"Oh thank goodness," Rogue hung up the phone. "They're on their way... Storm says they'll be here in just a couple hours once she starts flying."

"Did anyone sleep a wink?" Wally asked, yawning, and pouring himself more espresso. "Because I didn't...this whole thing had me wired.

"And kicking me," Shine said. "But I couldn't sleep that much either. Must have dozed off in the wee hours of the morning maybe."

[So shes' a Gen-Z or Millennial...ha ha...cries because it's too true]

"That sounds about right," Morph said.

Mystique was silent.

"It feels too quiet without Logan or Scott here," Rogue said. "Making a fuss over something."

"I think this whole thing is crazy," Warren, who'd come off the roof for this, commented. "We're putting the fate of all of us into two people's hands? What are the rest of us going to do in the meantime?"

"Literally anything but what you're doing right now would be more helpful," Shine said, grumpily.

"Tell 'em," Gambit snorted.

Shine shot him an annoyed look.

"All right so Gambit shouldn't have said what he did, learn ta forgive," Gambit said. 

"I'd be more okay with that if I didn't think you'd do it again," Shine said. "You never seem to care how much what you say hurts at the time. That bothers me." She sipped her coffee moodily.

"I say sorry, not know what else ta do," Gambit said.

"Yeah...it's fine," Shine sighed. "I don't want to be mad at you...I'm just tired."

Rogue patted her shoulder.

"I've been reading scriptures," Kurt spoke up. "I can't find one that even matches this situation...but, there are many times when a small number of people save the others. David and Goliath, Jonathan and his friend, ...Elijah."

"Gideon," Shine picked it up. "Moses. Joseph. Bible makes the best case for underdog stories. Even Rahab... Ester...Ruth."

"And freaking Jesus, if you think about it," Wally said. "One man dying for all, that's pretty big."

"So I have hope," Kurt said.

"Makes one of us," Warren muttered. He eyed Mystique unpleasantly.

She ignored him.

Emma walked in looking as tired as everyone else.

"I believe Scott blew a hole in his wall," she said. "You'll have to excuse him...no doubt he didn't remember where he was...I'm amazed anyone could sleep at all."

She started making tea.

"Poor guy," Wally sighed.

Scott came in not long after, looking haggard also.

"Sorry about the wall.." he said, sitting down. "I feel on edge still."

"Oh it's okay we break the walls all the time," Rogue said uneasily. "Good news? Wolverine and Storm are on their way. So...we just have to wait a few more hours."

"That's good," Scott said. "I guess...I remember something more."

Emma almost dropped her tea and sugar.

"I remember more about the house," Scott said. "And the X-men...being friends with them. A lot of you are kind of like them, I think. But different too. I also remember there was a lot of danger in my world...I'm still getting used to saying that..."

"Oh it grows on you fast," Shine said. "I can't stop saying it now."

"Uh huh..." Scott said weakly. "So...there's no MRD here? Right?"

"Not yet," Warren said darkly

"And you're not...evil?" Scott stared at him.

"Not anymore," Warren said. "No thanks to her." Glaring at Mystique.

"Warren, can you not?" Morph said. "Don't freak him out."

"I still don't remember her," Scott looked a Mystique. "I must not have known her that well."

"And you wouldn't have wanted to." Emma said, sitting down in a corner finally.

"Or you," Mystique muttered almost inaudibly.

"I think I'll just spend my time worshiping," Shine said. Getting up. "Better than than sitting here and being anxious about something I can't change."

"Yeah...me too," Wally agreed.

"Where are all the kids?" Morph asked.

"Down in the gym and other rooms," Rogue said. "I think they were too scared..."

***

The kids were hanging out down there.

Kitty was not happy about her whole visit being interrupted, though Colossus tried to make her feel better about it.

"You go home again soon," he said.

"Not if we're all in danger," Kitty grumbled.

"For once, can't really blame it on being a mutant though," Jubilee said, nervously. "Sounds like the whole world could end...yay..."

"This isn't freaking anyone else out?" Ryan said.

"Do you think my mother will make me go home?" Kevin asked.

