THREE WORDS

Part III: Changes

By Chris Munn

In most cases, the three words ‘I love you’ are received with ecstatic joy, especially when said words are uttered for the first time between two people. Like everything else in their lives, however, the situation can prove to be very different for mutants.

“I don’t believe this,” Jon Starsmore mumbled to himself as he felt the newly-regenerated flesh on his face turn an angry shade of red. Only moments before, his fellow student and former girlfriend Paige Guthrie had said those three little words. Jon wasn’t taking it well.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as her hand reached out for his, prompting him to suddenly jerk away.

“What’s wrong, Paige?” he asked as his accented voice raised an octave. “How about the fact that you couldn’t even tell me this ’til I was a whole person again? What, it’s okay now that I’m like you?”

“Like me? Ah don’t understand,” she replied with a confused look on her face.

“Pretty,” he answered as he stood from the bed, “just like you. I knew you were confused, gel…but I never knew you were this superficial.”

“Jono, wait,” she pleaded as he quickly exited the room, “don’t go!” Tears streamed down her face as she fell back on the bed, not noticing another person slipping into her room.

“Well, well, well,” Angelo said as he broke the momentary silence, “the truth comes out, eh?”

“Angelo, what are you talking about?” she asked from her horizontal position, eyes still closed.

“Second best,” was the only reply. Paige sat up, frustrated beyond her means to cope.

“What does that mean, exactly?” she queried as she wiped her eyes.

“You settled for me,” he stated through gritted teeth, “when all the time you wanted him.”

“God, Angelo,” she returned, “don’t do this. Not now.”

“Go to Hell, chica.” With that, Angelo Espinosa turned and left the room. The tears returned to Paige’s eyes, despite her attempt to keep them in check.

The large dinner table bustled with conversations as the students awaited the arrival of their headmasters. Paige sat by herself on the end, facing Jubilation Lee, the school’s resident motor mouth. Jubilee rambled on to her crush, Everett Thomas, who was seated beside her. Across from him, beside Paige, sat Clarice Ferguson, the pink skinned teleporter.

On the other end of the table sat Jon and Angelo, locked in a silent stare with each other, neither one knowing what to say about the situation at hand. Beside Jon was Monet St. Croix, another that was strangely quiet. At the end sat Emma Frost, the first of the two headmasters. A smile permeated from her face as she watched the tension between her charges, knowing that the breaking point was coming soon.

Everyone snapped to attention as Sean Cassidy and Moira MacTaggert made their way into the room. All attention focused on them as the two stood at the head of the table, hands locked in a sign of love.

“I’ve got some news, students,” Sean started with a smile. He stole a glance at Moira, who nodded for him to continue. “Moira and I are to be wed, we’re now officially engaged.”

The students’ eyes lit up at the announcement, congratulations coming from each of them. Even the somber Monet managed a faint glimpse of happiness, despite her inner turmoil. Paige continued to look at her plate, offering only a small smile.

“Congratulations,” Emma finally said after the commotion settled, “it’s about time.”

“Glad to hear that you’re all happy fer us,” Sean continued, “but this does come with a bit of bad news. Moira an’ I are leaving for a spell, to enjoy our engagement before the big event.”

The students, shocked, passed uncertain looks to each other as Sean spoke, unsure of what to make of the revelation. “Don’t worry, you’ll be in safe hands with Emma,” he stated with a blank smile.

Each student slowly turned his or her gaze down the table at Frost, who simply took a sip of her wine and replied, “Safe as safe can be.”

Monet knocked on the door to Alex Roberts’ room, disappointed that he hadn’t attended dinner and worried about his current mental state. His powers had cursed him with radiation poisoning, yet at the same time was staving off the effects of the Legacy Virus, so either way he was doomed to die.

“Come on in, Monet,” he answered from the other side of the door. He knew that she’d be the only one checking in on him, the others had problems of their own. The door slowly opened, a feeling of surprise hitting as she saw what he was doing.

“Alex,” she asked cautiously, “why are you packing?”

“It’s not obvious?” he asked with a grim demeanor. “I’m leaving, going far away from you and the others. Far enough away that I can’t hurt you any more than I already have.”

“Don’t do this, Alex,” she pleaded as he continued to stuff his suitcase with various things.

“I’m dying, Monet. I’m not taking you or the others with me.”

