The Adventure
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men series, any of the characters, or the movies. I also don't own any of the songs mentioned in this chapter. I do however own all original characters and this story.
This story is set through the second movie, with different views from some of the characters that were not (or are not) involved with the larger picture. Something's will be added, and some will just be different. Remember! Be kind and review if you like the story…it will make me update more often. ;)
Songs to listen to during this chapter: Cable Car by The Fray
Be Be Your Love by Rachel Yamagata
Angel by Sarah McLachlan
……
Chapter 1: Whitehouse Effects
"Neanderthals…they were more than likely the first type of humans on this planet…"
The caveman statue behind Storm seemed to look more and more intimidatingly fake as she stared at it. To be at the large museum was a treat for the students of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, and anywhere particularly out in public was a bonus mark. It wasn't that they weren't accustom to being out in the real world, but when you lived with Xavier, you didn't really live in the real world. Not by choice…but only because regular kids couldn't shoot fire from their fingertips or kill a person merely by touching them. Only because regular teenagers weren't able to freeze things over with a wave of their hand, or sense what would happen seconds before it did. Only because the normal boy couldn't turn to steel with a flex of his muscles, or the average girl couldn't control peoples' emotions. Only because the all-American youth couldn't stop time from happening. No…the students of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters was entirely different.
"Pay attention, Connors," The soft murmur in her ear made her smile lightly. "You never know when the storm will call on you." Sure enough, seconds later her history teacher's eyes fell on her and she felt herself blush from the sudden attention.
"Jasmine?" Storm asked, the class's eyes turning to her at her name. "How did they create their earliest weapons?" Opening her mouth to answer, Jasmine Connors quickly closed it, shaking her head. "You don't know?"
"Sorry, Professor Monroe," She mumbled, her eyes glancing up before falling to the ground. "I wasn't paying attention." Ororo nodded, continuing on as she began to explain while Seth poked Jasmine's back again.
"I thought you would have been on the ball, Jass," The cavemen exhibit was soon over and Storm gestured for them to follow her as they continued onto the Jurassic Age. Jasmine was getting bored, there was no doubt there, but she wasn't about to be like the rest of the class. Almost half of them had slowly disintegrated and got lost in the crowd already, not waiting for the half hour that Scott, or Professor Summers, had promised them before they left. Little by little, the professors were pretending not to care and they had spread themselves out evenly among the bustling museum. A place that also served as a coffeehouse and newsoffice for many of its visitors. "Come on, let's get out of here."
"Seth, we really should stay," She began, but by the time he'd grabbed her arm, she knew it was no use to argue with him. He already knew what he would have to say to get her to come. "When was the last time you passed a history test?" The smile on his face was evident even though she wasn't facing him as he pushed her gently through the crowds of people migrating through the museum. It was mid-afternoon and the sun was shining through the large glass windows and glass roof, eliminating the need for lights. The enviroment of the building excited her, and she knew only too well that everyone else was brimming with privillage to be here instead of in a stuffy library at the manor. "You don't have to answer that question, but I'll have you know that I can feel the embarrassment coming off of you."
"I'll have you know I pass tests regularly, but history seems to be a rough area in my case," Jasmine glanced back to smile at her best friend, his gray eyes smiling at her as well. Seth Goodwrich had been her first and only friend when she'd first come to the school three years before. He had been there for a year already when she'd arrived. She could still remember pestering him for ages to get his gift out of him, but when he'd told her, she didn't exactly believe him. He could see what would happen within the nearest future and along with that, he was an empath. "I don't have your brains, you know."
"I know," Jasmine smirked. She had never thought her gift was anything special, or anything that stood out. She knew three others that had the exact same power, including one of her mentors, Jean Gray. Her power of telekenisis, or the ability to bend or move objects using the mind, was slightly common among the walls of the Xavier estate. Yet her strength and ability to manipulate that came in large doses was not…which was why Jean Grey was her mentor in all cases. "So where are we going?"
"To that table over there in the food court, with the two chairs that that couple just left from," Seth replied. The refreshing thing about him to Jasmine was that he always knew exactly what to say. He never was stuck, and he never managed to make her mad. Infact, he was one of the only reasons she usually stayed grounded instead of getting ahead of herself. "And we're just going to sit and talk, maybe order some coffee…not do anything in particular."
