X-WRITERS PRESENTS: X-Force #48 "Change" by Keanu e-mail: mdfst12+@pitt.edu ======================================== NOTICE 1: X-WRITERS is an electronic mailing list, dedicated to X-Men fan fiction. The owner of the X- characters' copyright (Marvel) has not given permission to use their property. We mean no harm in the use of these characters; we merely mean to have fun. X-Writers is a non-profit group and is not sponsored by any other person, organisation or slush fund. And no, we aren't a front for a money laundering operation. NOTICE 2: All X-Writer stories may be cross-posted, distributed via e-mail, or any other medium know to human kind (oh, and you aliens can feel free to send it telepathically or whatever). We do ask, though, that the X- Writers and the author be contacted beforehand and credited in full. Trust me, don't make us angry. You wouldn't like us when we're angry. ========================================= The members of X-Force sat, mulling over their recent lives, wondering just what it was all for. On the couch sat James Proudstar, the Native American strong man, who also moved with quickness and grace. Next to him sat Caliban, one of the newer additions to the team to which his mutant tracking skills were a great asset. Leaning up against the side of the couch was the young man known as Shatterstar. He was not totally in tune with the conversation, his mind thinking of other things. Across from these three stood Roberto DaCosta, a.k.a. Sunspot, a man who derives his power from the solar energy of the sun, and recently cured of his possession by the villain known only as Reignfire. Standing next to him was Siryn, the newly appointed leader of the group. Boomer, meanwhile, was laying on the ground, her head watching the paddle fans flicker the overhead light as she cracked her gum. "I have had just about enough of all this moving around," James Proudstar said, swirling the remnants of his Coke around in its can, "I mean, first we're on the reservation, then Arcade's place, now the mansion. And now, Cable has gone and left us. Can't we just settle in one place, with one purpose?" "Exactly," concurred Theresa, "Tis time we lived our own lives. Cable actually suggested we move on." "Where?" asked Caliban keeping a close eye on the television that was on, only lightly -- an old episode of "Welcome Back, Kotter" was keeping half of Caliban's attention. "Don't exactly know, Cal," answered Sunspot, "That's the whole point. There certainly isn't room for us here. Not as junior X-Men, anyway." "Yes," replied James, "But how can we make it on our own? We don't have the money..." "Caliban doesn't want to go," interrupted the large white Morlock, "I believe in Xavier." "It's not that we don't believe in Xavier's ideals," Tabitha replied, smacking on her gum as she spoke, "But really, does he even have the time to deal with us? He deals with the big boys (not to mention, the all high and mighty X- Man Samuel Guthrie) and those little dweebs at the 'School for Gifted Youngsters'. On top of that, you've got the Legacy Virus, and there's the Mimic running loose, and Victor, and..." "We get th' point, Tabitha," Siryn cut her off. Tabitha was a bit irked and gave a sigh of disappointment. Theresa continued, "Th' point is, we're cramped here." *** "Are you sure you want to do this," asked Professor Charles Xavier. Privately, he is known as the head of the band of mutants known as the X-Men. Publicly, he is the worlds foremost authority on mutants. It is only too bad he does not quite grasp how it felt to be a young man, and how stifling it can be to always follow in others' footsteps. The members of X-Force know this all too well, however. "Aye," Theresa replied, "All of us do." "It's just...," started Sunspot, feeling the disappointment in Xavier's eyes, "It's just that we need to live our own lives. Here, we are nothing more than house-guests." "But don't you care?" Xavier asked, "Don't you care about the dream -- that it is worth fighting for." "You have the X-Men for that," replied Boomer. "Caliban believes in dream," interjected Caliban, a bit confused at why Xavier would even ask such a question. James decided he should speak up before Xavier got the wrong idea. So, he stepped forward, "We all do, sir. It is a noble cause, but we haven't been able to live a regular life here. We just need some space... and some time. We'll still be X-Force." "I lost you kids somewhere," Xavier mumbled, half to himself, and half to his students, "I blame myself, really. I should have paid more mind." "Nobody's to blame," Theresa added, "It's just something we have to do." "Where will you go?" asked Charles. "California!" answered Caliban emphatically, "We get to see movie stars." Tabitha just grinned at Caliban's enthusiasm, "Besides, there are a lot of freaks out there, nobody will care about us muties..." "Well," Xavier continued, "I will not stop you. You have my blessing." The members of the team all looked at each other. Well, that was easy. They had expected a long drawn out argument, not a blessing. Still, it was a pleasant surprise. The next order of business, however would not be so easy. "To tell you the truth, sir," Sunspot spoke out, "We didn't really come here to ask your blessing." "You didn't?" asked the Professor. "What we really need... is a loan." Professor Charles Xavier grinned. "Ah, youth." *** "Julio!" exclaimed Shatterstar, who was hanging on the phone in one of the many studies of the Xavier mansion, "Guess what?" A sigh came over the phone, "What?" "We are moving to California!" replied 'Star. This time, the voice was a little more upbeat, "What?!? You've got to be kidding me! What is Cable up to this time?" "No, Cable's gone," answered Shatterstar. The phone was silent for a few awkward seconds, and then the voice on the other line spoke up once again, "I see." *** "James. Theresa," Xavier motioned