khriskin | DreamWeaver : EPISODE 5 : Mind Over Matter (Reply)

NOTE: These are writings from the late ninety's, which means they are over a decade old. Thus they lack a certain- hmm, 'polish?', but they are also fond memories of my days on alt.comics.fan-fiction and I wouldn't trade them for the world. ^_^

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Telepath Key: :: only one party can hear
:::: everyone can hear

All characters are the property of Marvel Comics, except for those
that aren't. The story, however is _mine_, Copyright 1996}
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DreamWeaver
~~~~~~~~~~~
By Martha McMahon

EPISODE 5 : Mind Over Matter
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"Gambit?" She asked sleepily. Remy looked at Rogue, and then
back at Daniel and shook his head.

"Sorry petite, I t'ink you got me confused wi'd somebody else."

**********

Daniel was beginning to regret waking up.

"You're not Gambit?"

"Non, My name is Remy LeBeau." He replied, a little mystified.
Daniel looked at him, half-asleep and half-annoyed.

"Yes, but your name is Gambit." Rogue realized this conversation
was probably going to keep repeating if she didn't so something.

"'Ah think we have 'stablished that it's not, shugar." She
interjected. "So there ain't much point in bringin' it up again."
Daniel sighed.

:How can Remy not be Gambit?: She grumbled. :He obviously still
knows Rogue...:

"Alright, so you're not Gambit." Daniel finally admitted. "But
then why are you here? Are you an X-man?" Remy smiled bitterly.

"Not for lack 'o tryin', petite. An' as for why I'm here.." He
glanced at Rogue. "Dat be a personal matter, ne?"

**********

::...which is what happened when the Knlir arrived in this
reality.:: Tyger finished.

"You coulda said something." Jubilee pointed out. "'Stead of
freakin' out the rest of us, how was I 'suposed to know you weren't
gonna hurt the Prof?"

::I'll assume that was an apology:: Tyger answered.

"I think _not_."

:Jubilee.: Xavier chided. :While I appreciate your attempt to
protect me, now would _not_ be a good time to press your luck.: The
teenager shot him a rebellious look, but backed down.

"Do you know where the Knlir landed?" Beast asked, steering the
conversation back on track. Tyger shook his head.

::On this planet, that at least I know, but otherwise...:: The
cat flicked his ears back. ::But he will be here soon enough.::

"Cannot you simply relocate to a different reality?"

::Not until Daniel masters her powers.:: Tyger answered the
be-furred scientist. ::And that will not be soon enough.::

"You can't just drag her with you?" Jubilee jumped back into the
conversation.

::No.::

"Then it looks like we had better get moving" Beast noted, "Or
we may find ourselves woefully unprepared."

**********

:I'd better find out what else is wrong with this place, before
I really screw things up.: Daniel realized. :If this is like Age of
Apocalypse, the good guys may not be good guys...:

"So who else isn't an X-man?" She asked. Rogue and Remy gave her
odd looks. "I mean, is everyone else still the same?" This was not
quite going the way she had planned. To make things worse, the little
voice was back again. She squashed it with a mental slap, and
attempted to ask the question again... "Who _are_ X-men?"

"Me, Storm, Xavier, Logan, Chamber, Cyclops, Beast, an'
Jubilee." Rogue answered.

:Chamber? He's in Gen X...: Daniel was now very confused. :And
what happened to Jean? and Bishop? an..: She collected her thoughts
and gave herself a mental shake. :This sure isn't a comic book.:

**********

::While I would like to assist in Daniel training,:: Tyger added,
while the foursome made their way towards the medlab, ::certain
factors make that impossible.::

"I understand completely," Xavier answered, "however I do hope
that you will aide me as much as possible..."

::Of course.:: Tyger answered, and then cocked his head as the
tiny voice whispered whiningly at him. :She's getting better.: He
noted to himself, and released the voice back into the astral plain.
He notice Beast giving him a questioning look. ::My Chosen is no
longer asleep.:: He answered.

**********

"Where's Bishop?" Daniel got blank looks. "Okay...how 'bout
Jean?...Archangel?...Psylocke?..." Now she was getting worried. "So
you've never heard of these guys? No Jean Grey? No Warrengton III, no
Betsy?"

"'Ah know Jean, an' there's someone named Angel, but Ah've
never heard of Bishop, Betsy or Psylocke." Rogue answered.

"How about Cable? Cannonball? Rahnee? um... X-factor?
