xXx
I glanced around the change room nervously as Rouge and Rahne talked about their history project beside me. I might be just paranoid, but all day it seemed like everyone was watching me. Whenever I entered a room, everyone would go silent and stare at me. It was the same when I first came to the school and people reacted this way because I was Jean's long-lost-thought-to-be-dead- daughter. Some how them acting like this unnerved me more now, just because I didn't know why.
Jubilee seemed to be staring at me with the most intense glare. If she were Scott, I'd probably be fried with red laser beams by now. I met her stare with a cool glare.
She just sniffed and went back to talking with Kitty, though she kept glancing back at me.
"Okay, that's weird." I said to Rahne and Rouge.
"What's weird?" Rahne asked as she zipped up her training suit. Seeing that the arms and legs were too long, she sighed and unzipped the suit, trading it for the one Rogue held.
"How everyone keeps staring at me?" I answered with a slight head nod towards Jubilee. "Do you guys know something I don't?"
"I haven't heard anything. What about you Rogue?" Rogue shook her head and went back to tying up her shoes. "I've noticed that too though, the staring. The firecracker must be pissed because it looks like she's trying to learn how to shoot death rays. Don't look at her, it'll just make her feel important. What did you do?"
"Nothing!" I replied. After a moments thought I added, "That I know of anyway. Besides, pissing people off is more your job than mine."
Rahne gave me a wolfy grin. "Yeah, and you'd better not be trying to take that from me. Don't worry about it Aly, you know how rumors are in this school. You'll hear about it sooner or later."
I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, if that doesn't make me feel better than I don't know what would."
Rahne opened her mouth but before she could speak a loud male voice echoed around the change room.
"Fall in!"
Every girl scrambled to obey, fighting to get out the door and not be the last one out. Our teachers were very particular about being on time and tried to drill its importance into us. Usually the last one caught out would be bombarded by a loud demeaning speak from the instructor followed by punishment that could range from fifty laps around the danger room to a month's worth of chores.
We fell into two lines, the girl's in one and the boys in another, facing each other. We were dressed all in the same black jumpsuits, standing at ease like soldiers instead of students.
I smiled when Peter stood across from me. He stood at least a head taller than the boys on either side of him and when he brought his arms behind his back to clasp his hands together, the black material from his suit pulled tight against his chest. The only thing stopping me from believing he was some ancient Greek warrior reincarnated in a Calvin Klein model was that his suit's legs were too short, so the revealed a good proportion of his one Pittsburgh Penguins and one plain white socks.
My grinning stopped suddenly when a burly man with black hair walked between the two lines.
"When you're told to be ready at two o'clock, then you're to be ready at two o'clock! You say you wanna be X-men? Well X-men don't show up late to an emergency because they were putting on their make up!" Wolverine barked at us teenagers.
I glared coldly at him as he continued his scolding rant that we heard so many times before. He hadn't been at the mansion since what happened at the garage. Rumors were that he left for Canada while others said he was with the Avengers. Honestly, I didn't care where he was, just as long as the pervert was far from me.
Eventually he finished. Some people were shaking a little, while others stood straight but pale. The Wolverine could be frightening. Perhaps if I had actually been listening to him, I would be affected in the same way.
Shaking his head, he did the procedures to unlock the Danger Room. He waited at the door as the teenagers filed past him, just too make sure each of them had been properly listening to his scolding. Most did their best to not draw attention to themselves, but Rogue gave him a quick hug as she pasted. Apparently he saved her a few times and now he was like a father figure to her, but that just brought me to thinking what happened when I thought of him the same way.
I stared straight ahead of me, keeping my face blank when I passed through the door. I had almost made it to the other side when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Alanta? I need to talk to you." Logan said quietly.
I examined him, hoping that every once of loathing I felt for him showed. "Yeah? Well I don't feel like talking."
Logan was quiet for a moment. Eventually he said, "I'm a teacher, I could-"
I jerked myself away from his hand. "Yes, you're a teacher. That's what makes it worse."
I stormed away from him. Peter came up beside me and asked quietly, "What did Wolverine want?"
I almost said 'a mini Jean', but I stopped myself. "Nothing."
