Author's Notes 5/27/02:
Holy Undershorts, Batman! Look at what I found on my computer! This little ficcie has been hanging around on my computer for the better part of a year and a half. I wrote it as a portion of a series my friend had written. But he never finished it and so I never actually gave it to him! Well, now I'm throwing it out there for the rest of ya'll to see, and maybe get some feedback as to whether I should take it further.
Thanks!
~Windresss
***
Disclaimer: Yeah like I could even own Marvel Stock!! But Stan Lee Loves me (Don'tcha Stan!?) and he would never sue me for using Gen-X, X-Men, X-Force, Mutant Liberation Front, or any other characters that He knows belongs to him! Luv Ya, Stan tha Man!
***
Nothing Gold can Stay.
Part 1: Looking Back, Walking Forward.
Jubilation Lee stared moodily out the window of her room of the familiar Academy that had become her home.
~Or rather, my former home,~ she corrected mentally, gazing into the colorless autumn sky she didnt really see. Her mind slowly traveled the path of her memories, following the time line until its inevitable destination upon her current situation.
She missed the way things used to be..missed the days of being with the X-Men and working in a team that was attuned to every member's slightest strength and weaknesses. That was something she'd never found on the Gen-X team, even after their graduation...
But most of all, she missed Wolvie. She'd almost forgotten how it felt to know he'd be there to watch her back, or to have the insurmountable task of watching his. She sighed despondently.
~Couldn't coddle me forever, I guess..~ But even as she thought that, she wished that he could have. If anyone could have, Logan could.
A sudden Crash jolted her from her reverie, and Jubilee turned to watch Skin sprint down the hallway. He paused long enough to arch her a wave before returning to his rushed gait. Jubilee was soon to find out why. Hot on his heels dashed a second Skin...the -real- skin.
Jubilee grinned as she heard him bellow the culprit's name in his tauntingly cool voice "oh, Huskie!" Husk had made it a regular habit to imitate Skin, mostly to wreak her revenge on him for so often making fun of her accent...but maybe something more. The teen grinned wider.
~Seems she had finally started to emerge from her mature shell and behave like the rest of us,~ Jubilee mused as she step into the hallway and made her way to the kitchen. ~The girl is moving backwards...starting mature, and getting younger. Too bad we all can't do it that way.~
*****
Meanwhile, Skin had managed to corner Husk at the end of the hall. Though Angelo Espinosa wasn't of large build, he had a dangerous air about him that could have only resulted from his years dabbling in gangs. He stood now, feet braced apart, fists casually thrust into his pockets. "Best you go back to who you are, Chica, afore someone gets hurt." He raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eyes.
"Why, is that a threat, Angelo?" Paige Gurthrie quiped back, enjoying this verbal fencing they seemed to share nearly everyday. Skin wasn't the type to open up to just anyone, she knew, but if he did....she wanted it to be her.
Ever since that first day when he'd greeted her so casually, despite the fact that they were both trapped in the Harvest Pit, she had wanted it. He had seemed so fearless that day, like the leader she always wanted to be. Like her brother. She knew he thougth she was just some country bumpkin....everyone did. ~But if I could just prove that I am more than that...~ She let her thoughts trail off with a small sigh.
Skin, oblivious to her inner turmoil, merely replied, "S'no threat, chica. It's a promise." The sigh caught his attention though, taking him by surprise. Angelo never missed anything Paige did. Never. The particularly treasured moments were when she forgot herself and allowed her accent to leak into her voice. He always made sure to crow about it incessently, which only served to infuriate her more and create a chain reaction. He didn't know why she got so upset about it. She behaved as if it were a shortcomming. one among many according to her, he was sure.
His lips quirked, taking in her suddenly somber, almost yearning expression, and yearned himself. What was it she was thinking? This time, he too sighed. Why couldnt she see that being as honest and..well, pure..as she was wasn't something to be ashamed of? suddenly, he wanted to make her smile again. "Chica?"
The urge to mock him further having been quelled, Husk's hand reached to tear off the grey toned skin covering her body, only to produce new pinkened flesh beneath. "Alright, alright...I'll quit."
He seemed further surprised by her admission, having been well aware that she preferred to draw out these things. Watching the veritable "husk" fall from Paige's body, he commented idley, "Is something wrong?"
