Chapter 10: Mutants and Mondays
Megan was working hard on her Civics lesson in Mr. Carter's class. In the corner, Rogue was also struggling as Mr. Carter had hit the class with a pop-quiz on the American Constitution. Todd Tolansky was acting like he had all but given up. Pietro was done already, and Lance was apparently agonizing over some question on the quiz. Cursing her rotten luck, Megan kept on working at the pop-quiz. 'Why do Mondays always stink?' she thought to herself.
Twenty seven minutes after the last test was set on Mr. Carter's desk, the bell rang allowing the tormented students to escape one doom, only to blunder into another. English Literature also had a pop-quiz awaiting the unhappy students. Not to be outdone, Mathematics and Chemistry ALL had pop-quizzes! By the time the X-Men had returned from school, NOBODY was happy. The ride back was full of complaints. Scott tried to be sympathetic, four pop-quizzes in one day was rather excessive, but the older X-Man was simply too distracted with something else. Whatever it was, Scott wasn't saying. He simply made minimal conversation as he drove. Back at the Institute, Scott let everyone out, then parked the X-Van back in the garage.
As Megan was getting inside, Rahne stopped in place, blocking everyone behind her from being able to go inside. Then, Rahne stepped inside. Megan followed, whispering to Rahne "What is it?" Rahne answered with just on word "Magneto." Megan, her brains rather frazzled from the quartet of pop-quizzes, took a few moments to realize that 'Magneto' was one of the Mutants who were involved in the whole Apocalypse Incident. Megan remembered only that he had been disappeared by Apocalypse himself, and presumably killed.
Upon entering the Mansion, Megan could hear the Professor talking with someone who had a nice sounding, masculine voice. Megan also heard Storm trying to soothe Wolverine for some reason. Megan smiled to herself and murmured "Good luck with that, Storm." Rahne turned her head and nodded at Megan, but looked nervous. As the students entered, Scott told everyone "Stay away from the Professor's Study, as he is in an important conferance. If you have something to do, like homework, get to it. Kurt and Rogue, you have a visitor in the Library. Be good. Kitty, your visitor is in the Rec-Room. Everyone who does not have a visitor, please give those who do, the privacy you would want for yourselves. That is all."
Megan walked together into the kitchen, to work on their homework together. Sitting in a few chairs were teens that Megan sort of recognized; Todd Tolansky, the white haired kid, and some goth/emo girl along with the huge fat bald teen. 'Was his name Fred?' thought Megan to herself. He was eating several pizzas all at once by having them stacked one atop the other, then rolled up like a soft taco! Ray was not happy, and neither was Rahne. Boom Boom, however, just went up to each of the strange boys as if they were all old friends, and hugged each in turn! Megan was suprised, but obviously they all knew each other, except the goth/emo girl. Boom Boom and the goth/emo girl just looked at each other for a moment, then seemed to come to some silent understanding. Soon, everyone was seated. Rahne sat on one side of Megan, and Ray sat on the other. Honestly, Megan rather liked this arraingement. A true friend on one side and her boyfriend on the other. Boom Boom was talking with Todd, while Rahne was trying to split her attention between the visiting teens, and her homework. Megan was doing much the same, although her attention was mostly on Ray. Then the white haired kid came over to Megan and said "Hey, there cute stuff! I'm Pietro! I know, I know, I'm too handsome for words, but I happen to have a dating slot open tomorrow night! So, what time do I pick you up?" To his credit, Ray looked like he was going to blast the white haired 'Pietro' right there! Honestly I felt like going full She-Rex and chewing up, instead of chewing him out! I snapped at the jerk "I am NOT interested, whitey! I'm spoken for!" Ray took my hand in his own, for everyone too see, and glared at the arrogant jerk, growling "She's MINE! Back off or I'll see if I can light you up like a Christmas Tree!" The Jerk looked suprised. but put his hands up and said "Whoa! Whoa! I didn't know you were already with anyone! I'm just smitten with your beauty." I was not in any real danger of changing, because Ray's hand was holding mine. Keeping me centered with his loving touch, Ray was really saving me in more ways than one! I was so wonderfully in love with Ray right then! There was the hot guy that I had been fantasizing about, and he was openly saying that I was HIS! I felt like squealing like Kitty does, but clamped down on that for the moment. Instead I just glared at Pietro and snarled out "Just haunt off! I've already gotten Wolverine's face about Ray and I am NOT afraid of YOU!" The enire set of visiting teens look stunned, and even more so when Boom Boom confermed what I had just said "Yup! She did. Right in front of Bobby and Sam, too! Heck, I could here some of it from my balcony! Trust me, Speedy, do not push this girl. She will eat you in one bite. Literally. She's called She-Rex. As in, a female T-Rex." You could hear a pin drop. The visitors were shocked into imitating statues.
