GO WEST

Chapter 17: "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses?"

"That's it," Dani nodded, shielding her eyes against the bright grey sky with one hand and pointing to the top of a distant mountain with the other. "That looks like a good place to be by nightfall."

Warlock craned his neck over to follow her line of sight. "Feasible. Self can transport frienDani to site if selfriend wishes."

Sighing, Dani shifted her frame-backpack, trying to get it into a more comfortable position. "Well, yes, we could do that. For that matter, we could just flag Brightwind down the next time he makes a flyby and ask him to take us over there. But that's not the point, remember?"

"Self has difficulty grasping stated 'point,' frienDani," Warlock admitted, giving her a puzzled look. "To trek across mountainous forest terrain on foot seems highly inefficient."

"Right," Dani grinned at him. "You see, we're not trying to be efficient, here. Come on, 'Lock, work with me. I've explained this to you, haven't I?"

Still, Warlock looked positively bewildered by what they were doing. "Self will attempt to better understand situation by emulating humanentity of outdoors," he nodded, then.

Before Dani's eyes, Warlock's outer form shifted about like liquid, rearranging the simulated clothing over his now-customary human form. The outfit he settled on, however, first made Dani's eyes bug, then caused her to forcibly clamp down on a fit of laughter.

Bodily, he was still the same -- tall, muscular, brown-skinned and handsome of face. The cosmetic changes, however, were a bit skewed. He was wearing low boots, knee-high white socks, khaki shorts, a short-sleeved khaki shirt with about twenty pockets, a red bandanna tied around his neck, and... she looked again to be sure... yes, it really was a pith helmet.

"Warlock," she asked him, trying not to laugh, "have you been watching reruns of 'Wild Kingdom' again?"

"Has self erred?" he asked, taken aback.

"Well, geez, this is the Rocky Mountains in wintertime, not a safari. Aren't you gonna get cold..? No, wait, I guess you wouldn't, would you?"

"Self is comfortable at current temperature."

Dani nodded slowly. "Well, if you want to look more like it, try something like I've got on now, or like my folks were wearing back at the ranch." She indicated her thick flannel shirt, jeans, and hiking boots. "It's a bit more... suited to these surroundings."

"Understood. Self will adjust." He immediately changed again, this time emulating her outfit almost to the letter. At the last moment, though, he opted for blue and black flannel rather than her red and black.

"There you go!" she smiled. "Come on, let's hit the trail. I'll try to explain more as we go."

"Self follows," Warlock agreed, if hesitantly.

The evergreens grew thickly at this altitude, offering a distinctly wintery scent to the already crisp, clear mountain air. There hadn't been much snow here as yet this winter, but the sky was a hazy grey, suggesting that there might be more to come. Earlier in her life, Dani would have been more than hesitant to venture forth on an extended camping trip with that sort of weather in the forecast, but now, she found herself oddly looking forward to the idea of seeing fresh snow in the heart of the mountains, and even being right in the middle of it. After all, she was a lot tougher now, thanks to her time in Asgard, and Warlock wouldn't be done in by a little snow, either. They could rough it.

The trick would be convincing Warlock to do so. "Self expresses confusion, frienDani," he stated at length. "Query: Why must self and frienDani carry backpacks containing shelter and other amenities? Self can provide adequate shelter, prepare foodstuffs, and..."

She stopped on the trail, turned around, and planted a finger right in the center of his chest, grinning at him. "That, Warlock, is the point. Now, before we get any further, I want you to promise me something, okay?"

"Self will promise only if actions do not compromise safety of self and self's friends."

This took Dani momentarily aback, but she quickly pressed on. "Okay. Well, this shouldn't, anyway. I want you to promise me to hold back. I'm going to show you the arts of roughing it if it kills me. That means no changing into a little condo on the top of a mountain when we camp, no turning into a microwave oven to cook dinner, no flying up the mountains, no carrying me when the climbing gets tough... none of it."

Warlock continued to give her a searching look, so she went on. "And if at all possible, I want you to completely maintain your current form. That means no stretching your arms to reach a branch, no turning your legs into treads, or anything else like that. Can you do that?"

"For self to maintain one form with no compensations for environment is wholly unnatural, frienDani," Warlock stated, flatly.

She wrinkled her forehead. "Does that mean you can't? Or will it hurt you?"

"Negative. Task would not endanger self, but would require unusual efforts."

"Well, hey," she shrugged. "Think of it as a challenge, then. See, I want to show you what it's like to really rough it, and that means you need to try to stay as human as you can. Have you ever slept in a sleeping bag, or roasted marshmallows over a fire?"

"Latter instance, affirmative, but self has no recollection of downtime spent in sleepingbag."

"There, see? It'll be an experience. I'll show you how to pitch a tent, build a fire the old-fashioned way, all kinds of stuff."

Warlock cocked his head to one side, processing this. He then gave her a small smile. "Very well. Self will attempt to experience this human custom in as human a manner as possible."

"That's what I wanted to hear!" she grinned hugely. "It'll be fun, you'll see."

A shape passed over them, and Dani looked up to see Brightwind passing by, wings open wide, galloping through the sky. She sent her thoughts out to him, and he gave her what more or less passed for a cheery "Hello."

"Query: Why does friendBrightwind not accompany frienDani and self on mountaintrails?"

Dani shrugged as much as her backpack would allow. "He hasn't had free reign to get out and fly like this for a long time. He'll be a long time coming down. Besides, these trails don't suit him."

"Self wonders if mountaintrails are intended to suit humanentities, for that matter," Warlock added. Dani smiled back at him, and kept walking.
 
 

When they reached the target mountain that evening, Dani wisely elected not to camp on the peak itself. They found a relatively clear and flat spot on a level section about halfway up the mountainside, and began to pitch the tent, racing against the coming darkness to get camp set up in time.

After Dani showed Warlock the actual process of putting up the tent (a process he found fascinating, causing him to go off on a technical spin of the physics involved before Dani could calm him down), they went off into the woods to look for suitable firewood. Here, Warlock had the advantage of her, as he could see as well in darkness as in light. He offered to restrict his sensory input to wavelengths within the capacity of human senses, but Dani had to admit that this would be taking his humanization entirely too far.

At length, after gathering suitable rocks and kindling, they had a nice fire going. They sat opposite one another across the little blaze, and Dani broke out some of their travel rations. Warlock declined his nightly portion, though, stating that his lifeglow was still at comfortable levels, eliminating the need to transmode and consume organic foodstuffs.

After "dinner," they sat up around the fire and talked, mostly about the previous semester, and how glad everyone was to have some time off.

"Self expresses greater comprehension of time designated 'vacation' by humanentities," Warlock told her. "As self has told frienDani before, self and other techforms have no analagous process; active time corresponds to humanentities work/school/study time, while downtime corresponds to dormant sleep-periods. The concept of activetime spent for purposes of recreation is foreign to self's programming."

Dani regarded him thoughtfully. "That's funny. You never had any problems playing soccer or baseball with us, or going to Lila's concerts, or any of the other things we did back in our New Mutant days."

"The concept of games as tests of skill and prowess is familiar to self, but upon self's homeworld, such games were invariably fatal."

"The Hunt," Dani nodded. "I remember you telling us about that."

"Affirmative," he replied, with a surprisingly human grimace. "Self also believed time spent at concertshows and other social events to be part of training experienced by self's friends, but in time, self came to realize key discrepancies between activetime spent at work or training, and activetime spent in recreation. After having assimilated much knowledge of human life from frienDoug during prolonged soulmerge, self was able to piece together pertinent data. Upon completion of previous semester, relief shared by all of self's friends was consistent with self's own conclusions. Query: why do selfriends persist with schooling, when study brings selfriends such profound stress, and termination of studyterm brings such relief and happiness?"

She blinked, then laughed out loud. "You know, during finals week, there were times I asked myself that very question. I wasn't too fond of classes at Xavier's either, if you recall."

"Self has noted this behavior as consistent with selfriend's past," Warlock agreed.

"Right, so why do I keep subjecting myself to it? That's actually a really good question." She paused for a moment. "Well, when it comes right down to it, I want to go to school. I was out of academia for almost two years while I was in Asgard, and so help me, I missed it. I was glad for the chance to get back to it."

"Confusion remains. Restatement of query: if selfriend wishes to be schooled, why does selfriend show such negative emotion toward schooling?"

"In other words, 'quit your bitching,' eh?" she grinned. Before Warlock could restate, she held up one hand and went on. "No, really, I just do that as a coping mechanism."

Warlock gave her the blank expression that he often used when faced with human idiosyncrasies. Dani laughed and went on. "Really, we all have our coping mechanisms. Ways to deal with stress. You know."

"Self is uncertain. Explanation/clarification requested."

Dani paused and thought about this. "Well, when school has me really stressed out, I let off steam by complaining about it. Doug works out his aggressions with his little kung fool routines and by playing video games. Rahne doesn't have much by way of a release for it, though, so she just sleeps a lot of it off. Ric takes long drives in the bug. It's how we deal, Warlock, that's all. But we deal with it because we want to. We do have a plan to carry out, after all, and I still think it's a good one."

"Self agrees. Query: SelfrienDani's negative emotions at times of stress are then false? A ruse?"

"Nah, I think that at the time, they're more than true. They're just temporary, is all. I get over 'em, and get back to what I was doing. But it is nice to have this time off, all the same. I'm enjoying this."

Warlock took on a surprised expression, which she returned with a smile. "I mean it, you big lug. I like hanging out with you."

"Self echoes sentiment of frienDani," Warlock smiled back.

There was a pause, and Dani stretched her arms up over her head. "I will say, though, it's been a while since I've done this kind of climbing."

"Does frienDani wish to retire to sleepingbag for evening?"

She shook her head slowly. "Not... just yet. Spirits, what I wouldn't give to have my guitar right now. This just seems like one of those play-some-songs-round-the-fire moments."

Warlock cocked his head to one side. "Self could use part of self's structure to emulate guitar for frienDani."

For a long time, Dani did not answer, and her face gave evidence to a massive internal struggle. "I don't know... I was hoping we could avoid that kind of thing, remember?"

Warlock scooted to one side, leaned over, and gently lay one hand on her knee. "FrienDani," he said quietly, "self will not tell anyone that selves cheated during roughit. FrienDani's reputation will be intact."

There was another long pause, and then Dani laughed loudly. "Okay, okay, you win. Guitar me."

"Self is on the job." Warlock held his hands out before him, then began reshaping himself. The effect was that of matter flowing out of his hands and taking the shape of an acoustic guitar. When he had it finished to his satisfaction, he detached this section of his own structure from his consciousness, and handed it to Dani. The separation would not hurt him, of course, as he could just reabsorb the guitar later.

