Jubilee's POV
It was the anniversary of her initial coming to the mansion. She was excited about the upcoming date, she already had her first Thanksgiving and Christmas with them both have been eventful, like Christmas with the Morlocks. That the reason she was at the mall, granted she practically begged Storm, Rouge or Gambit to take her there every weekend if possible but now she was shopping by herself. All the X-men were out today surprisingly at the mall, they even managed to drag Beast out of his lab (well expect for wolverine he was off doing who knows what). The construction people had done a very good job fixing this mall since the sentinels came to attack her.
Luckily, in this mall they happened to have a small garden store where she was getting seeds for Storm. She was just hoping that neither Jean nor the Professor had noticed her intentions for coming here; it was always hard to hide things from psychics. The little garden store was full of living plants and tons of exotics flowers of blue, orange, yellows that were blossoming not aware of the fall climate outdoors. Among the tropical house trees in pots ready for the toasty indoors there a little girl covered head to toe with a green cape with hood over her head. She blended in really well with the scenery. Looking at the different trees, the girl shot up and ran out of the store.
Gambit POV
" Chere, you call this food." With a wave of his hand indicated to the pseudo-Chinese in the mall food court. The handsome (if I say so myself) mutant said to the odd-looking femme, with brown hair and a white streak on top. She rolled her eyes, and crossed her arm across her chest. A knockout woman wearing a red knee length dress with floral embroidery.
"Will ya stop complaining swamp rat, wer here to relax a bit. Ur tha one who said that ur wer hungri in tha first place."
" Remy could tink of better ways to relax, chere." He looked over the top of his glasses, and dragged a bare finger over the top of her gloved hand.
She rolled her eyes again, and surveyed the busy food court, which was bustling with teenagers on this Saturday. Two small figures stood out, they were both fully clothed the girl with a hooded cape, and the smaller one possibly a boy in a grey hoody complete with sunglasses, and heavy winter gloves. The girl maybe reached 4' 5in, and the smaller one maybe 4ft.
Obviously awkward, flattened against the wall going next to the gap store coming at the food court. A frown appeared on his face, their seemed to be something wrong with that image, the girl was slowly edging her way to the tables but with her head down facing the entire time. Fidgeting against the wall the boy sat on the ground, unnoticing the security mall cop, complete with a walkie-talkie heading his direction.
"Remy, Rem-mae what in the world has gotten into you swamp rat." She leaned in his direction over the table, but unfortunate for him still covering her assets. Turning around she glanced behind her in the direction Remy was staring, which seemed to be focused on a kid up against the wall, the girl snatching food leftover on the tables. Piercing red eyes were still focused on the scene behind her, unaware of the frown he was wearing.
"Cherie, git ready 'fore trouble," nods his head in direction of the grey hoodie boy. Turning around Rouge followed Gambit's eyes to the kid in the hoodie attempting to crouch lower on the wall. In the middle of eighty-degree weather he had on a heavy grey hoodie with thick winter gloves, Rouge was starting to see something wrong with this picture.
Gena's POV
It was so busy in the mall, people were out and excited with the warmer weather. I wish it wasn't so hot though hiding beneath my cape is getting hot, but it's too crowded in the mall today to risk taking it off for a second. The garden store was beautiful with the plants trees completely covered in new leaves, getting lost in the plants she didn't notice the loud girl in the yellow rain jacket until it she started staring at her. Scurrying out the store quickly, I grabbed my little brother who is outside the store. My stomach grumbles loudly, so I we head towards the food court.
The smell of soy sauce makes both of our stomachs rumble and plead for something to eat. I left Ried over by the wall so he might not be noticed by security; he just looks so odd with his heavy apparel on. Thus far, the winter gloves were the only thing that we have had success with him not exploding when he wears them. I know he is hot as hell too, especially since he got his powers he been hot most of the time. It has been weird ever since we escaped home; I always treated him like the annoying younger brother that he was. Trying to protect him now and acting, as an older sister was far too strange for him and me too. Because I had left with him when he was thrown out, he has trusted me a lot more than he did when we were still at home.
