Canuckle, Retro, Cheshire ... thanks as always. Look for those reviews.
Lots of help from Cheshire and Canuckle on this one (big surprise). No one else I can turn to for the insight these chapters need.
Sorry for the long delay ... gonna try and make it up with one GIANT chapter. This is something I got stuck in my head months ago ... and finally got chance to share. Enjoy!
'Failure ... Again ...'
Apex had one hand on a metallic wall of the Danger Room. His breathing deep as the last hour played in his mind.
'Why ... isn't it working ...'
He shook his muzzle and closed his eyes in an attempt to recenter himself. He needed to focus. He needed this to work.
'Still defective. Still a failure.'
Psylock's head shot up just before the sound of Colton's fist slamming into a wall resonated through the Danger Room.
"What was that?" Betsy stepped away from the panel she'd been working on and approached the panther who seemed to be glowering even more than he had a few minutes ago. And she thought Logan knew how to keep in a mood ...
"Nothing," Apex turned to face the violet haired ex-ninja and took a breath, "it won't happen again."
But Betsy seemed to have no interest in the violent display, her eyes fixed steadily on him.
"I wasn't talking about that," she waved dismissively at the dent and looked up at Apex in a way he recognized as someone analyzing. It was one of the reasons he'd come to Elizabeth aside from her abilities as a pyshcic. She was cerebral, reserved and unlike most of the Mansion willing to do what it took to get the job done. "I was talking about what you projected out right before you ... did that."
Apex stared back a moment too long before answering.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
He moved to step past her but she kept her eyes trained on him.
"Don't lie to me Colton." Despite his reservations Betsy had worked herself into a migraine for two weeks trying to get some insight into Colton by accessing his memories ... the psychic blocks ... his early training ... anything. But thus far she'd come away with close to nothing. His mind was completely locked ... more so than any person she'd come across. Logan's memories had been erased or altered and afterwards his mind conditioned. But this ... this was something else entirely. But there had been rare instances that she'd been able to catch things and this had been different ... she'd seen something.
"I told you it was nothing. Now let's get back to work."
He rolled his shoulders hoping she'd drop it but like Greer, Elizabeth wasn't one to let things drop.
"This is work. You wanted my help getting control over your feral state? Well this is me helping. Now tell me. We've been looking for a switch and maybe this is it." A purple haze covered her hands, a psychic display to the feral to show that she was serious. Apex glanced over his shoulder at the display, huffing before turning away.
"Stryker."
Betsy had been walking behind Colton but came up short, her shoulders dropping a little at the name.
"What are you talking about?"
Apex took a breath and turned to face her. She didn't look sympathetic or scared ... simply like she was trying to put a puzzle together. He just happened to be that puzzle.
"I heard him. In here." Apex growled as he put a claw to his head. Betsy seemed to deflate a little. No ... this wouldn't work at all. Colton had already explained how his 'predator state' had been triggered in the past. And even venturing down this road was dangerous ... and not what she wanted to be responsible for. The two had spent some time trying to discern another trigger but ... thus far pain or survival instinct had been the only methods. It had left her frustrated and Colton beat to hell.
"Fine ... Forget it," Betsy stalked back over to the panel, a new program she'd been working on ready to go, "you ready?"
Apex gave her a nod and the session started again.
"You should make a session with Hank." Greer passed her hand over the spot on Colton's side he'd had her bandage. No one could see it under his tank but she knew it was bothering him.
"I'm fine. Give me sixteen hours and it'll be gone." Apex leaned against the counter as Greer narrowed her eyes at him.
"It was thirteen a week ago. I told you that -"
"Colton," Scott stepped into the kitchen and stepped between the two felines, "I'm glad I caught you. I was hoping that we could -"
"Keep moving Scott." Greer didn't look at him but her growl was not subtle, earning an uneasy smile from Scott.
"Greer, come on. I just want to talk." Scott sounded casual but Greer only seemed to stiffen as she kept her eyes fixed on Colton.
"I said keep moving." Greer's tail gave an agitated twitch.
Scott seemed ready to say something more but raised his hands in mock defeat.
"Fine ... you win. But you can't stay mad forever. I'll see you around Colton." Scott waved and headed towards Kurt and Bobby. Greer's glare just seemed to harden.
"Better not ..."
"Why are you still mad at him?" Greer jerked back a little.
"Me? How are you not still mad at him? Case you forgot, he decided to ditch you in Latvaria." Greer snarled, startling a group of passing students.
"He made the right decision."
Greer huffed.
"Course you would say that."
"Something's different. What happened to him?"
Logan put down his lunch and glanced over at K before turning in the direction she was facing to see Colton and Greer standing across the kitchen, quietly arguing.
"Seems fine to me. Maybe's he's just not finished healin' up from you stabbin' him in the chest a dozen times." K smirked as she watched the panther shift his weight.
"Hmm. Maybe - but it was nine and wasn't just the chest. Besides, I figured he was all healed up from that." She stole a french fry from his plate as she watched the two cats. "I wonder if it's got anything to do with what he's doing with Betsy."
Logan slowly put down his sandwich and gave K a look she was clearly ignoring, even as she stole another fry. While K and Colton hadn't done much talking since their unofficial truce, Logan had at least hoped that K would let her guard down a little bit. Or at least give the panther the benefit of the doubt.
"And what's that got to do with you?" She smiled at him and slipped her hand across his stomach as she leaned in until they were nearly touching noses.
"You tell me, Mister. Only reason I even noticed was because I had to ask Betsy something and I couldn't get a word in with her without him glaring at me over her shoulder." She looked down at his lips while she continued. "He's hoggin' the ninja. It's not fair."
Logan was clearly distracted by her attention and after a kiss that was no where near as intimate as he'd have preferred, K broke contact and leaned away. It was then that he realized that Colton had left and Greer was already locked onto K and on her way over. He decided to let the matter drop for now. With a final glance at his furriest adoptive daughter, he let out a growl as he gave K a rather involved kiss goodbye.
"You know the honeymoon phase is supposed to happen after a wedding." Greer teased, though K's content smile quickly disappeared at the comment and Logan paused to watch his betrothed's reaction.
"What ... what's that got to do with anything? Can't show him I give a damn without an f'n ring? Is that a RULE?" Logan smirked to himself and continued his path out while K seemed to almost square up with the tigress. Greer's ears went straight up as she realized she'd just broken a number of rules. The first one being: never mention the wedding when K is in earshot. Nevermind directly to her face.
