… Aidan Quinn
The weekend came so fast I almost felt like I'd missed something.
Between a few makeout sessions with MJ in the car — kisses that ended with her mouth still on mine when we were definitely supposed to have already said goodbye — and Gwen's sideways glances full of unspoken tension in the hallways, the week flew by in a blink.
Then there was the Xavier Mansion routine.
Training with Rogue — who was gaining more control over her powers by the day. Jean, with whom the nights were becoming… intense. Not just physically, but in the way she let go of her fears and just gave in. And Ororo — who had basically turned into her own private storm in my bed.
And of course, Raven — who didn't do kisses or sweet words, but always left some kind of internal mark.
All of that, mixed with power training sessions, control exercises, and the occasional struggle to keep Kitty and Jubilee from overhearing too much in the halls.
But now it was finally Saturday.
The sun was pouring through the window — an almost ironic kind of weather, considering where we were headed.
My first group interdimensional trip.
And every one of them was ready.
Jean was in a shirt way too tight and jeans that barely deserved the title.
Rogue had a jacket tied around her waist, still acting like she might need to hide — even on vacation.
Ororo looked like she was headed to a casual fashion show.
And Raven… well. Raven showed up with a black suitcase, dark clothes, and the kind of expression someone wears when they're heading into battle, not a beach day. Classic.
"Everyone here?" I asked, adjusting my sunglasses more for the vibe than the UV. "Because the interdimensional train leaves in five."
"Train?" Jean raised a brow.
"Metaphor. It'll be a golden magic-style portal. No lines. No screaming toddlers."
Ororo folded her arms, giving me that look — still undecided if she should be impressed or concerned.
"If this turns out to be another chaotic world with people trying to kill us, I'm skipping the next one."
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"You still haven't told us exactly where we're going."
"I totally did. A place with cool powers… and lots of sand."
"Is that a desert or the planet Tatooine?" Rogue muttered.
"Does it matter?"
Jean let out a light laugh, and I grinned, pulling the Company device from my pocket. The girls started dropping their bags at my feet.
"I'll take care of those."
And as the resident dimensional host, I activated [Pocket Space].
A silver rift opened up from the device — like a floating zipper in reality. With just the right touch of drama, I started tossing the bags in one by one.
"Okay… that's new", Ororo commented.
"It's efficient and quiet", I tapped the device again. "Technically undetectable by anything on this planet."
"You really don't play around, huh?" Jean murmured.
"Playing is a relative concept."
I finished stashing the last of the luggage, zipped the space closed with a flick, and clapped my hands like I'd just cleaned out the garage.
"Done. Bags packed, girls assembled. Just one thing left."
Rogue adjusted the strap on her now-empty backpack.
"What's that?"
"For you all to say you're ready. 'Cause the portal's about to open— and there's no check-in once you cross."
Jean stepped closer, her green eyes steady on mine.
"It's just a few days, right?"
"Promise. You'll be back before you start missing Xavier."
Ororo made a quiet tch sound with her tongue but stepped toward me with that calm-storm energy only she had. Raven was right behind her, a silent shadow that had already made up its mind.
And Rogue… just gave me that look — the one that said she was going to enjoy every second of this.
"Then let's go, Sugah. Open that portal and take us to your sandy mystery."
I exhaled and stretched out my hand.
"With pleasure."
I closed my eyes, activated [Trajectory. Agreement.], visualized the destination…
And the golden portal cracked open. The light shimmered like summer heat.
A brand-new world was waiting. A whole different universe.
"Vacation time, baby. Multiversal edition."
And we stepped through — together.
...
The heat hit hard, dry and direct, the second we stepped out of the portal.
Grains of sand rose with the shift in air, dancing against the clear, blazing blue sky. The sun was high, burning without mercy — but even so, everything ahead of us was stunning.
Rainbase. A mirrored city in a living desert, surrounded by pale stone walls, with towers in Arabic style, colorful tents casting shadows, and in the center, a giant casino gleaming like a promise of chaos.
"Well", I said, rolling my shoulders and watching their reactions. "Welcome to the sand."
"Did it have to be a desert?" Jean grumbled, already pulling her hair into a messy high bun. "Because when you said vacation, I was picturing a sea, cocktails, and something green."
"There is a sea in this country."
Rogue adjusted the wide-brimmed hat she only brought because it "looked cool." "And here I was thinking New Orleans was hot."
"Is there at least air conditioning where we're staying?" Ororo asked, wearing loose white pants and a black crop top that left her shoulders exposed. Her skin glowed under the sun.
"No AC, but there are giant mattresses, weird fruit, and cold water fountains."
"Then it's already better than the mutant spring camp", she said with a slow smile.
"So this is the new world", Raven murmured from behind. "It feels… real."
"It is real. Just different", I said, watching the city move.
