Dazzler #5 A young woman walks past a packed club entrance, her heart beats, her hands are tense. The woman is putting herself to a test and soon realizes her desire is lost to have fun the way she once did as part of the lifestyle she had recently begun. The audience bustling outside the club is not one she would often find herself linked with before now. A change in life, in the way she lived was what she looked for several months ago, and now she realizes her choices may have been wrong.
"Changed"
by Pat Donovan.
After an out-of-control life had finished its craziness, she stopped and realized she was not who she once was. The woman needed to accept this new life and thought she had to change with it. She gravitated to a sexually charged scene of clubs nestled within New York City, known to most merely as the "The Village". Her exterior changed with her new lifestyle, and now as she walks into her apartment and faces a mirror she cannot help but realize she is not what she once was and it bothers her.
The woman at the mirror is Xi'an 'Shan' Coy Manh, the mutant telepath codenamed Karma. Events in her life have come to a standstill, friends new and old have drifted away, and she's come to examine what she's made of herself and she realizes it is not much of anything.
"Good-bye," she mutters, walking from the mirror, her mind made.
After an hour or so, she steps from her apartment with ease, her appearance much different from before. Pink hair now dyed back to its original color, she feels more confident, while at the same time nervous. Dressed in flare jeans, white tee-shirt, and leather jacket, Shan is comfortable with herself, her mindset, and with her surroundings. Now, it's time to take her first step forward with this new outlook.
**********
"T'anks, Ali," smoothly smiles the mutant known as Gambit.
"Mhmm," responds Alison Blaire, the Dazzler, not too excited by the situation she's involved in as she continues up the stairwell. Four mutants follow behind: Gambit, Sunfire, Caliban, and Pete Wisdom, all involved in the same particular scheme toiled by Mr. Sinister.
"So, yes, this is my loft," remarks Ali, her hands fling in the air. The place is barren, and in poor shape. "You needed a place to meet where we could get organized and off the streets. Here, we have it. My wonderful abode."
"S'not Muir Isle, but it'll do," remarks Wisdom, lighting a cigarette.
"I barely have had time to even get this. I mean I only had a break before heading out to the mansion, only to be diverted by Spiral who dropped me off in the path of Caliban* [[*Which sums up most of issues 2 through 4 for ya -Pat]]. I got the place exactly three days ago, keep in mind, but I guess it'll be good enough for whatever it is Gambit has up his sleeve," lastly puts in the Dazzler, folding her arms. "So, fill us in, Gumbo."
Gambit begins to explain the situation at hand, while Dazzler's eyes focus elsewhere* [[*See Uncanny X-Men #360 for more on that and Mr. Sinister's plans for this bootleg team of X-Men. -Pat]]. Alison is drawn in by the now shy monster who had viciously pursued her just moments ago. "There's still something that is just so familiar about Caliban..."
*******
"Hello, could I help you?" smiles a receptionist.
"I believe you could. I'm here to see my brother and sister. My name's Xi'an. They're currently in the care of the doctor," smiles Shan, peering over the desk's edge.
With a few quick stroke on a keypad, the receptionist returns with a smile. "Ah. Yes, Well, normal visiting hours have passed, but it is noted here that the doctor has granted you special entry to the grounds. So," informs the receptionist. With a push of a button, a door opens to the left of the desk. "You can go right on in. Most of the staff has gone home, but I do believe the doctor is still around. Have a nice visit."
"Thanks," Karma nods, stepping through the door a little suspicious of the woman at the desk. "A little too nice, and I don't know if a receptionist would hang out after hours," thinks Shan in her head. "I want to scan her telepathically, but... I can't invade her mind. It's probably some woman just trying to make some extra money in the city. I'm too paranoid sometimes," thinks Karma, continuing down a hallway.
The door shuts and the woman grins. "Seems one of Xavier's pups has crossed my path once more. More fun for me, I guess."
********
On a jet somewhere over the Atlantic, five mutants have come together to form a different group of X-Men, unlike any other previous.
"The man makes me wonder how he obtained such a jet," remarks Sunfire aloud.
"He has his ways, I'm guessing, bloke. Kinda like I do," replies Pete Wisdom.
"'Dat'd be right, Wisdom," smirks Gambit. "I intend to keep them my ways and my ways alone."
