[OP: "Worn" -- Tenth Avenue North]

True to her word, Shine apologized to Scott for her harshness.

Scott wasn't really angry anymore, being too busy blaming himself for most of it. But he was shocked to have anyone actually apologize to him.

When he said so, Shine had to wonder at how functional the X-men in his world really were, if that surprised him. But she kept that opinion to herself.

Wally begged her to take a break.

So she said she would.

They both left the house, after making sure to reinforce their barriers. The others were left unsure what to do with themselves.

But Morph had an idea.

The way he saw it, this scenario was sort of like a "if you had one month to live, what would you do?" kind of thing.

"You know what we should do?" he told Mystique. "We should actually go out."

"Go out?" Mystique said, like she didn't know what that meant.

"Yeah, you know...I mean...we still haven't yet," Morph said awkwardly. "Don't you want to?"

"It's been...decades since I did something like that," Mystique said. "At least, I'm sure your idea of it."

"So you're overdue?" Morph said. "Come on. I have a whole list of ideas here."

He pulled out an actual list.

Mystique didn't know whether to be impressed or annoyed.

"You've given this some thought," she said dryly.

"Well, it is the first time I've had anyone to do some of this stuff with," Morph said. "Though I guess some of it I could do alone.... There's bound to be something here you'd like."

Mystique was on the point of  saying she couldn't care less, but then she bit her tongue.

Morph clearly was looking forward to this...

Well, who was she to stop him? At least someone around here was enjoying themselves.

She couldn't muster up a whole of enthusiasm, but no need to rain on his parade either...

"Have a one man Broadway musical..." Morph was looking. "Nah, that's not doable.... Be a pigeon on the Eiffel Tower...no..."

"Did you just say a pigeon?" Mystique had only been half listening.

"It's a shape-shifter goal," Morph said. "You've never sat and thought of all the weird things you could do with your power?"

Mystique stared at him.

"I guess that's a no," Morph said. "Here's another one: Be an impersonator for a famous artist at their own concert. I did try that once, at high school.... They weren't really famous though. I don't think the band thought it was funny."

"Is there anything on that list that sounds remotely like an actual outing?" Mystique didn't know whether she was going to be relieved or disappointed if he said yes at this stage.

"Ice skating on a pond in Central Park?" Morph said.

"You live in New York and you have not done that one yet?" she said.

"Well, you know, it's not that unusual," Morph said. "Shine lives in California and she's never been to Universal Studios, so that just says it all."

"Yes...that's totally the same thing."

"Well, it sounds like we have a winner," Morph said.

"I didn't say I wanted to," Mystique said.

"You didn't say you didn't want to," Morph said. "It's totally free, too. I always just make myself skates with my power."

"Who would pay for skates if they could shape-shift?" Mystique replied. "That's a waste of money."

"I've never felt so understood," Morph said. "So how about it?"

"I don't really know if..." Mystique was going to say leaving the house wasn't a good idea.

But then she glanced around.

It was pretty depressing here.

And not really that much safer...

She didn't really love the idea of doing something so...normal sounding.... When had she ever done that?

But on the other hand...it wasn't like it was embarrassing.... It was just an activity.

She had literally nothing else to do anyway.

"I suppose it beats sitting here shivering because the house doesn't heat well," she said.

"We really should get that fixed," Morph mused. "But great!"

"I don't see how you can be so excited, considering," Mystique said.

"I try to look on the bright side," Morph said. "Try it sometime.... Anyway..." He got more serious. "If it was your last day to do whatever you wanted, before everything got way too intense to put a pause on it, what would you do?"

An idea not about survival?

Mystique stood up, thinking. She glanced at the window.

"If I could do anything?" she said.

"Anything," Morph said. "No holds barred."

"I suppose I would consider if I had a single person who'd care if I disappeared forever the next day, and, if I could think of one, I'd talk to them," Mystique said. "What else would really seem significant?"

Morph looked bemused.

"Well, just talk? Or do something fun?"

"I suppose if they wanted to do anything, now would be the time," Mystique said.

"I think we kind of just came back to agreeing, then," Morph said.

Mystique didn't get it, and then she reddened.

Morph didn't seem to notice if he'd said anything touching.