Moira and Banshee were sitting in the Rec room, trying to stay out of the way of the X-men, but they had gathered it was a bad situation.

"I guess we should be praying," Jubilee said. "I mean...what else is there to do?"

"Not sure that's the right way to look at it," Ryan said. "But yeah...we should be huh? That's the right thing."

"Even Colossus not against this," Colossus said. "We need all help we can get."

"Yeah...sure," Kitty said. "I guess I can just count it for whichever God..."

[Not sure I concur, but if it works for her to compromise, that's a step right?]

***

https://youtu.be/uA_UiAFLDSA

[Invincible Joy-- Switchfoot feat. Jenn Johnson.]

https://youtu.be/FCGRMJF4rJw

[Your Grace is Enough-- Matt Maher]

https://youtu.be/hILaSh78yHQ

[I AM --Mark Schultz]

After what was probably hours of worship, and prayer, Storm and Logan finally came in the door.

"All right, what's the problem?" Logan asked.

"Please tell me we're not too late," Storm said.

"Boy, am I glad to see you," Shine hugged her. "How was the trip?"

"It was...surprising..." Storm said, oddly. "But I will tell you about it later. First things first...any progress?

"Where's this new Scott?" Logan wanted to know. "I knew that Scott would end up lost one of these days, just didn't think it'd be out of the world. You people really couldn't keep it together for one lousy day without me."

"Oh shut up!" Rogue came up to hug him. "I don't even know why I'm happy to see ya, you're such a grump."

"Logan!" Jubilee came dashing into the room. "I heard you guys pull up." She tackled him.

"Aww..." Wally said.

"Zip it, West," Logan said. 

"Storm," Rogue hugged her too. "It feels like you've been gone for a week, I tell ya...Well, did ya tell her yet?"

"I haven't had the chance," Shine said.

"This is kind of touching..." Scott was watching and saying to Emma. "I can't imagine that happening at home..."

"Yes...not without someone getting clawed," Emma muttered.

"So..." Logan eyed Scott. "This is the new one huh? Don't think it was an upgrade."

"Somehow you seem exactly the same," Scott said. "And I barely remember you."

"That about sums it up," Emma said.

"I guess there really is only one of Wolverine, no matter which he is," Shine said. 

They sat them down and told them everything.

Including the haphazard plan for Morph to try to find out more.

"It's the only idea we have," he said.

"But you might not come back?" Logan said.

"There's always a chance of not coming back, I guess." Morph said.

"And Mystique offered to go?" Storm said. "I suppose I see why...what is there to lose either way, but, wouldn't one of us be better?"

"That's the problem, losing more X-men just seems like too much," Morph said.

"And Xavier wouldn't like it," Shine added. "He's worried enough...it seems better this way...just not for me," she sighed. "Or for other people."

Kurt looked somber.

"But we just got you back," Logan said to Morph.

"Well...if it works, I'll hardly be gone," Morph said. "We just don't know...But I gotta try, this is my job...or it was, but for now, it has to be again. It's the only way."

"I'd like to think we wouldn't get told to do it if it wasn't going to end well," Wally said.

"Yeah...have a little faith, Logan," Shine said.

"Fine," Logan said. "I want to go, then."

"No!" Everyone said.

"We really need you here," Hank insisted.

"Yes," Storm said. "All of us...Not that we do not need Morph also."

Morph smiled weakly. "Thanks guys."

Mystique shook her head silently and slipped into the next room.

Shine went after her.

"Are you all right? Raven?" she said. "If you've changed your mind..."

"It's not that," Mystique said. "I still think it makes sense..." She fiddled with some random things lying on the counter. "Just doesn't seem fair, that's all...not that life is fair."

"We all have our roles," Shine sighed. "But no, it's not fair. Even if nothing bad happens...I hate to see everyone worry like this. I'm concerned about you though...you know. Going out of time is not easy. Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Do you think I can?" Mystique said. "You can guess this stuff."

"I think you can handle the break from reality," Shine said. "But the responsibility of knowing things like this...are you sure you want it? Do you really want the fate of so many people in your hands?"

