X-FORCE: Playing Catch-Up

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Disclaimer: All the characters in this story belong to Marvel. I am
making no money of them. All the occurrences mentioned in this story
belong to Marvel, too, and were discussed in either Uncanny X-Men, X-
Men, or X-Force. I'm not making any money off them, either. Please
e-mail me for permission to archive. I'll probably say yes, I just want
to know first!

Playing Catch-Up
By Smitty

"Hey, Boomer!"
"It's Meltdown, now," Tabitha coolly informed Rictor.
"Meltdown, then--"
"And don't think it's just a name change, either," she continued.
"It's an
attitude. It's a personality. I am not the same girl I was when you
left. I
am a woman and I have been kicking some major booty from here to
Never-Never Land, so just remember that when you think of me, I am not
the pushover Boomer was. Got it?" Rictor stared at her.
"Ooo-kay," he said, completely forgetting whatever it was he was
intending to ask her in the first place. She raised an eyebrow. "Got
it."
Tabitha stalked away. Rictor stood in the middle of the room, scratching
his head. "Things have sure gotten wild 'round here," he muttered to
himself.

"Has anyone seen Terry?" Ric asked, wandering into the kitchen to get
a soda. She'd been absent from both the day's training sessions and her
room had been empty all day.
"I think she's off helping Deadpool out with something," Roberto
DaCosta said, walking into the kitchen after him and powering down. "She
said something about Wade needing her."
"Terry's hanging out with Deadpool?" Rictor asked in disbelief,
turning
around to look at Bobby. He blinked as he saw a once-familiar Brazilian
face.
"Yeah. They were up cuddling on the roof a few days ago. I was
like,
ooo-kay, Ter. If it's ok with you, it's ok with us." Bobby reached into
the
fridge, pulled out some orange juice and drank it straight from the
carton.
"Yo, DaCosta, not to be insensitive or nothin', but--"
"Roberto DaCosta! Are you drinking that orange juice out of the
carton again?" Ric blinked again. It sounded like Storm. It smelled
like
Storm. It almost looked like Storm. But what was up with the hair? What
happened to that gorgeous silver mane? In it's place was a short bob with
long tendrils on the side.
"'Ro...Nice haircut." Storm favored Rictor with a smile.
"Why, thank you, Julio. I'm glad you find it becoming. And welcome
back. I have not yet had a chance to greet you." Ric nodded.
"Thanks." Storm left without any further small talk.
"Thanks, man," Bobby said, wiping his mouth. "She was so busy being
flattered by your sucking up, she completely forgot she was yelling at
me."
"And don't think I have forgotten about you, Roberto."
"Aw, man, I'm outta here," Bobby sighed. "Ever since she started
dating Cable, she thinks we're her little charges, too." He rolled his
eyes.
"Cable's--"
"Roberto--"
"See ya 'round, man," Bobby hissed, booking for the door, leaving a
mystified Rictor staring after him.

"This is crazy," Rictor muttered, walking into the rec room with a
bag
of chips. "Leave for a coupla lousy months, Professor's destroyed New
York, Tabby grows a brain and an attitude, Cable loses his mind..." He
stopped when he caught sight of Caliban hunched over the piano. Tinkling,
delicate notes spilled from the instrument. Since when did Caliban play
the
piano? "Hey, Cal, nice tunes," he said, casually. "What song is that,
anyway?" Caliban looked at him, his playing slowing, then finally
stopping
in a jumble of discordant notes as a confused look spread over his face.
"Caliban not know..." He started to shake. "Caliban just hear the
music
in his head and have to play it..." He fell to the floor in tears as
Rictor
watched in horror. Rictor dropped to his knees beside the purple Morlock,
the chips spilling at his feet.
"Hey, Cal, it's ok," he said, cradling Caliban's head as he looked
around,
for someone who knew what was going on. "Hey, somebody, we need a
little help, here!" he called, hoping someone was within earshot. "It's
gonna be ok," he murmured, more softly, to Caliban who was whimpering
in his lap. "Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?"

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