Explosive Combination: Parts 5-6

by Verthril

Disclaimer :  Marvel owns ¡¦em, I¡¦m just borrowing them.

Part Five: Nightlife

¡¦Ow.¡¦ Jubilee whined as Hank cleaned the cuts on her face.

¡¦My apologies Ms. Lee.¡¦ Hank replied as he tried to be gentler with the care he was providing.

¡¦Ow.¡¦ Jubilee whined once more as Hank dabbed the cotton swap on the gash on her forehead.

¡¦Ow!  Ow ow ow!  You got it in my eye!¡¦ Jubilee shrieked as a drop of alcohol ran into her eye.

¡¦P¡¦tite, let de man do his job.¡¦ Remy remarked in his best ¡¦big brother¡¦ voice that he had learned could gain compliance from Jubilee.

¡¦But he got it in my eye!¡¦ Jubilee protested, holding her fist to her eye and gritting her teeth.

¡¦And it was an accident, but if he doesn¡¦t get does cuts cleaned up, dey might get infected, and we don want dat do we?¡¦ Remy asked, guiding Jubilee back to the bed.

Jubilee cast her best scowl to Remy as she sat down, letting Hank clean and bandage the rest of the cuts with little protest.  With a sigh Remy left and joined the others in the anteroom of their hotel suite.

¡¦How is she?¡¦ Ororo inquired, looking up from her cup of tea.

¡¦Eh?  Oh, she be her usual darling self when de doctors and such be concerned.¡¦ Remy replied, sitting down in a chair and staring out at the street below.

¡¦In other words protesting the entire way?¡¦ Ororo replied with a smirk, having overheard the dispute from the other room.

Remy gave a nod and then pulled out a pack of cigarettes.  Fishing one out, he put it gently to his lips, and was just about to light it as a cough came from across the room.  Remy looked up to find Ororo pointing to the balcony.

¡¦My apologies fair lady.¡¦ Remy remarked, rising from his seat and giving her a courtly bow before joining Logan and Angelo on the balcony.

¡¦¡¦Ro kick ya out?¡¦ Logan inquired, chewing away on his cigar as he scanned the cityscape.

¡¦Oui.¡¦ Remy remarked a moment before he placed his cigarette back his lips, allowing a charge to pass through it but letting all but the tip dissipate as the cigarette began smoldering away with a pop.

¡¦So, who was that hombre who had you so freaked Senor Logan?¡¦ Angelo inquired.

¡¦Creed, an ol¡¦ pal o¡¦ mine who can even give me a good beating.¡¦ Logan replied somberly, earning a whistle of appreciation from Angelo.

¡¦You should keep better friends then.¡¦ Angelo remarked, stubbing out his cigarette and walking back into the anteroom.

¡¦So, how do ya know Creed Cajun?¡¦ Logan asked, waiting for a moment alone to inquire.

¡¦Just old business homme, lets leave it at dat, non?¡¦ Remy remarked, taking a long haul off his cigarette.

¡¦Fine by me, just as long as that old business doesn¡¦t come back ta bite ya in yer ass.¡¦ Logan replied, turning to stare down Remy.

¡¦De only t¡¦ing dat came back to bite me, was not finishing off what I started.  Remy not make dat mistake dey next time, not wit him threatening de P¡¦tite.¡¦ Remy said in a flat voice, staring off down the street.

¡¦What¡¦s the kids name anyways?¡¦ Logan asked, looking back into the hotel and finding Jubilee walking out of the bedroom, looking none to impressed.

¡¦Jubilee, Jubilation Lee by birth, but you call her dat and you be expecting to get a face full of ¡¦er sparks.¡¦ Remy replied, giving Jubilee a smile as she walked towards the balcony.

¡¦My eye hurts, my head hurts, and I didn¡¦t get to go shopping.  What does that tell you Rem?¡¦ Jubilee asked as she walked up to the balcony and leaned against the railing.

¡¦Dat you want to have Remy help you blow up Creed?¡¦ Remy inquired as he cast a wry grin down to Jubilee.

¡¦Works for me.  When are we going to nuke the SOB?¡¦ Jubilee asked, looking up to Remy with her one eye squinted shut, puffy and red.

