Mystique stared...

"Get out," Morph said, impatiently.

This must be some new kind of revenge...Mystique thought dimly.

Then she decided, if it came to it, her chances were better outside a cage than in one, so she walked out slowly.

"Is this the part where you kill me?" she asked.

"I wouldn't put ideas into my head," Morph said. "I really should just leave you here, but it's probably worse for us if I do, so...yeah..."

Mystique suddenly thought it might be wisest to tell the truth.

"Before this goes any further, for the record, I didn't tell Psylocke or Magneto anything about this on purpose," she said hastily. "You can't lie to someone who can read your mind... I don't know how she found me."

"Oh, I can clear that up for you," Morph said. "You have a lot of enemies."

Cutting.

"Yes...well...I had guessed that might be it," Mystique said surprisingly meekly. "But...not that it matters...just that for once, this was not my plan...for obvious reasons."

"I really don't know why I should believe that," Morph said. "When has it ever not been?"

"Yes, but why would I lie about it?" Mystique said.

"I don't know, you're hoping I'll let you go if you do?" Morph said, still salty. "But that's not helping. I figure Rogue can handle this, so that's where we're going...only probably not out the opening, actually. So this way."

"Rogue can't...oh..." Mystique figured he meant her memories. "That won't work."

"I guess we'll find out," Morph said.

Mystique shook her head. "It won't help. I'm just dead weight. In fact, it was foolish to come here... I warned Magneto, but he didn't listen."

"Yeah, about that," Morph said, "the least you could do is not predict what would happen. Did they make you do that too?"

"You idiot, I was trying to dissuade him!" Mystique said. "You think I wanted this? I left to get away from you people!"

"Oh, was that why?" Morph said.

Mystique paused.

Then she went on anyway. "I warned him what would happen so he would leave it alone. But he doesn't believe me. He has the idea that they can brainwash people... Well, you heard. Even Sabretooth said it wasn't true, but it doesn't matter. Once Magneto gets an idea in his head, he doesn't let it go. You should have let the real Psylocke come back. That might have worked."

"Sorry we didn't go along with your 10-point plan." Morph was absolutely not in a good mood at all. "Either go or be dragged."

"You're actually willing to do that?" Mystique said incredulously.

The look on his face said: ''Yes...try me..."

"Oh..." she said slowly. "Fine, then...but you'll regret not just letting me go, mark my words... Um...is...she here?"

"Shine? Should I really tell you that?" Morph said.

"She is," Mystique said. "Oh...you fools!" She scowled. "He'll kill her! Do you understand? She's practically inviting him to. She's crazy!"

"You'd know crazy, and since I think you might be right about that for once, I'm going to go warn her, if you'd stop holding me up." Morph pointed. "Move it."

Mystique started walking, feeling like this was some kind of literal nightmare.

Maybe she could slip away later...

***

Once Magneto began to attack, chaos broke loose in the camp.

Mutants began rushing at Rogue and Gambit.

Gambit held them off pretty well using his explosives. But there were too many.

The other X-men and Wally jumped into gear.

Shine went after Morph, while they all started to hold off or round up the bad guys.

No one paid her any mind. They didn't know who was friend and who was foe.

Kurt, seeing the jig was up, began popping in and out of the fight to help.

Magneto had Rogue pinned down for a moment with some metal, and Kurt popped to in front of him.

"Hullo," he said.

Magneto had just a second to look puzzled before Kurt punched him, and he broke his concentration.

Rogue tossed the metal off herself.

"Thanks!" she called.

Kurt grabbed her and teleported her away.

"Sister, ve must get out of here," he said.

"Not without Morph," Rogue insisted.

* * *

Shine used her Search to find Morph, just as he was coming out of the other end of the cave, blinking at the sun.

Mystique was still following.

Some other mutates had seen them leaving and tried to stop them. Out running them was easy for Morph.

Mystique kept looking behind her, like she thought one of them would catch her by the feet.

"Guess you didn't make any friends here," Morph noted sarcastically.

While this angry version of him had been slightly amusing at first, Mystique was starting to find it unsettling as well as annoying. How was she supposed to get away if he refused to even discuss what the others were doing? It was impossible to plan without information... Of course, that could be the reason.

