"There is some good news," Emma said to Sean, leaning back in the chair after speaking to Wolverine. "So you got a hold of Logan, eh?" Sean asked, looking back. "How's she holding up?" Emma didn't look back at Jubilee, not needing to.
"She's holding up as well as she can," Emma said.
"She's a tough lass, that's for sure," Sean said, turning his attention back to his flying. "But this is something a bit beyond the pale."
"Indeed," Emma said. "She is scared, she is trying to pretend other wise, but she is scared."
"And..." Sean asked meaningfully.
"And she is still herself," Emma said. "She is still our Jubilation Lee." So far.
"Don't worry, chicka," Skin said. Jubilee jerked out of her contemplation to look up at him. "Everything's gonna be all right and then we'll find this boy and show him a thing or two about messing around with one of us."
"Yeah," Husk agreed, nodding. "Don't worry about things, girl."
Even Penance was looking at her in a worried manner. Chamber just stood there, arms crossed, but his support was clear.
"Thanks guys," Jubilee said with a ghost of a smile. They were right, everything would be fine, they'd find whatever was wrong with her and fix it, and everything would be back to normal.
And a chill ran down her spine.
Is it him? a pair of telepathic voices asked. Chamber and Emma.
I thought I helped you block his link, Emma continued.
Jubilee shook her head.
"Not him. It's...a girl..." Jubilee whispered not used to the whole empathy thing. "And much worse."
"What's a girl, Jubes?" Skin asked.
In the front of the plane, Emma cursed, hoping in vain that this didn't mean there was more than one of these people.
****
Ranma stopped in his tracks as he felt the light brush and the hostility behind it. It was just a brief pass over, though, and he soon brushed it aside. He had training and mates to think about, no time for imaginings.
Though now he was more than a little concerned that he could no longer feel he his first mate's emotions at all, much less the small twinge it had been.
****
Syl considered what she had just felt. Two beings, like her and not like her. One more powerful than the other...and male...a potential mate and a potential threat. The other...was just competition and a threat to her Imperative.
It was simple, should she reach them. Mate with the male, kill them both.
****
Jubilee and her classmates arrived at the mansion not long after, though still well ahead of Wolverine in his jeep. Jubilee disembarked and found herself facing several of her old teammates on the yard of the familiar mansion.
"Hey, Sugah," Rogue said as Jubilee approached. "How you doin'?"
"I don't know," Jubilee answered honestly. Rogue nodded with a weak smile.
"Come along, child, Beast is finishing up the preparations in the medical bay," Storm added. In response to Jubilee's frightened look she offered a companionable hand on the young girl's shoulder. "Do not fear, we are here for you."
"Emma," Jean said coolly to the other telepath. "The Professor is waiting for us."
"Lead the way, Jean," Emma responded in a tone just as frigid. "This is your home." Jean nodded and led the other telepath into the mansion.
****
"Don't worry, Jubilation," Beast said gently to his patient. "This will not be painful in the least and will just take a few moments."
"Okay," Jubilee said, noting that the blue-furred doctor had already used the distraction to draw a blood sample from her. She idly watched the small pin-prick seal up as Beast turned to his equipment.
"How do you feel?" Beast asked.
"A little sick," Jubilee said. "And sort of...hungry."
"There are some lollipops in the jar next to you," he said. "Perhaps that will tide you over for the moment."
"Thanks," Jubilee said, grabbing one and unwrapping it.
"Have you noticed anything else besides the empathic senses and healing ability since...the incident?" Beast asked. He began putting the blood sample through an array of tests as he spoke.
"Umm no," Jubilee said, somewhat amused as always by the sight of a giant blue furred beast bending carefully over a microscope. "Is Wolvie here? Emma said..."
"Logan is about two hour's drive away on last report," Beast said. "He will be here." He paused a looked up. "Curious."
"What?" Jubilee asked nervously. Having a doctor or scientist say "curious" about one's self was never comforting. "What's curious."
"I was going to run some x-rays and other such tests, but perhaps that would best be avoided for now," he said.
"Why? What's wrong?" Jubilee asked.
"That is what I am trying to ascertain," Beast said. "I understand this can be difficult, Jubilation, but please try to be patient."
****
"The single brush I've had with the offender's mind can best be described as naive," Emma said. "I doubt he understands what he is doing."
"And you left him wandering around Japan to do this again," Jean noted.
"I had my students to think of," Emma replied frostily. "Can you imagine if this were repeated with Husk, Monet, or Penance?"
"Enough," Professor Xavier said. "This is not the time for arguments."
"Yes, priorities," Emma agreed. "We'll talk later?"
"If we can't avoid it," Jean answered.
"Agreed," Emma finished. She took a deep breath. "I suspect there is some deliberate tampering at work here."
