The 3rd day, no one was sure what to do. X-men were really bad at vacations.

But Shine said they were hitting up the zoo; Morph had waited long enough.

Morph had really just given up on the whole idea and said it wasn't necessary--and he could go some other time.

But Shine was adamant.

Everyone but Logan gave in. Logan said he'd find something else to do. He offered to keep an eye on Mystique, but Shine said they'd keep her with them.

Mystique had no complaints; Logan scared her. And reminded her too much of Sabretooth.

Of course, she assumed a disguise for the public place.

Gambit was much nicer to Shine and Wally that day...that is, he made no snide comments. He was taking them at their word. And they acted like nothing had happened.

Rogue was nervous about it being awkward at first, but then their breezy manner made her think it wouldn't be...and the whole thing made her too curious, so she asked Shine what exactly they'd talked about.

However, Shine wouldn't tell her a whole lot.

"Gambit will talk about it if he wants," she said.

"But how on earth did you talk him around?" Rogue said. "I ain't never seen him patch things up with anybody. Did he actually apologize?"

"Did you?" Shine said.

"Did...did I?" Rogue said. "I mean...yeah, kind of."

"That's all you need to know, then," Shine said. "It's your business, and it's ours, isn't it? Don't misunderstand--I'm sure you're just concerned, but do you think it will help if I go tattling?"

Rogue sighed. "Men are so confusin'."

"Hmm," Shine agreed.

"I just wish I knew what was eatin' him," Rogue said. "I mean, I know you think it's one thing. But I think it's more than just being a little suspicious. Sometimes..." She lowered her voice. (They were waiting for others to join them at the time, after having split up to use the restrooms.) "...I...really just think he don't ever think about what it's like for me, y'know?"

She seemed to think this would surprise Shine to hear, but Shine just nodded.

"I mean, it's easy if you're not like me," Rogue said, "to...to think that no one needs any of this."

"Is it really about that?" Shine eyed the map of the zoo she had in one hand. "I mean, do you think what we offer is just about power?"

"No, I guess not," Rogue said. "But mine gets me into all kinds of trouble, and...I can't complain to the X-men. You've seen how they all are proud of it."

"But you can to me?" Shine smiled.

"You said I could." Rogue hugged her sides. "Not that I want to whine...it's just...it makes me crazy sometimes. It just seems unfair. You never feel like that, do you?"

"Honey, I feel like that all the time," Shine said. "At least, I did when I was just a little bit younger than I am now. I'm not even old, but so much changes in 2 or 3 years."

"I hope," Rogue said. "But ain't nothin' ever changed for me. Since I got my power, it's all the same, and sometimes I think it always will be." She looked downcast.

Shine patted her shoulder. "But it won't be," she said. "And that's not false optimism from me. I believe that. Nothing stays the same."

"But does it get better?" Rogue was now depressed. "I mean...I know, Ms. Marvel...that's better, but I got to thinkin' yesterday how I could just as easily do something like that again. It's not enough to just fix one thing."

"This is just what Gambit is afraid of," Shine remarked. "That's the idea of needing to fix it will be too obsessive for you."

"And what business is it of his?" Rogue said a bit testily.

"He's not wrong," Shine said a bit sternly. "Obsession with anything about ourselves is unwise. Remember how I said I wasn't sure I should bring it up? That's why. You know, it is not the work of a day, Rogue, or even a month. And like I said, what's inside has to come first."

"But it's easy for you to say that." Rogue suddenly was angry at her. "You don't have to think about not even touchin' someone!"

Shine just gazed at her serenely, if a bit sadly.

Rogue was more angry now. "Don't you be looking' at me like I'm being ridiculous! It's true! I thought you at least knew that."

"I do know that."

"Then why are you actin' like I can just forget about it and focus on what's inside, whatever in tarnation that means!" Rogue said. "It's not even possible!"

"And suppose what you are asking is also not possible?" Shine said. "For us to begin to work on this right away, it won't even work, I think. And, Rogue, I do not want to be treated as a means to an end. Do you think Wally and I are just here to do exactly what you want?"

Rogue paused, puzzled.

