Good Times and Hope
Chapter One
By: Lily Handle
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Author's Note: This is a short ficlet, which is why it's only a handful of chapters long, about prom night. I was surprised that there was only one dance in the whole of X-men Evolution. Since prom was such a big thing in high school I though I'd cover it in the Hope Universe. Expect POV's you don't usually see from me!
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Carrying two boxes under her arm from her room to Jean's room, Dr. Hope Chandler could have giggled like a school girl. Not that she hadn't done that a few times already tonight, but when she was walking through the halls someone might catch her not acting her age. Oh, who cares, really? Hope thought and giggled anyway. She knocked on the door to Jean's room when she reached it and stepped inside when Jean held it open of her.
"That's all the jewelry you own?" Jean asked her, raising an eye brow in surprise.
"Well, this is all the not that expensive, can be lost or damaged kind of jewelry," Hope explained setting the boxes down on to a table, "Alright, Jean, you first, since Ororo's still finishing up with Kitty and Rogue."
"Okay, Doc," Jean said, looking over her shoulder at Hope. Opening the lid to the boxes Hope started to dig through her carefully organized jewelry. If there was one thing that Hope took excellent care of it was her jewelry. Well, and her shoes…and clothes. But, her jewelry was at the top of the list. She loved anything that glittered and shone. Gold, silver, platinum it didn't matter. Neither did the stones, though she though colored gems complimented her best. She loved it all, and now she could share it with the girls.
"Now, my vote would be for pearls, a simple black dress and your fantastic skin color, pearls, most certainly pearls," Hope said, dragging out an extra long string of pearls. She held them up while studying Jean. Her dress was a column of black silk that swayed around the ankles. The straps crossed into an X pattern that was continued down the back. Jean's hair was up in a stylishly messy bun that had pieces "escaping" and curling attractively around her face.
"Really? Don't you have anything, um…?" Jean blushed and looked quickly away
"That sparkles?" Hope dove for the second box, "Of course, of course. And don't worry dear; I love things that sparkle too. Diamonds it is."
"You'd let me borrow your diamonds?" Jean sounded so incredulous that Hope had to laugh.
"Of course I would," Hope pulled out a necklace with three dime sized diamonds inlaid in a silver crescent, "Everything I own is insured, and with my bank account, I can always buy more. Also, who's gonna steal this while you're dancing with Scott?"
"Wow, Doc!" Kitty strode into the room in a pale rose halter top dress that stopped just below the knees, "What do you, like, have in there for me?" Her hair was piled on top of her head in a complicated mass of curls and clips that look wonderful, but Hope couldn't figure out for the life of her how Ororo had managed it.
"Go look," Hope waved a hand towards the boxes while she helped clip the necklace for Jean, "Is Ororo still helping Rogue with her hair?"
"Yeah," Kitty said, with her head buried into one of the boxes, "I still can't believe you talked in her into going."
"Well, it wasn't all me. You guys helped, a lot. I'm sure she'll have a fun evening. What do you think Jean? I have a matching bracelet too, you know."
"It's…fantastic, Doctor," Jean said, running her fingers over the diamonds as she looked at herself in the full length mirror, "I can really wear them?"
"How many times am I going to have to say this? Yes, of course you can. And tell Scott he has my full permission to blast anyone who tries to take them." Hope grabbed the bracelet from the box, clipped it around Jean's wrist and then returned her attention to Kitty, "You my dear, need my roes quartz and moonstones."
"Rose quartz?" Kitty looked skeptically at her while she searched for the right item.
"Ah, don't doubt the rose quartz," Hope said, drawing out a chunky bracelet with large, oval stones of rose quartz and moonstone, "This has been worn to many an important event."
"It is pretty," Kitty said holding out her wrist so Hope could fit the bracelet.
"It's a good thing I'm so small," Hope said while adjusting the bracelet slightly, "I don't think anything of mine would fit you otherwise."
"Ah, I see we've already picked some trinkets," Ororo said, walking into the room with a rather grumpy looking Rogue in tow. Hope loved, no, adored, Rogue's dress. It was simply a masterpiece. It covered her from neck to toe, leaving the arms and shoulders bare. It went from a dark wine red to black at the bottom. There was a slit on both sides that showed off the heeled, calf high boots with silver studs going down the side. Rogue also wore long gloves of black, with silver accent threading. Hope knew exactly what piece of jewelry Rogue was going to wear.
"You look fantastic!" Hope exclaimed, "The hair is perfect, Ororo, on all of them."
"I try my best," She said simply, sitting down in a chair, "You seem to have the jewelry department cornered."
"Oh, as far as I know all Chandler women are like this," Hope grabbed up the necklace she had chosen for Rogue, "Now, this, this is one of my pride and joys," She said, holding up the complicated interlinking silver wires that would hang very low on the neck, partially on the upper chest.
"Woah, I, I can't wear that," Rogue said, actually backing up a step."
"Yes, yes you can," Hope said, grinning almost evilly, "This piece I got in Ireland, a family vacation, hand made. I've only worn it once because I can never find the right dress for it. Sad really, I love it to death. Now, you've got the right dress, the right style, the right everything." Hope pounced and before Rogue knew what hit her she was wearing the spectacular necklace.
"Wow! Rogue it, like, rocks. Seriously, you have to, like, wear that tonight!" Kitty goggled while Hope watched with unapologetic joy as Rogue looked at her reflection in the mirror.
"Now, who wants me to go see how the boys are doing? Bet they are just pacing up a storm down stairs," Hope rubbed her hands together, "But you're all ready to go, correct?" At the group nod Hope closed up her boxes and went to go spy on the boys.
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Author's Note: Ah, isn't this fun? So light hearted and so much fun! Up next, we find out what the guys are up to!
