AN- Hey guys! Namuh-Flah here! After the many reviews Ruth got after this fic was posted, she decided to write another chapter! She's also got her own profile set up now so check it out! Her pen name is Ruthie G 8.
Disclaimer- Neither Ruth or I own X-Men Evolution. Sad isn't it?
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"Jubilee, what's the phrase for going out?"
"I dunno, I suck at this as much as you do. Why don't you use the dictionary?"
"I have, but the dumb thing has about a million entries which all mean exactly the same thing to me. But you just know they really mean different stuff. And I'm not asking her."
"Who would her be, Rahne, Jubilation? You make Miss Jamison very annoyed when you hold whispered conversations that aren't work related. Miss Jamison's class is a causerie-free zone."
As soon as their teacher had walked a safe distance away Rahne muttered to Jubilee "I suppose causerie means talk. Why can't she just use words everyone knows the meaning of?"
Jubilee was too busy to listen to her friend. "She called me Jubilation. Not even my parents call me Jubilation, and they're the ones who gave me the name in the first place! What wouldn't I do to get rid of her…"
The two in silence as Rahne stared at the small dictionary hoping for inspiration to strike and Jubilee stared at the paper in front of her, imagining a hundred different and satisfying fates that could befall the menace to sanity that was known as Miss Jamison.
"Rahne," Jubilee hissed after about ten minutes had gone by, "do you think setting off fireworks in the classroom would be enough to scare her away?"
Before Rahne could ask Jubilee if she was sure she was ok, Miss Jamison was clearing her throat at the front of the classroom.
"Well, you have all worked very diligently today class" she declared, blatantly ignoring the game of poker half the class had been watching for most of the class. Rather than try to stop them, Miss Jamison had simply narrowed her patrol. "Now remember, next week you will all have a test. It would be wise of you all to study," she looked at Rahne and Jubilee, "for some of you, whether you pass or fail Spanish depends on your results in this test."
The bell rang and paper and pens were stuffed hurriedly into bags as a scrum formed at the door. The girls fought their way out of the mob and headed towards the car park.
"Hey, Rahne, Jubilee! Like, wait up!" The pair turned round to see Kitty darting round people as she raced to catch up with them. Behind her, Rogue was following, apologising to the people who had jumped out of Kitty's way and into the lockers lining the corridor.
Kitty bounced to a halt beside the waiting Rahne and Jubilee, oblivious to the chaos she had left in her wake. "Hey guys. How are you doing?"
"Ok I guess Kitty. Once we recover from the awful last lesson we just had," Jubilee replied.
"Your day's just about to get better," Rogue joined them, having finished apologising to the last of Kitty's victims. "Kitty's Home Ec teacher was off today."
"I'll have you know," Kitty retorted, "that we weren't even going to cook today in the first place. And this time it wasn't because of my cooking."
Kitty said this so seriously Rahne and Jubilee burst out laughing. Rogue stage whispered to them, "She's in denial. Just can't live with the guilt."
Kitty snorted indignantly. "Well, if all of you are laughing so hard I suppose it should be me, like, driving." Waving the keys she had obviously stolen from Rogue she dashed off to claim the driver's seat, while everyone else stared at her.
"How'd she get those?" Rogue asked no one in particular. "They were in my pocket. How didn't I notice? God, she said Logan was teaching her stealth techniques. Why can't she use them in the morning?"
Rahne and Jubilee were looking rather nervous. "I'm going in the van," they decided in unison.
"Actually," Rogue cut in, "everyone else is at a club or hitchin' a ride with some one else. Oh, and Bobby and Ray managed to get themselves detention. Anyway, they're going to need the van so we've got the car."
All three gulped as Kitty honked the horn at them and called out the window, "You are all so slow! Hurry up!"
As they neared the car Rogue asked the younger girls, "So, what did you have last that was so awful?"
"Spanish," Rahne said, pulling a face as she climbed into the backseat.
"With Miss Jamison," Jubilee added darkly.
Kitty, who had been starting the engine ready to drive off as soon as all the doors were closed, froze, a look of terror on her face. "Miss-Miss Jamison?" she squeaked.
Rahne and Jubilee exchanged confused looks while Rogue spoke to Kitty. "It's alright Kitty, you're not in her class anymore. You're safe." Rogue spoke soothingly as she prised Kitty's right hand off the steering wheel. "C'mon Kitty, I'll drive."
"But I'm not giddy, Red Squirrel," Kitty protested, but when Rogue opened her door she got out and walked round to the passenger seat.
"Rogue, did Kitty just say that she isn't giddy?" Rahne asked.
"Did Kitty just call you 'Red Squirrel'?" Jubilee giggled at the mental picture of Rogue in a giant squirrel costume that her mind had conjured up, complete with a glaring Rogue.
"Last year Kitty had Miss Jamison for Spanish, right after lunch. One day she had quite a lot of sugar, and Miss Jamison asked her to stay behind after class. Apparently giddy also means hyper. Kitty's coping a lot better now, but if she isn't expecting it she can't help but freak out," Rogue explained in a low voice, hoping Kitty wouldn't hear.
"And Red Squirrel?" Rahne asked.