The guards at the city gate looked us over curiously, but not aggressively. They spoke our language, and their welcome gestures came with surprisingly organized tourist info.
We passed through the stone gates and entered the city.
It felt like stepping into a living painting.
"What is this place, exactly?" Jean asked, walking beside me, her expression a mix of curiosity and alertness.
"A kingdom in political crisis. There's a king trying to keep order, a rebel group with questionable motivations, and... probably spies disguised as belly dancers. But other than that, total peace."
"Oh, yeah. The definition of peace", Rogue muttered, rolling her eyes. "Totally not the start of a revolution."
"Are we going to stir up trouble?" Ororo asked, wearing the look of someone who already knew the answer.
"Only if someone messes with us first."
We walked through shaded markets, stalls draped with fabric, strange fruits, spicy scents, and loud voices. The whole city pulsed with life.
"And how long are we staying again?" Jean asked.
"Three days, maybe five. Depends on the weather, the people we meet, and how much you all want to stick around."
"This feels more like a mission disguised as a vacation", Raven commented.
"Technically… everything with me is disguised as a vacation. But this? This is real. Alabasta has history, culture and a really interesting plot playing out."
Ororo stopped in front of a fountain with a golden crocodile statue.
"Plot?" She raised an eyebrow. "You sound like you know way too much about this place."
"Let's just say I read up on it", I replied with a smirk. "And I want to show this world to you."
Jean looked around. The locals didn't seem to care who we were.
Outsiders? Sure— but not a threat. At least we didn't look like pirates.
Rogue nudged my arm.
"So, what now, Sugah?"
"Now?" I glanced at the sun, then at the wide street ahead of us. "We find a comfy hotel, check out the market, and maybe — just maybe — I throw a few coins at that casino over there."
Raven crossed her arms.
"You have a problem with gambling."
"I have a gift for winning— very different things."
...
The streets of Rainbase looked like something straight out of a post-tropical fantasy novel. It was a mix of "Arabian Nights" architecture and urban chaos that made zero logical sense.
Kids ran by wearing masks of animals I didn't recognize, men sold fruits with names that sounded like tongue twisters, and an old man on the corner was yelling that the sun was spying on people's souls.
Classic.
Jean squinted up at the sky.
"Does that sun look bigger than usual or is it just me?"
"Could be just you. Or maybe trauma from the heat. Everything feels bigger when your skin's melting."
Rogue pointed at a fat, furry creature that looked like a cross between a duck and a camel pulling a cart.
"What is that?"
"A supi-supi."
She gave me a suspicious look.
"You just made that up."
"If I had made it up, it'd have a cooler name. Like 'Battle Duck Supreme.'"
"… You need help", Jean muttered.
"We know", Raven added without even turning around.
We walked a few more blocks and passed through a marketplace where one guy was selling swords the size of surfboards and another was offering "youth water" that smelled like hot sauce.
"And that water?" Ororo asked, raising an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
"Trust me, you already have more youth than either world can handle", I replied with a grin that earned me a subtle look from her that said "I could punch you, but I won't."
Eventually, we found a decent inn. Wooden sign, flowers hanging near the entrance, and a front desk where a mustached man was teaching math to a parrot.
Perfect.
"One room, please", I said loudly.
They all turned at once.
"One?" Jean said slowly.
"Room? As in singular?" Ororo added, arms crossing.
Raven didn't say anything. She just looked at me with the kind of expression I imagined came before a very slow, very painful, very intentional murder.
"It's big", I argued, hands up. "Three king-sized beds, feather pillows, sunset view from the balcony, and decent water pressure in the shower. In a desert, that's basically a miracle."
"Or you're just a pervert on a budget", Raven said, dry as always.
"Hey! I'm a practical man."
Jean snorted.
"Sure. You want us all to sleep together for 'logistical' reasons."
"Exactly! Do you even know how expensive rooms in downtown Rainbase are during rebel high season?"
Ororo was already signing the guest book with a half-smile.
"Well… as long as no one makes noise, I don't mind."
"Or tries to touch me while I sleep", Raven added.
"Noted", I said, arms still raised. "I'll sleep on the floor if I have to."
Rogue patted my shoulder.
"No, you won't. We know you, Sugah."
"Knowing me is loving me."
…
The door closed with a soft thunk, cutting off the hum of the city behind us. The room was spacious, cool, and open to the dry desert air. A rare luxury in Rainbase — and pricey, but thankfully, money wasn't a problem when you had a Company that handled interdimensional currency like a Swiss bank on vacation.
Three huge beds, velvet pillows in warm gold tones, tapestries on the walls, and a little bar in the corner stocked with bottles I couldn't identify — but definitely planned to inspect later.
Raven was the first to complain — naturally.
"Three beds. Five people", she said, arms crossed, already claiming one. "Touch mine and I'll dislocate your soul."
"I promise to keep my spirit to myself", Jean muttered, dropping her bag with a sigh.
