Attention: Generation X and their villains, as well as any other mutant mentioned in this story, is property of Marvel Comics. The character Richard Cale is named after family relations. Any other reference to anything copyrighted is a chance happening.

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Truth Be Told

Chapter 1: Tragedy (Updated)

Yvette stood at the door to Rich's dorm room. She could hardly believe that he had grown so cold in such short a time. He was depressed, and the events that lead to them were extremely traumatic. They knew that Rich was having problems when she and Monet followed him the one day. Emma Frost, the headmistress of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, asked them to watch him. As they quietly followed that day a week ago, she had realized what he going to do. She saw the lighthouse in the distance, the place where Emplate lived. When she explained the situation to Monet, Monet grabbed her, then Rich, and flew them back to the school.

Yvette continued to watch Rich, as he sat on his bed, holding a picture she had seen many times before. Every once in a while, he broke into tears. When she tried to approach him, he gave her a glance that told her not to even come close to him. It was odd, because she and him had been inseparable after his recovery from Emplate's attack on the school. She was so deep in worry for Rich when she heard a voice behind her softly say, "Has there been any change, Yvette?" She turned to see Emma Frost standing behind her and watching Rich.

"No, Emma. I can't even begin to approach him. I've never seen him like this before."

"None of us has, Yvette." Emma Frost had started calling her by her first name since Rich recovered. "You must remember what Rich has been through. Part of him still feels remorse for the events. He feels responsible for the deaths that happened here."

Yvette understood that much. She still couldn't understand why Rich would willing want to turn himself over to Emplate. "That doesn't give him the excuse to turn himself over to Emplate. He knows how much I care for him. He knows I would not let him do that."

A calm voice startled both her and Emma. "That was why he tried to sneak away, Penny." It was Monet. Monet still called her Penny, a nickname that was given to her by her friend and "sister", Jubilee. Monet continued, "He didn't know we were following him, but with how his mind works, I think he was hoping we would. I think that something he said came up and hit him in the face."

Yvette heard both herself and Emma ask in unison, "What?"

"The truth can surface in ugly ways. What caused this was the ugliest truth in the Cale family."

Emma interjected, "That and he feels guilty over the death of Sean's cousin." Yvette remembered that. She still remembered what had happened. Yvette had remembered that, but she didn't know much about Sean's cousin.

"Emma, what happened between Sean and his cousin?" Yvette didn't truly understand it all, but she wanted to find out.

"There is a fierce hatred between Sean and his cousin, Tom. It is the same that is between Monet and Emplate." Yvette shuddered to think that someone else could be as evil as Emplate. She still had nightmares about her imprisonment. "Tom is the black sheep of the Cassidy Clan, but Tom became an international terrorist. From what Sean told us when we returned from Monet's place, Tom had done some experiments and learned to control plants. His next step was to probably capture all of you using the fake Mondo he created."

Yvette was just about to ask more when Jubilee ran over, "Emma, Jean and Scott are here." Emma and Sean decided to see if they could get Rich to talk about what had happened. The two together figured that maybe Jean Summers could get Rich to talk about what had happened.

Yvette's more important concern was about Rich. She knew that Rich knew that she was there. She was afraid that he would try something rash if nobody was watching. "Should I keep an eye on Rich, Emma?"

Everett Thomas came walking over. He then said, "I'll keep an eye on Rich for a while. Besides, if he sneaks out, I can track him." She felt a little relieved when she heard that. After Everett took the post of watching Rich, Jubilee lead them over to the main building to meet with Scott and Jean Summers.

Sean felt a bit of relief when Scott and Jean arrived. He hoped that they could help Rich break the emotional wall that forced everyone to avoid him, including Yvette. No matter what happened until that day over a week ago, Yvette was always welcome, mainly because the two were in love. Sean could swear that he was seeing another Scott and Jean in Rich and Yvette.

Jean finally spoke up, "What seems to be the problem?" Jean, who Xavier had taught before his rage turned him into Onslaught, never used her powers of telepathy unless as a last-resort. Emma could take a lesson from that.

Sean waited until everyone, except for Everett and Rich entered the room. He had sent Everett to keep an eye on Rich so that Yvette could be here. He motioned for everyone to sit down and finally said, "Tis about the new student."

Scott immediately said, "Was that the one you contacted us about a month ago, to find out in he had contacted us."

"Aye. As of recently, he has closed himself off from everyone, even Yvette." A slight look of confusion crossed their faces and Sean motioned Yvette to stand. As she stood, Sean noticed that she was wearing the same dress that she wore when Rich had recovered after the attack by Emplate. Recently, she started putting her hair in a ponytail. He then said to Scott and Jean, "You might remember her being called Penance."

Jean looked a bit surprised. "What happened to cause this change?"

"Rich, the new student. His mutant ability allowed him to communicate with her. Over the past month, she has learned to control her ability, as well as speak with everyone. The two had been virtually inseparable, until recently."

"What happened?" Scott asked.

"Well, during Christmas, we found we had some unexpected company. Black Tom was on the school grounds. The only students on campus at the time were Yvette, Jono, Angelo, Mondo, and Rich. It was Rich who discovered Tom's presence."

Scott, looking a bit confused, asked, "How did he manage that?"

"Rich's mutant ability is to basically change into the mutant he is closest to. Some aspects of his ability allow the lad to use those abilities against that mutant."

Jubilee spoke up and said, "I can testify to that." Sean remembered what Jubilee had gone through the day Emplate had attacked. Rich, for a brief time, had been controlled by Emplate, and during that time, Emplate had somehow made Rich attack her.

Sean continued, "There are some benefits to his ability. The communication with Penance, the lad can detect Emplate. Of course, with his ability, we run the risk of him becoming a second Emplate."

Jean appeared to come to the conclusion that was what happened. "I take it that Rich stumble onto Tom's presence."

"That he did, and that was around when everything went crazy. I think that it might be best if we all told you what happened." Sean began by tell them about how the events began.

Bump....for reasons that will be revealed later in the week.