"Thanks, kiddo," she smiled, reaching over to pat him on his knee. She then set the guitar across her lap and proceeded to tune it.

Wednesday, 29 December 1993 6:43 am MST

Warlock awoke, vaguely disoriented and surprised by the sensation of it. Checking his internal chronometer, he found that several hours of inactivity had passed. A self-diagnostic revealed that he was still in his human form, and still lying in his sleeping bag.

Typically, during dormant periods, Warlock assumed a simple shape, such as a block, a sphere, or just a puddle. Going into dormant mode while still maintaining his human shape was thus highly unusual, but he wanted to experience this camping trip in as human a way as possible. He found this waking up as a human to be vaguely enjoyable, as it was certainly new to him. He wondered if it felt the same for humans, having to restore full power and motion to all limbs and extremities, and reorient senses to take in data.

When he restored his senses, the first thing he noted was the fabric of the tent above him. He was still where he'd left himself. Further sense-probes of the immediate vicinity, however, revealed that there was no form occupying the sleeping bag beside his. Dani was not in the tent.

Sitting up as soon as such motion had been restored, Warlock made a more detailed sense-sweep of the immediate area, checking for living organisms. There were a staggering number in the vicinity, but he narrowed his scan, to focus in on human beings. Dani was outside, approximately ten meters to the north and east.

He was finding it somewhat difficult to move. His body was not used to maintaining any detailed shape during dormancy, and now it was taking time for his normal waking operations to restore power to his form. He then remembered how human beings were often sluggish in the morning, and he found it somewhat exciting to be experiencing this analogous feeling.

Groggily, he found his way to the tent flaps and unzipped them, letting in the cold from outside. He emerged into the crisp morning air, vaguely aware that steam was rising from some of his extremities as power coursed through them.

The sun had not yet broken the cloud cover, but there was still a fair amount of light, even by human standards. The only sounds were those of the birds and the insects. There was not even the hint of a breeze.

Toward the edge of their campsite, there was large boulder sticking up a foot and a half from the ground. Here, he saw Dani, sitting atop it in lotus position. Her hair was unbound, and surrounded her like a dark veil. She had her back to Warlock, but it was quite apparent that apart from her hair, she was not wearing anything at all.

Warlock was alarmed by this, as selfstatus data was reporting external temperatures well out of comfortable range for human beings, and sitting unprotected in such temperatures could not be conducive to her health.

Before he could raise his vocal outputs to tell her so, however, he suddenly became aware of another sound -- soft footfalls.

From further up the mountain, a large mountain lion emerged from the trees, padding cautiously down the slope. It paused, standing stock still as it tested the air, and then looked over at Warlock. Warlock did not so much as twitch, lest he panic the animal, but he readied himself to spring to Dani's aid at the first sign of danger.

The lion flattened its ears at him, and the two stared at one another for a long time. Then, it broke eye contact, and padded toward Dani. The closer it came to her, the slower its movements became, and the more Warlock's thoughts grew alarmed. Why was she not moving? Where was Brightwind? Brightwind always knew when his mistress was in danger. Where was he now? And why wouldn't Warlock's body obey him? He needed to come to his friend's rescue, except...

...except that perhaps she didn't need rescuing. He felt nothing from her except calm, relaxed thoughts. Her mind seemed open to the world around her, and Warlock felt it, through the small bond he shared with her and his other three soulfriends. Dani knew that the lion was there, and she welcomed it.

As it came close enough for her to reach out and touch it, she did just that, extending one hand for it to smell. It took its time sniffing at her, then rubbed the side of its face against her hand, like a housecat. She very slowly turned her hand, and the cat let her scratch its head.

Warlock watched, fascinated, as the lion continued to rub against her hand, and then, to Warlock's renewed alarm, opened its jaws, exposing its sharp, white teeth. It then took Dani's hand in its mouth, and gently closed its jaws. There was no blood or pain, only a slight pressure. It held her hand there for a few moments, then opened its mouth again. Dani then reached out to it with both hands, placing them on the tufts of fur at the sides of its face, and setting her forehead against its own.

Then, as quickly as it had come, the lion turned away and bounded back into the forest, not even giving Warlock a second glance. When it was out of sight, Warlock stepped over to where Dani was sitting. "Query: Is selfriend alright?" he asked her.

Dani shook her head to clear it, then looked back at him. "Oh, hi," she said, giving him a dazed smile. "Um, yeah, I'm fine."

"Self expresses confusion," he told her, shaking his head. "Query: What was the purpose of selfriend's actions this morning?"

"Oh, just saying hello to the forest and seeing if anyone's home," she told him. "I haven't had the chance to do this in a while."

Warlock nodded, figuring that her encounter with the lion had to do with her powers of animal empathy. "Self worried that selfriend would be endangered by cat-entity."

"Nah," she shook her head. "We're in no danger here, 'Lock. Not from the animals, at any rate."

After a pause, Warlock ventured to state the obvious. "Is selfriend not cold?"

"Oh, just a little," she nodded, the tone of her voice implying that she was understating the matter. "I got used to some pretty cold nights in Asgard, but this is still juuuust a mite nippy."

She then unfolded her legs and climbed down from the boulder. Warlock averted his eyes. He could still sense her a thousand ways, but he felt it would be best to at least seem not to be looking.

"Warlock?" she asked him.

"Yes, frienDani?"

"What are you looking at?"

"Emphasis should instead be placed on what self is not looking at."

"Beg your pardon?"

"Self observes that selfrienDani is unclothed."

"Um, yeah. What, are you embarrassed?" Warlock turned his full attention back to her, then, and noticed that she was smiling at him.

"Negative, self is not embarrassed. Self merely observes that human-entity modesty would behoove self to..."

"Oh, come on, Warlock," she snorted, crossing her arms. "Look, you don't have to worry about me getting embarrassed. You and I have merged bodies before, for crying out loud; it's not like I have anything you don't know about. And if you and Doug really do share memories when you guys merge, well... this is nothing."

"Comprehension. If selfriend is not embarrassed, self will not assume this to be the case."

"Good man," she nodded, patting him on the shoulder. "However, I'm very cold now, so immodesty or no, I'm going to put some clothes on. You want to start on striking the rest of the campsite?"

"Affirmative, frienDani."

As she got back into the tent, Warlock set about returning the area to as natural a state as possible. He dismantled the fire ring, and proceeded to place each of the rocks he himself had gathered in the exact spots where he'd found them. He did not know where to place the rocks Dani had found, though, so he just used his best judgement scattering these. He then scattered the cold ashes where the fire had been burning.

Dani came out a while later, now wearing the same pair of jeans as the day before, buttoning up another of her flannel shirts. She cast several wary glances skyward. Warlock followed her gaze, but saw nothing.

"It's going to snow later," Dani announced.

"Query: How can selfriend tell?"

"Just a hunch. We'd better make tracks pretty quick if we want to be set up again once it hits."

"Understood. Self will assist with packing of goods."

As they went about the process of packing, Brightwind came down to meet them, soaring over the treetops and touching down in their little clearing. He then reared and fanned his wings, raising his voice in what could, by a large stretch of the imagination, be called a whinny.

Dani came up to meet him, reaching out with both hands to steady him. "Whoa, easy there, big guy!" she assured him. "What's got you so worked up?"

Brightwind snorted and shook his head, his mane sticking almost straight up from his neck. He then butted his head against Dani, nearly bowling her over.

"Alarm!" Warlock cried out, hurrying to her side to steady her. "Why is selfriendBrightwind behaving in such a manner?"

"I don't know," Dani replied. "He's really excited about something, but I can't tell what." She paused, as if in thought, and then frowned. "And he's not telling me, either."

Before Warlock could say another word, Brightwind reared again, then launched himself back into the sky. In four beats of his powerful wings, he had cleared the trees again and vanished from sight.

"We'd better get moving," Dani suggested. Warlock thought he detected a nervous catch in her voice, and wondered at the cause.

Heartbreak Hotel, outside Los Angeles, CA
Wednesday, 29 December 1993 3:31 pm PST

Rictor pulled the blue Volkswagen bug off the main road, taking the well-worn dirt road out onto the wide cliffs overlooking the ocean, eventually coming around and parking next to the very welcoming shape of the Heartbreak Hotel. Until now, he hadn't realized just how much he'd missed this place, but now, returning after several weeks away, he felt as though he were once again coming home.

No one was out and about as he emerged from the bug and looked around, taking off his sunglasses to get a better view. He'd half-expected Kate to be sitting out on the front steps, as she often did, but there was no one there. He'd hoped for at least some kind of welcoming committee, but then again, considering that he was showing up unannounced, he could see why no one would be expecting him.

He made a circuit of the building, looking for any activity. At last, he heard someone rustling around in the garden, so he made his way there.

The person turned out to be Lucy, looking positively grubby in a pair of shorts and a tank-top that were probably once white, going up and down the lettuce row looking for weeds. Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, but several strands had escaped to fall back into her face, causing her to periodically smooth them back, getting her face dirtier in the process.

"Bway-nos dee-as, sayn-yor-ee-ta," Ric said, in an exaggerated Mexican accent.

Lucy jumped, whirled, and bugged her eyes at him. Ric just grinned in reply.

"Oh, geez, Ric!" she gasped, astonished. To Ric's considerable surprise, she then came over and gave him a big, earthy hug. "You're back! How are you?" She broke, held him at arms' length, and continued the barrage of questions. "Is everything okay back home? Did you and Rahne work it out? What are you doing here?" Her face then creased with annoyance. "And why the hell haven't you written us, huh?"

Ric burst out laughing. "Good to see you too, Lucy. Yeah, I'm fine, everything's fine, I'm just back for a visit during break. How are you, chica?"

"Oh, I'm great!" she grinned. "Aced my finals. Only one more semester to go and I've got my Associate's degree, then watch out!"

"Cool! Hey, is the whole gang still here?"

"Well, Mick and Chance took off a couple of days ago, to go back to Mick's school out east. But Mickey's still here, and Sybil, and... hey, you didn't meet Link and Gomi last time, did you?"

Ric thought about this. "Uh, no, I only heard about 'em. They back?"

"Yeah! Oh, I've got to introduce you to 'em! Come on!"

Smiling at her enthusiasm, Ric let himself be dragged back into the Hotel proper. It already looked like it was going to be a fun stay.

Elsewhere in the Rocky Mountains, CO
Wednesday, 29 December 1993 4:54 pm MST

"We are running out of time," Dani grimaced, throwing down her pack and immediately unbundling the tent from the bottom of the frame. She cast another glance skyward, and shook her head. "Yep, it's really gonna snow this time. I can smell it in the air."

