"HRRRRRRRRARRRRR!!!"
The mutant snarled as he ripped into the robot's armour yet again. Unfortunately, even with all the gaping holes, the damned thing was still not slowing down.
"These damned things just don't die." he grumbled. Unless …
Time to change tactics. As the robot turned and aimed its hand, the mutant was already scrambling up that same arm, using his adamantium claws to keep his grip while the robot began twisting and turning, attempting to shake him off.
Without another word, he pushed off and leaped, clawed hands first, towards the robotic head, and was rewarded with the sight of six adamantium blades sinking directly into the mechanical eyes.
Not yet satisfied, he hung on and began laying into the machine, slashing and ripping out chunks of armour and circuitry until the machine finally went down. For good measure, he added a few cuts to make sure it stayed down.
With the immediate threat over, he chanced a look around.
A growl entered his throat as he saw the mansion, his home, his responsibility, collapsing under the flames that had by now spread to every room and corner.
No other mutants were in sight.
He, Logan AKA Wolverine, teacher at Xavier's School for the Gifted, self-appointed protector of its kids, had allowed it to happen. Where were the kids? Or the other professors, for that matter? More importantly, why the hell hadn't Wolverine been there?
A flash of pain across his back snapped him out of his reverie. Dumb animal he scolded himself. Serves you right for not keeping your eyes open. Barely slowing down, Logan flipped to his feet and faced his attacker.
Correction, attackers.
Logan growled in rage and disbelief. The mansion was burning to the ground, and the creeps had still sent another army of Sentinels.
"Haven't you tin creeps done enough?!" he screamed at the army. There was no answer. "Fine, we'll talk my way" he snarled as he charged toward the Sentinels, claws extended, making the first leap.
Into the floor.
"Uungh!" he grunted as he picked himself up, watching the simulation terminate itself.
Hearing the safety door open behind him, he turned to face the intruder, growling "Whoever this is, you owe me some fast answers …"
"I've got three, Logan. One, you left the safeties off again. Two, you've been in there since 6 this morning. Three, you desperately need a new hobby anyway." A smirk snuck onto his face as he found himself facing Ororo Munroe, another teacher at the institute.
"It's my time, ain't it Ro?" he countered, giving her his best glare.
Unfazed, Ororo simply glared back before responding. "All right. If you don't want to spend it at the party that started 5 minutes ago, I can simply knock you out until it's over." Electricity began to gather in her hands as her eyes whitened over. "You might at least get some rest then."
Growling, Logan backed off a bit. "Hey, lighten up, will ya. Without frying me." He quickly added, and was rewarded with a smirk appearing on Ororo's face. He sighed, "Look, 'Ro, you know I ain't the partyin' type."
Her face softened. "I know." It was true, she knew him at least as well as anyone at the institute, even the psychics. Taking his arm and dragging him with her, she continued "but you are an X Man, so you, as much as any of us, should be there."
"All right, all right" he grumbled pulling his arm free. He didn't like being touched, and if it hadn't been Ororo … "Will ya at least let me wash off the session?"
"Allow me." Without warning, a column of water struck him, soaking him to the adamantium bone. After calling off the water, Ororo gave Logan an amused look and added "Now you're dripping on the floor." One blast of warm, Chinnok winds took care of that.
Looking at the windswept Wolverine, Ororo snickered "It suits you Logan."
Despite himself, Wolverine grinned. "Not bad. Just a little warning next time, hm?"
Smiling now, Ororo grabbed his arm again. "Come on, we're both late."
"With this crowd? We might still be the first one's there."
"Too true."
--------------------
"Just this morning, Mayor Kelly, a prominent voice in the campaign for mutant registration, made a startling announcement."
"I've been working as Bayville's Mayor for the past 3 years, trying to protect the human race from the mutant menace. But Bayville is not the only town plagued by mind-readers and walking weapons that call themselves 'human'. Mutants exist all over the United States and the world. We may have contained them here for now, since they tried to wipe us out, but" Kelly leaned into the camera for dramatic emphasis "this struggle for our species' survival is far from over, and I intend to take my fight where I can do the most good for the normal humans. Therefore, at this very moment, I am declaring my candidacy for the United States Senate! "
Rapturous applause greeted the Mayor, the irony of which was not lost on one of the men watching the announcement.
It too often seems to be the people who invite their own oppressors upon them reflected Charles Xavier, founder of the Xavier institute. He let out a sigh. Since the battle against Apocalypse, the anti-mutant hysteria had only intensified. After nearly being wiped out by the ancient omega mutant, human beings were directing their anger at any mutant they could find. On the official level, there were talks of creating a nationwide mutant registration program, ostensibly to 'help the unfortunate mistakes of nature' or 'keep them from running wild.' Xavier almost snorted at the thought. And what about the human bigots running wild right now? Xavier had little doubt that, once mutants were forced to reveal themselves, if they were not locked away immediately, the violent mobs would be the first to greet them.
Trouble was, speaking out against registration inevitably invited accusations of hidden plots, mutant favouritism, and any other theories Kelly or his supporters could throw at him. Xavier let out another sigh. Will it never end?
"Single-mindedness is all well and good in cows or baboons; in an animal claiming to belong to Shakespeare's species, it is simply disgraceful" came the good-natured voice Xavier knew well.
"Hank" said Xavier as he turned to face his visitor. "I didn't even hear you arrive."
"Not a good sign. You might need a checkup" replied soon-to-be Doctor Henry McCoy, popularly known as Beast, as he walked up the walls and crossed the ceiling. Though he had always been the team's unofficial doctor, in the last three years he had decided to 'brush up' on his medical skills. At the moment, he was months away from completing his residency, which NYU had allowed him to perform at the Xavier Institute. "Though I think I have just the thing for what ails you."
With that, Hank reached down with one blue furry paw and pulled the plug on the television, wiping Kelly's rant from the screen. "Not what you should be focusing on, especially today."
"You're right, Hank." Xavier rubbed his eyes. Seeing the stress remain on the professor's face, Beast decided further diagnosis was in order.
"But …?"
Looking up, Xavier admitted defeat. "It just seems to me that if I ignore Kelly's campaign for a moment, then …"
"Then you find yourself trying to catch up a bit later. Perish the thought."
"It's no joking matter, Hank!" Hank was surprised to notice the Professor's voice and colour both rising. "This is what I've been fighting since Magneto and that Sentinel exposed us to the world! If we let it go unchecked, it could destroy us all!"
Hank held the silence that followed and then spoke carefully. "Perhaps. But something tells me they won't manage that in one afternoon. Therefore, I think the mutant race just might survive you stepping away from the television and joining the students outside." The smile returned. "Besides, I thought today was for celebrating what you've worked for."
Xavier managed a smile. "True enough."
"Great, then let's get you outside before Kelly finds his way back onto the television," Hank stated firmly as he finally dropped to the floor and began manoeuvring Xavier out through the office door.
"Hank!" Hank and Xavier turned to see Ororo and Wolverine walking their way, Wolverine looking a bit ragged.
"What happened to you?" Hank asked him, an amused look on his face.
