Chapter 3 - Visions of the Past, Tales of the Future II

Attention:  Generation X and their villains,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 copyrighted is a chance happening.
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If I Had a...Delirium
Visions of the Past, Tales of the Future...part II
               Mondo just sat in the TV room, watching a film.  It was late, buthe couldn’t sleep.  No one could.  Everyone was worried aboutRich.  He wondered what Rich was going through.  It had him worried. His mind was on that thought when he heard Daria ask, “May I sit down here?”
              He looked at her, smiled his ever friendly smile, and said, “Sure, I’dlike the company right now.”  As she sat down, he noticed that sheseemed happy to be sitting next to him.  He liked Daria, a littlebit more than a friend, but he was scared to ask her out.  Scaredshe might say no, but then no was just a word to him.  If she saidno, he’d just move on, if she said yes however, he’d be more happier thanhe was now.  He turned to face her, and said, “I’d like to ask yousomething.”  He was surprised that she said the same exactly samething.
              She let out a small laugh and said, “You first.”
              He smiled and felt nervous.  “I was wondering if you would like togo out on a date.”
              He saw her eyes light up as she said, “I was just about to ask you thesame. And I’d love to go out on a date with you.”  Right then, hecould tell that she liked him too.
              He was about to ask her when they should go out when Jono entered the room."Sorryto interupt you two, but Emma want’s to see us all, right away." He left as fast as he appeared.  Now he was a bit more worried. Emma and Sean both mentioned the threat of Juggernaut, and he was worriedthat this person was on his way to the school.
              Daria just stood up and looked at him.  “Maybe we can use a survalanceas a date.”  She gave him a wink.  He thought about it and relizedthat it would be a good idea. They could still meet, and they would bedoing their job.  He then got up and they went to the Med-Lab.
              On the way, he just said, “How long were you thinking about that question?”He was curious, about how long she had waited to ask him.
              She looked at him and said, “Since before Soundwave attack, I was wonderingif you had feelings for me.  How about you?”
              He started to blush.  “Since the occurance at the museum.  Iwas worried about about you during the whole time.”  He saw her smile. It brought something to his soul to see that.  He figured that mustbe what love felt like.  The completeness of one’s spirit that isthe feeling of love.  He was almost lost in that thought as they enteredthe Med-Lab.
              Mondo noticed that some of the students had gotten to sleep, but they didn’tlook to rested, especially Monet, as she said, “Emma, why were we all sorudely awakened?”
              Jubilee just looked at her and said, “You mean you got to sleep? I’ve been so worried, I couldn’t sleep.”
              He heard Sean then say, “What’s up Emma, you didn’t even try a psychicsummons?”
              Emma looked at him and said, “With all the jaunt’s Yvette and I have madeinto Rich’s subconscious, I don’t think I could try and summon that way. I have grave news. We received a call from the FBI.  Someone who wasgiven the charge of Rich’s safety felt it right to call us and inform usthat Juggernaut is making his way her.”
              Mondo felt his heart drop then.  He just said, “Is there anyway tostop him?”
              Jubilee just said, “If I remember right, a psyonic attack stopped him,but the trick is getting the helmet he wears off.”
              Emma then said, “Which means we have to weaken him down someway. Detain him until we can get Rich safe, and prepped for attack.  Iwant some of you to act as look outs.  Monet...”
              Mondo just watched as Monet said, “I shall help Yvette in your place.”
              He noticed as Emma gave her a stern look and said, “No.  You are toact as both psychic and physical strength.  I don’t want you to helpin the mental healing of Rich.”  Mondo noticed that Monet appearedto be fumming at this, but the shouting didn’t start as the machines monitoringRich went off again.  He noticed as Yvette started to loose consciousness,but Emma just said, “Oh no.  She won’t be able to handle everything.I better get in there.”  But Mondo noticed as Yvette appeared to havepassed out.  She was no longer part of the real world.

