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Chapter 11: Not Your Color

Staying has proved to be harder than I once thought.

The relatively warm welcome we receive is a nice gesture and all, seeing as my reunion with Rogue didn't go over too smoothly. But apparently everyone is pretty used to people just up and leaving on a moment's notice (Ahem, Logan!). Even so, I can't help but feel increasingly anxious; whether it be from the general lack of sleep or just the amount of painful secrets swirling about me at the moment.

I guess I'll just help myself to more alcohol-infused coffee!

"Now, Elizabeth, darling," Emma Frost purrs, still holding back a would-be bitch-slap as she raps her fingers on the table. The kids are still in the kitchen or in their rooms, getting ready for school and the adults have since put in a whole separate lounge/kitchen area for the rest of us to enjoy before the madness of taking the kids to school. "You are planning on staying a while," She turns her sharp eyes to me, staring me down while I shrink in my seat, just trying to keep a steady hold on my coffee cup. "Aren't you?"

I open my mouth to say something, my neck growing hot under the stares of our companions, who have tuned in to Emma's interrogation, but she quickly interrupts, saying sweetly, "I mean, that's what you said, isn't it?" Again, I open my mouth to respond but she beats me to it, saying, "And besides, when was the last time we were all together at one time?" Logan, Azazel, Tony and Hank exchange glances, sensing the rather, um, hostile tone Emma's voice has taken, and they all turn away at once and resume what they were doing as if they can't even see us (Tony has been quite interested in Hank's skillful knowledge on bio-mechanics). "I'm sure there's still so much catching up to do!"

My coffee cup smacks on the table with a rough clank! "Yes, Emma." I intercede, a little too loudly, before she can carry on. "So much catching up!"

" 'I get it, alright?' " I tell her telepathically, massaging the bridge of my nose where a dull ache has begun to rear its ugly head. I've only just gotten comfortable, having taken a nice, relaxing shower and thrown on a decent pair of clothes. But now my anxiety is spiking right back up thanks to the raging telepath. " 'I shouldn't have left like I did. But I'm not going to leave now. At least…not right now.' "

" 'And just when were you going to tell me about these plans?' " She snaps, sitting up indignantly as she elegantly stirs a cup of hot tea with a silver spoon, a look of hurt flashing across her crystal blues. " 'You are still technically my pupil.' "

" 'I know, Emma. It's just…' "

"At-tut-tut!" She interrupts aloud, making me jump in alarm. You can't just pop in and out of conversations like that! Especially not when one happens to take place within your mind…"All in good time!" She turns to Storm, quietly eating her toast in the corner. "Ororo?"

The white-haired, African goddess looks up with interest and mild surprise, "Yes?"

"We're going shopping today." Emma announces as she gracefully rises out of her seat and heads for the door, setting me on high alert. Shopping with Emma?

I think she's going to kill me…

"Sh-shopping?" I repeat numbly, leaping to my feet and following her along with Ororo; only to quickly double back for my spiked coffee.

"Well, not right away." She drones down the hall way, her heels tap-tap-tapping at a quick pace. I pass by the boys with a pleading look but Logan just waves his paper at me, Hank pretends to clean his glasses, and Azazel just smirks my way while Tony gives a teasing wave, knowing exactly what I'm in for.

Jerks.

"First," Emma continues, striding down the hall and nodding to the students she passes by. "We must drop off the kiddies, of course."

"Good morning, Ms. Frost!" Calls Shadow Cat, who has grown much taller than last I saw her, as she skips by us in the hall, carting a book bag with half of her things falling out the back. A stapler larger than the girl's fist falls onto the floor and Emma stoops down without a second thought to retrieve it, saying serenely, "Good morning, Ms. Pride."

"Kitty." I greet the teen once she finishes packing up her bag and she looks at me in shock, her grey eyes widening beneath a large, poofy bang. My god, she's taller than me now! When did that happen?! She pushes the hair out of her eyes and a wide smile breaks out across her face. "I was wondering when you'd get back!" Says Kitty breathlessly, having been running through the hall in an attempt to scrape up what's left of the massacre in the main kitchen. "Everyone thought you were on, like, some sort of high-risk mission in another country, or something!"

I scoff to myself, "Close enough."

