Issue+61+-+'Denial'


 * Issue 61 - 'Denial' **




 * Plot**

Following a tumultuous fall semester where most of the Academy X staff were trapped in a mental prison by Danielle Robitaille and their clones took over the school, winter break is a chance to regroup. In their absence, Academy X was moved to an island off the coast of San Francisco that has been dubbed Utopia. Much of the staff’s efforts over winter break have to do with making Utopia livable, such as setting up for farming, dealing with the Atlantean vampires living under in the former Asteroid M under Academy X, or preparing for a United Nations hearing on Utopia’s bid for statehood. Each staff member has personal projects. David works with the school’s lawyer, Evangeline Whedon, to have the charges against him dismissed. The death of the leader of the superhero team known as the Guardians is pinned on his clone with the help of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the charges are dropped. Dane also has several meetings with Evangeline Whedon as he prepares for the United Nations hearing as Utopia’s acting head of state. The meeting is ultimately successful: several nations recognize Utopia’s independence, but not the United States. In his free time, Dane works on preparations for making Utopia self-sufficient. Bastienne spends time with her twin sister Georgie whose latent mutant ability of a leonine appearance was activated by the school’s Cerebra unit (along with hundreds of San Franciscans). Georgie has not taken the change well. Mac works to transition leadership of his Unity Campaign to Heather Cameron of X-Corporation: Los Angeles and assists her in efforts to fight mutant registration in California. He also spends a lot of time alone training. Sam deals with complications from her clone’s implanted fetus. She also spends time with family, including her daughter, Alex Stone, who is really Cassandra Nova’s offspring. She can often be found with her other child, the blue-skinned Kurt, as well as David and Dane’s son, Davan. Sam’s husband, Matt, relaxes with his family when he can, though he’s frequently busy working on security for the school and island. Two other residents of Academy X are dealing with personal problems. Cordelia Frost, Samantha’s aunt and David’s romantic partner, is suffering the effects of being a clone (the “original” was killed by Danielle Robitaille). Her body is breaking down, manifesting as a case of hemolytic anemia. Hank McCoy’s treatment has slowed the process, but she’s frequently out of breath, fatigued, and weak. Meanwhile, Bastienne’s wife Jessica is reclusive. She barely ever emerges from the basement medical lab where she seems to be searching for a treatment for her skin condition. She constantly has dry, cracked skin and she consumes an inordinate amount of liquids. Lucius frequently assists her in her research. Lucius is also working on several projects at once, which is normal for him. One of these projects was publishing an article in a medical journal about the Hope cure. As he didn’t reveal that one of the ingredients of the cure is vampire blood, he’s been bombarded by requests for interviews, access to the cure, scientists looking to do a peer review, etc. He’s holed up in his lab with Sarah (the disembodied hand of a former Academy X student) to avoid the attention. Some Academy X allies have recently departed. Agape, former eXalt and Cameron’s girlfriend, cut ties to the school and is working in an administrative role at San Francisco General Hospital. Honoka, former Academy X teacher and eXalts member, has left her roles at Academy X behind to become Shogun of Hellfire Club: Tokyo. She is overseeing the shadowy group’s multiple operations, such as its business interests (including the Pacific Trading Company, where many Academy X graduates found employment), its political connections (Hellfire Club: Tokyo was a major contributor to Governor Sangrey’s Peaceful Coexistence Party), and it’s paramilitary forces (its Yakuza connections control much of the drug and arms trade on the west coast). Honoka is also a member of the Academy X Board of Trustees and she remains involved in the day-to-day operations of the school. In fact, new Board of Trustees member Shiro Yoshida will be visiting Academy X over opening weekend. On top of that, Jubilation Lee, Academy X’s substitute teacher and Mac’s girlfriend, has suddenly departed. At least Academy X staff members Billy Pang and Ruth Aldine have returned from their honeymoon. These departures have caused Academy X some staffing issues. With Honoka’s departure, Sam’s medical leave, and Jubilee gone as the school’s substitute, the school will need to hire at least two new teachers. Headmasters Dane and Bastienne have put out a call for applicants and a small pool has applied: former students Adhra Dembo and Glob Herman and former Omega Gang member Quentin Quire. The headmasters have also reached out to former applicant and former Head Boy of Xavier’s school Jorge Ramirez at Samantha’s request. Dagan Lightfoot, David and Dane’s daughter from an alternate dimension and member of the eXalts, has indicated she can help out in a substitute capacity if needed. While Dagan has an apartment in Half Moon Bay and she’s taking college classes at San Mateo Community