The goth/emo girl recovered first smiling and said "Congratulations! I hope you two are very happy together!" She offered her hand to me, which I took. I said "Sorry, I don't know your name. I'm Megan, by the way, and thanks." She held my hand a few moments as she introduced herself "Hi, I'm Wanda Maximoff. Yes, that vain jerk is my brother, Pietro Maximoff. Sorry about him, but I forgot his leash today." Most of the rest of us in the room busted out loud with laughter! After a few moments, Pietro was still glaring at the rest of us, while we calmed down. At this time Rahne asked, politely, "Ach, If I kin ask, what brings ye here?" Boom Boom nodded her head in agreement with Rahne's curiousity.
Wanda answered before anyone else from her group "My, and Pietro's Dad needed to talk to the Professor. Dad took us with him after the phone call to the Professor, here. Don't ask what it's about, because Daddy never really tells us about these things. Still, I'm glad Dad was thoughtful enough to include us at all." Todd 'Toad' Tolansky was starring at Wanda in a way that suggested, too me, of a creepy stalker. The huge guy, piped up, distracting me from Todd, with 'Um, actually Magneto and Mystique both needed to talk to folks here, and Lance always wants to see his 'Pretty Kitty'. The rest of us are pretty much just along for the ride." I said "Well, we have homework, what about you guys?" At that, we all got down to business of homework, but Ray stayed with me, as we helped each other. Ray's Math was better than mine, but my History was much better than his. I guess it all evens out.
After a while, I guess it was an hour, Kurt and Rogue walked in like they've been zombified. Stunned might be a better description, except they weren't really responsive as they sat down at the table. Several of us asked them what's finally answered a worried Rahne "Mine muzzer, Mystique has a boyfriend. I can't even think it. Zat mine own muzzer has a boyfriend at all, never mind zat he's barely older zen us!" Rogue nodded and said "Yeah. Weird ain't th' word for it. He's just a college student from New York City!" Kurt continued "Ja! If they get married we'll mave a step fazzer only six years older zen me!" Rogue babled, still kind of stunned "What kinda step dad is called Max? I don't care that he's Mutant like us. It's just kinda creepy to date somebody who has kids almost yer own age, or to date someone who has kids almosgt your own age!" Rogue went into one of her typical 'leave me alone' poses with her head down and arms crossed. Kurt looked rather lost. Rahne leaned over to Kurt and said "Aye, Kurt, ye need ta call Amanda! She'll make ye feel better! Go on, lad. I'll help ye with yer homework when yer done with this. Alright? Good." Boom Boom was quietly talking to Rogue, but I don't know what was said.
Twenty minutes later, as we struggled with this awful pile of homework, An older gentleman, with white hair, but a good build, opened the door. I'd never met him, nor even seen him up close before. I take it that he was not really expecting me, as he did a quick double-take at me, then graciously nodded. I could clearly see the resemblance between the older guy, and Pietro. This, I figured must be Magneto. He seemed reasonable enough. A good suit, stylish leather shoes, a classy fedora-which not many people can carry off anymore, but he could- and a charismatic smile. Makes me wonder where Mrs. Magneto is. I'll ask at school tomorrow. Magneto called for his group to "Pack it up. We're going home. Nice to meet you, miss." I nodded, not know a thing about the prior bad blood between the X-Men and these kids. Politely I bid them farewell "Good bye, Sir. Everyone. Be safe, and we'll see you in school tomorrow. OK?" Boom Boom hugged each of the visitors again, even the froggy kid. As Magneto and group were leaving, I noticed Kitty acting kind of clingy towards Lance, but he did go with the rest of them. I wondered why he doesn't go here, to the Institute. Another mystery that will have to wait.
Afterwards dinner was kind of off kilter. A lot of silence, and I had no idea why. The visitors seemed mostly OK. No one had been violent. No fights. No threats that I heard, except for telling that closeted fairycakes, called Pietro, to back off. Still it was getting kind of creepy with a cloud of tension in the air. I just could not stand it any more. I had to know what the heck was wrong! "Um. Excuse me, please? Could somebody tell me what's wrong? I just can't help but notice that the visitors caused a lot of tension by coming here. I have no idea why, nor what may, or may not, have happened between you." I waited expectantly. PANDAIMONIUM errupted as everyone tried to give me variations of the same story, until Professor Xavier called out "Children! Please, continue eating. I shall explain the history involved to Megan, after dinner. In the mean time, Megan, simply understand that a lot had occured before you arrived here. Be patient and I shall explain it to you soon." I nodded, and the rest of the dinner was actually a bit less tense.
After dinner, Scott volunteered to take my place on kitchen patrol, so that the Professor could explain things to me. I arrived at the Professor's Study, and knocked. He called me in and let me sit close by the desk (which I totally love, because it is really stylish). The Professor started when I was ready with "In World War Two, there was a boy named Erik Lensher…" Two and a half hours later, at nine o'clock PM, Professor Xavier had finished his tale. I. Was. Floored. "Wow. That's...I don't even know where to start, on what to think about it. I'm going to have questions for you tomorrow night. Right now, I gotta get ready for bed." I looked at him with a mischievious look and asked, semi-seriously "May please be excused? My brain is full!" The Professor has a nice laugh. I'd like to that more often. With a deliberately overly-grand gesture he bade me good night. On impulse I gave him a quick hug, before heading for bed. All told, it's been quite a Monday.