JD: I do not own X-Men! This is Smoke not Shadows (Shadows is Harper's story) Same story different view!
Enjoy my Craziness!
Enter Sandman
Looking in to my mirror I sigh. My black hair with it's natural red streaks isn't long but not short either. I pull my hair out of it's tie that was keeping it out of my face at work. I work at the orphanage I was basically raised in. My job is whatever they need. Normally I'm a janitor and sometimes I watch the really young kids. I rarely work the front desk but have before.
"You look like shit." Ray whisper to me knowing if she said that loud enough for Harper to hear she would get her ass handed to her. I smiled to her closing my eyes and remembering. It was about a year ago we met Ray. Our little crazy girl that's obsessed with Horror movies and Classics.
We were at the Park in New York City. I love it here. Leaning against my best friend, my sister, I smiled up to her. I don't care how pale I am and how much I'll burn for this but my mutation that no one knows about will make them heal fast.
The cool air made me smile more. It's Harper's favorite time of year, it's Fall. Not cold but not hot either. That's what she says anyways. I then spot the one thing I'm craving for some strange reason. Blame it on being in a big city! "Can we go there?" I asked Harper, my Reprah, pointing to the hot-dog stand I spot. "Please, Reprah." I begged but I don't like begging. It makes me feel stupid. With my Reprah it's different though. I know it's stupid and childish for me to call her that, but that's my name for her. I like calling her that.
She smiled down to me then nod her head. I start to run to it then stop in mid-step spinning around. I just realize that I have no cash. All of my money went to charities or to the younger kids that really wanted something but didn't have enough money for it. I saw Harper reach in to her pocket and hand me her leather wallet. It's a man's wallet, to be precise the Father of our Orphanage, old wallet. I then start to run off but stop for a moment when I had to let a woman with red hair and green eyes pushing a man in a wheelchair. He's bald and they seem to be watching Harper. I got a bad feeling but I know Harper won't let anything happen. She is the one that always protects me. The man in the wheelchair nod his head to me and I smiled sweetly nodding back to him. I got my and Harper's hot-dogs and start to look for her.
She disappear. Where she go? I start to panic looking around for her. Where is she? She wouldn't leave me! She isn't like the others! Then the crowd lifted and I saw her standing where I left her. She's waiting and I felt relieved. She didn't leave me. She would never leave me. Nope. Never ever.
"Did you ever figure out if you were moving in with me at the apartment or staying at the orphanage?" She asked and by way she was moving it was curiosity not anything more or less. I smiled up to her remembering the little two bedroom one bathroom apartment she was looking at for us. She wants me to move in with her to keep me safe and I know it.
I looked up to her and nod my head. "Reprah, wants me to go I will go indeed." I told her flat out with a smile and wrap my arm around her's in a light hug. She wrap her arms around me and held me close. I'm happy I have her no matter what. She's not like the others. She will never leave or hate me.
We curl up together as a breeze went by and made leaves go everywhere as with our hair. We both laugh over that and then decide to start walking again. Harper then start to slow down. She was looking at a girl under a tree looks like she's reading. I walked closer to the grass and notice she's wearing ratty clothes and looks like she's homeless. She has to be our age so why she's here? We start to walk closer and notice she's playing with a cloth bracelet that looks homemade. She has red-ish brown, almost maroon, color hair with these deep sad hazel eyes. They look like mine before the orphanage, before Harper.
I stopped and let Harper do her thing. The girl glancing around then stopped her eyes landing on Harper who start to walking to the girl. Harper then turn to me and smiled, a very sad smile. "Get another hot-dog please." She told me and I knew it was for this unknown. I nod my head and ran off to get another one for this unknown girl who seems our age.
"W-what do you want?" the girl ask with a stutter. I could hear them so well though I was walking away. I got back in to line and got another one. I notice they moved back to the benches and ran over to them careful not to drop or squish the hot-dog I'm holding.
"This is my_" She stop for a moment and looking down at me smiling a sweet smile. "This is my little sister, Amber." She introduce me. 'Little sister? She loves me that much?' I wonder and I know I lit up from it.