Husk glanced up at him and into his eyes, trying to discern the depth of that question. Instead of answering, she forced a smile to her lips, "Just thinking about how Emma is going to yell when she discovers I havent been cleaning up my messes again." She gestured forgetfully to the pile of dead skin, then continued quickly before Angelo can call her bluff. "C'mon, I'm famished. Lets go get a bite."
*****
Chamber shuffled his feet in the gravel skirting the circular drive of the Academy's lawn, dropping with an inaudible sigh into the grass beneath one of the large oak trees. He gave pause, wondering why he sighed at all.
~It's not like I'm even breathing...~ Jonathan Evan Starmore thought morosely, dropping his head back against the rough bark of the tree trunk. However, his logic didn't keep him from releasing another mental sigh before his attention was diverted into the bright colors of the changing leaves over head. Something was moving among the magnificent hues of red and gold...
Suddenly, Penance descended to land quietly on hands and feet in the grass alongside him, peering at Chamber in the filtering shade of the tree's canopy. He issued a third sigh, this one of relief.. ~So its only you..~ his voice extended to Penance, allowing her to hear him.
~We are a pair, aren't we? Both speechless...trapped inside ourselves.~
Penance tilted her head, her crimson skin catching the rays of the sun and glinting, diamond hard. She was a curious girl, Jonathan mused, bearing a primitive level of innocence...like a curious animal.
~But you're not an animal, are you?~ He spoke to her then.. ~..eventhough we sometimes forget that..~
Penance blinked, ruby irises flashing with intelligence she couldn't portray...and Chamber sighed a final time, a sigh of regret. ~pity.~
Rising, he self conciously adjusted the cloth around his face, gesturing with his free hand ~Let's go have some Lunch..How about it, Penance?~ He looked to her, tamping down the urge to merely assume she agreed, and waited.
Penance's lips twitched, curving into a rare smile that had her nodding vigourously, walking alongside him up the steps into the Academy.
****Yeah yeah, so its Short. the Whole story is a bit short, what can I say?? Anyway, keep it going here and remember. R&R!! FEED THE BEAST! (my Ego, that is) ;P ***
Holy Undershorts, Batman! Look at what I found on my computer! This little ficcie has been hanging around on my computer for the better part of a year and a half. I wrote it as a portion of a series my friend had written. But he never finished it and so I never actually gave it to him! Well, now I'm throwing it out there for the rest of ya'll to see, and maybe get some feedback as to whether I should take it further.
Thanks!
~Windresss
***
Disclaimer: Yeah like I could even own Marvel Stock!! But Stan Lee Loves me (Don'tcha Stan!?) and he would never sue me for using Gen-X, X-Men, X-Force, Mutant Liberation Front, or any other characters that He knows belongs to him! Luv Ya, Stan tha Man!
***
Nothing Gold can Stay.
Part 1: Looking Back, Walking Forward.
Jubilation Lee stared moodily out the window of her room of the familiar Academy that had become her home.
~Or rather, my former home,~ she corrected mentally, gazing into the colorless autumn sky she didnt really see. Her mind slowly traveled the path of her memories, following the time line until its inevitable destination upon her current situation.
She missed the way things used to be..missed the days of being with the X-Men and working in a team that was attuned to every member's slightest strength and weaknesses. That was something she'd never found on the Gen-X team, even after their graduation...
But most of all, she missed Wolvie. She'd almost forgotten how it felt to know he'd be there to watch her back, or to have the insurmountable task of watching his. She sighed despondently.
~Couldn't coddle me forever, I guess..~ But even as she thought that, she wished that he could have. If anyone could have, Logan could.
A sudden Crash jolted her from her reverie, and Jubilee turned to watch Skin sprint down the hallway. He paused long enough to arch her a wave before returning to his rushed gait. Jubilee was soon to find out why. Hot on his heels dashed a second Skin...the -real- skin.
Jubilee grinned as she heard him bellow the culprit's name in his tauntingly cool voice "oh, Huskie!" Husk had made it a regular habit to imitate Skin, mostly to wreak her revenge on him for so often making fun of her accent...but maybe something more. The teen grinned wider.