"Miss Jamison used to dye her hair bright red, and the name Red Squirrel stuck," Rogue said quickly. "Hey, Kit, you ok now?"
"Yeah, thanks Rogue. It's just the third person. It takes me, like, an hour before I don't have to stop myself from saying 'Kitty' instead of 'I'." Kitty still looked pale, but she was aware of everyone around her.
Rogue nodded as she steered the car out of the parking lot. "Who talks in third person anyway? Honestly, if I ever meet anyone who talks in third person I will have to punch them until they stop and talk normally. No exceptions."
Kitty thought for a minute, obviously trying to take the challenge. "What if it was a really hot guy? Not, like, just good looking but drop dead gorgeous."
"Hmm, tricky. If he has a trench coat, maybe we'll talk." Rogue grinned across at her friend, relived that she had calmed down.
In the back seat, Jubilee was looking at Rahne thoughtfully. "So, it was the red hair. I think I might just start calling you Red Squirrel, Rahne."
Rahne growled at Jubilee. "Just you try it, Jubilation."
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When the girls got back to the for once quiet mansion, Rahne and Jubilee rushed upstairs to dump their bags in their shared bedroom. Kitty and Rogue went into the kitchen to see if there was anything good they needed to hide before the rest of the students got home.
"Nothing in here!" Kitty called across the kitchen to Rogue.
"They've got the stuff in the fridge too," Rogue sighed. "Next time we're hiding something we should label it as something gross, like cottage cheese." She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
Kitty slumped into a chair. "So, when do you think we should, like, tell them about the Sirens?"
"Kitty," Rogue said, "do you really think Jean would even think about something that might end up with them flunking a subject? I mean, if they want to risk the Professor's wrath I think that's their choice, but Jean would put a mental block on them finding out until they passed. I guess they'll just have to wait until they know about the Sirens."
"I guess," Kitty agreed reluctantly.
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Behind the door, Jubilee listened to Rogue's voice.
"…they'll just have to wait until they know about the Sirens."
"Siren's," Jubilee whispered, all the puzzle pieces sliding together in her brain.
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"Red Squirrel! Guess who's living with us?" Jubilee shouted at her roommate as she flung open the door.
Rahne looked thoroughly disgruntled at the use of her new nickname. "If it's ice cream then you're off the hook for calling me that again."
"Oh," Jubilee grinned as she sat on her bed, "this is so much better than ice cream."
"It can't be, there was a tub of that Ben and Jerry's stuff I like. Very little in the way of snack food beats that. So Jubilation, what is better than-argh!" Rahne's sentence ended in a squeal as a small firework was thrown towards her, and she fell backwards and nearly somersaulted backwards onto the carpet.
"That was mean," she huffed as she righted herself.
"And calling me Jubilation wasn't?"
"You know I can smell more things than most people, and those things have such a stench on them! The last time you did it I kept on catching whiffs of it for weeks. I might have escaped this one though…" Rahne sniffed the air carefully. "It'll be gone soon," was the verdict. "Now, what's this thing that's better than ice cream?"
Jubilee jumped up and closed the open door then turned round with a grin. "Does the name Bayville Sirens mean anything to you, McNutty?"
Rahne cringed. "McNutty? Is that supposed to be because I'm Scottish or what? I've changed my mind I actually quite like Red Squirrel."
"Can I call you that then?" Jubilee asked enthusiastically.
"If you have to," Rahne groaned. "I just know I'm going to regret this."
"I aim to please," Jubilee grinned. "But you still haven't answered my question. Bayville Sirens Red Squirrel, ring any bells?"
"Well, we've just spent the past week discussing them at least once a day, so I'll say that it is kinda familiar."
"I know who they are! D'ya wanna know?" Jubilee was practically bouncing on her bed with excitement.
"I always want to know your mad theories Jubilee, it makes life so much more interesting," Rahne said, grabbing one of her pillows to hold over her nose in protection.
"I'm deeply offended by that," Jubilee said, her grin showing how untrue the statement was. "Be warned, I haven't forgotten McNutty."
"Ok then, I'll be nice" Rahne said. "Enlighten me."
"In the kitchen right now, Rogue and Kitty are discussing their activities as Bayville's premier female crime fighting group" Jubilee revealed smugly, grinning at Rahne's shocked expression. "Told ya it's better than ice cream."
Rahne stared at her. "That might be true. And the other," she did a quick mental count in her head, "three people could be at the mansion too!"
Jubilee started counting off on her fingers, "Well, there's gotta be Jean, she would be organised enough to keep them all from getting caught. And Amara's been hanging out with her loads as well. And Storm…"
"Has been away with Wolverine for ages on that thing no one will tell us about," Rahne pointed out. "It isn't her Jubes. But, the others have been talking to Tabby more now than since she left. I reckon she's in on this too."
"And we're not," Jubilee scowled. "As soon as Jean and Amara get back I'm going to corner them and make 'em let us join. We can fight as well as Amara! Why're we left out?"
"What if they refuse? None of them really have stuff you could use against them," Rahne looked concerned.
Jubilee however had a plan forming in her mind. "Actually Red Squirrel, I think there is something we could use. It would tae some time to sort it out though. Confronting might be a little delayed."