Madame Jeanmaire, looking decidedly haggard, stepped out from behind the curtain with a large gleeful smile on her lips and only one thought in her head helping her to carry on,
'It's almost over.' She looked out over the fidgeting crowed and introduced, "The final act of this evening's recital, is a choreographed piece from the fairytale 'Beauty and the Beast' with Miss Jubilation Lee and her partner, a new addition to our classes-" Someone groaned at that, "from the Montreal school of dance, instructed by Madam Menard herself… the Tiger-Hawk." She ran off the stage to watch from the audience. On the darkened stage the first notes of a solo guitar rang out sounding lonely, there was no movement till a single yellow light fell on a huddled form on the floor on the right side of the stage, the light made fur and hair glint red/gold. Slowly the figure rose up and raised it's paw-like fists in anger.
"Hey doesn't that look like your old costume Vic?" Raven whispered over Loric's head. Victor nodded absent mindedly because he was focused on the young man that was radiating strong waves of animal power. The boy suddenly leapt up into the air, landing in time with the music that had become a mournful howl.
"Shss, this is Jube's part, hey that kid is better then that L'Art guy." Logan surprisingly commented.
"An dats no towel." Remy added smiling at Bobby.
"Or socks." Bobby added. The dancer's skill, power and feeling came out over the hushed audience; all eyes were riveted on the young man billed in the program only as 'Tiger–Hawk'. The reporter poked the cameraman in excitement; this was exactly what they'd been waiting to see.
"Are you getting this?" He hissed, the cameraman waved him away engrossed in what he was filming. The large beast's head mask the boy wore, swung around, the eyes looked but they didn't find what they sought. The Beast started to roam the right side of the stage, with powerful movements at first, but all too soon his strength was leaving him. On the left side blue lights came on and beamed down creating moonlight in a forest of black shadows, another figure appeared, darting in and out of the lights. She ran gracefully around the left half of the stage, but zigged away from the side where the mournful beast now realized Belle wasn't coming back to him. Again and again when she would have crossed over into the yellow light Belle veered away, she too was searching for someone. Jubilee did a quick lively dance to reach her mark in the center of the stage as all the lights around them became white and she found the beast lying at her feet… dead. She ran, leaping gazelle like, to his side and cast herself onto his still form and mined crying… The beast's body moved and Griffin rolled onto his back and looked up at Jubilee. His let his illusion 'Beast' mask melted away as he smiled up at her as he sat up to reveal to everyone…
"Griffin!" Mystique gasped as the rest of the Xer's joined her, all completely shocked by this revelation. The twins looked at each other,
"Cool!" They said together then looked up at there dad for his reaction, Victor sat stone faced. His kid was a tight wearing, prancing, sissy pants… but how? But Victor remembered that the kid was actually wearing a version of his costume and in a fight his cub could hold his own better then most, maybe it was okay for him to dance like this… he sure was good at it. Logan darted a look over at Sabretooth and saw him sitting there eyes wide, jaw unhinged and an undecided look on his face.
"Real talented kid you got there 'Tooth." Victor looked at his arch nemesis, raised his chin and said,
"Thanks." By now both Griffin and Jubilee were kneeling on the stage, facing each other. Jubilee reached out and took Griffin's hand, they came to their feet and danced together, performing lifts, leaps, pas de deux, and a moment before the music ended and the lights went out Griffin pulled Jubilee close and kissed her right on the lips… in front of everyone in the theater. "Thank God!" Sabretooth's voice rang out loud and clear in the darkness and Griffin's laugh rang out in reply. The room exploded into applause and cheers. The lights came up to reveal Jubilee and Griffin, still holding hands, stepping forward to take a bow, smiling. Sean was ecstatic, he'd got it all on film and he couldn't wait to show it to Emma back at school. In her seat Talica smiled happily, it was about time Griffin was himself again.
"The Tiger-Hawk flies again." She murmured. Sitting beside her Scott heard.
"You knew he could dance like that, why didn't you tell anyone?" Talica shrugged.
"Early on a lot of people didn't react well when they learn he danced, so he just stopped mentioning it." The twins crowded around her.
