Chapter 3
Aurora's eyes flipped open, instantly crinkling at the harsh sunlight. She moaned and stretched her back like a cat, then squealed as she faced planted the floor. She glared up at her stupid brother's chortle as he walked into her room. Bruce was wearing black jeans and a slightly too small t shirt that rode a little up his arms. As Aurora mused to herself where he got these clothes, he dropped a pile of clothes on her face.
"Get up sleeping barf face, you have 10 minutes left before your slot on the shower rotor ends."
"That's rich Armadillo; with a shirt that tight, are you sure you shouldn't be living it up at a Pride Parade?"
"Shut up, Jean dropped them off for us." Bruce scowled and pulled the duvet off of her. "Pleasantries aside, we need to go down to breakfast."
"Oh you wound me." She dramatically clutched her heart, only to have a pillow thrown at her face. Getting up from the rather itchy floor, she caught a flying towel from Bruce and headed to the showers.
Much to Aurora's relief, the shower room wasn't that far off; she sighed with relief when she saw it was fairly clean, the only indication that it was for the men was a line of toiletries and razors along the sink and mirrors, and a musky fog of Old Spice and Links deodorant – not a good combo.
After a satisfying shower, Aurora hastily rubbed herself down and grabbed the clothes Bruce gave her. Jesus, who could fit into these. The slightly torn jeans were tighter that those tiny speedos Tom Daly wears. Once a victory dance in her head was done when she finally zipped the jeans up, she threw on a baggy back V neck; she sniffed it, the faint scent of cologne not escaping her keen nose. Definitely a guys, She mused at her reflection, a half smile hung on her face.
Aurora hung the towel around her shoulders, pulled her hair out of her bun and massaged her roots, walking out of the door only to halt in front of Bruce. He was just strolling out of his room. "Well you took your time sis." He smiled at her rolling eyes. "C'mon, I'm hungry."
After Aurora sorted her room out so that it didn't look like a total war zone, she jogged on next to Bruce, who was looking at the floor intently.
"Are you doing the thermal vision thingy again?"
"Yep" He kept on walking, "There are a bunch of people down stairs, sitting down I think."
"Are we just going to wander in that general direction and hope that they're eating in the kitchen?"
"Yepppp."
By sheer luck they stumbled across the stairs which took them down to the main foyer. Or by Bruce's detective skills, whichever solution works, Aurora thought.
After that, both their noses caught the smell of coffee and honey wafting from a large corridor of cream walls and modestly framed landscapes. Without thinking, Bruce saw Aurora push through a half closed door and walk, eyes closed and body following nose, towards a large kitchen, counters overflowing with plates of fresh food. Bruce snorted as she grabbed a carton of milk and a pot of honey; he halted when he noticed a crowd of surprised people staring at them from a large dining table.
It was an odd sight for both parties; for Bruce, he was meeting the gazes of the oddest people he had seen. One had huge white wings pointing out of his chair, another had spikes protruding all over his brow, arms and back. A girl with a waffle in her mouth hovered above the table, hand still extended towards the juice jug.
For the mutants at the table, they were startled when a mystery girl walked in and started to sniff the kitchen, blindly grabbing food and opening cabinets as if she knew where everything was. The mystery boy who had barged in had also shocked them; after a few seconds silence, Jean's senses came back to her and she cleared her throat. "Bruce, Aurora, you're up!" She smiled and suppressed a giggle as Aurora's head comically popped up with her arms cradling her finds. "Guys, these are the Arken siblings; they arrived yesterday and are new students at Xavier's!" A chorus of greetings sounded, most muffled by stuffed mouths of food.
Bruce started to stiffen under the stares. Avoiding anyone's gaze, he moved to the kitchen and grabbed a plate and some buttered toast. He nudged Aurora towards two empty seats a little down from Jean. Aurora set down her plate, full of about five different foods, a glass of milk and a plastic bottle of honey. She mechanically squirted the honey into her glass, swirled it like a chemistry kit and downed most of it in one gulp. Looking up from her next attack on her breakfast, Aurora halted as she noticed that everyone was staring at either her, Bruce or her now empty glass. One girl with berry purple skin and butterfly wings opposite her gawked with a slack jaw. Looking to her left, she could see Bruce was staring intently at his toast like it fascinated him.
'Bruuccccceeeee'
'What?'
'…they won't stop staring!'
'Well what do you want me to do? You're the one who can teleport! YOU get us out of this!'