The trays that people leave behind are abundant, and I grab a half-eaten burger from one and some chicken legs from another. A gray haired port belly guard heads in Rieds' direction speaking into his walkie-talkie. I want to drop everything that I have in my hands and run towards him, I swallow and try to walk slowly because I know dashing over there will only attract attention to him and me. Putting down the food on a nearby table, my heart is racing, as I'm a mere six feet from him, the guard is already at his side. He is on his feet with his body as flattened against the walls as possible hands outstretched on both sides.
Please don't let him panic, stay calm for the love of god, don't panic. Stay calm or our cover will be blown. I close my eyes then hear the gasps from the crowd. Oh, crap.
Rogue's POV
The swamp rat was whining and complaining as usual, and still complaining about the food in the mall. Honestly did he expect some good home cooking from the mall, men, or better yet Remy. Ugh when did I even start thinking of him as Remy, lately we haven't been doing to bad with each other. Today for instance was a mutual decision to spend together at the mall, other with some convincing by myself that I would be worth spending time at the mall. He wasn't stalking me for time alone that I wanted to be at the mall, then coming up with a lame excuse that he happened to be here. In the past I might have believed that he used this place to flirt with women, he still does, but now I understand that there is level of flirting that even he doesn't know he's doing. Not that I would ever tell him that mind you, a girl has to have some reason to yell at LeBeau or otherwise he gets to cocky.
At that moment the swamp rat got quite, not doing anything like he is completely focused. I thought he was doing something, but he wasn't even trying to stare at my chest.
"Remy, Rem-mae what in the world has gotten into you swamp rat." I was even leaning over towards him and of course, he didn't notice.
He looked intent, and was frowning so uncharacteristic of him. It was beginning to worry me. "Cherie, git ready 'fore trouble," pointing his head. Then as I turn around, I see a security guard approaching a boy in small grey hoodie. There was no mistaking the fearful position the kid was in, trying to look inconspicuous against the wall. A girl, in a green cape no less, is heading for the boy and the guard. The old man saunters over to the boy, who has his hands spread against the wall, frightened. Question is what the boy is afraid of the guard finding, or why.
The girl is stopped a few feet from the scene, the boy tries to sink lower onto the floor but the guard grabs his arm and pulls him back up. It looks like he is attempting to talk to the boy, but how friendly the conversation is remains to be seen. Then the boy is not liking the man touching him so he jerks away, the guard still had a hold of the boy's hoodie, yanking the hood off his head. After that all hell breaks loose, people gasp and other turn their heads to look at him. Black sunglasses really bring out his bright red skin, upon seeing the boy's skin the guard jerk his hand away from the kid. Oh child, why couldn't of this be a quite day with nothing.
Looking up again I notice I'm already sitting alone, but quick enough to catch a glimpse of Gambit's brown trench coat flapping in the breeze. It doesn't' seem to matter where that stupid Cajun is going the trench coat is there with him, not that I know the reason either because whenever I ask him he gets real evasive. A crowd has already gathered around the boy with the girl trying to but in, yelling slurs like mutie, and freak.
Gambit's POV
I was up, and grabbed my trench coat as soon as the rent-a-cop put his hand on the kid. Why I'm up this fast is beyond me, or what exactly I was going to do to this man that grab this petit' like that. How come I care so much 'bout this petite, not like Remy owe dis bebe nothin'.
As I jumped over tables, I reached into my pocket and grabbed some cards getting ready for the Anti-mutant crown gathering around the boy. Many people even som' mutant's dey might be phased, and shocked fore a few sec'nds 'bout the petite's red skin. Gambit's not 'specially not afta Henri, nothin' surprise Gambit den. The other one had already made her way to the red one, by the time I got there both petites gone so I no real reason to beat up the scum.