"Nothing - Forget I said anything. Kiss away." Greer tossed out quickly. K didn't seem amused. Luckily Rogue came over with a distraction.
"Greer, you min' goin' up to the attic and clearin' out some of those crates? Students need a spot to store things over the summa."
K watched from the corner of her eye while Greer furrowed her brows.
"What crates? I don't have anything up there."
"Your name being plastered on them says otherwise." Rogue retorted, her arms crossed. She hadn't wanted this stupid assignment but Kitty had covered for her and she'd cashed it in.
"I'm telling you. I don't have anything up there." Greer was getting a bit agitated herself. Between Colton and Scott she didn't need this right now. "Don't you think I'd know if I hauled a bunch of crates up to the attic?" K raised an eyebrow and turned toward the tigress fully, her chin in her hand as she openly watched her get her fur ruffled. And over what?
"Course not. Cause we did." Bobby called over as he and Piotr headed to teach. "They came when you were in California. Some guy sent them ... there was a note. Mack ... Jack ..."
"Jacque!" Greer's hand flew to her mouth.
"Yea sounds right." Bobby called over his shoulder but Greer didn't hear him. Oh no ... How could she forget?
"Some other boyfriend that Fuzzy doesn't know about?" K mused with a smirk that Greer really didn't like. "Someone threatin' your /domestic bliss/?" Greer turned to correct her but was rudely cut off.
"So ..." Rogue tapped her foot.
"Yea ... Yea sorry. I'll go take care of it."
Rogue gave a nod and walked off as K watched somewhat curiously at Greer's reaction to the horrible news that boxes had been delivered for her.
"Something you want to share with the class?" K tipped her cup back and Greer seemed about to tell her what it was that had her tail in such a not but seemed to suddenly consider against.
"It's nothing I just - I need to make a call."
K watched as Greer quickly slipped out of her chair and headed towards the exit, giving her phone a clearly nervous look before putting it to her ear. With a shrug, the little feral turned back to her paper, wincing only a little as whoever Greer had called finally picked up the phone.
"Whats going on up here? You're crazy loud ..." K's words drifted off as she realized the women were all holding up or digging through one wardrobe or another ... dresses, coture ... all of it quite fashionable at the least, and high fashion at best. K took half a step back and crossed her arms over her stomach. "What are you doing with all this stuff?" Kitty and Greer shared a look while Jean did her best to dive into cover mode.
"Greer got some stuff delivered from this designer in New York forever ago and she's never had the chance to put any of it on."
K raised an eyebrow and looked over at Greer who seemed a bit more reserved than her friends.
"Yea, she was just telling us that he got a glimpse of her stripes and practically had a fit. Turned out he kept his word and sent her all these." Kitty gestured to the three crates filled with clothes.
"That true Tigger?"
"Yea," Greer grabbed her elbow, "I honestly forgot all about it. I can't believe Jacque actually did all this." Greer ran the back of her hand over one of the dresses.
"Then Kitty and I just got caught up digging through some of the old dresses." Jean held up a vintage gown in evergreen, "It's fun for most girls you know." K narrowed her eyes as she glanced around the dusty attic. It actually seemed ... plausible. Least for two of them ... K glanced over at Greer.
"You wanna try some on with us?" Kitty asked with a bright grin while Jean projected her a scolding. Heather had promised she had the wedding dress covered, but all were skeptical since she'd never laid eyes on her beyond a picture that Jubilee had supplied of both K and Logan.
"I'll ... pass. Thanks," K murmured as she took one last look around the room. "The cream one would look better on you, Tigger." K mentioned quietly as she eyed the cut of the fabric, though she'd never say her thought process out loud. Not for this.
"How can you tell? She hasn't even tried it on ... what about the charcoal -" Jean gestured to one of the other dresses she'd evidently pulled out.
"No. Cream. You'll see."
K turned to head back downstairs.
"Since when did you become knowledgeable on fashions outside of wranglers?" Kitty teased.
"Must have hit my head harder than I thought. Wear blue and purple for all I care," K called over her shoulder. "I've got better things to do than play dress up."
Greer let out a huff as she fell back on a bale of hay, K not pausing in her work around the stalls as some of the students busied themselves with getting themselves and their horses ready for class.
"Long day huh?"
Greer didn't need to see the look on K's face. The tone alone was good enough.
"You try being Jean's dressup doll for four hours and tell me."
K let out a laugh.
"You forget who you're talking to?"
Greer rolled her eyes and sat up on her hands.
"Fair point ... Least we finally found a place for everything."
"What ... Finally hit a limit on closet space?" K teased, knowing full well how often some residents of the mansion lamented their lack of proper fashion space. One of the many things that drove K to drink at meals. But Greer shook her head.
"That is a sensitive topic .and as for the clothes ... I kept practically all of it in the crates."
K put down the brush she'd been using and turned towards the tigress.
"Why would you do that? You must be the first woman I know to get what I'm told is a top designer to custom make an entire wardrobe of custom coture and NOT flaunt it just a little bit."
"I mean I like the clothes ... a lot actually ... but they - I dunno they're just not right. For me."
K's eyes narrowed a bit and she leaned against the wall. "How could they not be ..." Her eyes widened and she gave her a pitying look. "You tried them on with the inducer didn't you?"
Greer's ears shot straight up. Bingo.
"Bet they didn't fit Jean right either huh?"
"How do you -"
K shook her hair out a bit as she gazed at the ceiling. How could so many women claim to be 'fashionable' and yet not recognize the most basic elements of fashion?
"Those clothes weren't just made with you in mind ... they were made for you."
"I think I understand what custom means K."
"Clearly you don't."
The two ferals simply stared at each other for a moment before K finally relented.
"Where did you stick the clothes?"
Greer's tail gave a light thump as she tried guessing where this was going.
"One of the old classrooms in the west wing."
K checked her watch and let out a sigh.
"It's too late now ... meet me there after your tutoring hour tomorrow. Bring the inducer."
Greer's reaction was clear surprise as K headed towards her class.
"Why would I -"
"Don't be late!" K barked over her shoulder and with a bit of a growl Greer kicked off the bale and headed back towards the mansion. She'd been through this dance before ... and the last person she expected it from was K.
...
"Go ahead. Tell me I'm wrong."