A small 'ehem' from Jean made everyone look away, reigniting their interrupted conversations. Bruce's attention was caught by a tall man with red tinted sunglasses next to him. "It's Bruce right? I'm Scott Summers, one of the teachers here." They shook hands briefly after Bruce eyed his hand for a few seconds.
"Nice to meet you." He mumbled.
"The Professor told me that I was to show you around the next few days, you know, help you settle in. A bunch of us are going into town later, you know, I'm guessing you'll need to get stuff?"
"Um yeah, Jean told us about that. Sounds good." Bruce quickly shoved more toast in his mouth, hoping that Scott would get the hint – he didn't.
"Soo…"
"…do you like my shirt?"
"What?" Aurora spluttered as the kid next to her said this.
"My shirt. You're wearing it." The blond boy's gaze didn't break as he drank his juice, clearly amused by her blushing. His lips were drawn into a cocky half smile, blue eyes dancing at her discomfort. Aurora scrunched the helm of the shirt, her ears becoming uncomfortably hot.
"Oh."
"Do you like it?"
"It's a nice shirt," she looked down at the logo, "You like TWD?"
"No. Hate it." Aurora shifted in her seat, quickly looking away. Ok... wait, is he being serious? Why would he - I can't tell if this is sarcasm… ahh his pokerface is good. She looked to Bruce, locking eyes.
'Finished?' He queried.
'Hell yes, lets go.'
And with that, the Arkens got up abruptly, took their plates back to the kitchen and headed for the door. A rather surprised Scott huffed at being walked out on mid- convo. After receiving a sympathetic look from Jean, he caught up with them.
"Bruce, wait." Scott paused for a second after catching up with the Arkens. "Look, I know this is hard, all this," he placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to tense. "But you've got to trust us, we just want to help."
"We're grateful,"
"But…"
Bruce said nothing, considering Aurora's furrowed brow. She looked stressed, hell he felt stressed as well. Looking back to Scott, he assessed him; his equally creased brow, tensed lips and opaque red lenses. It hassled Bruce that he couldn't look into his eyes, he was usually good at sussing out people.
'Bruce, I think we should…'
'I'm not just going to randomly trust these people Aurora'
'I never thought that,' Aurora looked at him, trying to calm his steel cold eyes with her own cerulean one. 'But we should at least, you know be nice, have a little faith?'
'I'm atheist'
'Bruce don't be an ass' He sighed, looking back slowly at Scott's arm resting on his. He looked highly awkward, having to wait for them to finish their telepathic conversation in what to him probably looked like an intense staring match.
Was this a good idea? Surely this was too good to be true, to go from squatting and hiding from school bullies to a place where mutants where walking, crawling and flying around freely. Reason told Bruce to move on but… there was something comforting about this place, something reassuring about Scott's brotherly smile and warm grasp on his shoulder. People usually avoided touching him.
Aurora knew what her brother would say before he did, but she grinned none the less.
"Scott,… ok, yes." Bruce said, even though he hadn't asked anything. But Scott understood him.
He grinned "Right, now that you two are on board, time for the grand tour!"
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Aurora's brain was overloaded by 3 o'clock. After 'the grand tour' with Scott the Boy Scout, (how can someone be so enthusiastic about walking around pointing at rooms?) he had taken them to watch a session in the Danger Room with Logan's class. Bruce found it amusing when Aurora's eyes widened as if she was watching an action film.
Then they had met Ororo, Warren, Kurt, Dr Hank and a bunch of the other X Men whose names they had already forgotten by the time they were carted down to have their physical examination in the sparring rooms. 3 hours of sparring, running, climbing, weight lifting and profusely sweating later, they stank like a pig sty on a hot Sunday.
Apparently Dr Hank had been extremely excited when he saw their physical abilities; Bruce was a natural climber and hunter, what with the whole morphing into a 'bulkier hybrid xenomorph' (Dr Hank liked Si-Fi). Aurora had similar capabilities, but due to her light complexion Dr Hank was musing whether she was adapted for a different terrain. Their cracks of glowing light they both emitted still were a mystery as to whether they had a purpose.
"Bruce, If you hold still for a second…" Dr Hank said as he pushed a needle into his arm. Bruce grimaced as he watched the vial fill with his blackish blood. He shot Aurora a dirty look as she mimed crying behind Dr Hank. After he was done, he pulled away. "Right, that's the medical exam sorted!" He grinned, combing back his blue fur from his glasses with a large bearish claw. "I would wash up and get ready for your trip to the town, I here the new Taco Bell has opened."
Both Arkens grinned widely at him, relaxing in the white sterilised lab. There was something about Dr Hank that instantly calmed them, though both kids were conscious of this. 'Possibly the overgrown blue bear appearance' Bruce mused to Aurora, smirking as she cocked her head and nodded in agreement.