"Under the weather," Logan grunted.
Ignoring Logan's dry joke, Ororo looked directly at Hank. "Hank, I thought you were outside!"
"I thought you were," replied a confused Hank.
Xavier chuckled. "Seems you both had tardy guests to attend to."
"But …" Ororo replied, "then who is watching the students?"
Silence followed.
For an entire two seconds.
BOOM!!
"Oh no" muttered Hank as he began running down the halls, followed closely by a snarling Wolverine and an equally angry Ororo.
Xavier could only laugh again. Never a dull moment.
--------------------
Outside, the group of seniors were gathered, waiting for the late arrivals. Since many of the original members had gone to college after graduating, the younger mutants had become the core of the X men. Though the years since the battle with Apocalypse had been relatively quiet, there were plenty of anti-mutant riots requiring the team to step in. Fortunately, the new team had acquitted itself well in these incidents, proving themselves every bit as professional and reliable as the original X-men, all of whom had had left for college.
At heart, however, these mutants were still high school teenagers and, at the moment, their thoughts were elsewhere. Specifically, on dodging the firecrackers being tossed by the returning student Tabitha.
"Tabitha!" grunted Roberto, the solar-powered Brazilian as he ducked from her latest salvo. "You're pushing it!"
"Come on, guys, you said you were tired of waiting!" she laughed as she aimed a salvo at Bobby, the ever-cocky senior who had been the first among them to join the new team. (mainly for stowing away and getting into one of the x men's fights.
"Didn't mean we wanted to dodge your firecrackers, Boom!" replied Bobby as he formed an ice shield to ward off Tabitha's bombs.
"Have to liven this crowd up some way, Ice Boy!" Laughing, Tabitha tossed one at Bobby's feet before aiming at Rahne, the half-wolf whose mother Moira had returned to the Institute. The young Scot simply stood her ground and growled at Tabitha.
"Careful, lass. Ye might make me mad."
After the slightest pause (she knew what Rahne meant by 'mad'), the blonde shifted her aim towards the youngest student, Jamie. By reflex, Jamie split into several clones. "Is that your answer to everything, little man?" The crowd of Jamies shrugged; it wasn't like he had any other power.
"How about this?" came a voice behind her. Turning to face the new voice, Tabitha was greeted with a blinding, colourful ray from yellow gloves she knew all too well. Jubilee, another student who had been pulled out by her stupid parents, was finally back at Xavier's school, though she'd been quiet about why her parents had finally changed their minds.
"Hey! No fair!" Tabitha shouted as she stumbled back …
… right onto a newly formed ice patch. As she lost her footing, she reached out to grab …
… the fruit bowl, which fell with her.
SPLAT!!!
Though her eyesight hadn't yet returned, stupid Jubilee, the mess she could feel covering her face and the raucous laughter she could hear told her enough.
"You're all getting it for that one!" she snapped as she created and ignited a larger bomb …
… which was promptly snatched out of her hands by Warren Worthington, who immediately heaved it with all his strength into the air. Dumb kid he thought as the bomb exploded in mid air, knocking him back. Okay, this is getting out of hand. Where are the teachers?
The rapidly darkening sky and rumbling thunder was all the answer they would ever need.
"Oh man!"
"I think she heard that one Tabitha."
"Are you kidding! The whole town must've heard it!"
"We are so in for it."
'It' was soon out the door, one growling like a cornered animal, the other with the cold white-eyed look the students knew well.
Trouble.
--------------------
"Is it just meh, or did we pass this street already?"
"I, like, know where I'm going, Rogue."
"Yeah, Ah can tell."
"You wanna drive?"
"Lahk Ah'd know any better. Seriously, how much can a town change in eight months? Ah don't even recognize this street."
"It probably got burnt down in anozher riot. Man, do zhose people ever quit?"
"They haven't yet," sighed Rogue. Even at NYU, bigots seemed to crawl out of the woodwork. Once the word had spread that she was a mutant, the 'harmless frat pranks' seemed to stretch past frosh week and well into final exams. After her first year of bricks through her window and spray paints on her door, Rogue had had enough, and would have dropped out then and there if Xavier hadn't talked to her and helped her find her own place near campus, making the next year that much more bearable.
It hadn't been much rosier for Kurt or Kitty. Kurt, who had been studying theology in Berlin, had nearly fallen victim to full-fledged lynch mobs on several occasions when his image inducer faltered. And Kitty, who had just finished her first year of political science at Brown, had nearly gotten herself expelled when she accidentally phased through her floor into the room below.
Higher education, indeed.
For several minutes, the van went silent as the young X men mulled over their recent experiences. Finally, Kurt spoke up.
"I zhink I see zhe mansion now."
"Where?" Kitty asked. As far as she could tell, they were nowhere near the mansion, unless it had been remodelled too …
Patting her on the shoulder, Kurt pointed "See zhe dark cloud?"
Kitty finally spotted it. "Ohh …"
"Great," Rogue mumbled. "the party's started and Storm's already in a nasty mood."
"We'd better get moving, then," Kitty replied as she pushed down on the accelerator.
"Oh, no."
--------------------
From its point in the sky, the cloud could be spotted by any motorist in New York.
Including two more late arrivals.
"I wonder what they did this time."
"All I can say is, I'm not sorry I missed it."
"Scott …"
The former team leader allowed his half smile. "Okay, maybe a little."
"Come on Scott, this little X-Versary is all I've heard about since January."
"I haven't talked about it that much!"
Jean merely tapped a finger on her temple.
Scott blushed. "Right." After a short, comfortable pause, he went on. "It's just that, well, the X-men's always been the biggest part of my life, you know? And now, with us at college and the new team there …"
Jean didn't need her telepathic powers to pick up on the fact that Scott was still coming to terms with the changes he'd taken on. Going to school, leaving the team … it sometimes struck her how a normal life would seem so strange.
Placing a hand on his arm, she told him softly "None of us have stopped being X men, Scott. You always knew we'd have our own futures to move onto."
Scott sighed. "Yeah."
Jean smirked. "Besides, can you imagine trying to get any privacy at the mansion?"
Though his cheeks pinkened slightly – he never was one for romance in public – Scott grinned back. "In a house full of teenagers with mutant powers and recently boosted egos?"
"Scott …" Jean warned
"I know, I know" he conceded. It was true; though the younger students had been his biggest headache at the institute, they were brave kids in their own right, and had earned their spots as X men.
And don't forget, they're young adults now, like we were Jean added in the form of communication only they shared.
I don't know if we ever made Storm this mad Scott responded, nodding toward the dark cloud that continued to hover over the Institute that was finally in sight.
And what about when we abandoned ship on our cruise?
"Good point."
--------------------
At the institute, things were finally beginning to calm down. Since nothing major was damaged except the fruit salad, the party could go on. But, as Logan made it clear, the students could expect to be busy handling chores and extra training sessions for the next month, at least.
"And you," Logan snarled, turning his attention to Tabitha. "You just volunteered to clean up after the party."
"What?! By myself?!" Tabitha shouted.