~Seems she had finally started to emerge from her mature shell and behave like the rest of us,~ Jubilee mused as she step into the hallway and made her way to the kitchen. ~The girl is moving backwards...starting mature, and getting younger. Too bad we all can't do it that way.~
*****
Meanwhile, Skin had managed to corner Husk at the end of the hall. Though Angelo Espinosa wasn't of large build, he had a dangerous air about him that could have only resulted from his years dabbling in gangs. He stood now, feet braced apart, fists casually thrust into his pockets. "Best you go back to who you are, Chica, afore someone gets hurt." He raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eyes.
"Why, is that a threat, Angelo?" Paige Gurthrie quiped back, enjoying this verbal fencing they seemed to share nearly everyday. Skin wasn't the type to open up to just anyone, she knew, but if he did....she wanted it to be her.
Ever since that first day when he'd greeted her so casually, despite the fact that they were both trapped in the Harvest Pit, she had wanted it. He had seemed so fearless that day, like the leader she always wanted to be. Like her brother. She knew he thougth she was just some country bumpkin....everyone did. ~But if I could just prove that I am more than that...~ She let her thoughts trail off with a small sigh.
Skin, oblivious to her inner turmoil, merely replied, "S'no threat, chica. It's a promise." The sigh caught his attention though, taking him by surprise. Angelo never missed anything Paige did. Never. The particularly treasured moments were when she forgot herself and allowed her accent to leak into her voice. He always made sure to crow about it incessently, which only served to infuriate her more and create a chain reaction. He didn't know why she got so upset about it. She behaved as if it were a shortcomming. one among many according to her, he was sure.
His lips quirked, taking in her suddenly somber, almost yearning expression, and yearned himself. What was it she was thinking? This time, he too sighed. Why couldnt she see that being as honest and..well, pure..as she was wasn't something to be ashamed of? suddenly, he wanted to make her smile again. "Chica?"
The urge to mock him further having been quelled, Husk's hand reached to tear off the grey toned skin covering her body, only to produce new pinkened flesh beneath. "Alright, alright...I'll quit."
He seemed further surprised by her admission, having been well aware that she preferred to draw out these things. Watching the veritable "husk" fall from Paige's body, he commented idley, "Is something wrong?"
Husk glanced up at him and into his eyes, trying to discern the depth of that question. Instead of answering, she forced a smile to her lips, "Just thinking about how Emma is going to yell when she discovers I havent been cleaning up my messes again." She gestured forgetfully to the pile of dead skin, then continued quickly before Angelo can call her bluff. "C'mon, I'm famished. Lets go get a bite."
*****
Chamber shuffled his feet in the gravel skirting the circular drive of the Academy's lawn, dropping with an inaudible sigh into the grass beneath one of the large oak trees. He gave pause, wondering why he sighed at all.
~It's not like I'm even breathing...~ Jonathan Evan Starmore thought morosely, dropping his head back against the rough bark of the tree trunk. However, his logic didn't keep him from releasing another mental sigh before his attention was diverted into the bright colors of the changing leaves over head. Something was moving among the magnificent hues of red and gold...
Suddenly, Penance descended to land quietly on hands and feet in the grass alongside him, peering at Chamber in the filtering shade of the tree's canopy. He issued a third sigh, this one of relief.. ~So its only you..~ his voice extended to Penance, allowing her to hear him.
~We are a pair, aren't we? Both speechless...trapped inside ourselves.~
Penance tilted her head, her crimson skin catching the rays of the sun and glinting, diamond hard. She was a curious girl, Jonathan mused, bearing a primitive level of innocence...like a curious animal.
~But you're not an animal, are you?~ He spoke to her then.. ~..eventhough we sometimes forget that..~
Penance blinked, ruby irises flashing with intelligence she couldn't portray...and Chamber sighed a final time, a sigh of regret. ~pity.~
Rising, he self conciously adjusted the cloth around his face, gesturing with his free hand ~Let's go have some Lunch..How about it, Penance?~ He looked to her, tamping down the urge to merely assume she agreed, and waited.
Penance's lips twitched, curving into a rare smile that had her nodding vigourously, walking alongside him up the steps into the Academy.
****Yeah yeah, so its Short. the Whole story is a bit short, what can I say?? Anyway, keep it going here and remember. R&R!! FEED THE BEAST! (my Ego, that is) ;P ***