"When I wake in the morning, I want to blow into pieces, I want more than just okay, more than just okay 

When I'm up with the sunrise, I want more than just the blue skiesI want more than just okay, more than just okay.

 I'm not givin' up, givin' up, not givin' up nowI'm not givin' up, givin' up, not backing down.

 More than fine, more than bent on getting by. More than fine, more than just okay 

When I'm lit with the sunshine, I want more than just a good timeI want more than just okay, more than just okay, okay.

 I'm not givin' up, givin' up, not givin' up nowI'm not givin' up, givin' up, I'm not selling out 

 More than oceans away from the dawn. More than oceans away from who we are."

Logan got up earlier than just about everyone except Xavier and Hank, who were like many learned men, always up early to read or prepare.

He headed down to use the gym first thing after his coffee.

That was how he spied the Rec room light on.

Suspecting the Morlocks had gotten into it, he came to look and instead he found Morph and Mystique in there.

Morph actually had dozed off at some point, Mystique's PTSD was keeping her awake, but she was regarding the TV show quietly enough.

Logan's jaw dropped, and then he scowled.

"Hey!" he said.

Mystique jumped and turned to look at him in surprise.

Morph jumped up.

"What happened?" He looked around. "Oh...hi Logan...oh...is it morning?"

"It sure as h-- is, what are you doing?" Logan growled.

"Oh...this? This is just 'Different Strokes'," Morph said.

[An old show, it was okay, imo, but your typical sitcom...which seems to be Morph's taste, based on his viewing in episode 1, though it did talk about race a lot.]

"Not the show! What is she doing in here?!" Logan asked.

Mystique had gotten to her feet, poised as if to run.

"It...well..." Morph was trying to think of the most sensitive way to explain, and as usual when you are on the spot, failing.

Mystique was no help, all she could think of was what was probably going through Wolverine's head right now.

"Hey, guys," Wally appeared, "What's going on?"

He took in the scene.

"Wow, you're all up super early," he said.

"Did we wake you up?" Morph tried to change the subject.

"Kind of--" began Wally.

"I just found these two in here," Logan ruined it. "And they ain't explaining why."

Wally looked green. "Is that really something we need explained, buddy?"

Mystique gave him an aghast look, and Morph a puzzled one.

"Listen you idiot," Mystique said. "Whatever you're implying--"

"I think that it's better left unsaid," Wally interrupted. 

"Wally?" Shine came down the hall. "I thought I heard voices...what's going on in here?"

"Why are you up?" Morph asked, still trying to change the subject.

"I couldn't sleep normally without Wally there, I've been awake for hours," Shine looked sleepy, but she had coffee with her. "I thought it was finally late enough to come check on him."

"Oh...that's so sweet," Wally came to hug her. "I've been up for like five minutes because of these guys, that virus knocks you out...but I feel fine, really. Just a little lightheaded."

"You haven't eaten in hours," Shine said. "You better do that...but why are you up, Morph? I'm pretty sure you're not such an early riser."

"Do you keep track of that?" Morph said.

"Anyone who's lived with their family for their whole lives knows everyone has a schedule and you'd better get used to it," Shine said. "Of course I noticed. Tells me who to bother."

"They were in here," Logan said. "Looks like for a while."

"Oh," Shine said. "Watching 'Different Strokes,' I see, my sisters used to watch reruns of that."

"Reruns? Oh...right," Morph said. "Future."

Logan frowned more.

"Logan can you take Wally upstairs please?" Shine said. "I can't carry him if he passes out."

"I think I'm good..." Wally said. 

Shine gave him a look.

"But just in case, it'd be helpful," Wally added.

"But--" Logan said.

"Logan," Shine gave him a plaintive look.

Logan couldn't resist that from girls.

"All right, fine," he growled, dragging Wally off.

Once they were gone, Mystique shook her head. "Don't start with me, Likstar."

"What's with the edge?" Shine said. "I didn't say anything."

"Didn't you send them out so you could interrogate in peace?" Mystique said.