K leaned against the old desk as she waited for a response. Greer just shot her a look before turning her attention back to the full length mirror she'd found waiting for her along with a few outfits from Jacque's clothes laid out, along with K. She'd tried arguing it was a waste of time but K had simply raised an eyebrow and with a resigned rumble Greer had grabbed the closest outfit and tried it on ... the cream one K had mentioned the day before. And just like yesterday, Greer frowned at what she saw. It just wasn't ... right.
And then K had told her to ditch the inducer. At which point K had found that smirk she always seemed to have whenever she knew she'd already won and was waiting for Greer to figure it out.
"OK ... Fine. You win."
For some reason and for the first time in her life, an outfit Greer tried on without her inducer actually looked and fit better with her stripes and fur. ?. It was the same reason none of it had fit or looked right on Jean. K hopped off the desk and came to stand behind the tigress as she turned to see how her stripes looked with the backless top.
"Great, you gonna need help bringing this up to your room or am I done here?"
Greer stopped her admiring and spun on the spot looking at K incredulously.
"What are you talking about? It's still staying here."
"Come again."
"I mean I might take like, some of the casual pieces but ... come on K barring some parties around here I don't exactly have a place to wear any of this."
"You go out with Jean and the rest of that pack all the time. Just wear it then."
"Well yea but - I mean ... well you know. I've never actually ..."
K let out a breath that seemed to deflate her. It was like one step forwards two steps back with this girl.
"Come on Tigger, when's the last time you actually went out without your inducer?"
Greer paused for a second as she looked up at the ceiling, silently counting in her head.
"Four years ago."
K let that sink in as she gave her head a little shake.
"Alright and when's the last time something bad happened when you went without your inducer?"
"Four years ago." Greer turned to face K, her tail flipping behind her.
"Yea, but a lot's changed in that time. Hell, you've changed just since I met you, if Jean's b*** has been any indication. You got me for back up, what else do you need?"
"Pretty sure it's not you that'd be the problem."
Greer's arms crossed as K tossed her's up.
"What's the big deal with just being yourself and showing a little fur?"
"Well of course you'd say that."
There was a sudden tension in the room as K let out a low growl.
"Again? Seriously? I don't know if you've noticed but ..."
"I have noticed K. Alright? You think I like being cooped up in here all the time? I just ... when I'm out there like this I'm - I'm all alone. Like standing in some glass case with all the world taking turns staring at me."
"I just told you I'd be right there."
"Well yea but it's not like you ... it's not like you could ever ..." Greer seemed to slow down and she slowly shot a glance at her inducer that happened to be resting next to K on the desk before settling back on the little feral.
"What? There are very few things that I can't do or won't try. Name it." K grumbled as Greer gave the two one more glance and a rare smirk slowly started to spread across the tigress's face.
"OK ... I'll go out."
"Without the inducer?"
"On two conditions."
"Waiting ..."
"First, you have to come with me. If you don't go ... I don't go."
K just raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. "I just said I'd do that. No reason to make that a condition."
"Second ... you have to wear whatever I say."
K just chuckled. "Not sure how that's a threat - in case you hadn't missed it, Jean and Betsy have been using me as their personal dress up doll for months."
"So that's a deal?" Greer practically purred as her tail gently swayed behind her. K looked incredulous.
"Uh ... yeah."
For some reason Greer said she needed two days and it wasn't any hair off K's back so she let her have it. The only thing that gave her pause was the amount of time the tigress was spending whispering around Kitty and Hank.
"So you got no idea what's got Tigger actin' so squirrely?" Logan sounded skeptical as he joined K on her way down to the ready rooms. 'Leave it to Greer to think heading out for the afternoon required a ready room.' K grumbled to herself.
"Nope. Just taking her out for a drink or three." K had gotten the text that morning and where to meet. She'd been curious when there had been no mention of an outfit but she wasn't about to complain.
"That don't seem so bad." Logan said slyly as he watched her reaction out of the corner of his eye. She gave him a sidelong glance but answered easily.
"Shouldn't be. You know she claims she hasn't been out without an inducer for four years? How can she do that?"
K had taken three steps before she realized she was walking alone and stopped to look back at her fiance.
"What?"
"You're taking her out without an inducer?" Logan asked with a look of disbelief on his face.
"Did I stutter? Yes. And it's about damn time she got out to have some fun." But Logan had a look on his face K couldn't quite place. "What's the problem? Don't think I can take care of her? Because I'm pretty sure if we run into Victor, he's not going to care too much about her."
Logan worked his jaw as he looked at K before slowly approaching her and slipping his arm around her waist.
"Just be careful. I know you're against it but nothin' good's ever come from her being without that inducer."
"You did the same thing with Kurt - he told me as much, and he sounded like it was the best time he'd ever had. Don't worry ... I'll take care of your kitten." He nodded but kept her close to him as they continued down the hall again. After a few doors, K leaned in a bit more and the two walked into one of the smaller ready rooms tucked together to find a rather pleased looking Greer along with a clearly excited Hank and for some reason Jean and Betsy.
"What are you two doing here?" K asked suspiciously of the two women.
"Oh we're just here for the show." Jean smiled and Betsy quickly covered her mouth in an effort to poorly hide her own excitement. K's hackles were definitely up now but no one but Logan was aware of it as K walked straight for Greer.
"Alright Tigger. You got me here. You got a crowd. You got a joke or are we leaving?"
Greer's smile widened as she popped off the wall she'd been leaning on. "Almost, but first ... we're gonna need this."
Greer watched as Hank reached into a small case and pulled out what looked to be yet another inducer and handed it to Greer.
"Thought our deal was you not wearin' one of those," K said with a tiny growl.
"Oh this isn't for me," Greer replied with ill concealed delight. K could hear Jean pulling out her phone, "this is for you."
K just looked dead at Greer's smirking face as she waited for the punchline.
"I'm sorry ... am I missing something?"
The little feral didn't need to turn around to hear the two psychics barely keeping it together. K was a bit surprised when Hank was the one to answer.
"I've been working on a new generation of inducers for the last few months. Tactile inducers ... think of it as minituarized versions of what you battle in the Danger Room. Now Ms. Nelson was aware of my work, having been a pleasant test subject, so she came to me for some help after your ... conversation. I honestly think it's a brilliant idea. Think of it as a trial run for a possible exercise for the students."
K still wasn't getting it.
"A trial run ... for what?"
Now it seemed was Jean's turn. K didn't hide the glower this time.
