“So what’s the plan?” Jen asked Lily. “We have to hurry up, but everyone seems to be watching us
now, especially you.” They were all in the girl’s room, holding a meeting. Lily had Morion hold up a shield around
the room to prevent anyone from listening in on their conversation.
“I think I can help,” Amara quietly said. Everyone hushed themselves to listen to the girl. Amara was a little
embarrassed to be the speaker, but she would do anything to help her new friends. “The computer that you’re looking
for is in a locked room. I was here when Emma first started building the place, so I know where that room is. I can show you
today and then tomorrow you can take action. But you will need to keep Emma busy. She’s the only one with access to
that room.”
“That’s great Amara.” Lily hugged the girl, getting a surprised squeal from her.
“Okay, for tomorrow’s plans then,” Lily began. “Jen and Kitty will go to the computer room. Jen,
I want you to keep both of you invisible. I don’t want anyone to see you two go into the room. Kitty, you’re needed
to help Jen phase through the door. Talya and Bobby, I want the both of you to keep watch, and make sure no one goes near
that door. Do anything necessary. Me and Morion will go talk with Emma, and try to keep her away from that room.”
Lily watched Bobby and Morion as she explained the plan. Morion smirked at Bobby when he saw the jealous look in his eyes.
Lily only shook her head. They were both acting like children lately when it had anything to do with her. She stood from her
seat and sent the boys back to their room. Her, Jen and Kitty then left with Amara. Amara showed them where the computer room
was. Kitty and Jen then took Amara to her room and Lily made her way to the kitchen.
“Fire Storm, I need to talk to you.”
“I knew you’d want to.” Lily took a seat and motioned for Bobby to sit next to her. She took a few cookies
and started munching on them. “It’s about the mission, right?” Lily noticed the look on Bobby’s face.
“Don’t worry, no one can hear us right now. Everyone’s asleep. I did a sweep of the school.”
Bobby nodded. “Lily, why does Morion have to go with you? We do everything together.”
“You’re jealous.” Lily bit into another cookie.
“Of course I’m jealous. I like you Lily, you know I do.”
“If you must know, Morion has a cold heart to match Emma’s. He’ll be able to hold a better conversation
with her than I will. That’s the only reason why Bobby. Trust me, I would rather have you with me than Morion, but there’s
no choice at this moment. And Tal doesn’t like Morion. No one does. It seems that I’m the only one who can really
stand to be around him. I’m sorry.” Lily finished her cookie and left the kitchen. Bobby ran after her.
“I’m not done talking to you.” He grabbed Lily’s arm and pushed her against the wall.
“Ow, Bobby, that hurt.” But Bobby never let go. He held her right there. Lily struggled to get free, but it was
no use. Bobby was too strong for her. “Bobby, please, let me go.”
“No. Lily, I’m tired of this. I want to be with you.”
“But you’re with Rogue.” Lily was crying now. She was starting to bruise where Bobby was holding her. “Damn
it Bobby, let me go.”
“Why do you like Morion? Do you like him more than me?”
“I don’t know. Please.”
“You do. You do know!”
“I don’t,” Lily was practically shouting. Why hadn’t anyone come running to her rescue yet? “All
I know is I like the both of you, but I don’t really like one more than the other. Please Bobby, this hurts.”
But Bobby didn’t listen. Instead he leaned down and kissed Lily. She stopped struggling for a moment, but then remembered
she couldn’t be with him and tried to fight him off.
“I believe the girl said to let her go.” Bobby pulled away, and the two looked over at Morion.
Bobby’s eyes widened and he looked at Lily. “Oh my God, Lily, I’m sorry.” He reached out to her,
but Lily automatically pulled away. “Lily, I don’t know what came over me.”
“I do.” Lily wiped her tears. “Bobby, we can’t be friends anymore.”
Bobby stood there, not really believing what Lily said. “You’re kidding right?” Lily shook her head. “But…”
“Bobby, the reason I won’t be with you is I don’t want to hurt Rogue. I don’t want the two of you
to split up because of me, and I don’t want to ruin my friendship with her. You have to understand this. I can’t
be with you unless she gives me permission.”
Lily felt Morion slip his arm around her. “I’ll walk you your room.” Lily only nodded and walked away from
Bobby. Bobby just stood there cursing at himself, unable to go after Lily. She had a right to hate him.
Morion walked Lily to her door, and she pushed herself away from him. She thanked him without even looking up at him.
“Is that it? A thank you and then you just leave me here standing in the hall?”
“Leave me alone.”
“I heard you. You like me.”
“But I also like Bobby, okay?” Lily was tired by now and didn’t feel like arguing with Morion.
“But there’s nothing in the way of us going out.”