"I figured you wouldn't explain it anyway," Shine said. "You couldn't sleep right? Side effect of the room?"

"Yeah, exactly," Morph said. "We could have just said that."

"I don't need Wolverine to know that," Mystique said.

"And you'd prefer the alternative of what he'd assume?" Shine said, quizzically.

Mystique shrugged stiffly.

"If you didn't act like you were always getting caught, people would be less quick to suspect the worst," Shine pointed out. "Were you up all night?"

"Mostly," Morph said. "Guess that Danger room has some serious backlash. Glad I've never been caught in there."

"I think you know what it's like though," Shine said, walking up to Mystique. "Let me see."

Mystique held very still, but notably, she didn't stop her.

Shine put her hand out and focused.

"I'm not picking up on anything glaring," she said. "The effects were supposed to fade right? The mind does heal itself with time and proper care. But if any trouble sleeping or nightmares persist, let us know, and we can probably help. You don't want to leave traces of damage like that in your mind, makes it easier next time."

Mystique got a nervous look.

"Out of curiosity, what did you see in there?" Shine asked. "The aliens and monster thing? Or something more realistic."

"Aliens are realistic," Morph said.

"I am an alien," Shine said. "But it doesn't make the probability of them all that much more likely does it?"

"Why does it matter?" Mystique said.

"I just thought the triggers might be different depending on what it was," Shine said. 

She was too smart.

Mystique looked away. "I saw mostly that, typical stuff. Nothing that would bother me if it hadn't been so many."

"Yes," Shine said. "Well, it really is like UA all over again...only they were traumatizing people on purpose, I could believe. People expect so much based on power, and they don't realize that emotionally we're all still human."

"That's good," Morph said. "I should remember that."

"It was nice of you to sit up with her anyway," Shine said. "It's the worst to be alone when you can't relax."

Mystique frowned at her like she was being too blunt.

"I'm always down to watch Different Strokes," Morph said. "You know, there's a lot of similarities between this show and Xavier's school."

"Oh sure," Shine said. "Particularly as it relates to how mutants and humans relate. The whole idea that one kind of person should stay only with that kind of person, as if we're really that different. Pertinent to our whole Morlock situation, I suppose. I guess they'll make up their minds today."

"Exactly," Morph said. 

"It's not the same," Mystique commented. "White or black, they don't have powers that people don't like."

"Why does it matter? It's just an excuse anyway," Shine said. "People like to feel important, and so they magnify differences. When I was in college, I took history and they taught us about how they colonized Africa. Whatever political message the class was trying to push, what I noticed most was how often people had such a wish to think they were more civilized, or stronger, or wiser than groups who looked and acted so much unlike them. The thing is, that went both ways. The Europeans brutalized the natives, and the natives wanted to eat them...either way, it's foolishness, isn't it?"

"Gross," Morph said.

"But then there's missionaries, who go and try to learn about the culture," Shine said. "The crush and colonize approach was never what the bible actually taught, it was more of people mixing up religion with their agendas. C. S. Lewis called it the 'Christianity and--" attitude. Christianity and colonization was the big thing 200 years ago, so the church made it seem biblical because they wanted to push it. One reason why institutionalized churches are not the wisest idea, in my opinion. But it is what we have to work with now, and many of them are good and more humble. Now the fad is more to push for equality, so people make out the Bible to teach all about that. It does teach some forms of equality, but it's not the point of the Bible to make men equal but to restore them to God, the rest follows later."

She gestured widely. "Which is why you won't see Wally and I talking about it much. But where you see an injustice, you should still correct it if you can. We have our duties."

"That's fair enough," Morph said. "Anyway, it's a big mess. But it's all we got, no one will respect mutants otherwise."

"Is that true?" Shine said.

"It...well if it wasn't then why don't they?" Morph said.

"There's an odd assumption in what you said," Shine said. "That people will treat mutants fairly if the law dictates it. There are a thousand loopholes for anyone who really wants them. Can you rule away hatred?"

"I...no," Morph said. 

Mystique nodded at Shine. "Exactly why this whole thing is pointless."

