Another week went by mostly uneventfully. Preparing for the conference was now the main priority for a lot of them.

And on the X-men's front, some protests about Genosha broke out again--and some riots in other places.

Xavier was not sure how much to interfere in all this. But he suspected Magneto's followers to be behind some of it, and they were violent.

Shine talked to Billings, and he was now helping her connect with other people who were organizing the conference.

There was starting to be more push-back for it now that it was getting close. The church that had offered to host it, a large place in Houston, was getting death threats from people in the community...and some who were States away.

Billings had been getting phone calls from busybodies all over the country who informed him that they thought what he was doing was irresponsible and putting kids and other innocent people in danger.

"And this is how these humans reward yer efforts," Logan said, when he heard this.

Shine looked at him, and then silently she dumped some envelopes on the counter in front of him.

"What are these?" Logan picked one up.

"They were sent to The Way's P. O. Box," Shine said. "Some are addressed to me, because my name is on the speaker list for this conference. Some are addressed to Wally also, and some are addressed to 'the mutants involved in this.' I dare you to guess what they say."

"More humans not likin' us," Logan said.

Mystique was in the room at this time, helping Shine sort through papers...as she preferred this to the other tasks available at the moment.

"This is lovely," she said, holding one up. "They cut out the letters from a magazine like a serial killer."

"Think they wore gloves so we couldn't get prints either?" Shine said dryly.

Logan started reading one. 

"'To Mrs. Shine West,

"'I'm writing this because I am appalled by this blatant attempt at yours to appeal to mutants for sympathy to your archaic religion. Mutants are not some unfortunate minority that need your help to understand God and...' some words I won't say in front of lady." He was using a mocking tone. "Isn't that just like these FOH people?"

"Read the end of it," Shine said. "It gets better."

"'Mutants are the next stage of evolution, and your propagating the concept of God is just proof that you're a human who's trying to keep us oppressed and under your control.'--Wait." Logan stopped. "Us?"

"Read to the end," Shine said.

Much subdued, Logan continued, "'You lesser evolved species can keep your intellectual and societal shackles to yourself, or those of us in the higher stages of enlightenment are going to...' I can't repeat what they're sayin' here.... This is all threats..." He looked shocked. "Signed...I've never heard of 'em, but it's some mutant supremacy group, no doubt, like Magneto... They sent ya death threats?"

"Logan," Shine said, "all of these are from mutants."

She indicated the pile he had. "Apparently humans prefer to call instead. Mystique has the ones from humans in that pile."

Logan looked. That pile had only a few letters in it.

"They're predictable." Mystique was looking over them and making disgusted faces. "I don't know why you put up with this."

"Oh, it's nothing," Shine said. "This sort of thing happens with every movement about controversial subjects. Good and bad, you can't take random people's opinions as any real sign you're on the right or wrong track."

"All this is from mutants?" Logan was looking at more. "They're givin' ya some pretty harsh words."

"Every single one of them said they didn't need our help," Shine said calmly. "And most had some uncomplimentary remarks about our faith and our level of evolution. One did make me sad--it was anonymous, but some mutant in Canada was genuinely concerned that we're just going to encourage people who think mutants are demons to target them. I felt bad for that person. But they weren't rude. I wrote back to them that, first of all, it might be unwise to give their address if they were worried about this, but second that while this was true, it was much more likely to encourage more acts of kindness than any other idea is. I don't know if I said the right things. Some people are just afraid."

"How long has this been going on?" Mystique asked.

"Since we first announced this idea, but it's getting worse every week. They really want to stop us." Shine acted like this was nothing to worry about.

"Are you insane? You can't go there." Mystique grabbed one of the mutant hate letters. "You don't understand--they're serious. They'll attack you."

"Yes, well, perhaps they will try," Shine said. "But I think they will fail. And once they see what we're actually doing, most of them will probably be okay."

"That sounds like the kind of blind optimism Xavier has," Mystique said.

"True, and I can't guarantee that will happen. But mutants are scared and angry," Shine said. "If their fears were assuaged, perhaps so would their anger be."

