[Let me preface this by saying there is no particular timeline for any of the events in this story. They are before the end of the show and probably before the time skip, but that is it. The source material itself has no real timeline, so it's impossible to pace it any other way. I'm just going to do my best with it.]

Location: X-Mansion (New York)

It was a slow day around the X-Mansion-- no disasters to be averted and no villains on the horizon.

The X-Men were spending their time training or otherwise amusing themselves.

Scott Summers and Jean Grey were out on a date, but everyone else was around the house somewhere.

It was a warm summer day and they felt sluggish. Even Jubilee didn't have any energy.    

She asked Logan rather piteously if they could go to the beach. He said, "Not a chance."

Jubilee pouted and went back to watching TV.

Rogue and Gambit were playing pool in the Rec Room, and arguing over who was better at it, as usual.

Storm was trying to block them out while reading a book. She could have just gone somewhere else, but it seemed like too much effort to move. [Mood.]

Beast was in his lab, tinkering around.

Professor X was reading also, but in his study.

Time ticked by silently.

Finally, Logan went outside to smoke a cigar, and that was when he started to catch a whiff of a strange scent, like...someone he didn't recognize.

He sniffed harder. Then he started to edge towards the gate of the property.

* * *

Location: ...Somewhere in America? 

"Okay...are you sure this is right?" Wally asked, shading his eyes in the sudden heat that had slapped them as soon as they came out of the portal.

"I told you, I can't mess up the directions the first time," Shine said crossly, because he asked this literally every time.

"Okay, okay, it just never looks like we're anywhere normal..." Wally said.

Shine blinked. "We appear to be in the country...or else we're on a huge property again. Or both.... Wait, isn't that the house through those trees?"

"Oh...yeah," Wally said, taking her arm and dragging her towards it. 

They found the gate, old fashioned.

"Okay, if I was correct, we ought to find a sign around here." Shine began looking at the wall. "Aha, Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted...wow, just like the movie."

"Let me see." Wally looked. "Wow...this feels weird, you know? Like I'm at a theme park or something...but that house doesn't look that much...I mean..." He peered through the gate.

"Hey, what if there's an electric charge!" Shine said. "Get back!"

"We'd hear buzzing, Sunshine, it's fine.... Actually I don't see any security measures at all, no cameras, nothing." Wally frowned. "Maybe we're in the wrong time zone. It looks empty to me."

"Or it's just a slow day," Shine said wearily. "I think I feel that lag... This heat isn't helping."

"We just got here. It's too soon for lag."

"Sometimes it hits right away. I could just curl up under that tree now..." Shine's eyelids did look heavy.

Wally shook her a little. "After we find a guide, okay? If we sleep out here without anyone knowing, we'll get taken in for trespassing or something."

Shine smirked. "That'd be one heck of a way to start our next miss--"

She broke off because the gate was sliding open suddenly.

"Uh...did you touch something?" Wally asked.

"No--" Shine began before someone suddenly jumped out and grabbed her arm. Then three long claws appeared in front of her neck.

Shine almost choked on air.

"Whoa!" Wally had the nerve to look impressed. "It's him! Oh man, that's so cool, like they're real claws!"

[Wally Art by Julianna Gardner]

"Yes, it felt real!" Shine yelped.

"Who in the h--- are you two?" Wolverine asked in a raspy voice. 

Shine could smell cigar smoke, and she coughed a bit.

"Hey, man, we come in peace." Wally still didn't look concerned. He held up his hands casually. "Can you please let my wife go now?"

"You're trespassing," Wolverine said, not letting go.

"Actually we're here to see someone," Shine said. "It's very important. Could you maybe let me go, Mr...uh...?"

"You can just call me Wolverine, Sweetheart," Logan said dryly, letting her go but keeping his claws out. "Who are you looking for? 'Cause it better not be for revenge."

Shine rubbed her throat. "Not what's on my agenda.... Also, why didn't you just help me?" she said to Wally.

"I didn't want to spook him," Wally said. "What if he flinched? Come on, would you have attacked?"