"Dr Hank, would you mind if we hide, I mean stay here?" Aurora asked. He chuckled, "Not a fan of shopping are we? I would avoid Mimi and the other girls thoroughly!"
"Mimi...?"
"Our own resident butterfly of course!"
"Oh right." Aurora pondered, remembering the purple girl at breakfast. She WAS wearing a lot of jewellery…
"Avoid Mimi, got it. Anyone else?" Bruce asked with a playful smile, returning Dr Hank's own. "Perhaps Rogue and Jean, I've heard of their trips to New York's shopping district." A collective shudder throughout the lab. "But I'm surprised at you Aurora, your mutant form is quite feminine as well as your mannerisms, I would've thought..."
"That I would be a girly girl in the clothes department? Well I am, its just…" She shrugged.
Dr Hank nodded understandingly. "You are unfamiliar with this activity?" She nodded after a sharp slap to Bruce's snorting head. "Aurora's more of a sweatpants girl." He stated.
"Am not!" A pause, then "I'm only wearing these ones because of the physical!" Bruce ducked another swipe from her, snickering like a hyena. "ITS NOT FUNNY ARMADILLO FACE"
"I'm offended…Akhla-Teke"
Aurora froze, "OH no you didn't!" then lunged at him the skin around her hands sprouting creamy fur and blue talons. Dr Hank jumped into action to save his lab. After restraining Aurora, he ushered her away to clean up. Bruce hovered in the doorway, his dancing eyes surprising Dr Hank with their mischievousness.
"Bruce, before you go..."
"Yes Dr Hank?"
"Why does that name cause such a violent reaction from…" Bruce snorted with satisfaction, his plump lips tugging at the corners of his face. "Aurora's fur, I've noticed is the same in appearance and texture as a horse's, more particularly the coat of a breed known as –"
"-Akhla Teke" The blue furball grinned and chuckled "A touchy matter for her I'm sure. However I would've thought that to be a compliment, I've heard that they are a very beautiful breed. I can understand your dislike for the nickname armadillo however…" Dr Hank chortled as Bruce's face flipped into a scowl and he quickly stalked off.
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Aurora collapsed into her chair at the food court, causing Scott and Bruce to jump slightly with their food. Both pairs of eyebrows rose when they took in her huge burger with fries, 12-nugget box and the XXL milkshakes she was guzzling. A shrug from Bruce told Scott that this was normal behaviour for Aurora. "Tread carefully…" he mouthed.
Aurora's throat was soothed by the cold beverage, emitting an audible sigh as she slumped her shoulders. She had just survived being hauled around to every possible shop ever by Jean, Rogue and Mimi. Her brain had been exposed to too much for her to take in. 7 mega bags of clothes later, she wanted to shoot herself. Multiple times.
"Since when do bras have sizes other than L, M and S?" Scott choked on his own tongue, "What the hell do all those letters mean? And what, pray tell is this little shit!?" Aurora dropped a Mac Cosmetics bag, and produced the mechanical device in question – an eye lash curler. "What is it, a toy from the Spanish inquisition?" Bruce flinched at her wrath as she directed the question at him.
"Well –"
"And what is wrong with this?" She pulled out a pile of T shirts, mainly band ones, and pulled out a grey one with Paramore – Riot! on it, a band Bruce recognised as being a particular favourite when they had found a DAB radio last year.
"Nothing that I can see." Bruce replied calmly.
"EXACTLY!" she screeched. "Mimi called it too 'retro', what does that even mean?"
Scott jumped like a kangaroo at that, saying "Aurora, quit it! People are staring." She pouted, bushing profusely. "Erm… it's a great shirt, but I think the girls were looking forward to playing dress up with you."
"Yeah, I got that," she snarled "Especially after Rogue attacked me with that mascara stuff. Apparently, 'she can't live without it', so I shouldn't either! What does that even mean, it's not like its oxygen or even edible!"
"No truer words were even spoken, dear sis." A sympathetic pat on her arm caused Aurora to groan and bury into her burger. She had been dragged to buy her new wardrobe with Rogue and Mimi first, money provided courtesy of a 'Mr Worthington' (as the credit card read). Aurora learned quickly 'pretty' didn't exactly mean comfortable sweat pants in their opinions; she should have guessed, considering Mimi was wearing tiny pink shorts and a croptop and Rogue wore her goth ensemble of shredded black jeans, a waist clincher and netted, layered tops.