She crinkled her nose as she shut her mouth, erasing the question from her mind. To have that power to stop yourself from doing something that could change the rest of your life would be the ideal gift for most. Seth didn't seem to care about that fact.
"It's nice to get out once in a while, isn't it?" Jasmine sighed quietly, brushing a stray hair away from the side of her face as they both sat down at the table. Her carmel coloured hair was tied up in a sloppy bun, a thin headband holding in the layers that were threatening to fall into her face. Yet try as she may, she always ended up missing one strand of hair no matter how hard she worked on it. That was when her laziness got in the way.
"It really is. We should do it more often," Seth's smooth voice interrupted her thoughts and she nodded, her brown eyes scanning the people around her. "That man over there,"
"Which man?" His gray eyes travelled over to her and she saw them roll before he leaned back in his chair, nodding towards a man in a business suit talking on a cell phone. Jasmine's eyes softened when she saw him. He looked incredibly stressed.
"He's talking to his wife…they're going through a divorce…he's incredibly sad…you're doing it again," Jasmine turned back to look at Seth, who instead of watching the man, was watching her with a smirk on his face.
"What?"
"You're feeling sorry for him…again," His chair was on its hind legs as he continued to observe her. "You're feeling angry at his wife for putting him through that stress, but also upset that they're having problems…now you're angry with me for-"
"Going through my thoughts," Jasmine finished for him, nodding her head in his directions. Seconds later, the chair had toppled over and onto the ground, but he still stood. "Ugh! I hate it when you don't let me win!"
"You can't win all the time Jass," He grinned. "It wouldn't be fair to all us little people," She shook her head as he adjusted his chair, the busy people around them still walking, completely absorbed in their own worlds. A fountain sat extravagantly in the middle of the museum, partially a display for the Rain Forest exhibit, and partially for an affect. A few tvs showcasing the news were blaring their information, and people were casually passing them by. Jasmine hadn't paid much attention to anything around her other than the exhibits and Seth, but when she saw the words flashing on the bottom of the screen, she felt her stomach drop. "Jass? Jasmine…"
"Mutant attacks White House," She bit her bottom lip, her brown eyes falling onto her best friend from across from her. A commotion was sounding on her left, but she wasn't paying attention to that."Seth, we should-"
"Go," He nodded and they both stood quickly, trying not to make a scene. However, that attempt didn't matter. Everyone around them had seemed to freeze. "What the hell?"
"Jasmine? Seth…let's go," Scott appeared beside their table, and neither had to ask why. Today was not the right day for the students of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
……
"What do you think they're saying?" Kitty Pryde shook her head, leaning against the wooden doorframe as she tried to listen deeper. The professors had all gathered into one room after they'd driven home from the museum, and the whole time everyone had been on edge. She was almost positive that all the tvs in the manor were on…and all turned to one channel. The President of the United States of America had been assainated by a mutant earlier this morning, or at least, that's what every news channel on tv was reporting. "Kitty, what are they saying?"
"I don't know! I can't hear over your mumbling," She hissed behind her, glaring at Riley Startch. The boy glared heartily at her, leaning against one of the marble columns as he crossed his arms. His jet black hair fell in a sweep across his face, and his dark black outlined eyes added to the effect. "Come on Riley…we need someone with super hearing or something to hear what's going on inside of this room."
"Shouldn't you guys be somewhere other than in front of Xavier's study?" Bobby Drake rolled his eyes as he walked down the corridor, Kitty's back straightening when she saw him. She'd always been fond of the boy, and had even made ammends towards his girlfriend, Rogue, for his sake. Most wouldn't think much of this…but including the fact that Kitty had been almost in love with Bobby since she'd met him, it was huge.
"I guess you're right," Riley shook his head as he kicked off the column, grinning wrly at her. "I'm off to find Jass and Seth." Her cheeks went red as she watched him leave, his dark clothes making him stand out amongst the elegant attire of the mansion. Eileen had already disappeared, and so had Marcus, and Jass and Seth hadn't even been interested in trying to listen in. So out of the group of six, she'd been the only one interested in why everyone was hiding things behind closed doors.
"I guess I'm on my own now," Kitty said sheepishly, her eyes falling on Bobby's face. He was smiling at her kindly, and she could still feel her cheeks burning as she got up from her position on the floor. Running a hand through her dark brown hair, she let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "I just want to know what happened, that's all."