"Who is the teacher?" Shine said. "And who is the one with the gift? If I tell you something is a bad idea, I need you to trust it. Wally and I talk about it. We pray about it. Take it up with God if you think we are being unfair by asking you to hold off on this."

"That just figures." Rogue was suddenly very bitter. "God always did seem to think it didn't matter too much. I'd like to know why, though."

"This is not God's fault," Shine said.

"And if it ain't, who's is it?" Rogue said. "Don't you get it...? You guys did something impossible! I thought it was impossible, anyway. And now you expect me to just stop? To wait? I've waited my whole life for chance like this! haven't I waited long enough?" She was almost in tears. "I think about it every single day."

Shine was not budging. "I know, Rogue, but that's not the reason. This is not a punishment."

"Then why don't you just...I don't know, use your powers and help?!" Rogue said. "Dang it...do you know what it feels like to walk around these places...doin' things other people do...but I can't do something as normal as hug or hold hands or...?" She wiped tears away. "I thought I would have to lose my powers to get that...and that wasn't even real...but your way, maybe I can keep them? But still get this..."

"Rogue," Shine said, "you will never be normal."

Rogue stared at her.

"Because this is not normal," Shine said. "We need better than normal. But, sweetie, until you can stop feeling like you're cursed, how could you ever accept yourself?"

"Accept myself? That's not the problem," Rogue said. "I know that my power is useful--don't I know it. But...I mean...you said it was okay to be bothered by it."

"Rogue, I'm not sure you're quite hearing what I'm actually saying," Shine said carefully...but this was wasted on Rogue; she was too upset by now. 

"Oh, I'm not hearin' it, huh? You done changed your tune is what I'm hearin'."

"When did I do that? I'm saying exactly what I said before. You've just got yourself worked up because of Ms. Marvel, but that was a crisis, you know. We had to act quickly, and it wasn't just about you," Shine said.

This was not the wisest thing thing to say...or, at least, Rogue was in no mood for it if it was.

"Sure, so that's what matters, huh?" she said. "I get it..." She sniffled miserably. "I guess that makes sense."

"I don't think you actually get it," Shine said.

"Maybe not," Rogue said in a voice that meant just the opposite. "I think I should go."

"You're going to run away as soon as it gets uncomfortable," Shine said steadily. "You will never solve your problem by doing that. We have to face it. There's no path to healing in hiding, Rogue."

"Shut up!" Rogue would have flown away if other people hadn't been around, but as they were, she just walked away instead.

The other girls joined them right after that.

"Where's Rogue?" Storm said.

Shine bit her lip. "She went off alone."

"Huh...I thought we'd agreed to stay together," Storm said. "Did...did something happen?"

Shine turned and walked ahead.

"Something happened," Mystique said unceremoniously. "I know that look."

"Shine's?"

"Anyone's. She doesn't want us to know. They fought." Mystique didn't seem so smug about this as she had about the fight of the day before.

"Shine and Rogue do not usually have problems," Storm said. "I don't know what they would fight about."

"Anyone can fight," Mystique said, "and Rogue is easily upset."

"Your opinion of Rogue is not so high," Storm said.

"Is it a criticism to comment on something so obvious?" Mystique replied flatly. 

"I had hoped we'd have a peaceful last day," Storm sighed. "I can't recall any trip that was so fraught with arguments when it was supposed to be a vacation."

"I think Shine put it best: You can't vacation from drama." Mystique did an impression of Shine that was dead on, naturally. "I don't agree with most of what that woman says, but if you take it with you, there it is. Anyone who's run a team knows that."

"Yes...though we're not a team of villains," Storm said.

"As if that matters," Mystique scoffed.

"I am really beginning to think it doesn't," Storm muttered to herself. "I hope the boys at least are not fighting."

* * *

They weren't, thankfully.

Other than over what animals to see.

"Come on, birds are boring," Wally said. "I think we should go over to the wildcats. Shine will head that way anyway."

"You really can't stand being away from her for one hour?" Gambit said.

"Says the guy who follows Rogue everywhere," Wally shot back.

"Well, it's harder to find Rogue," Gambit said.

"Can you two stop fighting about your girls?" Morph said. "Remember that those other two are there too, and I bet they're making fun of us. We don't want to be around that. Isn't that what women do when men aren't around?"

