The Cale Storyline Story 3 Chapter 2

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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Relatively Dangerous

Chapter 2: Family Secrets (updated)

Yvette had woken up early today. She wanted to help out in preparing a room for this new student. Nobody was up yet, so she decided to go get breakfast for herself. Since Rich had arrived, she had started to live a new life, different from her life in Yugoslavia, and much different than her imprisonment by Emplate. She went to the main building and went to the kitchen. Yvette figured that she would have a quiet breakfast of Apple Jacks and a glass of apple juice. She did enjoy apples, even back when her mother used to give them to her. She was quite surprised to see Sean Cassidy, one of the teachers, awake and in the kitchen. "Sean, I'm surprised you're up."

He looked at her and said, "I'm not the only one up." He motioned to some people in the room. At the counter, Emma was making a cup of coffee, and from what Jubilee and some of the others said, it was the only thing she could make safely. She glanced over at the table and saw Rich sitting there, and it was obvious that he didn't sleep well.

She watched as he looked at her and said, "Hi, love. I think I have bad news." She realized what that meant. Rich had had another nightmare. She decided to approach him, for when his powers latched onto hers, they could mentally talk in her native tongue, and that was usually how he told her most of his secrets. As she approached, Rich said "I think someone from my past is coming after me."

She was confused by this. Rich never said much about anyone who he made mad. "Is it Emplate? If he is coming, then we have to hide." She was still afraid of Emplate, and she felt safe attacking him only when he was weak, so weak he would disappear.

"No, but for some reason that I cannot explain, I wish it was." He was more worried then ever, but luckily, he was not mad at it.

"Who could scare you that much, enough to make you wish Emplate was attacking?" She could tell she asked the wrong question when Rich instantly tensed up. She pulled back so he wouldn't cut her. She watched as his claws made cuts into the table. Sean and Emma ran over and she decided not to press any further. Rich would tell her when he was ready. She then turned to face Sean and Emma.

"What did ye say to the lad, Yvette?" Sean was worried by how fast that Rich had tensed up.

"I think I asked him a very sensitive question that he is not ready to answer yet," she replied honestly.

"Yvette," Emma said, "you know Rich better than any of us. Is there anything he might have done that made someone mad at him."

She thought about it for a moment, and all she could remember was just the little rivalries he had growing up. "Most that I remember is the guys he never got along with in school."

"That could be a problem, because the attacker in Rich's dream is female." Yvette started to worry about this. She wondered if it might be a girl who might have loved him, but he didn't feel love for them.

Yvette started to voice her thought when she heard Paige Guthrie gasp. "Omigosh, what happened to Rich?" Paige was apparently shocked by the fact that Rich was mimicking her abilities.

Yvette looked at her and said, "Rich had another nightmare, and something about it appears to have hit a sensitive spot in his past." She hoped that would satisfy Paige's curiousity. She sometimes wondered if Rich's attempts to patch things up between Paige and Jono were mistaken as intrest.

Paige swallowed and asked the same question that everyone would probably ask, "Is Emplate going to attack?" The look of worry was evident. Everyone was told about the dream after Emplate's attack, and everyone had a fear that Rich would have another nightmare like that.

Emma looked at Paige and said, "I don't believe it is. Rich allowed me to mentally examine his dream." Yvette finally realized that this nightmare had really scared him, for him to allow Emma to go into his mind. Emma then said, "The attacker in Rich's dream was female, which could mean anything."

Yvette decided to voice her opinion. "Emma, I think it might be a girl that who might have had feelings for him."

Paige looked at her and said, "If that is the case, Yvette, you better be careful, because it might be something like the movie, 'The Crush'. Your life might be in danger."

Yvette was just about to say something when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see Rich standing there and saying, "I wonder if that is it. A girl that had feelings for me, but I didn't have feelings for. That would be better than what I was thinking." She looked somewhat relieved when he said that. "I'll tell you about the worse fear later." He then mentally said to her, "Give me some time alone to think of how to tell you about that, Okay, love."

Yvette smiled at the love in her life and said, "Okay, I'll see you later." She watched as he left the kitchen. She looked at everyone and said, "I think he is going to tell me something later, should I ask him if I can tell you about it." Sean and Emma nodded and Yvette went to get her breakfast.

Monet St. Croix had just woken up and looked out on the day. It was a nice day, especially for the new student to arrive on. She had gotten dressed in one of her nicer outfits, but then all her outfits were nice. She left the girl's dorm and walked towards the main building. On her way, she saw Rich walking in her direction. He looked as if he was lost in thought. She walked over to him and said, "Is there something troubling you, Rich?"

He noticed her and stopped moving, so that he would not latch on to her mutant ability. He then said, "Nothing you can help me with. In fact, you are the last person to ask for help in this matter."