¡¦When de infernal realms freeze over P¡¦tite.¡¦ Remy said flatly as he took another haul of his cigarette.

¡¦Your kidding right?¡¦ Jubilee asked, looking to Remy with clear disbelief.

¡¦As I said P¡¦tite, dat man ain¡¦t worth de trouble he bring wit him.  Best to get out while we can.¡¦ Remy said, leaning down beside her.

¡¦Well don¡¦t look now bub, but ya ain¡¦t gonna get yer chance to run.¡¦ Logan remarked as he unsheathed his claws with the familiar ¡¦Snikt¡¦.

Suddenly a scream pierced the night and Logan leapt from the balcony, grappling a streetlamp and flipping to the ground.  Giving a glance to the balcony three floors up, he seemed to be taunting the pair before running off into the night.

¡¦What¡¦s got him spooked?¡¦ Jubilee asked a moment before a fierce snarl ripped through the night air, sending a chill down Remy¡¦s spine.

¡¦Creed.  C¡¦mon P¡¦tite.  Wit him dat close we got no choice but fight.¡¦ Remy said as he jumped onto the balcony, repeating Logan¡¦s descent, with Jubilee following suit.

The two ran together as the followed the sounds of battle raging, running down the shadowy alleys and side streets until they came face to face with an epic battle of two equally matched opponents.  Logan, though smaller, was giving just as much as he was taking, while Creed nimbly ducked out of the way of fatal attacks.  Remy pulled out Bo staff and a deck of cards, charging the entire box and hurling all fifty-two at Creed and Logan.  Logan, noticing the attack leapt out of the way a moment before Creed was sent flying into an alley.

¡¦Mind tellin¡¦ me the next time ya do that Cajun?¡¦ Logan asked as he rolled to his feet and got ready for the next attack.

¡¦Eh?  What was dat about no time for pleasantries mon ami?¡¦ Remy asked, twirling his Bo staff as he readied for Creed.

Suddenly from the shadows, Creed lunged out, slashing Logan down his chest.  Logan fell back, but not in time as Creed grabbed a hold of him and threw him into a street lamp, knocking him unconscious.

¡¦Runt¡¦s playtime is over.  Time for yours kiddo.¡¦ Creed snarled as he lunged at Remy, slashing away.

Remy backed away, deflecting blow after blow with his Bo staff, while Jubilee flanked Creed from the side and let a barrage of pyrotechnics fly with enough power to melt glass.  Creed let out a howl of pain as he stalked away, clutching his side as he glared at the girl.  Remy took that moment to place a blow to his throat, toppling the feral mutant as he readied for a final strike.

¡¦Any last words homme?¡¦ Remy asked, having awaited this moment from his youth.

¡¦I¡¦ain¡¦t¡¦alone¡¦¡¦ Creed gurgled out, gasping for breath.

Remy spun around to see a shadowy figure creeping out of the alleyway, towards Jubilee.  A moment¡¦s distraction was all Victor needed as he swept his feet out, knocking Remy to the ground.  Leaping onto the fallen thief, Creed looked up to Jubilee, seeing the anger and horror in her eyes as he smashed Remy¡¦s head off the pavement.  Had he known what anger was to Jubilee, he might not have taken to the taunt, but as he did not, he took much pleasure in watching her face twist as he crawled to his feet, hefting Remy up like a rag doll.

¡¦Frail¡¦s plaything broken?¡¦ Creed asked with a sadistic tone to his voice, watching as Mystique grappled Jubilee from behind.

¡¦Hey!¡¦ Jubilee cried out, struggling to get free.

¡¦Shut up kid.  You¡¦ll get your turn next.¡¦ Mystique whispered into her ear as Creed raised a clawed hand to Remy¡¦s throat.

Suddenly all the anger and despair in the world filled Jubilee with a power like she had never known, the fear at loosing the best thing to happen to her since before her parents had been killed, the still festering pain at her parents senseless death, all of it rose to the surface.  The anger became incarnate as an explosion ripped through the street, shattering windows and toppling street lamps.  Cars were thrown like toys, while the litter on the street burst into flames.  The very air became a fireball, climbing high into the sky, leaving behind a void in its stead as a rumble broiled through the night air.  Mystique and Creed lay unconscious on the ground as an unnatural wind of air rushed in to fill the void, leaving Remy and Logan gasping for breath as they stirred.  Jubilee, weakened and confused, fell to her knees as she stared at Remy.