"Actually, Shine doesn't do that," Wally said. "I have that on good authority from my female friends at home. She's not backstabbing like that."

"I don't think Rogue do it either," Gambit said.

"I don't want to risk it," Morph said.

"Dude, I think you've got some high-school trauma or something," Wally said. "Were you the weird kid?"

"What do you think?" Morph morphed into a teen-aged version of himself before going back to normal.

"And here I thought being the class clown was weird," Wally said. "Guess not getting my powers till I was a little older was a plus."

[Wally West actually got them when he was a kid, I think, but I'm not sure the JLU show kept that canon.]

"Dat right, your power is not genetic." Gambit had almost forgotten this. "So how did you get it?"

A question that was not an insult? Shock.

Wally decided not to waste the chance.

"Well, lab accident, kind of," he said. "I mean, it was also a gift."

"How does it work?" Morph asked.

"I have this force--it's kind of other dimensional," Wally said. "I call it the Speed Force. Maybe it's not creative, but it's easier to remember. I tap into it, and I can go fast and not burn up. I can carry people too, and the force protects them--which is one up on that Quicksilver hack, by the way. No whiplash from my powers. That's how I can carry Shine everywhere, too. We never have to drive.... I mean, we both have cars, but we don't have to use them."

"A power where a car is a preference seem a little too easy," Gambit remarked.

"Hey, I always wanted to fly," Wally said. "But I can run faster than my friends can fly, so maybe in the long run, it's for the best. More bragging rights too."

"So all your powers are dimensional?" Morph said. "Sounds like some weird sci-fi thing."

"I think the same thing about mutations," Wally said dryly. "Where I live, hardly anyone's a mutant. Maybe one or two. Most of us are magical, science accidents, or just aliens. Shine says it's a universal difference, whatever that means. She gets all that better than I do."

"She's real tricky," Morph said. "I mean, she's cool, but...does she ever...scare you?"

"Me?" Wally said.

"I mean...with that weird 6th sense she has," Morph said, "like she's reading your mind. That doesn't freak you out?"

Wally thought. "No, not really.... Huh, you just reminded me, back when we first met, she told me that most people are scared of her. She wasn't even bragging, just matter of fact. Kind of like my friend Sheyera is. But I didn't think she was scary. I mean, I thought she scared other people, and it was funny, but not me. I guess I've always been more okay with people who are a little different. I've got a Martian's phone number, and he can read my mind, and I never think much about it when I'm around him.... Actually, GL says that's kind of what makes me a bonehead, not thinking about things like that." He rubbed his head and smiled sheepishly. "I used to agree. I felt like such an idiot when I'd forget that they had powers."

"And...now you don't?" Morph thought it was an odd thing to change your mind about.

"I guess I do," Wally said. "But that was one thing Shine really made me think twice about. She said that I didn't treat her any different for being a DJ...which even my friends found a lot to handle, at first. They thought it was weird--and creepy, even. It sounds pretty outlandish. 'I travel worlds and do crap,' you know? But for me? It was no biggie." He rubbed his head some more. "I don't know why. I just always took people as they came. Shine thought that was a gift, and I've kind of started to see why. Now that I've gotten the same treatment from a bunch of people myself, I see why it's better not to feel that way. I don't know if that makes me a better guy though, since it's just not something I think about. But being a bonehead about that might just be why I can do this gig. So I'm fine with it now." He shrugged.

"That's kind of cool," Morph said. "I guess I wish more people were like that.... What about Likstar? She doesn't forget people have powers, does she?"

"The beauty of it is she just doesn't care," Wally said. "That's why we work so well together. I never think about it, and if she thinks about it, it's only like she'd think about your favorite color. Heck, that's what made me like her. It's pretty funny, isn't it? The way she just talks to everyone like they're regular people? I mean, I've never seen anyone get under Batman's skin so fast and yet earn his respect at the same time just by not thinking anything about him being Batman..." He chuckled. "Man, it's still hilarious to think about those days...and it's ongoing..."

"You guys never have a bad word to say about each other," Morph said, impressed. "I like that. What's the point of talking down your own teammates, right?"

"Exactly," Wally said. "I really don't talk down any of my teammates anyway, let alone my partner. What kind of sick person would do that?"