"Oh, it's not entirely pointless, Raven," Shine said. "Since some people will never change, it is wise to have laws to protect others from them. But to assume that those laws make things more or less fair culturally, is a little silly. The culture is never fair anyway. Someone is always being cut short. We have hierarchy for a reason, it's all we can maintain. Our concern is to be fair ourselves, not to be treated fairly, it just won't happen."

"'Be the change you want to see', like Gandhi said," Morph said. "Hank would be proud I remember that."

"Gandhi was right about many things," Shine said. "Although he was wrong that there is change without violence. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins, and violent men take the kingdom of Heaven, according to Jesus. People are born to fight, some of them, and fight they must. Others are born to make peace. We have to have to have both."

"You are so certain you know better than Gandhi?" Hank looked in right then. "A great leader? Your assurance at times amazes me, Miss Shine."

"Thanks, Hank, I appreciate that," Shine said.

"I don't think that was a compliment," Mystique said.

"I know," Shine said. "But I can still take it as one."

Hank shrugged. "I didn't mean any offense, just...it doesn't do to be over confident that we know best."

"You say that," Shine said. "But you are more confident than I am that you know best, you rely on your own judgment and the words of men who you interpret a certain way. I rely on God's guidance, and so I admit I don't know it all. God is the one who has said that we must fight at times, not me. I might think it's bad to fight, but I can guarantee you, I'd still do it anyway. I can't help it, it is nice to feel God has some use for my...shall we say, fiery side? And what are the X-men without that?"

"Using force has been a regret of ours," Hank said.

"Regret nothing, Dr." Shine said. "I have friends with that motto, works for me. Regret only when you hurt someone in an unjustified manner. Not when you stop them from doing evil by force. It is good to be able to stop it at all, believe me." She tossed her hair.

"People will go to lengths sometimes to stop a perceived evil, that are worse than the evil," Hank said.

"Anyone who cuts moral corners to stop evil is missing the entire point," Shine said. "Puts me in mind of Bishop trying to stop an assassination by assassinating someone who caused it before they ever did wrong. We punish people for what they do, not what they will do. God knows all the evil we will do, but He only punishes it once we do it, or we'd not be born at all. The argument that we can stop evil preemptively by eliminating the person who will cause it is unethical itself, and out of hell, in my opinion and I think God is on my side there. What exactly is your point Hank?"

"I suppose none that you haven't answered," Hank surrendered. "Has everyone had breakfast yet?"

"Nope," Shine said. "You guys?"

"Not yet," Morph said.

"Why are you all in here so early?" Hank asked.

Mystique sighed.

Shine waved it aside. "Watching a little TV, Hank. Trouble sleeping, you know how it is after so much excitement."

"Ah," Hank said.

He asked no more questions, and perhaps he didn't have any more, Hank could miss a few things, being the professor-ish type, usually absorbed in other thoughts.

The whole thing was put aside. Shine also told Logan to let it alone, and that it was nothing to worry about. He reluctantly dropped it.

But Morph was making too many blunders to not be raising concerns in some of the team, Gambit already was not so sure, and even Jean wondered at how considerate he'd seemed to be the day before. She could sense emotion after all. She didn't see a huge reason for concern yet, but she knew something had changed.

Shine noticed it all, but, as was typical of her, didn't worry about it. If she didn't see a red flag, she wouldn't say anything at all.

[Seems to be that whole pre-emptive thing she was just talking about coming into play. Trying to prevent something before it happens, with Logan and Gambit getting worried here, might just make it worse. We'll see.]

***

Some of the Morlocks left the mansion that day, with little ceremony. They didn't like to be away from the others, and this new setting was not comfortable for them.

But a surprising amount wanted to stay longer. Ryan had never been around so many mutants, and having so many other new comers made him feel less awkward.

Pretty much all the kids wanted to stay, they liked Jubilee, Shine, and Wally all better than they liked many of the bitter, more mean adult Morlocks, and they liked the house and having an outside. They only amounted to about 5 total, though, with a handful of the older ones wanting to stay.

