Chapter 9
Disclaimer: I do not own X-men Evolution.
Okay, this may end up being the last chapter, even if it's not finished for a while at least. This is mainly because I'm back at college and am being set about three to four essays a week, plus tests, leaving me little time for anything else. Also, I'm now only getting one review per chapter and with so much other stuff going on it's a bit hard to keep going for one person.
This part of the story is going to be told from the perspective of the Helix team, and is about their origins. Well, Impulse's origins.
Haley: Oh, by the way a male version of a Mary-sue is a Gary-Stu. I think who ever invented them was either very weird or a really annoying person or by accident most people create Mary-Sues the first time around.
"Well then, Ali, I –"
"Don't call me Ali," snapped Alexis.
Poppy sighed. "Fine, 'Alexis'. But I prefer Ali." She paused. "I guess I had better start from the beginning. As you know, I'm Poppy Kendall; a.k.a Impulse."
Sandra sighed, and looked irritated. "This isn't a commentary on some lousy cheap movie. Just get on with the story."
"I would, but I keep being interrupted."
Alexis looked at the two of them and almost started to smile; then she remembered that they had lied to her.
"Just get on with it, Poppy, before I'm forced to send you flying."
"Fine, fine, just cool down. Anyway, as I was saying – I was a normal girl who lived in London and never moved anywhere. My Dad was a layabout who did nothing except beat us up when he was drunk, and my Mum always obeyed him. But of course you know that, don't you, Alexis? Anyway, I met you when I was five. I guess my story of how I joined The Helix also started in a time before I got my powers…."
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FLASHBACK – six months earlier
A dark, stormy afternoon. Two girls are walking along; one of them is Poppy and the other is Alexis.
"That was so cool, did you see the way she screamed when she missed the jump and landed on her ass?"
"Yeah, it was classic," Alexis replied.
They reached a crossroad. "Anyway, I've got to go; we're going to see Grandma."
"Sorry…."
"Nah, it'll be okay. So long as she doesn't start sneering at Mum and me because my parents weren't married and we don't know where or who my Dad is."
Poppy looked at the pavement. "Sometimes I wish we didn't know where my Dad is."
Alexis looked at her friend with concern; she seemed to have grown smaller somehow, now that they were talking about her father.
"What's he done now?"
"He lost his job at the factory. Now he lies around the house, expecting us to do everything for him. And he expects Mum to be able to pay all of the bills, on top of looking after Renee and Jake."
"Jerk."
"Yeah." Poppy smiled. "Just one more year then I'll be able to leave. I may take Renee; she's really smart and Dad only cares about little Jake. I'll leave and get a job, and pay for Renee to go to a private school."
"How old is Renee now?"
"She was fifteen last week."
They talked for a little longer, until it started to rain. Alexis left, and Poppy waited for her to get out of sight. She looked up and down the rest of the street to see if it was clear. And then, she vanished.
Thirty minutes later, a corner-shop owner was trying to explain to two police officers how he had seen a Mars bar float out of his shop, accompanied by a girlish laugh. The officers assumed he was drunk. They told him to go home and sleep it off.
Poppy was around the corner eating her Mars bar and smiling when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jumping and spinning quickly around, Poppy found herself staring at Sandra.
"Sandra! You scared the bjesus out of me."
"See you've been having some fun with the owner of a certain shop."
"What!" Poppy began to panic and backed away.
"It's okay, Poppy, I know about your powers. I have them too."
"I – I don't know what you're talking about, Sandra." Poppy sounded defiant. "Now stop being so stupid, or leave me alone." She turned away, hoping Sandra would leave.
Sandra shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "I guess I'll just have to prove it to you then, won't I?"
Poppy turned around and looked at Sandra "What do you mean?"
But Sandra was already walking towards the corner-shop that Poppy had recently taken the Mars bar from.
Poppy hesitated for a moment, then followed Sandra into the shop. She watched Sandra walk up to the owner, who was still looking very confused.
"Hi, can I have these?" She dropped some Polo mints onto the counter. "And," She looked casually at the cigarette-lighters on the back shelf. "All the money from the cash-register."
The last part had been said in a different voice and had a hypnotic effect. The owner looked suddenly half-asleep. He opened the cash-register, and handed the money over.
"Thanks." Sandra smiled and walked out of the shop, putting the money into her bag.