"Plenty," Gambit said.

"Well, not me," Wally said. "Anyway, I wouldn't have put a ring on it if I didn't think she was the best."

"You're lucky," Morph said, "finding someone like that. The whole dating life is a little hard for mutants."

"You think it's hard to find someone--" Wally said, "--she's from a different world than me. I can't exactly put that on Eharmony...go figure. But on the other hand, you tend to let a lot of stupid things slide when you're worlds apart. We never argue about where to live--that's one thing--because we'll change it every 6 months anyway, so you can stand it. And money? We never fight about that. We're usually broke when we're on the job, so there's no point. At home, having cash feels like some kind of ongoing joke. I mean, I think we're lucky. But who would go into life thinking that's how they'd find their one and only? So maybe you should just kind of be open to whatever pops up and not worry about it being normal or easy."

"Eh, I think we can count on it not being either of those two things," Morph said.

Gambit felt no need to comment...since it was completely obvious in his case.

"Do you ever fight about who's more important to the team?" Morph asked. "I mean...just because you don't seem to have exactly the same approach..."

"No, we don't fight about that," Wally said. "I mean, one of us will get a little insecure about not doing a good job and we'll fight about that not being true. I mean, it's kind of dumb to say who's better at it--we do different things."

"She do all de talkin'," Gambit said.

He got a warning look.

"I just don't like talking about serious stuff that much," Wally said. "And Shine loves it. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Morph said. "It all works out. But you seem a bit more of a serious kind of guy sometimes, West."

"You know, you're about the only people who thinks that," Wally said. "I should enjoy it, but I just think it's weird." He chuckled to himself. "GL'll roll when I tell him that."

Morph liked Wally just fine and wondered what Gambit's problem was.

Gambit actually was liking Wally more than before, rather against his will, since it was hard not to like his easy-going, friendly manner. But he told himself not to get too careless and let that distract him from the fact they were still on opposite sides, even if they were not enemies.

They rejoined the girls some time later, to find Rogue was not in a good mood. Storm had found her, but she was walking aside from the others.

"She sure flips like a switch," Wally said. "I wonder what happened now."

"Better not to ask," Morph said. "If it's a girl thing, it'll be complicated."

Gambit asked anyway. And got told, "Nothin'!"

Shine seemed a little out of it too, though not necessarily upset. At least...not that upset.

"Did something happen with Rogue?" Wally pulled her aside. "She looks like a storm cloud."

"She doesn't hide it, huh?" Shine said dryly. "I...told her something she didn't like, and she walked away from me. Man, that's annoying."

"Yeah, you think she'd be a little more mature," Wally said. 

"Hmm, well, not everyone is like us," Shine said, half kidding.

"Hey, I'd like to think I normally finish an argument," Wally said.

"If you ever have one, perhaps," Shine said humorously. "Well, I don't want to let it spoil my whole day, but she's upset, and it bothers me. I'm sure those other girls think I said something to her.... I didn't mean to. It was like she heard only what she wanted to hear in the worst possible way. I think it must have something to do with yesterday. She's still upset about it."

"She's also noticing that we're talking." Wally was looking Rogue's way. "Maybe we should talk about it later."

"Good idea," Shine agreed. "Later....not too much later, though. I'm sick of ending all our days talking about other people's issues."

"We could get ice cream or something and just hash it out then so we can be done with it," Wally offered.

"That sounds so much better than it should. I'm must be stressed," Shine said. "Stress eating ice cream, you know that's a problem I have. Why are you tempting me?"

"Because I also stress eat ice cream, and I'm not going to be alone in that," Wally said.

"Misery loves company," Shine said.

"Hey, if you're going to say eating a triple cone of chocolate ice cream is misery, I don't know what you think happiness is," Wally shot back.

"Hot Fudge," Shine replied.

"Are you two coming?" Morph called. "We're heading to the lions."

"Ah, my favorite," Shine said.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Mystique said.

"I don't know, why doesn't it?" Shine said dryly.

"It seems like too common of a favorite animal," Mystique said. "But it's a hunting animal. That would suit you, wouldn't it? With that tracking ability you somehow have."

