"This doesn't look so good...." is what Alison Blaire mumbles under her breath in this very danger situation that has found its way to her doorstep. Looking up, the mutant known as Dazzler finds two Prime Sentinels staring down on her, their gauntlets beginning to swarm with energy.

[MUTANT DESIGNATE DAZZLER WILL NOW BE TERMINATED]

"Oh, NO, ya don't," she quips, raising her hands high into the air. Alison concentrates as best she can, utilizing her abilities to the most extreme levels she can provide. Once, Alison swore to never use such an effect she is conjuring at moment, but dire times cause for dire measures. What she readies is a dazzle-burst, an ability that has previously blinded all at a high-school dance of her own, wherein Dazzler maintained no control over the effect.* [[*As seen in a flashback in vol. 1 Dazzler #1 -Pat]] That was in the past though, wherein her powers first developed, now she knows more. Alison has become much more trained in her abilities since that long, distant time.

Dazzler prepares the skill as best she can, focusing the immensely powerful offense to take out two, with what has affected a large crowd. Surely, the blast will have an immense affect on the function of the Prime Sentinels, is what she thinks as the dazzle-burst is emitted from her hands. Her eyes remain open, and focused, straining her face as she does this power. The light remains for but just nineteen seconds, but has caused an affect.

[*BZZT*... COMPENSATING *BZZZT* FOR ATTACK]

The Prime Sentinels have already begun to rewire their systems, their synthetic eyes finding very little injury to this affect. "Not what I hoped for, but s'my cue to get outta here," speaks Dazzler to herself, as she rolls right between the two sentinels and makes a dash for the opened door, grabbing her dufflebag on the way.

"Can't get away from the fact that I'm a Mutie ... can I?" thinks the Dazzler to herself, now running from the hotel, through the parking lot, socks only cladding her feet. As Alison takes a look back, the Sentinels are in the air, and closing in, and she looks forward, another begins to near her.

[MUTANT DESIGNATE DAZZLER; WITNESS TO BIRTH OF CREATOR; AVOIDED CAPTURE, TERMINATE]

The closing Prime Sentinel speaks with words that completely confuse Alison, but there's nothing she can do about that now. She has to find some help, or destroy these things ... and quickly. Dazzler points two fingers, aiming them as best she can for the eyes of the new Prime Sentinel. The lasers fly through the sky, soon hitting its eyes where a small explosion follows.

[VISUALS COMPENSATED BY HEAT DETECTING SYSTEMS]

"****!" groans Dazzler, finding her efforts doing less than little. Dazzler has little time to react, and knows that her stored energy is depleting. Alison lowers to the ground, as lights spring about her in a two feet radius, joining to form a dome, protecting Dazzler. Successfully, she's created a laser force-shield with not only capabilities of protection, but destruction to anything or anyone who may touch it.

"Comeon, one of you's take the bait! Touch it! Try to smash it even! You'll come out with arm less!"thinks Dazzler to herself, ducking down and awaiting some movement.

[ATTEMPTS TO AVOID DETERMINATION ARE FUTILE!]

At once, two of the Prime Sentinels raise an arm, and Dazzler further intensifies the field. The two bash at the field, but find their arms have each been damage, half of them now being gone. Still, their parts are reacting to the attack, as the eternity of their severed arms blowing up and taking with them a large chunk of their chests.

[MULTIPLE SYSTEMS DISABLED. REPAIRS NECESSARY TO OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE.]

A smirk falls to Dazzler's face, immediately lowering the field, and rushing further away from the Sentinels. The two begin repairs, while the other takes flight and follows her. Two constant blasts of plasma energy are released from the palms of the Sentinel as one grazes Dazzler's arm, leaping over and hiding behind a parked car.

Her insulated costume protects her from most of the blast, until the part where the blast had hit wore away. "All right. What to do. What to do," thinks Alison, knowing her safety is still in jeopardy. "It's one of the ones who got the full-out dazzle-burst. I'm going for the eyes again. I've got to," plans Dazzler, propelling herself upward on light-waves, as she comes to level with the oncoming Prime Sentinel.

From her eyes spring laser beams of a slight intensity. Dazzler tries her best to uphold this tactic for as long as possible. With the damage already incurred on this unit, only a small amount of light should take care of him. At least that's what Allison's hoping.

Twenty-three long seconds pass, wherein finally, a response is made by the assault. The light has finally made an effect as smoke swarms from the Sentinel's eye and then within seconds, its head explodes. All functions stop, the machine falling into the middle of the street.

"BAM! Down for the count! Last two only need a simple busting up. I absorbed enough sound before from the all the explosion going on to finish these two off. Maybe just enough," thinks Dazzler definitely becoming cocky before the fight has ended. As she lands on the ground back in the parking lot, she is greeted by the two Sentinels each raising their one hand towards Dazzler.

"Oh, don't even think about running your third person blabber! This battle's just about over," smirks Alison, as she hurls a photon-bomb from her hand, and then another from the other hand. As they hit the Sentinels, though, only a slight flash is the effect. "No!" she cries, instead forming her hand into a gun, and readying a laser only to find her energy has been depleted! "Argh!" she growls, hearing the swarming of the energy gathering in the two robots. "What NOW?" she lastly thinks, readying her aerobatic skills in avoidance of an attack.