"Well, no, but I wouldn't have said, 'That's so cool!'" Shine said crossly.

"You would have if it hadn't been for him attacking you," Wally argued.

"Hey, bozos, still here, or do you need a minute?" Wolverine said hostilely.

Shine smiled. "I'm sorry, you're right... You're Logan, right?"

[Shine Art by Julianna Gardner]

"How did you...? Who sent you?" Wolverine scowled more.

"That's a long story," Shine said. But she held up her hand. "But it's perfect that we met you first. Because it was you who called for us."

"Should we lead with that?" Wally wondered.

"I just did, so it's too late now," Shine said. 

"I just mean, you know, it's a lot to hit a guy with in the first 5 minutes."

Wolverine glared. "I didn't call anyone here. I think you two have been pranked. If that even is the truth. I suggest you leave while I'm still in a good enough mood to let you."

Shine tilted her head. "But you did call us. Just a few days ago. I heard you."

"You didn't hear nothing--unless you're some kind of telepath." Wolverine suddenly began to think she might know his name for a different reason. "You mutants?"

Shine started to say something, then paused.

She glanced at Wally. He shrugged at her unknowingly.

Shine shook her head. "No," she said. "I'm not...well, not like you mean. I guess this eye color makes me a mutant." 

"Oh, like the movie," Wally laughed.

Wolverine didn't get it.

"You look like a human to me," he said. "Smell like one too."

"Excuse me?" Shine said, a bit offended.

"You got no business with me," Wolverine said.

"Well, if you don't want to talk, could you direct us to the X-Men?" Shine asked politely. "Because I think some of them will wish to speak to us."

"You...knew.... All right, that does it," Wolverine said. He held out his claws. "March. I'm taking you two jokers right to the Professor. You're a little too knowledgeable for comfort."

"Oh, no, why?" Shine whined, but she was faking it. "The Professor? Is that really necessary?"

"You bet it is. Now move it or lose it," Wolverine huffed.

[Wolverine Art by Julianna Gardner]

Wally had to stifle a laugh at how easily Shine had pulled that off as they walked in front of Wolverine.

Though, not gonna lie, Wally thought, he's kind of scary. I mean, he's like Batman with knives.... I don't know about this.

Shine was way too busy gawking at the mansion to care about Wolverine. It was much bigger up close--and old fashioned, her favorite kind of house.

Wolverine made them go in some kind of side door that must have led right to the basement where the containment areas were.

Inside, he pressed some intercom on the wall.

"Professor, got some unknowns here to see you. Something smells funny here. Better hurry it up."

A moment later they heard a reply. "Meet me in the room with Cerebro."

Shine lost her calm demeanor. "Now wait a minute, I don't think we should go with Cerebro."

"It's not a person." Wolverine prodded her none too gently into a room just a few paces down the hall.

"Hey, careful!" Wally said. "And watch those claws, man. I just washed this outfit, don't tear it."

"I know it's not a person," Shine tried again, "but if you use that thing on us, it could have a very bad effect--"

Professor X came hurrying into the room in his wheelchair, and most of the other X-Men were right behind him. Jubilee wasn't there still. She was too far away.

"What in tarnation?" Rogue asked blankly.

"Who dey?" Gambit demanded.

[Gambit and Rogue art by Julianna Gardner]

"Well, that's what we want to find out. But where did you find them?" Xavier asked Logan.

"Just sniffing around the gate, looking at the sign," Logan said.

It did sound bad when he put it that way.

"Oh, I was just trying to make sure we had the right place," Shine said. "You know, the woods are huge around here, so..."

 That didn't sound better, did it?

"We just wanted to knock on the door, honest." Wally held up his hands. "But the gate was shut. We didn't even try to get in."

"Well, if you're telling the truth, I will apologize." Xavier had a hand to his temple.

"Don't do that!" Shine stiffened. "Stop! You'll only hurt yourself by trying."

"Don't do what?" Storm asked. "He is only probing you right now to see if you're being truthful. The Professor would not attack people who haven't attacked us first."

