A/N: Just a note: I've made most of the characters stronger than in the Evolution series. According to my warped timeline, when things like Asteroid M and Apocalypse occurred, all the main characters were younger by one year (crazy, I know, but that's not the focus). In the time between the end of the last series and my fiction, the X-Men have been off liberating mutants, training hard and preparing for the major occurrence. The Brotherhood has been being prepared and Magneto- through the renewed alliance with Mystique- has been extending his hand into governments, anti-mutant organisations…Guilds…dunh, dunh, dunh!
(o0)
Celeste had gone back to her room, cleaned up and changed, then waited. The tension had been killing her…any moment now, she expected Jean to come barging in, Wolverine with claws extended or, entirely worse, Professor Xavier, with disappointment etched in the lines of his face. So she had left, travelling the long way to Bayville High, flying just above the canopy of the woods, before settling to walk the rest of the way. Still, that morning she was nervous…
It was a blessing that the older students didn't seem to be coming to school- or, at least, not arriving until later.
The popularity of her first day seemed to have faded and she was lonely in her classes- though Amanda did keep her company in English. At the first break, there was no sign of the X-Men yet, so she wandered over to watch the athletes doing track, an odd feeling in her stomach. She leaned casually against the metal rail, watching as a group of younger girls in cheerleader uniforms ran out onto the field, obviously following the lead of the girl with the most makeup and the shortest skirt. Boredly, she moved her hand slightly and all their skirts were blown upwards by a sudden gust of wind- except for the leader's skimpy skirt. There was a unified cry of shock and a cheer from a group in the stands…they had their own leader. An older jock called Duncan, who was supposedly too stupid to even finish school. All the cheerleaders glared at their leader, muttering mutinously. Curiously, she redirected the wind, to carry a snatch of their words.
"Do you think she's a mutie?"
"I never liked her…"
Celeste narrowed her eyes. No wonder people tried to conceal their mutancy. It was a bloody witch hunt out here. With a nonchalant flip of her hand, she sent a stronger uplift, to flick all the girls' skirts up. After the mandatory cry, they all laughed then continued their jog, worries forgotten. Celeste bit her lip nervously, as it became clear that this was an inadequate distraction. Something wasn't right. She hadn't felt this sickness in a long time…trouble was coming.
"Hey," a husky voice said from behind her and Celeste turned her head slightly.
"Hey," Celeste replied to Wanda, who joined her leaning on metal rail.
"Thanks for this morning," Wanda offered, eyes also focussed on the laughing cheerleaders, now stretching and warming up.
"I think I should be thanking you," Celeste said, a hint of a smile on her face. "You two totally saved my ass."
"We didn't even know you were there. We just thought Pietro had finally cracked and gone nuts."
There was silence, punctuated by the distant gun shot, as a practice race began. Celeste rolled her shoulders and turned, leaning against the rail with her back to the wide oval.
"Why would he crack? He seems pretty pleased with himself to me."
"You noticed?" Wanda said with a harsh laugh. "You'd think that, wouldn't you…but I think his powers are getting to him. He's been looking to pick fights everywhere…he's gonna get himself killed one day."
"Mmm…" Celeste said neutrally, but her curiosity aroused. "He does seem to rub people th' wrong way."
"In other words, he's a narcissistic prick…except he doesn't have an audience anymore. Most people are too scared to talk to him- hell, to even look at him."
"And that's tends to bring out the show-off side in most of us…under the age of eight, anyway. He used to getting' all that attention?"
"Yeah…he used to have all the girls wrapped around his little finger…not that he cared for any of them," Wanda said, with a smile.
"S'pose it'd get boring if everyone who looked at ya tended to be a bit on the slow side."
'Like going out with a new Benoit every week…' she thought to herself empathically. 'Slow as a laid brick.'
"Exactly- he pretty much only talks to us and just talks crap to anyone else. Supposedly, he used to love basketball…but most places have mutant bans set now."
"Supposedly?"
"Oh," Wanda replied, blushing slightly, embarrassed. "I kinda missed him growing up…I was in an asylum."
"And you're saner than any of these humans here…" Celeste said with a smile. "Or maybe I'm just as crazy as you."
Wanda returned that smile…Most people would have, at the very least, edged away discretely. Most people would think that she should book a one-way bus trip back to the loony-bin. This girl just accepted it…even complimented her. She sighed as the high-pitched bell rang, signalling the masses for their next class.
"I gotta go," Wanda said, then, impulsively, continued. "You know- humans aren't exactly leaping at friendship, so feel free to come talk to us sometime- the Brotherhood that is. Ignore Pietro."