"We wouldn't have-" Loric started, and Navar continued,
"Laughed at him."
"We didn't even know-"
"He could do that kind of,"
"Stuff." The twins finished together. "Without any powers."
**
Griffin and Jubilee ran backstage and were greeted by fellow students amazed by their performance. The Reporter and his news camera crew came to stand between them.
"Good day, Lester Erickson here with young ballet dancers Jubilation Lee and Griffin Darkholm… better known at Tight-Hawk, these two have just stolen tonight's show. Miss Lee your teacher told us that at first you didn't have a partner until Griffin here, a friend form your boarding school, stepped in and offered to dance with you. How did that feel?" Jubilee hesitated then smiled at Griffin.
"Well, I was surprised, I mean I didn't know Griffin danced, then to learn he can go professional anytime he wants was kind of intimidating, I didn't know if I was good enough to be his partner. But just being with him makes me dance better then I ever have." The reporter turned to Griffin,
"You've studied with the New York City Company's former prima ballerina Madam Menard, why did you stop?" Griffin was careful to match his lip movements to his words,
#I was found recently by my family, they live here in the states, so wanting to be with them meant having to leave Madam's school.#
"Will you be going professional soon, maybe give Julian L'Art some competition?" Griffin smiled with his mouth closed,
'Wouldn't want to flash your fangs on the news now.' He thought as he said, #I'm only fifteen, and after tonight I couldn't possibly dance with anyone but J-Lee. She completes me… Um, as a dancing partner.# Griffin added quickly, when he saw the girls in the class go starry-eyed at his words.
"Completes you? So there wasn't any feeling in that kiss you exchanged at the end of your performance?"
#Well, um… How could anyone kiss Jubilee and not feel something.# Griffin Blushed as Jubilee hugged him around the waist,
"I think, like with dancing, with a little practice we can only get better." Jubilee added with a giggle as Griffin's eyes snapped to her's.
"One last question to-" Prunella, once again primed and tutu almost flat again, came to wrap herself around Griffin like a python.
"I'm Prunella Prellpit, Madame Jeanmaire really wanted Tiger-Hawk here to partner me at first, but it was too late, I was already committed to Porter Epson and had to say no." The reporter turned to her,
"Excuse us, I'm doing an interview here young lady." Prunella scowled and stomped off only to be yanked over by Porter's mother to show her a bruise she'd found on her son's face.
"You assaulted my baby." The woman accused Prunella.
"What, HE fell on me!" The reporter turned back to Jubilee and Griffin,
"A few final questions. How did you make your mask vanish like that, and move your tail so it warped around Miss. Lee's leg when you kissed her, why didn't the tail vanish with the mask?"
#The mask was magic of course, it disappears when the spell is broken, everyone knows that.# Griffin said with a forced smile.
"I like his tail, the 'Beast' was fun with it, so why couldn't the prince keep it after everything was done." Jubilee joked to defuse the moment, "Woah we got to run." During the interview Madam Jeanmaire had been on stage thanking everyone for attending and reminded parents that lessons resumed next week. All the students, Porter stuffed back onto his costume by his mother, and even Julian L'Art, who was looking Griffin over with interest till the lights came up and revealed the redness in his hair, trooped on stage to join Madam. Jubilee didn't like the look in the older man's eyes so she reached out past Porter and pulled Griffin to her side. L'Art caught Porter as he fell off balance.
"Oh thank you." Porter gushed; L'Art let him go quickly, because though the dark haired boy was fairly good looking, he didn't need 'those' kinds of problems cropping up and ruining his career. Everyone was taking a collective bow when suddenly the words, 'I'm to Sexy for my Love…' started again and Griffin winked at Jubilee before he began to dance freestyle and she joined him with a laugh and after a moment so did the other students. Some of the audience even stoods up to dance too. Once off the stage Jubilee rushed onto the little room and quickly packed away her things as Griffin watched, then he pulled out his cloths and said to Jubilee,
#J-Lee could you help me get this off?# She turned to see him carefully removing the fur collar and gingerly pulling at his sleeve.
"Sure, it will be easier then getting it on." She jumped up and started tugging off the top of the costume, and once that was done she took a good grip on the waistband of the tights and started to pull down.