Shine met them just at this juncture.

Of all the things Mystique had anticipated, her reaction wasn't it.

"Oh, you found her," she said, sounding relieved. "Thank goodness. Raven, we thought you might be dead."

Thought or hoped? Mystique said to herself. Though she didn't really believe that. She'd swear that relief was genuine.

However, seeing Shine act that way made her furious--perhaps for more than one reason.

Shine came closer, and Mystique reached out and smacked her across the face.

"What is wrong with you!?" Morph cried, grabbing her arm. "Are you crazy? Oh, dumb question... Shine, are you okay?"

Shine rubbed her face, and her eyes flashed for a moment. "Oh my gosh, Raven! You know you hit harder than an average woman, right? I'm not blessed with super durability like you people are! Geez! I'm lucky that didn't knock something out of place."

"You're out of your mind." Mystique tried to wrench out of Morph's grasp...but he was much stronger than he looked. "Do you know what they'll do to you here? Kill you. On sight. Magneto is just waiting. You've saved him the trouble. Once he sees you, it's all over. You fool. You must have figured out why that blasted woman was there. Why did you walk into it?"

"Your concern is quite touching," Shine said, rubbing her face still. "Especially since you tipped her off."

"I didn't mean to do that!" Mystique's sudden anger made her blurt out the truth without really thinking about it. "I was trying to dissuade them from that, you moron. It's not like it's my fault they didn't believe me...."

Suddenly she stopped.

Was that, in fact, what she'd been trying to do? If so...she had only just understood it now herself.

What had possessed her?

Morph looked skeptical. "She keeps trying to deny it, but I think we both know that's not true."

"I'd...not be so sure." Shine was giving Mystique a careful look. "But how is telling them about us dissuading them in your world...? And I know you do not always think rationally."

"Oh, for once you'd have been pleased." Mystique was bitterly sardonic. "I told the straight truth. I even kept out your stupid faith and your abilities. Do you think it mattered? They just think I've been brainwashed. Me? Can you imagine? As if I'd ever let someone do that."

"Indeed, I'm not sure you're stable enough to be brainwashed," Shine said. "Acting with any consistent logic at all is hard for you."

Mystique stared at her. "Are you insulting me?"

"Kind of," Shine said.

"Huh," Mystique said. "This is when you come to it...interesting. More irony, I suppose. Not that you'll believe this, but for once, I was attempting to stay out of the whole thing. Psylocke found me. I thought that you'd appreciate that, but even you don't buy it..."

She looked a little crazy. "Figures."

"Relax," Shine said, suddenly lightening up. "I believe you."

"You do?" Morph said.

"Oh, Raven would never tell me something like that if it wasn't true." Shine waved. "And even if she is lying, at least she's trying to tell me what I want to hear for once. That's new. So I'm just going to take it for now."

Mystique blinked at her. "Well, you have no proof I'm not lying."

"Do you want me to believe you or not?" Shine asked.

"I want to know why she slapped you if she was going to plead innocent," Morph said.

"Yeah, what the heck?" Shine crossed her arms.

"Is this important now?" Mystique said. "If you believe me, then you should be running. I suppose all of those fools are here? It had better not be because you were looking for me."

"No, a promise is a promise," Shine said. "I was doing no such thing. Tell her, Morph."

"Yeah, she specifically said she wouldn't do that," Morph confirmed.

"Really?" Mystique was surprised. "Wow...I'd almost grudgingly respect that."

"It figures," Shine said dryly. "But as you are here after all, I'll give you a choice. Escape with us, or stay here... Your chances aren't looking great for the second, by the way. But no more forcing."

"So we're just taking her word for it that she's not trying to ruin this," Morph said.

"Who else can we refer to as a source?" Shine asked. "I don't trust Magneto, even if he'd tell us. But we must know now. We can't drag her with us, can we? You want to try this alone again?"

She looked at Mystique.

Mystique looked over at the fight that was ensuing.

"My chances would be better that way," she said.

"Sure, if you have a ride," Shine said.

Pause.