"Well you seem to fail to grasp how hard it is can be for Greer to be out and about and ... furry. So that," Jean nodded towards Greer, "is like a ... reverse inducer. When you put it on," Greer pushed the inducer into K's hand and wrapped her fingers around it. "And turn it on, of course ... well, you'll see."
"That is if you still wanna go out after you see yourself. So I'll go without my inducer - but you have to wear this one." Greer was practically purring she felt so confident. Fianlly K was gonna have to live her own words ... and let's see just how easy that was. K tore her eyes from Greer and looked over to Jean and Betsy who were grinning in anticipation. She turned to Logan, who just shrugged, his poker face firmly in place.
"Is that all? Okay. Sure." K looked at the little piece of machinery and slipped it over her head before she switched it on without pause. She turned to the full length mirror and froze as amber eyes stared back at her. Tawny fur with little spots ... her brows furrowed as her eyes wandered up to the long tufts on her ears ... she glanced down at her hands and narrowed her eyes at the flared out fur that looked like snowshoes. She twisted her body slightly to take in the short tail and pinched her mouth into a thin line as her jaw locked and she finally spoke between clenched teeth.
"Goddamnit. Don't you say a single goddamned word." K growled out low.
"What's wrong ... you look like a bobcat ..." Greer said delightedly as she bounced in place.
"Nope. Not a bobcat." Logan corrected, his arms crossed as he took a step toward her.
"Shut up or I will cut you." K half snarled.
"If that's not a bobcat than what would you call it?" Greer asked, totally convinced ... although, when it came to wild animals, how often was Logan wrong?
"Shut. Up." K said with a glare as he slipped his hands onto her waist and leaned over her shoulder a bit.
"Looks exactly like a Lynx," Logan said with a grin as K growled lower and tried to push away from him "Canadian Lynx."
"You sonofabitch, you set this up," K accused as he simply held her tighter with a laugh.
Yeah. I did," he chuckled as he buried his face in the fur on her neck. She almost melted into him ... but then -
"Did you really just suggest that? Lynx? No. I will kill myself and take you with me." K snarled and tried to push away but Logan hung firm.
"So does that mean our date is off?" Greer's tone seemed to snap K back to herself and she stared straight at Greer before she stilled in Logan's arms and took a deep cleansing breath.
"Not a chance. Just let me change into something more ... appropriate," K was already feeling oppressed with her sudden layer of fur underneath her clothes, "and I expect to see you down by the garage in twenty." she directed at Greer and without a backwards glance and Logan hot on her tail she stalked out.
Meanwhile the three women still in the room shared a look ... more questions now than answers. "What does she know about appropriate clothing?" Betsy asked what they were all wondering.
It turned out K did know something about clothing ... somehow even when it came to dressing herself with fur. Jean, Betsy and Rogue came around the corner clearly dressed and ready to head out and stopped dead to find K waiting for them, eyebrow raised as she leaned against the wall next to the garage. Though it wasn't just the look that got them all to stop as much as them taking a moment to soak K in.
Typically K was a well known fan of everything denim, flannel and ... well ... functional. Somehow, she looked great in it but 'the cowgirl look' as the other staff called it had quickly become K's kind of uniform. Course it wasn't like she was afraid to show some skin. That happened quite often actually. But what was rare was K showing off much skin if whatever other kind of outfit she did choose to wear ... and even though it was fur showing the affect was no less dramatic.
K wore a grey mini skirt that was low on her hips that went from fitted on top to flared by mid thigh. On top was a matching low cut spaghetti strap top that barely covered her rib cage. Her new spots on her stomach and chest were easily visible. She'd topped off the look with a pair of heels that seemed to be the exact same color as her new tawny fur that Jean was silently wondering when and where the hell the little feral had gotten them.
K's long, almost striped hair was down, but parted to one side, apparently to accent the spots on her neck and the slight flared out fur along her jawline. Everything about the look, hell even the spots, worked effortlessly to compliment the outfit. Or was it the other way around?
"And where do the three of you think you're going?" K asked as she kicked herself off the wall and blocked the hall. She eyed each one individually before settling on their ringleader, Jean. Naturally.
"Well we're going with you and Greer of course." Jean was still smiling ... feline K was too much fun to look at.
"You don't think we'd miss the chance to see this, do you?" Betsy added in.
"Chance to see what? Me all fluffy and allurin' or Greer going out without her inducer?" Something in K's tone got the smiles to drop.
"Lighten up K. You know we're just tryin' to see what you do to the first idiot tryin' to mess with ya." Rogue tried assuring her but even that comment had K's hackles up, though she was wearing a decidedly predatory ... smile.
"You know what's going to happen to the first idiot that tries messing with me. The same thing that always happens to them." She cocked her head to the side as she considered the women in front of her. "But, alright ... I'll tell ya what. You three are more than welcome to come along ... but you follow the same rules I am."
All three women gave K the same confused look.
"What rule?" K's smile widened as she zeroed in on just Jean.
"It's simple. Go get Henry to give each of you your very own kitty cat inducer."
"But - I mean we don't ..." Jean's hesitation was all K needed to hear.
"What'sa matter Red ... it'd still be you. Just furry. /Right/?" She was still smiling, but there was a fierceness in her eyes that had nothing to do with her current appearance. K continued to glare at her for a moment until Greer rounded the corner, digging for her keys in her purse, while grumbling about the outfit K had marched into her room and not so ceremoniously slammed onto her bed without so much as a look. It was the cream one she had suggested back in the attic, a sleeveless, backless sheath dress that ended just above the knee with cutouts at the sides that showcased her stripes. She hadn't been brave enough to take a look in the mirror.
"Hold on a sec, just gotta - oh," Greer looked up when she saw Rogue in her way, "are you ... are you coming with us?"
Greer's tail had gone completely still but lucky for the tigress's nerves K answered for them.
"They just came for one last look at feline grace Tigger. Now c'mon, let's get outta here."
"So ... how are you feeling?"
"The same as the first two dozen times you asked. I'm fine."
"You sure? Because if you're not comfortable we can still turn back."
"Oh, well in that case ... still fine."
"You sure?" and K almost groaned at Greer's desperate tone. She was pretty sure after the 30 min car ride, the tigress was really just trying to talk them out from what they were about to do rather than really inquiring about K's psychological well being. However knowing Greer, the berserker was certain there was at least some genuine concern tucked in there. If that scent of fear wasn't so dominant that is.
