THE ARCHETYPE ASSOCIATION

By Jim R. McBriarty

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

The X-Men adjusted quickly to the Mansion's newest resident - a task made easy by the fact that Topaz had a basically sunny, friendly disposition... once she had her second cup of coffee. Before that, she was simply too vague to hold a conversation. She introduced some Bengali Indian dishes to the dinner menu, such as chandu daal and pilau rice. Since she was, technically, Will's student, Xavier allowed a lot of leeway in regards to her schedule. Will decided to give her time to transcribe all of her old training notes before the moved on to anything new. This gave her most of the late afternoon to train with Logan or to socialize - either with the other X-Women or with Bobby, who had become quite smitten with her.

Will, meanwhile, spent his mornings either training, or in meetings with Xavier, Ororo and Logan (who was acting as an intermediary for Nick Fury), discussing the logistical details of the 'Green Team'. They agreed that the team would act only once SHIELD had obtained clearance form the local government. A conference call with Val Cooper secured the help of Avalanche and Pyro. Dominic Petros seemed genuinely interested in the ecological aspects of the work, while St. John Allerdyce seemed more interested in the positive spin that it would give mutants in the media. Valerie Cooper agreed to look into the possibility of modifying the conditions of both men's release so that they could work freely with the new team.

Will spent at least two hours per day focused on his business interests, trying to start an investment fund as a seed for the compensation trust he had proposed to Xavier. Afterwards, he spent some time relaxing, either in his workshop or with Rogue, before his evening training session with Topaz.

Topaz and Will tried to vary the training sessions, just to keep things interesting. Some of the sessions were spent exploring the nature and limits of Will's abilities. Topaz studied the changes in Will's aura as he teleported and used Doors to travel around the various parts of his workshop. More disturbing, in Rogue's opinion, was Will's self-infliction of some minor cuts so that Topaz could observe his healing process. "I understand why you have to do it," she told them, "but I don't have to like it."

Topaz nodded in sympathy. "I'm hoping that this information will help him. I should be able to use my abilities to boost his."

"Will that affect you at all?" Will asked.

"I might need to take a nap, but that's it."

"We'll burn that bridge when we come to it," he decided. "What's next?"

"That should be it for tonight. I have to ask a favor, though."

"What's that?"

"I need tomorrow off. It's my day to run things at the store."

Will considered it for a moment, then nodded. "No problem. What time do you have to be there?"

"About five-thirty. I'll need time to start brewing the coffee, and to get the pastries in the cases."

"Who does the baking?" Rogue asked.

"We do. 'Tana puts everything in the ovens just before she goes to bed."

"Knock on our door around five," Will told her. "I'll 'port you there, and save you the commute."

"Oh thank you," Topaz practically gushed. "That drive was the only downside I could think of to being here."

"Think of it as a company perk."

The Devil's Daughter woke up at the crack of eleven. Craning her neck, she found that her partner of the previous night had gone home. Rolling out of bed with a few muttered curses (real ones) she made her way towards the shower.

Twenty minutes later, she came down to the shop, where she found Topaz behind the counter, scrambling to fill customers' orders. "Want me to handle the register?" she asked with a yawn.

"Please," Topaz replied as she filled a small pitcher with half-and-half and set it to steam.

Satana planted herself in the chair sitting beside the register and started ringing up orders as quickly as Topaz took them.

The next hour or so raced by, as they poured several pots worth of coffee, and sold out of Satana's popular Chocolate Sin muffins. The crowd thinned as afternoon classes began, and Topaz collapsed into an overstuffed chair. "I need a nap," she announced.

"Too bad," Satana said with a smirk. "You're stuck here until closing."

Topaz stuck her tongue out at her. "Any paperwork to do?"

"Jennifer did it yesterday. You could always clean up the stacks."

Topaz looked over to the side of the shop that was devoted to the bookstore. Standing up with a sigh, she started reshelving mislaid books.

Satana was wiping down the counter when she caught a whiff of enchantment. She looked up just as the door to the shop opened, admitting a young couple. There was nothing unusual about the woman, but the man fairly reeked of magic.

He walked up to the counter and removed his hat. "Ms. Hellstrom, I presume?"