Back in the hotel, Angelo stood with his mouth agape in awe at the fireball that rose into the sky.  His cigarette fell to the street below, and then suddenly the shockwave threw him back into the anteroom as an unnatural thunder rolled through the night, shaking and rattling paintings and china.  Ororo ran from her chair to the balcony, soon joined by Hank as they stared at the dissipating fireball.

¡¦By the goddess¡¦¡¦ Ororo whispered a moment before she took to the air, flying to the disturbance.

Angelo ran out in time to have Hank throw him over his shoulder and leap to the ground with the grace his mutation granted him.  Moments later the trio found themselves in the center of the explosion, staring at the battered and burned street while their friends and guests rose from the dust.  At their feet, Creed and Mystique lay unconscious, the aftermath of a missed battle.  At first sight of Logan, Ororo swept low and burst into a run to his side, clutching tight to his still healing body.  Remy had taken to sitting with Jubilee, hugging her tight as she stared off into the night, at a lost for the destruction she had wrought.  Slowly Hank and Angelo walked to their side.

¡¦What happened?¡¦ Hank inquired, looking down at his charge from moments earlier.

¡¦Big Badaboom.¡¦ Jubilee whispered, staring at the scorched and burning wrecks.

¡¦Dios, did you do this Chica?¡¦ Angelo asked, looking down to her.

¡¦He was going to kill Remy.¡¦ Jubilee whispered, looking up to Remy¡¦s bruised and bloodied face.

¡¦We should best flee from here.  We do not have the proper equipment to restrain those two, though I believe the police might with either of them being unconscious from the blast.¡¦ Hank remarked as the distant sound of police sirens grew closer.

Remy rose to his feet and set Jubilee to her feet, though she only stumbled to her knees at the first attempt to walk.

¡¦Too tired.  So tired.  Remy, don¡¦t ever do that to me again.¡¦ Jubilee whispered, looking up to Remy with a twinkle in her sapphire eyes.

¡¦Remy promise he won¡¦t let himself get killed P¡¦tite.¡¦ Remy whispered and he reached down and picked her up.

Ororo and Logan joined them soon after, while Hank pulled out a remote and summoned the Blackbird.  Remy passed Jubilee over to Hank, who in turn climbed up the rope ladder that Bishop had dropped, cradling Jubilee in one of his massive arms.  Angelo and Remy followed suit, and Ororo flew up with Logan at her side.  Once on board and buckled up, the plane left in a flash, leaving the wreckage to the police and fire crews to attend to.

In Westchester New York Bobby Drake watched the radar as his friends and teammates returned home from Paris.  Finding it odd that they had arrived home three days sooner than anticipated, he ran from the security room and down to the hanger.  As the gangway lowered two new faces greeted him, one looking a little worse for wear with several bandages and bruises marring it.

¡¦Company?¡¦ Bobby inquired, checking for any signs of battle wounds.

¡¦Yes.  Could you arrange from the Professor to be in his office.  We shall need to introduce him to our guests.¡¦ Ororo replied, ushering Jubilee and Remy out of the hanger and to the kitchen.

Angelo stood next to Bobby, watching the retreating form of Jubilee appreciatively, earning a throaty chuckle from Logan.

¡¦I¡¦ll warn ya now, girls like that are ta be treated with respect or they¡¦ll tear it outta yer hide.¡¦ Logan remarked, recalling past loves of his life, and then giving a glance to his present.

¡¦Oh?  Is that what happened back when Ms. Munroe threw you off the roof?¡¦ Angelo asked in a whisper of a voice as he leaned over to Logan, earning a growl from the older man.

¡¦Watch it bub.  Or I¡¦ll tear something outta yer hide.¡¦ Logan remarked, unsheathing a single claw as he pierced Angelo¡¦s cigarette pack.

¡¦Back here smoking age is twenty-one.  I¡¦ll hold onto these for now.¡¦ Logan remarked, walking off as he put a cigar to his lips and pocketing the pack of cigarettes.