Warlock looked contemplatively up into the sky, testing the atmospheric composition with his own powerful senses. "Self agrees. Chance of precipitation high, and temperature at cloud level suitable for snowflake formation."

Dani looked around at their hilltop campsite. It was not the most even of surfaces, but she imagined they could find enough flat space for the tent, at least. They had passed a creek and a small lake on the way up, so they had fresh water nearby to refill her canteens, but that would have to wait for now. She doubted they'd even have time to make a fire before the first flakes began to fall.

"Okay, 'Lock, how about giving me a hand setting up over... here," she suggested, carrying the loose bundle of tent, spikes and mallet over to a relatively even and clear spot.

"Affirmative, frienDani. However, if time is indeed of the essence, self should point out that by surpassing bounds of self's human form, self could have tent set up in roughly half the time taken by two humanforms."

She stared at him for a second, then realized what he meant. "Oh. I get it. Ummmm... Okay, sure, we've already cheated once. Might as well go for broke. I'll get our stuff ready."

Warlock took the tent from her, then went to work, immediately assuming a more mobile form, sprouting several tentacles, then doing the actual setting-up process. Dani went back to unpacking their packs, and by the time she had their sleeping bags untied from the frames, he was already hammering in the spikes. She shook her head, smiling. "Damn, you don't waste time, do you?"

"Self merely recalled previous setup and calculated minimum steps required to..."

"And did a fine job, too," Dani interrupted, laughing. "Let's get..."

All at once, Brightwind came soaring toward them from above the trees, coming in to land very close to the tent and once again nearly bowling Dani over in his enthusiasm. Warlock caught Dani before she fell, and helped her stand. "Alarm! FriendBrightwind shows considerable agitation!"

"Brightwind, what is it?!" Dani shouted over his repeated whinnying. "What's gotten into you?"

There was a silence, and Dani's face creased with puzzlement. "She's here? Who? Who's here? Talk to me!"

Brightwind did not answer further, choosing instead to launch himself back into the air, just as the first flecks of snow began to fall from above. Dani watched him go for a moment, then looked back to Warlock. "I don't get this, 'Lock."

"FrienDani!" Warlock then cried, pointing up into the sky. "Look!"

She followed his gaze, and saw Brightwind wheel about in the sky...

...except it wasn't Brightwind!

Dani's jaw dropped as she saw Brightwind once again come into view above the treeline, joining the other winged white horse in the air. The two circled one another joyously, wingtip to wingtip, then flew off out of sight.

"Alarm!" Warlock said, quietly.

"Wait a minute," Dani whispered. "That looked like..." She trailed off as realization began to dawn.

"Hello, Moonstar."

Dani froze at the sound of this familiar voice, then very slowly turned to find the source.

She was leaning against the trunk of a tree about thirty feet away, hands clasped in front of her, a mischievous grin lighting her pale, sharp-featured face. She was dressed casually, which for her meant a brown tunic, black gloves and leggings, and only one sword (rather than the usual three or four), hanging in its belt-sheath at her side. She wore no armor, making her look unusually small and delicate, and her traditional winged helm was also missing, leaving her dark-gold hair to frame that smiling face.

For a long time, Dani could not so much as move. "Mist?" she said at last, in a cracked voice.

Mist's smile deepened. "Thou'rt glad to see me, then?"

Dani took a few steps toward her, shaking her head in disbelief. "How... how long have you been here?"

"Only a short while. Hooftosser and I only just arrived."

"Then... how long have you been standing here?"

Here, Mist's smile became a grin. "Long enough to see the look on thy face. 'Twas worth the journey for that alone."

Still, Dani shook her head in disbelief. "How did you get here?"

"What does that matter, Moonstar?" Mist asked, cocking her head. "I am here," she added gently. "That is what matters."

This said, she stepped forward until they stood face to face. Dani then took Mist into her arms, tentatively at first, but then, feeling that she was indeed real, held the other woman to her with all her strength.

"I always said we would meet again, sister," Mist whispered.

"Oh, Spirits, I missed you so much..."

"And I missed thee, Moonstar."

For a while, Warlock watched them, but after a few more snowflakes hit him (causing brief sparks as they fell upon his chassis), he decided it would be best to speak up. "SelfrienDani?"

Dani and Mist broke, and looked back at him. "Oh. Warlock, you know Mist, right?"

"Affirmative. Salutations, friendValkyrieMist."

"Greetings, shapechanger!" Mist smiled at him. "Glad I am to see such a worthy comrade alive and well! Lord Odin sends his greetings."

Warlock was momentarily taken aback by this, but decided to ask about it later. "Selfriends, snowfall is increasing. Self suggests self and selfriends retire to tent."

"Oh, yeah, right, we should." Dani then turned to Mist. "Um, you want to come with?"

"Of course, sister."

Heartbreak Hotel, 6:24 pm PST

Almost immediately upon entering the Hotel, Rictor was greeted with a knowing smile from Kate, and dragged into the kitchen to give her a hand with dinner. Kate seemed to have known he was coming, and Ric wasn't really surprised, considering.

In the kitchen, he was introduced to Gomi, a pretty short kid with horn-rimmed glasses (so thick that they appeared almost opaque) and blonde hair, haphazardly cut. Upon first glance, Ric had thought "geek," but Gomi was nice enough, and it didn't take them long to get in synch, both with one another and with the vegetables. Mickey came in after a while, but had to leave, as his excitement at seeing Ric set off his phantom-telekinesis, making the dishes rattle on the shelves. He made a quick exit before he inadvertently broke something.

Dinner at the Hotel was almost as Ric remembered it, except that some of the faces had changed. Kate, Lucy and Mickey he knew, but Chance had been replaced by Gomi, and Mick by a tall, thin fellow introduced only as Link. He had black hair, but it was impossible to determine the true color of his skin, as his face was covered with mime makeup, and his hands were gloved. Ric couldn't tell if the mime get-up were even paint at all, or if his face really looked that way.

Conversation was light and merry, mostly catching Ric up on what had happened over the past several weeks. It didn't take too long, as the only real news was that of Chance and Mick having departed just days before.

"How are they gettin' back east?" Ric asked between mouthfuls of baked fish.

"Hitchhiking, I think," Lucy shrugged.

Gomi grinned from beneath his huge glasses. "Mick said something about showing her America, but doing it the Australian way."

"Euuuh," Ric grimaced. "Doesn't sound like her style. I wonder if she's ditched him already?"

"I think they'll be fine, the both of them," Kate nodded, leaving no room for argument. "Michael promised to write and let us know how everything works out at this school of his."

"Cool," Ric nodded. "Hey, has anyone heard from Hector yet?"

The others shook their heads. "Nothing yet," Mickey sighed. "I hope he's okay, wherever he is."

"Mick seemed to think he was," Lucy added, "and Mick was pretty good about that kind of thing. I think it had something to do with his power."

There came an odd scrabbling sound, then, and all of a sudden, something large and blue clambered up onto the edge of the table and waved its antennae at all assembled.

"Holy shit!" Ric cried, startled, momentarily rocking back in his seat. "What's that?"

His reaction gained a round of soft laughter from the table. "Oh, don't worry, Ric," Gomi assured him. "That's just Chad. C'mere, Chad!"

The thing crawled the rest of the way onto the table, and scuttled over to "stand" beside Gomi's plate. Here, Ric recognized its shape.

"A lobster?" he asked, incredulous.

"Gomi has a fondness for them," Kate chuckled, not seeming to mind the creature in the slightest.

"Well, Chad's no ordinary lobster," Gomi explained, cutting it a bit of fish with his fork and giving it to Chad.

"How so?"

Link grinned, making his face-painted smile look even wider. "He's bionic."

Ric paused. "A bionic lobster? Oh! Oh yeah, Chance was talkin' about that."

"Yeah, I've been working with bionics for a long time," Gomi explained, continuing to cut bits of fish for the lobster. "It's the same kind of human-aiding technology that gave me my telekinesis." He tapped the bridge of his glasses for emphasis. "That seems to have been a fluke, though. For some reason, I can only get it to work with lobsters."

"That's wild," Ric nodded slowly, watching as Chad took one last bit of fish in one of his pincers, then scuttled back of the table.

"Well, I'm finished," Link announced, smiling at Kate. "That was wonderful. Thank you."

"Nothing to it," Kate replied with a maternal nod.

"I'll take Sybil her plate now," Link went on, getting up from his seat.

Ric got up, too. "Hey, I'll come with," he offered. "I haven't seen her yet."

"Suit yourself," Link nodded back. The two went back into the kitchen, and Link began fixing up another plate from the leftovers. He did not use his hands, however. Much to Rictor's surprise, he stood back, crossed his arms, and concentrated. A plate came floating down from one of the shelves, and hovered next to the laden food-dishes.

"Let's see," Link said then, considering the options. "A little of this, a little of that... no, none of those, she hates 'em... um, some of those, and a glass of milk." With this last, a glass came floating out from another shelf, and the milk carton rose to meet it, pouring itself in midair. At the same time, portions of food rose up out of the pots and pans, settling neatly on the plate.

Ric watched, both amazed and impressed. "That's cool," he nodded, appreciatively.

"I'm getting better," Link shrugged, modestly.

The two of them headed upstairs, then, Link keeping the plate and glass floating just in front of them. They passed down a hall on the second story, and eventually came to Sybil's door. Link knocked twice. "Sybil? It's Link. I've brought supper."

After a pause, the door swung open, apparently of its own accord, and Sybil poked her face out. She was looking pretty glum, but when she saw Rictor there, her face lit up. "You came back!" she said in her whispery voice, shaking out her long blonde hair as she did.

"Hi, Sybil," Ric smiled. "Yeah, I came to visit for a while. You're looking nice."

Sybil blushed, self-consciously looking herself over, but she was smiling. Ric noticed that she was wearing a terrycloth robe not unlike the one she'd been wearing the first time she'd met him. He wondered how many of them she had.

"Are you hungry?" Link offered, amiably.

"Yes, thank you," she breathed, opening the door wider. Link floated the dishes into the room and set them upon a small table. Here, Ric got a look inside, and was momentarily taken aback at the disarray within. The entire room seemed filled with discarded sheets, bits of lingerie, silk curtains and cloths, huge feathers, and other soft-looking clothing. Ric remembered then that Sybil loved to surround herself with softness, and could not abide the touch of anything even as rough as another person's skin.

"Will I see you again?" she then asked Ric, sighing deeply.

"Um, yeah, I'll be here a few days at least," Ric smiled.

"Good," she smiled back. She paused, then took a breath, and smiled at them again. "Bye."