"Indeed," Professor Xavier said. "We did some research on the name you provided us. Jean."
Jean Grey nodded and activated the wall screen for her mentor.
A file on Genma Saotome appeared on screen.
"This is the only Saotome whose file seems to fit the situation," Xavier said. "A master martial artist and scholar in the realm of genetics. He is generally regarded as genius, but unstable. Few people want to deal with him officially, but he does apparently have contacts among many projects various governments consider classified. He was well known for researching human enhancement. He also has a son, aged thirteen years old, named Ranma."
"But that was no thirteen-year old I saw in Jubilee's mind," Emma said.
"That is something of a puzzle," Jean agreed reluctantly. "But if his son is his first experiment, who knows what could have happened."
"Well, Beast seems to have some information for us," Xavier said. "So perhaps we can hold for a bit."
****
Outside an old jeep slowed down as it passed into the garage, eventually coming to a stop.
****
Jubilee sat in the medical bay with Beast explaining what he had discovered to everybody. He had asked if she wanted to be present for this, and she had said yes. Now she was half-wishing she had said no.
"It was a sort of symbiotic organism," Beast said.
"Was?" Emma repeated questioningly.
"That's what I can make out from what's left," Hank said. "But the alien DNA has firmly set into Jubilation's DNA. For all intents and purposes she has completely merged. Completely merged..." he repeated as Emma was about to open her mouth. "...removal is impossible, you'd have to kill Jubilation, and I don't have to read your mind to guess that question."
Jean smirked at the White Queen's mild embarassment as the Beast winked at the slightly cheered up Jubilee. Emma frowned but bore through it for the child's sake.
"What are the effects?" Professor Xavier asked.
"Well," Beast said. "Among other things, Jubilation has eaten what had been a week's supply of candy over the last hour or so." Jubilee blushed in embarassment at that report. "I would normally wave that aside as stress, but have since concluded that her current metabolism is geared toward sugars and other such carbohydrates more than anything else."
"She just needs sugar, in other words," Emma said.
"Oddly enough, yes," Hank agreed. "And I can confirm brain activity in the parts of her brain associated with psychic ability. I of course did not test her ability to heal, but I would assume from the metabolism that she is some what far below Wolverine's healing factor, but still very impressive regenerative capabilities. There is another thing as well, Jubilation was apparently pondering our feral comrade in arms and..." he gestured toward the girl for a demonstration.
Jubilee swallowed momentarily and then concentrated. A moment later, an insectile mockery of Wolverine's claws grew out of her knuckles and forearms. And then they shrank back into Jubilee's hands as she shifted about uncomfortably at the display.
"She and I tried a few variations," McCoy continued. "She cannot change her basic shape or form disguises, but she does have impressive if limited shape-changing capability."
"Jubilee," Xavier said, noticing her reaction to displaying the shapeshifting abilities. "Do not worry, we are here for you regardless of the situation." He then turned back to McCoy.
"And the last thing?" Emma asked cooly, voicing the question that the other's were politely avoiding. "The one you are tap dancing around."
"Jubilation..." Beast started hesitantly.
"I'm pregnant," Jubilee said, producing a slight flush and small smile. A smile tainted by the wondering of whether the fact that she was happy about that was due to the genetic tampering she'd gone through.
"It shouldn't be possible to confirm or deny a pregnancy so soon," Jean noted, surprised.
"There is no question," McCoy said. "The fetus is developing faster than is natural. I estimate that in perhaps as little as nine-weeks she'll be giving birth."
The telepaths sat stunned at the news.
"How long before abortion is not an option?" Emma asked coldly.
"I'm not getting an abortion," Jubilee said quickly.
"It has to be considered, Jubilation," Beast said. "There could be dangers to your health or even life."
"I am not getting an abortion," Jubilee repated firmly. Professor Xavier and the other telepaths shifted about at the raise in defensiveness from their young friends.
"We don't know anything about about this situation..." Beast started, until he was lifted up off the ground by the little girl. He stared in somewhat amazement that she could manage it, even as her arms were shaking from obvious strain at the effort.
"I'm NOT getting an abortion!" Jubilee repeated again. Three minds started to move to forcibly calm her down, but were saved from the necessity.
"Jubes, put the blue boy down," a gruff voice called from the doorway.
"Wolvie!" Jubilee cried out, putting down Beast and practically flashing across the room to wrap him up in a desperate hug, breaking down into crying.
"I'm here, kiddo," Logan said. "We'll see to this thing now, won't we?" Jubilee nodded from her position about him and he looked back up to the others, placing an unlit cigar in his mouth and chomping down. "So, tell me what I've missed."
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(Posted Mon, 05 May 2003 09:03)
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