"Oh…I dunno…" Celeste said playfully. "I'd have to see if my keepers would let me…"
"I'm sure you can escape their clutches and wreak as much havoc as you did this morning," Wanda countered. "I'll see you!"
"Seeya," Celeste called out, as Wanda turned to leave, glowing red coat flaring in her wake.
The feeling of illness seemed to have faded with this invitation of companionship.
(0o)
Rogue and Kitty assimilated themselves within the crowded confines of the hall, Kitty discretely phasing Rogue through anyone who may bump into her. They managed to break into a clearer hall, searching out their lockers. A chilly Jean and prattling Scott had just dropped them off at school, with firm orders to ensure Celeste's safety and that she got back to the Institute on time…so she could be duly killed. They kept a sharp eye out for her.
"Wanda!" Rogue called suddenly, as she saw a flash of bold red turn the corner.
Wanda reappeared, looking surprised. Despite the distance between their two groups, the younger students didn't seem to have the same qualms about associating with the 'enemy'. Well, at least Wanda didn't have a problem. However, she didn't seem to be able to warm to Kitty, despite her attempts at friendliness. So she simply ignored her pleasant greeting.
"What's up, Rogue?"
"Have yah seen the new girl- Celeste- today?" Rogue queried, reassuringly squeezing the upset Kitty's arm.
Wanda looked taken aback.
"I've seen a bit of her actually," she said, the side of her mouth quirking. "Are you guys her keepers?"
Rogue snorted.
"Hardly- she's gone a bit missin' since this mornin'. When did ya last see her?"
"Just then, when she was looking lonely on the track and this morning, when Pietro ambushed and tried to kill her…we saved her ass and she saved ours, when you guys came along, all dolled up for a battle."
"Whoa there- you guys were there as well? She's in so much crap already!"
"Hey, kid- blame Pietro. We crashed their little party," Wanda snapped at Kitty, who shut her mouth in confused dismay. "Rogue, I gotta run."
She swept away, intent on reaching her art class.
"Oh come on- what did I ever do to her?" Kitty cried out, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "And don't you dare know the truth!"
Rogue nodded. Wanda had not confided her reasoning, but, for about sixteen months now, she couldn't spare a kind word for Kitty. But what interested her was Celeste's sudden relationship to the Brotherhood… They'd saved her and she'd saved them. Pietro and Celeste's 'little party'…?
"Definitely not," Rogue said indignantly. "But Ah'm definitely curious 'bout this…"
Kitty shrugged disconsolately. The hallways were nearly empty now and they separated to head to their classes.
(0o)
Flashback
Blue eyes met dark eyes and Celeste smothered a giggle and ducked her head again. The next time she peeked over the barrier, Etienne's grin widened and he grabbed her, thrusting his arms through the hedge- in the park of some private property, currently untenanted- to catch her as she gave a cry of mock horror.
"Etienne Le Beau- I label dat as damage t' public property," she said, escaping his clutches to glare at him through the large hole he'd broken in the hedge. "You're a dangerous criminal and should be locked up!"
"Y'offerin' to lock me up?" Etienne said, crossing his arms with scornful bravado. "Dis boy doesn't fall fo' you're tricks, Celeste."
Obediently, Celeste ducked her head for a moment then looked up, tendrils of her raven locks curling around her face. Her rouged bottom lip trembled slightly and her eyes gleamed, as she held her hands to her chest defensively.
"Please Etienne…" she murmured, casting her eyes down again, demure.
Etienne's heart caught in his throat. She looked so vulnerable and afraid…he knew it was only an act, but he longed to hold her tight and bring a smile to her face. He thrust himself through the already broken and battered hedge to lunge at her, as she slipped out of his grasp. A game of tag ensued, as Celeste- a laughing, teasing nymph- lead her dark-eyed suitor in a whirling game. Etienne lunged forward successfully this time, and they tumbled to the grass…they rolled to a stop, gasping for breath, Celeste's hair splayed over the grass and her cheeks flushed and Etienne by her side, his hands wrapped protectively around her waist.
Celeste's blue eyes were wide in wonderment, and she closed them slightly, as Etienne's lips lowered to meet hers.
End Flashback
Kitty walked into the class room, ignoring the scowl of the teacher and comment on why she could inflict chaos but not get to class on time, her robin-egg blue eyes sweeping to narrow on Celeste, who seemed to have not noticed her appearance. She was focussed on a lazy cloud, drifting in the otherwise blue sky… It was not until Kitty was right next to her, seizing her arm urgently, that she turned around, surprised.
