Return to Normalcy

Scott had his hand at his visor, ready to shoot a full blast at Jean, nothing running threw his mind but Magneto's orders. Jean looked up at Scott, trying to beg him with her eyes not to shoot. Scott could feel his beam become stronger, as if he was getting more solar power. However, just before he could shoot, he heard the faint sound of music. Only one instrument was playing, but he could hear the rest of it in his head. It told him something. Be free. "Let my mind be free," he murmured quietly, then snapped from his daze. He couldn't hurt Jean. "Oh, god, Jean," Scott yelled and kneeled beside the girl. "I didn't hurt you too much, did it?"

"Oh, Scott," Jean cried and wrapped her arms around him. "You're back."

"I'm sorry, Jean," Scott said. "The last thing I really remember is going to the kitchen for a snack."

"How did you break the hold?" Jean asked.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I heard music. In fact, I feel like I can still hear it."

Jean closed her eyes. "I hear it too, Scott. And it's not just you." She turned and around and saw a horse pulled chariot that was glowing glide across the water. "It can't be."

The music faded and a figure jumped from the chariot and began gliding across the waters. It was quickly approaching the island. Suddenly, the music reappeared, this time heard by everyone. Magneto, who had just wrapped Rogue up in bindings of silverware, turned around. So, that's where his missing prisoner had disappeared to.

"Arwen," Rose smiled. "She's okay."

"Too bad you're not," Nuclear yelled. He blasted the girl against a wall. "That's for the itching."

"Hey!" Arwen yelled when she reached the shore. She played her flute and blasted Nuclear with energy. She then swiftly ran to Rose's side. "Rose, are you okay?"

"I can't believe you're even alive," she said weakly.

Arwen frowned. She pulled her flute to her lips and began to play a quick little melody concentrating on her friend's health. After a moment, she felt something strike her back. She turned around and saw a laughing Nuclear.

"Never turn your back on your enemy," Nuclear said. "Didn't you ever learn the art of battle? After that blast, you're probably hardly awake."

"I hardly felt a thing," Arwen replied.

"Eros, hurry and get them all to hate each other with a fiery passion," Magneto snapped. "Keep them fighting."

Duke slowly nodded and began increasing everyone's hate for other people so they kept fighting. Arwen frowned. She pulled the bow from the quiver and an arrow. "I hope they can deal with a bit of love," Arwen said quietly and began shooting arrows at those attacking their friends. She was quickly running low on arrows, however. Within three minutes, she reached back only to find that she was down to her last arrow.

"Rose, down to one arrow," Arwen said and looked at her friend. Rose only shook her head, indicating she didn't know what to do. "Apollo?"

"I suggest you take out the source," the godly voice of her father said.

Arwen nodded and looked at Duke, who had just turned his eyes towards Jean and Scott again. "Hey, Duke," Arwen yelled. Duke looked at her, his eyes stopped glowing. "Eros wants his name back, but says you're free to go by Cupid." Duke frowned slightly as Arwen aimed and pulled the string back. She released and before Duke knew what was happening, an arrow had lodged itself in his heart, but it didn't hurt. After a moment, the arrow disappeared and Duke only had his eyes on Arwen.

"Stop the hatred," Arwen said as he approached, "and make everyone love one another."

"Love," Duke nodded and suddenly, all the battling stopped. People turned to those that were usually enemies and made peace. They all began to hug one another and celebrated being together.

"Eros, what are you doing?" Magneto yelled.

"He doesn't take orders from you anymore," the Professor said from where he had stayed safe during the battle. "Arwen, I believe this is your battle."

"I believe you are correct, Professor," Arwen said. She brought her flute to her lips again and used Hermes sandals to dodge the metal objects Magneto threw at her. She concentrated on subduing Magneto with her music, and it seemed to be working, but too slowly for Arwen's tastes.

"I'll crush you inside your armor," Magneto yelled. He tried, but nothing happened.

"Sorry, but this metal is impervious to your powers," Arwen said. "It's the metal of the gods."

"That means nothing!" Magneto yelled.