"Tigger I'm fine. You're fine. We'll both be fine. And if its any comfort at least you're a bad ass tigress and I'm stuck as a freakin' Canadian lynx. if anyone is going to get ridiculed its going to be my maple leafed ass." K said dryly.
"Well maybe you wouldn't get ridiculed if you had dressed-" and Greer held her tongue when K raised a clawed finger to her mouth.
"DON'T START. I appreciate you all going the extra mile with all the tactile mumbo jumbo, but thanks to that, I can't hardly stand anything touching me. Seriously Tig, how is it that you even wear clothes ..." K glanced over at her driver, "never mind that dress."
"How am I still - K can I just point out that this is the most revealing article of clothing I have ever worn, with and without my inducer? And more importantly ... you picked it out!" Greer finished with a bit of timber. K tapped a claw on her chin thoughtfully.
"Oh yea ... But you conspired with that Canuck to make a lynx as my furry alter ego so you have no right to complain. It couldn't have been something less ... him? I wouldn't have minded being a cougar. Or a regular bobcat. But a damn Lynx? Come. On." K rumbled before crossing her arms as Greer parked the car. The two women lapsed into silence while Greer seemed to get lost within herself for a moment and K leaned over with interest as she watched the tigress lean over the steering wheel, resting her head on her hands. She could almost see what was flashing through the tigress's head. Fear ... Anxiety ... More fear…
"Hey…" Greer looked up, "Don't worry so much. Anyone says anything rude, anyone tries anything, I'll give 'em three deep holes. Plain and simple. Besides, you're not doing this alone." K reasoned and Greer nodded slowly, though she did take a longer time to exit the car then K did. Old habits die hard.
"Well let's get this show on the road! Time to ... go do ... well whatever the hell it is you all do when you go to places like this." The 'place' happened to be the trendy downtown area that Greer liked to meet Simmons, the two having just met there a few weeks ago. "Just as long as we're not shopping. You just got that whole crate full of crap so that's kind of unnecessary." K announced with as much sarcastic enthusiasm as she could but stopped when Greer suddenly tapped her on the shoulder.
"Can I - Can I hold onto you?" the tigress asked meekly, her ears flat and K noticed how those eyes refused to look anywhere but the ground. They had parked at the outskirts of the district and even with the few other people walking towards downtown K could see this wasn't going to be easy. God this kid ...
"Isn't that why I'm here?" and without hesitation, K slung her arm through Greer's before dragging both of them towards the stores, bars, and shopping. Something she had never imagined herself ever doing ... but she had to admit it sure as hell beat the mall and at least they were outside.
Greer felt like her heart had stopped beating when they started getting to the more popular areas. She knew this wasn't the case, but it felt like K had barreled the both of them there head on as all she could hear was the explosive thumps of her escalating heartbeat and the sound of their shoes echoing on the pavement. She didn't need to look up from the floor to know that people were staring. She could just feel it ... like little pinpricks of heat coming from every direction.
'Oh god what am I doing...' and she curled her tail a little tighter around her legs as a passing group of teens gawked before stealing a glance at K. She almost stopped on the spot. The little lynx was walking calmly - actually no ... strutting. Quite gracefully actually as if she had been the one imbued with actual feline grace while Greer just blundered around awkwardly behind her due to her insistence of looking nowhere but the ground. Greer pinned her ears back when she realized literally everyone was staring. But she had a feeling they were staring for a whole another reason then the one she had previously assumed when it came to the lithe little lynx. Seeming to guess what she was thinking, K smirked up at her.
"C'mon Tig, if they're going to stare. At least give them something worth staring at …" K nearly hissed at the panicked tigress who nodded weakly, slowly coming out of her almost crouched position behind K. That was her attempt at hiding but using someone who was nearly two heads shorter than you ... well not the best plan. She focused instead on copying how K moved, how she purposefully swayed her hips and tail in conjunction. It seemed to work and she felt the tension dissipate gradually.
"Heh ... Gonna owe him an apology."
K glanced over at Greer's sarcastic laugh.
"Him who?"
"Colton ... wasn't too long ago I was dragging him out here with an inducer. Guess I should have given him more credit." Greer said morosely, her mind clearly elsewhere ... in fact that she didn't even realize that they had made it to her favorite store.
"So? Did you drop dead on the spot? Did I miss it or ... oh. Look. We got here and no one died. Amazing." K snarked.
"Very funny ..." Greer growled under her breath but she did seem to relax as the two felines stepped into the familiar store. Greer had been coming here for years ... although never with this many stares in her direction. She tried following K's lead and simply ignore them but the mother quickly gathering up her kids and heading for the exit at a slow, backwards walk as if afraid to turn her back on the tigress ... stung. Along with the few other women who followed soon after. K must have noticed, she had to, I mean with enhanced senses and all, but the disguised feral just seemed to ignore those people and carried on browsing through the store. Greer, sick of feeling like a helpless kid in K's presence, took a breath and did the same. Well at least she tried to until someone brazenly stepped into her view.
"Did you ... ah ... ladies find what you were looking for?" Greer looked up in surprise to find a pretty blond dressed in the stores colors that she recognized. Though the look of barely contained fear and loathing were definitely new. Greer's stomach immediately dropped.
"Not quite yet, but we'll let you know if we need any help." K said easily as her tail lolled behind her lazily. Stuff here wasn't terrible ... if not well made.
"No, I mean to say ..." the staffer took a nervous glance around the store before she leaned toward the two cats the slightest, as if… Afraid to touch them and when she spoke again, her voice had lost its usual welcoming tone, "We don't have anything you're looking for."
K's tail gave a flick. Greer was watching it carefully ... she'd never really been able to read K before. Wait ... did people do that to her ...
"You don't know what I'm here for lady." K retorted, her voice also taking on an edge as she kept her eyes on the merchandise. To her credit, the woman stood her ground despite her legs trembling behind that pencil skirt.
"I'm really going to have to insist that you two move on."
"Oh and why is that?" K sneered back causing another good deal of people to suddenly leave the store and Greer thought it best to intervene. She clearly didn't know how bad these kind of things could get.
"Come on, K, let's just go." the tigress said softly, but K was having none of it.
"Go? Are you serious Tig? Nobody is tellin us where we can go and where we can't. Not how this works. We're the customers. And we have the right to be here like anybody else."
