Subject: [OTL]: (Generation X) BETWEEN (PG-13) Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 15:42:23 -0700 (PDT) From: Phil Hartman will1@earthling.net Unfairness by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: They're all Marvel's. No money is being made off of this. Please don't sue. WARNING: It starts a little creepy here ... -------------------------------------------------------- Can you hear me ? Can you see me ? I'm that lump of dirt outside the great oak. I'm that bloodstain on Monet's uniform shirt. I'm an accident. I'm an impossibility. I'm an afterthought. I'm - BETWEEN. It's not really all that cold; some of the others - there aren't as many as we liked to joke about, when we'd look through the yearbooks - talk to me. Some scare the crud out of me. But at least I had you guys to lean on - silently. And now you're all going your seperate ways. Paige, a tree-hugger ? There's nothing wrong with that, but I think she's just mad at Emma. Then again, I'M mad at Emma. I'm mad at Sean, for drinking himself silly and not even thinking of all of you. I miss all you guys so much. Angelo's stupid jokes, Jono's guitar at 5 a.m., Monet's small smiles when nobody was looking, Paige's optimism - Jubilee's stories. Jubes. I never figured it out until I was BETWEEN. Here I thought we were friends, and you went and fell in love with me. Everett Thomas, not-quite-here power duplicator. We always thought I could hang onto my duped powers, someday. What was that joke, Jubes ? "Of all the powers in all the mutants in the world, I had to duplicate yours." Who would've thought I'd've hung onto Mondo's. Jubilee. God, I miss you. Monet ... it was a beauty thing. Here I was, a brother from the 'burbs, and this goddess took an interest in me. Oh, don't get me wrong; it was flattering. But after I saw her still hanging onto that shirt - the bloodstained shirt - after all these months ... At least you, Jubes, could move on a little. All of you did. That's OK, because I WANT you to, all of you to grow and enjoy each other, and have those silly reunions. Hmm. Funny. This lump of dirt ... Where I died. I'm still being "held" here. This funny little patch. I thought I could let go - - but - - I - - CAN'T - -------------------------------------------------------- "One last thing," Jubilee insisted. "He would've said goodbye." "Jubecita ..." Skin sighed, watching the Chinese-American pyrotic lay the teddy bear in front of the flowers amidst the rubble. "You sure you want to do this ?" ~Mebbe ... Mebbe Xavier's is overrated,~ Chamber sent, looking at Husk with large, blue eyes. Paige Guthrie squeezed Jono Starsmore's hand, but shook her head despite her tears. "Jono. It's a chance t'do somethin' with your life," Paige breathed, smiling weakly. "G'on." ~Without you ?~ Jono sent, making Jubilee, Angelo Espinosa and M look over at the couple with growing grins. "GO, Hayseed !" Jubilee whooped. "You know you wanna." "Jubilation, hush," Monet St. Croix said, smiling despite herself. She glanced over her shoulder at the memorial - - and screamed. "IT'S ALIVE !!!" "What the - oh. Mah. God," Paige gasped, pointing at the teddy bear walking towards them. "Uh, guys ?" the bear said, in a familiar voice. "Anyone got a more solid body ?" "EVERETT !?" Monet gasped, dropping to her knees. The bear flared with rainbow light, and the young mutants watched as the energy coalesced, becoming tangible. A young black man stood before them, shivering, and blushed as he said, "Clothes first, reunion next. OK ?" -------------------------------------------------------- "Oh, now I need a drink f'r sure -" "IRISH !!!! Look who's BACK !!!" Jubilee cheered, running inside and tackle-hugging Sean Cassidy. Sean looked at Ev, and Ev - now dressed in sweats from Jono's duffle bag - looked at Sean. "Yui're alive," Sean said, holding a hand out to Ev. "Sir," Ev said, smiling, and shook Sean's hand. "Well then. I'll be goin' int' the priesthood, now," Sean said, shaking his head. "IRISH," Jubilee growled, grinning as she squeezed Ev's hand. "You've gotta have something else besides religion to fall back on." "Aye ... but what'll all o'ye do ?" Sean asked, shrugging. Monet, Angelo, Paige and Jono stormed into the cottage, looked at Jubilee and Ev, and the group collectively shrugged. "Well, we're a pretty darn good team," Angelo admitted. "And Everett is back," Monet said, in an unusually soft voice. ~Th' world's gettin' worse every day. It'd be nice t'put a stop t'it,~ Jono sent. "T'gether," Paige added, pulling Jono's arm tighter around her. "An' Ev LIVES !" Jubilee laughed, beaming up at the power-duplicator. "About that ... Monet, I'm sorry, but you're ... and I ..." Everett began, giving Monet a fearful look. Monet nodded, once, and smiled weakly. "Love him, Jubilation," Monet said, softly, as Jubilee's eyes bulged. "I don't really believe I ever gave you a chance at Everett. Besides, he and I have little in common." "Granted," Everett chuckled dryly. He looked around, then asked, "Guys - are you sure ? I mean, it's not like you'd be hurting my feelings by going your seperate ways ..." "What, miss the party ?" Angelo snickered, high-fiving the African-American teen. "It's either this or South Central, and I'm persona non grata." "Latin !? Three years, and he learns Latin ! I am stunned," a tight, oddly-thick voice rang at Sean's front door. Emma Frost looked at Everett, then at Sean, then at Everett again. "All right, fine. I killed Adrienne. Please go haunt someone else, Everett," Emma moaned. "OK, that's it - we are SO gone," Jubilee snapped. "Frosty, I wanted t'give you the benefit of the doubt, but when you go axin' people, that's it. Guys, VW van, stat." "Jubilee !?" Sean blurted. "Emma was yuir teacher for how many years, an' ye just -" "They're getting out while they can, Sean," Emma said, in a voice like ice. "Do the same." -------------------------------------------------------- The van rumbled into life, crammed full, and Sean smiled up at the teens. ~Be careful, sir,~ Jono sent from behind the wheel. "We'll write ya !" Paige cheered from the shotgun position. "Ev, don't you DARE fade out," Jubilee warned, digging for the box of Frosted Sugar Bombs. "And miss your eloquent descriptions of Psylocke's bimbosity ? Never," Everett teased. "'Bimbosity' is not a word, Everett," Monet replied haughtily from within a dictionary. "Jubecita, not the boxer shorts ! AAUGH !" Angelo yelled, stretching to rescue his clothes as they went flying out the sunroof. SCREECH #An' there they go,# Sean thought, smiling weakly. #Fare thee well, lads an' lasses, where're ye end up.# He looked at Emma, watching the van take off, and saw her step into an FBI Cadillac before it pulled away. #Aye ... fare thee well,# Seam thought, sighing inwardly. He looked at the flask in his hand, then threw it into the air and screamed, watching it shatter, before dialing a number on his cell phone. "Theresa ?" -------------------------------------------------------- never the end ... ;) --------------------------------------------------------