Seeing my expression, Peter let it drop, probably because he planned to ask again in private tonight. He stood closely beside me, his muscled arm touching mine. It wasn't until later that I realized I was doing it but I leaned gently against his sturdy frame. Jubilee glared at me with open hatred from her spot with the rest of Peter's friends.
Wolverine entered the Danger Room, the thick metal door closing behind him. Pressing a button from the small black remote in his hand, we found ourselves in a giant forest. The Danger Room's holographic technology was amazing.
Wolverine explained the training exercise for today. It was basically capture the flag, mutant style. We were allowed to use our powers (to a degree) to get into the enemy's area and steal the flag. We had to work defense as well as offence. All the while trying not to sustain any permanent damage.
There were too many of us, so we had to break into four teams. Teams Mutant Pryde (I belonged to this team, named after our team captain Kitty Pryde) and X-Power (Peter was team captain for this team) were up first.
Shadowcat already had a plan and a hiding spot for our flag picked out. She put Angel (we are supposed to use code names only during DR sessions) and I in charge of leading of the offence squad so she and Iceman could focus on the defense team. I was pretty impressed with her ideas for defense; outside of classes Shadowcat always seemed kind of preppy and useless. I guess I made a mistake.
Fifteen minutes into our game, Angel led three quarters of our team to do a frontal attack. His squad was mainly to take out as many 'enemies' and cause a distraction so my team could sneak in and grab their flag. When we got their flag, the plan was that Siren would signal the rest of our offence squad to cover us so we could get back to our side.
At least that was the plan. Angel's team was doing well, but all but two of my people were captured. I still had Diffuse, a girl that could make herself invisible and Pyro. I was scoping out the area from a tall tree when I saw Mirage from X-Power by a waterfall. So far we hadn't even found their flag, we just knew the rough location of it. But this had promise. Mirage was a low level physic, known mostly for her illusions. She looked around nervously, and didn't seem to be able to stand still.
Angel, I said telepathically. I felt him jump a little at my voice in his head, though this is the third time I communicated with him since the game started. I think I found their flag.
Alright, nothing to report here, Wildcat. Signal as soon as you have it and we'll move to cover you. Angel replied.
Below I sensed something. Breaking off the connection, I did a backflip out for the tree just in time to avoid being grabbed by a shiny steal hand.
Landing in a fight ready stance, I looked up. Standing feet from me was a tall muscular girl made of steal, looking down at me. It took me a moment to realize it was Rogue. Usually I would have been happy to see her, but since she was on the X-Power team, I wasn't so eager to greet her. She tried to tackle me, but I dodged her. If her borrowed muscles didn't get me, contact with her skin still could. I had to be smart about this.
"Rogue, you touched Peter?" I asked, sounding hurt.
My plan worked. Automatically her steal melted back to human flesh, and she seemed to shrink.
"Aly, Ah swear Ah didn't, he thought it was the best strategy, so-" Rogue babbled.
I smiled as I interrupted her.
"Gotcha."
"Wh-" Rogue was fast asleep before she could even finish the word. I hid her under a bush where she wouldn't be hurt and took back to the trees to get closer to Mirage.
Diffuse, Pyro; I think I found the flag. I sent the message telepathically to the remaining of my team, including the location of the flag. How long do you think it will take you to meet me there?
Diffuse got herself captured, its only you and me left. Pyro replied.
What? How she get captured, she can turn invisible- never mind, I guess its just you and me.
I'm closer than you are, I'm above the waterfall.
Okay, wait for me there. Do not engage until I get there. I instructed as I jumped from branch to branch.
I can take her out. Mirage sucks as a telepath, and if I can surprise her-
No, wait until I get there. I told him firmly. I sensed that he hated being told what to do, especially from a girl younger than him. He thought Kitty was an idiot for assigning me this job when he was 'more qualified'. He thinks she's only doing it because I'm Peter's-
I was so shocked at what I read that I lost my grip and fell to the forest floor with a great thud.
HOW DID HE KNOW ABOUT ME AND PETER?
I took in a deep breath, trying to calm down.
I guess that explains the death glares from Jubilee…
Wildcat, Angel yelled from his mind, forcing me to pay attention. We're starting to fall a little behind here, do you have the flag?
No, but I'm on it. I answered, breaking of the link. Angel reminded me that I had no time to freak out now, I owed it to the team.