None of these were ones the X-men knew that well, they had been quiet and less obtrusive. They hardly even had code names. And not all of them had very visible mutations, some had scales, like the kids. Others just had unpleasant powers.

Leech stayed, he was afraid of what would happen if he left, and most of his friends were the other kids anyway.

Mystique ignored him, at first, though she was sitting out in the kitchen still around the time the others announced they were going and the others ones announced they were staying.

By now, Shine had heard all about it from Morph. And also had had time to visit the horsemen, who were now in their right minds.

And, they were shocked when they learned what had happened with Callisto.

However, when they were allowed to come out and join everyone in the main mansion, Mystique wished she'd gone back upstairs.

They stopped and looked at her.

Morph, who was drinking orange juice and trying to read, looked up.

"Gee...did you not hide it from anyone?" he said.

"Oh...forgot about that." Wally was leaning on the counter.

"Why is she here?" the former plague one, who's real name [again making it up] was Trudy, said with ire.

Shine followed them in.

"If you have a problem with her being here, you can go," she said sternly. "Everyone who has stayed has accepted this fact. She is with us."

"Why do you have her here? She did this to us," Trudy said.

"It was horrible," the famine lady, Cynthia, said.

"I'm sure it was, but it's over now. Leave it in the past," Shine said.

"It's not worth it, trust me," Morph turned a page. "Speaking from experience."

"But why would you have her here?" Trudy pressed.

"None of your business, is it?" Shine said. "Again, if it bothers you. Go. Do as you wish."

She gestured at the door.

"This is stupid," Mystique got up. "Really, Likstar, if anyone should go it should be me. I'm going to leave soon enough."

"Don't do us any favors," Trudy said sullenly. "You think we can't handle you?"

"What?" Mystique said.

"You're not so tough without that machine," Trudy said. "You shapeshift right? Like Ape...well, I can handle that. I ain't going nowhere. B---!" She stalked out of the room.

"I thought she said she wasn't going anywhere," Morph looked down.

Wally chuckled.

Cynthia was much more timid, and she just went on her own.

"Can't you fix their skin?" Mystique said. "The coloring?"

"No, I guess not," Shine said. "Perhaps it will come on its own, now that the toxin of the machine is gone. Our cells replace themselves every 7 years or so, they will probably eventually go back to normal. I'm sorry about that..."

"Why? They're right," Mystique said. "You should have sent me off as soon as you were going to have those Morlcoks here. This is insane!" She left the room in a hurry.

"I don't think she's okay," Morph observed. "I was talking to her last night...this whole thing has her really tripping out."

"Why?" Wally said. "I know I missed a lot, but they tried to kill her, I know, so why does she think she's the one who should have gone? She's scared?"

"She said it didn't make sense," Morph said. "I guess because she's done some bad stuff too."

"I didn't think Misty was the type to think like that," Wally said.

"Are you really sticking with that nickname?" Shine asked.

"I think it's perfect," Wally said. "Anyway, how is it different from Sups or Bats?"

"I guess it's not," Shine said. "But as for her guilt...that makes sense. Poor woman, she's so tormented."

"I think I figured it out," Morph said. "You were testing her right? Watching to see if she'd be as petty as Callisto. She wasn't."

"Did I miss something?" Wally said.

"I asked Raven to tell me who was guilty," Shine said. "She chose only to single out the most responsible, but I would have sent all of the Morlocks away if she'd asked, even the ones who didn't know what happened, because she had every right to say they might also try it. And I brought them here, so it would have been my responsibility. I feel awful as it is."

"She doesn't blame you, that much is clear," Morph said. "Funny, she didn't care about revenge either. Gotta say, the different accounts you hear of Mystique do not add up."

[Which about sums up her movie and comic book presence]

"From what I know of her," Shine said. "That is just how she is. She is good, she is bad, she is caring, she is cold. As it suits her, or as the urge possesses her. Perhaps more like us than we all care to admit. How much are most people governed by mood and odd bursts of guilt or benevolence? Consistency is rare."