"But that makes me think--I want to hang with the others too...maybe later in the day. We should all do something, just as friends. We haven't in a long time since this mess started, really."

Upon this inspiration, he went to the rec room to find some of the others, who weren't doing much.

He told them his idea.

"You and Momma, huh?" Rogue said, oddly.

"Wait a minute, what?" Logan looked up sharply.

"Anyway, do you guys all want to join in later?" Morph glossed over it.

"Ice skatin'?" Gambit said.

"Nah, something else.... I don't know, do you all have anything you've always wanted to do around here?" Morph said.

"Hmm...I always did want to visit Times Square and get a looksee at the holiday decorations," Rogue said. "Not sure if they're still up, though.... Funny, I've never done that since movin' here."

"Gambit not want ta do anything. Stay here is fine," Gambit said.

"It does sound nice to get out of the house..." Storm said hesitantly.

"Shoot, if y'all are goin', I will," Rogue said.

"Fine," Logan said, surprisingly.

Gambit caved in in the end.

But Logan's real reason for going was to spy on Morph and Mystique.

"I don't like this one bit," he told Storm. "Even if she's been better, she's still trouble. And Morph is a good guy, deserves better."

"Yes, but isn't that up to him?" Storm said. "I'm sure everyone feels like they don't deserve their partner."

"Wouldn't say you'd have that problem," Logan said.

"I could," Storm said seriously. "We all have our insecurities, Logan. At any given time one of us may appear to be better or worse than the other. Perhaps Mystique has qualities we are simply too far away to see."

"And I intend to see 'em if that's the case, but I doubt it," Logan said.

Storm couldn't talk him out of following them, so she decided to just tag along to make sure nothing too bad happened.

[Invasive? Maybe...but can you really blame Logan for being just a tad uneasy?]

Morph never noticed... It was too far outside of his idea of people that anyone would follow them.

Mystique caught on after a while, and she knew exactly why, too. But she tried to ignore it. She was well used to being treated this way by now.

Storm felt guilty.

"Logan, really, Morph is quite capable of handling her," she said. "What are we even afraid of happening? We're supposed to be having fun."

"Spyin' on my buddy's first date is fun," Logan said. "If I had a camera, I'd be usin' it. This would be gold. Only he's not done anythin' embarrassin'."

"Well, he made himself skates out of his own mutation, and then he still tripped over them," Storm said. "But it's more of a mishap than anything else. I thought we were spying on Mystique?"

"She does nothin'." Logan made it sound like a complaint. "Barely even talks, from the look of it. I don't understand.... Why would she be interested in the kind of down-to-earth guy that Morph is? Look at 'er track record."

"It's diverse," Storm said. "And Morph has enough diversity in one finger to keep most people occupied for their entire lives. Perhaps the appeal is having the same power. You know how lonely it can be, even among mutants, to have a power others don't like. Think of Rogue, before she joined us. Besides...as we've been watching them...I don't know, Logan, in a strange way, they look good together, don't you think? Morph seems happy...and I've never seen Mystique so...well...not trying to be actively mean."

"How can ya tell?" Logan said.

"I can tell," Storm said.

Logan still wasn't satisfied. He actually got close enough to hear part of their conversation while they were standing next to the ice rink's building.

"It's kind of late to say this, but it's just humiliating that this was my idea, and yet you're way, way better at it than me," Morph said.

Mystique was not in her blue form, but she'd kept her voice the same, and she had her usual tone, without so much of a bitter edge, however. "It's baffling how you can be losing your balance when you can shift your weight literally any way you want."

"I think that's making it worse," Morph said. "Well, I always was more of a baseball person anyway...but in the middle of January, you'd have to go to a batting cage.... Hey, there's an idea."

"Are you kidding?" Mystique said. "If we're going to do something that is a complete and total waste of time, at least an arcade would have prizes."

"I...somehow didn't expect that to be your suggestion."

"Well, it may shock you to know I've never actually been to one," Mystique said. "And it sounds boring, but all the kids are so into it, and it pays to know what people like, just in case you have to pretend to be one."

"So for research?" Morph said.

"Yes," Mystique said.

"Well...I'm not really a huge arcade person, but I guess for research it's a noble cause." Morph sounded like he was doing one of his military impressions.