"Shine, some of this is from Magneto's group," Logan said. "Geez, I'm shocked they even know to find a post office. Think they wouldn't get so close to humans. But that's them. Mutant Supremacy group."

"I thought so," Shine said. "Nice to know they haven't forgotten about us. Maybe some of them will show up. We can say hi to them after the camp."

Mystique gave her a look like she'd gone off her rocker.

"You have to call this off," she said.

"No way," Shine said. "Do you think we're going to let these people intimidate us? But Billings is talking about getting the police to guard the church possibly."

"Police won't be able to stop these guys," Logan said. "You'll need the whole team there if even half of these bozos show up."

"You think so?" Shine said, smiling. "I'm not surprised. You guys worry so much. God will protect us."

"And God protected you at the camp? Ya remember what happened?" Logan said.

"I remember God protected me," Shine said simply.

Seeing his look, she added, "I'm not opposed to more human help though, if you're offering. Wally will be there, of course, but he can't catch everyone at once. I'd hate for Storm to have to fight when she's supposed to speak... I'm not sure she should read what they wrote to you guys."

"Let me see that." Logan grabbed one. "'Mutants who are...' They don't even know who we are."

"Not what I would complain about," Mystique said flatly.

"They're sayin' we're traitors and sellouts!" Logan was furious. He tore the letters up. "This is garbage! We try to help and stick our necks out for these people, and they're callin' us traitors! How much are they doin' to help other mutants?"

"Funny you should say that. A lot of it reminds me of what you guys said to us about it at first," Shine said. "I distinctly remember, 'The Morlocks can't be trusted. They might kill you. You can't talk to Sabretooth.'" She was using a mocking tone. 

"I can do better than that." Morph looked in. He morphed into Scott. "What you're doing is reckless, Miss Likstar, Mr. West. You'll get us all killed."

Mystique snorted. "Sounds like him."

"Duh, it was his voice," Morph said.

Mystique rolled her eyes. "Well, I hate to agree with Cyclops on anything, but all of that could have happened, and almost did, or am I the only one who remembers?"

"Seeing as how ya caused some of it, it ain't surprisin' ya remember," Logan said.

"Logan!" Shine snapped. "What did I say about bringing up the past like that?"

"I'm just sayin'," Logan said.

"Didn't you cause some of it also?" Shine said. "Particularly with Sabretooth? Look at what happened there. Not that it is your fault, but his beef with you was part of why he was so angry with us. Let's not point fingers, okay? I know I picked some fights too. I wouldn't be surprised if the Morlocks we kicked out of here spread the word. I got a phone call from one of them today."

"What?" Logan turned dead serious. "Which one?"

"I'm not sure," Shine said. "They knew about the conference....They told me that it was a fine thing to tell thousands of people I cared about mutants after I kicked some of them out of my house...which it's not my house, but I guess they saw it that way."

"But you kicked them out for trying to kill me!" Mystique said. "Where do they get off saying that was your fault?"

Everyone looked at her.

"Well? What? It's a blatant lie. I can't say that?" she said.

"You're right, but that's what people do when they want to play the victim," Shine said. "I'm sure Callisto sees it that way..."

"Did they threaten you?" Logan said. "They actually know what ya look like."

"No," Shine said. "They had some very bitter remarks that made me cry after I hung up." She looked kind of upset for a second before her face cleared. "But they didn't outright threaten me. Just said they hoped everyone found out the truth about us."

"The truth about you is that you're a kind, compassionate, and brave person!" Morph grabbed her arm and started shaking it for emphasis. "Don't let them twist that. They drove you to do that, we all agreed. All of us backed you up, and we're mutants. That had nothing to do with your decision."

"It's just what they blame it on," Shine said. "Truth is, if they were humans I would have done the same, and probably harsher, too, because they'd have had no personal reason for it."

"They'll kill you," Mystique said, "if they get a chance. Magneto's people will. Are you willing to risk that over this little conference?"