She was shocked at what he said. She argued about what he said, "How can you be sure about that? I can probably help with your problem."

"Have you told them the truth of Marius? The truth of your abilities, or even your sisters?" He had hit a nerve, but then he seemed to be good when it came to arguing with someone. He continue, "In the two months I've been here, what they know about you and what I know differs by such a leap that Neil Armstrong wouldn't try and take a shot at making it." Monet couldn't deny that he most likely knew the truth about the first two, but the truth about the twins was almost impossible.

"Rich, I don't think the time is right to tell them about everything. You found out about my brother by misfortune. As for the truth of my abilities, that I had to tell you. When it comes to my younger sisters, I cannot yet tell anyone about them." She hoped that he hadn't latched onto her abilities, but due to her distance from him, he probably had.

"I offer my sympathies to that little family secret, but I must find the right way to tell Yvette about one person I fear as much as Emplate." Monet finally realized that Rich harbored a skeleton in his closet that must have haunted him for most his life.

"Is something bothering you, Rich?" She noticed the worried look on his face and remembered seeing it before.

Just as he was about to say something, the unmistakable voice of Jubilee said, "From what Paige just told me, he had another nightmare." She turned to face Jubilee. Jubilee was obviously ready for the day, and she was not alone. Everett was right by her side. The two had become as close as Rich and Penny had been. Monet wouldn't admit it, but she had feelings for Everett.

She was just about to say something when Rich said, "Too many cooks spoiling the broth." She knew it was an old cliche, and Rich usually talked in old cliches. She turned and saw Rich fly off. Maybe he needed to be alone to think about this.

When Everett and Jubilee were close enough, Everett said, "I think this one really has him scared. From what Paige said, Penny asked him a question about it and he tensed up. He put a couple nasty cuts in the table." Everett watched as Rich flew behind one of the buildings.

"I hope he remembers that he won't have my ability for long. But where could he go to be alone." Monet had wondered about that. She usually had her autism to pull her out this world and into her own fantasy realm.

"Well, since Beast took Artie, Franklin and Leech to the X-Men's temporary home, he might disappear to the treehouse. He might get at least an hour of peace. Angelo, Jono, and Mondo are going to work on their abilities today." Jubilee finished off. Monet realized that Rich was not going to get the peace and quiet he needed to think. She then went with them to get breakfast.

Jono looked around the Biosphere. Skin, Mondo and himself felt that they had to train their abilities more. After Mondo's experence being captured by Black Tom, all of them had been training. Today, the three of them were practicing using their abilities to stop a threat. Emma always thought that the best way was to practice against each other. Jono figured that Angelo would probably take high ground, but it was Mondo that was more dangerous, for he had the best cover. Mondo's mutant ability could allow him to become anything organic. Jono looked around for Mondo. It was unnerving, because Mondo could be right underneath his feet. Jono looked up around the trees. He was near the tree house, and odds were that Angelo wouldn't hide there, but then last place to look was the place something you were looking for was. As Jono started to approach the treehouse, what looked like vines almost hit him. He looked up and saw a figure in the trees. It was Angelo. He said to his teammate, "Good try, but the timing was off." With that, Jono let a blast loose and knocked Angelo from the tree.

Angelo stood up and said, "You got me, but I think we might both get caught now." Then Angelo lost his balance, and Jono realized that the ground was moving. They were standing right on top of Mondo.

As Mondo knocked them in two directions, Angelo off in the direction of the control room, him in the direction of the treehouse, Mondo said, "Did I do well with waiting?" Mondo returned to his normal form.

"Not bad. You probably would have surprised half the guys I use to hang with."

"Very good. You waited for a moment to catch us off guard. That is a good offensive manuver." Mondo smiled knowing that he did well. "I think we have all learned that surprise is a good weapon."

Surprise was also a bad thing. When his ability manifested, it took him and Gayle by surprise, and left both of them with wounds. He was about to say about the cons of surprise when all of a sudden, a familiar voice went, "Oh Sh..," and an explosion took out the wall of the treehouse, as Rich came flying out, looking like Jono did. It was with good reflexes that Angelo used his abilities to bring Rich to the ground before Rich hit a tree. Rich looked around, and since he was near Jono, he psionicly said, "I think I should have asked someone about this, huh?"

Mondo walked over and said, "Something wrong, my friend. You can tell me" Mondo always treated Rich as a friend for life, due to the fact that Rich was the one that saved him from Black Tom. Almost everyone else was treated as a friend.

"I was just thinking about something. I had a nightmare last night." Jono remember what had happened last time, but now was a time to be ready in case this one came true. He then noticed that Rich looked very tired.

"Is there anything we should worry about with this nightmare?" Jono hoped that it could be dismissed, and he was hoping that Paige was not going to be hurt, although he still hadn't told her he was sorry about Thanksgiving.