Merde, can feel the hate comin' off dese bastards. Dey jus bebes. The crowd is somewhat confused and I try looking down some of hallways next to food court for the kids but to no use, they are gone. Then I quietly begin my search for the kids, in the mall, not only were the kids probably hungry but going to find trouble again. They were young to be on their own, maybe the professor can find something. I notice Rogue standing beside me. Oh merde, I completely forgot 'bout the fille, merde.
"Desole Rougi' 'for running off wit'out you" I said trying to make a cute face at her, hoping she wouldn't be too mad, I could already feel the anger pouring off of her. She stared at me with her hands on her hips, and she rolled her eyes at me.
"I ain't mad at ya swamp rat, let find da kids befor' someone else does." A corner of her mouth tugged up she turned around walked a few feet then grabbed her x-men communicator from her dainty little purse.
Rouge's POV
" Ororo, Hank, Scott, Jean do ya come in? Anyone"
"What is it Rouge?" a curt voice answers, you gotta to love Scott.
Sigh, "get over to the food court, we gotta situation. Gambit's already here. A mutant, the crowd's jus' itchin' to get their hands on 'em."
The wait seemed forever, and by the time Scott and jean showed up, I was about the break the Cajun's hands he wouldn't stop fidgeting with those stupid cards. Scott looked a Gambit who was pacin' and muttering things about wasting time.
"Okay I'm here, finally. I never thought I get out of this store. How come you didn't call me Rouge?" The yellow trenchcoat teen threw up her hands in disgust.
My eyes widen, "oh gawd sugar, I'm sorry, for some reason I forgot you were here. One of the kids was definitely a mutant, don't know if either of 'em will still be wearing the same clothes."
"Dey probably are, I don't think dese petites goin' ta be changin' dere clothes."
"Okay, there are two of them, both mutants." We were going ahead without Storm, and Hank, but we could update them later rather than sooner.
"I want to say yes, the boy was wearing a grey hoodie with some sunglasses, and he had some thick winter gloves on. The girl I really didn't get a good look at her, she had a green jacket or something on."
"Cape, chere, With jeans, de cape was green."
Jean's POV
The day was relaxed for Scott and me, or at least for me. My husband was busy being bored, and carrying my things why I shopped. X-men rarely get uneventful days, and I was looking forward to this one, I was enjoying splurging some cash at the mall. That's why Scott felt so overjoyed underneath when Rogue came over the communicator, just wait until another day mister.
" Ororo, Hank, Scott, Jean do ya come in? Anyone"
Unknown to him when he heard Rogue his body language switches to leader mode and no longer the bored Scott Summers carrying my things. "What is it Rogue?"
She audibly sighed over the link "get over to the food court, we gotta situation. Gambit's already here. A mutant, the crowds jus' itchin' to get their hands on 'em." All that I can say, at least I'm not the only one disappointed, about something happing.
Walking up to the food court the nervousness and agitation coming off everyone was surprising, then I felt agitation coming from Gambit almost floored me. Not that I was going to tell him that he was projecting emotion, it's not that I want to feel his emotions. I'm just disturbed by Gambit because of his mental shielding, and the extent of his façade that he uses around all the x-men even after everything we been through. He was busy pacing, and seemingly impatient to get looking for the children. Situations like these remind me that we really still do not know anything about Gambit's past, like what about these children bother him.
I became lost in my inner thoughts but was brought back to the conversation by Scott. "Jean can you scan for them?"
"I could try but not knowing the children, with this many people, I probably won't turn anything up."
"Gotta do somthin' mon ami, 'stead of wastin' tine talkin' 'bout it." He proceeded to glare at everyone.
Scott assuredly noticed Gambit's strange behavior, and then asked cautiously asked him, "do you know these children Gambit."
Then he scrunched up his face as if Scott had just asked if he worked for FOH. "Non, wha makes ya tink that ami?"
"Never mind," he muttered and rolled his eyes it took me a while to figure out what he did with his eyes behind glasses. It shocked me when we were first linked to find out that he is sarcastic most of the time, and rolls his eyes a lot because no one can tell.