Storm gave Logan a look that essentially said: And this ends now.

"Fine," Logan said. "I guess if somethin' was goin' to go wrong it would have by now. We can go--but I ain't goin' shoppin'. I'll tear somethin' in pieces if I have to go in one of those high-end stores again."

"I wouldn't dream of suggesting it, Logan," Storm said. "But I'm sure we can find something to do that would be more beneficial.... Come, Tough Guy."

She headed for the edge of the park.

Logan smiled slightly at the nickname.

[References!--to the 90s show, if you don't know. Aren't they cute?]

https://youtu.be/-J7J_IWUhls

["The Only Exception"-- Paramore]

* * *

Shine used the fact that most of the people at the house were absent to take some time alone in the downstairs area, where she could dance and sing without disturbing anyone.

The teens were nowhere in sight. They might have been outside playing in the snow, for lack of anything else they wanted to do. The Morlocks were no doubt in the basement, as usual. They liked it underground.

https://youtu.be/ULzd85NbWpQ

[O Taste and See-- Jenn Johnson.]

https://youtu.be/YMIcwiHZDHM

[Be Still-- Storyside B]

https://youtu.be/pfUssvjj4rs

[I Won't Let You Go-- Switchfoot]

After about 40 minutes of this, she'd begun to feel lighter and less stressed.

She started consulting her study notebook and writing out Bible verses that seemed helpful:

"You have also given me the shield of your salvation, your right hand holds me up, Your gentleness has made me great." [Ps 18:35] [Fun fact: I've heard it taught that when the Bible says "the right hand of God", it means His Spirit.]

"I would have lost heart, unless I believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." [Ps 27:3]

"For His anger is but a moment, but His favor is for a lifetime, weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning." [Ps 30:5]

"Well, don't you look busy," Emma interrupted her.

Shine barely looked up. "Trying to focus right now, Emma."

"More of this." Emma eyed the Bible, pens, radio playing worship tapes, and other signs of the faith.

"It's very rude to distract someone while they are spending time with God," Shine said.

"I understand you are doing these devotionals, but it's not like God is here," Emma said.

"Actually I believe He's sitting right behind where you're standing," Shine said.

Emma turned sharply.

"Made you look," Shine said.

Emma turned again to glare at her.

"The Bible says God is everywhere," Shine said, "so, technically, He is right behind you and around you and underneath you. It's a little theology joke, but I guess you've never studied theology. But of course you can't see God, Emma."

"Yes, because He's invisible," Emma said dryly.

"The Word says it's because if we looked upon His face, we would die," Shine said.

"A convenient explanation," Emma said.

"Perhaps the only one that makes sense," Shine said. "If God showed Himself in a way that we could see and understand, it might drive us mad. Even the smallest hint of it has made people faint dead away. Why, we can't even always handle other humans. So..."

"You seem back to normal," Emma said.

"I will take it as a great compliment that my state of mind after being with Jesus is what you consider normal for me," Shine said. "Thank you."

"You know...one thing I just don't understand," Emma said, "is that you say that sort of thing with no sense of irony whatsoever, though you must be intelligent enough to know how people think it sounds."

"And I don't understand why someone as intelligent as you doesn't understand the concept of letting me have my time with God," Shine said. "Either join me, or go away. Here, I have a spare." She pulled another Bible out of her bag.

"How many of those do you have?" Emma asked.

"I always restock and give people them once they become interested," Shine said. "Xavier had some ancient ones lying around, but they were boring and heavy to carry, so no one wanted to use them."

"And you carry all those other books... Aren't you prepared?" Emma said.

"If we aren't gonna to talk about God, then, please, stop talking," Shine said.

Emma was silent for a moment.

"Isn't that anti-Christian? Shutting down conversations," she said.

"The Greatest Commandment." Shine went back to writing notes. "If you know what it is."

"Do not kill?" Emma said.

"Don't be simple, Emma." Shine imitated Emma's way of talking. "All things can be forgiven, except one thing. Killing is not that thing.'"Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength". This is the greatest commandment, and the second is like it: "Love thy neighbor as thyself."' Can't tell you which is harder. Probably the first one. I suppose we could all be terrible at loving ourselves and not find it hard to love others that much, but there's no real way to scrimp out on Loving God with all that you are."