              Yvette realized it the second she entered her lover’s mind.  Emmawasn’t there. She hoped she could get back.  She wondered what shewould see.  Soon she was in the memory Rich was reliving.  Hewas a teenager.  She watched as he was in a room she hadn’t seen before,but something about it seemed familiar.  She watched as he lookedin awe and said, “I didn’t know they had a boy.  I wonder if we couldbe friends.”  She watched as he walked over to a book that was openon top of a bookcase.  He looked like he was looking over the words. “I wish I could read French better.”  Yvette felt herself tremble. French was Monet’s native language, which meant that it was also Emplate’snative tounge.
              She noticed as he smiled.  He must have recognized a word.  Hejust said, “This must be that Lovecraft story.  Maybe I can make itout.”  She watched as he started to turn the pages, but he becamea little more perplexed.  He then said, “That’s weird, there’s nothingafter this page.”  She watched as he lifted the book and looked underit.  “Journal? Is this thing a diary?  It can’t be.  Thosenames are fiction.”  She noticed that he started to shake a bit ashe placed the book down.
              She heard a female voice shout out, “Richard, what are you doing in here?” She turned as he did to face an African woman.
              He looked upset as he said, “I was just walking the hall when I saw theroom.  I didn’t know you had a son.  Will I get to meet him?”
              She looked at him and said, “I don’t think so.  He spends alot oftime with his father.  Besides, I don’t think he would appreciateyou in here, and he knows what people do.”  She noticed Rich swallowedas if it scared him.  She smiled and said, “Don’t worry, this willbe our secret, now would you like to help me with the twins.  I needto make some dinner, and I want you to keep an eye on them.”
              She watched as he smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll look after the girls. I think little Monet likes when I play my flute.”  She realized itthen.  Rich never met Emplate, but somehow, some way, he knew Monet’sfamily.   Then another thought hit her mind, what bothered Richabout the journal.  When she focused on that thought, she was outof Rich’s memory.  She openned her eyes and she was back in reality. Everyone just looked at her.
              Emma was the first one to ask the question, “Yvette, what happened?”
              Before anyone else asked, she quickly bolted out of the room.  Sheneeded an answer to the question of the journal.  She heard Emma andthe others following her.  She ignored their questions.  Sheneeded to find an answer.  She ran directly for Rich’s room in theboy’s dorm.  When she entered it, she ran right to his desk. She noticed him writing in a book once, and he told her that it was hisjournal, and she could only look in it if he was unconscious, or if hewas around.  He was unconscious.  However, she had to do somethingfirst.  She quickly turned on his tape player, and the music was playing. It was something New Age.  She then opened the journal.  Themusic had a calming effect as she reached a page.  On it was, “July5.  Just discovered the identity of my great-grandfather’s cousin. I would never have pegged the character actually existed.  I wonderif Derceto and the other places in the series are real as well.  Tothink that my search into this would have been spawned by that journallong ago.  I wish I knew who owned that journal, but something makesme wish I don’t want to know.  This is a dangerous topic.”
              She closed the book as she heard Emma say, “What did you find out, Yvette?”She turned only to see Emma there.  Before she could ask, Emma said,“I had them get ready in case Juggernaut arrives, now what’s up.”
              Yvette sighed and said, “I don’t know how to explain it.  Rich wasin a room I never saw before, but I knew of it.  He looked around,and found some stuff.  He remarked that he wish he knew French. Then an African woman came in, scolded him for being in the room. It was her son’s room.”
              Yvette could see the concern in Emma’s eyes as she said, “Was it....” She didn’t want to say the rest of the question.  Yvette understoodwhy.
              Yvette nodded and said, “The woman asked for his help keeping an eye onher girls.  One was named Monet.”  She heard Emma gasp. She then said, “I think that there is more to it.  Rich started keepinga journal, after seeing Emplate’s, not knowing it was Emplate.  Letme show you something.”  She motioned Emma over as she started upRich’s computer.  After it started up, she put a CD-Rom in and thegame started.  She then said, “Rich’s journal said that his great-grandfather’scousin was the main character in this game.  I’d have to read more,but I don’t want to.  Rich told me only to open it if he was unconsciousor the unthinkable happened, and if I did open it, to be playing anythingNew Ageish”
              Emma looked at her and said, “I understand.  Right now, shut his computeroff, hide that journal, and let’s get back to the Med-Lab.  If Richjumps into another memory, we don’t want Monet fishing around in there,especially if their families have met.  There must have been a reasonthey kept him and Emplate secret from each other.”