"Shall we make you wax the jets too?" It took one look at Ororo's expression for Tabitha to realize she was serious.
"Fine."
It was at that moment that Logan noticed a familiar sports car pulling into the driveway. "About damn time" he grumbled.
--------------------
Scott stared at the mansion as he and Jean got out of the car. "Hasn't changed much, has it?" he said softly.
Jean gave him a sympathetic look and was about to respond when the front door opened and Professor Xavier wheeled out. "I thought I heard somebody out here."
"Professor!" Jean was already dashing over to the man, wrapping him in as tight an embrace as she could manage over a wheelchair. She only let go when Scott stepped in, also grinning widely, to greet Xavier with a friendly handshake.
"Welcome back, you two. I'm afraid the mansion just hasn't been the same without you here."
"I'll say," a new voice grumbled from the fence. "Since ya ran off, it's just been me, 'Ro, and the furball handling these crazy kids.
"You haven't changed a bit," grinned Scott.
"Well? Aren't you going to say hello?" smirked Jean, dragging a startled Logan over and giving him a tight hug.
"Careful, Red," he growled good-naturedly as he shook hands with Scott. "The lunatics out back don't need any more ideas."
"As if they'd take any from us, anyway." Scott joked.
"No kidding." Logan muttered.
"Anyway," the Professor interrupted. "Everyone's waiting out back for the moment." After a short pause, he asked "Do either of you know where Kitty's group is?"
SCREEEEEECHHH!!!!!
"LOOK OUT!!" shouted Logan diving to the side and coming up in a combat stance.
"I believe our tardy guests have arrived," Xavier observed much more calmly. The group watched as the van careened towards the nearby cars.
"Oh no," muttered Jean as she readied her powers.
Fortunately, this proved unnecessary as the van finally screeched to a stop next to Scott's convertible.
The passengers were only too eager to hop out.
"That is POSITIVELY the last tahme Ah let you drive me ANYWHERE!"
"Like, come on Rogue. It wasn't that bad …"
"Speak for yourself," moaned Kurt as he rubbed his stomach.
"About time you got here," called Logan.
Hearing the familiar growl, Rogue turned and grinned. "Well, speak o' the devil. We are still alive!"
Offering a rare grin of his own, Logan wrapped the young woman in a tight hug, careful not to touch her face. "Nice to see ya too, Stripes." Though, to him, all the X men were his kids, Rogue had been the most like a daughter to him, especially after he'd helped her through some especially tough times. Just as they let go, Logan found himself ambushed by a blue and pink blur.
"OH, MY GOD! It is, like, so good to be back, I missed you all so much. Oh, and I'm like, soooo sorry we're late, it's just we got lost in the city and …"
"Half-pint …" grunted Logan, trying to pry her off.
"What?" Kitty asked, finally letting go.
Taking a couple breaths, Logan asked "What the hell have they been feeding you at school?"
Giggling uncontrollably, Kitty could only manage "Like, Mr. Logan …"
"Breathe, Kitty." Scott smirked
"Now that we're all here, why don't we join the party?" put in Xavier.
"Just lead the way. Come on Kurt … Kurt?" Rogue looked around, seeing no sign of her blue, fuzzy half-brother.
--------------------
"HI GUYS!" called out Kurt as he appeared directly on top of the central table.
"Hey, blue!" replied Tabitha, a wicked grin on her face.
"Tabitha," warned Ororo.
"What?" Tabitha replied, giving her best innocent look.
"Ewwww," Jubilee mumbled to nearby Rahne. "Now our food will taste like that yucky demon dust he always brings with him."
"Quit complainin', lass," Rahne told her, crinkling her nose. "At least ye don't have to smell it with an enhanced nose." Jubilee turned pale as the thought entered her mind.
Meanwhile Kurt had hopped off the tables and landed in front of Ororo and Tabitha. "Don't tell me she's in trouble already!"
"And I was on a hot streak too; 3 weeks without detention, extra training, or any of that," Tabitha grumbled. Though she had never completely taken to the tight rules of the 'geek squad', as she had called it when she left, Tabitha had finally returned on a more permanent basis after Apocalypse. When asked why, she would only say "Where else do we get into trouble without starting it?"
Just then, the others arrived. "Ah, good, the gangs all here," smiled Hank as he hopped up to the back steps. "Okay boys and girls," he shouted. "The waiting is over, let the feast begin!"
As the impatient, starved students began to tuck into the buffet before them, Hank dropped to the ground and sauntered over to the group at the gate.
"I was wondering when you'd all arrive."
"So were we," replied Rogue, drawing a glare from Kitty.
"So this is the new team," Scott murmured, looking somewhat wistfully at the young mutants.
It didn't take a telepath to deduce Scott's thoughts. Hank put a hand on his shoulder. "No, this is the team we have while you guys are away."
"He's right, Scott," Ororo added as she joined in. "As far as we're concerned, you're all still X-men."
Scott smiled in thanks at the weather goddess, who was now being tackled by Kitty.
"Aaahh, Ororo, it is, like, SO good to see you again!" Letting go to appraise the older woman, Kitty added "And you look SO great! Like, do you ever age?"
Smiling despite herself, Ororo replied "Do you, Kitty?"
As Kitty blushed, Hank put in "Alright, come on; better get to the food before it's all gone."
"No kidding" Scott muttered as they headed over to the tables. "It's like breakfast in an open area."
"Some things never change," grinned Jean.
Busy eating, mingling, and enjoying their reunion, none of the mutants noticed the man watching them from across the street, holding a communicator to his face.
"I think that's all of them," he whispered. "We're a go."
--------------------
"So, uh, have you seen Lance around?" Kitty asked Ororo as she grabbed the last pastry.
Ororo's face hardened. "They're still at the boarding house." Though they had helped out in the battle against Apocalypse, the Brotherhood still refused to have anything to do with the X men. "Have you heard from him?"
Kitty gave a rare scowl. "No."
Though Lance and Kitty had attempted to restart their relationship after Apocalypse, neither seemed able to work past their different lives. Kitty moving away to college seemed to seal that fact. Unfortunately, for Kitty, nothing was that certain.
"I'm sorry Kitty …"
Kitty shrugged. "Hey, it's nobody's fault." Looking at Ororo, she continued. "Speaking of which, how's Evan doing?"
Ororo's face fell. "I haven't heard from him." Like the Brotherhood, Evan had also separated from the X men and gone back to the Morlocks.
"Have you, uh, told his parents?" Kitty asked hesitantly.
Ororo looked away. "They know."
Seeing the sky begin to darken, Kitty quickly reached out and grabbed Ororo's hand. "All right, now I really need a soda."
A few rows down, Kurt was busily filling his plates with every bit of meat, cheese, and veggies he could reach.
"Easy, there; we've still got a crowd to feed here," Hank laughed as he sauntered over with his own plate.
"I haven't eaten all day!" Kurt protested. When Hank simply continued to stare, Kurt lowered his plate and confessed. "All right, not since breakfast at least. But it vas airplane food!"
Hank chuckled as he began to stack the meat on his own plate. "So, how are the men of God treating you?"