"I applaud how much thought you put into that assessment," Shine said. "But I actually like lions for two reasons: 1, they are one of only 3 or 4 animals God compares Himself too, and by far the most majestic. And 2, lions are intelligent, often surprisingly compassionate creatures, as well as deadly hunters. But they only hunt when they need to; they aren't cruel. They also take in lone lions often, and they have been known to defend lions who aren't even in their pack from other prides--even to defend people or animals who would be their natural prey. Who couldn't love an animal like that?"

"I don't know what I was expecting," Storm said, "but you having well-thought-out reasons for everything is just par for the course."

"Yeah, you never seem to just like something because you like it," Morph said. "You have a reason for it all."

"I never saw why taking an irrational disliking to something made sense," Shine said. "Or an irrational liking, for that matter. I happen to just prefer certain colors, but even that might have to do with my temperament. Everything has a reason. Do you really think you like anything just because it's random?"

"I mean, maybe," Morph said.

"You don't want to start this argument," Wally said. "Trust me. I've never been able to just like a movie since I met her."

"Well, you know, men always like something for no reason up until someone says it's stupid," Shine said savagely.

"You got us there," Wally admitted.

"I think that's just something people do, not men," Storm said. "No one likes their taste insulted."

The lions exhibit was actually pretty big. And the lions were a bit more active than zoo animals are apt to be, maybe because it was cooler today than it normally would have been.

They eyed the X-men like they could tell there was something different about them.

One came up to the edge of the enclosure to look at them warily.

"I think he wants to eat us," Wally said.

"Oh, nonsense," Shine said. "He's just protecting his territory. He's too well fed to want to eat us."

She didn't seem at all nervous about lions watching her that closely.

While no one was looking, Mystique transformed into a bit of a spooky looking apparition and startled the lion enough for it to snarl.

She was back to normal when they all turned in surprise.

"Wonder what set him off?" Wally said.

Morph had jumped a foot.

"Ah, he can't hurt you," Rogue said, leaning on the edge. "He's behind bars, and, anyway, I think we'd could handle a lion."

"Careful, Chere," Gambit say. "Any wild animal is still dangerous."

Mystique saw Shine looking at her oddly.

"What?" she said.

"Nothing," Shine said. "Just thought you were too carefully looking the other way after that."

She shrugged.

Mystique was reminded for the 100th time that Shine really did not miss much.

After they were done, Wally wanted to visit the zoo's cafe, and they were all hungry enough to agree despite how overpriced it was...though to Wally it seemed fairly normal, since the future had so much inflation.

Shine insisted they hit up the gift shop also.

She then told a very funny story about how she'd once gotten a toy from a zoo to appease her desire to get a zoo animal for Christmas...which she blamed on a popular song at the time.

"Your mom," Morph said, "went to all the trouble to go to the zoo and show you how big the animals were, just so you'd stop asking for a Christmas pet?"

"If you know my mother," Shine said, "you know that if it's educational, extremes are no obstacle. That wasn't the only time she did something like that." She laughed. "Funny story, isn't it? Best part was it worked. I had to readjust my expectations. I still maintain I never really thought I was going to get it, I just thought it would be cool, but I was, like, 4, so how do I know for sure? Anyway, it would be a crime against nostalgia not to go to the gift shop here after that. I always get souvenirs when I go anywhere. Memory lasts longer if you have a momento."

"Waste of money," Gambit said.

"What kind of Frenchman are you?" Shine said. "Souvenir is a French word. Where do you think the idea came from?"

"You do know de Bayou is not de same as France?" Gambit said.

"Oui, je sais," Shine said. "Mais c'est la Francophone, no?" [She just said, yes, I know, but it's Francophone, which is a place or country that uses the French language.]

Gambit did a double take.

"Je parle francais," Shine went on, smugly. "Et espangol, japonais, et langue des signes des americaine." [I speak French and Spanish, Japanese, and American Sign language. And, no, you don't capitalize those words in French.]

"You a dang show off," Gambit said.

Shine used her hands to say something; it probably meant "sucker".

"Did you just cuss him out?" Wally asked.

"No!" Shine looked shocked.

"Um...what did she say?" Morph asked Gambit.

"She jus' braggin'," Gambit said. "Nevermind."

"Jealous?" Shine said.

"Of dat?" Gambit scoffed.

