Queen of Panda Suits: I LIVE!!
Princess Leave Winabago: Yay! She's back!
Queen of Panda Suits: I would have helped with the last chapter but SOMEBODY didn't tell me she was writing it!
Princess Leave Winabago: I'm sorry it was late and you had something to do in the morning!
Queen of Panda Suits: My tea is delicious!
Princess Leave Winabago: That's good to know but we really must get started!
Queen of Panda Suits: Disclaimer! Again nothing in this chapter is copyrighted expect Leroy. Please enjoy it!
Chapter 4: Thief
It was always so strange for her; to come to a place where she wouldn't normally be welcomed. Then again… that's the price you pay for friendship. Doing things that you wouldn't normally want to just so you can see the sloppy grin of your best friend. Tabitha flipped her blonde hair from her face as she stared up at the towering institute with shadowed cerulean eyes. As much as she loved Kurt as her best friend… she was still hesitant as to coming back to this place; even more so the last few weeks. It seemed her belonging kept disappearing. Alright, so it didn't just seem like it… they really were. It had started almost a week ago.
FLASH BACK
Tabitha walked through the dim hall of The Institute. Her thin arm was laced through the muscular, fuzzy, blue one of Kurt. They were returning to his room to retrieve her things after having been downstairs having a rather large movie fest, with plenty of popcorn and other sweet assortments. She grinned up at him.
"Fuzzy that was an awesome movie!"Tabitha gushed happily, tugging on his fur.
"Veah, I can't believe you haven't see it yet," Nightcrawler said, wincing lightly at the light pain that came from her grip on his hair.
Tabitha giggled as the twisted look on his face. She loosened her grip watching the relief flood his features. Poor guy, to be naturally be a fuzzy monster. A very cute, sweet, fuzzy monster… she wondered what it was like to never be able to walk around outside in his natural body without being starred at and to have people run and scream in fear. She cuddled closer to him, rubbing her pale cheek against his arm, relishing in the comfortable warmth.
"You're really comfortable, you know that fuzzy?"
Kurt grinned, "Vat is good to know, Tabitha."
She giggled, if she hadn't been going out with Remy, Kurt would definitely had been a possibility, but she was in love with the French accent of her beloved boyfriend… among other things.
It was only a few short more steps to the Kurt's room. Her eyes went wide as freezing chill ran down her spine. Everything seemed to slow around her. Then as soon as it had happened, it ended. She and Nightcrawler stopped before his door. The glanced at each other, silently asking one another if what they had just experienced happened to the other person.
Tabitha shrugged, "Maybe we just hit a cold spot or something?"
Nightcrawler looked skeptical but nodded none-the-less. He grabbed the silver door knob, his eyes widening at how frozen the handle felt.
Tabitha watched the way his face scrunched up in thought, his lip quirking up to the side his eyes suddenly become distant. She placed her hand over his calmly, helping him turn the door's handle. He glanced at her, his features smoothing back to normal giving his trademark sloppy grin.
"Must have veen nothing," he whispered.
Tabitha smiled stepping into the "surprisingly" blue room. It was his favorite color after all. From the walls, to carpet, to the sheets, duvet and very pillows; everything was as blue as his skin and fur. So much blue could really cause a girl to have a spasm, it needed other colors. She had attempted on many occasions to get him to at least change the bed to something else, black, red… anything but blue. He would only refuse.
Her black rimmed eyes glanced around for her purse. She looked around, annoyance bubbling under skin. She turned towards Kurt, her eyes confused and frustrated.
"Where's my purse!?"
Nightcrawler blinked in confusion and shock, "Vhat do you mean? Isn't it under the bed vhere you usually put it?"
She huffed, crossing her arms over her ample chest, "It's not there!"
That's when it happened again. A feeling of becoming frozen enveloped her skin, the hairs on her arms standing on end. Then it was over.
"Vhat the…"
Tabitha glanced back at Kurt. Slowly she followed his astonished gaze to the bed. There was her bubble gum pink bag, sitting innocently on the sheets. Her jaw dropped… 'What the hell?'
End Flash Back
Many times after that first occurrence, the same thing happened multiple times. Kurt had gone to the professor, who in turn could find no explanation for what had transpired. Now as she stood in front of the building, she didn't have anything with her. She refused to lose any more possession from this weird… thing? That could be the only thing she could have called it. Kurt had latched on to the prospect of a ghost haunting the institute. The others students would grin, say "Yeah sure," and continue on their way. There was another explanation… but… no one really wanted to find it. Tabitha had a feeling that some of the students were afraid to find that it really could have been a ghost.