Kurt shuddered. "They sometimes remind me of herr Logan, especially during Bible study."
"Oh dear." Hank thought on different topics. "So; any word from Amanda?"
Kurt's face darkened. "Only by phone." Before heading off to college, he and Amanda had continued seeing each other discreetly until her parents had walked in on them. Despite their renewed outrage, Amanda had immediately called Kurt after being grounded indefinitely.
"I'm still not giving up on us Kurt. Are you?"
"Nein" he had answered.
Since then, their relationship had become long-distance, but otherwise unchanged; they were still as devoted to one another as they had ever been.
Elsewhere, Scott had found his way over to Sam Guthrie. "Hey, Sam. I just had to say congratulations."
Sam blushed slightly. "Ya heard, didn' ya?"
"Well I just had to know who was taking my old spot. How'd they decide, anyway?"
"He sucked up to the right people" Bobby grumbled as he passed the conversation. Scott watched him saunter off, then turned back to see Sam's face harden.
"What's with him?"
"He thought he was a shoe-in for team leader, 'cause o' 'field seniority'." Sam stated, still glaring at Bobby. "All for stowing away."
Scott could only shake his head. Personally, he was glad Bobby had been passed over; though a talented fighter, the kid was a terminal show-off who seemed to abhor rules at every turn. At that moment, the Professor's voice entered their heads.
Could I have your attention, please, for just a moment? Heads turned toward the Professor, who had taken a spot on the front porch. "Thank you. I know none of you wants the afternoon broken up by any lengthy monologue, so I'll be brief." Looking over his students, a smile came unbidden to his face. "It's good to see all of you here, in one spot. There have been a lot of changes since I last saw all of you here. Even I have not yet caught up with them all." He chuckled. "But, no matter the changes, at least one thing has always remained constant."
"This team, no matter the danger, has always been there, no matter the risk. Not only for the lives of other mutants, but also their hopes for the life that they deserve, despite all the rants to the contrary." Xavier face fell slightly as he though of the near-hysteria that continued for the past two years. Only the X men's stance had kept things slightly calm. He shook his head. "But enough on that. Today we celebrate our fondest memories," he added, nodding to the original x men.
Looking at the current x men, he continued: "our latest achievements,"
Raising his glass toward Angel and the larger mutant next to him, he concluded "and our hopes for the future. To a new day."
Raising their own cups and glasses, the students echoed "to a new day," before returning to the party at hand.
"Ditto on the new day, boys, girls, and elf, so let's get this one started!" Tabitha shouted as she hit the switch on the boom box she had smuggled out. As the song began, Tabitha reached out and grabbed Sam, shouting "c'mon, people, this song's no good if nobody dances to it!"
"I'm with Tabitha on this one." Jean laughed as she dragged a reluctant Scott towards the area Tabitha had dragged Sam. Soon, nearly every student had gathered on the open lawn, showing off their moves to one another.
"YAAAHH" yelped the young Nova Roman Amara as Kurt appeared directly in front of her. "Kurt!" she snapped, bringing a knowing blush to the furry mutant's face.
"Sorry; haven't done it for a while," he admitted sheepishly. He had almost forgotten how much it annoyed people.
A more nervous Jamie rubbed his hair; he had never been comfortable in crowds, especially when he couldn't control his powers. "Hey!" he shouted in several voices as Roberto bumped into him.S
"Sorry, Jamie, but there's not room on the floor for all of you," he laughed.
Glaring at Roberto, Jamie resisted the urge to personally lynch the arrogant Brazillian; instead, he recalled his clones and simply mumbled "Whatever," before stalking toward the mansion. Roberto's former dance partner had other ideas.
"That was mean, Roberto," Rahne growled. Following Jamie, she called out to him. "Hey, James?"
"Leave me alone" Jamie grumbled.
"Come on, now." Grabbing his arm, Rahne began leading him back toward the group. "We need no unhappy faces today." Jamie could hardly refuse.
Others were harder to convince.
"I don't see you celebrating, Russkie." Logan grunted as he stopped next to the x men's newest member.
Piotr Rasputin, the former unwilling Acolyte of Magneto, looked back at Logan, saying "I am not sure I am invited."
"Did ya not hear the Boom-girl? I think she was callin' everybody."
"Then why are not you up there?"
"'Cause I'm one of the teachers, it'd be awkward. But you look like you desperately need some fun time."
Piotr smiled, a bit morosely. "And what of old enemy?"
"You ain't the first. Besides, they all know he didn't give you much choice."
"I know that too." Piotr sighed. "But I still a bit … off about dancing."
"Suit yourself." Looking around, Logan spotted Kitty, standing away from the dance. According to Rogue, she had been doing that a lot since the punk Lance had stopped calling. Wait a minute … Looking at Piotr, Logan decided to try something. "Hey, half-pint!"
As a surprised Kitty came over, she couldn't help stealing a glance at the tall Russian, which did not go unnoticed by Logan. "Yeah?"
"The Tin Russkie needs to learn how we dance in America, and since I don't see you joining in, it just became your job to teach him."
"What?" Piotr was now as surprised as Kitty. "Comrade Logan …"
"Go on, both o' ya."
A smile started to sneak its way onto Kitty's face. "Well, alright. Come on, Peter, before he sticks us in the Danger Room." She took Piotr's hand and began leading him out toward the crowd.
"Since when did you start matchmaking, 'Comrade' Logan?" asked a snickering Rogue as she stepped up beside him.
"Call it a teamwork exercise." He looked over at the green-eyed Southerner. "So why aren't you up there, Stripes?"
" 'Cause I'm a danger to y'all when I'm dancin'. Besides, I'd have to absorb someone to remember how." Smirking at Logan, she continued. "What's your excuse?"
"Like I said, I'm one of the teachers."
"Tell that to Mr McCoy." she laughed, as the furry teacher had already leaped among the students and was demonstrating manoeuvres from his generation.
"People, people; is this what they call dancing today?"
Logan shook his head. "Crazy furball."
"Maybe you need some company." Rogue looked around, spotting Ororo near the Professor. "Hey Storm! Ya got a minute?
Logan's face snapped toward her "What the hell are you doin'?"
Smirking, Rogue turned to the approaching weather goddess. "Storm! Ah believe Logan has been workin' up the nerve to ask ya ta dance, so Ah thought Ah'd ask for him and save ya the wait."
Ororo turned her widening eyes toward Logan. "Logan?"
Logan growled, ready to deny it. Like I could say no to Stripes and Ro. "Uhh, well …" he grumbled. Quickly, he continued "I don't know nothin' about dancing."
Taking his arm, Ororo smiled. "Then it will be my job to show you." As she dragged him out toward the group. Logan himself was thinking I'll get you for this, Stripes.
Laughing, Rogue headed over to the Professor, who gave her another warm smile as he chuckled "Logan, dancing. This truly is a memorable occasion."
Rogue chuckled herself. "What goes around, comes around."
"Quite," he smiled, watching Piotr awkwardly try to ape Kitty's movements, while Ororo struggled to persuade Logan to loosen a single muscle. After a moment of silence, asked "Speaking of which, who will be dragging you up there?"