#J-Lee wait!# Griffin squeaked, grabbing her wrist, just in time to stop her from pulling any more. #I think you got my underwear too.# Jubilee twisted her fingers in the top of the tights outwards, sure enough the black elastic of Griffin's underwear was caught up in his tights.
"Well that would have been interesting." She smiled at him.
#For you maybe.# Griffin was blushing again. Jubilee fixed her grip and peeled his tights off more carefully. Griffin dressed quickly and went out of the room to wait for Jubilee to finish changing. Prunella saw him standing alone and stormed over.
"I hope you are happy. You ruined the show for all the other students, stealing it like that."
#No, I ruined it for you Prunella, you just dragged poor Porter along for the ride.#
"I, I… hu?" Prunella looked at him.
#Look down Prunella, your shoe is untied again.#
"No it isn't." She said looking down anyway and as she watched she felt invisible fingers on her foot as her laces became untied before here eyes.
#Didn't you notice that your fall off the stage seamed to happen in slow-motion, that it was almost like floating down?# Prunella looked at him.
"Freak." She whispered.
#Yes and if you tell you'll never have a peaceful moment again,# Voice started to whisper in her ear, so low she couldn't make them out, #that goes for being nasty to Jubilee and the other students, just because Madam Jeanmaire is your aunt and you can get away with it.# Prunella ran off, and Griffin retied her shoe for her, before she hurt herself. 'Wouldn't want her to trip now.' He thought.
"You are a very bad Cub Griffin 'Whatever-your-last-name is-now'." Jubilee said from the open door, "this was all about vengeance for me wasn't it?" She came over to him and hugged him. "Thank you, boy did you see her face." They gathered up the things, packed the bags.
#Here I'll carry that.# Griffin carried them.
"Thanks, I'll close the door and you can lock it." With a thought the little room was locked again and they went to see the waiting Xers.
**
Gen-X and the others were waiting by the door for them to come out, Jubilee was pulled into Logan's bear-hug as she laughed.
"Did you see us?"
"We sure did, you were beautiful lass," Sean smiled then turned to Griffin, "as for you lad, you should move more like that in our training sessions. I have it all here for you both to see and I know Emma and the boys will want to see it too."
#Did you get 'sleeping beauty' on tape?# Griffin asked innocently.
"The whole thing lad, every moment." The two dancers grinned; they could watch Prunella falling off the stage over, and over, and over again. Jubilee decided then and there she was going to feed the tape to some of the Shi'ar computers and have them make it 3-D for her and Griffin. Hank came over and thumped Griffin on the back and kissed Jubilee's hand.
"Truly enchanting." He said before making room for others, as Storm came forward and hugged Griffin and Jubilee together.
"Skill like those are a gift, you will dance for us all again someday, won't you?" She asked.
"Sure, why not." Jubilee grinned.
#For your birthday maybe.# Griffin added. Logan took Jubilee back in his arms beaming like her proud father as he said to Griffin,
"You did real good kid." Bobby and Remy stepped closer and Bobby whispered into Griffin's ear as Remy handed Jubilee a bouquet of spring flowers. Both Remy and Jubilee saw what Bobby was doing and they started to laugh. Once Bobby stepped away Griffin put his hand in his back pocket and pulled out…
#Five dollars? Hey I was way better then that.# He sighed, #Well if the whole saving humanity thing doesn't work I can always fall back on my dancing, I'll need to incorporate some pole dancing too I guess.# Everyone laughed and Navar piped up,
"What is pole dancing?"
"Something firemen do." Talica said quickly, "Nice to see you are back to normal Griffin, I missed this part of you." Talica turned to Jubilee. "Till now he'd never taken a partner, he's always s danced solo… I can see he was just waiting for you." Victor walked up now, ignoring Jubilee he said to Griffin,
"Well at least it's not a flower shop, but I'm still not too sure you should be locking lips with 'his' pup." Sabertooth pointed at Logan over his shoulder. Jubilee frowned.
"He kisses who he wants, bub and your approval isn't needed." Jubs glared at the tall blond man.