With that, the door swung closed again. Link and Rictor exchanged glances, shrugged in unison, then headed back downstairs.

"Interesting lady, our Gypsy Moth," Link commented.

"Yeah, you can say that again."

A hilltop in the Rocky Mountains, 9:19 pm MST

Not too long after Warlock, Dani and Mist retired to the tent, the snow began to fall in earnest. Dani managed to bring inside anything that would be damaged by the snow, and left the rest outside under a small tarp she'd brought for just such a purpose. She then got their small lantern lit, and pretty soon, the tent began to get warmer. Dani explained to Warlock that the snow would actually help to insulate them from the cold outside.

Once they had the lantern going, the small tent was actually pretty comfortable, and with the extra person, was quite cozy. They filled the next hours with stories, mostly told by Mist. She was full of news about the goings-on at the Aerie, about the various wars and political events in the whole of Asgard, and of greetings to both Dani and Warlock from such notables as the Valkyries themselves, the Warriors Three, and even the All-Father himself, Lord Odin.

"Query, friendMist," Warlock interjected at this point. "What interest has LordOdin in self?"

"Because of the part played by thee in the War of the Sword," Mist explained. "He has heard of thy noble actions and thy bravery, not only in besting the dark minions of Hela and freeing myself, Moonstar, and the rest of the Valkyries, but in saving the All-Father himself from an untimely death. Thou'rt held in his highest esteem, Warlock, thou and all of thy comrades of the New Mutants."

Warlock nodded, scrolling back in his memory and briefly replaying some of the events that had taken place in his second sojourn to Asgard. It had been this war that had led to Dani's decision to stay at the Aerie. Soon after, Warlock himself had been rendered dysfunctional during the time the New Mutants were led by the entity Cable.

"Self expresses relief that foe-entityHela has not since acted against self's friends in Asgard."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll come up with something," Dani sighed. "No offense, Mist, but the Gods of Asgard are really nothing more than human beings on a larger scale."

"No offense taken," Mist shrugged. "An accepted truth, that is."

A thought suddenly seemed to strike Warlock. "Observation: As self is best suited to cold temperatures, self wishes to offer self's sleepingbag to friendMist, as self has little need of thermal protection."

Dani glanced over at Mist, who just raised her eyebrows in reply. "Um, I..." Dani began, paused, then went on. "I don't know. Sweet of you to offer, but I think you'd better stay in the bag, just in case we get any leakage through the tent. The bag's waterproof, after all."

"Aye," Mist nodded. "No need to sacrifice thine own protection for me, friend changeling." She kept a straight face, but seemed to be trying not to laugh.

"Yeah," Dani went on. "She and I can both fit in my bag."

"Share warmth," Mist nodded, sagely. "'Twould be wise in this weather."

"Oh, yeah, definitely. Conservation of body heat and all that. Don't you think, Mist?"

"Spoken truly, Moonstar."

Warlock studied the pair of them for a moment, then all at once, something clicked in his memory -- something she had told Doug the previous summer about her time in Asgard, and which Warlock had later learned during a soulmerge.

"Affirmative," he said, slowly. "Selfriends' suggestion noted. Self will utilize self's sleepingbag."

"I think that would be best," Dani nodded.

The conversation faltered here, and Warlock considered his options. At length, he spoke. "Selfriends, self's internal systems have displayed several odd anomalies over the course of self's sustained shapechange. High possibility exists that stated anomalies are harmless, but to be certain, self wishes to run intense self-diagnostics over course of night."

"Is that bad?" Dani asked, creasing her forehead.

"Doubtful, but in order to perform such intensive diagnostics, self must take all senses offline for several hours. Self will be defenseless during this period, and cut off from all external stimuli."

"Oh," Dani nodded, comprehension dawning in her eyes. "Oh. Um, are you sure that's necessary?"

"Uncertain, but self wishes to perform tests nonetheless, as a precautionary measure. Process should not exceed eight hours."

"Aha," she nodded again. "Well, sure, if you think it'd be best. We'll make sure nothing happens to you while you're under, right, Mist?"

"Verily," Mist nodded, though it was apparent she had no idea what she had just agreed to.

"Self expresses gratitude, selfriends," Warlock smiled. "Self will begin immediately."

With that, he climbed into his sleeping bag, lay himself down straight and even, and then began taking his senses offline one by one. He set his internal chronometer to restore power in eight hours, then let himself fall into a state beyond sleep. His last conscious thought was one of self-reassurance. He would be well protected.
 
 

As Warlock fell into his deep slumber, Mist shot an uncertain glance in Dani's direction. "I fear that I did not understand most of what he said," she admitted.

"Well, basically, he's shutting himself off for the night," Dani explained. "Until he's finished with whatever he's doing, he won't be able to see, hear, or sense anything going on around him."

"Anything at all?" Mist asked, arching her eyebrows.

"Anything," Dani repeated, nodding slowly.

Mist thought about this. "Considerate changeling, is he not?"

"Yeah," Dani sighed. She didn't believe his story about diagnostic tests for a moment, but it was too late to stop him now. He had given them the gift of this time alone, and Dani felt both grateful and guilty.

After a while, she looked at Mist and smiled softly. "You know, you still haven't told me why you came," she observed.

"Ah, yes," Mist smiled back. "It is Hooftosser's time to mate, you see."

"Really?" Dani asked, widening her eyes. "I didn't know it would be so soon!"

"Nor did I," Mist agreed. "And since her chosen mate is thy dear Brightwind, I was obliged to petition the sisterhood for the right to come to Midgard in search of thee. After this, I petitioned the All-Father as well, and he granted me leave." Here, her face fell slightly. "My stay will be brief, I fear. No more than three nights."

Dani felt a lump rise in her throat. She should have known. "I see. But... Hooftosser could have come without you, right?"

"Aye," Mist nodded, slowly.

"Then why did you come?"

In response, Mist moved slightly closer, then raised one hand, and let her fingers gently trace over Dani's cheek. Dani closed her eyes at this touch, taking a quick, deep breath. She had almost forgotten this feeling.

Mist then leaned forward, and touched her lips to Dani's in a soft, lingering kiss. "I came for thee, sister," she whispered as they broke.

"Careful," Dani whispered in reply.

"Careful?" Mist repeated.

"Careful which words you use. Here on Midgard, sisters don't often do this kind of thing."

"Silly," Mist chuckled. "I am not of Midgard, Danielle."

"I know. Just thought I should point it out."

Dani very slowly pulled Mist into her arms. In body, her sister seemed small and fragile, probably due to the fey blood in her heritage, but her delicate frame belied her strength of body and will. "You know," Dani whispered, "what we're doing here is probably illegal in this state."

"Dost thou fear the consequences?"

"No, just again, thought I'd point it out."

Mist smiled at her, then cocked her head to one side. "A question, Moonstar," she asked.

"Anything."

"Hast thou shared thy sleeping furs with another lover in these months?"

"Yes," Dani nodded, knowing that Mist wouldn't mind. She reckoned that the question was out of idle curiosity rather than a question of her faithfulness. "Just one, though. A man, this time. Do you remember Doug? From the New Mutants?"

She thought about this. "We met only in passing, I believe."

"Right. It was... pretty complicated."

"Did he love thee well?"

Dani paused. "Yes. Yes, we were good together. It wasn't... quite the same, though. I missed you so much, Mist..."

"Aye, and I missed thee," she whispered. "But I am here, Danielle."

"I'm glad..."

"Moonstar?" Mist's voice echoed through the stables.

No reply was forthcoming, so Mist padded barefoot into the stables themselves, a candle carried before her for illumination. She passed by each of her sisters' mounts in turn, nodding greetings to them as she went. "Moonstar?" she called again.

As expected, she found Moonstar in Brightwind's stable. The great stallion had settled down on the earthen ground, and his rider was curled up against him, covered by a fur blanket. At Mist's approach, she looked up, but did not smile.

"I thought thou'd be here," Mist smiled for her.

"Yeah," Moonstar sighed. "Yeah, just me and the big guy."

Mist set down her candle and knelt beside her sister. "What troubles thee, Moonstar?"

"Oh, it was Axe," Moonstar sighed heavily. "You know how she is. She comes up to me during the revels tonight and says 'Moonstar, thou'lt share my furs tonight,' like there's no two ways about it. I came out here instead. If she wants me, she can get past Brightwind."

"Couldst thou not merely say her 'nay?'" Mist asked, delicately.

"She's not the type to take 'nay' for an answer. I just... couldn't go with her tonight. Maybe I just didn't have enough to drink, I don't know."

"Hath she not treated thee well?"

Moonstar shook her head, her voice constricted by emotion. "No, not badly, just... it's like I'm a novelty or something. Mist, I've been telling myself that things are different here, and that a bunch of warrior-women who live on the top of a mountain together are bound to have some innovative ideas on sexuality, but... spirits, where I'm from, it's just not like this."

Mist looked momentarily confused. "Women do not love other women on Midgard?"

"No, no, it happens, but... that's just it. If there's love going on here, I must've missed it. It's nothing but sex: just the next thing to please the senses after all the feasting and drinking. Dammit, Mist, it's not like that for me! It can't be! I don't just want it to be another pleasure, with interchangeable partners. Call me crazy, but I always hoped there'd be more love involved."

After listening to Moonstar's fears, Mist came over and sat down, leaning on Brightwind beside her sister. "Moonstar, thou'rt loved well by all of thy sisters, fear not. Their love may be unusual to thy senses, but 'tis love nonetheless."

Moonstar nodded. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to get used to it, though."

"Then do not," Mist shrugged. "Love whomever thou chooseth, and in whatever manner thou chooseth. Thy sisters will understand, and will love thee no less for thy acts."

Mist then reached up, placed her fingers beneath Moonstar's chin, and gently turned her sister's face toward her. "And know also that thou'rt well loved by me, sister, and that I understand thy fears. Do not be afraid to come to me in need of solace or affection. I shall always be here for thee."

With that, Mist rose and dusted herself off, offering one hand to Moonstar. "Come, sleep in thine own bed this night. The air is cold here."

"Nah, that's okay, I think I'll stay here with Brightwind."

Mist shrugged. "Suit thyself, sister. I bid thee good rest."

"Wait, Mist..?" Moonstar called, as Mist turned to go.

"Aye?"

Emotions warred upon Moonstar's face, but at length, she spoke. "You don't... have to go, if you don't want. I wouldn't mind the company."

Mist regarded her sister for a while, then smiled, and once again settled beside her. Moonstar spread the fur over them both, and they slept, holding each other through the night.
 