Mystique was silent.

"No," she said. "I don't want that. But I'm just going because someone has to be backup. I'm good at that. Not at making those kinds of choices. So that's what I'll do that's all."

"So you're just worried about Morph," Shine said.

Silence.

"Yeah...I'm kind of worried too," Shine admitted. "He thinks he can handle it...but I'm not...not so sure. Has he ever mentioned some of what he's been through? I don't even know all of it, but I got the idea it wasn't so good."

"There are things I think he would not want to relive," Mystique said cautiously.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but can you just...keep a close eye on him?" Shine said. "In case...you know...the pressure is too much."

"I guess that's the only reason I'm going, really, backup," Mystique said. 

"But I would be very upset if something happened to you too," Shine said. "Please, be careful..as much as it's possible to be, anyway. And..." She hesitated. "I want you to remember something: The past is not the future, and the future is not set in stone, and what could have been is not what will be. I once dealt with this on a very personal level. Possibilities being erased is a hard thing to face, when it's something you want...but when it's something you hate...it can be a relief. The truth is, either way, what will be is what will be. And our best guesses are nothing, really. They are so small and narrow...so what's you hear, or see, or find out, about anyone we know, remember, it's just like that...it's a guess. It's not a fact."

"And just how much do you think there could be?" Mystique asked.

"I have no idea how the time palace works," Shine said. "I only know how mine works. It's not that specific...but suggestion is a powerful thing, don't let it run away with you. Stick to facts, that's my advice. What you can do now. And you should retain your grip. If you don't do that, that's when you get lost."

"That at least makes sense," Mystique said.

Shine hugged her. "You really are my friend, okay? Please, at least believe that."

"Stop it," Mystique pushed her away. "I can't do this, remember." But she hesitated. "You're my friend also...despite my best efforts. I guess it's all right if you know that...I've not had many friends in my life, and certainly none like you...So thanks..."

"I'm going to cry now," Shine said.

"I will dash you with cold water if you start crying," Mystique warned.

"Don't be like that," Shine grabbed for tissue. "I've had a very emotional week, you know. How did we go from Christmas to this?" [Said the audience]

"Shine?" Wally looked in. "Oh...man, what did she do? Say something nice?"

"Why does it have to always be so dangerous..." Shine said.

Wally hugged her.

"And, the secret is out," Mystique stood up. "Under all that toughness she's just the same as everyone else. I knew it."

"Don't pick on her," Wally said. "Everyone's a mess right now."

"I didn't say it was bad," Mystique said. "Just different."

She walked out, she couldn't keep watching it. Even someone as determined not to show emotions as herself was going to crack if she kept that up.

***

After everyone had composed themselves, it was time to try it.

Actually it was rather simple.

Shine and Wally just laid hands on Morph so to speak and did something to pass some of their strength onto him. Something Shine said they'd found out on a previous mission, and it wasn's really hard.

Morph didn't feel different right off but he pulled out his Talis link.

Mystique looked like now that it came to the point, she felt kind of queasy about the whole thing.

Rogue kept shaking her head, and Kurt had his hands folded like he hadn't let up praying about the whole thing.

"I...do think this thing feels kind of stronger..." Morph said.

"The grace will last long enough for you to get there and get back," Shine's eyes were lit up. "That's what I'm getting...but only if you hurry, because we can only hold so much at a time. It would be too much otherwise, burn it out. I do know how time works there, but you should feel the difference. Keep close watch on that thing. The more people you bring, the more it will burn up, so to speak. If you run into anyone else there. So be wary of delays."

"Thanks," Morph said.

"And remember," Wally said. "We can't help you from this end, so whatever you got, you got. Good luck buddy."

"I don't remember being this nervous before..." Morph said.

Mystique was silent.

No one else knew what to say, so Morph just spun the Talis  link[If I remember right, that's kind of how it works, but its sort of vague]

On the X-men's end, they didn't see a whole lot, the air around them just seemed to get kind of fuzzy, and there was fading color and then Morph and Mystique were gone.