Satana began an incantation to summon hellfire. "Who wants to know?"

"I go by Will Riley. I'm Topaz's new employer."

"So what do you want?"

He glanced above her for a moment. "A tall hot chocolate, with a shot of mint, please."

Satana blinked, and was silent for a moment. "You want whipped cream on that?"

"If you would, please."

As Rogue was putting in her order, Topaz poked her head out from behind the stacks. "I thought I heard a familiar voice. What brings you two here?"

"We decided to hit the museums for a day," Will explained. "I realized we were close by, so we thought we'd pay a visit."

"Where'd you go?"

"The Museum of Natural History and the Hayden," Rogue told her. "I just love looking at the gem exhibit."

"And looking is all you're gonna get to do," Will said firmly. "I'm rich, but J.P. Morgan I am not."

"You could always conjure one up," Satana advised him.

"I wouldn't have the faintest idea how. My magic leans more towards the natural world. Well, that and necromancy."

Topaz nearly spit out her chai latte. "You're a necromancer!?" she sputtered.

"It's the closest analogy to what I do that I can think of. I don't actually summon the dead, but I do sense their influence, on a grand scale, on the present."

Satana thought about that. "Would that make you a... necropath?"

"Maybe. I don't know if there is a word for it. I really haven't explored it too well."

"Why not?"

"I have a hard enough time staying sane as it is. If I have the dead shouting in my mind on top of that, I'll really go 'round the bend."

They all turned their heads as the bell atop the door jingled. A tall blonde in jeans and a T-shirt walked in. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Jennifer," Topaz said cheerfully. "How was class today?"

"Annoying. The books I need for my anthro paper are out until next week." She dropped her bag onto a table and flopped into a chair.

"You've got six weeks."

"Yeah, but I like to leave myself some wiggle room, just in case something comes up." She glanced over at Will and Rogue, giving them both appraising looks. "This your new boss?"

Topaz nodded. "Will, meet Jennifer Kale. Jennifer, Will Riley, and Rogue."

Jennifer shook their hands, then fell back into her chair. "So what brings you by us?"

"We were in the area," Will admitted, "and I was curious about the setup you have here. I have to admit, your external defenses are impressive."

"They have to be, given some of the stuff we have here."

He nodded. "Topaz told me about The Tome of Zherad-Na, and I think I'm safe in guessing that there are other things here you don't want wandering out of your sight." He held up a hand as Kale opened her mouth to protest. "I don't know what they are, and I don't want to know. Your secrets are your own. I just came here to introduce myself to you two, since it's possible that the interaction between myself and Topaz could have an effect on the magical balance between you three."

Jennifer considered that. "That's a pretty good idea, actually. What did you have in mind?"

"Nothing too involved... just monitoring me while I lower my shields."

"That works. Couldja get the door, Topaz?"

Topaz locked the door and flipped the sign on it to read 'Closed'. "Follow us, Boss," she told Will.

"Mind if I watch?" Rogue asked.

"No problem," Jennifer said. "I'll conjure you up a recliner." They all started up the steps.

"Can we work skyclad again?" Satana requested.

Will whimpered.

"Comfy?" Jennifer asked Rogue a few minutes later.

"Very. I thought you were kidding about the recliner, actually."

"The popcorn and soda are a nice touch," Will commented from his place inside the circle on the floor.

"Thank you. Now, if you'll just hold still for a second..."

With a few gestures, Jennifer raised the wards around Will, forming a translucent barrier around him. "Okay, if you could start lowering your shields, we can get started."

He nodded, and his eyes began to shine. "Let me know if it's too much."

"We can reinforce the circle if we have to," Topaz assured him.

As she had at Strange's Sanctum, Rogue saw Will's aura become visible, expanding until it reached the border of the circle. This time, however, the aura did not go beyond the circle. "You've bound him?" she asked.

"Just lightly," Jennifer said. "Enough to get a feel of how much power he puts out."

"He should be able to break out fairly easily if he wants to," Satana added. She smiled wickedly at Will. "That is, if he's as good as Topaz says he is."

Will gave Satana a grin which was just as evil. "Care to find out, Ms. Hellstrom?"

Satana grinned even wider. "Ooh, a challenge! Bring it on, old man."