"Feisty isn't she. Good choice, she'll stand up with you in a fight." Vic grinned down at Jubilee for a slight second. Surprised Jubilee asked,
"You were testing me?"
"Yup, my cubs deserve the best, keep it up." Mystique slunk over still in her 'Emma' persona.
"I have contacts with various dance companies throughout the world, if either of you want to go on dancing, just name the place, I'll arrange it." Griffin knew the offer wasn't made lightly.
#Thanks, we'll keep it in mind um… Emma." He winked at her. Forge stoically shook their hands, but in his mind he was designing a dance game, where dancers battled the F.o.H. as they advanced to become world champions. Charles wheeled over, eyes glowing with joy.
"It pleases me to know you have both developed skills outside of your powers. I have rarely enjoyed a performance so much before." Jubilee and Griffin thanked him. Scott and Jean congratulated them both and Jean added,
"I use to dance when I was little, but I grew too tall and had to let it go. "I'm glad someone in the family dances." She smiled at Griffin. Monet came up to Jubilee,
"I could never dance like that, but I'm pleased to be able to watch you, you're very accomplished."
"Thanks… I think." Griffin turned to find Jono and Angelo looking at him, as Page just giggled and hugged Jubilee before going off to try and get Julian L'Art's autograph.
#What?#
~We were wondering, do you like doing that?~ Jono asked. ~Dancing.~
#Do you like playing the guitar?#
"It's not the same thing." Angelo argued.
#Yes it is, Jono's skill is in his fingers and mind, mine are in my body and the control I have over it. Each move, every step is a test to be executed perfectly.#
~A challenge, like wanting every note to be right?~
#Exactly.# Griffin agreed.
"We'll, you an' Jubes were both perfect, she out danced all the other chicas." Angelo smiled at Jubilee.
"Griffin gave me a jolt cola before the show." Jono jerked his head around to look at Griffin.
~Willingly?~
"Yup." Jubilee smiled.
~Brave.~
"Foolish." Angelo countered. The two young Gen-X men walked away as they argued together. The twins wanted to know if Griffin would teach them some of 'that dance stuff'. Griffin told them to wait and see if they were still interested in the morning. Then suddenly Vic was back, reaching out he took hold of Griffin's chin.
"Are you wearing make-up?"
#A bit, with the stage lights you have to put some on or people can't make out your features.#
"*Harrumph* Really." Victor accepted grudgingly. Then Emmy Johnson and her daughter Jane were rushing up and smiling. Emmy hugged Griffin as she exclaimed,
"Thank you for the tickets, what a surprise and when you took the mask off at the end and I recognized you, I almost fell out of my seat. You were amazing Griffin and your Jubilee was divine," Jubilee Looked at the little old woman hopping around and hugging Griffin, then she saw Logan mouthing the words 'your Jubilee.' As Emmy continued to speak, "The two of you took my breath away with that over head lift near the end." Griffin blushed as he turned to introduce Emmy and Jane to everyone.
#Emmy, Jane this is my family, everyone there are my friends, Emmy Johnson and her daughter Jane, Emmy here saved me from going crazy in Wal-mart a few months back.# Griffin offered cryptically. They started shaking hands all around. Emmy looked around at everyone before smiling at Jean,
"You and your husband must be so proud of your son." It took Jean a moment to get over her surprise and answer the kind woman,
"Yes, yes I… we are." Jean said for the first time she was really acknowledging that Griffin was her son too.
"Not many men would want their sons to develop a talent for dancing ballet; it is so good to find you aren't narrow minded like that." Emmy continued but she wasn't looking at Scott, she had actually walked up to Sabertooth and was shaking his huge hand. Everyone was shocked. That's when Emmy saw Xavier off to one side speaking with Madame Jeanmaire, from the looks of it the teacher was still trying to convince him that Griffin needed to give himself over to a life of dancing. Looking up Charles now saw her too, he wheeled over and Emmy hugged him. Shocked Griffin said the only thing he could think of,
#Hey!#
"Forgive us everyone, Emmy and I have known each other for decades, we attended collage together and never lost touch. Along with me she was one of the first to pioneer the defense of mutant rights and later she helped in getting new mutants to safe havens," Charles looked at his old friend, "Emmy I see you've met my son."