"Not that I can think of right now. Although, I think I have finally decided about what I was thinking about." Jono watched as Rich made a motion as if he was yawning. Rich then looked at his hand and said, "Forgot that like this, I have no mouth. Right now, I think our biggest worry will be explaining to Artie, Franklin and Leech why their treehouse has a wall missing."

Angelo responded to that by saying, "Don't worry. Everett and I can get it patched up before the kids return." Jono was somewhat relaxed at knowing that he was not included on that project. He decided that soon, he would try to patch things up with Paige.

Mondo then said to Rich, "What do we know about this new student that will be arriving today." Jono figured that Mondo asked the question to change the mood of the situation.

Rich then reached into a pocket and pulled out the letter he had receive a few weeks ago. "According to what Bastion had said in the letter, she is about Jubilee's age. Her name is Daria. As for her ability, that is a mystery. Other than that, we have to wait and see what Daria says when she gets here. Does that answer any questions?"

Jono then said, "Any idea why we are all going to meet her?" He thought it was unusual for everyone to be going to meet her.

"All the letter said was that it would be best for her protection."

"Maybe Emplate will be less likely to attack if we are all there."

"That sounds right," Angelo said in agreement. Jono remembered that Emplate had attacked him the moment he got off the plane. That was an experience he wished no one to share.

"Well, I think I better be going. There is something I must talk to Yvette about before we have to leave for the airport." With that Rich headed out of the Biosphere. Jono figured it might be a while before Rich decided to talk to anyone, knowing that Rich had to let his ability leave him.

Jono turned back to Angelo and Mondo and said, "Do you think we should continue with training?"

Angelo turned to him and said, "Si, I still have to catch the both of you off guard." With that, the trio returned to practicing.

Jubilee looked around. She didn't know much about Daria, but she hope that she would like her part of the decorating. Almost everybody who was helping set up the room, had added their own touch to the room. Jubilee decided to help Penny put up the curtain that Penny had picked out. Monet who was watching them, said "I think to the left."

Jubilee was a little frustrated that Monet was giving her instructions on how to hang a curtain. The two had a called a truce back at Emma's Canadian house, after they were rescued from Toad. But, Monet did have a way of getting on ones nerves. She said, "Monet, if you want to help, why don't you come up her and help us."

Monet responded quickly and calmly. "I am helping by watching from here. I can see what you can't see. Besides, it is a suggestion."

Everett, who was helping Paige get the bed ready, said, "I think it looks fine, Jubes." At least Everett was on her side.

Paige turned her head and looked at the curtain and said, "Ah think a little to the right." Terrific, one for left, one for right, and one for fine. Jubilee had to agree with Monet that it was best for a person not near the curtain to judge.

Regardless of that, Jubilee turned her head and said, "What do you think, Penny?" She always thought of Penny as a sister, and after Rich's arrival, Penny expressed the same thoughts.

Penny looked at her and said, "Well, sis, I think we need a tie-breaker." She then said, "And go easy on Monet. It wasn't an order she gave." Jubilee realized what Penny meant. She had been a slave of Emplate for a long time before being brought to the school. She would know the difference between Monet and Emplate best. Again, if it wasn't for Rich, she would have never told the stories about what he did to her. Sometimes, they all wished that she hadn't.

Jubilee had to agree with Penny and shouted, "Could somebody help us figure out which way to move the curtain?" It was almost a plea than a request.

Just as she finished speaking, she heard Rich's voice say, "Half an inch to the left and it will look great." Well, at least that was better than Monet just saying to the left. She and Penny moved the curtain and then backed away from it. The red curtain looked lovely in the sunlight. Rich was right about the look and it was almost instantiously that Penny was by his side.

"You're right. It does look great." She was smiling as the two look at the curtains. Rich was smiling as well. He seemed to appear abit drained as he yawned. The nightmare he had had that night must have woken him up on little sleep.

Rich looked Penny in the eyes and said, "Yvette, could we go someplace and talk, alone." Jubilee noticed a look of recognition in her eyes as she nodded. Rich must have wanted to tell her about something he didn't want everybody to know yet. Rich had told Penny many secrets about his life since the two had been seeing each other. They all found out about that when Rich went into his depression.

Penny turned to everybody and said, "I'm going to leave for a while. I hope I not leaving at a bad time." Everybody understood what was going on and she left with Rich.

Paige broke the silence when she said "Ah wonder if that has anything with what she asked him this morning. Ah remember that it struck a nerve with him."

Jubilee wondered what it was Penny had asked Rich. "Do you know what she asked, Paige?" Jubilee could not think of a single time, other than during his depression, that Penny had ever struck a nerve with Rich.

"Ah wish Ah did know, but Ah don't."

Monet had bit her lower lip. She knew something, and Jubilee turned to face her. "What is it, Monet?"