Suddenly Xavier winced. "I...can't seem to.... Ah!" He suddenly gasped and flinched.

Shine crossed her arms. "I told you! Give a woman a chance to explain around here."

"I'm all right." Xavier waved off Storm and Rogue's concerned gestures. "It just stung me.... You have psionic protection?"

"I guess...?" Shine said. "My mind is not a place I want you poking around in, thanks."

"Or mine," Wally said, "just for the record. I mean, people say I don't have a lot going on up there, but it's still my zone, you know?"

Shine rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess that sums it up. Do you always try to 'probe' people as soon as you meet them, or are we just your 100th visitors or something?"

No one laughed.

"I apologize, but it's not exactly normal for people to just walk up to our gates, and I thought you might be...well, someone else," Xavier said cautiously. "Perhaps some introductions are in order. I am Charles Xavier, and I run this school."

Shine and Wally nodded.

"Shine Likstar." Shine held out her hand. "Well, technically, Shine Likstar West now, but I'm still getting used to that."

"Wally West." Wally held out his hand.

Only Xavier shook them.

"You're...married? Or siblings?" he asked.

"Married," they chorused.

"For about a year," Shine added, "give or take...so, yeah, still getting used to all of it."

"And why are you here?" Wolverine asked curtly.

"I believe I said. You called us," Shine repeated.

Everyone looked at him.

"What's this about, Logan?" Rogue asked, her southern drawl getting more pronounced with concern.

"D----d if I know. They keep saying that. I ain't never set eyes on 'em before," Logan said. "I don't know who they are. They don't smell normal, that's all I know."

"Well, what do dey smell like?" Gambit somehow asked that with a straight face.

"Different," Logan said.

"Must be that new aftershave," Wally said to Shine, who choked on a laugh.

"Well, better just tell them," she said.

"You sure, 'cause last time--"

"I think they can handle it. It's not like it's never happened to them before--often."

"Okay," Wally agreed. "Nice an' easy."

"We're aliens," Shine said.

* * *

"Not exactly what I meant by nice and easy..." Wally said, after an awkward pause.

The X-Men stared at them blankly.

"Aliens?" Rogue finally said.

"Like the Shi'ar? Are you from them?" Xavier asked hopefully.

"Do we look like Shi'ar?" Shine said, insulted. "Please...no, we're not exactly those kinds of aliens... I'm not sure how else to explain it to you, but...well, you know about other dimensions, correct?"

"Fascinating," Beast said. "Are you claiming to be from one?"

"When did he get here?" Wally asked.

"I think he was standing behind them," Shine said, "but kind of hard to miss. And yes, we are." She shrugged. "We're other worldly beings, but human, same as you. From another timeline."

"Ah," Xavier echoed. "I don't suppose you know our friend Bishop, then?"

"I know of him, but we're not acquainted," Shine said.

Wally made a face behind her back like he didn't think he'd want to be.

"Oh great, what is it this time? An earthquake? A flood? A freaking nuclear war?" Wolverine asked.

"None of the above," Shine said. "In fact, it's nothing like what you're expecting. But it's a little difficult to explain.... We're here to help you."

"We hear dat one before," Gambit said.

His accent was a little hard to understand for them...but after a moment Wally said. "Well, was it true before?"

"Sometimes." Logan glared. "And sometimes, you just want to kill us."

"Are we sure they are telling the truth?" Storm asked. "I know we have seen it before, but they have no wristbands, no time travel device that I can see. Perhaps they just know of it and are lying."

"Oh, well," Shine sniffed. "If we're lying, then we could be more convincing, couldn't we? But here, look at our clothes. Do they look normal?"

The X-Men scrutinized them.

"Well...they are a little funny." Rogue didn't seem to think that was a rude thing to say.

"And Logan there, said we smell different," Shine said, "which, while rude, is probably true. I'm sure the air of our time is different. And plus, this is...uh... Where are we exactly?"

"America," Xavier said.

"But what state?" Shine asked.

"New York," Xavier answered.