Both had various piercings and jewellery, including the image inducer Mimi wore to hide her wings and purple complexion and Rogue's leather gloves. At the moment, Mimi's skin was a dark shade; black short curls framing her made up face. They both laughed hysterically when they caught Aurora picking up large navy XL jumper from the men's section, completely serious. But eventually she had escaped, sneaking off to the toilets, only to be caught by Jean.
"What do you mean you don't know your size?" Mimi shouted, frilly bras in hand.
"I don't know! I only ever stolen those elastic sports bras! I thought they were versatile."
"Well babe we're going to have to get you measured" Mimi retorted
"…"
"Oh don't tell me…" Rogue cut in.
"I don't know this stuff! I thought that's what the elastic was for!" Aurora decided she definitely HATED being measured; nothing was more awkward than having an elderly employee with icy hands choke her with a tape measure and then tell her to flaunt it. Aurora didn't even know what 'it' was, but apparently 'it' required 10 bras including matching underwear.
After that traumatising event, she had been dragged to Mac Cosmetics, Hollister, and a bunch of other shops. The only things remotely useful (in Aurora's opinion) were the cotton bed sheets, toothbrush and toiletries they picked up. She even convinced them to let her into the local book store.
Yet just when all hope seemed lost, she spotted her salvation – a motorcycle wears shop! She had only ever ridden an abandoned one, before Bruce had had a heart attack and 'lost' it, but she had been pretty good – she even managed to circle the woods a few times in their old village. This of course, was after the countless bloody falls and such. That bloody squirrel's fault she scowled. After checking the coast was clear of any crazed female X men, she sprinted across the street, almost knocking over a couple of skateboarders.
Instantly, she grinned once inside, the smell of gas and leather tickling her sensitive nose. The shop sold racks and racks of thick jackets, trousers, helmets, fixtures… Aurora was in heaven! She closed her eyes and sniffed around the store, only to open them at the thick scent of beer and adamantium. Oh fuck, Logan! She backed away, and then yelped as she turned to face the devil himself.
She cringed at his raised eyebrow and narrowed eyes. "…"
Logan puffed on his cigar, placing it in the corner of his pursed mouth. He took his time to assess the guilty looking girl in front of him. "Hidin' from Jeannie and the girls?" she nodded hesitantly. "Well, they certainly ain't gonna look here, darlin'. You ride?"
Aurora nodded her head, glad that he didn't seem to want to rat her out. "Used to, before Bruce found out; he's scared of me crashing, but not of me falling out of trees when climbing apparently." She smirked a little at Logan's snort. "It was a Trident, in crap condition, but it ran pretty smoothly."
Logan grinned; she didn't suit swearing at all. Mind you he wouldn't have guessed her as a petrol head. "3 cylinder?" whistling when she nodded. "They were good. You in here to actually get anythin', or just hide kid?"
"Well yeah but I don't… err, know what exactly. I mean I don't even have a bike anymore" she sighed a little. I seem to be doing that a lot today.
Logan studied her again, taking a puff from his cigar, which he then lodged in his hand. "You don't look too much like a punk or ditz. You can use my Harley, an' I teach ya if ya want; I'm guessn' you taught yourself?"
"Do I look like a pro?"
Logan snorted again. "Right, point. You want my help then?" Aurora nodded again, not believing her luck. Logan smirked; she reminded him like a bobble head toy. 'Kay kid, lets get you some kit."
After retelling this to Scott and Bruce, neither looked happy. "What the hell Aurora, I chucked that death trap for a reason!"
"Oh stop being a baby, Armadillo face!"
"How did Logan think this is was a good idea?" Scott frowned, reminding Aurora of Captain Kirk when in lecture mode. "You don't even have a driving licence –wait she doesn't does she?"
Bruce joined the attack "Do she does not, Scott. This can't be legal in any state–"
"In Illinois it is!" Aurora countered. After a little pause she added "Logan told me."
Both Scott and Bruce leaned back, groaning. However before the assault on Aurora could continue, she heard her name being called by a particularly shrill sounding Mimi. Eyes wide with fear, she ducked, squeaking "Hide me!"
Bruce grunted "You know you can just…"
Aurora cocked her head, her brow squashed in confusion. Then her animated eyes enlarged "OH riiiight." She grabbed her bags and food and melted away in a violet cloud of sparks.
Bruce face palmed himself "Ladies and gentlemen, meet my sister…" he said, much to Scott's amusement.
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So chapter 3 is up! Please favourite and review! Xo
Disclaimer: I don't own any marvel characters, only my OCs. Do you really think id be writing this if I did ahh