to his two former students, "I asked you both here to ask you one more time... are you sure you want to do this?" "Well, to tell you the truth," replied Warpath, "Not really. But we need to at least try." "Okay," replied Xavier, "I've been thinking about this loan, and I'm ready to give it to you." He plopped a fat envelope down on the desk, right in front of Theresa. It was certainly a lot of money. She reached out as though she were going to grab it, but just as soon as she touched it, Xavier interrupted. "What would you say, if I were to ask you to do one more mission," he said, "I will gladly pay you for it. After all, didn't you want to be a work for hire team?" "Yes," replied Theresa nodding. "Well, here is a chance to earn your money, and I will not ask for a penny of it back." "I d'know, sir," answered Theresa fumbling over her words. "Hear him out," James replied. "If you truly want to be independent," stated Charles, "You don't want a debt hanging over your head, now, do you? You wanted independence, I'm offering it." Theresa could not answer right away. This was all so final. Did they really know what they were doing? She was supposed to be X-Force's leader, but was she just sending the team on a wild goose chase? Or was this what they really wanted? She struggled with Xavier's offer in her head before finally coming to an answer. "Okay," she finally managed to speak out, "What do you want us to do?" "I know it is not on your way," said Xavier, "But I need you to go to Atlanta..." *** The luggage sat in the middle of the foyer. It was not leaving, like the rest of the luggage that was being packed upstairs, but arriving in the front door. Rictor looked around to see if anybody was home. Finally he called out, "Hello?" "Julio!" yelled Shatterstar from the top of the stairs, "You're back!" "'Star," Ric yelled back up, "It's good to see you again. But please, just call me Ric like everybody else." Shatterstar grinned happily. His best friend was back once more. He seemed to be the only one in the group that he could really relate to, and when he left, a part of Shatterstar left, as well. He was now whole again. He was at the bottom of the stairs before Ric could get another word out, grinning some more. "Jeez-us, 'Star! You act as if I had just come back from the dead," Ric said, staring at his friend, "You know, you could really use a new haircut." Finally, some of the other residents of the mansion came in to the foyer, wondering what all the commotion was about. Warpath was the first. "How are you, Rictor?" he asked, "Have fun at home?" "Speaking of haircuts," whispered Ric to Shatterstar, "You do *not* want one like that." They both burst into laughter. "What?" asked Jimmy, "What's so funny?" They just laughed some more. Finally, he gave up, deciding he needed to pack up more of his belongings. He turned to the two one more time before leaving and shrugged, "What?" *** "Bishop will escort you to the airport," stated Xavier at the doorway of his mansion, "You all have your tickets? To Atlanta, and Los Angeles?" Boomer sighed, "C'mon Chuck! We got 'em already! Can we go now." "Yes," he answered, "But remember, there is always a home for you here." The seven members of the group ganged into the limo, wishing Xavier good luck, glad they were finally getting out of his shadow. No matter how great that shadow might have been. "Why is X-Force going to Atlanta, again?" asked Caliban as the limo pulled away. He and Sunspot were both wearing image inducers to mask their appearance from the general public. "There is a strong mutant presence there, according to Xavier," answered James, "One he never noticed before. He's paying us to check it out." The members of the group sat quietly. They had finally gotten what they wanted, but they felt a bit empty. Finally, Rictor interrupted the silence, "So! Let's break out the bubbly!" They knew that though they had left one family behind, they would always have each other. And they drank to that... *** EPILOGUE: "Get away... must get away," thought the young child as he scurried through the back streets of the city. He could be no more than seven or eight, yet he was being pursued by a man twice his size. "Come back here, ya little runt," yelled the man, who kept reaching for, but narrowly missing, the child's heels. The man was quite out of shape. His beer gut was hanging over his belt, barely contained by the white t-shirt. "I'm sick of you muties taking my food," he continued to bark out at the child. He looked much like a regular child, except for the small horns sprouting from the top of his head. The man leapt from his feet, and gripped the boy's leg, knocking him to the ground, as a chicken leg dropped from his tattered coat. The man stood up, over the child ominously, as the boy trembled in fear. His elbow was bloody, but he cried from the pain of hunger and not the cut on his forearm. "I'm gonna teach you a lesson," said the man, loosening his rather large belt. He was about to pull back the strap of leather for one quick whip, but somebody grabbed it. Somebody bigger than him. "I suggest you do not do that," the somebody said. He was masked by the shadows, so the fat man could not make out his face. "Says who?" the fat man asked brashly, in a fit of arrogance. "*I* do," replied the larger man, striking the fat man in the face. He fell to the ground with a solid thud. The boy was free, and the large man who was masked by the shadows picked him up, and continued his walk. ========================================= NEXT ISH: A man called Banks. ========================================= -- *Marysia* | The Original Holy | "Live without your Keeper of the | Virgin of the | sunlight. Love with Labyrinth Flame | Church of Xbooks | out your heartbeat." ---------------------------------------------------------- Editor in Chief of x-writers at majordomo@minuteman com