"And I have the right to refuse service to anyone I deem unserviceable and you two most definitely qualify." Carol shot back and Greer grabbed K's shoulder before the little berserker did something truly horrifying to the unsuspecting saleswoman.
"C'mon K, Carol obviously doesn't want us here. Let's just go?"
"Not until I give her a piece of my- Woah, wait. Isn't this the girl?" K suddenly asked, her face reading realization as she took a careful look at Carol.
"No ... it's not. " Greer hissed, panicking that K's epiphany would make the whole situation at least 10 times more uncomfortable. "Come on. I'm sorry we're leav -"
"Yes it is." K asserted, refusing to budge much to Greer's chagrin. "She's that sales girl you won't shut up about. The one who recommends you and the red head all those clothes."
"I - I'm sorry do you think I know you?" Carol intervened, sounding almost offended at the very notion that she knew these two troublesome mutants who were making her lose customers at such an alarming rate. Security guards. That was the first thing she was going to bring up to her manager the next time she saw her. Security guards would do the trick of keeping these awful mutants out.
Her look and that tone of voice got Greer and K share a look, Greer practically begging K at this point but the older feral simply crossed her arms and planted her feet a little more firmly to the ground.
"Yeah Tigger, I'm pretty sure you know her. Why don't you reintroduce yourself. Jog her memory." and K's tone of voice made it clear to Greer the two of them weren't going anywhere till the tigress had sorted out this ... mess.
"I ..." and Greer paused before letting out a long, drawn out breath, her voice shaking as she turned to face the smaller woman, "Carol it's me. Greer."
"Who?"
"Greer. Greer Nelson."
Carol takes a second, looks bit harder at Greer who's tail wants to freak out but K notices just how hard she's wrapping it around an ankle.
"No way ..." Carol
"Yea ..." Greer
"Greer!? What the hell happened to you? How did you … How did you become … Like this?!" and K watched as Greer visibly shrunk in front of her. The tigress curling into herself as if trying to make herself appear smaller. K narrowed her eyes at that. Although from how Carol was staring, she hate to admit it but it also kind of made her want to recoil away from that disgusted expression.
"Nothing happened to me… I… I have always been like this…. Ever since I first came here…" Greer answered meekly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Wait… What?" and Carol seemed to have trouble processing that her favourite customer was also the strange tiger woman standing in front of her… The blonde rested a hand against her temple clearly in deep thought while K dug a firm but gentle hand into Greer's side, holding her in place as if to tell the clearly panicking tigress to just stay and watch what will happen. They all held their breaths.
Finally, Carol simply sighed, shaking her head before looking back at Greer who had already clearly braced herself for the worse.
"Fine. Stay but… next time… Don't pull this stunt again or there won't be a next time." she said coldly, her voice still not losing that hard edge as she walked off as if too escape the tension filled room but Greer was too… Surprised to be bothered by it…. She blinked… This was the first time things hadn't gone horribly wrong… In fact, she was rather surprised by the turn of events… Carol didn't kick her out…. That was way more than she could ask for…In fact, she was so deep in thought that she barely noticed K subtly elbowing her.
"C'mon lets go."
"Go? But we just got permission to stay…"
"I don't need permission from anyone. Particularly an uptight fugly bitch. More importantly, that twat couldn't pay me to stay in her idiotic store," K said at a low growl before gracefully making her way out of the store. Greer stole one more look at Carol who seemed to be deliberately avoiding eye contact with the tigress and Greer sighed.
"Just be happy she didn't call the MRD on us…" Greer muttered before following K out.
"Ha. Let her call 'em. I'm in the mood to cut someone," K snarled causing Greer to wince as the two of them walked down the busy main street, causing people to dart out of their way, not that the little berserker seemed to care, she was still too focused on ranting about what had happened in the store while Greer just followed nervously, ears pinned down the whole time.
"What kind of shop owner turns away business? Good paying business? She'd be lucky to have you buying her overpriced crap. What the hell is wrong with her? She calls you a friend ... what? Until you don't look like her? What a tea bagging sack of crap."
"K…"
"You know, it's just hypocritical. Unless you look like everyone, they don't want you to be here ? Well she can bet her over botoxed ass there won't be a next time ... cheap, stuckup little ..."
"K." Greer said a little louder noting how groups of people weren't even being subtle about getting out of their way anymore.
"The way she looked at you? Oh, honey, I wanted to carve her f'n eyes out. I swear to God, just let me -"
"K!" and the lynx finally stopped and stared at her partner who made a little gesture with her head, indicating to the brunette the sheer amount of people staring at them. K just looked around blankly as if it was normal to have a crowd stop and stare, but it was clearly rubbing on the tigress, who had returned back into her crouched position, arms wrapped around her middle, tail looped around her legs. K stiffened, before simmering down and continued to walk with Greer in silence. This wasn't how she expected today to go. But after what happened back in the store ... K had to reconsider things. She had one brush with someone treating her different cause of this fur and she'd nearly removed the woman's head from her shoulders. Literally.
"Damn it." K cursed quietly, suddenly realizing that the only difference between her and Greer was that the tigress didn't get pissed ... she just panics and complies. Fat load of difference it made now. If K really wanted to set an example for Greer, she should have just stayed in the store and continued browsing like nothing had happened but instead, she ended up doing what Greer had intended to do on instinct ... Get the hell out of there. And K thought she had been doing such a good job but now the berserker felt like she had moved them backwards rather than forwards in terms of proving her point to the tigress. Damn it all to hell...
"God damnit, I need a drink," K mumbled.
"Um hey…" Greer's surprised yelp got K to instantly turn and snarl at what she thought was the next idiot of the day, the effect which admittedly had taken on a new level now that the berserker had longer fangs and bristled fur to boot. The man in question quickly backed away, as what looked like a group of friends rushed forwards.
"What the hell was that for?" A shorter red head shot at K who turned to glare her way.
"Invadin' my personal space," the little feral snarled out. Greer could hear Colton's training in her head as she quickly started mapping the quickest way back to the car and K looked ready to tear into all of them.
"You didn't need to hiss at him!" A taller black man, somewhere in his early 20's came to his friend's defense. K of course wasn't in the mood to be backing down.
"Yeah? Wanna see what else I don't need to do?" Greer recognized the ready stance K had as one that meant someone was going to bleed and tensed herself for a fight.