Angelo waited until all but Bobby had left, then put the cigar he had stolen from Logan¡¦s shirt to his lips.

¡¦Nimble fingers eh?¡¦ Bobby asked, to which Angelo let the spare skin on his fingers and extend.

Bobby gave a chuckle as he gave Angelo a pat on the back, the two leaving the hanger to find out whom their new guests were.

After a quick trip to the kitchen, Remy and Jubilee found themselves in an immaculate office with a Victorian era d¡¦or.  At the desk, Professor Charles Xavier sat, giving a genuine smile at the pair who had paid a visit a year prior.

¡¦Greetings again.  I hope you two are both well.¡¦ Charles said as he leaned back in his hover chair.

¡¦Well as anyone who just blew up a block or had their face used as a hammer.¡¦ Jubilee remarked, toying with a loose thread on the upholstery of the chair she was seated in.

¡¦Hush P¡¦tite.¡¦ Remy whispered, turning to face the Professor after earning a scowl from Jubilee.

¡¦Oui, we be well.  De P¡¦tite just bitter dat Creed ruined her first trip to Paris.¡¦ Remy remarked, doing his best to gauge Xavier.

¡¦Ah, I see.  Well, if you are planning on staying this time, you are more than welcome.  I can have the guest rooms readied for you both.  But if you wish to leave, too can I arrange transportation.¡¦ Xavier explained, though truly hoping the mysterious pair before him would stay.

Remy and Jubilee exchanged glances, and then Jubilee gave a shrug.  While the exchanged was made, Xavier made a note of how he could not even grasp a stray thought from Remy, while Jubilee herself was totally invisible to him, and if it hadn¡¦t been for her presence there he would have been oblivious to her.  Remy turned back to Charles and gave a smile.

¡¦I t¡¦ink de P¡¦tite wants to stay here for a while. De boy Angelo was telling her about dis place, and she was interested in dis Danger Room he told her about.¡¦ Remy explained, thankful for being able to ply the boy with cigarettes for information.

¡¦Ah, of course.  If you two do not mind, Hank and myself would love for an opportunity to study your mutations.  This is a school first and foremost, set on helping the next generation and whomever needs it with their gifts, learning to cope and master them.¡¦ Charles explained with the pride of a proud father at what he had founded.

¡¦Eh?  What you t¡¦ink P¡¦tite?  Mebe dey can figure out why your sparks don like Remy¡¦s charged cards, non?¡¦ Remy asked of her, truly curious at finally finding out his own personal mystery.

¡¦Whatever, so long as it¡¦s strictly observational.  My eye is still burning from when he got alcohol in it.¡¦ Jubilee remarked, climbing from her seat and sneaking to the door.

Outside, Angelo crouched down with his ear to the door, listening with juvenile abandon with Artie and Leech standing behind.  Suddenly the door opened, and Angelo tumbled in as Artie and Leech bolted, laughing.

¡¦When you get yourself up off the rug, you can show me to that Danger Room, I could use a good work out after breakfast.  Maybe if you want, I could show you a few things.¡¦ Jubilee said as she stepped over Angelo and waited for him in the hallway.

¡¦Eh?  Oh, sure Chica.  I¡¦ll start you off slow as there are some mean scenarios in there that belong to Senor Logan, they get pretty nasty.¡¦ Angelo remarked as he climbed to his feet and lead Jubilee off.

¡¦I t¡¦ink de boy just bit off more den he can chew by patronizing de P¡¦tite.¡¦ Remy chuckled as he looked out the door.

¡¦Do tell.¡¦ Charles replied, catching a few stray thoughts from Angelo¡¦s head.

¡¦So, you want to start wit classifying my mutation?  De P¡¦tite will be ready and in a better mood after she lets off some steam.  She had been looking forward ta Paris for over a month now, Remy going to have to make it up to her later.¡¦ Remy explained as he rose from his seat.

¡¦Of course, if you could just follow me I believe Henry shall be more than ready to run a few tests.¡¦ Charles said as he hovered out from behind his desk and led the way into the depths of the mansion.