"Would you say that you do?" Emma always wondered how people could claim things like that.

"I would say that I wish to." Shine kept writing. "And that I get closer every year, but, no, not yet. I believe God accepts as much of ourselves as we are able to give Him in the moment as loving Him with our whole being, until we truly can. He sees us not as we are, but as we will be, at the end of His work in us. You understand?"

"No," Emma said.

Shine just kept on reading and singing under her breath to the songs.

"And I'll sing because you are good, and I'll dance because you are good, and I'll shout because you are good, good to me.

"Through you the blind can see. Through you the mute will sing. Through you the dead will rise. Through you my heart sings, I am free."

https://youtu.be/Xd76-_KiHWk

[I Am Free-- Shout Praises Kids]

"How did you break Selene's power?" Emma asked. "The Phoenix, all of it?"

"Does it matter?" Shine looked up at her like, Why are you still talking to me?

"Well, this does have to do with the faith, doesn't it?" Emma said. "I just want to know."

"Why?"

"Perhaps it would be useful if some of us could also," Emma said. "Trinity did it, didn't she? But the others don't seem to know."

"They know, they just don't have any confidence in themselves to be able to do these things," Shine mused. "But when it comes to it, if they don't have a choice, they'll do it. We always do. Instinct has to take over at some point."

"What about me?" Emma said, warily.

Shine looked up and stared at her.

Then she shook her head. "No. Never."

"Why not?" Emma frowned.

"Because you don't believe in it," Shine said. "Your name is not in The Book. Unless that changes, I would never teach you anything about it."

"Isn't that selfish?" Emma said with a little frown. "People could benefit from this."

"Everyone in the world needs it," Shine said. "But many are called, few are chosen, Emma. Few respond. When people try to do what we do, without being what we are, they have been attacked, nearly killed. Perhaps worse. I don't know all the incidents of it. I would never do that to you. They are not just words. Do you think I just pull a mystical sword out of thin air because I won it in a video game quest? This anointing is powerful, and it can be deadly if mishandled, but even worse is to trying to bear a burden when you have no strength. Would you send a child to do the job of a general? No, do not ask me again."

She shook her head firmly and turned back to her notes.

Emma sighed.

"I just hoped it might help. I'm tired of being able to do nothing."

"It may be, Emma, that neither of us can do anything," Shine said thoughtfully. "But I will be able to sleep at night with that knowledge, I think. God has reminded me of the past. I have never solved anything by trying too hard and worrying over it. I know what to do when I need to do it, and I cannot rush Him. I pity those of you who do not believe in that. The weight of the world is too much for anyone to hold."

"It seems the X-men have held it many times," Emma said. "Why should now be any different?"

"I suppose that's the big question," Shine mused. "Have we truly taught them anything? Have we lost? But you never know till it's too late to change it. I wish I could teach you something, Emma."

"And what would you teach me, if you could?" Emma found the idea amusing.

But there was nothing amusing to her about Shine's answer:

"I would teach you that God loves you," Shine said. 

A glib saying, Emma had always thought, but the way Shine said it, it was so...serious.

"That's what all this is really about," Shine mused, with the strangest look of peace. "All the counseling and the healing and the truth, it's all about love. Sometimes, when all else fails, that's all we got to fall back on. I guess that's why 1 Corinthians 13:8 says, 'Love never fails... But where there be prophesies they shall fail, where there are tongues (languages) they shall cease, where there is knowledge (special insight) it will pass away. For we know in part, and we prophecy in part, but when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part will be done away... And now abide Faith, Hope, and Love, but the greatest of these is Love.'"

She paused. "Poetry, really. Paul waxed the most eloquent talking about the love of God. The rest of his writing is so pedantic in nature, which is good, but certainly, it doesn't stick in your memories the same way."

"I've never heard that bit of theology before," Emma said.

"I suppose we try to show it more than just say it," Shine said. "Perhaps we should have said it too. I never liked that method, without actions. But of course, we do love you, Emma."

Emma blinked at her. "You hardly know me, Shine. You just mean you're supposed to be nice because of your religion."