GENA POV
My stomach starts to rumble and complain I really wish now that we had had the time to grab something to eat before the mob ran us off. Rubbing my stomach helps some days, but my brother skin is looking a little lighter, he has been running off his energy stores for while now. God man, why did those stupid people have to run us off? I hate them so much; it's not as if we did anything to them. All humans are stupid, one day when were stronger I'll show them what it's like to be afraid and hungry.
For a little while after we were first on our own, I use become teary or cry to myself about the stupid humans, or being hungry. I don't cry any more back when mom was still alive that may have done something but now it's just a waste of energy. Reid hasn't yet stopped crying though, when we are run out of places. Like the mall, we are probably going to have to move out of this area, they know they are looking for a red mutant but haven't seen a green mutant yet. Currently we are in a storeroom of the plant store, because we have protection this way if anyone was to come. They are always so full of life and don't care what I am, I make them more alive so they like me.
"Stay here Reid," I whisper "I'm going to the health store room, and stay quite." I ambled up some crates so I could reach the ventilation ducts. The health food store wasn't that far from where we were, and because we were leaving, we didn't have to worry about getting caught stealing food from the stores as much.
He just looked up at me from his seat on the floor with red bloodshot eyes; the only non-red part on his body was the whites on his eyes. The plants would keep him safe until I get back.
Reid POV
She just left. I wanted to tell her to stay because I was scared to be by myself. I needed to be strong and tough, she wasn't mom she didn't know what to do most of the time either. After the security guard and the mob of people I didn't want to go anywhere, I wanted to hide. Lots of times I wish mom were still alive then I think I wouldn't be hungry most of the time.
Crash. . . .boooomm. . .creakkkkkkkk. . . .I heard terrible noises outside in the mall. The roof looked like it was ready collapse. I dived out of the closet into the store. My mouth fell open I had only seen pictures of them on TV's and stuff. They did not get me ready for a giant purple robot staring at me, with a head bigger than the entrance to the store.
Oh crap. Right now, I had stopped thinking completely. It was really big and scary, and I couldn't move at all.
Gambit POV
"Eh? Sure petit."
"Yea man I saw the one with the cape in the plant store this morning." POP. Went her chewing gum, she has to get a new hobby.
Glass shattered up ahead but the screaming crowd pushing us away we couldn't turn. Turns out, we really didn't need to because the hundred-foot robot turned the corner anyways and took out the roof. Merde. It had cornered the red boy out in the main area chasing him to the escalators Move it homme get going, not behind de stairs. He ducks between the railings of the escalator and tries to hide but it doesn't work, I barely even notice myself running towards the machine.
Pulling out five cards from my left pocket, I charged them until they sparkle and crackle from the energy. The boy ducks in-between the escalator, the robot merely crouches under the high 120ft ceiling. It hand the sized of minivan reaches toward the mutant that it detected earlier, oblivious to his young age.
"Hey homme wanna play mess wit' gambit instead." The cards impact at the things wrist, it groans and the few wires that are keeping it together snap in a fury of sparks. Off balance, the robot careens into the second floor walkway causing screams with falling rumble from the first. The boy is still sitting on the unmoving escalators, huddled in a ball.
Reaching my arm out, I scoop up the huddled mass, for as tall as he is, he's light. Slinging him across my shoulder he was about a limb as a sack, I was worried for a second because I couldn't feel his chest moving up and down. I sprint towards the parking lot dodge between the clothing racks, and hop over the perfume counter. My feet barely cleared the glass from the jump, and as I near the doors managed to glance behind me to see the panicking crowds but no robot.
As I fling the door open, I nearly careen into Cyclops with the boy, but before I head into the ground, Jean catches me with her telepathy.
"Bonjour amis." I pant as I place the kid down on the pavement. A few of them gasp at my bundle that is not moving at all.
"Okay people," Cyclops stares at me, "I want Gambit and Jubilee to take the kid and get to the mansion. The rest of us will fend off the sentinel and look for the other child."