"Ah, well, I'm from the other end of the country," Shine said, "so that's probably a difference right there."

"And what state are you from?" Wolverine asked.

Shine pursed her lips. "Do I have to say? I'm sick of getting the same reaction every time."

"Maybe it won't be so bad. It's the 80s, right?" Wally said.

"Well, Reagan--" began Shine, then stopped. "Ah, wait...not in this timeline..."

"If ya ain't going to tell us, then ya can't expect us to trust ya," Wolverine said testily. "We need some kind of proof ya aren't bat crazy or else pulling our legs."

"How would we prove we're aliens from the future?" Shine asked. "I thought with your myriad of encounters with this sort of thing, you'd be less skeptical. There's the Shi'ar, and then Bishop, and Cable, and Apocalypse, and that weird blob thing--"

"How do you know all that?" Rogue asked. "I ain't never seen you before in my life."

Shine looked right at her. "Rogue?" she said. "Oh...you look different. But I recognize the accent."

Rogue didn't know what to make of that statement. "Have we met somewhere?"

"No," Shine said. "I mean...yes, here, but other than that no."

Pause.

"Well...it is possible," Xavier said. "What do you want with us? Are you here to warn us?"

"And what does it have to do with Wolverine?" Gambit asked. The others had already almost forgotten that part.

"I ain't never called on any one from another dimension," Logan said.

"Oh, don't lie," Shine said. "You have, many times. And here we are... Say, I have an idea." She held up her hands. "The best way to prove what we're saying is if Logan remembers calling us, right? Then he'll know we're not lying. And you'll know too. Let's try this. You give us one day here, and if Logan doesn't remember by then, we'll have to try to explain, but if he does, we can settle this whole thing. Is that fair?"

The X-Men looked at Xavier.

"Well," he rubbed his chin, "if I could be sure you were sincere about Logan...or that you could not simply plant memories in his head."

"Surely you could tell if we did," Shine countered.

"Probably, but still," Xavier mused. "Well, I suppose it's fair enough. We can't be sure you're not telling the truth. Logan? Are you all right with it?"

Logan glared at them.

"I don't plan on rememberin' anything," he said. "But if they want to stick around for one day, I say we make sure they ain't armed."

"Is that our right--?" began Storm.

"No, he's right," Shine agreed. She held up her hands. "You can make sure. I mean, one of you ladies can, obviously." She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but I don't know where I'd hide a weapon," Wally said. "Except in the jacket maybe." He took it off and shook it. "See?"

Storm and Rogue exchanged a glance and then came and looked Shine over a bit.

"I can't see anything," Storm said. "They seem harmless... Are you mutants?"

"No," Shine said.

Wally looked at her a little oddly but then shrugged. "Nope."

The X-men weren't so sure.

"Would it be all right if I took samples of your DNA?" Beast asked. "I mean, as you are new creatures to us, I would like to study it."

"Well, I don't usually do samples on the first day," Shine said dryly, "but if it would convince you we're human, I suppose."

"Do I have to swab something?" Wally asked, cringing.

* * *

The introduction was so weird that the X-Men weren't sure what to make of it even between themselves.

"And it was such a nice, quiet day too," Rogue muttered. "Shoulda known it was too good to last."

"Eh, dey ain't done nothing yet, chere," Gambit said, unconcerned. "If dey were dangerous, why let us test them?"

"Humans can be plenty dangerous," Rogue insisted. "I don't know, why did that lady act like she knew me from somewhere? It gives me the heebie jeebies."

"You sure you ain't never seen her?" Gambit said.

Rogue rubbed her head. "If I did, I don't remember it."

'Course, that didn't exactly mean it was impossible. She didn't remember a lot.

Xavier said they should keep the two strangers upstairs for now, because if they were trouble, there was a lot more equipment in the basement for them to reach than upstairs.

Jubilee finally joined them and got caught up to it.

Of course, she was less scared than curious.

"Wow," she said, when the two strangers came into the living room. "Are you two really from the future?"

"Oh, sure," Shine said.