In another part of the mansion, Bishop stood silent watch over the video system and keeping an eye on LeBeau.  The gentle aroma of a cigar caught his noise as he looked back to the doorway, finding Logan leaning against the doorframe, claws extended and carving away at a piece of metal.

¡¦Evening Logan.¡¦ Bishop said as he turned his attention back to the cameras.

¡¦Evening Bish.  We ain¡¦t gonna have a repeat like last time are we now?¡¦ Logan asked in a dangerous tone, sheathing his claws and throwing the scrap metal into a wastebasket.

¡¦Of course not.  I¡¦ve had much time to collect my thoughts since then.  I was still reacting to the shock and based my actions on a future that may no longer be.¡¦ Bishop explained, while in another part of his mind he worked out contingencies incase that future started to unfurl before his eyes.

¡¦Just making sure we¡¦re on the same page bub.  I¡¦d hate ta have ta do something I didn¡¦t want ta.¡¦ Logan remarked as he chewed on his cigar for a moment, and then silently left the security room.

Bishop looked back to the doorway, knowing full well Logan would carry through with such a threat, and then returned to his silent vigil on the security cameras.  A flash of foreboding thoughts ran though his mind, recalling the panicked distress call from Jean Grey.  If anything, he had much time to prepare for such a betrayal, if history followed the same path.  Jean had said they had known him for years, and yet this Remy LeBeau had just walked back into the X-men¡¦s lives after a brief flickering moment a year ago.  Looking down to his side arm, he checked the charge.  Indeed, time was on his side.

Part Six: Big Badaboom

 Jubilee found herself in a large square room, black with glowing power conduits running about, with various junctions.  Angelo had taken a seat in the control booth, keeping a watch over the proceedings and arranging the scenarios.  Behind him Artie and Leech had taken to kneeling on a couple chairs so they could watch.

¡¦So, like, what do you want to start me off with?  Powers or no powers?¡¦ Jubilee asked, looking up to the booth.

¡¦Whatever ya feel like Chica.¡¦ Angelo replied through the intercom.

¡¦Fine, no powers.  Just give me a Bo staff and I¡¦ll be good.¡¦ Jubilee called out, and a moment later she found a wooden Bo staff at her feet.

Picking it up, she twirled it about, finding the balance.  Frowning a little, she wished she had one as nice as Remy¡¦s.  He had shown her how to use various melee weapons, being as there were times you just couldn¡¦t rely on your powers.  She had been an apt pupil, mimicking maneuvers that Remy showed her.

¡¦This will do.  So, ready when you are.¡¦ Jubilee replied, readying herself as she looked about the room.

Suddenly she found herself in a street, a mob of FOH supporters at one end.  Shaking off the disorientation she felt as she suddenly appeared in a city with all the trimmings, including the stench of rotting garbage and various litter, she looked to her opponents.

¡¦It¡¦s a Mutie!¡¦ A man yelled as he pointed to Jubilee, who in turn stood unfazed.

¡¦FOH?  Oh do tell me you have better than this.¡¦ Jubilee remarked as the mob approached.

The first one got a swipe across the face, sending him toppling to the ground, while with a spin of the staff she slammed it down on another man¡¦s wrist as he lunged at her with a knife.  Jubilee fell back, with the remaining six men approaching quickly.  Breaking into a run, she ran for a light pole, jumping and spinning around as she gained momentum for a swift kick to the face of yet another FOH supporter.  As she flipped into a crouch, she looked back to find five men standing.  Three men surrounded her, lunging in for a grapple at the last moment.  In response, she merely spun her staff around, hitting each man squarely in the face before jumping out of the confining circle.  Three left.

Angelo watched in amazement as she dispatched the FOH supporters with casual ease.  While no slouch himself, she seemed to find their attacks more amusing than threatening.  Artie and Leech watched avidly, letting out empathic groans as Jubilee leveled a kick square in a supporters nether regions, toppling him as he grabbed for his family jewels.  Finally only one man stood standing, drawing a pistol as he leveled his aim at Jubilee.  Jubilee only spun the staff in return, lifting up a chain another supporter had dropped, and propelling it at the gun, knocking it out of the man¡¦s hand before he could fire.  Jumping up, Jubilee dispatched him with a kick to the throat.