"Little?" Shine said. "Do you understand what this will do for mutants, you silly woman? If the world sees that people take them seriously enough to reach out to them, then hundreds of people will realize this is not something they can just be neutral on anymore. The government will have to recognize that it will lose lots of religious voters if it keeps being harsh on mutants. People in smaller towns will hear of it. There're going to be news people outside the door, (hoping for a scandal, no doubt, but whether there is one or not, it makes a statement). This is more serious than Magneto's stupid little asteroid idea, because it affects the ordinary person. The one who's just trying to live their life and follow their faith, but that makes up millions more people than the ones in government. If we even have this conference, it will change so much. But even attempting it has already got the ball rolling. Here, didn't you look through all of this?"

She picked up another envelope. "This is from a community center in New Jersey, of all places. They said they heard about what we're doing and what happened, and they opened up a water jazz program for mutants with aquatic abilities...or any mutants. The city approved it because it got them more attention. This is good."

"It might not last," Hank warned, passing by.

"But it matters that they tried. Sooner or later, it will stick," Shine said. "I don't know if this is a quote, but it should be: 'The pyramid of success is built on a foundation of failed attempts.'"

"That should be a quote," Hank agreed.

"You guys sure are negative," Morph said. "Shouldn't you be encouraging her? Where's Wally? He'd be on my side."

"I believe he took the boys shopping," Shine said. "None of the other men around here wanted to."

With a glance at Logan.

Logan shrugged. "I hate shoppin'."

"You want to encourage this?" Mystique said. "It's lunacy."

"I don't know--maybe you're missing the point," Morph said. "If we were told that going somewhere and trying to help was going to get us killed by people there...normally we'd back off just to avoid the extra risk, since no one's lives are at stake here. But they're willing to walk right into it, knowing it's dangerous and that people want them dead. For people they don't even know."

"And some that we do," Shine said. "Like you guys."

"Well, don't do it for us," Logan said. "We're not worth it."

"Speak for yourself," Morph said. "But, like, seriously, don't do it for me." He rubbed his head. "We can take our own risks...but so many people out there can't, and you're willing to stand in the line of fire for them. I can't help but think that's pretty cool."

"Oh...really?" Shine said. "Thanks...I guess I don't think of it that way."

"How can you not?" Morph said. "It's really cool."

"You'll turn her head," Scott said, looking in. "I'm not sure I like the idea of you doing this when mutants are objecting."

"Why should I care about their objections any more than the humans?" Shine asked.

"Aren't you doing this to help them?" Scott asked.

"Well, ostensibly," Shine said. "But the point for me is just to bring God's hope to people--I don't really care who. But mutants do seem to be in need, and we do like to find the largest need."

"It's saying things like that that make these mutants think you are just trying to use them," Scott said.

"Scott..." Morph said, "do you have to?"

"I'm only saying that I understand why they think that," Scott said. 

"Shall we send out a memo to them explaining ourselves?" Shine said sarcastically. "There is only so much you can do before it becomes ridiculous to keep trying to defend yourself. And it's not our business anyway to do so. Or to you, Scott." She frowned at him. "I know you don't like this, but can you not encourage us to give up?"

"But my honest opinion is that the risks may not be worth the rewards," Scott said. "I just don't think this is going to change that much."

Shine frowned, then she picked up what was left of her mail. "I believe I'll finish sorting through this in my room, Raven, if you could just toss the stuff we sorted already. Then I guess you're off duty for today."

She walked out of the room.

A rubber band shot Scott in the side of the head.

Scott looked around.

"Morph!" he said.

"What?" Morph said.

"This is not funny," Scott said. "And it's not a joke."

"What did I say?" Morph said.

"Oh, can it," Mystique said flatly. "It wasn't him."

"Wait, was it you?" Scott said. "What are you trying to do, start a fight?"

"I think you started the fight," Mystique said, scathingly. "I thought you were supposed to be her friend, hmm?"

"I don't know that I ever said that," Scott said.

"Well, then you should shut up." Mystique suddenly sounded angry.

"Excuse me?" Scott said.