But as soon as I'm done winning this stupid game, heads will roll.
xXx
Five minutes later, I was cursing every law of fate that led to having Pyro on the same team as me. The ignoramus ignored my orders and attacked without backup. It turns out that Mirage wasn't only hiding X-Power's flag but five super powered bodyguards. He was knocked out cold by the time I got there, so not only did I have to deal with eleven of the enemy but had to protect the idiot from being trampled, iced, electrocuted, poisoned darts, etc.
"You know- ah!" I dodged a huge fist aimed at my head. I spun and kicked my attacker in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. I glared down at the unconscious Pyro I was wasting time protecting. "why you didn't get picked for captain? BECAUSE YOU'RE AN IDIOT!"
Eventually I took out the bodyguards, leaving only Mirage. She had managed to stay out of the fighting but now she had no protection. I walked slowly towards her, wary of any other surprises she was hiding.
I felt her against my mind, trying to take control. Too bad for her, it was like a butterfly trying to fight its way through a steal wall. It just wasn't going to happen. I pushed her away mentally and she looked at me in fear.
"Flag please." I said, holding out my hand.
Mirage sighed and gave me X-Power's flag, muttering "This is such a stupid game."
I tied her to a tree instead of mentally or physically knocking her out. I was about to signal Angel to bring his squad for back up, but I suddenly felt a painful jolt at the back of my skull. The world spun around me as I fell to the ground.
"And you were calling me the idiot." I heard a male voice laugh.
I looked over my shoulder to see Pyro stooping to pick up the flag that I dropped when he hit me. A large bloody rock lay a little while away. I felt the back of my head, it was sticky wet and tender.
"You could have killed me." I struggled to say, fighting to stay conscious. "What does it matter who gets the flag?"
Pyro knelt beside my head smiling, "I don't like being beat, even by my own team. Better luck next time."
This guy's a complete psycho. That was my last thought before I blacked out.
xXx
Pyro was walking away from Wildcat, smirking at his own brilliance. Peter's bitch probably wouldn't even remember what happened, not after the way he hit her. They'll think it was the other team and he'll get all the credit for getting the flag. That'll show those stupid bitches, for not making him a captain, for bossing him around.
His mutant ability was the first to tip him off that something wasn't right. He could sense fire, but he didn't start it.
Turning, he saw Wildcat rising up from the ground and into the air.
"Seriously? Just accept it, you lost." Pyro said, trying to sound confident. But honestly, he was afraid and he didn't know why. Something about her felt ….wrong.
She didn't answer him, just floated eerily closer.
Pyro began to back up. "It was just a joke, alright?"
Suddenly flames shot out of her very pores, staying around her like armor. Her usual blue eyes blazed with flames. Did he hear something about Alanta developing a second mutation?
"Do you seriously think that's supposed to scare me?" Pyro snickered. Pulling out his lighter and flicking it, he now had a ball of flame in his hand. "I'm the god of fire, you're little sparks don't scare me."
Wildcat now spoke, but it was not her voice that came from her mouth. This voice was haunting and powerful, and it reminded John of a blazing inferno.
"You dare to commit sacrilege in the presence of a goddess?" She said, distain and loathing in her voice. "I have seen into your soul and I know what lies beneath your surface. There is an evil in you that I have not witnessed it decades."
Pyro stumbled back, what was this crazy bitch talking about? Was she just messing with him? She must be, there was no way she was serious.
Panicking, Pyro pulled at the flames around her, trying to use his mutant power to control the flames. It had no affect.
She actually laughed at him. With a flick of her hand, Pyro dropped where he stood. Walking slowly towards the fallen boy, she wondered if it would be a favor to the universe to kill him now.
Her head flew up like a startled horse, she sensed people coming. Using her powers, she set the pathetic lowlife back up right before sinking back into Alanta.
She wouldn't have to be hidden for much longer…
xXx
Sorry for not writing in such a long time! I've been ridiculously busy and my computer's on the frizz. Hopefully I'll be updating sooner. And this was a pretty bad chapter, sorry about that, this is just setting up my master plan
Random Cookie Ninja: Glad you like the story, thanks for the review!
L: I guess we'll see :P Haha, thanks for the review!
imaninja41: You have such an awesome way of doing a review! And I hope the whole story doesn't fail miserably.
Bryan: Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Storyteller22: I'm glad you're interested, thanks for reviewing :D