Lyrissa's Sparkles II

Lyrissa woke up late in the morning. Rolling off her bed, she stretched and dragged her feet to the bathroom to take a shower. Of course, there was no hot water, so her shower was very fast. For some reason it was very quiet in the mansion, and that worried her, since it was usually filled with arguing, laughing, pranks, X-Men chasing laughing pranksters through the halls, and Scott yelling at fighting children to knock it off before someone gets hurt.

She quickly made her way down the stairs, and found no one, so she went to look in the War Room, but still nothing. Game Room: nothing. Library: nothing. Infirmary: luckily, nothing. After near an hour of searching, she got to the Danger Room. She went up to the control room, and only saw Logan training down below her; no one else was there.

“Logan, where is everyone?” she asked through the intercom. “Went out fer the day.” He answered without stopping his training. She knew it was unfair to ask him to stop what he was doing, because she was bored, so she decided to go out herself. “Hey Logan, I’m going to go for a ride. I’ll be back later okay?” she announced. “Fine by me.” He answered shortly. She sighed and teleported up to her room to change into her riding clothes.

The Shovelhead still wasn’t road worthy, so she took Bad Boy out instead. The wind tore through her hair as she sped down the road, with no destination in mind, she just wanted to ride again, and it had been too long.

Meanwhile, Rogue and Jean were taking Katie and Stephen sightseeing in New York, with Kiera, Max, and Box, while Gambit took Dante, Allie, and Jamie to a movie. Andrew, Jazz, and Jubilee were at an underground art exhibit for political pro-mutant/human peace pieces of all kinds with Xavier. Storm, Beast, and Cyclops were dealing with a new gang of mutants who were terrorizing a high school.

“Look at this!” Jazz gasped, coming to a large canvas mural showing the X-Men protecting an entire crowd against a large dark shadow. Each of them were using their powers, and around and behind them was very bright, and lively, where everything around the shadow was dark, broken, and dying. “It looks just like them Professor!” Andrew agreed, leaning closer to the canvas. “Indeed it does Andrew, it’s a very impressive work of art.” Xavier smiled, admiring the work himself.

“Like it?” a young college-aged girl smiled. Her short spiked blonde hair was covered with a bandana, and her pants and tank top both had paint on them from all the times she wore them while working on her art. “Very much, where did you get the idea for this, if you don’t mind?” Xavier smiled. “No I don’t, I love sharing this story. You see I was in that crowd. A few years back, there was a riot against all mutants, and a bunch of us got caught up in it. It was like the entire city cornered us that day. They defended us, without killing, or seriously hurting a single person.

“A while later I saw them again, fighting other mutants. And over the years, every time I’ve seen these mutants, they’ve been defending, helping, or protecting someone, or something. So I got the idea from watching them that they’re fighting the shadows, and darkness that’s been thrown over mutants. The people, who stand behind, and beside them, aren’t in darkness, because they know the light. They’re not only mutants, it’s everyone. Everyone who thinks we can all live together. Where they protect, that light gets just a little bit brighter. You know? I know it’s cheesy, and lame, but whatever. Art is a reflection of the artist’s opinions, right? So it doesn’t matter then.” She smiled, not taking her eyes off her work.

“Did you tell them how much you appreciate it, have you shown them this painting?” Jubilee asked. “Oh no. I would, but I don’t know their names, or what they call themselves. I don’t know anything about them, other than what I’ve put in this painting; but I stand behind them.” She smiled. “They’re called the X-Men.” Andrew informed. “If you would like, I could give you a way to contact them.” Xavier smiled. “Oh, no thank you. I think if they’re meant to see this, they will when the time is right. Maybe they’ll see my other work, maybe it’ll just go unnoticed.” She smiled.

“K.D. Question Marks is in the paper! As a vandal!” someone announced suddenly, followed by several laughs and jeers by the artists of every style in the underground gallery. “What the hell, it was chalk! It’ll be gone when it rains!” she yelled. “Well, the city cops don’t agree! You defaced public property.” Someone sighed beside her. “You’re kidding, it’s an abandoned gas station.” She laughed. “People are stupid.” Someone else yelled.

“No! People aren’t stupid, people are oblivious!” someone else corrected. “They can’t see a message.” Another joined in, and before long K.D. Question Marks’ appearance in the media as a vandal was forgotten as everyone went into their own conversations.

“How did you get the name K.D. Question Marks?” Jazz asked. “My first and last initials, and two question marks. My real name is Kedra Dessario. But if I used that out on the streets, not only would everyone know I’m a mutant, I’d get arrested for the art.” She laughed. “So the question marks?” Jubilee questioned. “Are because no one knows who I am.” She smiled.