“Yes there is.” She still didn’t look at him. She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to go lie down
in her bed and just go to sleep.
“What?
“Me.”
Morion spun her around, forcing her to look up at him. “Tell me you don’t want to be with me and I’ll leave
you alone.” But Lily never told him that. She just stared up at him.
“I do want to be with you, but it’s not fair to Bobby.”
“Don’t tell me you still like him after what he did.”
There was a long pause before Lily finally said, “I do.”
Morion punched his fist against the wall, right next to Lily. She never flinched. “Damn it. What do I have to do to
win your heart?”
“Give me time.”
~ * ~
The next day Lily and Morion went to go talk with Emma. When they got to Emma’s office and pulled her into conversation,
Lily sent a message to Jen that it was time. Jen took Kitty’s hand and turned them both invisible. Kitty phased them
through their dorm door and made their way towards the computer room. Bobby and Tal were already there, standing guard.
Lily held her mind open to everyone. They could send messages back and forth, and they held visions in their head of what
was going on for Lily. It was tiring, but Lily concentrated hard, letting Morion do most of the talking with Emma. Visions
raced across her mind, words mixing here and there. Even through the confusion, she could still somehow understand everything.
She had never done it for so many people before. She was glad that she was sitting down. She attempted to speak with Emma.
“So, Emma, what made you decide to open up a school for mutants?”
“Well, I like teaching, but it’s hard to get a job being who I am. So, I decided, there are so many fellow mutants
out there who aren’t sure about their abilities, and I wanted to help them.” Emma looked proud of herself. “What’s
wrong Fire Storm? You look a little tired.”
“No, I’m fine,” Lily lied.
“You shouldn’t lie to yourself Lily.”
Lily’s eyes widened. She was caught by surprise, causing her to lose her concentration. Everyone was lost to her. She
turned, unable to believe who stood right there in front of her.
~ * ~
“There’s nothing here,” Jen complained.
“There has to be.” Kitty urged Jen into looking some more. “Our connection with Lily has been cut off.
We’re on our own.”
“You’re connection may have been cut off,” Jen explained, “but no matter what, me and Lily always
have a connection with one another. I can feel her, just as she can feel me. Lily’s been distracted.”
“By what?”
“This person.” Jen opened a file.
“Wow, he’s pretty.”
“Yeah.” Jen put the information on a CD. “I found more information.” The girls examined it together.
“No way!” Kitty shouted out in surprise. “She means war!” Jen also put this on CD.
“I’m sure the professor will appreciate this information.”
~ * ~
“I did some research.” Emma threw some papers down on her desk. “You’re Lily, a.k.a. Fire Storm.
You go to Xavier’s Institute, along with all of your little friends. Also, you’re a very powerful psychic, as
you kindly demonstrated right here in front of me.” Lily clenched her fist, and tried not to lash out at Emma. It wouldn’t
help her at this moment.
“Been a long time Lily.”
Lily growled and turned to the silver haired person. “It has been Angel… or should I call you Sin now?”
“Sin is fine. Angel never really suited me.” He ran his hand through Lily’s hair. She didn’t stop
him. “You’re still as pretty as ever.”
“And you’re still as cold hearted,” Lily snapped back.
“I thought that’s what you liked about me before.”
“You’re sick. I thought I told you never to come near me or my cousin again.” Lily’s anger was building.
She tried to calm it down. She knew that’s what Sin wanted.
“Lily, what’s going on?” Morion asked.
“None of your business.” Lily really didn’t really feel like talking about her past. This had been something
she had wanted to forget.
“What say we get a better battle space?” Sin asked.
“Take us then,” Lily demanded. “I wouldn’t mind setting you on fire and watching you burn to death,
though it’s not possible here. There are too many lives at stake.”
Sin nodded and teleported everyone outside. Lily noticed that they were still at the school, just behind it now. This is
where the mutants trained everyday. She saw as her friends ran outside towards them. Jen must have led them there. She was
happy they all came.
Jen ran up to her cousin and glared at Sin. “Angel, what are you doing here?”
“I came to retrieve my fiancé.”
“We’re not engaged anymore. Don’t you remember? You tricked me and my cousin, and then you attacked our
homes. Why would I want to be with you?”
“I know you still love me, somewhere in there.” Sin stepped towards Jen, holding out a hand to her. He jumped
back when a flame flew between the two of them.
“You stay away from my cousin. She’s not your fiancé anymore. Just leave us alone.” Lily was burning all
around. Everyone stepped away from her. “It’s like you have a death wish.”
“As long as my death is by one of the two of you, I don’t mind dying.” Sin smiled, and Lily’s flames
sparkled a bit.
