Almost three weeks had passed since Piotr had lost his sister and Marie had returned home to the school. Training consumed everyone's lives from combat, to mutant skills, tactics, and in-depth study of the major players on both sides. Kitty had recently celebrated her fifteenth birthday with the school before going out with Piotr for the evening after her party. Now Marie's eighteenth birthday was around the corner and friction between members of the teams was coming to a head.
"All I'm saying is there are a lot of us on her team who don't even understand her abilities in the slightest." Emma Frost argued hands on white clad hips.
"I've explained it a thousand times Emma. It's probability manipulation we've been over how it works, I even showed you some of my memories, what more do you want?" Chris asked throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation.
"Then show us. None of us have seen what you can do." She demanded.
"Ok show of hands how many of you have seen my manipulation?" Chris asked incredulously.
Logan, Remy, Ethan, Rampage, Deadpool, Obsidian, and Storm all raised their hands. Only the students and Emma were left in the dark.
"See that's more than half of your team Chris. You owe us an example. Also, what's with this backlash you always talk about with not wanting to try to influence particular things? How are we supposed to know your limitations and risks if we haven't seen it before?" Emma demanded.
Flinching Ethan raised his hand and said, "I've seen it... once. It's not worth doing on purpose for show and tell Emma. Leave her alone on that one."
"I have witnessed this phenomenon as well. I had to carry her lifeless form for almost a week while her body and mind healed." Obsidian added.
"Look Emma, she knows her limitations and on the rare occasions she pushes them its because she is beyond desperate. The best way to plan for that is to make sure everyone around her is as capable of protecting themselves as possible. She got lucky the one time she did something stupid to save my ass, but she won't be so lucky every time and the only time she pushes herself that far is if she decides the only way to save someone else's life is to risk her own." Deadpool said arms crossed glaring down the blond woman.
"What happens?" Rogue asked then jumped when she realized she had said it out loud, "not that I want you to show us or anything... just so we know."
Chris sighed defeated and knowing they were right to ask these questions, "It depends on what I was trying to control... In the example Obsidian gave I tried to redirect a fifteen foot title wave that was going to wash away a village... I failed and the backlash from the amount of power I tried to use to control something that large..." Chris trailed off not actually knowing the medical impact of what had happened to her.
"She bled from everywhere; her nose, her eyes, her ears. It flowed into her lungs until she drown in it and died over and over and over again as I emptied them for her. It was like every blood vessel in her brain exploded at once." Obsidian provided calmly.
"You survived that?" Bobby asked in astonishment.
Chris shrugged, "Honestly I didn't know I had. All I remember was the worst pain in my head ever and then waking up a week later and not wanting to know what had happened. My healing ability seems to be that of a level five ferals in strength just not rate. It is not uncommon for dead level five to awaken once more after whatever ails them is fixed. It takes me much longer though. What might take Logan five seconds will take me hours to heal from. The time with Ethan wasn't so bad. I remember that one. It felt like I got hit with a frying pan on ever side of my head. I tried to will a bullet from a very high quality gun away from a team mate at the last second. He died."
Everyone was silent for a few moments before Chris said, "Lets go down to the Danger Room. I'll show you what my skills are like. Don't expect to see me loose control though; I tend not to try anything that stupid very often."
Everyone filed down into the danger room as Chris dawned her gear and collected her weapons. As she made her way into the control room where Logan was setting up the simulation she said to him,"Don't start it until I have finished making the offering." To which he nodded his understanding and she entered the chamber.
Taking a deep breath Chris checked her weapons to make sure everything was in it's proper place before drawing Hikaru's katana and slitting the thumb of her right hand on the sharp opening that lead to the long rivet that ran the length of the blade letting one solid drop of blood hit the floor of the room before removing her thumb and re-sheathing the blade. The simulation started almost immediately and Chris leapt for the trees as enemies started converging on her. Her initial fighting style was her preferred and was based on manipulating the movements of her opponents such that they were conveniently placed to be killed by her knives or throwing stars.
