loved the element of surprise.

Once they were all inside McDonald‘s, D.O.A. quickly got into the limo, and left. The lighthouse was not far away from the school, and it made for a good spy post. Maybe one day, he‘d figure a way to transport it. Until then, it was out of the question. For now, he had some good news to deliver. No doubt, once he told the news, he’d have to start preparing for the attack.

When he finally arrived at the lair of Emplate, he quickly got out of the limo, and started for his master‘s room. He momentarily paused at the cell that used to hold Penance, remembering the day they discovered her disappearance. Maybe this would be the day that she would be back in the cell as well. Her unique powers were the reason the master liked her, since they also allowed her to last the longest. D.O.A. let go of that though once he reached the door to his master's chamber. He swiftly opened the door, and said, "Sir, I have good news for you."

He froze when Emplate turned and stared at him. He knew Emplate had a power that would help him read things about those he looked on. He sometimes wondered if it included thoughts, but as his master said, "This had better be important, D.," he knew it was impossible to tell. The added echo in the voice, thanks to the respirator, also made the master's speech more menacing. "I am still upset about the mutant that got away at the airport. I'm not even sure what kind of mutant he is, since I could not see an aura around him. I can't even be certain he is at the school."

D.O.A. let his already wide smile get wider. This would make the master happy. "Well, you are right, sir. He is indeed at the school. He was with them when they arrived at the local McDonald's. Shall I gather the Hellions together for an attack on the place?" He used the name for the group, since he knew the master liked the term. It was a subtle jab at Emma Frost, and a way to put a blow to her morale.

He could tell the master was happy when he responded. "Yes, get them together, but not for an attack now. We will strike at the school in the morning. I want to find out about this new mutant, and judge the best way to strike. Then, I will capture and feast on those morsels, as well as eliminate my sister." D continued to smile, and he was happy about this change in the master's mood. He then left the room, knowing he would have to prepare all the items they would need to subdue their prey.

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After they had finished their meal, and returned from McDonald's, Jubilation Lee watched as Richard left the vehicle, and made his way to the Biosphere. She knew she wasn't the only one who was watching, since they all realized why he was heading there. It was only Sean who voiced the thought. "I'm beginning to think that the lad is the best thing to happen to Penance in a long time."

She thought about it for a moment, and smiled. "They must have really hit it off. If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn they knew each other before hand." She didn't think that was the case, but given that the first encounter had been so reverse of what now seemed to be going on, she couldn't stifle the giggles that came out of her.

For a moment, she felt someone glaring at her, and at first thought it was Emma. To her surprise, it was Paige, who seemed to take offense at the action, and started to come to Penny’s defense. “What is so funny about this, Jubilee? Penance finally has someone she trusts enough to relax around, and seems to care for. Even Rich seems to trust her, and they both appear to be in love with one another.”

Again, to her surprise, it was Monet who came to her defense, and started to giggle as well. “I think I understand Jubilation’s reaction. We all saw what happened the first time Penance got close to him. She approached him with caution, and ended up triggering a dangerous activation of his powers. You’d think he’d want to stay away from her, but he doesn’t. It’s ironic, and almost poetic, too.”

Jubilee smiled and said, “Indeed. He must see something in her that we haven’t seen yet. He looks at Penny as an object of beauty. It should be interesting to see what the future brings for those two.”

As she said that, she noticed Everett had come up to her side. It didn’t surprise her when he nodded, and said. “Yep. Time will tell if they have what it takes.” She then saw him look her in the eyes, and he quietly asked her, “Hey Jubes, do you want to take a walk?”

Just like every other time she spoke with Everett, her heart did a little jump for joy. It really didn’t take any thinking about, since she really liked Everett. “Alright.” She then headed off with Everett, for a nice walk. Of course, any walk she took with Everett, regardless of the situation, was nice. That’s how much she liked him.