"Then take this," Arwen flew at Magneto and performed a perfect roundhouse kick that Logan had taught her in the beginning of the summer. Magneto fell to the ground, unconscious. "Now would be a very good time to get off this island."

The Professor nodded as everyone began making his or her way across the underwater bridge. Amara and Lance were both near the front with Kitty and Dr. McCoy pointing out where they wanted to bring up more land. After an hour, they finally spotted an island with civilization.

"You're packing?" Kitty asked as she phased into Arwen and Rose's room. Arwen had a bag on her bed and was tightly folding clothes and placing them in her bag. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Maybe," Arwen replied. She looked up and smiled weakly. "After all, I don't think I really belong here. I'm not really a mutant."

"Well, sure you are," Kitty said. "I don't think that your powers are all godlike. I mean, most have to do with music, but you've got one that stands out differently."

"What's that?" Arwen asked.

"You're hearing," Kitty said. "At least, that's what I think. Dr. McCoy said that you had one of the weirdest mutant signatures, that you had, like, two. I think one is mutant and one is goddess."

Arwen smirked. "Part of me still feels I need to speak with my parents about my past, as well as my future."

"Are you going to talk to the Professor?" Kitty asked.

"I already have," Arwen said. "He said I was welcome to make any choice that I feel is best for me."

"Do you think you know what your choice will be?" Kitty asked.

"I kind of hope I'm not doing all this packing for nothing," Arwen said. "Nothing against the X-Men, but I might need some time off."

"Well, keep in touch if you do decide to go," Kitty said as she walked back out.

"Ya'll looks a bit down fer a gal who jest helped save the mutant race," Rogue said as Kitty walked into the room they shared. "What's wrong, Sugah?"

"Did you know that Arwen might be leaving?" Kitty asked.

"That's weird," Rogue said. "She really seemed to like it here ova the summa. Ah wonder what changed her mind."

"I'd say the new information on her father," Kitty said. "I'd like, need some soul-searching too if I learned that my dad was, like, really a god."

"Who wouldn't?" Rogue questioned.

"We had better get ready for more of those team exercises," Kitty sighed. "I can't believe we still have them."

"You all find your centers, yet?" Logan asked.

"As centered as much as I'm ever going to get," Kitty said.

"I agree whole hearted with her," Rose said.

Logan sighed. "Kids," he mumbled. "If you're so ready, close your eyes and block yourselves from these attacks." He pressed a button as the two girls closed their eyes and the rest of the team backed off. Several softballs flew at them from random directions. Rose was hit several times. Kitty allowed them to phase through her and knocked them down once they had passed through her.

"Ah, to be intangible," Kitty smiled.

"You got lucky, Half-Pint," Logan claimed. "You won't always be ready. What are you going to do then?"

"Hope for the best," Kitty said. "Sometimes, Mr. Logan, that's all you really do need."

"That certainly didn't get us off the island, Half-Pint," Logan said. "It was what's in here that did." With that, Logan tapped her head. "Now once again, everyone, find your center."

"I still don't think I can do that," Sam said to Scott as he was trying to get his team to do some simple yoga moves in the back yard. "See, some people just don't bed that way."

"Not if you don't try and work at it," Jean said coming out. "Do you think he could when he first began?"

"He also began at a younger age," Sam said. "When he was a bit more flexible."

"So you'll just have to work extra hard," Arwen said as she finally joined the rest of her team.

"You're late," Scott said frowning at her.

"I'm sorry," Arwen said. "I was just quickly finishing packing some clothes."

"So, it's official?" Jean asked sadly.

"What are you talking about?" Evan asked.

"I might be leaving," Arwen said. She turned back to Jean. "It's not official yet, but if I do leave, I kind of want to be packed."

"I understand," Scott nodded. "We're just picking up where we left off in the woods."

Arwen sat down and began stretching. Sam waited until Scott wasn't paying attention, then leaned toward Arwen. "You're leaving?"

Arwen glanced at him and shrugged sadly. "I don't know for sure yet. The Professor's giving me a day to think about it."

Sam took a breath to say something, but was interrupted by Scott. "Cannonball, you're going to have to straighten your body if you expect to get it right."

"Yes, Sir," Sam said with an exaggerated eye-roll.