"How far in the future?" Jubilee asked.

"Jubilee, right?" Shine gestured.

"Uh...yeah, how did you know?" Jubilee said.

"Only teenager here," Shine explained.

"But how did you know who Jubilee was?" Logan asked, still suspicious.

"Didn't Bishop know things about you too?" Shine asked.

"Yeah, and he tried to kill us," Logan said.

"Well, no one said he wasn't an ass," Wally said.

Gambit almost smirked. "Dat true."

"You didn't answer my question." Jubilee frowned.

"Oh...well...I'm from roughly 30 years into the future," Shine said, "give or take 5, maybe."

"And...gee...maybe 10-20 years?" Wally said. "I mean, this all looks pretty retro, especially the outfits, but maybe some old people I know still dress like that."

"Old?" Gambit repeated.

"Not to worry," Shine said. "Long coats never go out of fashion. You're good. He means the bright colors. It all gets so grey and white and black later, kind of depressing, really."

"I'm more of a red guy myself," Wally said. "But I like it all one color, you know? Not the overlapping stuff."

None of them understood what he meant.

"Huh?" Jubilee summed it up.

"That yellow." Shine pointed at her coat. "And the goggles, for example, totally 80s. Back to the future stuff, you know?

"Hey...oh, I know that movie," Jubilee said.

"Well, good," Shine said. "Then we don't sound totally nuts."

"But..." Rogue frowned at them. "I mean...what are you doing here? Logan's supposed to know who you are, but, you know, his memory can be kind of sketchy..."

Logan shot her a warning look.

"And anyways, if you're from the future, how would he have met you?" Rogue said.

"Unless he from the future?" Gambit suggested, only half kidding.

Logan shook his head. "I may not age, but I think I'd know if I was from the future."

"Well, it's not exactly your future," Shine said. "It's parallel, so I doubt you'd remember anyway. I never said he'd met us. I said he called for us. Of course, he didn't exactly know it was us he was asking for, but how often do we know what we're really asking for?" She shrugged. "That was a hint by the way."

"Oh, come off it, just tell me," Logan said. "I don't believe I actually did. You're makin' it up."

"Could be." Wally plopped onto a couch. "Shine, check out this TV. It's so old! I bet it doesn't even get cable!"

"Actually, it do," Gambit said.

"I suppose it wasn't such a waste of money back then." Shine leaned on the couch back and tapped Wally's head. "Now cable is total garbage, and you're better off paying for a movie channel."

"I don't know, I think it was always with the soap operas and bad dramas," Wally mused. "I was a kid.... Hey, wonder if some of my old shows were on!" He picked up the remote.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Jubilee asked.

"Oh, just for research, can I turn it on for a minute?" Wally begged.

"Hey, wasn't there, like, a lot of old classics though?" Shine said. "I bet ones about--" She stopped. "Well, anyway, even I might know it."

"Did we say yes?" Gambit asked Logan.

"I don't think they care," Logan growled.

Wally started channel surfing. "I know that... Oh, wow, I forgot about this show... Shine, you've got to check this out."

"Wally, I've seen some of this stuff on that oldies channel," Shine pointed out. "My dad used to watch it... But look, there's some stuff that's gotta be reruns even now. Oh...oh they have it." She started laughing.

"What?" Wally asked.

"60s Batman... Oh, DC is gonna sue." Shine was still laughing. "Hon, you want to see something that will make you have nightmares?"

"Shine, you're scaring me," Wally said.

"I dare you, click on it," Shine said.

"I'm kind of afraid to now, woman. This is not a side of you I'm really familiar with." Wally feigned being unnerved.

"What's so crazy about that campy old show?" Rogue was blank.

Shine looked up. "Well, nothing unless you know Batman in the early 2000s, but he's a close personal friend of ours, so it might be a bit horrifying... I mean, I'm used to it, but Wally's never been exposed to the...uh...corny conglomeration of characters that is old Batman."

"I'm hovering." Wally had his finger over the button. "But I can't bring myself to do it... How bad is it?"