"A mutant attacked the White House. It's all anyone knows right now," He nodded, his blue eyes smiling as he talked. Inwardly, Kitty let out a sigh. He had to be the best looking boy at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters…and unfortunately, one of the taken ones. "They're probably," He took a step closer to her. "Just trying to figure out," She'd never been this up close to him before. She could feel he warmth coming off of his body and she blushed deeper as he tapped her head in reassurance. "Who's behind it."
"Bobby! There you are," The airy Western voice that came along with the tap of feet running down the marble floor made Kitty look down in disappointment. "I've been looking for you everywhere!" Her blue eyes darted up to see Rogue holding onto Bobby's arm. Bobby Drake…her Bobby Drake. Kitty tucked her hair behind her ears, smiling brightly and falsely as she tried to not feel abnormally plain next to the pretty girl. With two large, white streaks framing her face and killer brown eyes, she made Kittyl feel invisible like she really was. And seeing Bobby's arm fall around her shoulders was no help.
"Yeah…I've been looking for you too," He turned his attention back to Kitty and she folded her arms in front of her. She'd always felt comfortable within the vine-covered stone walls of the Xavier mansion, within the mahogany and marble hallways, and the hominess of the campus. Yet these two people always managed to make her feel uncomfortable by just standing infront of her.
"Hey Kitty," Rogue smiled brightly at her, her gloved hand resting on Bobby's stomach as he held her with an arm around her shoulders. Feeling her stomach twang with jealousy, she let out a sigh and smiled back, waving. "You want to come with us to the rec room? We're just gonna sit and talk. Maybe you could help me with some of that history work that I ha-"
"Actually, I've got plans already," Kitty interrupted her, slightly surprised at the words coming out of her mouth. She didn't bother to see if Bobby looked disappointed that she wasn't coming. She didn't want to get her hopes up by misreading a glance. "Sorry…maybe another time."
"Oh…yeah. Another time," Rogue said, trying to smile at the girl as she brushed past them, quickly walking down the corridor in search of someone who wouldn't judge her the way she thought everyone else did.
……
"I liked that song," Jasmine looked up from her spot at the piano, one of her hands gently pressing on its ebony keys. The music room at Xavier's mansion was by far her favourite. Especially when it was just her, Riley, and Eileen. Seth had gone off to find Jubilee, who they hadn't seen since the beginning of the day…and even though he promised her that he didn't have any feelings for the pretty, fire wielding Asian girl, Jasmine knew him much better than he hoped she did.
"Which one?" She asked Riley, who was absentmindedly plucking at the bass guitar in his hands. Eileen smiled from her position on the cushy brown leather couch in front of the fire place, flipping through a magazine. If Jasmine had ever doubted meeting two other people who loved music the same way she had, she had never thought she would meet Eileen and Riley. When it came to music, Seth was boring and didn't care. But when Eileen and Riley got involved, the three could talk about it for hours.
"The one you were just playing," He sighed again, his brown-black hair sweeping out in front of his eyes again. Most people who saw the tall, dark eyed teenager would call him emo judging from his appearance. The colour of his clothes varied from dark browns, greens, blues, and blacks, and he almost always wore a dark pair of worn jeans. The black eyeliner and eyeshadow he wore didn't make the assumptions must better, but all of his friends agreed it suited him well. And the people who called him emo right up to his face, such as Artie, usually were the ones who got a face full of smoke. "What's it called?"
"Angel," Jasmine replied, turning back to the piano, but keeping her eyes on the room. It was larger than the kitchen and had various guitars, bass, and two drum kits tucked away against the walls, or else in the large wardrobes in the corners of the rooms. The large windows on the farthest wall let in the sunlight, and the portraits, music books, and music stands made it feel much more homey.
"Something you most certainly are…Eileen, on the other hand…" Now it was Eileen's turn to roll her eyes, and she shook her head, still flipping the magazine pages in her hands. Her blonde hair was pulled away from her eyes and out of her face to the top of her head, ending in a pony tail. Her magenta coloured eyes glared at him, and Jasmine could feel the tension floating off of her. She had always had a short temper for stupid remarks.
"Yeah, well you aren't exactly sporting a halo either, Smokey" Eileen sighed, shaking her head again.