"Are your chances of, like, working ruined because of Magneto's ploy?" Kitty asked Lance as the two walked down a street in Bayville during Kitty's break.

"Naw," Lance shook his head. "Your professor's really helping me out with that. Kind of wiped out the memory of me not arriving at work from my boss's mind, as long as I don't ask him for too much more. I guess he really believes that I want to clean my act up."

"Well, you really do, Lance," Kitty said and took his hand. "Right?"

"I want to be someone you'd be proud of, Pretty Kitty," Lance said and smiled at the blue-eyed girl.

"I am, Lance," Kitty said staring him in the eyes.

"I know," Lance said. "But, I kind of feel like I haven't earned it."

"Lance, I like you just the way you are," Kitty insisted.

"At least someone does," Lance said with a light laugh. "But the thing is that I don't. You get me?"

"I think so," Kitty said. "But I don't understand why you're thinking like that." She leaned closer to Lance and rested her head on his shoulder. "So, do you like your apartment?"

"It's great," Lance said. "Well, at least for a nineteen-year-old mutant working at a pizza parlor, it's great. You should come over soon."

"Maybe sometime after school starts," Kitty said. She glanced at her phone to check the time. "I'm due back at the Institute soon for more training with Logan. We're getting the abridged version of what we were supposed to do over the past week."

"Oh, that sucks," Lance said with a wince.

"Totally," Kitty said with a frown.

Lance walked with Kitty until they were at the Institute gates. "I'll see you first day of school," Lance said and he bent down and kissed her lightly, yet passionately.

"I'll miss you," Kitty said with her eyes still closed.

"Sam's totally bummed about Arwen," Ray said to Rose as they stretched before Logan entered the room. After a rather embarrassing episode on the island in which Ray had suddenly stopped running and pulled Rose into a kiss, which she later slapped him for once she had escaped from his grip, the two had decided that, as long as it was between the two of them, it never happened. Both had admitted that they had had a rather abrupt change in feelings toward one another; Duke was blamed.

"Sam's bummed?" Rose asked. "What about me? It's my best friend, not his."

"You going to suggest she stay here then," Ray asked.

"I wish I could," Rose said, "but the Professor asked me not to because it has to be Arwen's decision. And, well, I get what he means. I'm not the one who is more god than human. I can't possibly understand what she feels."

"He really likes her," Kitty asked sitting across from Rose.

"Looks that way," Rose said.

"He's crazy about her," Ray said. "I almost feel bad for him just having to fear that she might leave, not to mention if she actually does leave."

"Hey, Scott," Jean began as she approached the boy behind the red shades. "I've been meaning to ask you something, but if just didn't seem appropriate on the island."

"What is it, Jean?" Scott asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Well, tomorrow I move to Syracuse, and I was hoping you'd come with me to move in," Jean said. "You know, so I don't have to be alone on my first day there."

"Oh, that's absolutely fine," Scott said with a smile. "For a moment there, I was almost worried, but I can't for the life of me tell you what I was worried about."

Jean smiled. "There's no need to be worried," she said calmly. She quickly pecked his cheek with a kiss, and said, "And thank you so much for doing this for me."

"Anytime, Jean," Scott said as she disappeared out the door.

"Ooh," Kurt said with a laugh. "Don't let my presence disturb your happy dreams. Ze fuzzy dude quite enjoyed how your face suddenly matched Jean's hair."

"Paige, you had better call Mom and assure her that you're alright and alive," Jay said as he caught up to her on their way to training with Ms. Munroe. "She kind of freaked when Sam had to tell her you'd been abducted by the enemy."

Paige crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "You guys are idiots," she mumbled. "You don't tell her what really happened. You make up a lie."

"You try that on the spot with Mom looking you in the eye," Jay said. "But, don't forget, you're actually Sam."

"Point taken," Paige said with a nod.

"So, what?" Tabitha asked approaching the two younger mutants from behind. "Your brother doesn't care that you make fun of him behind his back?"

"More like doesn't quite pick it up," Paige said. "Not the brightest boy in the family, if you catch my drift. There's a nice pool going to see who ends up with better common sense, him or our youngest brother Lewis. I put twenty bucks on Lewis."