While Xavier, Jazz, Jubilee, and Andrew enjoyed the art show, Lyrissa found herself standing in the old, now truly abandoned warehouse that was once “Jax Shak”. There were still unopened beer bottles in a cooler from the last party that was busted, tools strung out in the back room, jackets, trash, old food, bike parts, flags, it was like she was standing in a ghost town version of her own life. There was even a Karma Jennings poster halfway peeling off the wall.

She explored the warehouse little by little, going through everything. Memories flooded her mind with every item she inspected. Good memories of her and Jack, back when they were the closest of friends. Memories from when they were family.

She saw her and Jack partying together after her first win. It was the night she had her first beer, the first time she got into a fight with the Michaels Brothers, it was a night of firsts altogether. She could almost hear Jack’s laughter, and cheers for her, and feel his arms around her as he picked her up to stand on his shoulders.

As much as she hated the Jack that had betrayed her, she couldn’t see him, and “Jackie” as the same person. She couldn’t help but to shed a few tears for Jackie, because when Granny Rose killed Jack, she lost him forever. She had hope still that Jack would realize what he was doing, and truly switch sides, and become Jackie again, she knew it wouldn’t happen, but she still held hope. That hope was gone now, Jackie was dead; she would never hear him laugh again, feel his hugs, listen to his bad jokes, or see his “Jax Shak” shirt again.

She wiped her tears, and continued to explore the warehouse, until she came to a room that he said only she knew about. He kept it hidden, and anyone who didn’t know it was there, would probably never find it. It had a mattress, blanket, and pillow, and that was about it. She sat down on the mattress, and broke down as her mind went back to the night he showed it to her; the night she owed him her life.

~

Lyrissa was cornered in a very dark alley, against four men. She knew she couldn’t fight them, because that would be impossible. She didn’t know how to teleport on command yet, or how to summon her wisps to fight; at that time she didn’t know her wisps could do anything.

Without warning, the beating began. “I, told, you, not, to, run, bitch!” one of them snarled, kicking her hard in the stomach with every word. They had tried to grab her ten minutes before, but she ran for her life; her mistake was running into a dead end.

As he kicked her, one of the others joined in and started hitting her back, while a third kicked her legs and hips, and the fourth stood lookout. Originally they had other plans for the attractive young girl they found alone in the dark, but now they were just going to kill her.

As suddenly as the beating began, it ended and the three men stood silently. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? You know that’s one of my racers right? You know what I do when people fuck with my racers?” Jack asked, cocking the gun that was pointed at one of her attackers’ heads. “Get the hell out of here, before I shoot all four of you between the eyes.” He ordered. Being the cowards they were, all four ran.

“Jen, babe,” He sighed after putting the gun away and kneeling down next to her. “Jackie,” she whimpered as he picked her up and started walking. He took her back to the Shak, and took her into the back room, before putting her on the ground. “Stay here okay?” he smiled before moving the shelving unit that held all of his tools. “No one knows about this room, well no one but you and me.” He smiled as he picked her up again and carried her to the mattress.

“You just rest okay? You’ll be okay I promise. The Michael’s Brothers won’t hurt you anymore tonight.” He smiled before she gave in and fell asleep.

~

After her first fight with the Michael’s Brothers, they attacked her every chance they had, but that night Jackie saved her. If it weren’t for that night, she would have fought back against him the night they found out he was with the Brotherhood.

Seven hours later everyone was back at the mansion, except Lyrissa. Logan was getting worried, Allie was crying, Stephen was trying his hardest to help the X-Men without getting in the way, and Katie was just getting more and more afraid after hearing about Sabertooth, and the Brotherhood, and the group that was still running the labs at the Jennings estate. She may not have known Lyrissa long, but she was still her aunt, and she was still in trouble.

“What if Jack has her?” Andrew asked suddenly as everyone was crowded into the War Room. “He can’t, he’s dead.” Logan smirked. “He’s what?” Jazz asked flatly. “Granny Rose killed him.” Katie explained. “Why?” Scott asked, baffled by the fact Jack was no more. “He shot Allie.” Logan answered. “What!?” Kiera almost screamed. “He shot her twice, and she almost died. One of the kids, Mitchell, healed her up. Kid’s fine now, but she wasn’t then.” He explained. “Well then it’s good that bastard’s dead!” Andrew yelled. “Language, Andrew.” Storm sighed. “Sorry.” He spat.

An hour later, Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean, Rogue, Gambit, Storm, and Beast were on the jet in search of Lyrissa, while everyone else stayed at the mansion. The entire time, Logan was just hoping Sabertooth hadn’t got to her.