That killed the smile. Though her powers hadn't turned on her in a few years, they still meant she couldn't touch another human being without draining their energy, leaving yet another psyche in her mind. "You know what happened last time Ah joined a rowdy crowd. It's too risky."
Xavier sighed. "Fair enough." In the years since Apocalypse, he had been able to turn more attention to Rogue's struggles. Because of her powers, she had made few friends at school, and gone on even fewer dates. Though Xavier was not one to give up hope, every search for a way to help Rogue gain control had ended in frustration. His best hope, his old student Sage, had dropped off the face of the earth, and her powers were rare, so there was little to go on at the moment. Still …
"By the way, you dropped this at the front." Looking over at the Professor, Rogue turned bright red as she noticed the playing card in the Professor's hand.
Snatching it back, Rogue mumbled "It's just a souvenir."
"I take it you haven't heard from him."
"Who?
"The one who gave you that 'souvenir'."
Rogue scowled. Damn that Cajun. "Look, Ah only kept it 'cuz Ah heard it brought good luck. And, just so we're clear, Ah am not lookin' to hear from him. Got it?"
Somewhat surprised at Rogue's tone, Xavier held up his hands. I'm sorry, Rogue. It's not my place to comment. Though I would say that trip did you more good than all my psychic sessions combined…"
"It wasn't a trip, Professor. He kidnapped meh just so he could use mah powers to steal info!" Rogue finally calmed down. Though she would never admit it to anyone, the cocky Cajun had been on her mind for a while, even before he had kidnapped her.
"Very well. I will say nothing more of it." the professor stated, before adding "unless you wish to talk, of course."
Rogue smiled sadly at the Professor. "Thanks."
Just then, a new voice, rather a group of voices, entered the party.
"NO MORE MUTANTS! NO MORE MUTANTS!"
At that moment, the day of celebration became more dangerous by the second.
Looking over at the source of the shouts, Xavier spotted a crowd gathering just outside the gates of the mansion. Apparently, the dancing students noticed as well, for the boom box was silenced as they gathered to join the Professor.
"Not the party guests we had in mind." Hank said dryly.
"Everyone, stay back." the Professor ordered. "I'm going down there to talk to them."
"Can't we, like, call the police or something?" asked a worried Kitty.
"Not until they cross the gate or throw something in." Hank answered grimly. "For now, them and their crazy message are protected by law."
"Hank's right, Kitty. Remember, a fight is the last thing we need." the Professor said as he wheeled down toward the crowd.
As he arrived, he took a deep breath. Reason seems to be in low demand these days. "What do you want here?" he called out.
"We want you and those other freaks out of our town!" shouted a small man, who seemed to be the crowd's spokesperson.
"Why?" Xavier asked.
"Because you're a menace! All of you! One of you tried to wipe us all out!"
"And he is long gone. And, in case you forgot, my students were the one's fighting against that mutant. We use our powers only to protect mutants and humans, not harm them …"
BOOM!!!
Thrown from his wheelchair, it took Xavier several seconds to realize what lay before him. Oh no …
The protesters were now lying prone on the sidewalk, either stunned or … Xavier was only vaguely aware of Hank bounding down toward him, as his mind was close to paralyzed by the sight before him.
As Hank ran to retrieve the Professor, Ororo turned an angry eye toward the students. "Who did that?!" Quickly, she focused her eyes on one student whose powers allowed such an explosion. "Tabitha?"
"I swear Ms. Munroe, it wasn't me!" Tabitha cried, her usual wild-girl demeanour wiped from sight.
"Tabitha …" Ororo began, but was quickly interrupted.
"She's telling the truth, Ms Munroe!" Sam called out. "I was standin' right near her, she didn't throw nothin'!"
"Sam's right." Jean put in. "That bomb didn't come from us."
"But …" a confused Ororo trailed off, as she noticed armed humans approaching the gate. One of them was screaming "You see? THEY attacked US! We'll never be safe until they're gone!"
"Kill them all!" another shouted, as the others took up the cry.
Deciding there were better times for such questions, Ororo quickly took charge. "Never mind. For now, we must hold back the crowd. Remember the rules!" she concluded as she flew toward the gate, followed closely by Jean, Roberto, and Warren.
"Right. Don't hurt the humans that are trying to kill us." muttered Tabitha as she ran after them.
--------------------
At the gate, chaos was in full swing as the first torches sailed over the fence toward the Professor, only to freeze in midair as Jean placed a telekinetic shield under them. Already, she was beginning to strain under their increasing number.
Warren was already busy, swooping over the crowds and flapping his wings to blow back torches in midair, hoping to aid Jean. He looked up at Storm, who had stopped in midair. Come on, we can't do this forever.
"Sacred element of the land, seas, and skies, come down to Earth and extinguish these weapons of hatred!" Ororo chanted, using the words to focus her mind as she exerted it upon the natural elements. In response a dark cloud gathered over the crowd, gathering moisture until it burst and drenched the crowd, along with their torches. A relieved and weary Jean gratefully dropped her shield once the torches were soaked beyond reuse, noting that Hank was already on his way back to the mansion with an unconscious Xavier in tow.
The crowd didn't stop there, however. During the bombardment of torches, other members of the crowd had seized two sidewalk benches and were ramming the gate, finally knocking it down. However, they had only gone a few steps before two large, metal hands grabbed both benches.
"Your violence is wasted here!" Piotr snarled as he yanked the benches from the startled protesters hands, smashing them together.
"He's right. You might want to go home and stop tempting me," Logan growled as he fought back a flurry of wooden weapons, his adamantium claws slicing each one as though it were butter.
Not content to sit back, Rahne shifted into her feline form and leaped between the crowd and the two mutants, roaring at the invaders, who stopped cold at the sight. This was her pack's territory; none would enter.
"We can't do this all day! Get them out of the grounds! But gently!" shouted Scott, itching to use his optic beam and knowing he couldn't.
"Here's a gentle warning!" grinned Bobby as he iced the damp ground under the crowd's feet. As they landed on their backs, Jean took a deep breath and pushed with her mind, sliding the startled vigilantes out onto the sidewalk. As they scrambled to their feet to try again, they met the newest obstacle.
"Sorry, we're closed," declared a line of Jamies. After a few seconds, they charged the Jamies …
… who were at that moment being called back through the ice wall Bobby had erected. Frustrated, the crowd began hammering at the wall.
Inside the building across the street, a young man aimed his camcorder, ecstatic as he captured the battle. His instructions rang through his mind. Focus on the muties, especially the ones in action. "We'll show them," he snickered.
Bobby turned back to the x men, grinning proudly. "I'd say the mansion's off limits," he boasted, seconds before an explosion sent him and Jamie flying toward the group.
"What?" was all Scott could manage as he turned to seek out the new threat. Sure enough, several jeeps and pickups were rolling up, full of heavily armed men.
Ray Crisp grimaced as he focused his energy and fired it towards the vehicles, all of which careened out of control and crashed into the nearby building.