"If you're not friends, then why would they trust your opinion anyway?" Mystique said. "You've always been an ass to them. I've seen it ever since I got dragged here the first time."

"Are you in any position to talk?" Scott said.

"Now wait a minute, Scott," Morph said. "Maybe the lady's got a point. You really need to back off of Shine and Wally. This is important to them, and they have all the right reasons. You may not like it, but you need to stop trying to dissuade them. It's just disrespectful."

"And it won't work," Logan added. "They need us to at least pretend to support this, even if we have doubts. They'll even risk their skins again."

"And you're just going to let them?" Scott said.

"I know I can't stop 'em," Logan said.

Mystique was glaring at Scott. But the other two men thought she wouldn't do anything. She hardly ever defended herself.

But then, Scott brought out the defensiveness in the most meek, or else self-shaming people, with true talent.

"That's just the point--they never listen to anyone," Scott said. "Even if I accept their intentions are good, they still are reckless."

"Maybe you should go screw yourself," Mystique said, shocking the other two speechless.

Scott just paused and looked at her. "What?" he said oddly, both like he was appalled and ready to get angry.

Mystique, now that she'd begun, barreled on as she usually did on impulse.

She stood up. She was a tall woman and wore heels, so she came up to Scott's eyes just about.

"Where do you get off, huh?" she continued in the same tone. "I'm in no position to talk? Didn't you kick them out?"

"Who's fault was that?" Scott said.

That should have silenced her. Usually Mystique accepted her share of the blame quite docilely, all things considered.

But it was Scott...

Bristling, she shot back, "Yours!"

Scott glared at her. "What? Do you actually have the audacit--?"

"Oh, come on, Cyclops," Mystique said, sounding killingly flippant. "I played you so easily because that's what you wanted deep down--you know it was. You hated them, didn't you? Now you know that it was stupid, and we made you look bad, so you're trying to play nice, but you still don't like them. They get more crap from you than from the actual enemies of the X-men, don't they?"

Scott blinked. 

"Especially Shine," Mystique said, now on a roll. "You're threatened by her, aren't you? Because she's twice the leader you could ever hope to be, and she does it so effortlessly that it baffles you, doesn't it? She's smarter than you, and she's got more guts. And you know it, don't you?"

Scott was speechless now.

"I suppose you're right--I've never been on their side," Mystique said. "But I have no real stake in all this, do I? It makes no difference to me if your Cause lives or dies. But it's odd to me that the people who allegedly want what they want are such big detractors from it. You tear each other down? It's no wonder you've made no progress. They've made more in 5 months than you have in as many years, I dare say...or decades. Everyone around here is just too nice, or scared, to admit that. They're doing well, and it just scares the crap out of you, doesn't it?"

Scott had the strangest sense that it was Shine talking and not Mystique.

She sounded just like her...only her tone was about twice as mocking, because she obviously didn't care if she hurt his feelings at all.

"And one more thing." Mystique held up the papers she was supposed to throw away. "All this? And you? It's the same thing. Bunch of people who think they know better trying to stop the people who are actually willing to do something about it. At least I don't do that. I never claimed I knew better. Why don't you back off of me, huh? Do you know why Shine lets me help her? Because I'm honest about why I don't buy this. But you, you're just trying to cover your own failure, aren't you? You're pathetic."

Scott reeled.

"All right," Morph finally spoke, "Mystique, that's enough. You made your point."

"Yeah, back off," Logan said. "Scott may be an idiot, but he's still our friend. Ya can't keep talkin' to him that way."

"Did I hurt his precious, little feelings?" Mystique was killing again. "So sorry."

"I think he deserved what he got up until that last part," Morph admitted, right in front of Scott. "But that's going a little far, isn't it?"

"Is it?" Mystique picked up the rest of the papers, stacked them deliberately like she had better things to do, and then tossed them into the trash, then she walked out of the room.

"Wow..." Morph said. "That was...interesting."

Scott was still speechless.

"First Sabretooth and now this." Logan was not that sorry for Scott. "Who knew she had it in 'er?"

"You sound like you're starting to like this," Morph said.

