Chapter 8 - Monet's Story

Attention:  Generation X and their villians,as well as any other mutant mentioned in this story, is property of MarvelComics.  The character Richard Cale is named after family relations. Any other reference to anything copywrighted is a chance happening.
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Truth Be Told
Monet's Story
            Monetdidn't know what to say.  When Penny had asked for her help in keepingan eye on Rich, it hit her as a shock.  Penny always wanted to spendtime alone with Rich, but since everything that had happened, with Sean'scousin, and with Bastion, Rich just avoided everyone.  Emma want peopleto watch Rich, just in case he tried something foolish, like taking hisown life.  Penny was almost always watching Rich, but today Pennyseemed more worried than usual.  They had seen Rich leave the guysdorm and start walking into the woods when they started to follow, farenough not to be detected, yet close enough to watch him.  Penny brokethe silence by saying, "Monet, I've been worried about Rich lately. He has been keeping his distance from me.  After what happened withSean's cousin, I was the only person he wanted to be near, and now."
            Monetcould see the worry in Penny's eyes.  Rich meant a lot to her, andRich was the one that got her to talk to them.  Now Rich seemed tobe isolating himself from everyone.  "We are all worried about Rich,but he is doing his best to isolate himself.  That is why Emma wantsus to keep an eye on him at all times, to keep him from doing somethingfoolish.  I don't think that he is going to try something here, butwe will watch him just in case."
            Pennyseemed relieved to hear that.  After a while, Monet noticed that Richhad been walking in the same direction and that the school was no longerin sight.  She wondered if Rich had gotten lost.  If he had,then they would help him back, and all attempts at keeping an eye on Richwould be ruined.  She saw a building in the distance, a lighthouse. She thought that Rich was going to ask about where he was there. It was then that Monet notice that Penny was tensing up as her skin tensedup.  Monet turned to Penny and said, "What's wrong?"
            Therewas a worry in Penny's eyes as she spoke, "Rich is going to kill himself. He's.. He's.."
            "He'sgoing to what, Penny?"
            "He'sgoing to hand himself over to Emplate."  Monet was shocked to hearthis.  Rich must have found out where Emplate's lair was from eitherPenny, or from Emplate when he attacked.  Penny then said, "That'sEmplate's lair.  We have to stop Rich."  Monet didn't need tohear any more.  She flew up into the air and grabbed Penny in herleft hand.  She flew up behind Rich and grabbed him with her rightand flew them back to the school.
            Asshe flew, Rich yelled, "Why didn't just let me go.  Nothing but disasterfollows me.  I can't have a nice life.  If I try, something happensto ruin it.  Why didn't you let me end it all then?"  Rich wentsilent then.  Penny looked hurt, and Monet was puzzled.  Seanand Emma had met up with them when she landed.  She told Sean whathad happened, as Emma took Rich back to his dorm room.
            Seanhad a solemn look on his face.  "Aye, this is serious.  I'm goingto give Scott and Jean a call and see if they can sort this out. In the meantime, I want all the students to take turns watching Rich incase he tries something like that again."  He went to his office andMonet relayed the message.  When she got done, she went to Rich'sdorm room as Emma stood there.
            "Richhas not had the best days of his life lately," Emma had said as she startedto leave.
            "Iwish we knew was truly bothering him."  Monet started to think aboutit and stopped herself.  She didn't need to go into an autistic spellnow, not when it came down to a case of Rich's life.  Every momenthe wasn't watched was a moment that he could do something rash.
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            Monetstarted to think again on what had Rich upset.  After hearing everything,she realized that the death of Black Tom had little to do with it. She started considering the facts in her mind, doing her best to stay awareof what was happening.
            Jeansaid to Sean, "Is that everything that has happened?"  Monet couldtell that she wanted to be sure that nothing was left out.  She wantedall the information.  She wanted all the truthful information.
            "Aye. We've had a close watch on him everyday.  But we don't know how longhe is going to continue being like this.  We can't talk to him, becausewe don't truly know the problem."  Monet watched the calmness of howSean answered the question.  Some of the worlds repeated themselvesin her mind.  Truly know the problem, that was part of the answer,but how did it fit in.
            Jeanfinally said, "I hope he can recover.  I still wonder how ProfessorXavier is dealing with what he had done."  Monet noticed a look ofanguish on her face, as well as everyone else's.  It finally hit her. What had been bothering Rich, what had drove him into the state he wasin.
            "That'sit," she yelled.  "That's the problem."  Everyone was lookingat her, and she then said calmly, "I have figured out what is wrong withRich."
            Seanglance at her and said, "What is it, lass?"
            "Betrayal. When he found out about Bastion, he felt betrayed.  And then whenBastion killed himself, Rich didn't want to care about what Bastion didto save him."
            Scottlooked as if he was in shock.  "You mean he destroyed himself, andall of Zero Tolerance, to possibly renew his nephew's belief."  Monetnoticed that the words had hit everyone.
            EmmaFrost looked at them in shock.  "You mean that Bastion destroyed allof Zero Tolerance to save his nephew's faith.  If Rich knew that,he might just snap out of it."  Monet understood that much, but shefigured that the best people to talk to Rich would be those who had sufferedin the same way.
            "Emma,I think it would be best if Penny, Jean, Scott and myself went to see Rich. We all know what betrayal is like."  Emma nodded, as did everyoneelse.  With that, Monet went with the others off to Rich's dorm room.
 

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