psinex@yahoo.com Fires of Tomorrow 9/60 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: They're all Marvel's, except for Mel, Dave, Aidan, Danny, and Deanna, who're mine. Please don't sue. ------------------------------------------------------ 2/14/2004: X-Mansion: Women's Wing: 08:00 hrs EST: ------------------------------------------------------ "OOH ... it's so nice to have a Saturday to ourselves," Mel Summers grinned as she tumbled out of bed. "Speak for yourself, roomie," Nicoletta groused. "I'm never alone in my head, much less in this mansion." She cast Mel a quick stare, then asked, "How come, in all the years we St. Croixes have encountered X-types, you and David have only rarely come across our radar screens ?" Mel dug out a clean change of clothes and shook out her green hair before replying, "Blame my parents. They're hopelessly paranoid about mutant-on-mutant violence." She smirked and added, "Of course, after what happened to Nate, it's kinda understandable." "I often wondered why Havok and Polaris would leave New Mexico and a stable home life - uprooting you and David in the process - to become members of the second X-Factor," Nicoletta mused. Mel sat on her bed and sighed, "It really began when I was 6 and Dave was 4 - just after the Muir disaster ..." ------------------------------------------------------ Commission on Superhuman Affairs Central Office: 7/5/1996: 09:00 hrs EDT: ------------------------------------------------------ "... so, with the destruction of X-Factor's Ship, and Scott and Jean and their children going to the X-Mansion with Iceman, Beast, Archangel and X-Factor's Morlock wards, we need someone who can lead a government-sponsored mutant hero team," Xavier asked Alex. The younger Summers brother regarded Xavier with a cold expression and muttered, "I've got a wife and kids, Professor. I turned down Storm's request for help last year because of the Marauder insanity. Family and superheroics don't mix - that's why Lorna and I stayed out in New Mexico." "Even if the Marauders found us there," Lorna replied with a sigh. "If Scott and Jean hadn't been visiting with their kids -" "The point IS," Alex continued, squeezing Lorna's hand, "we don't want our kids anywhere near superheroics until at least after their powers kick in. It's hard enough on Mel at school - they call her all sorts of Godawful things because of her hair ..." "There are a number of excellent private schools for children of government employees in the D.C. area," Val Cooper pointed out. "Where they can be brainwashed into good little elitists ? Spare me," Lorna growled. "I want our children to be able to grow up free thinkers, not mindless little thugs who flaunt their supposed superiority over kids in public schools." Senator Kelly flushed, and Val looked distinctly uncomfortable. Xavier looked at the floor and finally replied, "Lorna, do you really think it will continue to be safe for you and your family to live away from other mutants ?" "After what happened last year, I don't know, Professor," Lorna frowned. "But I do know I want my babies to be safe. After what Apocalypse did to Nate, I'm amazed Jean and Scott aren't holing up in a shack somewhere." "They saved him from Apocalypse, Lorna," Xavier pointed out. "There is no safe haven anymore. The forces arrayed against us are growing by the hour, and we need to set an example for mainstream humans to see that humans and mutants can coexist." "Mel did make friends in school, Lorna," Alex said softly. She met his gaze, finally sighing. "You really want to put the spandex back on ?" she asked. "If it'll make a difference," Alex said. "And wherever you and our kids are ..." "OK, we'll try it," Lorna pouted. "At least the benefits'll be better than what we were paying for insurance ..." ------------------------------------------------------ "So, we grew up in some of the best private schools money could buy - which were really just public schools with government kids filling the desks," Mel grinned. "I actually got complimented on my hair." "Not too bad after all," Nicoletta smiled. "But your powers ... ?" "Oh yeah. That's a little more ... complicated," Mel giggled ... ------------------------------------------------------ Kennealy School for the Gifted, Falls' Edge, VA: 1/6/2004: 09:12 hrs EST: ------------------------------------------------------ "All right students, who can tell me the coefficient of the cosign of v when X is 3 and ..." Mel sighed and tapped her pencil on her desk, noticing the lights flickering. #Crappy old school,# the 8th-grader muttered. #I can't stand -# She felt a tingling sensation when the lights dimmed visibly, and winced when she started glowing. "Oooh ... why NOW ?" Mel muttered. "Er, Mrs. Hebben ... ?" "Er - ah, yes, you'd best go see the school nurse, Melanie," the math teacher replied, arching an eyebrow in the gloom. The other kids either gaped or snickered as Mel left. "Damn powers why'd they gotta turn on in the middle of -" She yelled when she ran into a smaller figure approaching from the 6th-grade side of the building and fell atop him, yelling, "Watch - Dave ?" Her blond brother looked up with sheepish blue eyes and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, Mel - you got'cher powers too ?" Mel watched as Dave began to glow with a faint gold light, and smiled despite herself. "C'mon, squirt," she said, helping him up. "Maybe we can finally get to go to the Academy ..." ------------------------------------------------------ "And as it turned out, we got to," Mel smiled. "And your grand entrance was most appreciated by Nathan, I believe," Nicoletta winked. "You're magnetic like your mother, then." "All the way," Mel said. "Dave's got the photonic spectrum - solid-light constructs, illumination, lasers, illusions, flashes, that sort of thing. I've got the goods, though - full-grade magnakinesis, maybe even Omega-class." She looked out the window and mused, "Wonder if I'll ever be as good as my folks ..." ------------------------------------------------------ NEXT: The untold tale of whatever happened to Adrienne and Cordelia Frost ... or, at last - Gen X drops in ! ------------------------------------------------------ end _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com