***

On Mystique's end, she saw something like a door, or a hole, or a tunnel, or all three at the same time, and her head went kind of funny.

Time stopped existing for a moment...which is hard to describe because no one who's in time would have understood what that feels like. The closest thing might be the feeling someone's gets when they watch an old movie from childhood that still seems just as good as it used to. Like no time has passed, like it is ageless.

It was like that, but with everything...like there was no forward, nor backward...

And then that feeling passed and she was standing on something hard, but not the floor of a house...more like glass.

And she felt dizzy and fell over.

"Whew. I forgot how weird that is," Morph said, rubbing his head. "Don't worry the feeling goes away. The first time is always the worst...Wow...this all looks the same as always...so that's good."

Mystique recovered enough to look up.

And she gasped.

There was no horizon...there was no sky, really, it just looked like empty space, and the only thing solid was this intricate, crystalline palace looking thing they were standings on the outer edges of.

It had towers of some sort, and parapets, and an internal structure...but it wasn't quite like something from earth...it was all transparent, almost, like ice is.

The color of the palace was hard to pinpoint. Light reflected off it, but the light wasn't sunlight... It wasn't bright either, it was this dim, dreamy color like an overcast sunset would be.

"What is this?" Mystique's voice sounded strange in that hollow space.

"Oh...welcome to the Crystal palace," Morph said. "Yeah, I didn't name it, so I know it's kind of lame. Magik liked it though, said it was easy to remember... Technically...we're not really supposed to bring people here unless it's some kind of emergency, which this is, so...don't touch anything that looks remotely interesting, okay? Are you okay?"

"Yes..." Mystique took the offered hand and stood up. "That was worse than the portals..."

"That must be why those portals never bothered me," Morph said. "But we don't have time... and we have to start walking up that," he pointed to the walkway and there were steps. "If the Time Broker is here, he'll meet us at some point along the palace. Not always the same point though."

"Who is the Time Broker?"

"Impossible to explain until you see him, but he's like a mentor sort of," Morph said. "When I started this he told me about it. And about why I needed to fix things... he's cool, though. I have to find Mimic if he's here."

Mystique actually didn't want to step on the bridge more, it looked so glassy, but there wasn't much choice.

They walked up it.

The further they got, the stranger it got. Not that anything really changed...just the way you saw reflections of yourself.

Mystique didn't pay much attention at first, until she noticed that not all of them looked the same...some were wearing different clothes...and slightly different features...Just with the same basic theme under it.

"Morph...?" She questioned.

"Don't look in the walls too much," Morph was looking dead ahead. "It gets trippy. All time meets here, in a way, like a freeway intersection. Past, present, future...Different times...we couldn't see it all, but if you even try...well, one of my friends once stared a wall for an hour straight and thought it was just a minute. Till we realized they were mesmerized...so yeah."

Mystique looked dead ahead after that.

"But why did I see different...Are they all alternate timelines?"

"Alternate? Alternative? Or just different..." Morph said. "Could be any of the them. Might have beens, will be's, or just other universes... you see why you can't think about it too hard. If I looked around here, I'll see myself dying probably. You might too."

"Could you see your actual death?" Mystique said.

"Let's just say that there is no such thing as "actual" in this realm," Morph said.

She was silent.

[By the way, all of this is my invention. There's not a a whole lot of information on this place, but based on different ideas of it in fiction, I combined them with my own spin. Enjoy]

[Moon's Tears (Astral Observatory)-- Rozen]

https://youtu.be/HLiCZbhZdsM

https://youtu.be/RMaLi0xsEWY

[Lucid Dream-- Owl City]

Mystique reminded herself of Shine's advice several times while they were walking.

She should have written it down.

Focus on facts...on the present...

"He should have been here by now," Morph remarked uneasily.

They were inside the palace itself now, and the walls were all so see-through that it was like a maze just trying to look through them. Highly disorienting.

Mystique almost wouldn't have known which way they came from if she hadn't seen the open space outside the door.

"Broker?" Morph called. "Hello?"

Air whooshed through the halls... There hadn't been any wind before.

"Maybe that's him." Morph stepped towards the sound.