Blowing a stubborn strand of hair from her face she proceeded up the steps to the door. She rung the door bell, the chimes could be heard echoing down the many halls. The door creaked and Tabitha placed a smirk on her face.
"Well fuzzy it's about…" She stopped.
Rather then her furry friend who had answered the door, it was a tall man with dark skin and blinding white clothes. The way he wore them, he could easily be mistaken for an olden day pimp. Her blood ran cold, suddenly feeling rather nervous in his presence. A crooked smile carved his lips.
"You must be Tabitha, Kurt's friend, correct?" His thick accent made her shiver.
"Uh… yeah." She moved her arms in front of her subconsciously… She felt naked under his intense dark stare.
A familiar 'bamph' made Tabitha sigh inwardly in relief. The fuzzy blue boy looked just as confused at seeing the man as she did. The man only continued to smile.
Unsure what to really do, Kurt stepped beside Tabitha, "Uh, Tabitha, Vhis is a new member of our team Leroy, aka Timequake."
Tabitha smiled nervously, "Nice to meet you."
"The feeling is mutual." He said the grin still plastered like it was etched in stone on his face.
Tabitha felt like she was being swallowed by the tension in the air. She tugged nonchalantly on Nightcrawlers arm, alerting him that she would like to go.
The boy raised his head looking into Leroy's eyes, "Vell it is time that ve go. Ve have some things to do. I vill talk to you later."
Tabitha nodded, attaching herself to Kurt's arm, "Bye."
The man waved, and watched as the two 'bamphed' away, "Good bye love," he whispered, pulling from his pocket a small black ribbon he had found in the girls purse.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Nightcrawler and Tabitha walked in silence towards his room.
"GOD DAMNIT NOT AGAIN!"
The shout stopped the pair. They turned around, watching as a very angry Rogue stomped from her room.
"Vhat is the matter Rogue?" Kurt asked his sister.
Rogue brushed a strand of white hair behind her ear, her annoyance showing plainly on her pale face.
"My damn brush disappeared!" Her cheeks were flushed as the thought of another of her personal items playing Houdini filled her mind.
Kurt stepped toward his sister, slinging his arm over her shoulder.
"It is okay sister, ve can always get you a new one!"
'Always an optimist…' Tabitha thought wryly.
"No! Ah am getting tired of this! First my i-pod goes missin, then the headphone, my pillow, a few shirts, and now my hairbrush! This is not okay! Ah am done with this…"
"Rogue? Like, did you take my eye liner?" Kitty's perky tone accompanied Rogue's rant.
The goth girl turned her raging eyes to the brunette, "No, ah didn't take your liner!"
Tabitha watched at Kitty blinked confused. So it wasn't just her who had been stolen from, these other two had a little thief as well. She wondered if there was anyone else who had this problem. Queue the pissed off red head.
Jean practically ran at them, her eyes were a dark shade of emerald and her hair was sticking up at odd ends and angles.
"Who did it?!" Her voice trembled with emotion.
Rogue crossed her arms, "Who did what?"
Jean snapped her eyes on Rogue, "Who stole my shampoo and conditioner!"
Kurt blinked, 'Damn girls get upset over odd things. They could always buy more…'
He felt eyes burning into him. He looked up meeting the very livid eyes of Jean.
"I heard that…" Her voice was menacing.
Nightcrawler winced, hiding behind Tabitha.
Tabitha watched at the three glared, shouted and threatened one another. Finally the blonde rose her hand, three little glowing, yellow, balls of energy formed in her hand. She blew them from her hand watching as they rolled between the three girls. They went of like firecrackers, making a lot of noise and very little damage. She'd been practicing.
Six eyes fell on her, each burning in frustration. She placed her hands on her hips.
"All of you are missing things and yet you are STILL arguing with one another. I could very well be blaming you! I'm missing things too, and I don't even live here!"
The others just stared at her now, the intense gazes having softened the slightest bit.
Tabitha continued, "So obviously you must have a…"
"GHOST!"
All eyes turned on Kurt, each pair skeptical of his sanity.