X-calaber?" She searched her mind for names. "Banshee? Skin? Mondo?
Colossus? Paige? Kitty Pryde? Forge?" She trailed off as she realized
Remy was staring at her. "What?"

"Dat be an 'pressive list 'o names, petite. An' I heard 'o some
'o dem. But they never been X-men."

**********

::This is interesting:: Tyger noted as they got close to the
medlab, ::I had thought Gambit was not an X-man.:: The comment drew
blank looks from his companions. ::Remy LeBeau.:: He clarified, and
was mystified at the Professor's suddenly icy glare.

"No," Xavier replied softly. "He is not an X-man."

:Umm.. Kitling: Tyger called to his Chosen :You may want to take
cover...:

**********

Daniel looked confused, and then turned to look at Remy.

"Why would Xavier be mad at you?" The question, of course, threw
the cajun a little off-balance.

"Umm...well petite.." he attempted to answer, but stopped as
Xavier and crew entered the medlab.

"No, Remy, why don't you answer the child." Xavier snapped. "I'm
sure she would like to know." Daniel looked from Remy to the Prof,
and then relaxed slightly as Tyger moved to her side.

"He don' seem ta trus' me petite." Remy smiled nastily, "Wonder
why." Rogue laid a hand on his shoulder.

"There was a trainin' `accident' an' somebody got hurt, they
seem 't think Remy did it." Xavier frowned.

"We do not think Rogue, we know. Why else would he refuse to
let me mindscan him? He was the only other one in the Danger Room at
that time, and we all have seen the effects of his temper." The
Professor looked pointedly at the card half-way out of Remy's sleeve
and glowing.

"I can think of half-a-dozen." Daniel interrupted. "I mean, you
want to go rummaging around in his head? Why can't you just _ask_ him
what happened?"

"Because he don' trus' me petite." Remy answered. "An' I ain't
lettin' dat one in my head, not for all de world."

::Would you let me?:: Tyger asked quietly. Everyone looked at the
tiger, and then at Remy. :It can't be any worse than what's in the
comics.: Tyger added. Remy looked at Rogue, then at Xavier.

"Hey, dat's fine wi' me." He glanced over at the tiger, "But you
don' go prying' ne?" Tyger looked at Xavier. The Professor shrugged.

"As long as you will tell me the truth..." Tyger turned and
walked out of the room followed by Remy.

::While I'm talking to Remy, why don't the rest of you give up
and go to sleep. It's after midnight.::

"But I just woke up!" Daniel complained. :Plus I wanna know
what the story is with Gambit.:

:His name's Remy.: Daniel sighed, and then turned to look at
Xavier.

"So, am I sleeping in the medlab or what?"

**********

Tyger found an empty room and moved into it, mentally 'blinding'
the surveillance equipment. He turned and looked back at Remy.

::I don't bite.:: Remy shrugged.

"It don' pay 't be careless." Tyger nodded.

::Would you like to sit down?:: Remy walked over to a chair.

"Jus' don' get 'tween me and de door, ne?" Tyger sidestepped so
he was out of the way. Remy sat, swinging the chair around backwards.

::So what happened?:: Remy looked a little startled.

"Ain't you gonna read me?" He asked confused. Tyger shook his
head.

::I can tell when your lying, that should suffice.:: He gave Remy
a friendly look, ::After all, everyone needs a few secrets.:: Remy
relaxed and leaned his arms on the chair's back.

"Dis was.. seven years ago I tink, back when I firs' met Rogue."
Remy drifted off into yesteryear. "Now dat be a woman, ne?" He chuckled
"She didn' tink I was so wonderful myself, not wi' Chess there." Remy
frowned. "'Course I didn' like de tadpole, who would? He didn' fight
fair, couldn' hit 'im on my best day. Had somtin' dat let 'im see what
someone was gonna do, 'for they did it." he shrugged. "But I didn'
kill 'im, he jus' vanished."

::He vanished?:: Remy nodded.

"I was in de Danger Room, been workin' out when he comes in an'
asks me to hide 'im." Remy frowned. "He looked like sometin' been
chasin' 'im or some-such. But 'fore I could _anythin'_ he up and
vanished. Odd, ne?" Tyger nodded, and then looked at Remy closely.

::Would you let me try something?:: Remy looked a little nervous.

"What?"

::I think someone has blocked some of your memories, I would like
to remove the block.:: Remy shuddered.

"Dey been in my head? Jus' as long as you don' look at nothin'
else.." Tyger nodded.