"Mine's only broken. Yours is completely disintegrated," Riley replied bitterly back, and Jasmine went back to playing. She was tired of their bickering, and every time they promised to try and settle down, they'd start up again. Something she grew rather tired of very easily.
"That's it Riley!" The blonde roared from the couch, throwing the magazine on the floor and standing up. The smell of smoke quickly filled Jasmine's nose and she let out a cough as she glanced up. Her eyes were watering, but she could still see the two at eachother admist the black clouds. Riley's power was unusual…his ability to conjure dark, thick clouds of smoke at any given moment had never been normal. And Eileen being a technopath was completely helpless against him now.
Sighing, Jasmine stood up from the piano bench, concentrating hard and holding her hands up. If she could ignore the smoke and see them clear enough. The surprised gasps worked well enough for her, and she opened her eyes to see the smoke flooding back to Riley's hands. They were both floating an inch off of the ground, a meter's distance separating the two. She glared at them, her light brown eyes eyeing both of them as they stared at her.
"I have a headache…come on you two, can't you just get along for one day?" Eileen let out a huff and Riley laughed sarcastically.
"I try, but she always ends up getting in my face about everything," The blonde's hand flew out in a punch at him, which she thankfully didn't make. Jasmine coughed lightly, blinking hard to keep focused. "Jass, just let us go. You're tiring yourself out."
"No, I'm not," She said stubbornly, her eyes flaring red for a mere second. Both of her friends were taken aback and she quickly let them drop, collasping onto the bench. "See what you two make me do?" She was trying to turn it into a joke, but the fact that she was shaking uncontrollably extinguished it.
"Sorry, Jass," They both mumbled lightly, their eyes on the ground. Her frown increased, and for the first time in a long time, she felt the need to be away from her friends. Standing up with some difficulty, she shook off their apology.
"Don't let it happen again and I'll be fine," Jasmine replied quietly, taking a wobbly step away from the piano and towards the door. "I'm just going to go get something to drink."
"Oh, sweet. We'll come with," Riley said, and Jasmine smiled lightly in disappointment as Eileen nodded in reply and he set down his bass. Luckily, at that moment, Kitty walked into the room, an upset look clear on her face. And even though Jasmine wasn't in the mood to listen to someone, she saw her way out in her good friend.
"Kitty, hey," She smiled, her voice still quiet. Kitty's eyes snapped towards Jasmine and completely ignored the other two people in the room.
"Jass…can I talk to you?" Kitty asked quietly and Jasmine inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. This was exactly the excuse she needed to leave. Nodding her head quickly, she glanced at Riley and Eileen, mouthing "I'll be back later." Nodding their heads, Riley picked up his bass and resumed to play, while Eileen cast Kitty a suspicious look before heading off to one of the drum kits.
……
Kitty opened a soda bottle, handing Jasmine one as she went to sit down on the stool beside her friend. Out of all the people she knew, Kitty trusted Jasmine Connors more than anyone else. The reason why? She knew she wouldn't be spilling her secrets to anyone who asked her. And the kitchen was the perfect place to talk. Lunch had past already, and dinner wasn't for another while…the only people who would be wandering into the kitchen would be looking for a snack. Jasmine's wit was a lot quicker than others…so switching the conversation to something less important would be easier.
"Are you alright Jass?" She was paler than the usually was, and the slow way she'd walked towards the kitchen had been a hint at something. Until now, Kitty hadn't paid attention to the awkward silence that had filled her ears when she'd walked into the music room. The look Jasmine had sent Riley and Eileen had been filled with an almost fake promise. Had she been getting up to leave them?
"Yeah, I'm fine," Jasmine answered quietly, sipping her Diet Coke. She was leaning against the blue-tiled counter top, and Kitty leaned her elbow against it as well. The window behind them was stained glass, it's tiny circled, squared, and triangled pieces of glass glinting from the springtime sun outside. "I'm just tired, that's all."
"If you're sure…" Kitty sighed, trailing off as she eyed the girl beside her. She smiled at her in reassurance before nodding at her as if edging her to continue explaining what was wrong. "I'm sorry for dragging you in here like this, but I just need someone to listen to me right now."
"That, I'm good at," Jasmine nodded, her brown eyes watching Kitty. They were comforting in their downward almond shape, and the hazelnut colour was somehow loving. But tucked in the corners of them was an infiltrating weariness that was not unrecognizable. Smiling to herself, she thought of what Seth had told her only months before. She had a thing for treating emotions by looking at people's eyes. "Now, what's wrong?"
