Dislcaimer: I don't own XME, or Oliver and Company, as was previously stated.
A/N: Whew! Next chapter! I did a double-time tonight: Star Wars and XME! Well, here's the first chapter - I you like it, and that there are those who remember me!
Now it's always once upon a time
In New York City
It's a big old, bad old, tough old town, it's true
But beginnings are contagious there
They're always setting stages there
They're always turning pages there for you
Ain't it great the way it all begins
in New York City?
Right away you're making time and making friends
No one cares where you were yesterday
If they pick you out you're on your way
To a once upon a time that never ends
So, Oliver, don't be shy
Get out there, let go and try
Believing that you're the guy
They're dying to see
'Cause a dream's no crime
Not once upon a time
Once upon a time in New York City
If it's always once upon a time
In New York City
Why does nightfall find you feeling so alone?
How could anyone stay starry eyed
When it's raining cats and dogs outside
And the rain is saying, "Now you're on your own"?
So, Oliver, don't be scared
Though yesterday no one cared
They're getting your place prepared
Where you want to be
Keep your dream alive
Dreaming is still how the strong survive
Once upon a time in New York City
Keep your dream alive
Dreaming is still how the strong survive
Once upon a time in New York City
Keep your dream alive
Dreaming is still how the strong survive
Once upon a time in New York City
And it's always once upon a time
In New York City
Chapter I
"The world's first novel was written in the Nara/Heign period, by a noblewoman named Murasaki Shikibu. Does anyone know the name of that first novel?" the petite Japanese woman looked around the room, brown eyes scathing. When no one raised a hand, she shook her head. "It was in the reading last night, students. The Tale of Gengi was the first novel."
Bobby sweated nervously through his fourth period class. World History had never interested him, but the woman at the front of the room commanded attention. He wasn't really in her class - with a little over a month until finals, he was in her class with the idea that this was going to get him used to public school after so much time spent at a private school. The classes he'd been sitting in on were mostly above and beyond him; he'd be a freshman next year. The teacher, Ms. Yoshida, hadn't been around for the whole year either; she was a friend of the real World History teacher, and had been asked to come in to lecture.
Lecture she did! Bobby thanked Logan's background classes on basic Japanese history. He wouldn't let any of the mutants learn martial arts without knowing where it came from, why, and their original use. It kept Bobby on Ms. Yoshida's good list.
Unlike the boy behind him, who seemed to delight in making Ms. Yoshida answer impertinent questions. At least, that's what she'd been calling them. "No, Mr. Ramsey, for the last time, Samuri cannot fly. No matter what you may have seen in pop culture as of late." she closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. "Can anyone give me any real information on the Samuri way of life?"
Finally, something he could answer!
"I may regret this in the morning. Mr. Drake?"
"Samuri were absolutely devoted to their lords and to their code of honor, bushido. They would die rather than be dishonorable, or dishonor their lords. Many of the adopted Buddasim, because it offered a way to concentrate thought and increase control."
Ms. Yoshida and the class seemed to blink as one.
Bobby turned bright red. "Well, that's, um, all I can think of. Off the top of my head."
"Absolutly correct, Mr. Drake. Apparently, the Insititute has a higher interest in foreign culture. Who, might I ask, taught you?"
"Our Martial Arts instructor, Mr. Logan," Bobby muttered.
"See me after class, Mr. Drake, please," at Bobby's nod, the teacher continued where he had left off, elaborating and explaining.
Someone tapped his shoulder. Turning, Bobby saw Doug Ramsey's face pushed up close to his. "Did you really learn that at the Institute?" Bobby nodded. "Cool," Doug grinned.
The bell rang, and Bobby grabbed his books and walked up to Ms. Yoshida. "You wanted to see me?"
"How might I contact your Mr. Logan?"
Bobby shrugged. "Call the Institute and ask for him. Our number's listed."
"May I have it?"
Bobby shrugged again, snagged a pencil and paper out of a notebook, jotted down the Institute's phone number and, with a "See ya!" to Ms. Yoshida, backed out the door and down the hall after Doug.
"Syonara," Mariko Yoshida remarked absently as she picked up the phone number. "I am very much looking forward to meeting you, Logan. I hope you don't disappoint."
*
"Kurt, you look like someone just killed your puppy. What's wrong?" Scott asked. Kurt sunk sullenly to the bench, totally out of place in the bright, if a bit chill, outside atmoshpere.
"It's Amanda," he sighed.
"Amanda?" Scott repeated. "Not 'Manda, liebling, or something else equally loveable?"
Kurt growled. "We got into an argument. Apparently, her friend Candy hasn't forgiven her for joining FOH."
"And . . ."
"And she wants to tell Candy exactly why she did it."
Scott's eyebrows raised into his hairline. "You mean tell Candy about the entire Institute?"
"No, just about me."
"And you wanted no part in it," Scott surmised.
"It's dangerous!" Kurt exclaimed. "I'm not at all interested in mobs with torches and pitchforks. I'm the Bayville Demon. It's not like Kitty, or Jean, who do something that they can hide. I've had fanatical Christians on my tail before, mein friend, and it's not fun."
"Hey, you don't have to explain yourself to me, that's for sure," Scott poked at his food, half expecting it to jump up and run away. "You think Taryn wouldn't cheerfully organize a mob if she found out what's beneath these shades?"