 

Warlock stirred awake suddenly as his internal systems once again began to power-up. He immediately sent a diagnostic to work to discover the source of the vision he'd just experienced. It had been something he himself had never witnessed, but he'd seen it all, and heard every word, as though he'd been there. Was this what human dreams felt like?

He quickly restored senses and scanned the immediate vicinity, but there was nothing amiss. Outside the tent, it was morning. Inside, he was still in his sleeping bag. Beside him, Dani and Mist lay together in the other bag, holding one another close. Mist had her face tucked into the small hollow beneath one of Dani's collarbones, and was smiling vaguely in her sleep. Dani also seemed to be asleep, though beneath the fabric of the bag, he could tell that her arms still held Mist securely.

The sight of them was so like the final vision in his "dream" that he was momentarily disoriented, and had to run several checks to make sure his processors were all firing in synch. Nothing was amiss internally.

It then occurred to him to do a brainwave scan of the other two, and he found from this that Dani was coming down from REM sleep. Perhaps she had been dreaming, and remembering, and Warlock had both detected and shared this dream. It seemed unlikely, however, as all of his senses had been offline. Then again, it was the only explanation he had.

Looking back at Dani, he saw that she had opened one eye, and was looking at him. He smiled, acknowledging her, and she smiled back. She then carefully extracted one arm from the bag (Mist stirred, but did not wake), and held it out to him. Understanding her intention, he grasped the hand with his own, and made a partial merge, so that the two could exchange thoughts electronically.

Thanks.

For what?

For giving us that time alone. You shouldn't have had to do that.

I was glad to be of help.

Yes, and I thank you for that, but... this was supposed to be our trip, just you and me. I don't want you to have to shut yourself off every night just to give us time alone.

I am not offended. Negate feelings of guilt or distress. You have not seen Mist in many months, and I understand.

Well, I don't want you to feel left out, either. Damn, this is complicated... Does it bother you?

Clarify, please.

Does it bother you that she and I were lovers? Are lovers, I guess? Spirits, if Rahne ever finds out...

I am not bothered. Upon my homeworld, there was only one gender, per se, and progeny were manufactured, so there were no interpersonal relations between techs analagous to bonds between human beings. Apart from reasons of procreation, I see no reason why a human cannot love a human of similar gender, but I admit to being relatively ignorant in terms of such human interpersonal relations.

That's reassuring, I guess.

Danielle, I will not feel slighted by her presence. And you need not feel embarrassed to express your love in my presence.

You're sure?

Absolutely. Recall the reassurances you made to me yesterday morning, if you will, as the feeling is mutual.

At this point, Mist stirred and opened her eyes, so Dani and Warlock broke contact. "Salutations, selfriendMist," Warlock smiled.

"Good morning," Dani added.

Mist yawned and stretched. "Fair morning to thee, my friends." She looked up, then to the side, seemingly testing the air. "And unless I am mistaken, 'tis a fair morning indeed. Come, let us see!"

She slipped out of the sleeping bag, paused only a moment to throw her tunic over her shoulders, then unzipped the tent flaps and stepped out into the morning air.

Dani and Warlock exchanged glances. "I wish I could wake up that quickly," Dani remarked, fumbling around for her shirt and pants.

When she and Warlock came out, they saw, much to their surprise, that the clouds had partly broken, and the sun was shining through. A blanket of fresh snow covered the ground, the rocks, and the limbs of the evergreens above them.

"Beautiful, is it not?" Mist smiled, her bare feet crunching in the snow as she wandered about the campsite, looking up into the sky.

"Very," Dani agreed. The sunlight on the fresh snow was nothing short of dazzling.

Mist stretched her arms above her head, but as she did, a gradual change came over her. From her back suddenly stretched two gossamer wings, which glistened every color in the early sunlight. She unfolded these out to their full span, waving them as if to get the kinks out.

"Showoff," Dani grinned.

"Aye," Mist agreed.

Warlock scanned her several times, and found that his sensors were not in error. "Self was unaware that selfriend possessed appendages to facilitate flight!" he told her.

"A gift of my fey ancestry," Mist explained. "It has been many a long day since I had the chance to use them. Willst thou fly with me, sister?"

"No, you go on ahead," Dani smiled. "I'd rather keep my feet on the ground for right now."

"Suit thyself," Mist smiled. She then rose up into the air, her glittering wings fluttering slowly. In moments, she was gone from sight.

Warlock watched her go, then turned his attention back to Danielle. "Should self and frienDani begin striking camp?"

Dani shook her head. "No, I think we'd better stay here for a while. At least until Brightwind and Hooftosser get back from wherever they've gone. Could you help me dig out the rest of our stuff, though?"

"Affirmative."

Heartbreak Hotel, outside Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, 30 December 1993 2:58 pm PST

Once chores were out of the way, Rictor, Mickey, Gomi, Lucy and Link headed down to the beach. Link took the opportunity to practice his juggling (at one point he had eleven beanbags in motion, aided in large part by his telekinesis), while the other four threw a frisbee around. Chad obediently followed Gomi out, and spent an industrious hour or so digging (surprisingly large) holes in the sand.

It was a good life here at the Hotel, Ric had to admit. Back in La Jolla over the last few weeks, everyone seemed to have forgotten how to have a good time. They still had the occasional pool party or Wednesday night movie together, but there was always so damn much work to do there, and so much planning for this impossible idea of Doug's. They were all his friends, but he didn't feel as close to, say, Catseye, as he did toward Mickey or Lucy, even considering his relatively short time at the Hotel. There was a certain spirit here that was lacking back at Doug's place. Here, there was a time to work, and do your part for the Hotel itself, but there was also time to play. There was a sense of movement toward the future at the future's own pace, instead of forcing it to come.

Plus, most of the mutants here were misfits, in one way or another, and this appealed to Rictor more than he would have imagined. He would be the last to consider himself a reject, but in the company of these other rejects, he saw that perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing after all.

After tossing the disc around for a while, they split up (Ric and Lucy against Gomi and Mickey) and played a little frisbee football, but that didn't quite work, since each play turned into a touchdown -- there weren't enough of them to provide a proper defense.

At length, the five humans and one crustacean headed back up to the Hotel, laughing at shared jokes. Link juggled as they walked, and Chad scuttled along at the rear, his bionic implants enabling him to keep up with the others.

As they went inside, they found Kate sitting at the front desk, going through the mail. "You kids had fun?" she smiled up at them as they came in.

"Oh, yeah," Lucy grinned. "Anything interesting in the mail?"

"Actually, yes," Kate nodded, indicating the letter in her hand. "This is from Hector."

"No kidding?" Ric asked, smiling. "Hey, how's he doing?"

"Doesn't sound too good," Kate grimaced, shaking her head. She handed the letter to Ric, and the others gathered around to read it over his shoulders.

Dear Kate, Mickey, Lucy, Mick, Chance, Sybil-

I'm in Tecate, still looking for the old man. I found a few leads through the grapevine round here, but it looks like he's pretty good at hiding.

I've been trying to practice on my own, but it isn't working all that well. It looks like the only way I'm going to be able to get myself all sorted out and get back to my old self is going to be to find the guy. I'll keep trying.

What I don't like is that there are apparently some folks here in town looking for me. I don't like it, but I've got my eyes open, to see if I can find them before they find me. And if they do find me, well, I may not be up to my old ability, but I bet I can give them a good scare. Never mess with a Cantolobos, I guess.

Anyway, you all take it easy up there, and I promise to come back by once I've got myself together down here. I've heard of having to find yourself, but this is stupid...

-Hector

P.S. If any of you hear from Torres, tell him "Yo" for me.

"I wonder who's following him?" Lucy wondered aloud.

"Dunno," Ric shrugged, handing her the letter. "He's tough, though. He'll be okay."

"Gosh, I hope so," Mickey frowned.

A hilltop in the Rocky Mountains
Friday, 31 December 1993 3:11 am MST

The taste of her own blood was fresh in Moonstar's mouth, barely discernable through the haze of pain that numbed her other senses. She was burned, she was bleeding from a dozen wounds, half-blind from exhaustion and agony, and she felt that she would never move again.

And yet she still lived. The sound of drums still reached her, steadily beating in time with her heart. They felt connected, and Moonstar feared that if her sisters ceased beating the drums, her heart, too, would stop.

"No!" she screamed within her own mind. She would not die. She was a warrior, and would endure. She would show them that she was no outsider -- that Brightwind had chosen her for a reason.

Fire shot through her limbs as she struggled to move. She pushed herself first to her knees, then slowly and painstakingly to her feet. At first, she feared her legs would not support her, and that the pain from the burned soles of her feet would overcome her, but she did not allow it. Only then did she open her eyes. She became gradually aware of faces around her. Faces she had known in life. Black-Eagle, her grandfather... her mother and father... her friends from the New Mutants -- Rahne, Sam, Illyana, Amara, Doug, Warlock, Roberto...

She gently spun in place, and each of the faces stared back at her. They began to fade away, then, to be replaced by those of her sisters: Axe, whose black eyepatch and thin-lipped smile had always put Moonstar in mind of a pirate -- white-haired, strong-armed Jenna -- placid, stern Dawn -- Mist, her sharp-featured face anxious, her eyes full of concern...

A single voice rang out in Moonstar's ears then -- Grass, the leader of the Valkrior. "All-Father Odin, thy daughters beseech thee! Take this woman, Moonstar, into thy kindred! She hath been chosen by one of thy sacred herd!"

"She hath been chosen!" echoed the Valkyries, together.

"She hath fought beside thy daughters, and hath tasted death and life!" Grass carried on.

"Death and life!" chorused the Valkyries.

"She hath endured the trials of pain!"

"She hath endured!"

"She hath proven herself beyond the bounds of her mortal shell!"

"She hath proven!"

"Now, All-Father, Lord of all, we beseech thee! If this woman be worthy in thy sight, grant her thy kinship, and make her Valkyrie, in name, in body, in blood!"

The drumming became louder and more insistent, and Moonstar's senses swam. She must have lost consciousness, because the next she knew, she was being picked up from the ground by two of her sisters. Blearily, she opened her eyes and looked up. She was being supported on either side, and Grass was standing before her, the very essence of Valkyrie in her ceremonial armor and helm, staring down at Moonstar with ferocity and... pride? Around her came the cheers of her sisters, but they seemed far, far away.

"Thou art mortal no more, Moonstar!" Grass intoned. "Thy sisters welcome thee, Valkyrie, to thy place among us!"

The cheers doubled in intensity, and Moonstar found herself being mobbed and embraced by her sisters. First were Axe and Mist, who had been the two helping her to stand, then Dawn, smiling for perhaps the first time in Moonstar's memory, then Jenna, then Blade... Everything became a blur, and only the sound of Grass's voice was heard over the raucous din.