"Hey! Woah ... everybody relax." The guy K had originally snarled at quickly stepped between the two parties, Greer noticed he was around her height but with his hood up it made it hard to see much else. His friends seemed to take a collective breath and he turned back to the two felines.
"Sorry bout that. Didn't mean to startle you."
"Take a lot more than that to startle me, pal," K's tail was flicking as Greer stood slightly behind her shoulder.
"No I was just ... I get it. It can be a bit tough out here. For people like us." His tone dropped and with a look around he pulled his hood back
to show the scales at the side of his face.
"Oh ... I - I'm sorry," Greer quickly intervened before K could say anything, "My friend's just a little ..." Greer glanced down at the lynx, who still hadn't dropped her guard. "Overprotective. That's all." K noted that despite this guy being a fellow mutant, Greer's hands were still shaking.
"Yeah. Like I said, I get it. We mutants have to stick together after all…" the man answered sheepishly as he gave a nod towards K who kept a solid lock on the guy and huffed a bit.
"My names Raffi. This is Janet, Brian, and Melissa." Raffi turned to the friends standing behind him. Greer was wondering but K of course just asked.
"They all mutants too?"
"Just me." The red head ... Melissa, waved quickly back, her fingertips flaming a little. Rafi leaned over to both cats conspicuously.
"If you two girls want to have fun without all the norms giving you a hard time, you might want to check this place out." and he moved to hand a card to Greer which K deftly intercepted.
"Thanks. That's ... really nice of you." Greer offered and the man blushed.
"Its nothing. Really ... We were all just headin there ourselves. And by the way ... I think its uh ... really brave of the both of you to be doing what you are doing."
"Being ourselves?" K cut in dryly though her trademark smirk was back in place as she elbowed Greer, seemingly being the only one to note that the man seemed to only look in the shy tigress's direction.
"Um yeah but like out in the open. Takes a lot of guts. Not everyone can be an X-Man you know?" the man said sheepishly and K's smirk widened in a mirror to Greer's eyes.
"Maybe you should give it a try. It's Tigger's first time too." Now it was Greer's turn to elbow K.
"Yeah maybe I should then," the man muttered with a small grin before looking at his watch. "We gotta go but it's been nice meeting you… and you." he corrected himself, suddenly remembering K was still standing there.
"Likewise, and thanks for the card!" Greer called and K couldn't only hide her smirk as the man proceeded to trip a little before waving awkwardly as he walked off, his friends laughing at his expense.
"I think he liked you." K whispered with a grin on her face which only proceeded to get wider as Greer's expression morphed from normal to scandalized.
"Wha … NO! Of course he doesn't like me. No one has liked me since I was sixteen."
"Except for Colton."
"Well yeah…"
"And maybe Kurt…" K said breezily.
"You're joking right?" Greer snapped though those arms did finally leave her middle.
"Being dead serious." K said solemnly before wrapping an arm round Greer. "You know what your problem is? You don't show enough people your real self.. You spend all your time hiding with that inducer and worrying about what other people think that you don't catch on to what other people really think… Like scales back there.""Well… yeah maybe… but… I'm pretty sure Raffi was just being nice. I mean no one's going to like - ow!" and Greer stopped while K's hand stayed by her ear.
"Don't even start, girl…" she warned with a slight growl, "Now ... like I said before, I could use a drink." and K glared a little at the card.
"Utopia. So much for subtle," she noted dryly while Greer just rolled her eyes.
"Let's just go..." Greer urged, partly to get them out of public but ... she allowed herself a secret smile. People had crushes on her?
"Tigger you narcissist. Quit basking in your own glow for a second and focus." The tigress quickly snapped herself back to the present walking a little faster to keep up with the smaller woman who noted with a certain degree of satisfaction that Greer had now also gotten out of that awful crouching position. Maybe they were moving forward after all.
"Hey it's Tigra!"
"Tigra where?"
"Look its Tigra ..."
"K … Can we get out of here?" Greer whispered uncomfortably as unanimous silence settled over the bar when the two had entered. This wasn't playing out like Greer had expected. She thought that being in a mutant bar meant for once nobody was going to stare. Except everybody was kinda staring and worse they weren't being subtle about it. Guess she should have known better after living in the Mansion all these years ... she was a freak everywhere.
"Not on your stripes, Cheerleader," K announced before making a beeline to the bar while Greer just carefully followed. As she took a seat, she couldn't help but keep glancing back and forth as when people passed her, they moved oddly, as if afraid to touch her.
"Are you sure we can't -"
"I have beer. I'm not moving until I'm done and ... this might take a little while" K said gruffly, making a comfortable show of settling into her barstool so Greer could only copy and do the same. Satisfied, the patrons of the bar seemed to finally get over ... well whatever that was bothering them and resume whatever they were doing, the volume returning to a loud hum. That got Greer to untense slightly, hunching her shoulders up and sipping her drink while K just shook her head in exasperation. The kid was still not getting it.
"Honestly Greer, you need to relax. No one is out to get you."
"Oh yeah? Why the hell were they all staring then?" Greer hissed back lowering her head a bit further as a couple walked past the two of them, their eyes drifting to the tigress.
"Because they know who you are, and they love you..."K said simply. Honestly... she felt like she needed to spell everything out to this kid. "They're admirers. Fans. Don't you get it? They know you're one of the X-Men ... hell maybe even an Avenger."
"But I wasn't a -"
"They're staring because you're a celebrity to them." and that got Greer to choke on her drink. "A mutant hero. Enjoy it."
"You're shittin' me ... right?"
"Do I look like I'm joking? Why are they only staring at you then? If it was about fur, it'd be both of us, but it's not."
"So you're saying they'd be looking at you if you weren't wearing that inducer? You've been out enough with the X-Men."
"If any of them were staring at me without the fur for THAT reason, then it means I haven't been doing the whole keeping a low profile thing right," K smirked but then grew serious. "Really, Tig, take a good long look around you and tell me I'm wrong."
Reluctantly, Greer removed her hand and raised her head, allowing herself a good look around the bar. Her ears swiveled and she noticed that ... yes. People were staring but ... on a closer inspection, they weren't staring at her out of ... disgust or even fear... it was more out of... awe. The tigress froze. Maybe if she hadn't been so insistent of ducking and escaping, she might have noticed that a couple of groups of people had been trying to throw smiles in her direction.
"Toldja."
"OK ... this is kinda weird but I think you might have had a point." Greer said softly to K who only gave a shrug and gestured towards the winged bartender for another beer.