College, she will frequently be at the school anyway as she is dating Prefect and Combat Club leader Julian. Julian was recently possessed by Danielle Robitaille and he’s had a difficult recovery. Clearly there is much for the staff to tackle in their Friday staff meeting before the semester starts. Student staff (Head Boy, Head Girl, and Prefects) will be returning on Saturday and the rest of the student body will be arriving on Sunday. There are issues such as Utopia’s statehood, the upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. inspection, the Atlantean vampires under the school, the recent appearance of hundreds of adult San Francisco mutants, a spate of deaths among Church of Humanity members, the reappearance of Wonder Man, and the shocking suicide of Academy X student Chelsea to discuss, as well. The first order of business at the staff meeting is hiring new teachers to replace Honoka and fill in for Samantha during her medical leave. As the hiring committee is looking over resumes in advance of interviews that night, Cameron LaPrue suddenly appears! He had lost control of his mutant ability to turn into air, but he has returned. Billy goes over to the medical lab next door to grab a robe as Cameron has appeared nude. The others welcome him back and question him. He says he has mastered control of his air form and will be there to stay. When he learns they are interviewing for his job, he asks if he can have it back. Dane and David think it’s a bad idea – Cameron is still wanted on charges of using lethal force against members of the Guardians superhero team. It would look bad if one of their teachers was a fugitive from justice and a potential felon. Billy argues that David actually killed one of the Guardians (their leader, Watchman) and he’s allowed to teach. Dane says he’s all for kicking David out, but the point is that David has been officially cleared of charges while Cameron is still under indictment. In the end the group decides to move forward with interviews. The group interviews Adhra Dembo (a former student, code-named “Shade”, that can assume an oily form), “Glob” Herman (a former student whose skeleton is suspended in paraffin wax and who has super strength), and Quentin Quire (their former classmate from Xavier’s, code-named “Kid Omega”, who was leader of the Omega Gang that killed humans and a powerful mentalist). The final decision is that Glob is too meek to be a teacher, but he can live on Utopia. Adhra is hired for Cameron’s position. While the group is concerned about Quentin’s devil-may-care attitude and arrogance, as well how powerful he is, he is hired to fill in for Sam. Following the interviews, the rest of the staff joins the meeting (except for Matt, who’s in the security room and watching the kids, Lucius, who avoids staff meetings, and Sam who is on strict bed rest following a near miscarriage earlier in the week). They talk about several issues. David wants to make Combat Club mandatory. He says that the kids need to have real combat training because the school has come under attack many times and they need to be ready if it happens again. Everyone else disagrees – students already have classes in self-defense, sparring, tactics, and specialist classes (for mentalists, melee powers, blasters, etc.). Next Dane reveals some surprising news: Betsy Braddock, a board member on Academy X’s Board of Trustees, has stepped down. The group worries that another Hellfire Club: Tokyo member has replaced her and that they now control a voting majority on the board. Dane reveals that someone else has bought out Betsy’s position, however – he has. The group is surprised that Dane is now a member of the board – and therefore one of their bosses. David immediately brings up the conflict of interest. While Billy says that most of them have to fill several different positions due to their limited manpower, many others agree with David. In the end, the group votes to select Mac as their new headmaster. Mac is initially reluctant, and seems especially haggard and worn out, but he eventually agrees. The discussion then turns to positions for the nascent Utopian government. Dane has been acting head of state, so Billy suggests he officially take that position. Dane agrees. Mac has already volunteered to be Secretary of State (and as ambassador to the United Nations) and Ruth has volunteered to be Secretary of the Treasury (overseeing commerce and labor). Bastienne volunteers to be Secretary of the Interior (overseeing agriculture, health, housing, transportation, education, and energy). The three are elected. For the Attorney General position (which handles all judiciary matters), the staff settles on asking Evangeline Whedon. Ruth predicts she’ll say yes, but she’ll want her own housing on the island (not at the school). Since Glob Herman is going to be living there, too, they’re out of room and they’ll need to figure out housing anyway. Dane mentions that the school is out of money, however – Scott and Emma, upset over the school’s move to Utopia, have withheld promised funding and the treasury is nearly empty. On Saturday student staff return. Amanda (Head Girl), Gunther (Head Boy), Julian (Senior Prefect), Tierra (Senior Prefect), Ginny (Junior Prefect), and Liam (Junior Prefect) are brought to the island