Suddenly, a stampede of kids rush by and we have to plaster ourselves against (and some of us into) the wall to avoid being trampled. "Single file! Single file, for god's sake!" Emma barks at the students. "And no running in the hall!" Whether it's simply the authority in her voice or a mind trick of her own doing, the mob halts, looking slightly embarrassed with food still in their mouths and clothes/make up still being hastily thrown on. Having their full attention at last, Emma claps her hands and calls out, "Now, I want everyone with their respective chaperones' in fifteen minutes or you'll have Mister Logan to answer to! Or worse…" She gives a dramatic pause, taking on her diamond form with a sharp shhhhink! "Me."

Whether they take the threat seriously or not, the kids get moving pretty quickly; some out of fear, some out of respect for their Head Mistress (oh, yeah, that happened shortly after the Professor became mentally unstable). We continue on and I let my hand linger on the big, wooden door at the entrance of the Institute, remembering. I look outside, where an entire entourage of cars and motorcycles have been lined up in a neat row, watching the students pile into each car while I try to figure out whose vehicle is whose. Kitty darts ahead along with another Mutant I don't recognize, diving into the back seat of Scotts' bright red something or other, much to Scott's chagrin and Jean's amusement.

I turn to Emma, saying, "I don't think I ever told you, but this whole mentor thing really suits you, Head Mistress."

"Yes," Emma agrees in a much softer tone, the pale light of the winter sky casting an angelic glow over her already-angel like features. "I rather like the sound of that." Emma gives me a stern glare, "But don't think you're off the hook just for that!"

I roll my eyes, " 'Of course not.' "

" 'You know, I can hear you!' "

" 'Oh, I know.' " I toss her a wink. " 'But that's part of the fun!' "

A crash in the distance makes us jump in alarm but it just turns out that a student "accidentally" knocked over a large school van…Oops?

"Oh, Eli!" Emma shouts in frustration, rushing forward along with a startled Storm. "What did I say about combusting in crowds?!"

I start over, a little worried but not entirely sure I'm even needed, seeing as the Emma seems to be doing a good job of handling the situation. Just as they manage to get the van tipped back the right way, Azazel and Kurt teleport onto the front yard together, both wearing their image inducers; both looking far too "normal" for my taste, but what can you do?

Kurt catches my eye and starts over with a friendly wave, saying in that adorable accent of his, "Hello again, Ms. Hawthorne! Will you be joining us?" He stops a foot or so away, already far taller than me, much like Kitty. "We have room for one more!"

Azazel comes up behind the teen, placing his hands on Kurt's shoulders and says smoothly, "The boy speaks truth."

I feel a blush creep across my face and glance away, murmuring, "Well…"

"Sorry," Interrupts Emma "Cock-blocking" Frost, looping her arm through mine. "She's spoken for." She waves her hand at the two and starts leading me away, saying, "Off you go, now! You don't want to be late for school!" Emma must sense my plummeted mood because she snaps irritably, "You two can play footsies all you want later, love. We have important matters to discuss."

She breaks off of our discussion abruptly to usher the kids into her stylish Mercedes (Silver in color, naturally) and I reluctantly take the front seat, watching Logan and a young Asian girl take off on his motorcycle until Emma finally takes the driver's seat and sets off. We head down the drive, pass the gates, and start down a dirt path, now covered in snow, leading into town. A few minutes of silent driving passes before she finally says telepathically, " 'You're getting close to him again, I see.' "

I glance over at her as the chatter behind us increases, but make no reply. I don't have to, it turns out.

" 'You do know that he still doesn't remember you. ' "

" 'Of course I do.' " I retort a little snappishly, my gloved fingers curling in my lap. " 'That doesn't mean I can't…' " My voice trails off. But I'm sure she can fill in the blanks.

" 'I'm not saying I disapprove—' "

" 'Then what are you saying?' "

" 'That perhaps you're taking advantage of the situation.' " She replies blatantly, not even giving me the chance to scoff over the idea of "taking advantage" of Azazel, before she adds, " 'You left a bigger impact on him than you may have thought. Before I or even the Professor got the chance to try to help him, he left in search of Psylocke on his own, with little to no information about her.' " She turns down a Christmas-y street with garlands thrown over street lights and stop signs and we pass a number of Santa's ringing bells in the street. An MRD van patrols the area, dark and ominous. " 'We attempted to track him down, to talk sense into him, but he was constantly on the move and impossible to pin down.' " Another Santa. Another MRD van. " 'I thought he'd drop dead before he returned to the institute.' "