              Yvette thought about it for a while and then said, “Emma, the cat mustbe the key.  The cat must hold the answer to the riddle of how theyknew.”
              Emma just said to her, “Animal’s supposedly have a sixth sense, maybe. What did he call it?”
              Yvette thought about it and then said, “Grimore.  Strange name fora cat.”
              Emma said, “I’ll have Sean give Hank a call, maybe Hank can shed some lighton the cat.”  Yvette nodded.  She knew Emma was right about that. Now they had to get back to the Med-Lab, before Rich had another mentalattack.

              Sean had been greatly puzzled by the current turn of events.  It seemedas if every jaunt that Yvette and Emma took into Rich’s mind meant moresecrecy.  He was getting tired of it and waited at the door to theguy’s dorm.  He watched as Yvette and Emma left Rich’s room. As they walked toward him, he just held his hand, “Alright ladies. I’mstarting to get a little tired of all yur secrets.  Everytime oneor both of you jaunt into Rich’s mind, ye keep us in the dark.”
              He listened as Emma just said “I don’t think you want to know all thatwe discovered so far.”
              He looked at her sternly and said, “I don’t care.  If it means anything,I shouldn’t be kept in the dark.”  He noticed that Yvette looked athim with a bit of worry in her eyes.  This was something she worriedabout.  He just looked at her and said, “Yvette, ye got to know thatthis could be something that affects the entire team.”
              She just looked at him and said, “Father, I think it would be worse ifwe told everyone.”  This made him wonder if he wanted to know, andif he should have done what he had done.
              He looked at Emma and said, “I have a feeling I shouldn’t have asked Monetto observe his thoughts when his mind went into another memory.” He was almost knocked down as Yvette ran out of the building.  Henoticed that Emma started to follow her.  He quickly caught up withher and said, “Ok, what’s the problem?”
              Emma just psyonically said, [We figure that Rich’s family knew Monet’sfamily, and also, that both families went to great lengths to keep thetwo boys apart.]  Sean realized what that meant.
              He just said, “You mean that....Saints perserve us.”  He ran as fasthe could to head off Monet.  He then said, “Do you think that Monetwas aware of any of this?”
              Emma just said, “I don’t think so.  I hope that she doesn’t find outabout this. The twins might not take it too well.”  He nodded withthat.  He followed as they ran into the main building where the medlab was.
              When they came upon the Med-Lab doors, Sean noticed as Monet was poundingon the doors.  He heard her yell, “Yvette, Sean asked me to scan Rich’smind during the next attack.  Let me in.”
              Sean just yelled, “Don’t worry about it Monet, just start getting readyif Juggernaut attacks.  We need to be able to protect Rich.” Monet just looked at him and it just worried him.  There was somethingin the look she gave him, that worried him.  He watched as she turnedand left.  He sometimes wondered about the split mind that Monet had. As they walked over to the Med-Lab doors, he could tell that an attackhad just started, and Yvette had taken control and delved in.
              Emma looked in and said, “I guess we have only to wait.  In the meantime,there is something I’m wondering.”  He watched as she walked overto the vid-phone.
              He looked at the number she was dialing.  “Calling Hank?”  Itwas a question that he already knew the answer to.
              She nodded and soon enough, Hank’s furry blue face appeared on the screen.“Yes.  Ah Hello Emma, Sean.  How is everyone doing?”
              Sean just said, “Everyone is fine except for Richard.  He’s fallenill with something called the Cale Delerium.”
              Hank just stroked his chin as he said, “I take it that it affects the familymembers.”
              Emma just responded, “Yes Hank, but I want to ask you one question aboutsomething?  Richard is reliving past memories, and in a few is a cat.”
              Hank’s eyes lightened in recognition.  “Ah yes, the feline familiar.” The term almost went over his head until Hank said, “Richard said thatfamily cat was an odd cat. He just never fathomed how right he was.”