Two men roared as their each of them had an arm stabbed through by a single knife pinning them side by side to a tree. Before they could react a well aimed throwing start slit both their throats with a little help from her probability control. Two more men went down via the small weapons that she threw with her left hand before she reached behind her and pulled out what looked like a six inch long metal spike. In reality it was a retractable grappling hook that would only deploy its hook like feature once it hit something solid enough to stop it. Using her right hand, while still slinging knives and stars with her left, Chris threw it willing the point to pass through the round central hole on her stars and the open ring on the end of her knife hilts. It bounced and clattered around at improbable angles with uncanny accuracy in collecting her weaponry before getting stuck on a tree limb and deploying its wide hook to keep the weapons from sliding back off. With the push of a button the retractor real brought her weapons back to her replenishing her dwindling stock. She fought like this for several minutes until the hordes of ordinary men became squads of very large men with thickly padded armor.
This was where her second style came into play. Dropping to the ground she manipulated the motions of the men so that she could slash and dice at them with her katana one on one while still keeping them off balance enough to have a hard time aiming and shooting at her properly. Finally once more than fifty men lay dead at her feet the program changed a third time showing her a monster of nearly twelve feet in height and with enormous bulk and rage. It charged at her and fighting the urge to flip Logan off she sheathed her long blade and drew a Sig 45 in her left hand and an M&P 9 compact in her right a full clip of hollow point bullets from each. She willed the chaotic shrapnel to slice ocular nerves, slip between ribs and into organs, and lodge itself in places it would never be retrieved from. The monster dropped keening and dying slowly and Chris said, "That's enough. You get the idea." and the program faded away.
Back in the control room Chris took a seat panting and looked up at the team before her awaiting the start of the questioning.
John was first, "Why do you use two different sizes of guns? Doesn't that just mean you have to cary more ammo?"
"Not really. I would want the same number of bullets either way. The 9mm is easier for me to manipulate once it bursts, but the bigger one packs more of a punch. My ability to manipulate something is reliant on three main factors: Its size, its power, and its degree of randomness. Large or powerful things, like a tile wave for example, are harder to influence. Like wise things that are precise and organized, like a bullet that moves through the air in a specific spiral pattern at a precise speed, are harder to change then something that is already random, like a falling leaf, or a knife bouncing all around." Chis explained.
"That little thing you used to pick up your weapons that was really smart. I bet it only really works with your gift thought. How did you come up with it?" Kitty asked.
Chris glanced up at Deadpool who was smiling smugly. "I made it for her." He admitted and everyone turned to him in surprise.
"It's true. Rampage knows this. Deadman made it for Rebeley Lady so she can fight all the bad guys at once." Rampage assured the group at large.
"Something like that anyway." Deadpool said.
"When was the last time you played a game of dice little sis?" Remy asked spinning a pair between his fingers playfully.
"Last night..." Piotr mumbled sheepishly as all of the male students gave into nervous ticks.
Logan raised his eyebrow and Chris explained, "I caught the boys up betting with dice at 3 am last night on my way back from my swim." She explained, "I promised not to turn them in as long as they let me play a few rounds too. They will be earning their money back with good behavior and diligent training for the next few months."
Remy laughed along side Logan and Rampage meanwhile Piotr shrank down in his seat at the disapproving glare Kitty was sending his way. The sight of the gigantic Colossus cowering in his chair from one look from his fifteen year old petite girlfriend made Chris smile despite her strenuous workout.
"Don't you think having to play dice with you in nothing but your little black string bikini was punishment enough?" Deadpool quipped.
"Watch it Hot Rod." Chris warned as the boys blushed scarlet, "Besides, I always wear my cloak down to the pool I was perfectly modest thank you."
Deadpool snorted, but didn't push the issue an all three boys made up quick excuses to evacuate the room without comment.
Rogue's birthday was three days later and Chris, Logan, Remy, and Kitty were responsible for getting her birthday party set up. Chris and Logan had gotten her several gifts as had many of the other staff members, but it was Remy who was being unusually secrative about what he had gotten her and had no real imput for the party planning apart from that it should not be a pool party and it should be over before the evening. Chris had a pretty good idea about exactly what Remy was planning to do with Rogue the night of her birthday, but kept it to herself.