"If I help you get out of here, you'll give me a lift, and then I can go?" Mystique said slowly.

"If that's what you want," Shine said.

"I don't think the others will be okay with this," Morph said. "Also, not convinced."

"I'm sorry, Morph, but we don't have time to bat this around," Shine said. "Either she's with us or not, for now."

"Well, let's think about this," Mystique said slowly. "All of the X-men hold me responsible for this. How do I know it's any safer helping you?"

"I guess you don't," Shine said. "If knowledge of our characters counts for nothing. Your call. You can take a chance on us, or you can try to evade the people who already don't care about killing you. Unless you think they do."

"If I'm seen helping you, I might as well just be confirming Magneto's suspicions of me," Mystique said.

"If he already thinks that, why does it matter?" Shine said. "Take my view of it--it'll be amusing to mess with him. But whatever you want. That is how you decide things, isn't it?" Pointedly.

So apparently she could stay angry.

Why did Mystique find that reassuring? Something was wrong with her.

She supposed it was just that people who were openly angry were less likely to plot something behind your back.

She really couldn't be sure what would happen to her if she stuck around here...

Morph peered at the fight. 

"I think they need our help," he said. "Oh...also my cover was blown, but you probably figured that out."

"Did you get a chance to pass anything along first?" Shine asked.

"Yeah, but he didn't believe it."

"So who blew your cover? Her?"

"Actually, no, shockingly. It was missing some critical details."

"No accounting for that. That's why lying isn't smart," Shine said. "And perhaps the only way to solve this is to talk to him ourselves. I prefer the direct approach."

Mystique frowned at her.

Then she shrugged. "If you're going to try that, then I'm waiting to see how it plays out. You know how I think by now. What's in it for me either way? It only matters who wins."

Shine gave her a long look.

"If that's the game you want to play, then I won't stop you," she said. "Clever. Then you don't have to decide. But I'd be wary, Raven. If we do win, you just picked us. And, that means, you will have a lot of explaining to do." With a warning look.

Then she drew her sword. "Let's go, hurry."

She ran ahead.

Mystique realized that she might have just made the decision Shine expected, and sighed.

But what else was there to do?

"For the record," Morph said, "if you make one move to hurt any of our team, I'm still going to stop you. So either help us or stay neutral, as usual."

Then he followed Shine.

Since she had only to see what happened, Mystique followed also.

Anyway, she couldn't use the entrance. Someone had already shut the gates, trying to trap the intruders inside.

* * *

The fight was a blur for the X-men--so many people were attacking them.

If Storm hadn't created cover, they'd have lost immediately.

Wally helped by dashing around and tripping people or heading them off and redirecting them. Snatching weapons, etc. But against so many with powers, he couldn't do it all.

They were getting backed into a small knot.

"I cannot hold them off forever," Storm said, straining. "Any more effort and I may lose control."

"Magneto's just watchin' us now," Rogue said, using a tree to swat some aside. "Why?"

"He waitin'," Gambit said. "He not sure. He want ta find dem."

"Well, I'm right here," Wally huffed. "Doesn't he realize it's me?"

"He can't catch you," Gambit said. "He wait till you pinned down. Maybe jus' think you another mutant anyway. If Likstar jus' stay away, maybe he wait."

"If I know Shine, she will return once she find Morph," Storm said. "I hope he is all right."

"He's here." Rogue put her hand to her head. "But I can't tell where.... Shine, I can't sense.... You either, Wally. Sometimes your immunity is annoyin'."

"Sorry," Wally said. "Duck."

He pushed Rogue out of the way as some kind of projectiles were thrown at them.

Storm focused and swept a large amount of Mutates away in a strong wind.

"You think you could just zap them with lightning?" Wally panted.

"I must be careful," Storm said.

"Enough, X-men," Magneto finally spoke, coming closer but using metal to shield himself. "You are outnumbered. Why did you risk coming here?"

"Now we're talking," Wally said. "Hey, Magnet Dude." He waved. "We didn't come here to hurt anyone. You're the one who sent someone after us."

"Are you one of them?" Magneto frowned at him.

Rogue yanked Wally back. "It ain't matter who's who. Ya picked a fight with us--and over nothin'. You should be ashamed of yerself."