"Eh, just if someone had it comin'." Logan shrugged. "But it should have been us sayin' that, not her."

"Are...are you serious?" Scott said.

"I wouldn't have said it that way," Logan said. Mostly because Storm and Jean would have killed him if he did. "But the core of it was kinda true, wasn't it? Ya need to think about that, Pretty Boy."

Scott clamped his mouth shut.

"Yeah, what he said," Morph said. "I'm gonna just go now..."

He went out.

* * *

Morph found Mystique rather angrily tossing clothes into the washer...well, she was tossing towels in.

"Is that your job?" Morph asked.

Mystique looked up. "It was on the week's list of things. I thought it was anyone's game."

"Oh, sure...just surprised that you're doing it voluntarily."

"Oh, that's fine. I felt like tossing something in to get drenched in water and then shaken soundly," Mystique said tightly. "It's cathartic."

"For the record," Morph said, "I was pretty much right there with you, and Scott had that coming. He's been like this ever since they arrived. I don't know why I never thought that it could be envy."

"Are you serious?" Mystique snorted. "It's so obvious. It would be easy to drive a wedge in this team if someone wanted to do it."

"Uh huh," Morph said. "So what are you trying to do?"

Mystique shoved more things in, then she shook her head. "I like Shine, all right? She's annoying and naive, but she's sincere. Do you know how rare that is?"

"Yes, actually," Morph said.

"It's rare enough to me." Mystique shrugged. "Sometimes she reminds me of Rogue. That girl is a terrible liar also. Too trusting, though. It's a shame she trusts the X-men to be above the same kind of pettiness everyone else is capable of."

"You know, Scott doesn't speak for all of us," Morph said.

"I know," Mystique said. "But as long as he's allowed to speak like that to her at all, she will wonder if that is what all of you secretly think. Do you think people really just don't care? Everyone cares."

She frowned to herself. "That's the problem."

"You have a point about that," Morph said. "I think he should lay off of them...but Scott isn't one to just change his mind... Compared to what he was like at first, this is a big improvement. At least he's not accusing them of being bad guys anymore."

"Do you remember how easy it was to convince him of that?" Mystique said.

"I re-live that almost every day," Morph said. "So yeah, I'd say I remember."

"At the time, I was amazed it worked," Mystique said. "I thought for sure they'd have given them a chance to explain. Then it hit me--he didn't like them being there...and not all of the rest of you did either. I noticed it the whole time I was here before. It's still the case, isn't it? That Kitty doesn't like it either--and not so sure about some of the Morlocks or the Cajun."

"I take it you don't miss much," Morph said. "I thought you avoided us all."

"I do," Mystique said. "But it's literally my job to learn this stuff. I can't just not notice it... Why do you think I avoided you?"

"Are you saying that was because that made you uncomfortable? Not that you hated us?" Morph didn't like this idea.

"Oh, no, it was definitely partly because I hated you." Mystique was brutal. "But the other reason was I didn't care for being around all that tension. All I knew was this--Shine never treated me like I was beneath her, even when she had to act like a jailer. And I have never seen her treat anyone that way. No matter who they are. And Wally does not either, though I know little of him. It mystifies me that the X-men are willing to discard that over a few different ideas of how to do things. If they weren't such moralists, I think most of the other organizations out there would take them gladly. They have skills, intelligence, and an ease of managing people that's quite extraordinary. Why they waste their time here, I will never understand."

Morph thought he detected some actual concern there under the bitter diatribe against the X-men, and he thought...You know she's right.... We do kind of ignore all that.

"I like Shine also," he said. "And I like Wally. They're cool. They don't care about the past, and they always have something wise to say about problems. Plus, they're real good with the kids. We couldn't have done this so fast without them. Even Kitty is warming up to them. But I guess when they got here, it just...freaked everyone else out. I wasn't there the first week or so, and I liked them just fine when I did meet them. So you'd have to ask the others what happened."

"Oh, I know what happened. Shine told me." Mystique surprised him. "They told them who they were, and what they were here to do. 'Help', in her words. No one bought it."