"At the bare minimum, yes, I should be," Shine said. "And I get the feeling even that would be novel to you. But I think that God gives us the other kinds of love when we begin to follow His Commandments even without the feeling. So I also mean we do love you, with the emotions of it also. I hope that makes sense. You telepaths are in people's heads so much, I swear, you miss it when their hearts are different."

That was little too accurate to be funny.

"Anyway, two seconds is enough time to learn to love someone," Shine mused. "For some. Even Jesus had a special connection with some people instantaneously. I know when I met Raven for the first time, I loved her at once. I felt I could see her, if that makes sense. It's not instant with others. Scott, our Scott, was always quite the challenge, but I miss him, so I believe I learned it after all. Good to know, right? What about you, Emma? Have you gotten at all fond of this crazy bunch of heroes and whatever is in between hero and villain?"

"I really prefer to keep emotions out of things," Emma said.

Shine rolled her eyes and turned a page in her Bible.

"I do like them," Emma said. "Somewhat. But it will only make it harder in the end, liking them."

"If I may ask," Shine said, "what's your opinion on the old adage, 'Better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all'?"

Emma put her fingers to her chin contemplatively--which was a pretty cute gesture when she did it, only she didn't know it.

"I would say it's true," she said at last. "With the right kind of love. Certainly, there are some people who's relationship with each other would disgust themselves and anyone else to think about, in hindsight, but, if there was something genuine here, then I would be better to have known what that was like than to always have been cold and isolated, don't you think?"

"I agree, though it's a much more risky option, and not a lot of us fully embrace it," Shine said. "But that was a good answer. And you recognize there are different kinds of love. That's unusual also. You know, you might like this book."

She handed her Till We Have Faces.

"Raven liked it a lot, read it, like, 6 times, I think. I've read it more times than that."

"Is it religious?" Emma said.

"Not in the way you'd think of it," Shine said. "It's a retelling of a Greek myth."

"In that case, it doesn't sound so bad," Emma said. "Myths can be quite interesting."

"And quite safe, because you don't believe it really happened," Shine said. "Read Lewis's treatise on 'Myth Became Fact' in The Weight of Glory, and you'll see."

She handed her that book also.

"Good gracious, Shine, how many books do you have in that bag?" Emma asked.

"Just my staples...maybe 15 or so," Shine said. "But I could have pulled that one out of thin air for all you knew. I could be messing with you. But you can't read my mind, so you'll never know."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I couldn't read yours even before my realizing than my power is weak," Emma said. "Whatever the explanation is, you're lucky. These psionic attacks won't affect you."

"Because dealing with only the numerous mutants who have physical mutations to worry about, I am certainly lucky," Shine said. "But losing my own mind is a fear of mine, and I am glad for that little protection perk of being a DJ... If our minds could be controlled, you can imagine... Too much power for any man. We're exempt from it for all the more important reasons."

Emma shivered. "Yes, I can see..."

"Between the two of us, Emma--" Shine tapped the book. "--I'd pull for you, just saying."

"Pull for me? With what?" Emma said.

"Scott," Shine said.

Emma blushed and stood up. "It is none of your business, and you can keep your penchant for matchmaking away from me, thank you very much."

But as she was walking out, she stopped. "Are you serious?"

"Oh, sure." Shine was putting her books away now.

"But...why?" Emma said. "All the right reasons would say not to... I can't believe you would say that."

"I never liked Jean all that much even here," Shine said. "But here, she's at least honest. All I can gather about the one you know is that she's a bit of a minx. You cause trouble, but I prefer your way--it's more direct and not without some good points here and there. I like how you push people to make choices they need to make. I am like that also. You're like a sharp knife about it, but, hey, some of us need that. I think the X-men were stronger with you on the team, and I think that the ones here have had to be a little more decisive with you here, and I think Raven even has been pushed to make some major choices thanks partially to you. I'm grateful for that, Emma. I would definitely support your happiness. Nothing against Jean, I suppose, if she's a good sort of woman, but I would never rate you as second fiddle to anyone. And I know you and not her. The way I see it, you shouldn't always think you're the inferior choice. You're just the different choice. Differences can be good."

Emma saw she was praising her in her own way.

"Well, thank you," she said slowly. "You'd be one of the first to think so."