"Hello, Rogue," Magneto said. "I regrettably must look out for the interests of all mutants. And perhaps staging an invasion is not how you would best reassure me. Of course we feel threatened."

"You're a joke!" a familiar voice yelled.

The X-men looked and saw Shine had finally found them. She had her sword, but she was staring up at Magneto distastefully, more like he was a fly.

"Didn't we tell 'er not to do this?" Logan said.

"And it surprises you that she did not listen?" Storm said wearily. "When has she ever listened to us?"

"Good point. Someone should stop 'er before she gets any farther," Logan said.

"Fraulein!" Kurt appeared next to Shine. "Please. Let us not try to argue."

"Who are you?" Magneto looked down at Shine. "You must be one of them...though no one ever mentioned a sword... How nice of you to show yourself."

Metal shot at her.

Kurt poofed Shine out of the way.

Morph caught up. "Oh...uh oh," he said.

Mystique was close behind. "What...is she doing?" she muttered. "This is just what she shouldn't be doing... Oh, why am I surprised."

"Momma!" Rogue spied her. "Why, when I get my hands on you, I swear--"

"Mutter?" Kurt looked down.

Magneto spotted him.

"There you are!" He moved metal.

"Kurt!" Mystique yelled. "Pay attention!"

Kurt looked up in time to dodge again.

Reappearing on the ground, with Shine, he looked a little dizzy. "I may be reaching my limit."

"It's all right," Shine said. "I've got this. I think."

She looked back up at Magneto. "Hey, Tin Man, do you usually just execute people without a trial? Or do you confirm your facts first? Because if not, why do any of these people trust you?"

Silence...while the X-men waited.

Magneto looked at the remaining Mutates, who were scowling at Shine. Clearly they were not much for questioning their leader.

"How do I know you are not using some kind of mind trick?" he asked.

"Magnus," Shine said flatly, "if I could do that, you would be on the ground already, groveling.  Don't you think? This whole thing is ridiculous."

Magneto paused.

"You don't look much like a powerful being," he said slowly.

"It really is a shame you don't fact check," Shine said dryly. "I bet you feel pretty foolish right about now. The question is, are you the type of man who covers that by trying to kill the innocent party anyway? Or are you big enough to admit it and tell all these people to back off?"

She looked around. "By the way, all of you sheep can consider this your first and only warning. Leave us alone. This much was an error of judgment on your leader's part, but anything from this point is your own fault. Don't expect to get off easier."

"Are you daring to threaten my people in front of me?" Magneto said.

"Are you threatening mine in front of me?" Shine shot back. "You pompous, arrogant, hypocrite! Come down here and face me like a man, or are you afraid of a little woman like me? You with your magnetism, hiding up there like you're too good to fight close enough for someone to touch you. Some of us don't hide behind a legion of blind followers. Or are you afraid you'll lose your power?"

She looked around. "In which case, maybe you all shouldn't be standing so close."

They looked at her.

"Dis is bad," Gambit said. "Dey kill her for sure now."

"Wait a moment," Storm said. "I think this is working... At the very least, they must be having second thoughts."

Morph made a face at once person, who yelped and backed up.

"So, you can do this?" Magneto called. "You truly can nullify powers."

"Who knows?" Shine said. "What I can and cannot do, even I don't know. It seems odd that if I could, I haven't already, but that's for you, in your wisdom, to determine. We jump to conclusions around here, don't we? I've already concluded you're an idiot. Care to question my judgment?"

"Okay...not sure this is what I would have said..." Wally said, "but I've accepted my fate. That's the woman I married. So...might as well commit to this."

He looked up. "Yeah!" he called.

"So you really do think she's reckless," Gambit said.

"You ever back up a girl even though you think she's reckless?" Wally said.

"Sure," Gambit said.

Rogue shot him a dirty look.

"There you go." Wally shrugged.

Magneto seemed unsure whether to attack or not. He figured this was some kind of trick, but which action would be falling for it? She'd made him unsure.

Mystique shook her head in amazement. How did Shine do this?

Then Magneto saw her.