"Um excuse me?" and the two woman turned to find a group of guys staring at them sheepishly before the bravest one, the one in the front spoke again, after getting a little nudging from his friends.
"Um we were wondering if you two um... wanted to dance with us?" Greer blinked. Whaaaaat was happening? K of course was ready with an answer.
"I don't dance kids ... but Tigger here is." and Greer suddenly felt herself pushed rather far forward for someone who looked so small.
"What I... No I'm not. I'm alright..." the tigress admitted shyly, she had bumped into the one of the guys and she didn't like how his smile was making her blush. It reminded her too much of Billy's ... Oh God... Colton was not going to be happy if he was here
"Ok maybe one dance..." she finally relented.
"Knock em' dead Tig." K called raising her glass to which Greer replied with a warning look but just for fun, she allowed her tail to gently run against the guy's leg as she passed him ... She never tried that before but it seemed to work. This was kinda fun ...
K watched as Greer went off with those group of guys... Despite playing the part of the indifferent friend, she was watching very closely and from the way the girl was dancing and the way she held herself out there and more importantly, the way the guys were reacting to her. It was just as K thought... Greer obviously knew how to be confident, she knew how to work people to her favor it was just such a damn pity that she didn't believe that she could. Greer was wrong... It wasn't that she had lost her "old self" or whatever crap she had been telling herself. The only thing she lost was faith in herself...
Apex growled to himself as he felt his wound open as he slipping on a tank and headed downstairs. reer would not be happy about that.
Speaking of Greer… He had been wondering where the tigress was all day and was told rather halfheartedly by Jean earlier that she had gone out shopping with K.
Greer going out shopping he could understand. With K however ... the panther shook his head. That alone sounded suspicious enough but he had gotten a text soon after from Greer stating what she had planned and the tracker he had on her was working so he let it rest. He was heading down now because Greer had just texted him to tell him that she had something to show him so … he thought it best to be present when they got back. With K involved ... he wasn't sure what state Greer might be in, nevermind a surprise.
Making his way down the stairs he paused abruptly when he entered the living room and for the first time, the giant panther was caught entirely off guard. There, on the couch ... Apex cocked his head, his ears lowering in confusion at the seemingly new feline resident of the mansion. I mean he knew there were at least three other feline mutants but ... none that looked like this. He looked up and down the hall hoping to spot Greer or Logan or ... well anyone. Was this what Greer was referring to when she had said that she had a surprise waiting for him? He shifted his weight suddenly uncomfortable as he looked back at the ... Lynx? He supposed the tactical move now was to introduce himself ... or something. He should do something ... right? He was trying to recall how he had seen Greer do it ...
As Apex took a hestitant step into the room towards what he thought was a new house mate, he became more confused when only K's scent of lake water, worn leather, and pine was present. He took a closer look at the feline and took a careful step back but it caught the attention of the lynx curled up with her feet under her on the sofa who immediately looked over her shoulder, and gave him a measured once over before she turned to face him fully, her arms crossed loosely on the back of the couch.
"Hi there…" the surprise must have been very evident on his face as the lynx broke into a malicious grin that only K, fur or no fur, could posses. She gracefully leaped over the sofa and it was only then Colton realized she was wearing what amounted to a cropped top and some very short cut off jeans giving him a clear view of the tawny fur. His first thought had been how this was a complete 180 from how Greer dressed before he realized how close K had gotten to him and immediately he focused on back peddling, suddenly very uncomfortable but unable to bring himself to do anything more than that.
"What's wrong, fuzz? Don't you recognize me like this? You haven't growled at me today. You might get a girl thinking that maybe you prefer this look …" K purred with a little pout as she stalked closer, successfully backing the much larger cat into a wall. Just for fun, and since he seemed too confused to do anything else, she leaned in effectively almost going nose to nose with him, pinning him there without even laying a finger on him… K's pout morphed into a smirk and she arched one eyebrow as she cocked her head, wondering what exactly she could get away with before someone cracked. This was just too much fun…
"OK! ENOUGH" The two cats in question turned to find both a seething Greer and an very unhappy looking Logan. Apex lowered his ears. The look on Greer's face tipped him off that he might have to be very careful with how he was going to act ... If possible leave the room as quickly as he could but K seemed to do the complete opposite, her smirk widening before she simply purred low in her throat, rolling her bare shoulder … just for effect it seemed.
"I dunno Tigger ... I kinda like this. Maybe just another couple -"
"Inducer now." the tigress snarled. K grinned. Greer couldn't believe it, this day totally didn't go as planned. She'd thought she'd finally get the joy of seeing the usually confident berserker maybe mellow down a bit from what she thought would be a somewhat humbling experience. But that had backfired spectacularly. How the hell was she supposed to know K had such a smooth strut? Woman could have damn near be a professional flirt. Come to think of it, Greer wouldn't be surprised if she was.
To add insult to injury, she thought the pièce de résistance would have been to introduce the new K to Colton. But that had played way differently in her head. Nothing like this.
In fact, why the hell was Colton still just staring blankly at K. Greer narrowed her eyes with a growl. She never considered herself the jealous type but she wasn't use to seeing Colton staring at other women. She could now say for a fact she didn't like it one damned bit.
"Awww come on Tigger, I was just getting warmed up," K purred as her she turned her focus on Logan and her long tufted ears swiveled toward him. Logan hard stance began soften just the slightest but the tigress remained firm.
"Just take it off and go gloat you flirty weasel," Greer growled before sticking her hand out expectantly.
"What do you want me to take off, Tigger?" K returned as she started to unbutton her jeans. "And once I do ... are you gonna wrestle me? I'm sure Colton would appreciate that."
"INDUCER. NOW!" the tigress practically roared but Logan had already intervened. He ran over and picked up his fiance before getting the hell out of there before Greer could go after them. Speaking of going after someone -
"You hold it right there mister," Greer snarled low and Colton immediately halted his attempts at escaping as the tigress stormed up to him.
"So do you mind explaining what the hell was happening there?"
Greer watched as the usually calculated panther seemed to flounder for a moment before his eyes slowly narrowed.
"Where have you been?"
The tone of Colton's voice now had Greer faltering a little.
"Around ... with K."
She took a measured step back as Colton took one forwards.
"And who else?"
Greer gave Colton one wide eyed expression before shooting for the nearest exit, only stopping with a surprised roar when Apex finally caught her before the tree line.