"Your son? But he-" She was looking back at Victor, who was trying to keep the twins from running off to climbing up the set rigging, that is till they came face to face with madam Jeanmaire who asked them,
"Do you both dance like your brother? You could begin lessons by the end of the week." Loric and Navar looked at each other then hurried back to Victor and peeked out form behind their father till she was gone.
"It's a long story, and I'll be more then pleased to tell it to you over dinner." Charles offered as Emmy smiled.
"That sounds lovely Charles, I see you still use the blanket." She said looking at the plad patterned lap blanket that covered the professor's legs.
"It has always been one of my favorites." Emmy and Jane had to leave then, but they made plans to come visit the school soon. Porter Epson was suddenly there standing next to Griffin with his eyes glued to the young cat-like mutant's face.
#Um hi Porter, can I help you?# Victor, still standing nearby growled at the geeky boy till he ran off back to his mother. Forge shoot Creed a 'Look', but didn't have to say a word because Porter's mother was coming over and with a high head of steam she yelled up at Victor,
"Who are you that you growl at my son, how dare you scare my boy. You a grown man shouldn't go around frightening 18 year old little boys." Mrs. Epson was shaking her finger at Creed now and Logan was laughing so hard at the 'Who the hell is this woman' look on his old enemy's face that tears ran down his cheeks. From over in his corner Julian L'Art finished signing an autograph for a freckled blond girl when he heard that the boy he'd been watching wasn't jailbait.
"Excuse me." L'Art said to the girl, flung the paper at her and sprinted to where Porter watched his mother tearing a strip off Griffin's father, only to stop when she saw L'Art approaching her baby.
"What," Victor sneered at Logan, "is her problem? Her kid is 'off', with his hormones on high pourin' off him as he's standing there, next to my cub, as hot for him as bunny-" Griffin blanched.
#Epson! Eeew! Someone like Jono fine but Epson no way."
~Whot!~ Jono's gaze shot to Griffin.
#Well if I went 'that way' I'd like you a heck of a lot more then a wuss like him.# Griffin confided to his teammate.
~But you're not… are you?~ Griffin just smiled, picked up his and Jubilee's bags and headed for the door. ~You aren't are you… HEY! I want an answer over here.~ Angelo smiled wickedly.
"Signora Frost she has us down for a training session tomorrow afternoon; ask him again in the 'Locker room'." Jono's eyes went wide. "Don't worry I'll protect you from him." Jono sighed mentally, and then Angelo added, "Besides this hombre saw you first." And he walked off laughing as Storm, who hadn't heard a word they were saying, dove to catch Jono who'd passed out.
**
The large party made up of the three combined mutant groups had just reached the doors of the theater, when a deep voice with a Russian accent called out.
"Mr. Darkholm, Miss. Lee… Please wait, Miss. Lee… Mr. Darkholm!" Mystique looked confused till Griffin turned and said,
#Yes?# And Jubilee whispered,
"Its his stage name." Raven was touched that he'd chosen her name and she strutted, past Jean, to his side… after all she 'was' Emma Frost for the evening.
"You have some business with my students?" She asked in her best 'Emma' voice.
"Yes, I am' Roland Iliac, a talent finder for the 'New York City Ballet Company' and I would really like to invite them both to attend our tryouts. You two move together as I have rarely seen in all my years of 'searching' I almos' believe you could fly off the stage together with those leaps of yours."
"Um… thank you but aren't Griffin and I are kinda young to go off to New York city?" Jubilee asked, and Griffin added,
#I don't want to go professional, I'm not interested in dancing as a job, besides we have special training at our regular school we can't just drop.# They started walking away towards the vans, where the more of others waited for them.
"Vat! You can not be serious, you'll be a hit, skill, looks and the audience loves you." The man wasn't taking no for an answer, he'd followed them every step of the way and now even reached out and put his hand on Jubilee's shoulder, to keep her in place. "Look I know about these things." Before Logan could charge over Griffin had Iliac's hand in his and pulled it off Jubilee.