[I'd bet you Shine knows more actual French than he does. I think he just knows a few phrases. And, yes, I do speak it a little myself, but I still have to look up how to spell it. It's really hard.]

"Ce n'est pas si impressionnant," Mystique said, mostly just to annoy Gambit. [It's not that impressive.]

"Momma?" Rogue said, surprised.

Mystique pretended nothing had happened.

"C'est vrai," Shine said to her. [It's true.]

"How about we just go browse?" Storm was anxious to cut this short before a multilingual argument broke out and one she couldn't have followed.

Gambit and Rogue had no wish to shop, but everyone else was game.

                                                                                             * * *

It took way longer than it should have. Wally got bored and started watching the goldfish in a decorative tank they had by the counter.

Shine's enthusiasm reminded Storm of Jubilee. She seemed to think everything was interesting.

It got on Mystique's nerves...but then, what didn't?

Shine applied to her for a second opinion on jewelry with animal charms.

"It's all the same to me," Mystique said.

"That is not helpful," Shine said. "Don't you have any mind of your own, woman?"

"Of course," Mystique said. "Enough to know that gift shopping is a waste of money."

"And money is so important?" Shine was amused. "Half the things we spend it on are a waste. But then, having a practical purpose for everything is the way to suck the joy out of life. Some things we just like because they are beautiful or funny...or true. Come, I'm sure you've spent money frivolously before."

"When I had money to spend," Mystique said.

"Have you ever worked a normal job?" Shine asked.

"Of course," Mystique said.

"Well, the best money to spend is when it's not yours," Shine said. 

That finally got a small smile.

"I suppose we can use some of our budget," Storm said. "But I don't see the need. Still, if you enjoy it, I'm not opposed.... Jubilee would have insisted on this also."

"Yes, and by the way, which of these do you think she'd like more?" Shine held up a few stuffed animals. "We have to get her something, make her feel less excluded. It's a shame she couldn't join us."

"I don't really know what Jubilee likes that well." Storm felt as if confessing this was actually to her shame. How did she not know this?

"She seems like the type to want to be original," Mystique said dryly. "Pick one that's not normal."

"While I don't think she'd say that, I do believe you might be right," Shine said. "I'll go with the porcupine."

She put the other stuff back. "I love this lion charm necklace too.... I gotta find something for Logan while we're here."

"Logan really doesn't care about gifts," Storm said.

"Oh, I know," Shine said. "But who cares about that? Anyway, it'll be a good way to mess with him. I wonder if I could find a wolf-themed thing... No, he might take that personally. I'll go with the total opposite to be on the safe side."

"Try a panda bear," Mystique said mockingly.

"Mystique, I said the total opposite," Shine said, walking down a different section.

"I don't believe she sees anyone the way other people do," Storm said. "I hope Logan appreciates this."

"Doesn't her obvious attempt to win you over make you suspicious?" Mystique said.

"No," Storm said. "I don't find kindness immediately suspicious. And if you thought it would be that easy to win us over, I must say you're not very good at this. Shine is just trying to be nice."

"For what purpose? They wouldn't care if she wasn't," Mystique said. "None of you would. In fact, it seems to be the norm."

"I'm sorry we've made such a poor impression," Storm said. "But you had better ask her yourself. It seems you are starting to like her in spite of your sullen resentment. Surely you can approach her with a personal question."

Mystique shot her a dirty look.

Storm was getting real tired of the other woman's attitude.... She sympathized with her dislike of being held captive, but was it really necessary to try to make everyone hate you?

Storm actually had deduced Mystique was doing this on purpose. She was smart enough to know Mystique could have been pleasant if she thought it would gain her anything to be so. Clearly she didn't.

Shine finished up and tracked down her husband, who'd gotten side tracked trying to amuse some overtired kids who'd been at the zoo a little too long with their exhausted mother.

"Well, that was fun," Wally said, a bit dryly. "Bought out the whole shop?"

"Next time you can wait outside," Shine said.

[Lol.

The vacation is ending next chapter, though personally I've had more fun with it than the usual M.O. But I'm sure some of you want to get back into the drama, and let's hope the Morlocks have not just been lost to time.

Yes, that's a joke about their book of origin.]