Jubilee looked down to the simulation, finding with the last one dispatched that they all vanished.  She hadn¡¦t even broken a sweat, and looked up to Angelo mockingly.

¡¦Oh please tell me you have something more than that, otherwise I¡¦ll have to get on that computer and whip up a few scenarios.  Find something suiting this time, and I¡¦ll go powers with the staff.¡¦ Jubilee called out.

Angelo browsed through the directory, looking for something more challenging.  He had a feel for her fighting style, and had seen the aftermath of a level of her power that she hadn¡¦t known of herself.  Sentinels?  Nope.  Brood?  Pass.  Ah, here we are, this will do Angelo thought to himself as he selected the scenario.

Suddenly Jubilee found herself on an old freighter, the vessel rocking gently against the waves.  Salt air filled her lungs while the air itself was quite cooler, perhaps a cold October day out at the pier.  Fog drifted about in light patches, while off on a hill a lighthouse stood silent watch over the harbor.  Suddenly a noise caught her attention as she turned to see a yellow being, looking to be an equal mixture of human and machine in one.

¡¦Well hello handsome.  And what¡¦s your name barf-face?¡¦ Jubilee asked, trying not to be unsettled by the four faces on the man¡¦s chest, all with looks of either despair or anger on them.

¡¦I am called Harvest.  You will succumb to the Phalanx or be terminated carbonate.¡¦ Harvest intoned, taking a step closer to Jubilee.

¡¦Oh yeah?  Well guess what, I don¡¦t care for succumbing to anything other than exhaustion after a shopping spree on Remy¡¦s plastic, and I don¡¦t terminate easy, so bring it on!¡¦ Jubilee yelled, throwing a bolt of focused plasmoids at Harvest, eating away at his chest.

Harvest fell back, slowly drawing himself back together.  Finally as he was once more whole, his arm formed a deadly blade.

¡¦Thank you Carbonate.  That is all I needed to know.¡¦ Harvest remarked as he lunged at Jubilee, slashing at her.

Jubilee deflected the blow, redirecting it at the floor of the vessel where the blade tore deep.  Spinning the staff around, she slammed the end into the back of Harvest¡¦s head, toppling him.  Flipping back onto a crate, Jubilee looked to her fallen foe.

¡¦Give up yet tractor boy?¡¦ Jubilee asked, glaring at the man.

¡¦Hardly.¡¦ Harvest replied, flipping over and tearing a deep tear in the metal of the floor, propelling shards of metal at Jubilee.

Jubilee threw a burst of pyrotechnics, deflecting the attack, but opening herself up to another.  This time the weapon of choice was a set of pincer hands, clamping down on Jubilee and embedding themselves deeply into the metal of the wall.  Jubilee threw a burst of pyrotechnics at his midsection, expecting him to be propelled away with the force she filled the plasmoids with, but only found a sadistic grin in her face.

¡¦I have compensated for mutant power.¡¦ Harvest said, drawing the pincers closer and earning a sharp breath from Jubilee as she felt them tighten on her ribs.

¡¦Compensate for this!¡¦ Jubilee screamed as the wall behind her shattered, sending the two toppling into the hold of the ship.

Jubilee landed on a crate, smashing through it and knocking the wind out of her, while Harvest landed on the floor with a loud smash.  Crawling from the crate and clutching her chest, Jubilee looked to Harvest, slowly knitting himself back together after the fall.

¡¦Impressive Carbonate.  Using the environment against me.¡¦ Harvest said as he rose from the floor, towering over Jubilee.

¡¦It gets better than that ya borg wanna be!¡¦ Jubilee yelled, flipping back and landing by a fuel line she had spotted in her fall.

Jubilee knocked a valve off the line, sending disel spilling onto the floor of the hold while Jubilee ran up the stairs, seeing the high ground before she ignited it with a paff.  The screams from the hold rang through the entire ship as Jubilee made her way to the front of the ship.  Just as she was catching her breath, she heard the sound of tearing metal come from behind her.  Looking back she saw Harvest rising from the hold, flames flickering from his form while smoke billowed away.

¡¦Don¡¦t you ever die?¡¦ Jubilee yelled, looking to the man.