"Bobby," Kitty mumbled, and she felt her cheeks go red at the very mention of his name. "I know you've heard me out a hundred times on this, but everytime I convince myself to stop thinking about him, he bumps into me again and messes with my head," Jasmine merely nodded her head for what seemed like the millionth time that day instead of replying. That was the thing Kitty found frustrating, but nice about the girl. She wouldn't give advice unless you asked for it. "Rogue invited me to come hang out with them in the study, or wherever, this afternoon, but I said no. I mean, I was just standing in front of them and I've never felt so utterly exposed or judged in my life!" She let out a sigh and turned to Jasmine, furrowing her brow in helplessness. "And I don't know why."
"Yes, you do," Jasmine's eyes hadn't lifted off of her yet, and Kitty felt herself blush at the attention. If she willed herself to, she could melt away from that gaze and down into the basement, where Professor Xavier's secret hallways were and be lost for ages. Yet something kept her staying…something that was the fact that as much as she was willing her not to be, Jasmine was right. "You want him to like you, and you want her to feel pressured by you. It's as simple as that."
A simple silence sang through the room and Kitty seized the moment to take a long gulp of her soda. The fizzy bubbles sliding down her throat so quickly made her hiccup lightly, and she let out an embarrassed laugh afterward. She absolutely hated it when things like that happened. Setting her glass bottle back down onto the counter in front of her, she turned to Jasmine and opened her mouth to say something when someone walked into the kitchen.
"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" Kitty's eyes snapped to the door where she knew Jasmine's already were. John Allerdyce stood in the doorway of the kitchen, his signature lighter hanging in the tips of his fingers. He was smirking something awful and his eyes were turned to Jasmine, something that didn't sit well with Kitty. There was no way he would be staring at her friend for long. "If it isn't Kat and Jass, my two favourite girls."
"Oh, cut the bull John!" Kitty snapped bitterly, her dislike of the boy growing even more as he stepped into the kitchen. "Do us a favour and leave us alone!" His eyes flickered towards her and narrowed, his glare being almost transparent with his smirk.
"I'm just getting a snack…you don't have to go all lethal on me, Pryde," He sniggered, stepping further in and walking towards the fridge. Kitty glowered, glancing towards Jasmine before shooting daggers back at the pyromaniac. John's ability to control fire had ceased to impress her since day one… Especially with the fact that he couldn't create it. He was just a manipulator, something that suited his personality very well.
"Kitty, please," Jasmine whispered lightly, and Kitty couldn't help but notice her hands. They were shaking something awful, and it made her recline in her anger towards John. There was something wrong with Jasmine and any fights she got in or over heard.
"Okay…" Kitty nodded, and she heard her bottle in front of her clink against the tile surface. Her head jolted towards it and John shut the refridgerator door. "Find what you were looking for?"
"No, not really. Maybe I'll just check in one of the cupboards? Or maybe even the pantry?" Kitty's patience was running low. Her fist slammed down on the table. "Woah, fiesty now are we?"
"John, just get what you want and leave. We were having a discussion that didn't involve you," She muttered, trying to control her anger for Jasmine's sake. She could feel her stool ricketing.
"Oh really? Would that discussion have anything to do with a certain Bobby Drake?" Her stool slid against the hardwood floor and she was standing up, her back straight and her eyes narrowed. That's it. She didn't know what she could do to outpower John, but it would have to do. His slicked back brown hair was making her cringe alone.
"Shut up and leave."
His eyes narrowed. "This isn't your mansion. You can't tell me what do to…I have the freedom to be where I want to be when I want to be there."
"Leave, now," Kitty hissed, and her bottle started to clink again. "Just get out and go."
"Make me."
The statement was simple and arrogant, and Kitty was too close to lunging over the table and tearing John's head off when the explosion of her soda bottle made her jump. Her eyes flew down to it and to Jasmine, who was shaking again. It seemed to have silenced John, and the carmel-haired girl stood up again, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Can't everyone just stop?" She hissed before shakily walking out of the kitchen, not even stopping when Kitty called her name several times. And yet…she was still surprised at the smashed pop bottle littering the counter in front of her.