Now, though, the occupants were piling onto the street and wildly firing their rifles toward the X men. Several of those shots hit Roberto, the brightest target in the sky. Another hit Ororo, who dropped from the sky like a stone, only to be snatched seconds from certain death by Warren.
Seeing the open gate, Scott thought quickly. With Iceman, Multiple, Sunspot, and Storm down … before he completed that thought, he heard Sam shouting.
"Magma! We need a lava barrier!"
"On it! But I need a trench!" replied the young mutant as flames sprouted from her body.
"No problem!" Scott called as he lifted his glasses and blasted a wide trench at the gate for Amara, which she promptly filled with lava. As the crowd approached, she gave them her fiery glare. "I wouldn't if I were you." Wisely, the crowd decided to keep their feet and backed off.
Another explosion landed near the group, knocking Rogue to the ground. "Where is that coming from?" Scott wondered as he scanned the vehicles that were now providing cover for the gunmen. "Kurt!" he shouted.
Kurt understood immediately. "Be right back!" he replied as he disappeared in flash of sulphur.
Reappearing across the street, behind the vehicles, Kurt soon spotted a man loading what seemed to be a large bazooka. Teleporting in front of him, Kurt grabbed the weapon. "I'll take zhat!"
"Filthy mutie!" the man snarled, reaching for the weapon.
"Tell it to zhe judge." Kurt replied as he disappeared again.
"Boom Boom!" Tabitha turned as Sam ran from Scott over to her. "Can you use your bombs to distract those guys for a minute?"
Tabitha hesitated. "Promise I won't get in trouble again?"
Sam sighed. "Forget it, Ah'll distract 'em." He turned and nodded to Scott, who shouted "NOW!" On cue, he leaped into the sky, activating his power to become a glowing streak, the human missile that had earned him his codename.
Curving in midair, Sam flew over the heads of the gunmen, who couldn't resist taking a few shots, useless though they turned out to be. Swinging around, Sam confidently prepared for another pass, only to find the men had started throwing grenades.
"Aaaahhh!" he shouted as one exploded particularly close to his head sending him careening into the ground.
"NO!" Tabitha screamed, running towards the fence. This was her fault. Worried about getting in trouble, she had let Sam run out and get killed. At the moment one gunman was stepping out towards Sam's crater. "What goes around, comes around, jerk," she grumbled as she swung her arm back.
"Tabitha, no!" Jean shouted as the blond hurled something toward the man. Reaching out to stop it, Jean was surprised to find a cluster of tiny bombs. What is she …? Her question was soon answered as the bombs exploded at the man's feet, lifting him a few feet into the air before he landed on his backside.
"Stinking muties," he grumbled as he got up and prepared to finish the job …
…which happened to burst out of the crater at that very moment. "Ahm okay!" Sam shouted. He had just been stunned by the explosion and impact. Tabitha let out the breath she had been holding
"Jean, is Kitty in position?" Scott asked. Eyes closed in concentration, Jean nodded. Time to start the new plan. "Tabitha, distract them!" The blonde was only to happy to oblige as she, without a word, began showering the jeeps with mini-bombs. As the men ducked behind them, Scott shouted. "Kurt, now!"
On cue, Kurt ported Jubilee over to the vehicles, where she fired off a series of flashes that blinded the men before grabbing Kurt and getting ported back to the mansion.
Now, Kitty! Jean sent. On command, the valley girl popped out of the ground next to the men and started running through their weapons, shorting them out. After passing them all, she gave them a cheerful wave before ducking into a nearby wall.
"Grenades!" one called out.
"I swear, this is the last time" muttered Jean as she reached out to catch the thrown grenades, drawing them as far away from the buildings as possible before they exploded in mid air. "Uhhh …" she groaned as she collapsed into Scott's arms, wishing desperately for a nap.
"Keep your eyes open. There may be more of them," Scott snapped, reverting to the role he had become used to.
Instead of more militia, they were greeted by an approaching squad of police cruisers.
"Took them long enough," muttered Ray.
"Quiet. Everybody stand down," hissed Scott as the cruisers pulled up. A black Buick followed close behind.
As the police officers stepped out of the car, one of them directed two men over to the beaten gunmen before taking the rest over to the mansion gates. Standing before the group, he rested his hand on his holster. "I'm Sergeant Waters, Bayville PD. Who's in charge of this freak show?" he demanded.
Scott stepped forward. "Professor Xavier's inside with a concussion, officer. So are several students and two of our instructors. You'll have to talk to me."
"Fine," Waters sneered. "Then maybe you can explain to me how this whole mess started!"
"Love to, but we didn't start anything, so I couldn't tell you," Scott snapped back. "Why don't you ask them?"
"Watch it, mutie," Waters warned, drawing his pistol.
"Sergeant!" Waters turned to face Police Chief Bronson. Marching over in full uniform, along with two suited detectives, Bronson addressed the group. "Are you trying to keep the peace or start another fight?"
"Sir …" Waters began to argue before Bronson cut him off.
"I'm not sure I want to hear it, Sergeant. By the way, it looks like your fellow officers could use some help." Sure enough, the two officers had their hands full trying to restrain the militiamen; at this point, they were surrounded.
Sighing in frustration, Waters signalled his men and they all headed over to assist, leaving Bronson alone with the X men. "Sorry about that," he said in a softer tone.
"We're used to it by now," Scott replied, crossing his arms.
Bronson's face darkened. "Look, the officer was out of line, but he was right about one thing. A lot of people are going to want to know exactly what happened here, myself included." He took a breath. "For starters, we're going to need statements from all of you."
"In case you haven't noticed, bub, we're a little busy to be sitting at the police station," Logan growled.
"He's right, Chief," a weary Jean put in. "We have injured people to look after. Can't we do it here?"
"You've got to be …" Logan's outburst was quickly silenced by a telepathic slap from Jean.
Bronson looked at the detectives, who shrugged and nodded. "Fine."
Logan growled. "Okay. But you stick to the dining room and rec room, understand?"
"Can we just get this done?" one detective answered gruffly.
--------------------
Many challenges await us …
But the X men will always be there …
Xavier woke with a start. Since being taken by Apocalypse, his glimpses of the future had taken over his dreams. Worse, the most frightening visions were also the most prominent. As a result, his dreams were dominated by images of anti-mutant sentiment, an army of sentinels, the dark turn by one of his students …
Xavier shook his head. He couldn't afford to dwell on visions, not when he had the present to deal with. Raising his head, he looked around.
"Finally awake, I see." Hank's good natured voice cut in as the furry mutant sauntered over.
Xavier winced at the noise, but managed a smile. "Well, you did say I needed rest, Hank. Though I wish it did not involve such a headache."
Smiling easily, Hank offered Xavier an aspirin and glass of water. After gratefully downing both, Xavier asked "How did we do?"
"Well, no serious injuries on either side, and, contrary to Scott's diagnosis, you don't have a concussion." Hank muttered for a few seconds about 'amateur diagnoses' before continuing. "And, except for a broken gate, a few crashed vehicles, and some potholes in the street, the damage was minimal."