¡¦The Phalanx is a collective, even if you terminate me another shall come along.¡¦ Harvest replied, taking a step closer to Jubilee.

Anger and annoyance rose in Jubilee as she stared at the opponent who wouldn¡¦t die.  Her paffs were useless against him, and a wooden stick was painfully underpowered.  She thought back to the moment she had blown up the entire street, wishing she could do so once more.  Fire hadn¡¦t even stopped him.  What was she to do?  Whatever it was, it would have to be caused by her power, not directly so he could compensate for it.  Time was growing short as he fought to reform himself, giant spikes extending from his body while blades formed on his hands.  That could be painful Jubilee thought.  Then suddenly a wry grin and flickering demon eyes appeared in the shadows.

Charged cards were thrown at Harvest, and Jubilee took her cue as she flipped off the boat and into the water below, firing off pyrotechnics at full strength as she formed a dive into the water, escaping the blast.  Remy was teleported out a moment before the blast by Clarice, who had sent him into the simulation as part of Hank¡¦s tests.  Finding himself back in the control booth at the exact moment the two powers collided, the resulting explosion shook the Danger Room and knocked all in the control booth to their behinds.  Climbing back up to the controls, Angelo found the Danger Room had activated an override, canceling the scenario and enveloping Jubilee in a shielding stasis orb, protecting her form the blast.  Finally as the dust settled, Jubilee fell on the floor and looked about confused.

¡¦Hey!  Who shut off the program!  It was just getting good now that Remy joined in!¡¦ Jubilee protested, looking around at the sparking power conduits.

¡¦Eh?  Chica, you and Remy shut it off when you overloaded the safeties!¡¦ Angelo yelled back.

¡¦Oh?  Cool!¡¦ Jubilee yelled, preening as she walked out and joined the others in the control booth.

There she found Angelo sitting in a chair, smoking at a cigarette which no one protested to, while Hank was busy looking over the readings taken at the moment the powers collided.  Remy pulled Jubilee into a hug, giving her hair a ruffle as he did so.

¡¦Remy proud of you, ya used what I taught ya with style girl.¡¦ Remy said, looking down to Jubilee with a smile.

¡¦Hey, so ya gonna get me one of those nifty Bo staffs ya got?¡¦ Jubilee asked giving Remy puppy dog eyes.

¡¦Mebe later P¡¦tite.¡¦ Remy replied, ending their hug as he joined Hank by the computer.

Jubilee walked over to Angelo and sat down beside him.  He looked over to her with a look of someone who had just seen a bull elephant run over their dog.

¡¦So?  That the best ya got?¡¦ Jubilee asked, her bravado getting the best of her as she admired the quirk of Angelo¡¦s lips as a twitch emerged.

¡¦I¡¦ll take that as a no.  How about a burger joint around here?  I just got my drivers license.¡¦ Jubilee inquired, in all truth only going through one of Remy¡¦s hacker friends to have a real one sent to her in the mail, faking test results and a short driving history.

¡¦Eh?  Oh sure.¡¦ Angelo remarked as he stubbed out his cigarette and led Jubilee away.

Hank was engrossed with the readings, looking at various charts moments before the collision of powers, and then after.  Remy looked down, only catching the most basic of the readings, knowing Jubilee to be the true science inclined of the two.  Finally Hank looked back to Remy.

¡¦Oh.  My apologies, this is just so very interesting.  While you two do not share any blood relation, your powers share a similar characteristic of those related by blood.  While those of blood cancel one another, with a negating quirk of physics in either, the two of yours seem to be in an exponential harmony, complimenting one another, each acting as a catalyst for the other.¡¦ Hank explained, pulling up a diagram as he explained, earning a slight nod from Remy.

¡¦So what does all dat break down to, homme?¡¦ Remy asked.

¡¦Well, your kinetic ability breaks down the stability of your young friends plasmoids.  The energy released by your charge then accelerates the expansion of the plasma as it claws out at the nearby molecules, setting off detonations on the sub-molecular level.  I must say I am very thankful it is not on the atomic level or you might have destroyed New York in an atomic explosion.  But with the bonds broken on these molecules, the excess energy is unleashed in the form of an explosion.¡¦ Hank explained to Remy.