Poppy walked next to her. "That was amazing. I mean, he just gave you the money…he actually gave you the money! He didn't even act as though it was anything strange. How'd you do it?
Sandra looked at her. "It's my power. I can hypnotise people with my eyes and voice. I have to look into their eyes and be in close proximity to them, but still, it's effective. As you just saw."
"Since when have you been able to do it?"
"For the past three years, so, since I was fifteen. Oh, and by the way we know about your sister as well. How is she doing?"
Poppy stopped suddenly, so suddenly that Sandra didn't realise for a few steps and had to walk back to her.
"How do you know about Renee?" For the first time, Poppy actually looked nervous.
"Don't worry. We don't want to hurt you, we want to help you and your sister. We know that she's an Empath and that this is giving her headaches; if she isn't trained properly it may kill her. Dr. Helix can help."
"H-h-how? Who's Dr. Helix?"
"She's the one who sent me to get in contact with you once your powers had emerged. And she can help your sister just as she has helped me. At first I had no control and would hypnotise people by accident and not be able to bring them out of it again."
Poppy looked at her. "But how …. how does this Dr. Helix know we're going to be mutants?"
"It's her power, she can sense when those who are going to be mutants are nearby. She also knows what form their powers will take. But once they are mutants she can't sense them anymore. She also has an incredibly high IQ and is immune to others' abilities."
"Oh, so she sent you to get me. So all this time you've been lying to me."
"Yes. But before you get mad at me, I'm offering you everything you've ever wanted, an escape from your family and a safe environment and good education for Renee."
They had stopped walking by now and where standing at the corner where Poppy had left Alexis about an hour ago.
"I am mad at you and I need time."
"You don't have time for you this is a once in a life time opportunity, either you join us now or we take only your sister."
"What! Why?"
"Renee's abilities are of more use to Dr. Helix than yours are."
"But…I can't just leave her on her own with you. I can't."
She was shaking her head and looking dazed. Sandra was coolly standing back and looking at her through narrow eyes.
"Well that's the choice you have I'm afraid. Either you join us now or we take your sister forever."
Poppy looked at Sandra, feeling numb all over. She knew she couldn't leave her sister to these people – not now.
"Fine. I'll join."
"Good. Now, there is one thing for you to do before we leave…."
Poppy sighed despairingly. "What's that, then?" She sounded tired and defeated.
"You need to keep a watch on that friend of yours. And get me introduced to her."
"Which friend?"
"Alexis, of course. She isn't a mutant yet, but Dr. Helix believes that it won't be long now."
"Alexis? Is…is going to be a mutant!"
Sandra had looked shocked by this outburst from Poppy, but recovered herself quickly.
"Yes, your friend. Dr. Helix is very interested in her, because until recently she had no idea what her abilities are going to be. Even now she isn't sure."
"What would you want me to do?"
"Get me in as one of your friends and watch her."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"Fine, what about Renee?"
"Dr Helix will make contact with her personally and begin her training."
"Okay."
"Tomorrow I wish to meet Alexis."
"Fine."
"Goodbye, then."
"Wait. How long have you been with Dr. Helix?"
"For the past two years. It took her a while to find me."
"Where?"
"On the streets. I lived rough after I hypnotised my parents." Sandra's voice was perfectly calm. She flicked her hair and walked off.
"Bye." Poppy walked towards her house; there was a black car outside. She ran, but before she got there Dr. Helix had driven away.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Alexis took all of this in.
"So, you joined. And have you got any better?"
"I have, and Hyper here has." She indicated Sandra. "But Renee is still finding it difficult."
She looked worried and unhappy. Alexis put an arm around her.
"I'm sorry about that. The Professor's offer still stands, if you need any help."
"No, Renee will be fine with me. And I made a promise to Dr Helix; I can't leave."
"All right," said Alexis, but she was concerned. She turned to Sandra. "Well, you, Sandra, can go back and tell Dr. Helix that under no circumstances am I joining her team. Got it?"
"Got it." They stared at each other for a while. "Well, we had better get going. Goodbye, Alexis."
They walked off down the road, back the way that they had come. Alexis waited for them to go out of sight, then walked back to the mansion.
Yay, I'm done with this chapter happy dance Okay, I know I'm not the best at updating but I'm trying. I do need to have a little think, as I don't know where I'm going with this story for the moment. But I have an idea. Anyway, until next time.
P.S. Please R&R.