"Hi." I said happily to the unknown girl. She waved taking out a second book. I knew the cover of both books, I've read them many times as have Harper.
"Numbering the Stars?" I asked happily. I love that book.
"Yes. I only own two books." The unknown said handing both to me. "Please be careful they all I have besides three outfits." She sounds so worried.
"It's fine we understand. We are both orphans. Harper and I are getting an apartment soon too." I open the cover of the second book and notice something written on the inside but so badly smudged I can't read what it says. It looks like smut from when a fire breaks out or something.
"Oh?" She asked softly.
"Yeah. Why don't you come with us to our home and we can get you set up with the Lady and Sir to get a temporary room?" Harper said, it sounds like she decided to help this unknown. She smile and nod, agreeing. My heart felt like it was about to thump out of it's spot in my chest.
We both came out of the back and was looking at Harper as she relax on the couch with a bowl of ice-cream. "Hey I'm off, it's Saturday!" She said to us half paying attention to the show and us. Ray walks over to her and sat down.
"Ha-ha. Lucky." Ray pout as she slouch down beside Harper. "I hate work. Do I have to go?" She asked leaning against Harper's shoulder and I smirk over this at this as Harper start to laugh.
"You have to go." Harper said softly to her.
"Paid. Money. Food." She said and then nod her head at Harper. "Work good just don't like it." She said leaning her head to Harper's side again.
"Yep." Harper agree wrapping her arm around her smiling as she stole a spoon full of Harper's ice-cream then got up. "Have fun." Harper said sarcastically which got her an aggravated look from her and a playful slap on her arm. I took her spot and took rest of Harper's bowl of yummy cookie dough ice-cream. "Hey!" Harper acted offended and playful glare at me I just shrugged eating the last of it.
"Um. Harper, Amber." Ray called out to us stopping at the door with it crack open. "Some people are here." She push it open all of the way to show us the three teenagers and in front of them is a bald man in a wheelchair that I looks slightly familiar but I couldn't remember how so.
"Hello, Harper and Amber. Do either of you recognize me?" He asked with a slight smile. He seems friendly.
"I think I do." Harper spoke up and I got slightly behind her getting scared.
"Reprah?" I said softly. I don't like people I don't know around. They normally mean danger to us.
"You had connected to me for a few minutes last year." he told Harper as he looked around to the others. "May we come in to talk? Myra, please do not worry about your job. You were called in sick today." he inform the third one of us.
"Harp?" She asked getting closer to Harper and I. I tugged her behind Harper too after they came in.
"Who are you and what do you mean we connected for a few minutes last year?" Harper asked as she motion us to go sit. She doesn't seem to be that worried.
"I am Professor Charles Xavier." He introduce himself. "These are a few of my students. Rogue, Kitty, and Peter." He introduce the others. The big guy just nod his head and then look to the two smaller girls that he kept close eyes on.
"Like, Hi, I'm Kitty!" One with brown hair and eyes I can't really tell the color of in this lighting jump from foot to foot sticking her hand out to Harper. "I'm like a senior this year. Rogue and Pete have already graduated but they are like always still there to help with like the younger kids." She said. She seems innocent. "It's like totally awesome." I can tell Harper is getting aggravated at all the likes and tried not to giggled.
"Hi. I'm Harper. The girl with red in her hair is Amber, the brunette is Myra but everyone calls her Ray." Harper introduce us all shaking the girl's hand. The other with brown hair and white streak waved and I notice she has a gothic look about her with gloves that ends at her elbows.
"Rogue." She said softly and then Peter put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up to him then nod her head. "This is Pete as Professor already said." Rogue seems nice and slightly shy but not really. I don't know how to say this. She's like me in that way I guess.
"Harper, Do you know why Myra goes by the name Ray?" The Professor asked and Harper glance to Ray then to him. I look to Ray and Ray looked down like she's ashamed and scared.
"Her step-mother was dyslectic and first time reading her name when she was younger misread it. Thought it say M-Ray instead of Myra." Harper answer what Ray had told us when we had asked her about that.