"What have I gotten myself into this time... Kung-Fu mutant master of fire over there gives me the creeps, while Gumbo and Wisdom are two versions of the same coin with different dialects. I guess I have to help Gambit out, though, I owe it to him. He came with the rest of the X-Crew when I needed help* [[*X-Men #10 and 11 -Pat]] and when the X-Babies got loose he was around then, too* [[*X-Men #47 -Pat again]]," Dazzler ponders, unsecured in her surroundings. "I'm most alarmed and least alarmed by this Caliban guy, though. He's so gentle now, yet was so possessed and ready to slay me before. Look at how excited he is by the clouds we pass on this jet. Geeze! Plus, I still don't have a clue as to what's going on between the two of us. He's so damn familiar!"
Dazzler rises from her seat and joins Caliban across from the plane. "Umm... Caliban?"
"Yes, Dazzler," he replies, sliding his head sideways.
"Do I know you from somewhere?"
"Yes, Caliban knows you from different places."
"Really? Care to explain, because you're just so darned familiar to me, big guy," smiles Dazzler, talking playfully with the meager-minded monster.
"Caliban once knew Dazzler from long time ago when he was still small. Caliban got in trouble when you were singing somewhere* [[*WAAAAAAY back in Uncanny X-Men #148 -Pat, Dazz and Cal fan :D]]. FriendKittyPryde and StormOroro stopped me along with some webbed-lady. Caliban remembers your voice was so nice, there," smiles Caliban at the thought. "Caliban seen you when you first joined the X-Men after all of my friends died, too* [[*The Morlocks died in UXM 210-213 and Dazz joined the team in 214 while most of the Morlocks that lived were hanging around the mansion and Muir Isle]]. Plus, I went to some place of yours when I was with X-Force, too, when Shatterstar didn't know who he was* [[*X-Force 59-61 -Pat]]. Cable-Nathan and Patch-Eye were so nice to me in X-Force. I miss them. Now, though, my head hurts alot and sometimes it's really bad," sighs Caliban looking back at Dazzler.
"Don't worry, Caliban, once this thing is done, I'll make sure we get you some help. I know a few people who maybe can help you. I promise that I'll at least try to do something for you, big guy," smiles Dazzler.
"So, he was one of the Morlocks, then part of X-Force, and that night he mentioned I remember even though it was quite a while ago. Jessica Drew, Storm, and Shadowcat came to see me perform at the Rainbow Room. I didn't really fight him then, and during the Massacre there were so many Morlocks around it was hard to remember any of them. And when X-Force showed up not that long ago, it was kinda rough. The night before I found out about ... the loss ... kinda needed to put some sort of front, musta been too caught up in it to really notice him. After this is all done, I am gonna get him some help ... it's just the right thing to do. He's being controlled or was at least by somebody, if not by several somebody's, including Sinister. Maybe Karma could help, seems the X-Men like to forget about their own once in awhile. Those who are forgotten gotta stick together, though, and we will."
********
Shan knocks, then nudges open the door some to reveal her siblings' doctor rifling through some computer files.
"Ah. Xi'an. How are you tonight? Is something wrong with the twins?" questions the old doctor with a smile.
"I'm fine. No, Leong and Nga were sleeping, doctor, but I was wondering if I could arrange to take my siblings home with me. I would still like to continue your sessions with them and your studies, but I do believe they should be home with me now," states Karma.
"I... I do not know right now, Ms. Coy Manh. I will have to see. I do not even know if my services will even be useful to you anymore," continues the doctor, distracted, continuing his work on the computer.
Karma catches the word LEGACY on the screen, and ponders some. Shan stands against using her telepathic abilities to invade the minds of others when not necessary. "Well, you did warn me of this. I guess this is truly nothing to be done."
"Mmmm. Indeed. Well, if you'll excuse me, I have a new project to work on," responds the doctor, or at least what seems to be one.
"Sorry, but I believe your attention will now be divided, whoever you really are," Karma unleashes a kick that whips around and slams across the face of what seems to be the elderly doctor. "I know that the doctor has more than a few things cooked up for my siblings if all else fails ... one alternative in particular which may be the very reason you're after the doctor."
The man is thrown from the chair, but as he does, his appearance changes, skin being a dark blue, crimson hair extending, as Karma finds the shape-shifter Mystique on the floor below her. "Hello, Karma," she growls.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't just wipe your mind and rid all mutants and humans alike of your troubling for good," growls Shan, her eyes aglow with telepathic energy.
"Your siblings have been taken from this facility by a friend of mine. I'm sure you've heard of an interesting character named the Toad. So ... that incentive enough, mind-witch?"
NEXT ISSUE: Karma continues to grab the spotlight as this story-arc thickens. Meanwhile, check out Uncanny X-Men #360 for some Dazz action and the destination of the Bootleg X-Men's jet.