"She said she'd probably betray you again if she was forced," Morph felt they should know this. "But that she wouldn't go out of her way to, because it would create problems for her if others knew about this."

"I believe her," Shine said. "It would create problems."

"Did you think of that?" Morph said. "Because...we didn't."

"Some time ago it occurred to me, though not when we first held her here," Shine said. "After Sinister, I began to wonder what was safest. But when Sabretooth found us and knew she was here, I saw that it could easily cause her problems if people knew. They might think she's become sympathetic to us. And since no one knows Mystique that well, they have no pattern to go by. I think she will leave us alone after this. But that is not what I really want."

"You want her to change," Morph guessed.

"To heal," Shine said. "To change, sure, it would happen naturally then. We are hoping so much."

Morph sighed and put his book down.

"I get it," he said. "But...I don't know if you should get your hopes too high. She's really, really stubborn about going her way."

"Is that how you see it?" Shine leaned on the counter also, next to Wally.

"She says it all the time," Morph said.

Shine laughed.

"I'm surprised she tells you stuff at all," Wally said. "She must like you."

"No, she hates me," Morph said. "I hated her at first too, so guess we're even."

"Not anymore?" Wally said.

"Nah...it's hard to hate someone who's that miserable," Morph said. "Guess you figured I'd think that if I gave it half a chance."

Shine shrugged.

"I'd say it's great sign if she's opened up," Wally said. "Girls like that rarely ever do. I knew Sheyera for years before I even knew what her real job was--granted, that was because she was a spy, but still, you think you know a girl."

"Raven would be a lot like a spy," Shine said. "But if it helps, Morph, I think the signs are better than you suppose. Raven is telling you what she is trying to convince herself of. She is afraid of change, and afraid of hope, as anyone with her life would reasonably be. Remember, it has never worked out for her ever to try something different. I'd say it's just gone from bad to worse. She tells me that too. But she always listens when I talk about what's better. Even questions it. If she wasn't interested, she wouldn't. She did the same with Kurt. She really does want this...but it is very hard to accept it for someone who's lived so long with the worst of all experiences in front of her all the time. I have mentored many people with hard lives, they take a long time to convince, and any setback with you breaking their trust will make it even longer. We must be careful never to give her a reason to mistrust us, or she may never trust us again...I have to admit though, I've found her more fair than I expected. The last people I mentored like that were such whiners, always blaming everyone else for what their attitude was. Raven blames only herself."

"She is less annoying, huh?" Wally said. "I don't talk to her much, she scares me, but she's not as grating to be around as Shiggy, or Sasuke or Touya were at first. I think I'd actually be comfortable around her if she ever relaxed. Like a lot of the league girls."

"I think it's the battle hardened thing," Shine said. "Same as with them."

Morph smiled. "You guys don't look at anyone the same, do you?"

"Well, Morph, our secret is never too look at anyone just as they have been," Shine ran her finger along the counter. "To look at the broken pieces and see what they could be, and were meant to be. God looks at all of us that way, not as we are, but as what we will be when He is finished. A sculptor has an idea of a statue in mind as they carve it, we are God's statues. Living ones."

"I'm starting to think I want in on this," Morph said seriously. "It's not at all like I thought it was."

"That's great," Wally said. 

"But I'm glad you've become interested in Raven's case also," Shine said. "It's nice to have an ally on the team, no one else likes her."

"If she was just a little less rigid she might actually be likable," Morph said. "Though I think they just don't like how she treated them...though...it wasn't that bad, and over Rogue, it kind of makes sense now. Other than that, she's never attacked us personally of her own volition, you think they'd let it go."

"Perhaps they are, slowly," Shine said. "But not fast enough for her to notice it...I worry about that...but worry will not help. Anyway, she's fighting so hard to stay the same...things get worse before they get better."

"Think she'll leave?" Wally asked. "When she's allowed."

"I think she will," Shine looked somber. "Though I wish she wouldn't. But if I were her I probably would. It's too awkward for her here. And I'm sure, watching Rogue here must be painful."

"And Kurt is here," Wally sighed.