              Sean just looked at his friend in the X-Men and said, “What do you mean,Hank?”
              Hank just smiled and said, “You see, I looked into records from the Cale’shomeland.  With each family member that was head of the family, theyare accompanied by a feline during the descriptions.  The feline isa familiar, bound to the family through the life of the family.  Hehad thought the cat was carefully replaced with an identical cat, but itappears through out history.”
              Sean was a bit surprised at that.  “Hank, are ye tell us that Rich’sfamily is some kind of warlocks?”
              Hank shook his head and said, “No, I do not think that they are Wicken,because the Cale’s obviously have ties to the church.  This throwsa puzzler on what their title is, but I can tell you the cat means something. Ownership of the cat is like saying this is the head of the family. I wish I could learn more about it.”
              Sean just smiled and said, “Well, Hank, thanks for the info.”  Thecall ended and Sean sighed.  He then turned to Emma and said, “Youknow, the more we find out about Rich, the more I wonder which is tougherfor him, being a mutant or being a Cale.”
              He watched as Emma turned and said, “Well, maybe Yvette can tell us whatwas on his mind this time.  She just came out of the Med-Lab.”
              He openned the door to a private room and said, “Yvette, could you comeover here.”  He noticed that she looked at bit nervous.  Somethingdeep down inside him wanted to not know what she had seen, but somethingnagged at him.  When she got into the room with him and Emma, he justsaid, “What was on Rich’s mind this time Yvette, that it has you nervous?”
              Yvette just said, “He was writing in his journal.”  He noticed thatEmma’s eyes widen as if she knew what Yvette was talking about.
              Sean looked at the both of them and said, “Care to let me in on this?” He had to admit that the reaction to this news had him intrequed. He wanted to know about this journal.
              Emma just said, “This journal he’s writing in is highly unusual. Only other person who has looked into it was Yvette.”
              Yvette nodded and said, “He said he was in a town not to far from here,when he saw something odd.  He followed it from a distance, untilsomething happened, like it saw him.  He retreated back to where hisfolks were staying.”
              Sean looked at her and said, “Do you think it should be something we shouldworry about?”  She just shrugged.  He didn’t know what to think. It was starting to turn out that Rich had more secrets than Monet.

              Jubilee looked over her boyfriend and Angelo as they searched the room. “Do you guys honestly think this is a good idea?  You don’t even knowif Darrett can do it.” Angelo had come up with the briliant idea of usingsome of those collectable card game characters to have Darrett create help. She didn’t think it was too good.
              Angelo just looked at her and said, “Chica, I used to play these gameswith my cousins, and my friends.  I think it might help tip the scalesin our favor.”
              Everett looked at her and said, “You have to admit, it might help us stopJuggernaut if he gets here.”  He then turned to Angelo and said, “Foundsome Magic cards.”
              Jubilee just shruged as the idea started to make some sense.  “Ok,let me look.” She started searching through all the stuff in the room. She had no idea what would be good for this plan.
              She heard Angelo say, “Ok, found my Jyhad game, unopenned.  Probablysome good creatures in there.”
              As she continued to search and found a box.  She looked at it verypuzzled. “What’s Mythos?”  She was almost knocked over as Angelo spedover to her.
              Angelo looked at it and smiled.  He motioned Everett over and said,“Now this was the motherload of monsters.  We should be able to useone of these.”  Jubilee looked at one of the cards.  For somereason, the picture didn’t give her much hope.
              Everett looked at the same card and said, “Ang, you think Darrett willbe able to control these things?”
              She notice that Angelo looked concerned as he said, “Not this one, butmaybe this one.”  She looked at the card and saw what looked likesomething out of a bad monster movie, one where you could tell the guywas wearing a rubber suit.
              She started to wonder why she was having an odd feeling about Angelo’splan. She then started to worry about Rich.  She had a nagging feelingto check on him.  She just turned to Everett and Angelo and said,“Hey guys, maybe we should check on Rich.  I have this funny feelingthat we should check on him.”  They both nodded and they went overto the med-lab.