"There will be feasting this night, my sisters! Let there be music, and dance, and wine, and games! Welcome thy new sister!"

Moonstar wanted nothing more than to curl up somewhere and sleep, but to her shock, her body was whole once more. Her wounds were healed, and her burns were gone without a trace. Even through her exhaustion, she would feast with her sisters, she would dance, she would make music, and she knew that she would never die.

Eventually, she found her way back to Mist, who was there for her with a smile and soft words of comfort, barely heard over the noise. Mist would stay beside her throughout the feasting and revelry, and that night, would lay with her sister and hold her, keeping her safe from thought and memory.

Warlock awoke, the coming of consciousness more jarring this time. An immediate diagnostic showed that there had been some sort of programming error; his internal clock was to have kept him inactive for well over three hours more, but something had interrupted his dormancy.

But what could, if all of his senses had been shut down? With no external stimuli, how could he have been awakened in the first place?

Something was happening that was outside of his ability to rectify via his own internal technology. These visions he was receiving went beyond technology, and it worried him, as he had no idea how to stop it.

But admittedly, while these interruptions had been odd, they had not harmed him in any way he could discern. Perhaps he was learning to dream at last, if only through the dreams of his soulfriends.

Restoring external senses, he cast a look to his side, and saw Dani and Mist lying together beside him, and once again, found the scene much like that with which his dream had ended. There was something slightly odd about the perspective, though, and a check of his memory revealed that he himself had somehow been moved closer to the sleeping pair. Rather than on "his" side of the tent, he seemed to be lying right in the middle.

Looking to the other side, then, he was rather surprised to see the space occupied by two other people: a man and a woman. They were both naked, and had neither blanket nor sleeping bag, but the cold did not seem to affect them.

Warlock studied them carefully. The man was tall and muscular, with dark skin, and a crest of white hair which appeared to have been shaven into a mohawk. Lying half-upon and half-beside him, the woman was pale of skin and delicate of body, with long waves of spun-gold hair floating like a fine mist down along her back. Her face was unusually delicate and sharp of feature -- even more so than Mist's -- and her ears were gracefully pointed. Her most unusual feature, though, would have had to have been the golden, translucent wings, which at first seemed to blend in with her hair. They were folded back like the wings of a dragonfly.

The man opened his eyes, as though aware that he was being looked upon. He regarded Warlock, then nodded and smiled to him. This motion made the woman stir, and she, too, looked up, noticed Warlock, and gave him a sleepy smile before laying her head once more upon the man's chest and closing her eyes. The man continued to watch Warlock, but a trace of the smile remained at the corners of his lips. Then he, too, closed his eyes.

For a few minutes more, Warlock looked at them, amazed at their perfection, and at the contrast between the two. Warlock was not, in himself, a particularly suitable judge of things aesthetic, but he recognized their beauty. More than this, though, they seemed perfect in this context -- they radiated such a feeling of peace, and of belonging, that Warlock felt an emptiness within himself. He had always known that he could not experience love, not in the sense that Dani and Mist shared, or that these strangers held between them. This lack had never bothered him before, but he longed for the peace shared by the four beings sharing the tent with him.

Perhaps it was not impossible, though. He felt that he was becoming more human every day, and finding more anomalies that could not be explained away by technological means. Maybe one day his time would come. In the meantime, he settled back to rest, contenting himself with the knowledge that they were not alone, the five of them, and that he was sharing their peace, simply by sharing his presence.

Heartbreak Hotel, near Los Angeles, CA
Friday, 31 December 1993 7:46 am PST

Rictor was stirred from sleep by a distant buzzing sound, not altogether unlike that of the alarm clock on his bedside table. He brought his hand down on the snooze button, only vaguely wondering why he would have set the stupid thing for 7:46 in the morning anyway.

Then the buzzing came again. Drifting out of his hazy half-sleep state, he realized that it was coming from the ground floor. The phone? No, that didn't seem right.

Doorbell. That made a lot more sense. The mystery abated, he tried to go back to sleep.

Who the hell would be ringing the doorbell at this time of the morning, anyway?

Since he was doomed to be awake anyway, now that he had started thinking about it, he sighed and swung himself out of bed. Maybe once he found out what was going on, he'd be able to get back to bed for a bit.

Dressed only in a pair of sweat pants, he headed downstairs to the lobby, where he saw Kate closing the front doors. Link was also awake; the visitor seemed to have interrupted them in the middle of preparing breakfast.

"What's up?" Ric called from the staircase.

Kate looked up at him and frowned. "A telegram," she said.

"At this hour? From who?"

"Hector."

This finished the job of waking Ric up, and he hustled down the rest of the stairs as Kate opened the telegram and scanned its contents. "What does it say?" Link asked, stepping up to peek over her shoulder.

"Oh, Hell," Kate sighed, very softly. She passed it to Link and Ric, giving the two a troubled expression. "It's not good."

Ric and Link each took hold of one end of the wired message and read it carefully.

GUYS-

IN ENSENADA. BEING FOLLOWED. HELLFIRE CLUB. NEED BACKUP.

CALL TORRES IF YOU CAN. SERIOUS PROBLEM. TOO MANY TO TAKE ALONE.

-HECTOR

Rocky Mountains, CO
Friday, 31 December 1993 9:04 am MST

Brightwind brought his huge hoof down on the smooth surface of the ice, shattering it into fragments. A few more blows, and he had broken a sizeable hole in the frozen surface of the tiny lake, revealing the clear water below. He then stepped aside, allowing Hooftosser to drink first before joining her.

"Chivalry is not dead," Dani grinned at her mount's antics as she and Mist came down from the hilltop. "Who'da thunk it?"

"Methinks they are quite pleased with themselves," Mist chuckled.

Dani nodded, stepping up beside Brightwind and running her hands through his mane somewhat roughly. "So, did you two kids have fun last night?" she asked, sweetly.

Brightwind snorted damply, flicking his ears backwards at her. He put one wing out to lay protectively over Hooftosser's back, and she responded by extending a wing of her own to do the same.

Dani burst out laughing. "You two are too impossibly sweet for words, you know that?"

Finished drinking now, Brightwind looked up at his mistress, then playfully butted his head against her. She hugged him then, once again running her hands through his mane.

"The bond is sealed," Mist said at length.

Dani looked over at Mist, who was leaning against her mount's flank, looking vaguely distracted, as though conferring with the winged mare.

"How's that?" Dani asked.

"The pairing was true," Mist explained. "She will foal now."

"Well, that's good," Dani nodded, but then her face fell. "How soon will you have to leave, then?"

"With the next sunrise," Mist sighed.

Dani did not reply, as she couldn't think of anything to say to this. Brightwind and Hooftosser, apparently unaffected by their riders' mood, turned about and trotted off into the woods, still brushing wingtips happily.

At last, it was Mist who broke the silence, by drawing her sword and thrusting it into the edge of the icy lake, splintering the surface further. She then kicked at it with her boot, making the hole in the ice wider.

"What're you doing?" Dani asked.

"'Tis been entirely too long since I bathed," Mist smiled wryly. "Mayhap now would be a suitable time. Willst thou join me?"

Dani widened her eyes, then knelt by the side of the lake and tested the water with one hand. She immediately snatched it back. "You've got to be kidding me! It's freezing in there!"

"No colder than our own mountaintop lake near the Aerie, Moonstar," Mist chided her. "Come, it will do thee no end of good."

"I don't know..."

Mist's smile deepened. "Fear not, sister. I shall keep thee warm."

Dani paused. "Well, since you put it that way..."

Before they could carry on with their plan, though, there came a loud CRACK from further down the mountain. The sound rebounded from other hills and echoed back from any number of directions. Dani instinctively dropped flat to the ground, and Mist brought her sword in front of her, standing at the ready.

"Get down!" Dani hissed, listening as the shot echoed away. The sound of hoofbeats was plainly audible in its wake.

Mist dropped to the ground beside her sister, but kept a firm grip on her sword. "What manner of creature makes a noise like that?" she asked.

"The kind that shouldn't be in this part of the mountains at this time of year," Dani growled.

"Thy pardon, Moonstar?"

Dani shook her head. "That wasn't any kind of creature. From the sound, I'd say it was a hunting rifle. Which means a hunter."

"Ah," Mist nodded. "And this troubles thee?"

"This isn't like Asgard," Dani explained, shaking her head. "People who hunt here aren't doing it for survival. Aside from which, this area's protected -- we've got some endangered species living here, and no one's supposed to be up here hunting for any reason."

Mist gave Dani a look that suggested she'd missed most of the details, but understood the sentiment, at any rate.

At about that moment, the hoofbeats grew louder, and Brightwind and Hooftosser burst from the trees, galloping past the lake and further up the hillside at full speed. Touching minds with Brightwind, Dani found that her fears were true -- while wandering below, the two had run smack into a pair of hunters.

The fact that the hunters had shot at them didn't worry Dani so much, as there was probably no weapon on Earth short of a guided missile that could do either stallion or mare any harm, but if they had been seen for what they were... She doubted it, remembering that they tended to appear in different ways to different people.

So what would two poachers see in them? Dani wasn't sure she wanted to know.

They heard the sound of running footsteps coming up the hill, then, along with two male voices.

"Jeee-zus, did you see the size'a those things?"

"Which way'd they go?"

"Up here! Couldn'ta got far! I know I hit one of 'em!"

Dani looked at Mist. "We've got problems."

"From two mortal hunters?" Mist scoffed. "Surely not, Moonstar. Come, let us deal with our new friends."

Mist got to her feet and stood ready once again, her sword held to one side. Dani stood beside her, wishing that she had her own blade, but it was back at the campsite.

In moments, the two hunters emerged from the trees at approximately the same place Hooftosser and Brightwind had broken through. One kept following the trail, but the other caught sight of the two women and pulled up short. "Johnny!" he called. "Check this out!"

The lead man (Johnny, apparently) stopped at the sound of the other's voice and looked back around. "What, man, what's... Kee-rist!"

"Fair morning to thee, good hunters," Mist smiled, but there was the hint of cold steel in her voice.

Dani sized the two up. They looked no older than she was, and were similar enough that she guessed them to be brothers. They approached with a sort of swaggering ease, obviously thinking that they were in charge of the situation. Were they ever in for a surprise, Dani thought to herself.

"Mornin', ladies," Johnny grinned at them, looking them both up and down. Only then did Dani remember their state of dress. Mist had only her tunic on, and Dani was dressed only in jeans and a half-buttoned shirt. They'd been so comfortable with one another, and with Warlock, that they hadn't worried about how they'd look to others.

"What's your business here?" Dani asked them in a withering tone.