Penance watched with joy as Richard finally enter the Biosphere. She had been watching since she was allowed to re-enter the place, but that was because she felt a connection between the two of them. When he started to reach the tree she had been perched in, she jumped down, and waited for him to get close enough. Once he morphed into her form, taking on her powers, she ran forward and embraced him. “I’m so happy to see you, Rich.”

He smiled at her, and it made her heart skip a beat. She then heard him respond, with happiness in the mind link they were sharing, “I know, Yvette, but I must tell you something amazing. I think I know how we can get you to speak aloud. Can you relax a little bit? I think it will also make your skin softer.”

She thought about it for a moment. Ever since her power started to manifest, she could not relax that much. With the war in her homeland, and then the time in Emplate’s grip, she was always tense. It was a defense mechanism. Now, however, she was with friend, and with a boy she liked. She felt she could relax her talents a bit. She started to focus on doing that.

After a moment, she felt her body start to change. She noticed that her claws were starting to shorten as her body relaxed. Her hair began to relax as well, and she felt her red hair start to fall against her back. However, she stopped the transformation when she felt her body start to fill out. While she was certain she had a pleasing figure, the straps that made up her current outfit were put on the body when she was tensed up. They could not expand to fit her normal body. She did hope that what she had done was enough. “Alright, now what?”

She watched as Richard did the same as she had, and noticed he looked almost the same as he had when his powers weren‘t active. “You should be able to talk now, Yvette. Do you remember what I‘ve taught you mentally?”

She thought about it, recalling all they had gone over last night. It had been a lot, but the mental link had helped out a lot. Finally, she said in a soft voice, “I-I-I th-th-think s-s-so.” She had been surprised by how quiet it was, but she had not really used it for some time.

She then looked at Richard, and he was smiling. That made her feel better about it. “My, you were blessed with a lovely voice. It matches both your psychic voice, and your beauty.” She then noticed that he was looking her over with a critical eye. “You know, we should try to find you a better outfit. I don‘t those straps are going to suit you for much longer.”

Again, Yvette felt herself blushing. This time, she was certain it could be seen as well. To think this boy she just met thought she would need a different outfit. Of course, she wanted to know what he thought, since she wanted him to notice it. “Wh-wh-what d-d-do you th-think-think I-I-I‘d l-l-look g-g-good in?”

She watched him look at her, and their eyes locked again. For a moment, she wished that moment could last forever, but she wanted him to see her where her powers were totally relaxed, and looking like a normal girl. She could tell that to him it didn’t matter, but she realized that he knew what she wanted. “I think that you would look lovely in a blue dress, so it would match your eyes.”

She smiled, and kissed him again. This time, it was deeper. It was a moment she instinctually knew about. She closed her eyes, and for that moment, all that existed was them and that kiss. After what seemed like an eternity, the kiss ended, and Richard said, “I think maybe we should continue getting you to talk more. Think of the surprise it will be to everyone when they hear you speaking.”

She smiled, and nodded. “I-I th-think y-you are r-right, Rich.” They both smiled, and sat down. For what seemed like an hour, he continued helping her to speak in English. She enjoyed how he pronounced some word, and noticed that he said some slowly, as if how he said them was different than others. Finally, she saw him start to get up. “Is that all for tonight?” She was a little disappointed, but she figured it was a bit late.

He nodded, and took her hands as she stood up with him. “Yes. I was going to try to start a new daily routine tomorrow. Try to do some jogging in the morning. Maybe it will help me keep a few steps ahead of Emplate.” For a moment, she giggled, momentarily forgetting the big threat that ‘He’ was. She saw a smile cross Richard‘s face at that. He then continued what he was saying. “Besides, your English and speaking has improved remarkably. I honestly think everyone will be pleasantly surprised tomorrow. In fact, I can‘t wait to see you then.” She blushed again, and then watched him leave the Biosphere. When he had left, she found a nice spot to sleep. The school, to her, felt safer than it had ever been before. In fact, with Richard now at the school, she felt like she didn‘t have anything to fear at all, and drifted off into dreamland.