              When they reached the building and approached the med-lab, they walkedright into Emma, Sean and Penny coming out of a room.  She heard Angelodrop all his cards as he said, “Sorry.  Didn’t mean to run into you.”
              Sean looked at them and said, “What’s with all the cards?”  She didn’tknow if he already had an idea or not.
              She watched as her boyfriend quickly came to the explination.  “Angelohad a clever idea.  Use these creatures from the card games to helpus agains’t Juggernaut.”
              Emma looked at them and said, “I take it then that you were on your wayto see Darrett.”
              She nodded and then heard Penny gasp.  She looked at her surogatesister as she knelt down and picked up one of the fallen cards.  “Thisis it,” was all she said.  It was the same card with what she thoughtwas a guy in and ugly suit.  She noticed that there seemed to be likea psychic talk between Emma and Penny.
              When it was over, Emma turned that card over and looked at the back. She then said, “Alright.  I want all of these cards right now. I don’t want you having Darrett try to summon anything from these cards.” After hearing that, she noticed that Angelo seemed reluctant about handingthe cards over.
              She watched as he started to argue, “Emma, these things are fake. They’re not real.”
              Sean just said, “They may not be real, but do you know how powerful theyare.” Jubilee just watched as Angelo shook his head.  He didn’t know.
              She heard a sound and turned her head.  She saw the door to the med-labclose. She didn’t like that.  “Ummm.. who just went in the med-lab?” She noticed a scared look crossed Penny’s face, as well as Emma’s and Sean’s.
              She head Sean go, “Oh no.  She didn’t.”  The three ran for thedoor to the med-lab, and she, Everett and Angelo followed.  When theygot to the door, they found the door was locked, and Monet was sittingnear Rich, as if she didn’t see them at the door.  She then heardSean go, “We got to get in there before....”  Jubilee watched as themachine’s monitoring Rich came to life.  Instead of Emma and Penny,this time Monet would be in Rich’s mind, and that idea unnerved Penny,Emma, and Sean.  For some reason, it was unnerving her as well.
              Sean was about to use a scream when Jubilee held up her hand.  Shehad an idea.  “I might be able to pick this lock.  Besides, wemight need the door in one piece later.”  She noticed as Sean nodded,and she began trying to pick the lock.

              Monet was struggling to get control of her body back.  She didn’tknow what Claudette was going to try, but she had to stop her sister. She noticed that instead of being in the confines of their mind, they werein a house.  She then heard her sister mutter, “Damn.  This isn’thome.  I thought that punk had been in our house.”  She quicklycame up behind her sister and grabbed her.  She started to struggleas she said, “Trying to control me again, Monet.  You can’t hold beback forever.”
              Monet pushed her sister down and then noticed that they were at the topof a stairwell, where a young Rich was looking down.  He had a bookby him.  She had her sister pinned as she said, “Well, it looks likeyou were wrong sister.”
              She heard voices from below and Claudette looked at her and said, “Butmaybe I did find something.  Listen.”  She noticed her sisterhad an evil grin on her face.  Monet didn’t like that grin one bit.
              She had to regain control.  “I will, but first.”  She startedthe mental merger, so she would appear to be a 16 year old, in case Emmajumped in.  She knew Claudette had locked the door, but they wouldfind a way in.
              When she finally merged, she heard a voice shout, “You’ll never get thatbook, Marsh.  We know what you plan to do with it, and we even managedto get hold of the land.”
              She heard another voice say, “You’re family won’t hold the book forever.” This voice sounded unearthly.  “I know that one day, your son willhold your title, and your company.  I doubt he will be as wise asyou on the book in question.  He doesn’t even understand what yourfamily is, despite what your father tried to teach him.  Besides,he’ll think I’m one like him.”  She saw a figure move towards thedoor.  She then noticed that Rich backed away from the railing. She saw why.  It appeared the man was a mutant, all scaly with a malformedface.  He then said, “He won’t suspect that I am a hybrid, not a mutant.” He turned and left and she saw Rich head toward a room.
              She wanted to follow, but she felt herself being yanked out of the memorypsyonicly.  When she blinked, Emma was staring her straight in theface, obvoiusly upset. “Monet St. Croix.  Can you explain disobeyingan order, and locking us out of this room, when we needed to be in hereat the time.”