"What, like, happened to you this morning? We turned up to that place- it was all ripped up by like a sandstorm or something- but you weren't there- Wanda said that you had been there and you were in a fight- and I found your scarf and tried to hide it but Jean found it and went to the Professor and she said that you'd caused all that damage because it didn't look like anyone else had-"
"I thought I'd left something there…" Celeste murmured dreamily, shocking Kitty out of her urgent, whispered story.
"In other words, you are going to be totally screwed over when you get back! I mean…you should be okay if you tell the Professor what happened- what did happen?"
"Oh," Celeste said, brow furrowing as if trying to recall the facts. "I was walking t' school and Pietro ambushed me…he's d' one who ripped up all those trees and that. I didn't do anythin' wrong…I s'pose I left all my clothes there though."
Kitty winced. That wouldn't hold up under the scrutiny of Wolverine, who was eagre for blood this morning, or Professor Xavier, who seemed curious about any simple occurrence between any of his students and the Brotherhood. He'd probably look out for her though…
"Alright, Celeste…I'll stop bugging you, because I know you're nuts…Just make sure to make an appearance to Scott and Jean like, as soon as school's out…you do not want them coming to look for you…else they'll ask me what happened and I'll tell them!" Kitty paused. "…and I so do not want to know why you skipped Danger Room to lose your clothes with Pietro, especially if Wanda and Lance were, like, watching you…"
This snapped Celeste out of her nostalgic daydream.
"Kitty Pryde! It is most certainly not like that!" she cried out, drowned by the clattering of chairs as students- loud as usual- headed out the door to escape the school for the weekend.
"Tell me it's not," Kitty challenged, before rushing for the doors and pushing through the students to get away from her, as she let out a growl of frustration.
Flashback
"Oh crap. Oh crap. Oh crap," Kitty repeated to herself, running through the empty hallway.
She was late for class…really late. And if she didn't turn up at all, she'd be busted for skipping classes. Dammit! She'd spent all lunch searching for Celeste, only to be held up by Principal Kelly, who insisted on lecturing her about being late for classes and making snide references to her mutancy. She phased her locker open, only to have it slammed shut and Pietro leaning on it in front of her.
"Move it or I'll phase you in and leave you there," she growled. "I haven't got time for your crap, Quicksilver."
"That hurts Kitty-cat," Pietro simpered. "But I'm not here to bother you…you seen the new girl today?"
Kitty glared.
"What's it to you?" she taunted. "If you have ideas that she's going to spare a moment for crap like you, then you've got a whole new thing coming. She's in so much trouble already because of the stunt you pulled this morning."
"Why?" Pietro said quizzically, wincing at Kitty's tone.
"She's probably gonna be chucked out because you and your freakin' team ripped up the street- jeez, Lance really has to get a collar on you…you're out of control."
Pietro looked slightly hurt, but didn't leave. Kitty was in a really bad mood- she had been lectured by Jean and Scott for an hour this morning for covering up for her friend and wasn't able to cope. Shrugging, she vindictively phased Pietro into her locker, then phased the metal door into the rest of it.
"Listen Pietro," she whispered into the crack of her locker. "I don't know what you're trying to pull by damn well trying to kill Celeste, but she's way above you. Just stay away from her and tell the rest of you losers to stay away from her and there'll be no problems. Got it?"
There was a retaliatory punch of the door from the inside, denting it. Kitty snickered before skipping off, already in a better mood. Sure, it wouldn't hold him for long, but she needed a new locker anyway- it would just be another anti-mutant, petty attack.
Pietro was still in the locker, thinking hard. The bell rang outside and he punched the locker hard, ten, twenty, thirty times in moments, as it exploded outwards. He dashed out, before anyone could see him and began to run fast through the hallways, not stopping, not wanting to stop.
End Flashback
Her and Pietro? What a joke! Sure…the guy had looks, wit and probably above average intelligence…but the arrogance and the impatience…she didn't really mind at all…and the fact that it had already been forbidden to her…well, Pietro was actually quite the treat, in Celeste's mind. Shame about the fact that he'd attempted to kill her, a negative trait in a relationship, if ever there was one.
Celeste waited until the rest of the class had filed out, leaning boredly against the wall…she'd accept Jean's lecture or punishment gladly…but she was in no hurry to avail herself of their mercy. She trudged to her locker, when- to her infinite delight and annoyance- she felt a familiar gust of wind blow past her. She stopped, hooking one finger in her jeans jauntily, to stare down the empty hall. A moment later, she was literally swept off her feet. She cried out and closed her eyes, then found herself deposited on her feet again and her knees folded. Her whole body was aching and she panted for breath, before looking angrily up at her captor.
"Not everyone's built t' run like you, quickboy."
"Well whose fault is that, slowpoke?" he said, mockingly, before pulling her to her feet again, turning her to look at either side of her face, then in her eyes. "You alright?"