{{You rely on the help of an unexpected ally...}}

A psionic message, in a voice that Dazzler recognizes, but can't pinpoint surprisingly replies to her question. An Asian woman charges the scene, a glow of psionic energy surrounding her head. Alison doesn't at first recognize the woman, but the psionic signature around her head rings quite familiar. "Although my looks have changed, I still go by the name of Karma at times," begins Xi'an Coy Manh* [*formerly of the New Mutants -Pat], as Dazzler finds Karma soon at her side.

Karma's hair has been chopped and shaved very closely, as well dyed a pinkish color, while her dress is quite provocative. This is not the young New Mutant that Alison remembers, but one she would trust anyhow, given the dangerous circumstances.

As Dazzler has turned her attention to Karma's arrival, the Sentinels each release blast of energy which cuts into the ground, and throws Dazzler back, landing several feet back on her bottom.

Karma erects a psi-sheild to deflects any further attacks, while she soon begins to reach into the minds of the Prime Sentinels. Xi'an brings her hand to her head, in attempts to aid the pain which this psionic battle is causing. Within only a matter of seconds, though, the Sentinels shut down, and the psi-shield disappears.

"Not bad, huh?" smiles, Shan, as she lends a hand out for Dazzler to lift herself up with.

******

Alison Blaire and Xi'an Coy Manh sit at a table outside a Manhattan cafe, getting better acquainted, having only met on few occasions. Dazzler had served most of her time as an X-Man in the Australian outback, leaving most meetings with Karma and other New Mutants slim to none.

"... I'm only a few blocks down the street in my loft. I heard all the commotion, and already knew that those damn things were attacking us muties left and right still. Quick telepathic scan led me to fine it was you and could use some help. So, I joined the party. Those things messed with me during O:ZT. I figure I better return the wallop they put me through last time," smiles Karma, taking a sip of her frappocino.

"You couldn't have arrived at a better time, Shan. Thanks," Alison returning the smile. "So, what's with the new you?" questions Dazzler, not beating around the bush. "I've reinvented myself more than once, but I doubt I could ever be THAT daring."

"My brother and sister were finally found after years of searching* [[*In the Beast mini-series, which mainly focused on Karma for some reason =/ -Snubbed Pat McCoy]], so I felt the need to make a change in my life since it took a new turn. Finally I could settle down some. It was a risky move, but one I don't regret," answers Xi'an, not at all uncomfortable with the line of questioning.

"Well, you go on, girl," jokes Dazzler, wrinkling her nose some. "Listen, I really wish I could chat some more, but I've gotta get some things settled. Too much is still up in the air now that I've finally come back home," sighs Alison, rising from her chair.

"Completely understandable. This has surprisingly been enjoyable. If you end up settling in the city, give me a call," responds Xi'an, rising and embracing Alison in a hug.

"Will do. Take care now," drifts off Dazzler, as she heads off, wondering like most if Karma's change means changes in other areas, but realizes more important questions needed answers first. Where has her supposed love drifted? What did those Sentinels mean? And what is she going to do with herself?

******

Alison hopes to be on the way towards finding those answers in the place that could best help her. At least she hopes she can find them where she intends to make a visit.

Dazzler sits in a taxi cab, her trenchcoat concealing her costume, as the driver continues in the direction of Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning. That's not the name Dazzler believes the school goes by, for she last knew it as Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, and she only hopes somehow the building is intact. Last she knew, the building had been completely destroyed* [[*See Uncanny X-Men #243. The Marauders destroyed that suckah! -Pat]]. The last, solid information she has on the X-Men would lead her to believe the they were based in Australia, but with all the shakes-up that happened towards the end of her membership, it's hard to tell what the X-Men are currently up to. This is her closest lead, with the most backing. From her few-runs with the X-Men since her move to Mojoworld, she could only assume that they could be located at Xavier's Mansion, or at least hopes.

"Lady, I really don't have a clue where you want me to take ya," sighs the cab driver, having gone over this with Dazzler at least three times on their ride.

"Fine. Just drive and I'll see if I can't pick out the place," replies Allison in a not too happy voice. "I could only imagine what's going on with the team now. Geeze. It's been so long. Probably some new blood, maybe a New Mutant addition or two, plus some of the good ole bunch I spent most of my time with," drifts through Allison in her mind, for every time she's met with the X-Men there's always been one surprise or another.

This time around, there's a surprise even before the meeting, as Dazzler's eye widen, an energy signature of some sort appearing in their path. "STOP THE CAR!" she shouts, leaning forward in the taxi.

Dazzler doesn't give the driver a second look, only throwing a small amount of money, before he turns back for the city. Alison stands looking, as the energy continues to grow. It's somewhat familiar to her, but she can't just place it, until now.

"ARGH! I wanted to get AWAY from you spineless ... or sometimes spined... people on Mojoworld! GEEZE! Can't you take a hint!?!" shouts Dazzler in frustration, as then from the energy spins SPIRAL.

******

*Next Issue: Spiral Vs. Dazzler! One on One! Who will claim the victory and where's Dazzler gonna be headed after the battle? Will Alison finally settle down?