We cruise past Barbara's Antiquity. A family hurries past the Police Department, where a group of MRD's stand idly by. I find myself ducking in my seat, wondering if they're already searching for Rogue, Azazel, Tony, and I. We arrive at the school and the kids pile out in droves while Emma puts the car in park, her temper flaring as she clutches the steering wheel with tight fists. She looks out the window, where Kurt has joined Kitty, Scott, Jean and others as they head into the school. " 'I ought to have known he would come back with you.' "

" 'You can hold off on some of the internal monologue, Emma.' " I warn her, growing more than a little incensed at the accusatory tone in her voice. Like all of this is my fault. I know what I've done. But I still believe it was the right choice for me at that time. And I'm fully prepared to handle the repercussions of my actions.

" ' Oh, no, I meant to say that.' " Emma retorts right back, turning to me with a stony glare. " 'He deserves to know the truth. I knew him far longer than you did and believe me, we owe him that much at least.' "

" 'I'm not disagreeing with you!' " I argue, tired of the verbal harassment. I didn't come here to get a lecture! Especially since I'm half dead from stress and sleep deprivation. " 'And—as you may already know—I've been doing just what you said. I'm helping him. Not taking advantage of him!' " I scoff, still finding the idea absolutely ludicrous. " 'And I think he can handle himself, in any case. He went to find out that information for himself—' "

" 'He went for you and you know it.' " Emma spits, looking me dead in the eye, daring me to say otherwise, like I fully intend to. " 'He wouldn't give a damn about those memories if he didn't think it would bring him closer to you.' "

" 'That's not true, Emma!' " I hiss in response, my hands shaking with rage and exhaustion. We must be glaring up a storm at each other in this car because parents who pass by in their cars give us strange, sidelong glances, probably peeved that we're blocking the flow of traffic so that everyone has to go around us. But our melodrama is far more important than what anyone else has to do today; so suck it! " 'He doesn't remember you or Erik either.' " I continue, candidly ignoring the voice in my head that keeps reminding me that Azazel expressly said he doesn't want to remember. " 'Something happened that cut out a large part of his life and you can't blame me for him wanting to find out!' "

" 'So concerned!' " Frost croons mockingly. " 'And where was this empathic reasoning while you were off gallivanting with Magneto?' "

" 'I've already told you why I left.' " I reply sullenly, tired of having to defend myself to this woman. Of having to convince myself that I really did the right thing.

" 'Oh, because we all know you left to spy on Erik! ' "

That does it.

I open my door with a click and a huff, and climb out of the car, bending low to glower at her through hurt eyes, "I shouldn't have to explain why I left." I say aloud, blocking her out of my mind completely. "Least of all to you."

The car door opens as Emma gets out, peering over the hood of the car as she calls out, "Where are you going?!"

I know where I'm going.

And it's not with you.

"Hello," Greets the overly-friendly looking young woman with…blue hair (dyed, I'd say), through a wad of chewing gum that seems to be permanently lodged in her canines. She smacks it a few times, reminding me revoltingly of an MRD with a similar problem. "How may I help you?"

"Head Mistress Darkholm." I state bluntly, still seething from my fight with Emma. I fold my arms, feeling bare without my broad swords, seeing as I can't exactly walk around town with them in tow; not until I find a better way of stowing them like I have with my Harpoon cuffs, nestled snuggly under this deep purple sweater."She in?"

The woman peers at me curiously, "You a parent?"

Do I look like a parent?

"Sure."

Apparently Cindy the desk girl is either remarkably daft or just doesn't give a shit about her job because she just smacks her gum and says in a much less peppy voice, "You're in luck. She just got back from Honolulu."

I purse my lips, "Did she now?"

" I know," Snorts Cindy, mistaking my look for surprise. "Hard to imagine the old lady in a hula skirt, sipping pineapple martinis, eh?"

I smirk at that, "No kidding." I quip, but just as I do, Raven's sharp voice cuts across the hall, where her office resides, with a ruthless, "Cindy! Quit your babbling!" Her heavy footsteps echo through the hall until she emerges in the door way, saying, "I don't pay you to—" Her keen eyes fall on me and her voice fades out as a deadly smirk fades in. "Ms. Hawthorne," She greets me stiffly, removing her cat-lady glasses from her angular guise. "What a pleasure. I was expecting you."