"Mystique...so, in the end, you did pick a side, didn't you?" he said.

Mystique chafed at this.

She felt she'd been humiliated enough by Magneto. What did she have to lose now? 

Slowly, she flipped him off.

Magneto frowned at her.

The X-men all found that funny.

"Wait, who's side is she on?" Wally asked.

"Her own," Gambit said. 

"I'm confused," Rogue said.

"Enough of this," Shine spoke. "Come down, or we'll bring you down. I'm beginning to think Callisto had more guts than you."

Magneto glared at her now. "Insolent little upstart."

"I've been called that so many times, I should get a free mug." Shine rolled her eyes.

"I think he's chicken," Wally called. "He's a big man, when he can stay out of range."

"I'm not fool enough to get close to you," Magneto said. "Do you think I'm some thick-headed, playground bully?"

"Yes, actually," Shine said. "And you're not on my list of favorite people anyway. What kind of person tries to eliminate people before being sure of them? Is this your idea of thinking ahead? About as effective as your idea of Mutant Supremacy."

Oh...she went there.

"And she's dead," Logan growled. "Nice knowin' 'er."

"Oh no..." Storm said. "Why didn't we stop her?"

Magneto became enraged. "You're mocking me? How dare you."

"Get closer, then," Shine shot back. "I dare you."

Magneto picked up more metal.

"Kurt," Shine said, "I need one last favor."

Kurt nodded.

They ducked as Magneto threw metal at them. It bounced off the ground and almost hit Morph, but he ducked using his power--to turn into a duck

"Geez, he's got a short fuse," he muttered.

Kurt reappeared behind Magneto, with Shine in tow, and she smacked Magneto with her sword, making him stunned enough to plummet out of the air and hit the ground.

"Ow..." he muttered. "That felt like lead... What was that?"

Wally dashed up and punched him, and he fell back.

The Mutates watching began to move.

Shine dropped to the ground. "Barrier!" she called at Wally.

"You got it, babe," Wally called. He picked her up and ran her around in a circle. She was drawing a line in the dirt with her sword.

"I've hardly used this trick," Shine said, once they had made a full circle...which included Mystique, surprisingly.

This happened so fast no one even saw that they did. But the circle glowed with faint light for a moment.

Shine came to stand in front of Magneto and drew another line in front of him.

"Whew..." She wiped her forehead. "That took a lot of effort."

The Mutates didn't see that happen and charged anyway.

Mystique backed up as one came at her...but then, to her shock, they seemed to hit some kind of wall, invisible, and they fell back.

This happened all around the circle.

The X-men were amazed also.

"What did you do?" Logan asked.

"Sorry to cut into your fun, Logan," Shine said. "It won't last forever, no worries. But long enough, I hope, to settle this undisturbed. It's called a barrier."

Morph tried to poke the line. "I can't feel anything," he said.

"It's not for you," Shine said.

"What is this?" Magneto stood up. "Magic?"

"Nope." Shine frowned at him. "But it is going to make it impossible for you to use your power to get out of this mess. I suppose you'd call that nullifying it, but it's really not. If it makes you feel better. You still have it, it's just useless. I just bet that bothers you more, though."

"So much for not seeming like a threat," Gambit said.

"Look, it was past that. Do you want us to try or not?" Shine snapped at him. "Do you have a better idea?"

"Gambit figure you not do it even if he did," Gambit said.

"You use all of your power, then," Shine said. "If you want to complain."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rogue asked.

Magneto was realizing that none of the metal he was moving was going past the line, and he suddenly looked pale.

"What have you done?"

"I thought this would be harder." Shine sat down on a rock like this was nothing. "You know, you're infamous. I thought it would be more difficult to get to this point...but, now that we're here...I just don't see it. Blind fear, blind hatred, blind prejudice...that's all there is to this, and while what people do in the name of that bothers me, I can't find the ideas themselves so terrifying. What are you but a scared, terrified man, trying to terrify everyone else into submission so that no one sees what you are?"

Magneto didn't understand her.

"Stop babbling and tell me what you have done," he said.

"I don't think I will," Shine said. "Make me."

She glared at him.