"'Tana..." Topaz said in a warning tone as the woman stepped forward.

"Don't worry, NutraSweet," Satana replied, "I won't hurt him... much."

"'NutraSweet'?" Rogue asked.

"Sweetness and light," Topaz informed her with a smile. "It's an old joke of hers." Rogue noticed that the smile was rather forced. At least now I know she can be pushed.

Satana parted the border of the circle and stepped inside. Before the barrier had finished closing, she threw a bolt of fire across the circle at Will, who opened a Door to divert it.

"Not bad," he told her. "My turn now."

Rogue gasped as Will's tattoos shot off his right arm, wrapping themselves around Satana. He gave the arm a yank, and she cane flying towards him, landing on the ground at his feet. Another yank sent her spinning into the air, and she grunted as she hit the edge of the circle.

"He's never done that before," Rogue told Topaz. "Not in the real world."

"Really? Interesting."

Satana shook her head to clear it, then stood up. "Not bad," she admitted. "You've got my vote."

Will nodded, then gestured for Satana to precede him out of the circle. She stepped towards it, then whirled back around, sending a palm-sized fireball flying towards him.

Before any of the women could react, Will caught the hellfire in his right hand. The skin of his palm began to blister and sizzle, but he made no sound as he clenched his fist, extinguishing the flame. He opened his hand again, and the singed flesh knitted itself back together. He stepped towards Satana, glaring down at her.

"Don't do that again," he growled.

Satana just nodded... somewhat meekly, in Rogue's opinion. She lowered the wards of the circle, and they stepped out.

"Satisfied, 'Tana?" Jennifer asked.

"Yeah. Did you get all the info you needed?"

"Plenty." She looked at Will. "You need to rest?"

"No, I'm fine." He scratched at his palm. "This itches a bit, though."

"Let me see it," Topaz said. She took hi hand in her own for a moment. "How's that?"

"Better, thanks." He wiggled his fingers, then cocked his head slightly. "Could you do that again, for just a second?"

"Why? It's healed."

"I 'heard' something peculiar when you called up the power," he told her, tapping the side of his head for emphasis. "I want to see if I can get a lock on it."

"Here," Satana offered. She took a small knife from a drawer and made a light cut across the back of her arm.

As Topaz healed the wound, Will 'listened' again. "Where do you draw the power from?" he asked her.

"It depends. If I have to do something major, I'll call on any local sources... ley lines, or maybe an artifact. Minor wounds, like this, I can do by drawing on my internal power. I've got enough for it not to be a problem."

He nodded, thinking for a moment, then glanced at Satana. "If I could impose on you just once more..."

"I'm going to get a reputation as a 'cutter'," Satana muttered to herself as she drew the knife across her arm again. As the blood began to well up, Will put his hand on the wound, then closed his eyes.

The women studied Will's face as he grimaced in what appeared to be a combination of exertion and pain. After a few seconds, he seemed to relax, the removed his hand from Satana's arm. The wound had vanished.

Topaz looked at him, blinking. "I'm impressed."

He nodded, smiling, then swayed on his feet for a moment. "I feel a bit dizzy..."

Rogue, who had been sitting quietly and taking mental notes, quickly stood up and led Will to her chair. "Any ideas?" she asked the others.

Jennifer nodded. "It's probably his blood sugar. I'll get him a brownie and some juice from the shop."

Will felt recovered after about fifteen minutes. "Any suggestions on how to keep that from happening again?"

"Your body should get used to it," Topaz assured him. "We'll work on it later."

He nodded and stood up. "I think I need a nap after all that. Give me a call when you're done here, and I'll 'port you back to the Mansion."

"No problem. I should be finished here just after ten."

After Will and Rogue had stepped into a Door and vanished, Jennifer and Satana looked at Topaz. "So how does he compare to Strange?" Jennifer asked.

"Will has one big advantage over Stephen. He can do something that no master, that you or I have ever had before, can."

"What's that?"

Topaz smiled beatifically. "Cook."

"... I hate you," Satana muttered.

"I know."

Rogue tucked Will into bed, with the promise that she'd wake him for dinner, then went down to the parlor, where the other X-Women were lounging in front of the TV. She flopped into the papasan chair in the corner. "What's on?"