"What do you care?" Celeste said sulkily, brushing her knees free of grass…apparently, she'd been dumped on some grassy hill on the school property.
"Mmm…just making sure you're undamaged…" Pietro said unconvincingly. "And to tell you not to speak to Wanda."
"What?" Celeste said, feeling a hot rush of anger.
"Don't speak to her…or Lance…or any of the Brotherhood…or me," Pietro said clearly, as if to an infant.
"I'll speak to who I want to," Celeste said equally clearly, as if Pietro was misunderstanding something.
Pietro grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and held her close. It wasn't violent, but it was authoritative.
"Listen…I went a bit crazy this morning and you got saved- but don't think you're friendly with us. You X-Men stay away from us and we stay away from you- those are the rules. They always have been and if you break them you're only going to get shit from both sides."
"Nice to know you care," Celeste spat back at him, not bothering to change or even struggle. "But I'm not taking orders from you."
"Then take orders from your leaders…you can't play in the shit and come out smelling like roses, Celeste, it doesn't work like that."
"Who says you're shit? Who says I'm perfect, heh?" Celeste retorted.
Pietro released his old on her collar, turning his face away.
"You have no idea," he said savagely. "You and your X-Men acting all superior…all moral and heroic when you're not. You haven't had to suffer…that's what divides you from the rest of the mutants…we're not the same."
"Suffer? Who hasn't suffered?" Celeste said with a humourless laugh. "I've suffered as a human…I've suffered as a mutant. What does it matter? Not everyone in de' X-Men has had a bright path anyway! Why shouldn't I be able to talk to you…or anyone? What's de matter- don't like my company?"
"It's not that…but…It's best…trust me on that…" he said, holding her hand for a moment, before releasing it.
He turned to run, but, as he took a breath, he felt a constricting power seize him. He was held and lifted and his feet trod empty air as he struggled.
"Don't touch her," a voice, cold as winter's breath, said.
Celeste turned- it was Jean…Kitty had told her that she wouldn't like it if Jean came looking and oh, she didn't like it indeed. Jean held Pietro off the ground with her telekinesis, one hand outstretched, almost accusingly.
"Kitty told me what happened…don't worry, you're not in trouble," Jean said, reassuringly, to Celeste. "I'm just gonna make sure you don't have that problem again."
Celeste could only gape- what exactly had Kitty said to her? Pietro still struggled, against the unseen forced and Jean narrowed her eyes, concentrating on holding him still and Pietro hung lax in invisible bonds. His eyes glared at Jean, angry and hopeless. Celeste raised her hand and made a slashing movement, sending a buffeting wind, which knocked Pietro from Jean's grasp and sent him spiralling upwards and away from them to land somewhere out of sight.
"Merci, Jean," Celeste simpered, as if she had, indeed, rescued her. "I'm sorry if ya were worried…"
Jean looked surprised and placated. Celeste looked down to cover the expression of intense concentration on her face. Celeste swallowed, feeling slightly dizzy, before looking up once more- well aware that her ploy had worked.
"I was only going to scare him a bit," Jean said, with an uncharacteristic smirk. "But your way works too."
Celeste let the faintest blush touch her cheeks, and then put on an expression of dumb gratitude. Obediently, she padded after Jean, who beckoned her after her. She honestly hoped that Jean didn't take the opportunity to see into her head…
Pietro shook himself off, unable to believe he was unharmed. Grey had started to really put the squeeze on him and he had been fresh out of ideas. He had been buffeted out of her grasp, whirling into space with a yell of panic and disbelief, as the ground rose incredibly fast to meet him. The same force that had wrested him from Jean Grey's telekinetic grasp rose from the ground, a pillar of embracing air, to cradle him, before dumping him on the hard cement, about a metre from it.
He ran a hand through his hair, making sure it was smooth and sleek as it usually was. He'd have a bruise, but it was better than a set of cracked ribs. But he felt no pain…because Celeste didn't seem to care that he was a Brotherhood loser and, for some insane reason, he didn't seem to care that she was one of the X-Men.
(o0)
A/N: Alright then, the review: Celeste gets friendly with Wanda and Kitty gets unfriendly with Pietro…Celeste and Pietro, who, of course, despise each other, have a chat about why they can't feel any other way and Jean crashes the party- Celeste pretends to attack Pietro to humour Jean and Pietro comes to an amazing realisation; next chapter? More Celeste and Pietro and Celeste leaves the mansion for the night…and the chapters after? We leave the little sub-plot of Pietro and Celeste and go onto the next stage: Gambit and Celeste encounter one another and what occurs from that.