#Don't ever touch her… I'm saying that for your own safety, her dad's a real wolverine about strangers and touching.# He warned, but now the man had his hand clamped around Griffin's forearm. 'Time to pull out the stops.' Griffin thought. #You say people will love us?# Roland nodded happily as Logan arrived beside them. #Will they love 'me' as much when they see I've got this?# His tail fell out from under his coat, and he waved it in front of the surprised man's face, more Xers came to stand closer. #It wasn't a 'prop' and how about these?# He asked sarcastically as he extended his claws out to their full three inches. #Do you have someone who will be willing to help me into my tights every night, so I don't shred every costume I have to wear?# But by then Roland Iliac was running away across the parking lot, and nearly fell as he skidded across a solitary patch of ice. #*Sigh* Love is so fickle these days J-Lee, I'll stick with my family accepting me the way I am.#
"Dido." Jubilee agreed. Victor strolled over.
"Hey cub, my old costume looked good on you, nice choice in colors too." Sabertooth smiled and Griffin saw the proud look in Victor's eyes. Bobby who'd been listening to the whole thing chose that moment to ask,
"You said you needed help getting' into your tights… who helped you put them on tonight?" Bobby's question had everyone looking at Griffin. Talica broke in.
"Um… I'm hungry when do we eat?"
"You don't eat dear, remember," Raven told her turning back to look at her son, "but nice try."
"Who?" It was Logan who asked that time, his voice getting rumblely and Griffin backed away.
#Um… Prunella Prellpit.#
"Try again." The crust Canadian said, crossing his arms. Jubilee stomped her foot.
"Oh for goodness sakes, I did, okay. Not like I saw 'anything' he had his underwear on Geeze. Now drop it." Jubilee shouted.
"But-" Logan said.
"I said drop it Wolvie." She said again before hopping into the van that was filling up with mostly X-Women.
"Fine but the next time he need's tights put on him, it had better be his sister who dose it." And he headed for the other van, but he still heard her say,
"No problem, getting them on is difficult, taking them off is way easier anyway."
"Okay," Sean said cheerfully from the driver's seat, "New school rule, no dressing or undressing fellow students without supervision." From the passenger seat beside him Logan, now satisfied, said nothing. Seeing his chance to get even with Griffin, Jono added,
~Angelo we both know what Griffin calls underwear, good thing Logan doesn't know hu?~ Logan's head snapped up.
"What's so different about the kid's underwear?" Logan turned to ask Jono as Griffin sank as low as he could in the very back seat with his brothers. Jono would have smiled if he had lips.
~His are made so they can accommodate his tail.~ Angelo nodded.
"But they could also get him in the door easily at a fetish club I'm sure." Griffin gasped, as Loric asked,
"What's a fetish club?"
#A death sentence.# Griffin said peeking over the back of the seat at Logan's red face. Remy then asked Bobby,
"Bobby, Remy he don' remember seeing any underwear lines in dat costume Griffin was wearin', did you see any?"
"Why no Remy I didn't." Bobby started to snigger and Griffin pulled Navar between himself and Logan's heated glair. The ride after that was silent and the moment they arrived back at the school Logan jumped out of the van and ran for the front door. It took a moment to realize where the Canadian was running off to and for what reason.
#Oh honestly, he can't be serious. He's not really going to look in my underwear drawer to see-" Griffin balanced, #HE'S GOING TO LOOK IN MY UNDERWEAR DRAWER!!!# In seconds he was flying to his room, just in time to see Logan flinging bags of yarn, crochet hooks and patterns aside to get to the last of the underwear that hadn't made the migration to the bathroom's linen closet yet. As Logan held up a pair that were bright blue with gold stars, to look at the wide elastic straps that made up the back, Griffin dashed madly around, trying to collect and stuff his crochet things under the bed out of sight. Only, now because of two storage bins packed full of finished crochet projects, that were going to become Christmas gifts, there was no room for anything else. Logan turned around with his evidence to look at Griffin, and he saw the young man standing there crochet hooks in his hands, patterns scattered at his feet, tangled up in about three different colors of yarn, his tail trying desperately to brush stray balls of yarn back under his bed. #Um… this isn't what it looks like.#
The end