Mystique followed more slowly, not sure whether she disliked the idea of going forward or staying put more.

She was so absorbed in trying to stay on target that she never noticed anything moving behind her till something hit her hard enough to send her skidding into one of the crystal walls.

Morph turned around at the sound.

"Mimic?" he said.

Mystique looked up.

A very strange person with wings was standing over her, looking at her like she was a cockroach caught in the pantry...(was that a Rogue-ism that just popped into her head?) 

"I can't believe it!" Mimic, for Mimic it was, said angrily. "How did you get here? This is a new kind of trick. Maybe that explains things."

He tried to reach for her.

Mystique kicked him away, regaining her wits, and scrambled up, but she had nowhere to run.

"Mimic, have you lost your mind again?" Morph came up and grabbed him, yanking him back. "Stop attacking her!"

He sounded pretty fierce for him.

"Morph, I have this," Mimic said. "I don't know how she got in here, but I can take care of it, okay? You're probably just deceived."

"No, I'm pretty sure I know who that is," Morph said. "I brought her here, okay? It was urgent."

"What?" Mimic stopped and gave him a wild look. "You brought her here? Her? Isn't that Mystique?"

"Well...yeah, it is--" Morph began.

"Are you crazy?!" Mimic suddenly shook him, lifting him almost off his feet in the process. "Don't you under how dangerous that is? If we had a blacklist, Mystique would be on it!"

Mystique stared at him. Was he mad?

"This is the one who worked for that lunatic Apocalypse, right?" Mimic went on, like she wasn't there. "Is that it? And you brought her here? Did she brainwash you too?"

"No! Stop it!" Morph finally broke free. "Listen, all that's in the past, okay? We have much more important stuff right now."

"You think so?" Mimic turned to give Mystique a murderous look. "I don't know what she told you, but this is not a good version of her. I recognize this one...the one who brainwashed Angel, and kidnapped a bunch of Psions, am I right?"

"That is her, but that was ages ago," Morph said.

"According to my estimate of your timeline, it wasn't that long ago," Mimic said. "Not that it matters. You can't bring her here... She's seen too much already. Are you out of your mind?"

"Mimic!" Morph finally shoved him. "Focus! I've been trying to reach you for weeks! What happened?"

"Ask her. She probably knows," Mimic said sarcastically.

"I don't know anything!" Mystique sputtered. "I don't know how you know who I am at all."

"Oh, I know all about you, witch," Mimic said. "All of us do...or at least I thought so. What? Did you forget?" He glanced at Morph. "Did you really forget already?"

"I didn't forget anything," Morph said. "But you of all people should know--it's not the same."

"Wait...forget?" Mystique said. "What does he mean forget? What's not the same?"

"Some things don't change, no matter what universe you're in," Mimic insisted. "She's trouble, that's the long and short of it. Send her out of here right now, if you want her in one piece."

"I can't do that," Morph said. "We have to go together. The Talis isn't working properly."

"So that's what it is!" Mimic said. "I haven't been able to get through to you at all...not since that first time. The Time Broker has... Anyway, I've been stuck here...too long, I think." He shook his head. "I was going to join you if I could...try to help, but..."

"This is the one who got mind controlled?" Mystique finally said.

"Oh, you did not tell her about that!" Mimic said. "Morph!? Her? Of all people."

"Stop saying that," Morph said. "We're friends, okay? And it's not how you think it is."

"Friends?" Mimic said. "Are you kidding me? Oh, don't tell me, this is one of the times where you think you can just talk someone off the ledge, right? Like that's ever worked with people like her."

"Stop saying that," Morph said again. "And it's not like that."

Mystique suddenly gave him a very strange look.

"Morph...is he talking about me?" she said. "In the timeline? Or other versions of me?"

"Well, kind of," Morph said uncertainly. 

"Oh, does she not know?" Mimic said.

"Mimic, stop!" Morph warned, but Mimic took some kind of vengeful glee in proceeding anyway, and he shoved Morph aside.