Right then, Bobby practically fell onto the bench next to Kurt. "This place is gigantic," Bobby groaned. "Don't they give you a map? A guide? A compass?!" Bobby grabbed the burger on his plate and stuffed a huge bite in his mouth before Kurt or Scott could stop him. The expression on Bobby's face went from overwhelmed to whemled to disgusted as he swallowed. "Is there an antidote?" he choked out.
The two highschoolers laughed. "Time, Bobby, time. And whatever you do, don't drink the milkshake. We don't think it's actualy milk," Kurt advised. Bobby had the straw of his milkshake to his mouth, looked at it, then slowly set it down. Scott stilfled another laugh.
"Hey, Bobby. Learning the dangers of the cafeteria?" Kitty asked as she sat down. "Don't like, get too worried about it. You totally develop an immunity to it by, like, the second week."
"Either that or you start making your own lunch," Jean pointed out, setting down her brown bag. She and Kitty arrived at the same time.
"Like, uh-oh," Kitty's eyes shifted to behind Scott. "Taryn alert. Is there a dance coming up that she like, forgot to ask you to?"
Scott shifted in his seat. Although Jean had broken up with Duncan about a week ago, Taryn hadn't even blinked at the idea that she might have competition for Scott. She slid neatly onto the bench between Scott and Kitty, grinning at those already there. "Hello!" she perked. "Who's this?"
"Um - Bobby Drake. You're Taryn, aren't you?"
"Aw, he knows who I am! You must got to the Institute, right? Scott, you're such a sweetie," she lay her head his shoulder. Scott turned pink and tried to keep eating.
Meanwhile, inside the luncheroom, another table full of friends was having an awkward lunch. Candy was sitting as far as possible from Amanda, with Colleen between them and Lee across the table. Colleen and Lee were having a hard time carrying on a conversation with Candy refusing to talk to Amanda. Neither would divulge what they were fighting about.
Colleen and Lee were rescued by a frantically waving blond freshman. "Colleen! Hey!"
"Doug, what are you doing here?" she asked as the blond sat down next to Lee. Lee just raised her eyebrows.
"Oh, anime club was cancled, Peter and Katrina found a corner somewhere, and Jesse's sick. So I thought I'd come sit by you!" Doug grinned. "And who are all these lovely ladies?"
Colleen giggled. "Stop teasing them, Doug, you know very well they're not your type. Besides, these two are taken," Colleen gestured to Candy and Amanda. "Candy Southern, Amanda Sefton, and Alytis Forrester, meet Doug Ramsey. Candy's boyfriend doesn't even go to this school, but Amanda's dating one of the Institute kids."
"Oh?" Doug suddenly turned his full attention on Amanda. He was rather cute, with short, slightly messy blond hair, brown eyes, and a face that could only be described as sweet. There was, however, a mischievous gleam in his eyes that belied the innocent appearance, and reminded Amanda of Kurt. "Which one?"
"Well, I'm dating Kurt, but he and I had a fight about ten minutes ago," Amanda replied. Just saying that made her growl a little. She glanced over at Candy, who was ignoring her. Dammit! she thought.
"Right, the cute guy with the long blue hair. I've seen him. One of the Institute kids just transferred to my World History class. He's actually a year younger than me, but this is like the first time he's been to public school in nearly a year. He knew all this stuff about Japan, apparently from the Institute's martial arts instructor! Can you believe that place actually has a class like that?"
While Amanda was busy thinking I didn't know Wolverine knew anything about Japan, she asked "Who was it? I've met most of the Institute."
"Bobby Drake."
She snorted, coughing as she swallowed. "Bobby? Bobby's in school?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Let's just say that the first time I met him, he'd dyed a girl's hair pink," he was also running around on an ice slide being chased by Jubilee she finished in her head, but she wasn't going to say that!
"Pink?" Lee questioned.
"Yup. He's got a bit of a reputation at the Institute as a prankster," Amanda affirmed.
"D'you think he'll like, pull anything in school?" Colleen wondered.
"Well, if Ms. Yoshido has a new hair color tomorrow, we'll know who did it!" Doug declared. "I may also have to get to know this person."
"Doug . . ." Colleen threatened. "You're perfectly capable of pulling pranks on your own, you do not need help!"
The boy grinned roguishly at Colleen. "I can always use the help! After all, two heads are better than one."
"Not for the rest of us!"
*
He grinned. The Wagner speck was fighting with Her. Wagner's timing was opportune - he had the perfect backup in place already. Keeping track of Wagner was the best way to keep track of Her, his favorite pastime since Jean dumped Duncan.
That had surprised him. He'd thought he had a nice permanent setup going there. Jean's real emotions blockaded, and Duncan had been a sheep. He'd even been able to get Taryn to distract Scott, which frankly surprised him. Then there had been that whole Friends of Humanity thing . . . Oh, well. He supposed it had to happen some time. No matter how hard he tried to get rid of the anti-mutant prejudice, it always popped back up. Kind of like the Black Plague.
Back to business. Now, who was he going to channel through? He had an idea or two, but nothing -
Ah-hah. Perfect. He reached and tugged, focusing on Her. No matter what kind of reaction his subject had, at least now he had an outlet. She was in for an interesting time, even compared to what She'd already done.
Lex sat back in his seat as Ms. Yoshida lectured on.