              Monet quietly swallowed and said, “I was wondering if I might be able tohelp. I thought you would try and stop me from helping, so I locked thedoor.  I meant no harm.”
              She noticed that Emma’s expression didn’t change.  Emma just said,“What is happening in Rich’s mind is that he is reliving the past. A past he has forgotten.  A past he doesn’t want to truely remember. It might be disturbing to him, and you might have done something, inadvertently,to damage his memories.  I must ask this, what did you see?”
              Monet quietly gulped as she said her answer.  The sight had unnervedher abit. “It was a man.  He looked like a mutant, but he said hewas a hybrid.  He was talking to Rich’s parents about a book and somethingelse.”
              She noticed everyone was looking at her in disbelief, until she heard Angelosay, “Monet, did he look something like this?”  He showed her a card. She almost gasped in disbelief.  It was the same exact image, andthe last name was the name mentioned.  She nodded, and Angelo said,“Umm, Emma, I’m starting to get major freaked out.”
              Emma looked at the card, and Monet understood Angelo’s fears.  Shelistened as Emma said, “Angelo, I think you better ditch the card idea,and give just these cards to me.  Monet.  I want you to go andprepare yourself for a battle with Juggernaut.  Yvette and I shallstay here.  Everyone else, start keeping an eye out.  He mayarrive any minute.” She then faced her and said, “Monet, do not try thisagain.  It for the best of everyone.  I plan to talk to Richabout this when he recovers.”  She nodded and left the room with theothers.  She noticed that Sean went with Angelo, Jubilee and Everett.
              As she headed to the grotto, she heard Claudette say, [A book.  Hybrid. I wonder if it has anything to do with Marius’ journal.]  Claudettehad a way of doing that to her.  Monet started to focus on repressingClaudette, but she wasn’t trying anything, right now.

              As they walked with Sean, Everett couldn’t help but wonder what was unnervingabout the memory Monet had observed.  He decided to ask the question.“Sean, what’s going on?   What is getting you worried?” He heard Sean sigh.  It didn’t sound like he wanted to hear an explaination.
              Sean just said, “We are finding alot out about Rich’s family, and it isstarting to worry us.  I think it’s why he wanted to get away fromhis home life.  Ironically, some of what he’s seen in real life, weare only seeing in pictures, like those cards you had Angelo.”
              He noticed as Angelo swallowed quietly.  “I know.  It’s kindof unnerving knowing that stuff exists.  How does Rich manage to copeknowing this stuff exists.”
              Everett listened as Sean just said, “Cause it intrests his family. I don’t even know if he realizes that he still has the intrest as deepas it is.”
              Everett felt abit confused at this.  He looked at Sean and said, “Sean,it sounds like he’s trying to run away from his problems, but he’s runningback to them.”
              Sean just said, “Everett, the truth of the matter is, he’s not even awarehe’s running back to them.  He’s in an odd bliss about what is goingon.  He’s not aware that he’s heading back into what he strived toleave, but that isn’t important as the oncoming threat.  Jubilee,I want you here to help in delaying Juggernaut.”  Everett felt hisheart fall. He was worried that Jubilee would get hurt.
              He quickly looked at her and saw the same feeling in her eyes.  Hethen said, “Sean, I’d like to stay and help here.”  Everett noticedhow Jubilee looked at him when he said that.  It was filled half withworry, half with relief.
              Sean just looked at the two of them and said, “Alright, just start trainingwith Monet.  I’ll be sending Darrett over there soon.”  Everettturned and left with Jubilee.
              As they left the building, he heard her say, “Ev, you didn’t have to stay.Juggernaut’s as tough as they come.”
              He just looked at her and told her the truth.  “I want to stay. I felt bad when I happened upon you after Soundwave caught you.  Andwhat Emma said you were living out, it made me feel worse.  I don’twant anything like that to happen to you.”  The second he stoppedspeaking, she hugged him.   He knew right then she understoodhis reasons.  From there, they just walked to the Grotto.
 

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