The Professor let out the breath he had been holding. It could have been much worse. "Any news on reactions?"
"The police are taking statements from the students right now. Of course" Hank turned on the television "everybody's got a theory already."
"And now a statement from Mayor and Senatorial-Candidate Robert Kelly."
"This mutant problem has gone too far. Hours ago, a peaceful protest was attacked, without provocation, by the renegade mutant group known as the X men!" A stream of images followed, starting with the first explosion amid the crowd. According to the rest of the images, the only attacks came from the X men, while unarmed protesters fled. Kelly's face returned to the screen. "We allowed the X men to stay in Bayville, training to fight with their powers, and this is the thanks we get!" Kelly continued, indicating the pile of unconscious protesters. "As mayor of Bayville, I intend to see to it that acts like these do not go unpunished. Mutants are not above the law."
Xavier could feel another headache coming on. It never seems to end …
A few beds down, Logan growled as he fought the urge to smash the television. "Those psychos set us up!"
"Logan."
Logan quickly forgot about the television as he turned toward the voice. "Hey, 'Ro. How's the hip?"
"Sore." Logan watched as she shifted uncomfortably, then smiled. "I doubt I'll be dancing for anyone for some time."
Logan chuckled nervously. "Ahh, I was out of moves, anyway."
The smile stayed. "Right."
Nearby, Rogue managed a chuckle at the pair, just before Kitty and Kurt appeared before her.
"Hey Rogue! Hungry?" the brunette asked, offering her plate of … whatever it was.
"Not really," Rogue mumbled.
"How you feeling, sis?"
"Lahk a fifth wheel." Rogue grumbled. Before being knocked out, she hadn't been able to do anything to help, especially since the gunmen had no special powers to absorb. It was such times that made her wish for a different set of powers that didn't require her to steal from other mutants.
Kurt's face fell as Kitty began to offer her recipe to Ororo and Logan. "Sis, not everyone get's their licks in for every fight. Zhat doesn't make you useless." Though still uncertain, Rogue smiled in thanks at her half-brother.
Elsewhere, another mutant had similar doubts.
"Tab' fer the last tahme, Ah'm fahne. Ah'm only here 'cuz Doctor McCoy ordered meh. And, for the last tahme, it wasn't your fault."
"Would you have gone out there if I'd just done what you asked?" grumbled an unusually moody Tabitha.
"Look, you made a mistake, but Ah'm the one that rushed out there and got mahself blown down." Sam looked at his shirt for a second. "Ah always thought I was invincible in the air. Looks lahke Ah just paid for thinking lahke that."
"Just don't let the word spread, fearless leader" retorted Tabitha, a smile sneaking onto her face.
"No kiddin'. Lahk Ah need another mutiny from Bobby," Sam muttered. Looking at Tabitha, he continued "Now you gonna stop pining, or do Ah have to get you some more extra Danger Room sessions from Wolverine?"
"Like we didn't pick up enough today," Tabitha giggled as she stood up. Quickly, she placed a kiss on Sam's forehead. "Just get some rest, showoff," she finished as she strode out of the infirmary.
Sam rubbed his head. Now what was that? Tabitha had always been flirty, but this … his thoughts were interrupted by the smacking noise next to him. "Can it, Jamie."
"Just get a room, sir," the young X man snickered, before focusing his gaze on the fire-haired Scot that had entered the infirmary and stopped by Roberto's bedside.
"How ye feeling, Roberto?" she asked.
"Ahh, it's nothing" grinned the Brazilian mutant. "Just get me some sun, I'll be outta bed in no time."
Rahne shook her head. "And here I thought getting shot down would slow that ego of yours" she teased.
Jamie grimaced at the scene before him and quickly rolled over, pulling the blankets over his head. Sam shook his head; he'd thought Jamie had been crushing on Kitty, but now …
"Been busy, haven't you leader" came Bobby's voice from Sam's other side. Bobby did not look as amused as Jamie had. Not in the mood for another match with Bobby, Sam made a decision.
"That's it, Ah'm outta here …"
"Not so fast, hotshot," McCoy had just strolled over to Sam's bed, wagging a furry finger. "You still need a checkup. Doctor's orders. And in here, the doctor outranks everybody."
Groaning, Sam sat back down. So much for rank and its privileges.
--------------------
"We have to respond."
Having left the infirmary, Xavier now sat in his office with the senior professors, joined by Scott and Jean. Now that the detectives had left and the injuries attended to, they still had to deal with Kelly.
Logan growled. "Just show me where to …"
Ororo interrupted. "No, not like that." She looked around the room. "We have to prove that we didn't instigate this fight."
"That'll be tough with someone like Kelly," Scott grumbled, thinking back to how they had once been accused of building the Sentinel that attacked them. Whenever mutant-haters were involved, reason and truth seemed to fly out the window.
"But he's not the only one around," Jean put in. "We have to get the message out to as many people as possible."
"You can fool everybody sometimes, and somebody all the time, but you can't fool everyone all the time," Hank quoted as he continued to rewind the surveillance tape. "But, before we send any message, we need some answers ourselves."
"Specifically, where did that explosion come from?" Xavier finished.
"Precisely." The room went silent as Hank began playing the tape at the moment the battle started. In a few seconds, a white flash engulfed. "Hmm, it didn't even knock down the gate."
"A flashbang." Heads turned to Logan, who elaborated. "A grenade that throws off a lot of light and noise without incinerating anything."
"How appropriate." Hank remarked. "Does it leave any trace behind?"
"Probably. Though the cops probably swept that up by now."
"Then no one will ever hear of it." Scott sighed, dejected.
"I wouldn't be too sure." Hank was now staring intently at the frozen image. "Could someone pass the magnifying glass?" Silently, Jean reached out and floated the tool from the nearby desk over to Hank. "Thanks." Humming to himself, Hank pressed the glass against the TV screen. "Is that what they look like?"
Logan leaned over and examined the spot Hank had magnified. A small, cylindrical device was visible, hanging from the hip of one of the protesters; at that moment, the man's hand was on the pin. "Yeah, that's it."
"So that's why the guy has his eyes closed right there." Scott snorted. "Those guys must be desperate."
"There's our answer," Xavier stated firmly. Looking around at the bedraggled faces, he began to give out instructions. "All right. Hank, be sure to keep all our tapes of the fight in a safe place. Everyone else, try to get some sleep. I have a few calls to make"
--------------------
"Contrary to the libellous accusations made by Mayor Kelly, my X men did not initiate the fight outside our gates. We did not bring the automatic weapons that injured several of my students and one of my instructors. We were not firing the explosives that left several of my students with concussions. We were not driving the vehicles that damaged nearby buildings. And we most certainly did not bring," Xavier now pulled out the blow-up photo Hank had prepared for him "the flashbang that was detonated by one of the protestors to justify this attack."
The last comment, at the very least, started a buzz among the reporters gathered outside the smashed gate. One of them called out. "Professor Xavier, is that photo authentic?"
"It was taken from our own surveillance footage, copies of which are now in the hands of the police."
"What of the protestors' allegations that they were unarmed?"