by the school’s ferry. The students have staff meetings with Bastienne and Mac. They also go through more Danger Room training. David moves forward with making the group its own “super team.” Bastienne receives a phone call from Honoka. She says she knows that the school has openings for two new students (following Stephanie dropping out and Chelsea’s suicide) and asks if they will accept two candidates she’s found. Bastienne agrees and Honoka forwards the scant records she has. The students are named Ethan and Mercy Connors. They are siblings who dropped out after ninth grade and have been living on the streets. They apparently have a juvenile record that is sealed, and their powers are likewise unknown. Dane does some digging online and finds their Department of Social Services records. They were placed in foster care from an orphanage years ago, but their foster mother passed away and they ended up on the street afterwards. Mac and David, along with student staff, take the ferry to San Francisco to pick up returning students. Dagan and Julian are already at the pier to meet those that arrive early. Among the many shops and restaurants, David notices a store selling Utopia and Academy X merchandise. They have t-shirts, stickers, posters, and more. They appear to be popular. A limousine pulls up. An Asian man emerges and escorts the two new students (Ethan and Mercy) to Mac and David. The Asian man is Tattoo, Hellfire Samurai of Hellfire Club: Tokyo. They fought the vampire leaders together recently. David thanks him for his help and Ethan and Mercy join the other students. At this point, students with physical mutations begin attracting a lot of attention. Soon a crowd has gathered and is taking pictures and videos. Mac begins moving all the students onto the ferry – but then he sees a familiar face in the crowd. It’s Crystal, a woman from his past, and she’s holding the hand of a small child. He hurries off after her, but she disappears into the crowd. On the ferry ride to Utopia, David talks to the new students. Mercy refuses to talk to David (or anyone), but she reveals she has the power to alter states of matter when she changes a bottle from solid to gas. Ethan is more communicative. He says he has the power of absorption. David tests it by blasting him with a low-energy light beam. Ethan absorbs the attack. He touches a light bulb and the light flickers as he absorbs energy from that, as well. Ethan says he can use the energy to heal. David says they’ll have to experiment with that later. Upon arriving on Utopia, students eat a barbeque lunch prepared by teachers. As students reunite and mingle, Ruth approaches David. She says Ethan and Mercy must join the eXalts. When David disagrees (no students are allowed on the team), Ruth says they’ll save someone’s life if they join – and they won’t die as eXalts. David says he’ll consider it. David then notices Jessica hanging out on the outskirts of the gathering. She’s wearing a sweatshirt and keeping the hood low over her face. She has makeup caked over her features. David asks if she’ll perform a physical on the new students and she agrees. Ethan and Mercy, meanwhile, meet the Paragons team leader, Aliyah. Aliyah welcomes them to her team and says it will be like their family while they’re away from home. Ethan and Mercy meet several of their teachers. Bastienne notices that Cordelia, Samantha, and Lucius are not in attendance, and Matt is busy in the security room with the kids. Mac, as new headmaster, gives a welcome speech to the assembled students and staff. He says he’s aware that all the recent changes (the school moving to Utopia, Utopia becoming a nation, etc.) will cause confusion and challenges, but he knows the staff of Academy X is there to help and he hopes students are willing to help each other. He goes over some school rules and encourages them in the second semester. At this point students leave to unpack and get ready for the second half of the school year. Mercy meets her roommate, a freshman named Wendy. Wendy’s last roommate dropped out, so she’s excited to have a new one. Mercy won’t speak to her, however, and when Wendy persists in trying to have a conversation, Mercy walks out. Ethan meets his roommate, sophomore Gabriel Lisowski. He learns about Gabe’s family (Jessica, a teacher, is his sister) and Ethan tells him about Mercy. Gabe says Academy X isn’t as nice as Academy M was, but nearly everyone who attended Academy M is dead… Sunday night brings team meetings. Ethan and Mercy feel like outsiders when they attend the Paragons meeting in the library. Liam, a telepath, has learned about Chelsea’s suicide and spread the news before the staff could announce it. As Chelsea’s teammates, the Paragons are quite distressed. Even new team advisor Adhra isn’t sure how to handle it. Cameron wishes he could be there, as the Paragons were his team, but he lets Adhra and Aliyah handle it for now. That night a series of strange events begins to occur. Academy X students and staff wake at midnight to find themselves in a new location or find someone in their room. Bastienne wakes to find herself in her childhood bedroom… and her father is trying to cut off the nub of a tail on her back. Cameron awakens in a Weapon X holding room where a fellow prisoner tries to