"Would you have?" Morph said.

"No. Would you?"

"Well...depends. Probably if they said they were from another world and another timeline."

Mystique was giving him an odd look. "You'd have bought that?"

"Sure," Morph said. "It happens a lot."

"To who?" Mystique was blank.

"People," Morph said vaguely. "I mean, you hear about stuff like that, sometimes."

"I don't."

"Well, the others have, so I don't know why they'd have had a problem with it."

"I know exactly how it must have been." Mystique straightened. "Shine didn't say this, but from what she did say, I put it together. They were their usual selves--calm, brazen, and unafraid to say exactly what they were thinking if they thought it was necessary. And that is precisely what the X-men didn't like. We all like to feel people are afraid to say certain things to us. Most people are afraid. But they aren't. It's grating...but that kind of nerve is also envied by idealists, no doubt. I wouldn't know."

Morph thought it over.

"Maybe that is true," he said. "I never looked at it that way..."

"It's sick." Mystique forgot she was speaking out loud. "Being so threatened by differences that you try to stomp out the actual good someone is attempting to do."

"And you've never done that?" Morph said, oddly.

Mystique thought about it for a moment.

"Not that I can recall," she said slowly. "I do a lot of things people don't like. Some that I don't like, I suppose. But trying to stop change? I never saw much point in that. And I don't really care if people have their own approach to it. What difference does it make to me? But if that difference does happen to be that they don't treat me like garbage while they're doing it, I wouldn't criticize them for their efforts, if I was claiming to be on their side. At first I didn't believe Shine could possibly mean what she said to me, but now I know that she does mean it, even if it's crazy. So either I would pity her, or I would be incredulous, but there's no reason for me to be cruel. I've seen a lot worse and put up with it because it was just part of the job."

"Well, that sounds like a bad idea," Morph said. "But you're right that they don't treat people badly...I mean...a little too blunt at times, but I'm not that bothered by that myself. Other people are.... Someone who's not afraid of change, that's pretty rare too.... That's why Shine likes you, you know that?"

Mystique snorted. "Whatever."

"I'm serious," Morph said. "I mean, she knows you don't agree with her--you kind of make it obvious--but you're not standing in her way. I think she can work with that. Hard to believe this, but I'm pretty sure you're higher on the scale than Scott is."

"Yes, and doesn't that just piss him off."

"Oh, gosh...I think it does," Morph realized. "That's why he's so hard on you, isn't it? Wow...ouch...this got ugly fast."

"That's how people are." Mystique sounded careless. "I don't care what Scott thinks of me, of all people. I wonder that you all let him push you around like that though."

"He's just a real pain when he's mad. But I guess it's true, this has gone on too long. He needs to just let them do what they do. It's creepy how what he's saying is what those other people are saying, and they don't even know us. Or them. But Scott does know them."

"Oh, 9 out of 10 times, that just makes it worse." Mystique rolled her eyes. "People don't like it when they're left in the dust by others who are this close to them. The issue isn't success at this point, it's ego."

"That is cutting," Morph said. "But I hate that I can't even argue. I feel like I didn't even see Scott that way till now... I don't like it."

"You don't like realizing unpleasant things about your friends?" Mystique sounded amused. "What a gem. Most people look for it."

"That's being a jerk," Morph said.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, Morph, but Scott also does that," Mystique said.

She was right!

How did Morph not think of it before?

Mystique thought it was pretty amusing to see the light bulb going off.

She had finished by now and started the washing machine.

"You know, if they go through with this, it'll be dangerous," she remarked on different note. "I'd almost hate to see them take the fall for it. I rarely ever like the people at the head of these movements."

"Yeah, and I've never heard you say you like anyone," Morph said. "You should tell Shine that. Might cheer her up after all that hate mail. I feel sorry for her. At least we get to remain anonymous. Unless if we make this school public in the future, then this'll happen all the time."

Mystique shrugged.

"I think I'll go make sure Logan hasn't taken this all to the next level." Morph suddenly realized this might easily happen. 

He left.