Her party was kind of a coming of age party in a lot of ways; each student was told to bring one thing that reminded them of her and all the objects were put up as decoration. Some were as simple as a child's green tshirt from one of the younger kids, and others like Piotr's were more personal and heartfelt. Piotr had drawn her in charcoal pencil as she sat in one of the lawn chairs a couple weeks ago talking and laughing with Kitty in shorts and a tank top. Her hair was back in a pony tail and she was laughing eyes bright and body relaxed even though only a few months ago the exposure of so much of her skin would have left her paralyzed with fear.
Remy almost cried when he saw the drawing staring at it for several long minutes before Piotr ran back up to his room and grabbed another picture from his sketch book and gave it to the man. "I did this one only two days ago." Piotr explained handing Remy the picture of a smiling Marie gazing out over the lawn watching a much smaller version of Remy practicing with his staff farther away. "I think you should have this one." Piotr said, "You made her this way. So relaxed and open and happy. Keep it." He said forcing the drawing on the older man and hurrying to help Kitty who was standing at the top of a tall ladder trying to reach from one pillar too the next to hang a banner and looking as if she would topple over any minute.
"He's right you know." Chris said coming up behind her brother and lacing her arms around his waist standing on tip toes even in her heels to rest her chin on his shoulder. "You've made her a whole different woman. A much happier woman. You two deserve each other. I'm happy for you guys."
Remy laughed slightly nervously saying, "She's turning eighteen, I'm not asking her to marry me."
Chris snorted and said jokingly, "Knowing you big brother you've been dying to do just that." She teased kissing him on the cheek.
His voice was one part sad, one part hopeful, and one part determined as he said, "After the war."
"After the war." Chris agreed kissing his cheek a final time, "Everything will be just grand after the war won't it?" and unwinding herself form him she went back into the mansion to talk about one final change of plans with the Professor.
"Where are we going?" Marie giggled still high from the excitement of her wonderful birthday party.
"You'll see." Remy promised with a smile from the drivers seat of Scott's Audi.
"Does Scott know you took his and Jean's car?" Marie wondered.
"Maybe." Remy said with a devilish smile and a playful wink.
"We're here." He said another moment later pulling into the long drive of one of upstate New York's finest resorts.
Marie gasped as she saw the opulence of the towering structure before them and stared around herself in awe as Remy unloaded the bags he and Kitty had packed handing the keys to the valet.
Leading her up to the desk he said, "Reservation for LeBeau." and after some verification and taking his credit card the woman handed them a pair of room keys. Remy lead her to the elevator where they rose fourteen floors before making their way to their suit.
Marie gasped when at the beautiful room inside as Remy put their bags down coming to stand beside her hands on her shoulders. He pushed her hair to one side to kiss her neck and asked, "Do you like it?"
"It's beautiful, but Remy you didn't have to do all this what is this all about?"
Remy continued kissing down her neck for a few seconds before pulling back and spinning her to face him.
"I was hoping that you wouldn't mind if I asked you a rather... forward question." He admitted.
"You know you can Sugar. You didn't have to bring me all the way out here to do it." She giggled.
"But I wanted to." He said kissing her temple his voice smooth as silk, "I was wondering if you might take into consideration moving into my rooms instead of your own in the mansion when we get back. It has been cleared with the professor and I would be honored to have the ability to fall asleep to your beautiful face every night and wake to your smile every morning Mon Cheri."
Marie was quiet for a long moment as his words sank in, but once they did she thew herself at him kissing any place she could reach as he stumbled backwards against the wall for support.
"I take that as a yes." He said finding her lips and kissing her throughly.
"Yes." She said breathlessly breaking away after a few moments.
Smiling and wondering if he had ever felt more happy in his life Remy picked Marie up and walked her to the large soft king sized bed laying her down on it gently before hovering over her. "Good." He said kissing her lips, her face, her neck, even her shoulders and arms where they lay exposed by her blue sun dress.
Marie gasped as his leg found its way between hers and he nipped her collar bone. Soon the hands that had held him to her were scrabbling at the buttons of his dress shirt while his hands caressed her sides gently through her cotton dress.