"Shoot, Richie, if it ain't Co-nine the barbarienne!" Johnny grinned at the other, indicating Mist's sword. "An' her sidekick Tiger Lily!"

"Yeah," Richie grinned back, accompanying this with an annoying little laugh.

Great, Dani thought to herself. Up here in the mountains with the Colorado version of Beavis and Butt-Head. "You boys know there's no shootin' in these parts?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Shootin'?" Johnny gasped, sarcastically. "Jeez, Richie, did you see anyone shootin'? No sir, no one shootin' up here."

"Thy weapons betray thee," Mist pointed out, indicating their rifles.

"What, these?" Johnny asked, looking at his gun as though he'd just noticed it there. "Well, jeez, a guy's gotta be careful walkin' these mountains! You never know when you're gonna run up against a couple'a gals with swords, knowhutImean?"

"Look, kiddies, we haven't got time for your bullshit here," Dani told them. "Now why don't you just take your little pop-guns and run along home, hm?"

A hand touched her shoulder, and she nearly jumped out of her skin before she realized that it was Warlock, apparently having just arrived on the scene. "Is there a problem, ladies?" he asked, standing between the two of them, one hand on Dani's shoulder, the other on Mist's. He was in his normal human form, but Dani noticed that he had "pumped up" a little, probably to look more menacing.

"Nay, friend changeling," Mist assured him. "Merely a pair of misguided youths."

"You talk funny," Richie observed, giving them another short burst of the laugh.

"Look, my patience is wearing real thin here," Dani scowled. "You guys head on home before someone gets hurt, 'kay?"

"Well, I don't think we will," Johnny explained, still giving them his oily grin. "See, we just saw us a pair'a the biggest, purest-white deer y'ever seen, and we ain't lettin' no couple'a SCA dykes and their pet nigger stop us from baggin' em."

Mist looked over at Dani. "Are these remarks meant to be insulting?"

"Oh, probably," Dani nodded.

Mist nodded back, then turned her attention to the two boys, letting her sharp-featured face darken with anger. The sight of a Valkyrie enraged was typically enough to send mortals fleeing for their lives...

Rather than put the fear of the Valkyries into them, though, Dani thought it might be best to hit them with something closer to home. She scanned their tiny little minds for their greatest fears, and brought them out for all to see.

"Jonathan! Richard!!"

Johnny and Richie whirled as a third figure, this one a middle-aged woman, strode out of the trees, shaking one index finger at them. "How many times I gotta tell you boys not ta go creepin' around in these mountains like this? Now am I gonna have to put both'a you over my knee?"

"But Mama..?!" Johnny gaped, aghast. Richie's jaw worked soundlessly.

"Don't you But Mama me, young man!" the mother-image fumed, standing on tiptoe and shaking that finger in Johnny's face. "Just wait 'til your father finds out you took his rifles without askin' again! And if that weren't enough, I find you up here gawkin' at these two poor girls like a couple'a perverts! Didn't I teach you no manners?! Now you boys get on home and go ta your rooms! When your father gets home, he's gonna whup your little hides good, I tell you!"

"But Mama!" Johnny tried to explain, as he and his brother followed the illusion back into the woods. Gradually, the string of threats and excuses faded in the distance, and only then did Dani let herself burst out laughing.

Mist smiled at her slowly. "'Twas thy doing, Moonstar?"

"Yep, 'twas mine," she giggled. "Ohhh, you gotta love simple country life."

"Are selfriends alright?" Warlock asked, giving them both a concerned look.

"Aye, changeling," Mist nodded. "'Twas no danger."

"Yeah," Dani went on giggling. "Nothing we couldn't handle."

Heartbreak Hotel, 11:33 am PST

"Well, dammit, we gotta do something! Hector was an amigo, and he needs our help!"

Rictor looked from one face to the next, his expression insistent. All of the current inhabitants of the Hotel had gathered in the TV room to discuss what was to be done in the wake of Hector's telegram, and so far, Ric was pretty much the only one who had said anything.

Finally, Kate folded her arms and regarded him. "Well, what would you suggest?"

"We know he's in Ensenada, right?" Ric asked the room. He looked from a nervous Mickey to an unreadable Link to a thoughtful Gomi. "We know that the Hellfire Club's after him, and that it's too much for him to handle alone. We gotta get down there ASAP and even the odds!"

"Even the odds?" Lucy repeated. "With the Hellfire Club? I don't know about that, Ric. I haven't heard much about 'em, but what I have heard's been nothing but bad."

"What're we supposed to do then?" Ric shot back. "We just gonna let them get him?"

"Would you rather they get all of us?" Lucy asked in reply. "What've we got to go against someone like that?"

"Lucy does have a point in that we're somewhat lacking in the power department," Gomi pointed out. "I mean, come on, Ric. We're rejects!"

"Yeah, well maybe we are rejects," Ric nodded, "but we've got power. Me an' Mickey can shake buildings down, Link's got kick-ass telekinesis, you've got that battering ram, Gomi, and Sybil..." Here he looked up at Sybil, who was floating cross-legged near the ceiling, watching them all carefully. "She can fly, and Lucy... well, Lucy can..."

"Don't bother," Lucy frowned, holding up her hands. "Face it. I'm low-power, and that's the way it goes."

"Well, I'm goin' down there," Ric insisted. "I'll go alone if I gotta, but I'm not gonna sit here and let Hector get taken by the effin' Hellfire Club."

Here, Kate stood up. "Well, I, for one, will not be involved in this," she told them all. "My day in the superhero business is done. I can't stop any of you, but I can't help you, either. If you're gonna go, good luck."

That said, she shook her head once and left the room. Ric said nothing, seeing as Kate had an infallible sense of Truth to everything she said, and there was no disputing once she had made a decision.

Sybil, too, took this opportunity to leave the room, flying out through one of the open doors. Ric frowned at this. He found himself wishing that he could get a hold of the rest of his own group, since they all knew a lot more about the Hellfire Club than he did. Angie and Sharon had even been involved with the group before, apparently. But they were scattered across the globe, and he had no way of tracking them down in time to help Hector. He would have to make do with the power available.

After fidgeting in his seat for a while, Mickey looked around at the others. "I... think we should help. Link, Gomi, I know you guys never met Hector, but he was a good guy, and he was friends with us all while he was here. He's alone down there, and I can't turn my back on him. I'll go."

"Alright, Mickey!" Ric smiled, reaching (way) over to give the younger mutant a slap across the knee.

"Well, if you're going, I imagine I'm destined to follow," Link sighed, good-naturedly. "Someone has to keep you out of trouble."

"Count me in," Gomi nodded. "It's been a while since I've had the chance to practice my powers." There was a pause as he looked down at Chad, who clacked his pincers at all assembled. "I think Chad agrees."

"Well, alright," Ric grinned. "Ain't nothing the four of us can't handle."

"You guys are fucking crazy," Lucy muttered, shaking her head. She got up from her chair and headed for the door.

"Hey, Lucy!" Ric called, springing to his feet and chasing her down. He caught up with her at the door, and reached out to grab her arm. She looked around at him, eyes flashing dangerously.

"What?" she asked, simply.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"What's wrong is that you guys are getting into something that might get you all killed! That's what's wrong! And there isn't a thing I can do to help!"

"You can come with us," Ric pointed out.

"Oh, yeah, great," she grinned, sarcastically. "I can come down and turn all the cacti pink. That'll throw the Hellfire guys off, won't it?"

"Lucy," Ric insisted.

"Look, forget it, I'd just be a liability." She shook her head again, then let her eyes lock with his. "Just promise you'll make it back, okay?"

"I will," he said, quietly. "We all will. I'll get us out of there."

"Fine," she whispered. Then, to Ric's surprise, she reached out and gave him a crushing embrace, which he returned somewhat hesitantly.

"You do that," she nodded again. She then turned and walked off.

Ric looked back at the other three, to see that they were exchanging knowing grins. "What are you guys lookin' at?"

"Nothing, Ric," Mickey smiled. "Nothing at..." His eyes suddenly bugged, as did Gomi's. Even Link's painted face took on a look of shock.

"What? What?" Ric insisted.

"Excuse me," came a soft voice from the vicinity of his left shoulder.

Ric turned around very slowly to see Sybil hovering behind him, and it was immediately obvious why the others had been staring. She had put on a skintight outfit in shades of black and yellow, which left no part of her incredible figure to the imagination. Her face was half-covered by a mask, which nonetheless allowed her pale hair to spill out behind her. Attached to her back were thin, gauzy wings, shaped like those of a butterfly, or a moth. They appeared to be made of silk cloth, but they moved like real wings as she hovered there.

The whole outfit seemed calculated to hit the male psyche right in the libido, but the look was somewhat spoiled, Ric thought, by the ridiculous little antennae attached to the mask. Oh well, thought a small part of his mind, I guess that's all part of the moth motif.

"When do we leave?" she asked, smiling.

A campsite in the Rocky Mountains, CO
Saturday, 1 January 1994 2:47 am MST

The new year had arrived on their hilltop campsite with a minimum of fuss. Warlock had counted down the final seconds for them with his internal chronometer, and when the pivotal moment came, the two Valkyries and the technoid raised a brief Huzzah and drank a toast from Dani's canteen (Warlock politely declined this last bit, though).

Dani then asked Warlock to check in on their absent friends. Each of the members of the team carried a "module" of Warlock's, which unfortunately, given the distance between them, could only be used as tracking beacons, but this, at least, would satisfy Dani's curiosity as to how each of them were spending their new year.

After a long series of scans, Warlock reported that Rahne was at Muir Isle in Scotland, and was stationary. Doug's and Marie-Ange's beacons showed up in Paris, and were both stationary and in very close proximity with one another (Dani laughed and applauded. "Good for them! It's about time!"). Catseye was, to their surprise, not with Doug and Angie in France, but was instead in the vicinity of Boston. Rictor was the only one in motion, spending his last hour of 1993 on the road in Baja.

At length, though, the festivities (such as they were) died down, and Warlock shut down for the night, reporting that he would awaken in seven hours. Dani and Mist spent the first hour or two of that allotted time enjoying their privacy to the fullest, and afterwards, lay awake in one another's arms and talked quietly about nothing in particular.

At length, though, Mist propped herself up on her elbows and looked down at Dani. "Return to Asgard with me," she said, simply.

Dani blinked at her. "I can't do that..."

"Thou canst. Thou hast simply to say me 'Aye,' and return."

"No, no, nonono, that's not what I mean. I can't go back yet. Don't you remember? If I go back, it'll be for the last time."

"Would this be so awful a fate?" Mist asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I..." Dani closed her eyes. "Spirits, Mist, please don't do this to me. Don't make me have to choose between you and my world."