Monet looked at her and said, "I think it is a skeleton that he has in his closet. A secret he wished he would never face again."

"Like you and Emplate?" Everyone knew the connection between Monet and Emplate, but they didn't know how deep it went.

"I don't know, but for some reason, I think there is some connection."

"Well," Everett said to everyone, "if it is anything like that. It can't be worse than Emplate." Deep down, Jubilee hoped it wouldn't be like what she had faced once. When she used to hang with Wolverine, they got pulled into the Mojoverse, and she had to deal with a version of herself that worked for Mojo.

As he walked with Yvette back to the main building, Rich decided to tell her about the one person he feared more than Emplate. With her ability, he psionicly said, "Love, I want to tell you about something from my past."

She looked at him and responded. "What is it?"

He decided to start from the beginning of how it began, "You remember me mentioning my uncle, the one with the mutant ability to see the future."

"Yes."

He yawned. Fatigue was catching up with him. "He used to be in the army, and he took a nasty blow. Afterword, he couldn't have children, so he was forced to adopt."

"That must have been terrible, I mean to not be able to be a father naturally. My folks told me about it when I was about to have a younger sister."

"Well, they did adopt. It was a couple years after he married my mother's sister. The first child was a boy, which was a baby. Everybody loved that child, and thought him adorable."

"What happened then?"

"Years later, the boy wanted a sister, or brother. They caved in and adopted a girl. She came from a broken home. No one believed she was the problem, not until a few days later."

He could see the concern in her eyes. She stopped the story and said, "Rich, I think you should tell Sean and Emma about this." They were in the main building now, and fatigue was really hitting him. He wanted to finish this story, but he couldn't keep awake.

He looked into Yvette's blue eyes and said, "I think I will, but I think I better rest first. Please wake me before we have to leave to get Daria from the airport. It might the only way to avert this nightmare."

Yvette nodded and they walked over to the lounge. Rich decided to lay down on the sofa and rest a while. He needed the sleep, and the rest. As he drifted off into dreamland, he felt Yvette kiss him on cheek and say, "Don't worry, I'll always protect you, as you protected me." He felt better hearing something like that as sleep took him to his dreams.

Sean was with Emma in his office. In a few hours, they had to go to the airport. The fact that Rich had another nightmare only made things more complicated. He and Emma were still thinking about it as they were planning out Daria's first few days here. He was about to ask her about the Biosphere session when Emma said something disturbing. "Sean, do you think that Daria is who is threatning Rich?"

"Now, that is a daft idea, Emma. What would Rich have to worry about from her?" Although, he wouldn't admit that he had had the same thought.

Emma had a simple answer for that. "It is similar to what a child goes through when a new child is going to be born. Maybe he feels threatened by her presence. We know that the attacker is a female mutant."

"And that is a reason to suspect Daria? We don't even know what the girl's abilities are?" Sean then started to think along the same lines that Emma was. That was disturbing, to think that the new student was the one who would attack Rich.

"We know that she was in Bastion's care. Who knows how that might have warped her mind?" Emma was about to continue when there was a knocking at the door.

"Come in," Sean said. The door opened and Yvette came into his office. He probably knew why she was here. He motioned for her to sit down and then said, "Did he say anything?"

Yvette looked a little concerned when she said, "It is something that he would tell you in his own words. All I can say is that it must have been a daughter of his uncle." Sean noticed the look that Emma was giving him.

Before Emma could say anything, Sean remembered Rich had two uncles. He looked at Yvette and asked, "Was it his uncle on his mother's side?" When she nodded, they were now faced with an unknown attacker again, but there was relief that it wasn't Daria. Now all they had to do was figure out who wanted to attack Rich. "Can Rich elaborate on who it might be?"

Yvette just looked at him and said, "The lack of sleep has caught up him. He's asleep in the lounge." Sean hoped that Rich would wake up before they had to pick up Daria. In his mind, Sean could see Yvette staying behind until Rich awoke, and they might not see the two ever again. The thought that it wasn't Emplate offered little assurance. For all that could happen, this unknown attack could be working for Emplate, but Emplate didn't have any female mutant Hellions.

Sean noticed Emma leaning over to Yvette. He heard her say, "Yvette, why don't you keep an eye on Rich and wake him if he has another nightmare." He watched as Yvette nodded in agreement and left the office. Sean was abit suspicious about that when Emma said, "No, I didn't use my powers on her. But now, we have to wonder who might be the problem, and I think Rich would be very upset if we called his family for help."

"Aye. But what other choice do we have? We have little time left before we have to leave for Logan airport."

Emma just looked and said, "If we are forced to leave Rich and Yvette here, then we will leave someone to protect them." Emma was being smart about this. She was remembering Rich's wishes, and the fact that Rich didn't want his family to know about the problems here was top on the list. Sean then wondered if that might be the one thing Rich would regret.

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