“We can go to the X-Men, they can help you!”

“I love you Monet. If you feel the same way, you’ll let me take care of this on my own. I don’t want you to see me die.”

Realizing that he wasn’t going to accept her pleas, Monet turned and left Alex alone to his devices. As she walked through the hall, the frustration she felt could no longer be contained. Her fist punched through the plaster wall, the sound echoing down the corridors of the school.

“I didn’t know you smoked,” Angelo said as he made his way onto the back patio. Jon took a drag on his cigarette and smiled.

“Didn’t really have a mouth, mate,” he said as Angelo took a seat on the step beside him.

“Care to share the wealth, amigo?”

“Well, I would, but it’s not like I went and bought me a whole pack. Frosty let me bum one, believe it or not.”

“Why do you treat her so badly?” Angelo blurted out, causing Jon to raise a curious eyebrow.

“Frost?”

“Not Frost, you know who I mean. Paige, why do you treat her so badly?”

“This isn’t any of your business, mate,” Jon replied, “so just stay out of it.”

“God man, I’m so sick of your ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude! Obviously the girl loves you, I heard her say it!”

“I know, I am a telepath after all.”

“Shut up! Stop with the sarcasm and cynicism for once, and look me in the eye. Tell me you don’t love her!”

“Because you’re sick, Ange,” Jon replied as he stomped out his cigarette, “I’ll forgive that one. Don’t push me, I’m not in the mood.”

Suddenly, Angelo’s fist came crashing into the side of Jon’s face, knocking them both off the patio. The Latino’s mutant power flared, wrapping the Brit in six feet of distended skin. Not one to go down easily, Jon employed a right cross to Angelo’s face, causing them to tumble farther into the yard.

“Sod off!” Jon exclaimed as he pulled and tugged on Angelo’s tendrils of flesh. The gray-toned mutant merely growled as he constricted his skin, choking his teammate.

“Stop it, both of you!” Paige’s voice sounded off from the patio as she broke into a run toward the two males. They both looked up, Angelo’s skin slacking off and returning to his body. Jon kicked the other guy away from him as he attempted to catch his breath.

“Ah can’t believe this!” she yelled, her eyes puffy and red from the stress of the day. “You’re both morons!”

“How so?” Jon asked while glaring at Angelo.

“Ah’m not worth this! Don’t do this to yourselves over me, please!” she said as she attempted to keep her long, blonde hair from blowing in her face.

“She’s right, mate,” Jon stated as he stretched his hand toward Angelo, “I’m sorry.”

“You two deserve each other,” Angelo grumbled as he pushed his way past Paige and headed back toward the house. Jon glanced at Paige, who simply shook her head and walked toward the tree line.

“As you all may, or may not, know,” Emma Frost announced as the remaining students sat before her, “Angelo and Alex have both chose to leave the school and continue the remaining days of their lives elsewhere.”

Days had passed since the confrontation in the yard, which had proven to be a turning point in the history of the school. Alex and Angelo had slipped away separately, telling no one of their destinations or intentions. Sean and Moira had left on their getaway, cementing Emma’s control over the school. The students were not happy.

“Effective immediately, things are going to be very different here,” Emma continued, “including new uniforms and an enhanced curriculum. To make things brief, I’m giving each of you a choice – stay or leave. It’s as simple as that. You children are the future of the X-Men – the future of mutantkind – and although I can put you on the right path, I can’t drive the car for you. Make your decision now, and stand by it.”

The assembled students – Jon, Jubilee, Clarice, Monet, and Everett – all looked to each other for support, but found that no one knew the answer to the question posed to them. They looked toward the sound of the opening door behind them, looks of shock and surprise adorning their faces.

“Ah’m in for the long haul,” Paige Guthrie stated as she walked through the opening. Her once-blonde hair was now a dark auburn, cut to right above her shoulders. Dressed in what was apparently the new uniform, a black leather bodysuit that looked more apt for warfare than learning which fit tightly across her shapely body, a smile came across her lips as she scanned the faces of her friends.

“Excellent, Paige,” Emma said triumphantly, “welcome to the school of hard knocks.”

NEXT ISSUE: After the emotional roller coaster of the past weeks, the next generation of X-Men find themselves brought into a world of genetics and assassins when they’re ambushed by a group not seen in years! Don’t miss part one of Science & Psionex!