"Well, she doesn't fit in here," Morph said. "I mean, not with the others not trusting her. If they did, they'd probably ask her to join the X-men, she's not bad in a fight, but it's how it is."

"That would be a long time coming," Shine agreed.

[An allusion to how she has a brief stint in the X-men in the comics, but it's kind of weird and creepy there for various reasons.]

"Maybe you should check on her," Wally said suddenly.

"Maybe I should," Shine agreed. "I haven't even talked to her about any of it...Glad you did, Morph. I was far too tired...I must say, all of you pick up our slack so much more than anyone else ever has. I really like this team."

"Does that mean you're not gonna leave?" Morph said.

"Oh..." Shine had forgotten about it. "I don't know... I guess the problem still stands...but the Morlocks are here now...I think they won't let us just ditch you with them. Perhaps once they are settled...but I think everyone but Scott and Jean are resigned to us being here."

"I hope you stick around," Morph said. "It would be real dull with you gone."

"Ah, that's nice," Wally said. "Hey, we should play Battle Bots."

"What's that?" Morph said.

Shine left them to have a juvenile game of it and went to find Mystique.

***

https://youtu.be/OEhRucEVzH8

Mystique was sitting on the stairs, leaning on her hands.

Shine joined her.

"Come to tell me I'm wrong?" Mystique asked bitterly.

Shine shook her head.

"I want you to understand something," she said slowly. "Whatever we do, we follow God's lead. It's true, I like you better than Callisto, she had never tried to get to understand me, or our way, at all. But, if you were supposed to be gone, in our terms, God would tell us, and I would tell the X-men. They might not listen, but, I'd have done what I could. There is no such signal. You will be free soon enough, what you do with that is up to you. That is why it's freedom. I'm not anxious to get rid of you, however."

Mystique bit her lip.

"And why? What have I ever done for you?"

"You are tired of hearing this, but, it's just not about that," Shine said. "You will never understand me if you don't stop weighing everything by use and gains and benefits. Unless you find it benefits you to be around me, in which case, I'm flattered."

"The sort of people you are have no reason to let someone like me hang around them," Mystique said. "I don't deserve it. I have done much worse things than the Morlocks."

"I know," Shine said. "But, that is not why they are gone. They didn't receive the grace they could have. You have not decided yet."

"Haven't I?" Mystique said.

"Oh no," Shine said. "You can't decide, can you? And I'll tell you this, Raven. You won't decide here. You'll go, probably, though I won't wish it, and you'll have to see for yourself if all this is what you can just leave behind, forever. You are the type who would never have a clear head about it till you had distance, isn't that true? Or maybe not, maybe you see better when you're up close...so what do you see now?"

Mystique wouldn't answer that.

"I think you're crazy still," she said.

"In the words of Paul, if I am, it is for Christ's sake," Shine said. "And if I am sane, it is for yours. Crazy is nothing new to you, is it? Are you sure it is not sanity that is strange and unfamiliar?"

Mystique slowly smiled a very wry, ironic smile. "You might have me on that, I will admit. Not to my credit."

"Why are you so hard on yourself?" Shine asked.

"I never have been hard on myself," Mystique said. "That's why I do what I do. I excused it, always, in the name of survival. Now that I can't even survive on my own around here, I have no excuses left, that is all. It won't last."

"No, I suppose not if you run right back to the same dangerous situation you have always put yourself in, because that is what feels familiar," Shine said. "As I did, as we all do. I won't be able to stop you from that if you want to, and, I will not try so hard to do so. You're old enough to know what your'e going to do...but you can always turn back. Any time you want to, we'll be ready. But one thing, you can't run away from love, you know...You can run away from seeing it, and perhaps it would die out in time...but if it's the real deal, and based just on grace, it won't die. And it won't stop, even if you're not around to see it. So what does this running do except blind you?"

She got up. "You never had anything like that, I imagine, few people get such a clear shot at it, Raven. I would advise you not to waste it. You've been selfish enough in life, but I'd like to think you were not entirely stupid."

She walked away.

https://youtu.be/3C-2xCuJZYQ