X-Men 1st Redemptions

9: X-amination

Creed scowled. "So, what? You change your mind? They're awful, aren't they?"

"I suppose your father is not a stellar example of any form of humanity," Shine said. "Neither was mine, and he wasn't even a mutant, so I can sympathize with your wish not to be seen as anything like him."

Creed frowned. "So?"

"You have no friends anymore," Shine said. "We're aware of that. Maybe you might look in on us in New York, if you get out of jail, that is. We don't really have a mailbox yet, but we'll be around this area." 

She slid some paper through the bars. "Might run into each other."

"And why would you help me? Your mutant friends won't like that," Creed sneered.

Shine and Wally shrugged.

"You need it, right?" Wally said. 

Creed was silent.

"I think you've been through enough," Shine said. "But it's not up to us, obviously, how much more you'll suffer the repercussions of all this. Men like you often do desperate things when they lose it all. If having some friends in the world left would prevent that, we'll offer it." She tilted her head. "Not because we like you, but because we'd want someone to do that for us. And for the record, we're not mutant lovers."

She stepped back. "We don't make any distinction between mutants and humans. You're the one who does that. We help whoever needs it. If that bothers you, you don't have to take us up on our offer, but I promise you it's the best one you're going to get. The FOH was not the most loyal organization, was it? Perhaps making alliances based on mutual hatred doesn't end well. Think about it." She walked away.

Wally nodded. "Hey, man, I hope you find peace or something," he said. "It's...well...it's not life, the way you live."

He walked away too.

Creed stared after them, then went back to staring at the floor.

{Editor's note: Mic drop.}

* * *

"I wonder what they're doin'," Rogue said, as they all waited outside the town.

"I have an idea," Kurt said. "I vould do it also, if I thought it vould help. But I fear it vould only make it vorse."

"What, do you mean they went to talk to Creed?" Logan suddenly looked up.

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know. They didn't say anything about it."

"What mo' could dey say to him?" Gambit said warily.

The two rejoined them right then.

"We can go now," Shine said.

"What were you doin'?" Rogue asked.

"There was someone we wanted to talk to," Wally said.

"Creed?" Logan asked.

Shine's eyes darkened a little. "Logan, I intend fully to forgive you for what you were saying before, but I swear, if I hear one more word from you about Creed today..." She let it hang.

"What will you do?" Gambit asked before anyone could stop him.

"Don't push me!" Shine shot him a furious look too. "Everyone has a limit. I wouldn't roll those dice with me anymore today, Remy."

Gambit flinched at the use of his real name.

Shine very deliberately walked ahead of them and didn't look back.