seduce him, then uses her mutant ability to take him by force. Dane sees Meghan in his room, but she’s in a panic that she can’t find baby Dagan. David finds himself in a park where he’s approached by Joni and Gunther who want him to officiate their wedding. Ethan is in an Academy X staff bedroom and talks to a future version of Mercy, who has been appointed headmistress. Meanwhile Mercy is back at the orphanage and talks to Sister Agnes after hours. Mac wakes at Xavier’s school and is surprised to find a human Jubilee… and that they have a child. In each case, either the student or staff member is “pulled” back to reality or the intruder disappears. Other staff members and students have visions, too. When Bastienne returns to her room, Jessica is missing. Jessica later returns and tearfully admits she was with her (now deceased) father. Lucius’s visitor is a younger version of himself. Lucius activates some kind of device and the younger Lucius is trapped – he can’t return to his reality! The younger Lucius is disoriented at first. He was pulled from a time when the seniors (Bastienne, Billy, Dane, David, Lucius, Ruth, and Samantha) ran Xavier’s school after their teachers left or were incapacitated. The seniors had just learned that their foes, the Travelers, may be future versions of themselves, and that they may be hiding in the Morlock tunnels nearby. The group agreed to go investigate when Lucius was “pulled” from his time. Young Lucius is surprised by all the technology and Sarah’s disembodied hand. He’s also concerned about his timeline, but Old Lucius says that it depends on the nature of time travel and it could be fine. Old Lucius says he caught a glimpse of someone from another time once already and he made a device to make sure that person could stay. He asks Young Lucius if he might take his place on the Academy X staff. He’s tired of the meetings, the fighting, and being asked to do bad things like make machines or drugs for nefarious purposes. He’s also made some mistakes and he thinks Young Lucius would do a better job. Young Lucius is excited by the technology Lucius has created and agrees to take Old Lucius’ place. He’ll also use his illusion powers to hide Old Lucius’ presence and he’ll tell the others that Old Lucius is gone. Upstairs the students are initially in chaos as each of them has a vision or a visitor. Dane finds Cordelia nearly passed out in the student hallway. She’s used her emotion control powers to calm the students down. Dane helps her towards the medical lab. Mac arrives from his apartment in the activity building and he gives Cordelia some energy. Jessica still wants to run tests on her heart, however. David finds Quentin to make sure he’s okay. Quentin reveals that he had a vision involving “multiple Cuckoos.” Quentin also says the students are accounted for, but others are missing: Adhra and Glob Herman. And there’s one “new” student: Sarah Rabinowitz in her full form, not just as a disembodied hand! Bastienne “hears” from Quentin that Hayley is distraught. The headmistress finds Hayley in the bathroom and comforts her. Mac instructs the student staff to bring the kids to the cafeteria. At the meeting, Mac tells everyone to remain calm and that they’re looking into the cause of the visions. The students are confused. Some students had visions or visitors from the past or present. Some even had visions of events that never happened, like Robin seeing a scene from his childhood, but on another planet full of green-skinned aliens. Mac says he doesn’t have answers yet and everyone goes back to bed. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Classes begin as scheduled on Monday, though students are still on edge from the prior night’s events. Cameron resumes his prior job as Adhra still has not returned. Ethan and Mercy go through their Monday schedule (shower, room jobs, breakfast, economics with Mac, technology with Cameron, art or music with Mac or Jess, lunch, specialist classes [Bastienne for melee or Cameron for blasting], study time, dinner, and free time) and Tuesday (shower, group jobs, breakfast, literature and then ethics with Billy, tactics with David, lunch, sparring with Bastienne, study time, dinner, and free time) before skipping classes on Wednesday and Thursday. Mac speaks to Ethan and tries to persuade him to take school seriously and to convince his sister, else they’ll have to find another placement. Young Lucius and Dane investigate the device that older Lucius used to keep younger Lucius in this reality and find that it works like the teleportation nullifier Dane once built. Mac realizes a lot of sea life seems to be migrating under Utopia but isn’t leaving. Rafé calls Bastienne and asks if she can help find a vampire to change Georgie’s physical appearance, as she’s not coping well. Hellion junior Carrie wins the Last Mutant Standing competition and will be the club leader for next school year. Then news breaks over the weekend. First the 9th District Court of Appeals Judge that was randomly assigned to the Proposition X case, Judge Victor Walker, is revealed to be a mutant. There are calls for him to recuse himself. Then, on Sunday, there is an explosion at the X-Corporation: Los Angeles tower…
 * Next:** Issue 62 - 'Anger'
 * Previous:** Issue 60 - 'Climax'