“White Queen, you fight Lily. I’ll fight against Jen. The rest of you can be held back with my spirits.”
Everyone looked around at each other in confusion, except Lily and Jen. Spirits rose around everyone, binding them where they
stood.
Emma stepped up to Lily. “Guess it’s you and me.” Lily watched as Emma transformed into a diamond hard
body. “Don’t think you’ll be able to beat me.”
Lily took her stance and got ready for Emma to make the first move. Emma moved in, her fist headed right for Lily’s
face. Lily ducked and rolled away from Emma. She couldn’t fight her like this. She searched around for some sort of
weapon. Not able to find one, Lily sent large flames towards Emma. Emma just let the flames brush against her and laughed
maniacally.
“You will never beat me child. You have no chance.” She sent a kick towards Lily. Lily couldn’t duck, so
she tried blocking. She screamed out as a diamond hard form slammed her hands into her chest and sent her flying back into
a tree. She spit out blood and forced herself to stand. “You want more? Foolish child.”
Meanwhile, where Sin and Jen were, Sin now had beautiful black wings attached to his back. “I will take you back with
me Jen.”
“In your dreams.” Jen threw an icicle at Sin, but he just flew up, easily dodging it. “Damn it.”
Jen sent many icicles towards Sin, but he dodged each one of them. Jen cursed at herself and tried to think of what she could
do. Sin flew down towards her, and Jen had to jump out of the way.
Lily slammed into her cousin as she dodged Emma. “Jen, we’re stuck. There’s nothing we can do.” Lily
held her arm that she had broken fighting Emma. She was even limping now.
Jen turned to her cousin. “Let’s try something else.”
“Like what?” Lily asked.
Jen tagged her cousin. “We switch enemies.” Lily nodded and ran towards Sin. Taking a deep breath, her flame
grew again, and she threw fireballs up at Sin. Caught by surprise, one fireball hit one of Sin’s wings. He almost fell,
but caught his balance. He glared at Lily. Sin had lost his concentration and forgotten all the spirits he had called on to
bind the rest of the group.
Jen dodged an attack from Emma, and threw an icicle at her. The icicle just grazed her. Jen figured if enough hit her, Emma
could eventually start to feel the pain. Jen built up her energy and surrounded Emma in an ice barrier. Jen leaned back against
a tree.
“Nice one Jen,” Tal commented.
“Thanks. How’s Lily?”
“I don’t know.” The two girls turned to the battle Lily had with Sin. Morion had gone to help Lily. Since
he could fly, he carried her into the air.
Lily hit Sin a little more, being able to keep up with him now. She held on tightly to Morion. “What’s the matter?
Afraid of heights?”
“Got a problem with that?”
“Seriously? I was only kidding.” Morion started laughing.
“Shut up. It’s not funny.”
“Really? Because to me it is.” Sin flew towards them, trying to strike at Lily. Morion threw up a shield to block
the attack. “We won’t last long.”
“We have to get out of here,” Lily stated. “It’s too dangerous for us.” Lily looked down and
saw more mutants rushing out to attack her friends. “Morion, down there.” Morion brought Lily back down to the
ground.
Jen went to try and fight the other mutants, but was stopped when she heard something shatter behind her. She spun around,
only to see that Emma had broken free. Before Jen could react, Emma punched her in the stomach. Jen doubled over, spitting
up blood. Tal tried to throw Emma back with the wind, but Emma had knocked her unconscious before she could do anything. Bobby
tried to freeze Emma again, but Emma grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air. He struggled to get free. Amara
wanted to go help her new friends, but she was stuck fighting the other mutants, along with Kitty.
Lily was tired of all this chaos. Trying to get rid of the other mutants, she surrounded her teammates in a ring of fire.
Everyone else backed away. She went to go and try to fight Emma from off of Bobby. Emma threw her back, and Morion caught
her.
“Stand back.” Morion pushed Lily to the side and concentrated on Emma. What Emma saw was Bobby going limp. She
let out a laugh and threw him to the ground. What Lily saw was Bobby still trying to get free, and suddenly Emma just threw
him down. Lily rushed over to help him up. Lily pulled her team together.
“We have to get out of here,” Lily explained.
“And how do you suppose we do that?” Morion asked. Emma was now out of the illusion and was now making her way
towards Morion. She was furious that he had done such a thing.
Just as Lily was about to give up, Kurt showed up in the middle of their circle. “Nightcrawler,” Lily called
out to him, all too happy to see him. “Thank goodness you’re here.” Lily was trying to tend to everyone’s
wounds. “We need to get them out of here.”
“That’s what I’m here for.” Everyone held hands, Lily holding onto the unconscious Tal. Without another
thought they were all back at Xavier’s Institute.
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