"I think we have similar enough backgrounds for me to fully believe that is true," Shine said. "But someday, Emma, being the firebrand may be just what someone needs. God has a place for all of us, the rebels and the rule keepers. We just need to know what it is. I was a born rebel, and you are too. I do believe Christianity may be the only Religion that would welcome that character trait of ours. I know it's the only one I could stand to be in. Jesus called out the teachers of His day, knocking over tables to make a point, and drove animals out of the temple with a whip. He also went around insulting people for picking on other people. I could relate to that Man on a Spiritual level. You shouldn't feel that you don't have a place on the side of Good just because of your nature. We all have our place."

Emma blinked at her again. "Well, your speeches are back," she said, trying not to show any emotion. "So I take it your ritual worked. Good, I think I'll leave you to finish it now."

She hastened away.

Shine knew perfectly well that she had been gotten to and didn't take it personally. She got back to her time.

* * *

Mystique and Morph both had more fun than they expected to.

Of course she beat him at all the games in the arcade...

Except the ones that were just pure luck.

"For someone who never does this, you sure seem good at everything," he said.

"Decades of skills acquired, maybe?" Mystique said. "I don't think ski ball and air hockey are particularly challenging after you've had to shoot things from hundreds of feet away."

"Hey, I can do that stuff, but...just not as good," Morph said. "At least I have better people skills, right? You scared that kid."

"She was trying to steal something," Mystique said. "Which normally wouldn't have concerned me, but if it's from me..."

"Well, anyway, it was fun," Morph said. "Just don't tell anyone that I lost that bad. I do have my pride."

"First I have heard of it."

"Ouch," Morph said. Then, "So did you have fun?" With an impish look.

"No." Mystique was crushing.

"What? You did," Morph said.

"You just want to say something smug. I'm not going to just hand it to you." Mystique was snarky.

"But it was cool to do something other people just do, right?" Morph said.

"I really don't think I feel the need for that that you do," Mystique said. "I don't really care what I'm doing. After a while, it's just doing something at all that's important."

"That's really boring," Morph said. "I think you just haven't done that much, that's what it is. Oh, I have an idea. We should play Never Have I Ever."

"What is that?" Mystique didn't like the sound of it already.

"You don't know...?" Morph had to explain the rules.

"Sounds like a game to brag about your good decision making," Mystique said.

"It's an ice breaker game," Morph said. "It's like speed-learning about someone. It couldn't hurt, right?"

"Or you could just ask, and I could not answer," Mystique said.

"I'm going to take that as a reluctant yes." Morph was learning a few things about Mystique's ability to actually hold out--i. e., it wasn't great.

Which was perfect for him. People who reluctantly gave into funny ideas were always the most hilarious to watch doing them.

"A shape-shifting version," Morph said. "I've never been able to do that before... Let's see... Never have I ever...used shifting to sneak into a theme park without paying first."

"Really?" Mystique said sarcastically. "Neither have I."

"I'll have to come up with one harder than that," Morph said. "Okay, your turn."

"I don't want to say it. It sounds stupid."

"Just say something you've never done."

"Fine...I've never shifted to get out of detention," Mystique said.

Morph was wounded. "You knew I did that already--that just wasn't fair."

"You never said I couldn't say it if I already knew."

"The whole point is that you don't know the answer!" Morph said. "Like, I never went into the wrong bathroom using my power."

Mystique raised an eyebrow.

"You did that?" Morph said.

"You know, you do what you have to do," Mystique said. "If it's part of a job. If you're going to start judging, we can stop now. This is stupid anyway."

"I think you're going to get into this and try to make me lose on purpose in approximately five minutes," Morph said. "But that's just a guess."

"That is not going to happen," Mystique said, pretty convincingly.

But of course, it did happen.

In the end she won, too. She had way more bizarre experiences to draw on...though...a few things surprised her.

"But I'm kind of surprised that I was the one who got out of a traffic ticket using it, and not you," Morph said.

"Because I wouldn't have gotten pulled over," Mystique said.

"Well, I guess there's always surprises," Morph said.

[When my sister and I came up with the idea for this gag, we actually came up with a full list of scenarios. Sadly, I couldn't remember them all for this chapter.

For some reason, Mystique going along with all this insanity makes sense to me. I guess she has been for a while, really, it's just more focused now.

Hope you liked the break from the super serious stuff.]