Gesturing at Ororo, who now sported a cane, Xavier answered "Injuries such as these were hardly the work of unarmed protestors. In fact," he continued, determined to point this out, "if you really looked, I think you'd find that only serious injuries in this fight came from these 'protesters' weapons."
One young reporter looked up from her notes. "Professor, one of the protestors just stated to the police that the fight was, and I quote, 'a stand against the mutant freaks who are running wild.' Any comment?"
Xavier took a deep breath and carefully prepared his answer.
"Look around," he spoke gently. "Are we the one's running wild? Are the acts of violence at mutant homes and centers the fault of the so-called 'mutant menace'?" Xavier's face and tone hardened. "The mutants at those sites had done nothing except try to live a normal life, and were brutalized simply for existing!"
--------------------
"In the past two years, entire sections of Bayville have had to be rebuilt because of anti-mutant riots. In all of those cases, the perpetrators were humans! No, Ms. Trilby, I would say that the real menace we face is the unthinking bigotry that has swept this town and so many others across the world." Xavier's televised face softened. "Fear and hatred have never made us feel safe, yet too many humans and mutants are relying on them to make their decisions. That is what led to the attack on my school, and that is the cause of the violence that has been tearing Bayville apart to this very day. That's all I have to say."
"Police Chief Bronson had his own comments on the fight that took place outside the Xavier Institute."
The Chief's weathered face filled the screen. "I still can't go into specifics about the investigation. However, I will say that I intend to see that the incident will be examined, and re-examined until we have all the facts, from all sides." Rubbing his eyes, the Chief continued. "I must also reiterate that, whoever instigated this fight will be charged to the fullest extent of the law. And any more acts of violence will not be tolerated, no matter who the perpetrators are or what they use…"
Kelly switched the television off, seething. Xavier had been quick to counter his public campaign. Now, when he had a chance to take down the renegade X men, Xavier was on TV blaming the violence on everybody but the mutants. And now, it seemed that his own police chief was casting his lot with Xavier. Fool!
"The man should run for mayor."
Kelly quickly turned to face the voice. Henry Peter Gyrich, a rising star in Homeland Security's new Mutant Affairs team. "You're late." Kelly snapped as the young man sat down. "So what's the word? You hear from your source?"
Gyrich nodded grimly. "It's over. A couple of the idiots admitted to seeing their fellow protestor drop the flashbang. And this was before Xavier made his address." Gyrich took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Plus, the forensics team found fragments of the bomb near the gate, and Bronson personally ordered that it be sealed." Gyrich sighed and shook his head. "They're building a case against the militia right now."
"Damnit, Gyrich, I put myself out on the line because you told me this was a sure success!" Kelly shouted, as there was no one else in the room.
"I didn't expect Bronson to step in the way he did. Now that Xavier's got the chief of police behind him …" Gyrich didn't need to elaborate. With such a highly placed official publicly backing the mutant group, destroying the X men's legitimacy would be that much harder.
"The man's a fool." Kelly grumbled. "Those freaks are running wild, and now my police are publicly exonerating them!"
Gyrich shrugged. "So we'll have to find another way. I'll call when I think of something." As he stood up, he paused and added "Oh, you might want to think about saving face and making an apology before you become public idiot number one."
Kelly cursed to himself as Gyrich left. He hated making apologies.
---------------------
"Man, Kelly just looks miserable when he's eating crow on TV," Bobby laughed, stopping the pool game to watch Kelly as he, very reluctantly, retracted his previous accusation.
"Hey, it serves him right," Sam put in as he lined up his shot. "Anyway, mah pa once told me a little crow in the diet is good for the heart."
"Indeed." Ororo smiled as she watched the boys play. Perhaps she should eat some of her own. She owed Tabitha an apology. But the blonde was busy playing poker with Rogue, Kitty, and Piotr. At that moment, she had lost the hand, and her entire pot, to the sassy southerner.
"Dammit, Rogue, I swear this cannot be your first game. Where did you learn it?"
"Dunno," Rogue smirked. Absorbing memories could be handy after all. As Tabitha crossed her arms and grumbled, Rogue reminded herself to thank Gambit for the impromptu lesson if she ever saw him again … not that she wanted to, of course. Nope, not in a million years. Crap, why am I even thinking about that swamp rat again?
"Perhaps she is merely a natural." Piotr offered, drawing a giggle from Kitty.
"I say we keep the tape of Kelly's apology and email it to him." Jamie offered, watching the television while one of his clones joined in the pool game.
"Who knows, it might keep him busy," Rahne smiled.
"It's a start at least." observed Scott.
"Excuse me," Xavier rolled into the crowded room, quickly silencing the chatter. "I have some news. According to Bronson, we've been officially cleared of any wrongdoing in last week's fight." Smiling at the applause and cheers that followed, Xavier waited before continuing. "And, since the immediate trouble is behind, I believe we were having a celebration before the rude interruption."
"Except," interrupted Logan, a wicked grin appearing on his face, "that the kids still owe us those extra sessions for ruining Ro's fruit salad."
The X-kids groaned, knowing what they were in for. Or so they thought.
"But, since we already got punished by those jokers …" Logan paused, "I'm knocking it down to one session, kids versus teachers and grads. Chuck is the judge." A shocked silence greeted the announcement. "Well? Suit up already, we meet at the Danger Room in fifteen."
With assorted grumbles and snickers, the crowd of mutants began filing out toward their respective rooms
"Aw, man. We gotta take on the teachers?" Jubilee grumbled.
"Ahhh, they're old, and the grads are out of shape. We can take them," Roberto grinned.
Rogue raised an eyebrow at Kitty. "Outta shape?"
Kitty shook her head. "Oh, we like, SO have to show them."
"Oh, we'll show them, all right," Scott added as he led the smaller group out.
Xavier fondly watched the motley group leave. A new day, but only the first of many, he thought to himself. But we'll be here for all of them.
He had to hope.
Coming Up on X Men Evolution
"Problem is, I don't have the resources I need to handle that SOB" she grumbled.
"Maybe what you need is a group that can't afford to say no to you," Gyrich suggested.
Wanda gave him a look of disbelief. "You mean you creeps couldn't even find a job in two years?"
"Not enough to break even." Lance retorted. Seeing Wanda's disbelieving expression, he added, "We're mutants, remember? With Kelly in charge, we might as well have been kicked out of the city."
"Except we couldn't even gas up the jeep, so here we stuck," Toad put in as he hopped back into the kitchen.
"Someone from the government was here?" Jean asked.
"We get involved with whatever Cooper's plannin' we probably won't like what we find," Logan growled.
"But what is she planning?" Jean asked.
"He still hasn't called?" Rogue asked, exasperated.
"No," Kitty mumbled.
"Something stinks about this whole business," Logan told the assembled kids.
"Rogue to team. Looks like our cat just left our position."
"You two find out what you can,"
"Hi Lance," said a sullen Kitty.
Author's Note
Hello, all! This is my first fanfiction story; I just couldn't work up the nerve before. So what do you think? Love it? Hate it? All reviews are welcome, and more episodes are on their way.