"Mystique, right?" Mimic said. "You're infamous in the Exiles... Out of all the people in the universes we know of who cause the most time-warping problems, you're probably one of the top 10. Quite the claim to a reputation, isn't it? Apocalypse, Magneto, and who knows who else. Doesn't really matter. The amount of times people like us have to stop things that you started alone, it's unbelievable."

Mystique stared at him.

"And you brought her here." Mimic turned to Morph. "The one place I thought we were safe from these people messing things up. I swear, Morph, you take this stuff too far."

Mystique's mouth dropped open, and she gasped.

"Wait a minute," Morph said. "Do you actually think I have... Mimic? That's so stupid. That's not what's going on here at all." He looked at Mystique. "Don't listen to him. He's been in here too long, I think."

"Is it true?" Mystique's tone was terrible.

"Is what true?" Morph said in a small voice, not liking it.

"What he's saying about me?"

"Well...yeah, there's a lot of versions of you, of all of us..." Morph said. "But we went over this. It's not like it's the same."

"Close enough," Mimic said. "Never saw a Mystique who didn't act a certain way, no matter what world she was in. Just like Sinister--or the others."

"Mimic, shut up," Morph said. "This wasn't what we were supposed to do here..."

Mystique's mind was reeling.

So...

This was it?

Now it made sense...too much sense.

Faintly, she remembered Shine telling her not to focus on whatever she heard.

But Shine didn't know about this, Mystique thought. She couldn't have...could she? Or did they all know? Was it only Mystique herself who didn't know?

"Mystique...listen," Morph tried to get her attention, "Mimic doesn't know what he is talking about, okay?"

"Yes, I do! Don't lie to her," Mimic said.

Morph tried to get her attention by coming closer. "Hey, are you okay?"

Mystique flinched and then shoved him away fiercely.

"Don't touch me," she said, furiously. "Don't even talk to me, do you understand? Both of you."

She dashed into one of the doorways.

"Where are you going?!" Morph called. "You don't know your way around. You could get lost!

"I don't care!" she yelled back. "Go to--" she said a not very nice place.

"Uh oh..." Morph said. "I don't know what she's thinking now, but you've done it!" He turned to glare at Mimic. "You should have known better than to say that to someone. You know we don't tell people that kind of thing, and I'm not sure she can handle it. How could you?!"

"How could you bring her here?" Mimic said. "You brought this on yourself, Morph... Don't tell me you actually like that woman? She's...the kind of thing we've spent all our time trying to stop."

"No, time warping is what we stop," Morph said. "We don't blame people who don't realize what they're doing, Mimic. I thought we settled that a long time ago."

Mimic blinked at him. "I..."

"No, don't even talk," Morph said. "I have to make sure she doesn't get lost in here, and I have to find the Time Broker. Either you can help me, or...or our friendship is over, I guess, because it won't matter anymore after this. My whole dimension is in danger, and you just made it worse. I thought you would help me!"

"I...I didn't mean to," Mimic said.

"Yeah, you should have listened!" Morph snapped.

He took off down the hall.

Mystique was already pretty far away, but because it was see-through, she was still in sight.

She wasn't actually sure where she was going. She was just so angry...

But before she knew it, she stepped into some room that she didn't know, and it had panels all over it, all crystalline...but these ones were holding images...blurred images, but...

"Ah," a new voice said.

Mystique turned and saw an old man, who didn't seem human, had just appeared next to her with no warning.

"Raven Darkholme," the man said. "Welcome. I am the Time Broker...and you're not a minute too soon."

https://youtu.be/Izf1gZWFc8w

[A.O. E. -- Crystal Clocks and Music Box]

[Get it? Too soon? Because time.... I'll stop.

Also Mimic really didn't make a great first impression...but he does have some excuse. (Also while I had made some tweaks to the lore, his personality is pretty much spot on from what I read. Possibly, he's worse in the comics.)

While not this Mystique, there was one who literally almost killed one of their teammates, I think, or someone they knew. And though she's not the same person, just looking like it and having the same name is enough for some people, as we all know. Grief and loss mess with people's heads.

Still, it was a cruel thing to do to tell her all that.]