"I didn't even touch it and I already feel threatened", Ororo said, pulling off her sunglasses and scanning the room with a small smile.
"It's her way of saying she misses home", I said as I flopped onto the bed nearest the window, arms stretched wide.
Rogue looked around with what I call "relaxed curiosity." The kind that only shows up when she feels safe.
She tossed her bag next to the bed I was on and pointed her chin toward it.
"I'll take this one. If I lose control when I touch you, no big disaster."
"You just want an excuse to sleep next to me."
She rolled her eyes, but the smirk on her face was answer enough.
Jean and Ororo picked their beds without much fuss — probably an unspoken agreement formed long before we even left.
Everyone was settled when Ororo turned to me, one eyebrow raised with that serene charm she carried so well.
"We're all set. Now what?"
"Now?" I stood up, clapping my hands. "Now we do what any proper multiverse tourist group does."
"Run from the local government?" Rogue offered.
"Get mistaken for gods?" Jean guessed.
"Steal ancient artifacts and unleash curses?" Raven added, without looking up from her seat.
"Eventually. But first— local clothes, local food, and maybe one or two tourist traps."
"You paying for everything?" Jean asked.
"Sweetheart, I'm basically running around with a black card from the multiverse, no credit limit."
"That explains your complete lack of financial awareness", Raven muttered.
"And your excellent taste in hotels", Ororo added, already heading for the door.
They lined up one by one. No uniforms on this trip. It was full-on vacation mode.
Light clothes, practical gear, and a sprinkle of desert chic.
As we stepped back into the vibrant streets of Rainbase, each of them turned heads for their own reasons. And me? I was just grateful to be alive to witness that private runway show.
The sky was already golden, and the city pulsed with its own wild energy.
Welcome to Alabasta.
...
The entire city felt like it was dancing between luxury and collapse — palaces buried in sand, intoxicating music echoing through the streets, and vendors pushing everything from sweet fruits to "magical artifacts" with a level of insistence that bordered on demonic possession.
My girls were… having fun.
Jean had picked out a tight dress with triangular cutouts that showed off just the right angles of skin — the kind of outfit designed to make people trip over themselves. She knew it, and walked like she was strutting through a crowd that didn't deserve her.
Ororo went for something white and flowing, clinging to her body like a sigh, leaving her legs visible in a way that didn't require much imagination. Braided leather details, gold bangles. A goddess lost in the desert.
Rogue — well, Rogue was the surprise. Tight black top. Low-rise pants. A scarf tied around her hips and delicate anklets that jingled with every step. She had no idea what kind of effect she had, but the heat coming off her definitely wasn't just from the sun.
"You only brought us here for this, didn't you?" Ororo asked, glancing at me over her shoulder.
"If 'this' means admiring beautiful women under the golden sun of an exotic world… then yes. Proudly."
Jean scoffed, but smiled. Rogue rolled her eyes. And Raven — obviously — was still wearing the same outfit.
Black. Long. Ominous.
"You're really sticking with that 'midnight assassin in the desert' look?" I asked, keeping a safe distance.
"I have class. And I like to intimidate."
"It's working."
"Good. Now shut up before I bury you in the sand with Infinity turned off."
Hm… seems like heat makes Raven cranky.
We wandered through markets, shops, and old palaces turned into tourist spots. The city pulsed with life, but underneath that… there was tension.
And soon, we started hearing it.
"The army's moving… not normal. They reinforced the north gate yesterday."
"They're trying to silence the rebels, but things are about to blow."
"This city's gonna burn soon… it's just a matter of time."
No one mentioned Baroque Works yet.
But they were already talking about rebellion.
And that said way more.
The Alabasta arc storyline felt like it was about to explode.
People were on edge. Behind every smile, something felt forced. On every corner, there were watchful eyes. Posters with military officials started appearing on walls. Torn-up pamphlets, dirty with sand. Whispered conversations, hands discreetly trading messages.
Jean was the first to speak. Probably sensing something deeper with her powers.
"They're at the edge. This place is a powder keg."
"And someone's been sliding matches under the table", said Ororo, voice serious.
Rogue kept her eyes on the alleys.
"Feels like they're just waiting for a reason. A name to yell, 'it's time.'"
"The kind of thing that usually blows up when someone new shows up in town…" I added — and they all looked at me.
"No", Raven said flatly. "We're on vacation."
"We still are. We only get involved if you want to."
Rogue stepped closer, adjusting her top's strap.
"Just saying: if this turns into a war, I'm gonna need a cold shower after. Fighting in this heat is gonna make me unbearable."
"Or irresistible."
She smirked.
"Not mutually exclusive."
We kept walking, but the feeling lingered — like we were inside a creature that was just about to twist and lash out.
And if there's one thing the desert teaches you, it's this: When the heat gets too high… even the sand can bleed.