X-Men 1st Redemptions

79: X-stablished

Jubilee sat in the kitchen, where a few of the Morlcoks were going through the pantry, to Jean's chagrin, and Wally was trying to lay out enough plates for them all.

He also tried to explain what happened in the most easy-to-handle way possible, which was not easy.

"I feel bad for her," Shine said to Storm. "She has been friends with them. I almost feel worse for Scott though. The look on his face last night when we walked in I doubt I'll ever forget."

"He took it better than I thought," Storm said.

Scott had almost passed out when they'd walked in followed by a train of Morlocks carrying all their belongings in bags or in their hands. Especially when Callisto had walked in and just nodded at him like this was normal.

Jean apparently hadn't warned Scott, though she'd known they were coming. She was still mad at him. It was the longest Jean had ever stayed angry, and Scott was reaching a sort of helpless desperation about it.

But this new change annoyed him so much that any attempt to make things right he'd have thought about making was delayed further.

But his protests didn't get very far. Storm said it was an emergency and they had no other choice. And Xavier, when he came in, agreed with her.

"They could steal something," Scott hissed.

"We don't have much around here that we're that attached to," Xavier said.

Rogue and Gambit had been off on a different mission at the time, and when they'd walked in, Gambit had just been saying he was looking forward to relaxing for a while...then he stopped short in the entryway.

"Land sakes!" Rogue fell back on an ancient country expression. "What in tarnation is goin' on in here? Did we open a homeless shelter?"

"Try to be more sensitive, Rogue," Shine said. "It's more like a refugee camp."

Apparently the Morlocks didn't find that offensive.

"And we have it in our livin' room?" Gambit sputtered.

"It was either that or the sewer," Shine said. "If you have a problem with it, call 1-800-TOO-BAD." She walked away.

"I didn't get that," Rogue said.

Storm came in with more sheets. "What she means is we're in a situation, and we have to make the best of it."

"Oh, good, 'cause we need a Shine-translator," Gambit said. "I tell ya, she speak her own language."

"Is...is the Professor goin' to be okay with this?" Rogue said. "And Hank? And...Logan?"

"Oh, Logan is fine," Storm said meaningfully. "He is anxious to please at this moment, I think."

"What did you do to him?" Gambit said. "He ain't never anxious to please."

"I didn't do anything," Storm said.

"Well, not much," Wally had buzzed by and commented. "And if you guys see Mystique, keep an eye on her. The Morlocks were out for blood earlier."

"For her? What'd she do to 'em?" Rogue said.

"She has been blamed for the havoc their former members have wreaked upon them," Storm said. "I don't fully understand. Perhaps you can explain, Rogue--something about brainwashing them."

"Oh...oh, shoot!" Rogue blinked. "Y'know, I think I do remember seein' a couple Morlocks in that bar when Momma come in like Angel and tell 'em all... That machine! Oh...dagnabbit!"

She stomped her foot. "Why'd she ever have to break that thing? Maybe we could have fixed 'em up before this ever happened."

"She done broke it too?" Gambit said. "She really never do help, does she?"