"Somewhere in Time," Betsy told her.

"The guys ran off the moment we turned it on," Jean added with a grin. "I think they were afraid they'd get cooties." They all giggled at that.

Hankies were passed around as the film ended, and Jean vowed that she and Scott would spend their next anniversary on Mackinac Island. "What time is it?"

"Almost four," Ororo said, looking at her watch.

"I should pull Hank out of the lab and get started on dinner. Any requests?"

"Chicken and pasta?" Rogue suggested.

"Sounds good."

"How was Topaz?" Ororo asked.

"She's good. She should be back around ten. Her partners are real characters."

Do they seem trustworthy?"

Rogue nodded. "They've got plenty of their own secrets, so ours aren't going to be a problem."

Jean nodded and stood up. "Should I set some dinner aside for her?"

"That's probably a good idea. I think I'll get Will up."

Will proved to be somewhat harder to awaken than usual, but touching Smoke's nose to the back of his head did the trick. "The females in my life are conspiring against me," he grumbled as he sat up.

"It keep you on your toes," Rogue told him with a smirk. "You feeling better?"

"A bit. How soon until dinner?"

"An hour or so. Any ideas for tonight?"

"I'd like to stay in. We'll see after we eat."

Topaz stepped through the Door Will had created and entered his bedroom, where she found him giving Rogue a backrub. "Don't get up," she told them with a smile.

"I can't," Rogue replied drowsily. "He's sitting on me."

"How were things at the shop?" Will asked.

"Fairly quiet after you left." She bent down and removed her shoes. "Much better," she sighed.

"You can sleep in tomorrow if you want. Rogue and I have a training session in the morning, so you really won't be doing anything until after lunch. Did you have dinner?"

"Missed it."

"There's a bowl of chicken pasta for you on the bottom shelf of the fridge."

"Thanks. Is Bobby on duty tonight?"

"No, he's off," Rogue said. "Why?"

"Well, I've been hinting that I'm interested in him, but he doesn't seem to be getting the message."

"He's clueless like that," Rogue agreed. "You have a plan?"

Topaz nodded. "I'm going to corner him in his room, ravish him, then invite him to take a shower with me when we get up in the morning."

"That should work," Will said blandly. "Just try to keep the noise level down."

"I'm not making any promises," she told them as she left the room.

"It should be interesting seeing Bobby tomorrow," Will mused. "Assuming she leaves him in one piece."

"She wouldn't hurt him," Rogue protested.

"No, but she might wear him out. Sorcerers and enchanters... men and women... tend to go to extremes. They either deny themselves completely or become total sensualists. She's definitely one of the latter."

Rogue propped her head up on one elbow. "How can you tell?"

"How she dresses, for one. The clothes I've seen her in so far are either skintight or flowing, and she has a fondness for silks. The incense in her room appeals to her sense of smell, and so does that perfume that she likes. I haven't been able to place that one yet."

"Xanadu. I saw it when she moved in."

He nodded. "Her yoga exercises also put her in tune with her body's senses. They enhance her sense of touch, too. I'll expect her to be wearing furs come winter."

Rogue giggled. "If she's going after Bobby, she might need them now." She wriggled a bit and rolled over so that she faced Will. She did give me an idea for something, though."

"What's that?"

"Ravishing my boyfriend."

Bobby had a rather dazed expression on his face the next morning. Topaz, in contrast, looked like the cat who had eaten the canary.

"Juice, Topaz?" Will asked with a barely concealed smirk.

"Yes, please."

"You certainly have an appetite this morning," Ororo said with a twinkle in her eye. She was aware of Topaz's activities the pervious night. Most of the Mansion, in fact, was aware of it. Topaz, it seemed, had not only been very enthusiastic, but also very vocal.

"I've been working out," Topaz shrugged in reply.

Bobby turned bright red and left the room in a hurry. The others respectfully gave him a moment's grace, then burst into laughter.

"You will make it up to him later, won't you?" Betsy asked Topaz.

"With interest," she confirmed. She turned to Will. "Mind if I observe you during the session? I want to see how you guys work as a team."

Will glanced at Ororo, who nodded. "No problem. You can sit in the control room. Who's running things today?"

"I am,"' Henry told him.