"Hey, Sam might not be a genius, but he never hit his head on the table more than once in a single day," Jay said. "So my money's on Sam."

"You only put your money on Sam because Jeb did," Paige said.

"Is your family always this interesting?" Tabitha asked.

"Yeah," Paige said.

"This is interesting?" Jay asked at the same time.

"Never mind I asked," Tabitha said with her hands up in defense as the two siblings began bickering about the state of their family.

"So, Evan," Kurt came caught up to his exhausted roommate as he headed for the showers. "Do you know who you're asking to ze start of ze year dance ze student council vas promoting at ze end of last year?"

"There's a start of the year dance?" Evan asked. "No, I don't. I'm not even positive if I'm going to school with you guys due to the shell and all."

"Hey, aren't you spending all tomorrow concentrating on not having to walk around with it?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, but one day isn't going to get rid of it," Evan said.

"I bet zat if you try, you can," Kurt said. "Listen to ze fuzzy one."

"What about you?" Evan asked. "Who are you asking?"

"Oh, uh, I think zat information would be better shared behind closed doors," Kurt said almost stumbling over his words.

"Tabitha?" Evan asked.

"Ja," Kurt said. "Am I really zat obvious?"

"You spent a good deal of time on the island flirting with her," Evan said. "Not that she minded at all."

"Vell, at least I vasn't brainvashed by Mastermind," Kurt said and stuck out his tongue.

"I suggest that the students have their last day before school off so that they can rest their bodies and not develop any more bruises," Professor Xavier said to Logan, Ororo, and Hank. "After all, we would like them to represent the Institute as best as possible tomorrow. I've arranged a ride to pick up Jamie and Jay to take them to their school, and, I believe that if Scott is willing to take a full car of students and Ororo takes a full car of students, we can safely and legally transport the rest to the high school without arousing suspicion or using the X-Van."

"So, the ride for Jamie and Jay, are they aware that the boys are mutants?" Logan asked.

"The driver is," the Professor said. "Her daughter, I don't believe so. Ironically enough, the mother is sure that her daughter is showing signs of a mutation."

"If a kid coughs funny its parents are certain their kid has a mutation now," Logan said. "Usually it's just the kid's smoking finally coming through."

"The child's father is a mutant," the Professor said. "The daughter is unaware of this because her father was careful never to use his powers in front of her. You remember another friend I had on the island. Logan called him Banshee."

"Banshee has a kid that isn't deaf?" Logan asked. "He must have been one careful dad."

"Quite careful," the Professor said. "But the daughter had grown quite a loud voice."

"Are the students aware of how they're getting to school?" Ororo asked the obvious question.

"We'll tell them tomorrow at breakfast," the Professor said. "Before we tell them that they'll have the rest of the day off."

"They look so happy," Emma Frost said as she opened her eyes. "They believe that they're safe and happy. Too bad they have yet to take on the full force of my Hellions in a fair battle. But there are many of them. Too many, I fear. But the Brotherhood seems to be without guidance once again. I can change that, I suppose."

"You want us to serve you?" Pietro asked, before laughing. "What makes you think we want to be Hellions?"

"Speak for yourself, Speedy," Tip said. "I think the idea's fabulous. It does come with a paycheck, right?"

"Something along those lines," Emma said. "I just thought you all would like to eat and have toiletries and utilities."

"Frost does have a point, yo," Todd said.

"And I am getting kind of hungry," Fred said.

"And the Brotherhood title has lost its charm," Nick said. "'I'm from the Brotherhood' isn't as intimidating as 'I'm a Hellion.'"

Pietro looked at the rest of his teammates. "What do you say, Duke?"

"I'm just crashing here because I need a place to stay," he replied. "If it comes with a title, that's fine with me."

"Then your training begins tomorrow," Emma said and disappeared.


Well, that's the end of this story. Keep an eye out for my next one, High School Never Ends. For the most part, the whole series I'm writing will focus on Arwen, Rose, Sam, Bobby, Rebecca, and Kitty, keeping track of the rest of the other characters as well.