"Or a thief." Tabitha muttered her own ocean gaze on the furry blue boy.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Rogue didn't know what to think. It had been almost an hour since Tabitha had broken up the small group of bitchy girls, she included. She rolled over onto her stomach, feeling the mattress shift under her to accommodate her weight. She pulled the one soft, feather pillow she had left under her chin. Her arms wrapped around it in a tight hug. She pulled her right hand's glove off, moving her now exposed fingers over the soft black duvet. She pet it like she would an animal, with light, slow strokes.
Her mind was cluttered with unnerving thoughts. An actual thief in the house? Sure, she had been blaming Kitty and Jean, as the other two had done the same, but she wouldn't have felt the need to do anything. The thought that someone else was taking her things made her feel violated, and the things they were taking! Hairbrushes, eye liner, shampoo? Either this person had a need to get clean or they had a rather odd fetish. Sure, she could understand stealing an i-pod outside the institute, but last Christmas the professor had given everyone in the house one. It was a very welcomed present by the students.
The sound of the mahogany door opening and closing brought her from her revere. She turned her head, watching Kitty tip-toe towards the closet.
"Ah'm not sleeping you know."
Kitty jumped. She spun around her eyes wide.
"Oh my God Rogue! You like scared the bejebbers out of me!"
"Bejebbers?"
Kitty nodded, "Yes, bejebbers!"
She couldn't stop the slight smile that tainted her normally pouting lips. The perky girl always did have a problem with swearing… and it amused Rogue to no end. She shook her head.
"Damn Kitty, just swear will ya?" Though it sounded harsh, Rogue still wore the smile.
"Like, no I won't swear. It's not right to like, do." Kitty countered.
Rogue rolled onto her side pushing aside her fluffy pillow. She stared at her uncovered hand. Kitty glanced at her, noticing the look in her friend and roommates dark eyes.
She moved easily to the side of Rogue's bed, placing a pale hand on her clothed shoulder.
"Rogue? What's wrong?"
Rogue opened her mouth to say the typical 'nothing'; but something happened. A rush of cold air enveloped around them. It was like an icy clawed hand wrapping around their torsos. Being covered in a blanket of snow would have been warmer then the feeling that surrounded their bodies. They both stared at one another with shocked expressions.
The normal warmth of body heat began to return. Rogue's breath rushed out of her body, a small cloud of air forming before her mouth. Neither bothered to speak they only stood and walked through their room to the door and out into the hall. Rogue, having grabbed her glove, placed it back on her hand. She stepped out first. Everything was quiet and so calm, no one was moving. Kitty worried her bottom lip with her teeth. It was just like the first time Timequake had been there. Something clicked….
"Rogue…"Kitty started to say but was interrupted.
"ROGUE! KITTY!" The two girls turned at the sound of Jean's voice. She was being accompined by Tabitha.
"Are you two alright?" The red head asked.
Rogue nodded, "Yeah, we're fine. What in the hell is going on though?" She asked.
"It's him."
The three girls turned to Kitty.
"What?" Tabitha asked, her perfect eyebrow rising in question.
Kitty looked up, her eyes full of fear, "This is a timequake… Leroy is doing this."
Jean's eyes narrowed, "Then we're going to see him!"
The other two nodded in complete agreement. They were on their way in seconds, walking through the many halls, swerving around their friends, and fellow teammates who were frozen in time. The group stopped at the oak door. Jean raised her hand ready to knock. Rogue pushed forward, turned the knob and opened the door wide.
It shouldn't have been as shocking as it was. But none of them could deny the power the was emitting from the tall man before them. His lips turned up in a knowing secretive smile.
"Hello ladies, is their something I can help you with?"
Tabitha crossed her arms over her chest, the feeling of being naked returning but she spoke none-the-less, "Yeah, you can tell us did you freeze all the people in the institute?"
His grin widened, "Yes, I did."
The scene was so familiar to Kitty, she had been here before asking the same thing she asked now, "Can you like, unfreeze them?"
Leroy leaned against the tall bed post, his muscular arms crossing before him, "Yes, I can."
A silence enveloped around them, no one said a word. He made no move to remove his timequake.
Jean raised her eyes to meet his.
"Will you remove the timequake?"
"No."
Princess Leave Winabago: Oh... my...God!
Queen of Panda Suits: ... Who steals Shampoo?
Princess Leave Winabago: Obviously crazy man does.
Queen of Panda Suits: Well he stole Rogue's hairbrush and Jean's Shampoo... he has a hair fetish.
Princess Leave Winabago: Yes well... Yeah...
Queen of Panda Suits: Review or WE STEAL YOUR SHAMPOO!!
Princess Leave Winabago: BYE!!