"Naturally," Is my short response, taking in her purple pencil skirt and matching blazer, her graying-brown hair twisted up in a taut bun in contrast to my loose, unruly curls of a deeper, richer brown. I straighten, trying not to acknowledge the fact that we're both wearing purple *I shudder at the thought* and focus instead on the very real possibility that I've just walked (rather hastily) into a trap. "I hope I'm not imposing." I narrow my eyes wickedly, keeping a falsely sweet tone as I say, "I know how much you hate that."

Her mouth twitches, her talon-like fingers curling into a bony fist at her side while the other gestures back through the hallway with an equally pleasant, "You know me well. Though not as well as you might think." She starts down the hall, clasping her hands behind her back, "Come. We have much to discuss, you and I."

So formal! Much different from her usual caddishness and snide remarks.

The second we get inside, I waste no time and quickly lock Mystique in a hold with one arm thrown across her shoulders in a choke hold, and my leg twisted through hers to prevent her from lashing out. Next, I draw up one of my throwing knives from my belt, positioning it firmly underneath her jaw. She's considerably taller than me but now that I have leverage (and weight) on her, she won't be able to attack without going down herself. She writhes against me a moment, taken aback, but she quickly composes herself, saying breathily, "Quick to the point, aren't we?"

"Cut the crap, Mystique." I hiss, keeping my voice down in case Cindy isn't as inept at her job as she seems and calls security. I don't see any wires or cameras; so I don't think we're being watched. "I want answers. Now."

I pause, kind of hoping she'll just fill in the blanks, but she just gives a sinister chuckle and says clearly, calmly, "What do you want to know?"

"My body." I state through gritted teeth, not giving her any leeway no matter how she twists and turns with discomfort. "You know he has it!"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." She grunts, her pulse beginning to pound harder beneath my wrist as her blood fights to circulate through her oddly angled body, "If only I could think clearer, I might be able to help you."

Figuring I really won't get anywhere by keeping this up, I let her go, stepping back quickly with my right Harpoon cuff raised in warning. One wrong move, one press of a button, and this one is going in your throat, my look says. But she just shakes her head, rubbing her neck where my blade cut into her jaw, and says, "There now, isn't that better?" She sighs dramatically, fanning herself with a spidery hand, then crosses to a window, saying, "My, isn't it stuffy in here?"

I take a threatening step forward, certain she's going to attack at any second, but she just scoffs at me, saying, "It's just a window!" She throws it open then turns to me, growling, "Relax, will you? I'm just securing my health. I'd like nothing more than to put you away for attacking a school teacher in a public high school…" She lets the sentence linger while I consider my options. "Unfortunately," She sighs, crossing to her desk to take a seat. "Erik still wants you, for whatever reason."

I can't help it, "Do you ever get tired of that?" I ask sweetly, taking a seat across from her with my arm draped over my crossed knee, still aimed—rather casually—at her face, "Just curious." I add when her glare spells MURDER.

"Curiosity killed that cat." Mystique hisses softly, leaning forward in her desk with her fingers laced rigidly before her. She tilts her head to the side, "I wonder if it would work a second time."

I lower my voice to a near whisper, once again having to get a grip when I begin to tremble with rage. "We're getting off the subject." I lean back in my chair, keeping my arm raised but my body seemingly relaxed. "I want to negotiate."

"Do you?" Mystique laughs derisively. Upon seeing my serious look, however, she straightens up, asking stoically, "How do you mean?"

"I want to know his terms." I state bluntly. "His stipulations. His inevitable ultimatum." I sit up a little straighter, never breaking Raven's stony-eyed stare, "What does he really want from me? And what does he intend to do with my body should I refuse?"

Mystique pauses, her face unreadable, then says in a low undertone, "Maybe you should ask him yourself."

"Is that why you're here?" I ask, grazing the trigger of my Harpoon cuff with my finger. "To take me back?"

"No," States Mystique right off. "This goes far beyond you, little girl. You still have no idea what he has in store. Erik only allowed you to scrape the bottom of the barrel with you and your little Scooby gang, thinking you're putting it all together when really, you've just allowed him more time."

"If I know so little," I say, a spike of fear shooting up my spine at the mention of my "Scooby gang," which can only mean Tarina and Aaron. "What's the point in keeping me?"

"You—" Mystique sighs heavily, muttering reluctantly, "Are an asset. We can't afford to lose you. Erik felt certain he could change you, make you see the right path."