Gena POV
Crawling up the vent ducts, I scramble over to the other store. The health stored doesn't usually have a wide selection to choose from, but it will have something. I see slanted light up ahead, push off the cover for the vent, and jump five feet to the storeroom floor. When I hear crash I nearly jump out of my skin, it feels like there is an intermediate earthquake going on.
Oh no the robots.I feel Ried's terror, and know the situation has changed. I grab the doorknob that goes out to the store, the knob won't budge. Shoving boxes against the wall, I climb up to the vent and go back to the other store, I run out the front. Now it was almost quite again. Reid oh no. Please let him be in the mall still. In the melee, my hood came down revealing dark green skin with neon green hair, and as I came out of the store, I ran straight into the robot. My eyes went wide and I stood still for a few seconds hoping that it might not see me. I heard a shriek, maybe mine as it rose up I back up a few feet never taking my eyes off the robot, and I ran past people, potted plants not knowing where I was going.
Jean POV
We were having no luck finding the children, when Rouge spotted Gambit running full tilt pass into a clothing store. She called into the rest of us, Scott and I headed out to the parking lot so that we might catch him. We caught him nicely, or at least Scott did. Like the devil was chasing after him, Gambit ran right into Scott, which is so unlike him to be uncoordinated. I managed to catch him in time as well as his load; the little red boy was still and unmoving when Gambit set him down on the ground.
The fear was pouring off the boys in waves. After Cyclops designated what we were going to do, he glanced up with uncertain eyes.
You're going to be safe now, don't worry. He stared back with wide eyes, and turned around to come back to me. I'm different too.
Images were being thrown at me from him, the green girl and the word, sister. I heard a high-pitched scream in the background. Still motionless on the ground Gambit picks him up and grabs Jubilee by the trench coat and heads to Cyclops's car, we're about to sprint to the mall again when yells come from behind me.
"my sister. . . .my sister. . . .let me go." the terrified little boy seemed to have gained a voice and wriggling in Gambit's arms, while he struggled to hold onto the squirming mass.
"Gambit, take him to the mansion he's in danger here," after seeming unsure he walked to the jeep and I heard a screech of tires as I headed into the mall once more. I levitated myself to the fight and only made it to find the unconscious girl dangling from its hand.
Like her brother, she was all green, with the exception of her eyes. Her irises were green with surrounding black. She screamed pretty well which made me hurry only to find Cyclops using low blasts on the robot, Storm and Beast were also hanging back for fear of hitting the girl. The robot however was failing around the girl-hanging limp like a rag doll. Smoke was billowing out from its feet while I was struggling to hold it in place.
"I can't hold it anyone," I collapsed to the ground as the sentinel broke through the ceiling with mutant girl.
Scott
I saw Jean go down to the ground, then the sentinel busted out of the roof showering the crowd below with debris. Damn. The little green girl was gone and I couldn't imagine what they wanted with her, I chose to ride Gambit motorcycle back to the mansion. At the moment I didn't want the silent car ride back because of our failure, the wind felt good in my hair. God it has been forever since I rode a bike.
Gambit
I listened to Cyclops orders and I was going to protest the issue, I wanted to find the girl too. Before Jean, left the mass that was the boy started wriggling around when I began to walk to the jeep, and finally I heard the boy speak.
"my sister. . . .sister. .. .I can't leave without her," I could feel his pain emitting from him. It was tearing me apart, I don't know if I can do this. . . .mon dui. Then I heard the shriek and I'm not sure how I knew but it was the girl. I picked up the four feet of mass fighting me and tossed him in the front of jeep.
"Keep a'hold of 'im petite, alraght?" Jubilee hopped in the front too. I revved the engine and the tires squealed in protest as we sped out the parking lot. After ten minutes his attempts to get free of Jubilee subsided as if he gave up completely.
I heard a sigh from the passenger seat, "you y-you guys are the x-men right?"
As I burst onto the freeway at eighty miles an hour, I let my eyes fall onto the little mutant.
"Heck, yea we are," that ended with a distinct pop of chewing gum.
"Oui petite, we are 'dat."