"Batman once did a dance in a nightclub," Shine said, "unironically."

"I can't." Wally flopped on the couch dramatically. "I think I'd die of shock. You'll just have to live with that mental image alone, Shine."

"Oh, please," Shine said. "We're scaring them."

They certainly were.

"Are you...serious about knowing Batman?" Jubilee asked. "Because, he's not real."

"Maybe he's not real to you," Shine said. "But to us, he's real." She tugged her hair. "Maybe we should explain that later."

"I still think you're screwy," Wolverine said.

Shine turned off the TV. "The first time you called for help that I know of, it was in Germany," she said. "That's your second hint."

She smiled. "Rogue and Gambit, you should be helping him remember. You were there, weren't you? Or was that Paris?"

She said it correctly, without the "s" sound.

"Huh?" Gambit said. "What d'ya mean?"

"Paris?" Rogue said it the American way. "That was ages ago... I mean...months anyway...unless you mean a different time. We didn't call anyone then."

"I never said you did, I said you were there." Shine's vagueness was starting to get on their nerves.

"Oh, come on, guys, that's so many hints," Wally said. "How are you not getting it? Next you'll need us to mention the dude with the tail."

"He has a name," Shine said.

"I never can remember what it is," Wally sighed. 

"I'm sorry, but were you following us around?" Rogue asked. "How do you know about Kurt? We haven't seen him in a while...not since..." She stopped. "Well, a while."

Wolverine was eyeing them really cautiously.

"Who did you ask for help after meeting Kurt?" Shine tried again. "Come, this has to be the last hint or we're going to make it too easy, and that won't prove anything."

She waited. Come on, Logan, she thought. Get it. You must be starting to suspect it by now.

Silence.

"Well, I'm stumped," Gambit shrugged. "Ain't make no sense."

"Was that English?" Wally muttered before Shine poked him and shook her head.

Rogue shrugged too. "I don't get it. Logan, you got a clue?"

"Either they've been stalkin' us, or they're even crazier than that," Logan said darkly. "Did you follow me to that church?"

"No, you'd remember us--the smell," Shine said. "But I see you have remembered it. You know now, don't you?"

"If you're claimin' what I think you're claimin', sister, you're crazier than a road lizard," Wolverine snapped. "You'd better just be psychic."

"When that's less crazy than the other option," Shine snorted. "I'm not psychic, thanks."

"Eh, this is so hard," Wally complained. "How do you do this?"

"I try my best not to lose it." Shine leaned back on the edge of the couch. "Would it be so hard, Logan? Where is your faith?"

"Faith?" Rogue repeated. "Hang on, is this about the monastery? Is that it? You followed us from there, maybe? You one of the townspeople?"

"Getting colder," Shine said.

"All right." Logan flexed his claws. "I'm done with your games. Ya better not be trying to link this to that religion stuff. Because if that's the case, you're out of your minds."

"Very good." Shine wasn't at all bothered by the last part. "You remember the first time, then. Now, think back to a few days ago. Do you remember now?"

A pause ensued.

The other three thought for sure that Logan would say he didn't, that he would say they were crazy again.

For a moment it looked as though he had every intention of doing so.

But then his expression changed, became puzzled, perhaps a little nervous.

"It...can't...be," he said.

Shine and Wally smiled. 

"You remember," Shine said.

"You...you just stay away from me," Logan said, actually seeming scared of all things. "You two are trying to get somethin' across to me. I don't like it. It's nuts. There's no way you'd actually know that."

"I believe it was about needing help," Shine said, calmly, "wasn't it? Something about not knowing the way. Well, you should be happy to know--you were heard. Here we are."

That did it. Whatever she was referring to, Logan clearly knew what it was, and he didn't like it. He twitched and then stalked out of the room so quickly it was almost like he was running.

"That took less time than I thought," Wally said, like it was normal. "I mean, what do we do for the rest of the day now?"

"I have a feeling the questioning is just beginning," Shine said dryly, glancing at the other X-Men.

[First part is always the hardest. I hope you all are liking this one so far.]