"Bring a dictionary with you," Rogue advised Topaz.

"What's today's torture session, Hank?"

The Danger Room walls shimmered for a moment, and several panels opened up to reveal metal tentacles, rows of dart guns, and a flamethrower.

"I hate it when he gets nostalgic," Bobby muttered.

Within a few seconds, Ororo and Rogue were dodging flying darts, while Will and Bobby avoided the tentacles and flames. "I have a suggestion, Boss!" Will yelled.

"I'm listening," Ororo replied as she jinxed out of the path of some darts.

"We switch targets. I'll take out the darts, you drown the fire."

"Do it." She flew over to the other side of the room as Will teleported to her previous location.

Hugging the wall underneath the dart launchers, Will started randomly teleporting out pieces of their internal machinery. It took him about twenty seconds to disable both launchers. Once that was done, Rogue assisted Bobby, helpfully tying the tentacles into a knot. Bobby then froze the nozzles of the flamethrowers, sealing them shut. Finally, Rogue bopped the cancel button. "Is that it, Hank, Or was this Level One?"

Will glanced up at the control room. "Topaz? Any ideas?"

He nodded. "Makes sense. I'll see if Val can tell us when our new teammates will be available."

The next afternoon, Will escorted Avalanche and Pyro through a Door onto the Mansion's patio. Rogue, who was waiting for them, found that they were in the middle of a conversation.

"When's the retail date?" Pyro asked.

"In a month or so," Will told him. "I should be getting the advance copies in about a week."

"You doin' any signings?"

"No. I like to stay anonymous, actually. It lets me switch genres and styles easily if I feel the need."

"Being pigeonholed is a pain in the ass. Heya, Rogue!"

"Hey, St. John," Rogue said as she stepped forward and gave him a careful hug. "How you doing?"

"No worries."

"How about you, Dom?" she asked, turning to Avalanche.

"I'm intrigued. Your boyfriend here has some interesting ideas."

"He always does. Meggan should be here in about an hour," she told Will.

"Will she be okay with the time zone change?"

"She said her body adjusts automatically."

"Neat trick. Could you ask Jean to point her to us when she gets here?"

"Sure." She relayed the thought to Jean as they made their way to Will's workshop.

Will opened the door to the workshop to find Topaz jumping out of Bobby's lap and straightening her skirt, and Bobby blushing hotly. Will just sighed and gave them an amused look. "You have your own rooms for a reason, you know."

"Sorry, Boss," Topaz replied, not sounding very sorry at all.

"Where's Ororo?" Rogue asked.

"She had to run to the bathroom. She'll be right back."

Will nodded. "Once Meggan gets here, we can get started."

Meggan had, in fact, been transported to the Mansion by Amanda Sefton while Ororo was in the bathroom, so the two women entered the workshop together. Once introductions were made, Will outlined his intentions for the team. "What I'd like to do today is let Topaz observe your powers in action. It'll give us an idea of how to balance everything out."

"Question," Domenic interrupted. "I know a bit about Meggan, and she's a lot more powerful than I am. What do you even need me for?"

"Well, again, it's a question of balance. There'll be times when your powers would be better suited for things than hers. And, sticking with the balance theme, there are times when you want a majority of the people in a group to be either male of female, to act as a balance against whatever your target happens to be."

"And I'm very sensitive to magic," Meggan added. "Too much, sometimes. In some situations, I might have to keep my distance."

Domenic nodded, then looked to Topaz. "What's your role?"

"I'll be wearing a few hats. I'll heal anybody who's injured, monitor the magical balance between everybody, and serve as Will's familiar if I have to."

St. John blinked. "You'll turn into a cat?"

Topaz burst into laughter. "No! I can use my powers to magnify the skills of another sorcerer. Think of me as a magical turbocharger." She looked at Will. "We might want to give that a try now, so we can see how you react to my influence."

"And you to mine," Will agreed.

Topaz stepped into the middle of the workshop and set up her cone-shaped barrier. She parted the barrier for a moment, and she and Will switched places, after a bit of wriggling to get past each other).