Remy stared at Hank with a blank look on his face, too thankful for the limit of Jubilee¡¦s detonations.

¡¦You mean de P¡¦tite makes de sparks by detonating molecules?¡¦ Remy asked.

¡¦Yes.  She detonates the air molecules about her hands, drawing that energy into plasmoids, which she can control.  I must say in years to come it shall be interesting to watch how her powers develop.  If she were to learn to gain control over matter other than what she has detonated, she could be very powerful, too if she were to learn how to do upon will what she did back in Paris.¡¦ Hank explained once more, and then turned back to the results.

Remy slowly shook his head at the revelation, and took this moment to quietly leave, Clarice following on his heels with Artie and Leech on hers.  Remy looked back to the teenaged girl following him, along with the two boys.  Clarice gave him a smile, and Artie and Leech snuck up behind her as they peeked at him.

¡¦What was dat t¡¦ing de P¡¦tite was fighting?¡¦ Remy asked of her.

¡¦Oh?  That.  That was Harvest, a human joining with a collective entity called the Phalanx.  A few years back, before Angelo and myself with Jonothon joined the X-men, they had taken to eliminating the next generation of Mutants only to be destroyed by the combined might of the X-men and their splinter groups.  Sean and Emma had helped to save us, and in a final fight with Harvest I fractured him, blinking him out of synch.¡¦ Clarice explained in a somber tone.

¡¦Blinking?¡¦ Remy asked.

¡¦Yeah.  I kinda of blink and stuff teleport.  I teleported him out of synch and destroyed him, and almost myself, but Angelo saved me at the last minute.  He risked everything to pull me back, endangering himself.  He forced me to control it before it got out of control and killed us along with Harvest.  He was like a lifeline, an anchor.¡¦ Clarice explained, her eyes going misty at the memory of Angelo yelling at her not to let go, not to sacrifice herself.

Remy looked down to Clarice, giving her a smile and brushing away the tear that fell from the girl¡¦s eye.  He could tell instantly that this girl had a crush on Angelo, but was too shy to tell him.  He would have to knock some sense into that boy late, unless Jubilee beat him to that of course.

¡¦So?  You gonna show Remy to his room, non?¡¦ Remy asked, taking the girl in arm as he walked on, casting a look back to the boys as they bolted.

¡¦What is wit dos two?¡¦ Remy asked.

¡¦Oh, Artie and Leech?  Emma had then sent to us.  Emma Frost, she runs Frost Enterprise.  You might have heard of her.  Anyways, Artie can¡¦t speak and is terribly shy, while Leech had a tough childhood.  Artie can project holographic images while Leech dampens mutant powers when he activates his gift.¡¦ Clarice explained.

¡¦Dat don tell me why dey running about like lost puppies and running away when I look at dem.¡¦ Remy remarked.

¡¦Oh?  Well, they¡¦re probably plotting something, Bobby and Angelo were a bad influence on them.  The last Great Prank War held many victims.¡¦ Clarice explained, recalling a dual prank the two teams had pulled on her, neither knowing the other hand the same victim.

¡¦Ah.¡¦ Remy said as Clarice showed him to his room.

On the roof, Ororo sat with Logan and watched as Jubilee sped off in Rogue's Miata.  Suddenly Rogue flew up behind them, looking at her retreating car.

¡¦Mah car!¡¦ Rogue shrieked as she sped off after them.

Ororo and Logan exchanged glances, and then looked back to the retreating form of Rogue as she chased after her ¡¦borrowed¡¦ car.

¡¦Kid¡¦s got moxy.¡¦ Logan remarked.

¡¦Moxy?  Oh dear me Logan, please do not tell me you remember a time when that word was in wide use.¡¦ Ororo replied with a giggle as she stared at her lover.

¡¦Eh? Remember, no.  Feels right, sure.¡¦ Logan replied, pulling Ororo into a kiss.

A warm rain fell over the two as Ororo felt herself melt against Logan, oblivious to the world around her and the rain she had caused.  Off in the distance Logan could hear Rogue¡¦s yelling for Jubilee to put up the canvas top on her convertible.  A part of him hoped the two guests would stick around, finding the Cajun a man after his own heart, while the girl sure did liven things up.