"That is true but there is another reason behind it. Her mutant name being X-Ray." He inform us and Harper raise an eyebrow looking to her. She got really pale. I put my hand on her arm but she pull away from me.
"H-how you know tha-" Before she could finish what she was saying her eyes got wider and her butt hit the floor. She looks like she's in a state of shock and Harper ran to her side.
"Ray?" Harper called for her but she didn't respond. I start to freak out but scared to move.
"Give them a moment. He's doing his brain thing." Rogue said calmly. I looked up to her confused.
"Mutant? Is that why you are here? Cause she's a mutant? So what if she is! She is still one of us you can't and won't take her or chase her away!" Harper scream at them ready for a fight. Getting up and Harper look like she was ready to scream louder which will get the neighbor's attention. Harper stop and then looked very confused.
"Why?" She asked out loud. "If Ray is a mutant then it's up to her but as far as I know Amber and I are not." She stated coldly. I know I am but Harper doesn't know that.
"But have you ever wonder why you can feel others pain and their pleasure? Their love and hatred? Understand them better than they can themselves?" He asked rolling forward to Harper.
"Just because I'm over emphatic to others doesn't mean I'm a mutant." Harper tried to brush him off with a simple scoffing at the idea.
"Not the way you are though. You know how they feel precisely without even knowing them. All you have to do is concentrate on them and you can feel the way they feel." The way he knows these things are slightly scary. "I am a physic. I can read minds though I try not to." He admit as Harper sat down beside me and Ray.
"I-" I started to talk finally finding my voice. "I can turn into-" I'm so scared. Harper grab my hand and softly squeezed it. "I can turn myself into smoke." I finally admit. "That's why my parents didn't want me anymore." I couldn't look up and face Harper and Ray so I looked at the floor. I feel like shit for hiding that from the two I call sisters for so long.
"Amber, they were morons not knowing what they had." Harper said softly still squeezing my hand. "I still love you, sis." She whisper the last part in to my ear. I smile wrapping my arms around her tightly never wanting to let go.
"Thank you." I whisper back to her and kept my arms wrapped around her.
"Ray, what's your power?" Harper asked her softly moving her hair as she looked up to us, she's still on the floor.
"I do not know what it's call but I can slowly turn invisible. It starts with my skin, then everything from the inside to my bones and then that even disappears." she said. I wanted to scream cool but I felt Harper slightly flinch.
"That sounds gross but cool gross." Harper admitted and she smiled as she wrap her arms around Harper's legs with a light laugh.
About thirty minutes later we were still sitting around the living room of our two bedroom apartment. "So you want us to go with you to this school who all of you learn how to control your powers and fight on this team call X-Men to protect everyone else from the evil Brotherhood?" Harper asked trying to wrap her mind around this. I agree with her it sounds so crazy.
"Correct." Rogue said. Kitty was told off by Rogue cause apparently the like totally thing wasn't just getting on Harper's nerves. It's slightly awkward between Kitty and Rogue and I am not sure why. I really don't want to get trap in to it.
We finally agreed and within the hour we were completely packed and our jobs had been professionally retired or however you want to say or call it. Mrs Rhaelin and Mr Christopher, the owners of our orphanage, already knew what was going on and they are the reason why Xavier was able to find us this time apparently. I watch as Harper hugged them and then then turn to me. I walked over and Rhaelin wrap her arms around me tightly.
"Keep an eye on Harper and Ray for us?" She asked me softly. I nod my head. They said their goodbyes to Ray and I walked over to the waiting mini van that looks rented. I sigh leaning against the door of it looking to the two I dare to call sisters. They are the only family I have besides Mrs Rhaelin and Mr Christopher's family.
We all got in and Ray tap my leg and I smile leaning to her whispering one of our codes. "Take my hand, We're off to never never land." She smile and lean to me a little less nervous.
"Enter Sandman?" Rogue ask looking to me and I laugh slightly knowing my Reprah isn't paying attention. I nod my head to answer her.
JD: I do not own Metallica's song Enter Sandman (1991) just like it A LOT! I probably won't update this one that often though I will try I promise! Please Review!