Once the barrier of the circle closed again, Topaz asked Will to draw a small amount of power from the local environment. He nodded, putting his arms at his sides and making his hands parallel to the ground. Small tracers of energy streamed between his hands and the earth. Rogue, who was watching silently, was suddenly reminded of his cabin in the Rockies.

"That should be enough," Topaz said. Will nodded and broke the connection. Topaz frowned and looked around the room for a moment. Her gaze settled on a hammer, lying atop Will's anvil. "Bobby, could you hand me that hammer, please?"

Bobby nodded and obeyed, placing the hammer against the outside edge of the circle at Topaz's instruction. St. John looked at Domenic and mouthed the word "whipped," causing several hands to be clamped over mouths to avoid outright laughter.

Topaz parted the barrier at its base, allowing the hammer to fall in. A quick series of gestures from her caused a pinkish aura to form around it. Another gesture raised it about a meter off the floor.

"Topaz?" Rogue interjected. "If you want him to move that, I'd really suggest strengthening the barrier. Stephen tried this with an energy sphere, and Will turned it into a ping pong ball."

Topaz nodded, and with a few quick gestures, she increased the circle's thickness and density. She then intensified her hold on the hammer, locking it firmly in place. "Okay," she said to Will, "try to move the aura... not the hammer itself."

Will nodded and raised one hand, closing it into a fist. He pulled down, trying to lower the hammer to the floor. After a few seconds, his face took on a grimace of concentration, and her started to break into a sweat. The hammer did move, however, if only by a centimeter of two.

"That's enough," Topaz said after a few seconds, and Will exhaled loudly in relief as he relaxed his focus. "Okay, now we'll see how you do with my help. Just give me a second to get in sync with your aura..."

"Hold it," Will said sharply. "Will this involve any sort of psychic link? My shields are fairly strong."

"No, there aren't any psi powers involved. Now, just hold still a second..."

A moment later, Will straightened up with a snap, taking in a deep breath. The glow of his eyes increased dramatically.

"If anything, it charges me up."

"Stop if it gets to be too much." Will turned his attention to the hammer. Taking hold of the shield surrounding it with his mind, he gave it a solid whack.

Meggan fished it out of the lake the next day.

By the time dinner was on the table, Topaz had memorized the auras of all of the 'Green Team' members, and the conversation during the meal centered on ways to combine the effects of elemental powers.

"What would be the purpose?" Henry asked.

"Focus and control," Will replied. "For example, Ororo could create a wind funnel around a fire, and St. John sets up a controlled blaze, reducing the oxygen available for the rest of the fire. Or Bobby could manipulate the flow of a flooding river long enough for Domenic to set up a temporary dam."

"Or Topaz and I could calm down panicked animals," Meggan suggested, "so that they don't stampede and run into a dangerous area."

"That's all reactive work, though," Domenic pointed out. "What can we do that's proactive?"

"We've already suggested restoring brownfields," Rogue supplied. "And you wouldn't necessarily have to use your powers. You could just start planting trees."

"You could also look into the removal of invasive species," Henry suggested. "Some of them are doing far more damage than the hand of man."

"Most of them were introduced by the hand of man," Will pointed out. "But it is something worth looking into." He thought for a moment, then looked at Xavier. "How should we fit this team into the command structure?"

"We were going to consider you an independent group. Why?"

"I was thinking about a base of operations."

"The lodge?" Rogue suggested.

"... No, that's a bit too remote. There are going to be times that we'll want media attention to make a point."

"Well," Bobby mused, "we wouldn't be spending all of our time there, would we?"

"Probably not," Will agreed. "It'd just be our public face."

"And you could just 'port us there if you had to. So why not base us someplace that's known to be progressive on the environment? Vail, for example, or Hawaii?"

"Hawaii's fairly mutant-friendly," Xavier pointed out. "I've had some success dealing with the legislature there."

"The price of land is insane, though," Will thought out loud. "Let me do some research, and we'll see what I can come up with."

"We should try to make the base as environmentally friendly as possible," Topaz suggested. "Local, recycled materials, small footprint, solar power, and so on."

Will nodded and started jotting notes down. "How about a geodesic dome? They're easy to set up... I can order a kit... energy efficient, roomy, and nearly impossible to knock down."

"You could just order the connection struts," St. John suggested, "then use local and recycled materials for the rest. It'd let people know that we practice what we preach."