"I..." Magneto stopped.... It was dawning on him that he was helpless. Suddenly a look of fear came into his eyes.

"Are you scared now?" Shine asked, in a low voice.

"Shine..." Wally put hand on her shoulder. "Not too far, okay?"

"I have a point," Shine said.

"All right, just...make sure you make it without going too far," Wally said. "We're not like them.... We want to help."

"Yes...I know." Shine swallowed. "This is hard for me, though. Having sympathy for someone like him."

"Whatever I did, it was for the benefit of mutantkind," Magneto said.

"That pack of lies might work on people who know no better," Shine shot back, scathingly, "but not on us. I am not Charles Xavier, Erik Lensherr. I will not meekly accept your pessimism. Are you afraid of us? Good. Honestly, I thought it would be fun to meet you. The idealist, the fanatic, the one who is the big opposition to all that makes sense about the correct response to prejudice...but now that I see you, and it's over this, this petty attempt to eliminate a threat before it could reach you, I find I am unimpressed. And I wonder that anyone takes you seriously at all. Is that how bereft mutants are of hope? Of ideals? That they need to follow the dream that makes no sense...? In fact, it's just wrong."

She shook her head. "You want to talk to him, Wally? I might need a minute."

"Uh...sure," Wally said. "Hi, I'm Wally.... I'm confused. Do you go by Magnus or Erik here?"

"I...go by Magneto," Magneto said.

"Erik is his first name. Magnus is his second," Shine supplied dully.

"Right," Wally said. "Uh...Erik is easier to say, so...Erik, dude, I think what we're all wondering is why? I mean, why did you pick a fight with us? We were totally happy with just living our lives and ignoring this little gig you've got going on over here, as long as it wasn't hurting anyone. Now you made it into a big deal. And I just don't get it. Didn't think you were one to just stir up trouble for no reason."

"I had a reason," Magneto said. "And if I have not been well informed, you cannot blame me."

"Actually we can," Shine said. "Didn't someone warn you?"

"Two people," Morph called.

"Two," Shine corrected.

Magneto cast Mystique a look.

She looked pretty smug right about then, despite the situation.

"But I could not be sure..." he said.

"If we put this whole thing out loud," Wally said, "it boils down to...I heard some rumors about these people, so I decided to have them taken care of before I even met them. Somehow, I'm not the bad guy here, and I can be upset when they come to have it out with me over this... Is that about right?"

Pause.

"The sad thing is, all of you think so much of only survival and conquering that I bet that hardly sounds crazy." Shine looked at the onlookers and then back to Magneto. "I'm almost sorry for you now. But it's hard to pity people who try to shed innocent blood, is it not?"

"Do you deny, then, what I heard about Proteus?" Magneto said.

"I believe the patient-doctor confidentiality thing applies here," Shine said. "Frankly, what we do to help him is none of your business, unless it's unethical. And I don't wish to share details about his life with you. The X-men would not be allowing it if it were unethical, would they?"

"If I may," Storm spoke up, "that is true. And, with all our differences, Magneto, I am still stunned you would believe that of us."

"We had thought perhaps you did not know," Magneto said.

"That's touchin'." Logan was sarcastic. "But doesn't give ya the right to bust in on us like that."

"You made dis problem," Gambit said. "You deal with it."

"Yeah." Rogue crossed her arms. "We came all this way just to straighten it out, but honestly, ya don't even deserve that. We ought to just level this place."

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Wally said. "Most of these people are just misled."

"So," Shine went on, "what do you have to say for yourself, Magneto?"

There was a long silence.

Finally, Magneto waved off the Mutates.

"Stand down..." he said. "It's no use."

They backed off.

The X-men were amazed.

"So who are you?" Magneto said.

Shine and Wally exchanged a glance.

"We'll tell you..." Wally began.

"But you let us leave," Shine finished. "All of us."

She nodded at Mystique.

"I thought she didn't want to go with you," Magneto said.

"She just needs a ride." Shine shrugged. "That's all."

"I see... Loyal as always... I suppose..." Magneto said. "Not many people get away with insulting me. You had better be impressive."

"It's impressive enough that we got away with it," Shine said.