"Midgard is not thy world now, Moonstar."

"Maybe not in some ways, but in others, it always has been and always will be mine. It's the world that bore me, and I happen to like it. I want to stay a while longer." She opened her eyes and looked up at Mist, outlined faintly in the darkness of the tent. "You remember the deal I had to make with Grass to get back here. This is my one chance to make things right here. My only chance. I've got as much time as I need, but once I go back, that's it, I'm back for eternity."

Mist nodded slowly. "What keeps thee here?"

"I have a life here, and friends I love more than life. I'm a mutant, to boot, and I have all of that to live through. It'd be easy to go back with you, and never have to face things here, but I owe it to my friends to stick with them and help them fight the good fight for as long as it takes. We're living in a time that could bring about so many changes for the better. I need to do my part to help my world, and to help my friends to do the same. I need to stay, Mist."

There was a long silence, and Mist settled down once more, placing her head on Dani's shoulder. "Thou'rt mortal no longer, Moonstar," she said at length. "Thy life will not be like that of thy mortal friends."

"I can fake it."

"Thou'lt ne'er bear a child as mortals do."

Dani held in her breath for a while, then let it out slowly. "I was afraid of that."

"Surely thou hast noticed that thy life-giving cycle hath ceased."

"Yeah. I kept telling myself it was a side effect of the low body fat." She took another breath and let it out slowly. "And that hurts, but I guess it's part of the job. I'll live."

"Aye, Moonstar, thou shalt live. And live, and live on, as all of thy friends, save perhaps yon changeling, grow old and die around thee. Art thou prepared to watch them die?"

"Yes," Dani said, with quiet vehemence. "Oh, yes, I'm prepared for it. And do you know what? I'm going to stay with them, and love them for all of their too-damned-short lives, and watch them get older, and when their times come, spirits willing, I will be there with them, to take them to whatever final reward awaits them." She let a bitter laugh escape her. "Who knows? Some of them might end up in Valhalla, and then we can be all together again."

Mist brought her hand up to stroke Dani's face, and her fingers came away moist. "Thou'rt weeping, Danielle..?"

"A little." Dani shook her head, then looked up into Mist's eyes, which seemed to shine even in the near-pitch darkness. "Do you think I don't know all of this? Do you think I haven't been through it all in my head already? Believe me, I have. Often. I think of Rahne, and Doug, and all the others -- I think of how I'm going to have to deal with their deaths. Sharon likes to talk about living forever; I think she fully believes she will, but I know better, and every time she says it, I want to hide..."

"Then why stay?"

"Because," Dani sighed, "I love them."

Mist nodded, then kissed Dani on the base of the throat. "Then live, sister, and love. I shall... miss thee."

"And I'll miss you. It's... going to be a while before I see you again, isn't it?"

"Not until thy return to the Aerie, 'tis likely. Hooftosser will not mate again for many a change of the seasons."

"Yeah," Dani nodded, her voice cracking. "Like I said, a long time."

"Know this, though, my dear one. When thy day in the mortal world is done, when thou hast finished all there is to finish here, I will be there, waiting for thee." Her eyes were still shining, but this time from her own tears. "We shall have eternity together, Danielle, if thou wishest it. I can wait a mortal lifetime or two."

"I'm glad..."

"Canst thou promise me one thing?"

"What's that?"

Here, Mist actually managed a tiny smile. "Take another lover whilst thou art here in Midgard. I would ne'er begrudge thee this."

"Mist," Dani sighed, "I... I don't know if I could do that anymore."

"E'en if I wish it?" The smile was now replaced by an impish grin. "Do not let thy love wither in my absence. 'Twould be a shame to let such wonder hide away within thee."

"No, that's not what I meant... When I first got back, I did just that, but I... Spirits, this is complicated. I don't know if I could take another lover, knowing that you and I will be together again later. Even this much later."

"Thinkest thou that I would be so selfish as to deny thee?"

Dani laughed, but there was not much humor to it. "Even after all those months, I still don't fully get the whole Valkyrie Free-Love thing, you know?"

"Thou'rt surrounded by loved ones. Perhaps thy friend, the wolfling?"

"Ohhhh, I think that would be a big No," Dani laughed, more in earnest this time. "Look, I can't give you an answer to this. I can't make that promise now. I'll have to see what happens, and see what I feel in my heart as time passes."

Mist shifted slightly, resettling herself in her sister's arms. "Aye. This I can understand."

"You've always understood," Dani whispered. "That's meant more to me than I can tell you. I love you, Mist... I wish it didn't have to be this way, having to be apart, but... I need to stay. I only hope you'll understand this, too."

"Aye. Thou'rt loved by me, Danielle, and loved well. Thy needs are strange to me, but they are thy needs, and I understand."

"Thank you..."

"There is naught for which to thank me, dear one."

Warlock stirred awake quickly when the appointed hour came. There had been no dream-vision this night, and oddly enough, he found this somewhat disappointing. At the very least, though, he was regaining some sense of internal continuity. It was becoming easier to accustom himself to waking up in a human shape, and to restore and re-route power accordingly. His body was growing used to the change, and he found the experience quite novel, even though it was not as efficient as his normal dormant periods.

A quick scan of the immediate vicinity revealed that Danielle was awake. She was sitting up, hugging her legs to her chest, and her chin was resting on her knees. Warlock was momentarily alarmed, as her posture and bearing suggested despair or other emotional trauma.

"FrienDani?" he asked, sitting up and gently setting a hand upon her shoulder.

She looked over at him and managed a small smile, but it was obvious that she'd been crying. "'Morning."

Warlock wondered what could have caused her current state, but then he realized that none of his scans were locating Mist. "Query: Has friendMist departed so soon?"

"Yeah," Dani nodded. "When she said she'd have to leave with the next sunrise, I sort of assumed she just meant morning, but I guess she really meant sunrise. Something mystical about it, no doubt. We tried to wake you, but... well, we couldn't."

"Self apologizes. Had self known that friendMist would be leaving so soon, self would have programmed internal chronometers to awaken self at an earlier hour."

"It's okay," she whispered. "She said to tell you goodbye."

There was a brief silence, then Dani spoke again. "Warlock... how long are you going to live?"

Warlock was a bit taken aback by the question. "Difficult to say," he admitted. "Assuming that self's internal systems remain undisrupted by external forces, and that sufficient power sources remain available, self could maintain functions indefinitely."

"Live forever, then?"

"Theoretically possible."

She nodded. "Does that ever get you down?"

Warlock gave her a sideways look. "Clarification, please."

"What I mean is, does it ever bother you that you might live forever, and that all of your friends, your human friends, are going to get old and die all around you, and you won't be able to do anything about it?"

Warlock processed this. "Affirmative," he said, quietly. "Self prefers not to consider eventuality that humanform selfriends will cease functions while self lives. Self's life-functions would seem incomplete without presence of selfriends."

"Ain't that the truth," Dani sighed, shaking her head.

"Query: Why is frienDani asking this?"

Dani took a deep breath, and then she told him. She told him about the trials, about how she was beaten and burned, to the point of death, but then rose above it, and was proclaimed immortal by the Valkrior, and by Lord Odin himself. She told him that she would never age, and would never bear children. She told him about the deal she had made with Grass: she had been given an indefinite leave of absence to return to Midgard and live out the life she was born into, but would one day have to return to Asgard, and return forever. She told him about everything she had discussed with Mist the night before, and about why she had returned. Warlock listened to all she had to say, incredulous at these revelations.

"Alarm," he whispered, quietly.

"You didn't know that?" she asked. "Even from the times we've merged, you didn't get that from my memories?"

"Negative," he replied, shaking his head. "Contact with selfriends DaniRahneandRic is not as complete as contact with frienDoug. Full merge of memory and thought is not achieved. Self had no idea."

Dani nodded. "You know, Mist asked me if I'd be able to deal with watching all of them dying around me while I never get a damned wrinkle... I told her yes, but it comes and goes. Do you know what I mean?"

In reply, Warlock reached out to her and hugged her. Dani leaned heavily against him and let the tears go. He felt her pain echoing within himself, and felt her loss. Mist's departure had left a void, and the knowledge she carried made it all the more vivid.

Oddly enough, he realized that Dani's plight was much like his own. She was no longer human, making them more alike than ever. As strange as it felt, it was nonetheless comforting to know that he was no longer alone in that sense. Perhaps he and Dani could teach one another, not only to deal with their inhumanity, but to become more human in the process.

She seemed to share his sentiment. "You know how I've been trying to get you to be more human all through this trip? I think maybe I was trying to do the same for myself. I wonder if it's working?"

"Uncertain. Perhaps if selfriend and self continue, greater clarity will be reached."

She nodded against his shoulder. "Promise you'll stick around a while, okay?"

"Self shall attempt to facilitate selfriend's wishes. So long as self is functioning, negate concerns of isolation."

She looked up at him, and managed to smile through the tears. "Tell you what. You outlive me, and I'll outlive you."

"Sounds good to self."
 
 

Next: "Jonas and Ezekiel"

Go West #17: "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses?"
by Jeremy Bottroff, 20 May 1994

This story (c) 1994, 1999 Jeremy Bottroff

"Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses?" performed by U2, words and music by U2 (Clayton, Herwon, Evans, Mullen), (c) 1991, 1999 U2 admin. by Chappell & Co. (ASCAP), from the album ACHTUNG, BABY

Axe, Brightwind, Cable, Chance, Lila Cheney, Marie-Ange Colbert (Tarot), Sybil Dvorak (Gypsy Moth), Gomi, Kate The Owner, Link, Mist, Danielle Moonstar (Mirage), Douglas Ramsey (Cypher), Rictor, Mickey Silk (Poltergeist), Rahne Sinclair (Wolfsbane), Sharon Smith (Catseye), Lucy Sterling, Warlock, Charles Xavier (Professor X), Hellfire Club, New Mutants, Heartbreak Hotel, Muir Isle, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters (c) 1999 Marvel Entertainment Group

Blade, Chad the Bionic Lobster, Dawn, Jenna, Johnny, Michael MacPherson (Dreamwalker), Richie, Hector Sanchez/Cantolobos (Wolfsong) created by Jeremy Bottroff, (c) 1999 Jeremy Bottroff

I credit Grass and Hooftosser to Connie Hirsch, from her truly remarkable fanfic KID DYNAMO.  If you haven't read it, stop reading Go West right now and go find it.  Wow.  (It's also nice to know I wasn't the only one to think something might be happening with Danielle and Mist...)

Beavis and Butt-Head created by Mike Judge

Just what I needed, ANOTHER character with fluey dialogue to go with Warlock and Catseye...