"Good idea. Logan, could you arrange a meeting with Nick Fury? I want his advice on how to handle our public introduction."

Logan nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

"You're not considering a permanent move, are you?" Scott asked.

Will shook his head I'll set up a gate like the one that leads to the Lodge. We'll anchor it at my workshop."

"You'll use keys again?"

"I know the spell," Topaz said. "I can add magical protection for the base, too."

"If we're looking at good public relations, we may want the public to show up," Meggan pointed out. "What about dividing the base into a private area, for our rooms and gear, and a public area that we can use as a visitors' center? We could give press statements and interviews there, and talks on mutant relations and ecology when things are slow."

"That's an excellent idea, Meggan," Xavier said in compliment. "Given Hawaii's tourist appeal, it could have quite an impact."

"That would mean the place would have to be constantly occupied, though," Bobby pointed out. "Would we just take turns there?"

"Hey," Betsy piped up, "I'll volunteer to spend the day in Hawaii whenever you guys need help."

Will chuckled. "Logan, let's look and see when Fury's available."

As Logan promised, Nick Fury was able to steamroll past several government naysayers, and the team, tentatively named Ecologix, was given a charter similar to that of the Avengers, though far more limited in scope. It would act only after permission was given by the local government, and would focus on repairing the local ecosystem, with a secondary goal of assisting with humanitarian relief.

Will tapped into his untraceable funds to purchase, through a dummy corporation that Bobby set up, a small island just off Kauai. With the assistance of Forge's technology, a bridge was constructed that led to the main island. This bridge could be lowered beneath the water when not in use.

The team's introduction to the island was kept low-key, since it was decided to hold a more public event once the base was complete. Will hired locals for transportation, and made special arrangements with a local lumber company to find reclaimed wood for use in the construction. The foundation was assembled with a combination of Styrocrete (which had Styrofoam pellets mixed in with the concrete, making it lighter) and flycrete (which used flyash, an residue from industrial processes which would otherwise be sent to a landfill). The foundation blocks were designed to interlock, making assembly a simple matter. Domenic used his powers to clear the soil to the required depth, and the blocks, once surrounded with fill, were as solid as a poured foundation would have been.

The design of the headquarters itself ended up being a pair of domes: one for the residence, and one for the visitors' center. At Will's suggestion, an S-shaped corridor connected the two, and the curve continued onto the grounds, where Domenic sloped the ground to create a gentle path. The yard was bordered with a low ornamental hedge that circled the grounds. From above, the complex as a whole resembled a yin-yang symbol. The hedge also served to conceal several crystals that Topaz set into the ground. These crystals passively scanned for magical activity, and could be used to raise a barrier against attack, if required.

The actual construction of the domes took very little time, as Will had predicted. A combination of Rogue's flight, Topaz's telekinesis, and ice supports created by Bobby made scaffolding unnecessary, and an hour or so of running about by Will, Ororo, St. John, and Domenic got all of the bolts tightened. Will had purchased and set up a small trailer whose roof was covered in solar panels. Those panels charged a series of sealed lead-acid batteries inside the trailer. This portable power source was used to power all of the tools used in construction, until the windmill and permanent solar array could be installed.

At Forge's suggestion, Henry contacted several renewable energy companies on behalf of the team, offering the headquarters as a place to both test and showcase their latest technologies. As a result, the residential area was given an evacuated tube solar water heater, and an experimental Stirling engine was mounted atop a small platform. A simple computer program tracked the sun, then adjusted a series of mirrors so that several beams of focused sunlight converged on the engine, driving it with the resulting heat.

The electronics within the buildings were designed to run on as little energy as possible, with a series of LED lights providing most of the illumination. Henry did some calculations, and found that the residence used one-eigth of the power of a comparably-sized 'normal' house.

The residential quarters were oriented so that they faced the beach. Will and Rogue shared the largest bedroom, on the upper floor, and Ororo took the smaller one, claiming that she preferred a view of the open sky. Bobby, Topaz, Domenic, and St. John each took a room on the lower floor. Will designed Murphy beds, which could fold up into a cabinet when not in use, for the three remaining bedrooms, one of which was designated for Meggan on her duty days, and the other two for guests. He used local woods, such as bluegum and kamani, for the furniture, bamboo for the floors, wheatboard for the cabinets, and ironwood for highlights throughout the house.