"Erik knows I'd never do that—"

"Wouldn't you?" I blink, caught off guard by the honest question. "You were so close, Ghostgirl. You really were." She laughs cruelly. "The truth was right in front of you all along but you just can't bear the thought that you might not be as saintly as everyone imagines. You've gotten too close to us, to Erik, to Domino. Even to me. You're more like us than you ever were with the X-Men but you're too foolish to see it. But you will soon enough. Whether you like it, or not. Erik feels confident you'll come back to him when you're ready. I don't have to do anything. I never did. You do it all yourself."

I stand up abruptly, incensed, and drop my wrist. Mystique remains in her seat, watching me calmly with a triumphant smile on her lips. I'm not getting anything out of her. And what I did, is practically useless. There are too many questions and only one answer. And I have no intention of turning myself in to Magneto. "Tell your boss I'm coming." I growl, heading for the door.

My hand just grasps the handle when I hear an ominous, "He already knows."

I exit the school grounds at a fast pace and find myself walking in step with Emma, who says evenly in that elegant English drawl of hers, "She wasn't lying."

"Way to announce yourself." I reply, getting in the passenger seat just as the bell rings on campus. I clench my trembling fists, my eye lids growing heavier and heavier by the second. "Tell me you read her mind."

"I couldn't." Is Emma's straight forward response, cranking up the heat with a blue, gloved hand. She drives with a steady hand into town, presumably in search of the shopping mall. "Raven, like yourself and Azazel, is very sensitive to telepathy. She would have sensed me in her mind immediately and she would have closed off completely. "

Makes sense. "So, what do you think?"

"I don't know," She sighs. "The unavoidable truth is that you will need to return to Genosha. The question is when and how." She looks to me. "You're skeptical. Why?"

I shake my head, smiling ruefully to myself, "I feel like that—that idiot who keeps losing her keys." I laugh at the ridiculousness of the statement. "Except I can't just change the locks and buy a new key! I was just getting used to dealing with that…thing and I just can't help but feel glad that I don't have to. I mean, for now." I add, realizing that it's still my problem. If anything, it's an even bigger problem now. "I feel so helpless when I'm saddled with my physical form, constantly worrying about where I'm projecting or if I'll have enough time to astral project when an emergency arises." I groan in aggravation, pinching the bridge of my nose. This damned fatigue is making me feel stuffy. "I nearly died because of that!"

The car comes to an abrupt halt at a stop just short of the Bayville mall, "Pardon?"

"Hm?" I ask absently, having gotten distracted in my insomnia-induced daze. The snow looks kinda like out-of-focus lights, don't they? The car rolls forward slowly, steadily, with the green light, "You said you nearly died because you were unable to project." Emma states casually, pulling into the parking lot of the Bayville mall. Wasn't Storm with us at some point? "When was this?"

"Oh, I never told anyone." I murmur aloud, keeping my eyes trained on the grey-white sky that just seems to bloom before me like a big, white…cloud-thing. Anyway, the truth is, the issue never really came up. Then again, a lot has been going on; so there's really been no time to get into it. "I—ran into trouble with some old enemies." I say carefully, guarding my thoughts most cautiously. "It was a close call but the point is, none of it would have happened if I were in my astral body. Permanently."

"Whatever you're thinking," Emma says strictly, turning to me with a fierceness I've never seen before. "Don't do it." I blink, surprised, and avert my eyes (anything to escape that look!) but she lashes out with a fierce hand and catches my jaw. I feel tempted to close my eyes as hers bore into mine but I'm immediately captured by her gaze as well as the tone of knowing in her voice as she says, "There's still much you're keeping hidden and I will respect that." I inwardly sigh with relief. "But please," Emma warns, giving my jaw a little shake, her stare turning pleading. "Be careful. If not for me, then for the Institute. The students." She inclines her head forward, asking in a much softer tone, "Alright?"

I nod and silently mouth, "Thank you."

Emma gives a reluctant snort, then straightens up and settles a furry cap on her platinum blonde hair, saying, "Let's get you some new clothes, now, shall we? Purple is not your color."

"After today," I groan, thinking back to my unpleasant encounter with Mystique. "I'm going to have to agree with you on that one." We meet each other's eye and slowly our faces break out into fond smiles. And for the first time in far too long, Emma and I share a laugh.

More to come! Thanks again! Until Next time...

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