::This should only take a moment.:: Tyger brushed past Remy's
instinctive mindshield, and headed towards the Danger Room episode. As
he had suspected barriers blocked his way. He snarled as he tore them
down, and found what he had feared on the other side. ::Knlir.::

Remy gasped as Tyger removed the barriers that stood between him
and the day's events. "Mon deau." He cursed very quietly. "Chess...What
_is_ dat thin'?" He asked Tyger.

::That is a Knlir in it's true form, and that _was_ the missing
Dreamer pair, Jason and Pace.:: Tyger bowed his head. ::Fear not cajun
you did not kill Chess, _we_ did.:: Remy looked at the grief-stricken
cat.

"You?" Nothing Rogue had told him accounted for the Knlir, or the
tiger's grief. "Dat was a wolf, ne? An' you sayin' you're related?"
Tyger curled up on the floor.

::Pace was a Dancer, he should have known.:: Remy just looked at
the tiger.

"I tink I'm missin' sometin' important here, ne?" Tyger turned
his head to look at him.

::Go talk to Xavier.:: Remy backed out of the room.

"Sure, whatever you say. I be goin' now, bye." Remy hurried to
rejoin Rogue and Xavier, the other X-men having succumb to the tiny
voice that was encouraging sleep.

:Sasha: Tyger called mournfully into the deep. :I have found the
Dancer. Sasha....: After a moment a voice answered him.

:We will sing for the Dreamer, but the Dancer still lives.:
Tyger looked up in shock.

:He cannot! How?: The other voice declined to answer. Tyger stood
and glanced out the window into the starry sky. :Then he is still here,
without a Dreamer...: He trailed off. :His Chosen is dead, he should
be too.: He shook his head. :Ah well, back to reality..: He smiled and
then moved out the door after Remy.

**********

:Kitling wake up.: Tyger nosed the comatose/sleeping Daniel. She
grumbled and rolled away from his cold, damp nose. He sighed. :Kitling
you do not have a choice.: Daniel opened one eye.

:It's eight in the morning cat.: Tyger looked at her expectantly.

:And...?: Daniel glared at him.

:And it is way _way_ too early for me to be alive.: She burrowed
under the covers. :Wake me when it's Spring.: Tyger paused a moment and
then nudged her again.

:It _is_ Spring Kitling, and the Professor is waiting for you in
the Danger Room.:

:Lucky me.: Tyger reached in and picked Daniel up by her t-shirt.
"Hey!" He dumped her on the floor.

:You act like a kitten, I'll treat you like one.: Daniel glared
at him for a moment and then attempted to find the rest of her clothes.

:To err is human... to forgive _feline_.:

**********

"Alright," Xavier began, "if you would please retrieve the apple
from the table, we shall begin your training." Daniel nabbed the fruit
and then looked over at the Professor.

"What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Turn it into a hologram." Daniel glanced from the apple to
Xavier.

"I can do that?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"If you can convince yourself that it is a hologram, then in
this reality, it will be." Daniel looked down at the apple.

:Alright, you can see and hear a hologram, but you can't smell
it or feel it, or taste it.: She sighed. :Right. So taste isn't
gonna be too much of a problem, I hope. But not feel it? I'm
_holding_ the stupid thing.: She closed her eyes. :Okay, so I
pretend I'm not holding it, that there's some projector somewhere
and...:

After a few minuets of unsuccessful trying she opened her eyes
and glared at Xavier.

"This doesn't work." She gestured with the uncooperative fruit.
"Maybe Tyger's wrong.. maybe I can't do this!" She glared at the
apple and then threw it at one of the walls. It made a satisfying
splat. Xavier sighed.

"You cannot expect to pick these things up on the first try
Daniel, this requires time and patients..."

"And I'm running out of both!" She snapped. Xavier motioned
towards the table.

"Try something different then...like the ferret." The animal
was pacing in a small cage. It looked up and chittered as she moved
over. Daniel looked at it for a moment, and then lifted it out of
the cage. It scrambled up her arm and curled around her shoulders.
Daniel moved back over to Xavier.

"Are you sure I should do this?" She asked a little nervously
"I mean, what if I do turn it into a hologram and can't turn it
back!" She scritched the ferret's red-brown head. "Wouldn't that
kill it?" Xavier shook his head.

"No, at least not theoretically, but in this case I doubt it
will make much of a difference." Daniel gave him a confused look.

"Why not?" Xavier smiled.

"Because it was a hologram to start with..."

(End of Episode 5...)

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