Henry and Kitty combined their talents to design the visitors' area. A holography room, similar in design to a planetarium, formed the center of the building. Designed for presentations, it could be updated to address global environmental threats as they occurred. It would also be used for press briefings. The perimeter of the dome was used for a series of exhibits, each dealing with a specific environmental problem, and ecologically friendly alternatives to help address the problem. A hydroponic greenhouse was set up, both to provide food and indulge Ororo's green thumb, and an electric tram, designed by Forge, would transport visitors across the bridge.

The building was completed after over a month of twelve-hour days, and the new team celebrated with a combination luau and barbecue. Large hammocks, hung between the palm trees on the beach, allowed the couples to cuddle.

Domenic looked at St. John ruefully. "We have got to get us some girlfriends."

Rogue giggled. "You could always wear that outfit from the night I went with you on that arms deal."

Domenic looked puzzled for a moment, then groaned. "I can't believe you remember that..."

"How bad?" Will asked Rogue.

"Two words: Leisure suit."

Bobby winced. "Ow."

"I wouldn't point any fingers, Robert," Ororo teased. "I could describe some of your old outfits easily enough."

"Give Topaz more time to settle in before scaring her," Will advised.

Topaz smiled. "I'm hard to scare." She polished off her wine cooler and stood up. "Come on," she told Bobby. "I feel like going swimming."

Bobby stood up and followed her, eyeing her outfit of bikini top and sarong skirt. You sure you're in the right outfit for it?" he asked as they left the illumination of the fire.

"Who said anything about an outfit?"

Domenic chuckled. "Now I know why you insisted on privacy screening for the patios," he told Will.

"And the one-way glass in the residential wing," Rogue added.

"Well, we needed the screening for the outdoor shower anyway, and I'd rather not find us bring stalked by somebody from the Bugle. If it makes some of us more comfortable about showing skin, I'll consider that a bonus."

Ororo nodded in approval. "I think I'll turn in. What time is that reporter due?"

"About eleven. I told Meggan to be ready by nine, our time. That'll give us time to do some last-minute cleaning, and double-check the fit of our uniforms."

"He's from the local paper, right?" Domenic asked. "Nothing that'll hit the national press immediately?"

"They promised to keep it quiet for as long as possible. Hopefully, it'll buy us a few days without hassles."

"What if you're recognized from a picture?" St. John asked.

"Won't happen. Topaz and her friends helped me make some changes to my uniform. My face will always look a little blurry in a photo or video."

St. John nodded. "What was in the box you gave to Meggan?"

"Meggan loses fine control of her powers if she away from the British Isles for too long. We designed a pendant that'll store some of the mystical energy she needs. If she only uses it when she's with us, it'll let her go for a week or so without loss of control."

"That should be useful," Ororo said as she shook out and folded up her blanket. "Betsy's mentioned some of the difficulties that Meggan once had with her powers. I wouldn't want her to relapse."

"The tide's coming in," Domenic noted. "We should go in before the fire gets covered."

"We'll get it," Rogue offered.

As Ororo, St. John, and Domenic headed back to the residence, Rogue snuggled deeper into Will's arms, trusting that the gauzy blouse she wore over her bikini top would protect him. "This is nice."

"Very," he agreed. He looked up at the sky, undimmed by light pollution. "Remind me to invest in a good telescope."

"Just steal Hank's. He'll never notice." She looked up at him. "Were you talking about me, when you mentioned showing skin?"

"Partly," he admitted. "I want you to be comfortable when you're here. That includes being comfortable with your own body."

She smiled lazily. "That's nice. Maybe I can work on an all-over tan."

"You told me you don't tan."

"Maybe not, but it'll be fun to try."

A few minutes later, a wave finally reached the fire, drowning it in one swoop. At the same time, it deposited a bikini top, sarong, Hawaiian shirt, and a pair of cargo shorts onto the beach, about a meter or so away from the fire.

Will and Rogue gave each other identically mischievous looks, then grabbed the clothes and ran back to the residence, laughing at the squawks of protest that erupted behind them.