Chapter V, An Important Meeting
BAY VIEW HOTEL, NEY YORK CITY
9:30 AM EASTERN-CENTRAL TIME
WHUMP!
Logan was awakened by the blur of motion known more commonly as Jubilee. She had thrown herself onto his bed and now sat with her knees pressed against his chest. She smiled broadly at him.
"Wake up Wolvie!" she shrieked in excitement. Logan groaned and rubbed a calloused hand over his face as he heard Ororo and Rogue chuckle in the doorway.
"Yes Logan, both you and Gambit have slept well into the morning," Storm pointed out as she walked gracefully across the room to open the hotel window's blinds. As the blinds shifted with a flurry of clicks, bright sunshine spilled into the room and across both men's faces. Muffled French curses could be heard beneath the pillows of the bed in the corner of the room. Rogue laughed as she floated over to Gambit's bed. She sat next to his prone form and bent over in face. Her hair fell down her shoulders and brushed Remy's face, and he sneezed as it feathered across his nose.
"Bless ya sugah," Rogue said with a smile, then grabbed the pillows away from him, "Now rise and shine! We got some serious shoppin' ta do!"
"C'mon chere, Remy be tired..."
"No way Gumbo!" Jubilee crowed, "You too Wolvie, ya got ta get up now!"
"All right darlin', but can't we get breakfast first?" Logan grumbled. Jubilee grinned.
"They have a continental breakfast downstairs," Jean said, appearing suddenly in the doorway. She had just gotten out of the shower and was toweling her long red hair. Logan threw a covert, longing glance at how well that little tee shirt fit over her shoulders and across her brea-
**Logan!** he heard Jean shout in his head. He grinned sheepishly and looked away, and she returned the grin while crossing her shapely arms over her chest. Ya shouldn't have been listenin' darlin, Logan thought.
"What does continental mean?" Jubilee asked, cocking her head to one side. Logan and Jean laughed.
"All ya need to know, sugah, is that it's free!" Rogue said with a grin. Jubilee perked up suddenly and jumped off Wolverine's bed.
"You think they'll have pancakes?" she asked. Remy and Storm laughed.
"Why don't you go check it out for us p'tite?" Remy suggested.
"Okay!" Jubilee shrieked, and she ran out of the room.
"That's Jubilee fer ya," Wolverine chuckled before getting slowly out of bed, "Always hungry."
"That's ANY healthy teenager for you, Logan, Jean pointed out. Logan nodded, smiling up at her.
"And that is Henry for you as well," Ororo added in her graceful voice.
"Oh my gawd, Ro made a joke!" Rogue gasped with a grin. The other X-Men laughed good-naturedly, and even Storm smiled.
"But, as they say, back to business,'" Storm said, her voice growing suddenly somber, "I think while Jubilee is downstairs, we should discuss how we will investigate Central Park tonight," The other X-Men nodded. Logan and Remy both climbed out of bed and started to get dressed as Storm discussed their plan of action.
"We will begin tonight just after the sun sets. Tonight, Jean, Logan, and Jubilee will have posts at the Grand Army Plaza, which is one of the main entrances used to enter Central Park. Stay off to the side and remain as low profile as possible. Your sweeps will be in a counter clockwise circle around the park. Remy, Rogue, and myself will remain at 90th street and 5th avenue, by the Engineer's Gate. We will make clockwise sweeps, meeting you at Shakespeare's Garden after every sweep. Are we clear?" Ororo asked. The other X-Men nodded. Wolverine glanced at his watch.
"I think I'll go check out that breakfast with Jubilee if we're done for now," he said as he headed to the bathroom with his clothes tucked under his arm."
"Yes Logan, we are."
"Tell Jubilee t' save some food fo' Remy, no?"
"All right Cajun, if there's anything left when I'M done." Logan said with a smirk.
Down the hall the Senshi were also gathered very sleepy and missing one very important person.
"Where's Usagi?" Rei asked. Minako only shook her head as she rummaged through one drawer to find a shirt to wear. Makoto looked up and also shook her head as she tied her boot strings. Rei sighed plaintively, turning to Ami. Ami sat near the window with her glasses perched on her nose, which was buried in the "History of New York" book.
"Well, Ami-chan, do YOU know where Usagi is?" Rei asked. Ami didn't look up.
"They have a free breakfast downstairs." Ami said. She didn't need to say anymore. The other Senshi sighed in unison.
"I guess we should join her," Makoto said. Minako giggled.
"Hai, there's no point in trying to keep Usagi from food!" she said. The other girls laughed. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Hai!" they all called out. Haruka and Michiru opened the door a little.
"Are you all dressed?" Haruka asked.
"Hai," the girls said again. The outer Senshi entered the room. Haruka jumped onto the bed, stretching out. Michiru sat next to her. Hotaru and Setsuna sat in chairs next to Ami, smiling gently as they silently greeted each girl. For a minute the girls all chatted excitedly with one another, but then Haruka cleared her throat for attention. Everyone looked at her.
"I think we should go over how we will be watching Central Park tonight." she suggested. Rei nodded.
"We thought that it would be best for us to work in shifts," Michiru said.
"Hai, we agreed that Makoto and Minako will go tonight from our group." Rei said.
"All right, then I'll go as well," Haruka said. Michiru nodded.
"As will I," she added.
"Where will you guys stationed?" Ami asked.
"I think somewhere near the middle will be good" Rei said, her hand on her chin in thought.
"Hai, and we can split up and make sweeps of the park, going in separate directions," Haruka suggested, "That way we'll cover the area twice as quickly."
"We'll have to keep our communicators on," Makoto pointed out. The Senshi agreed. Hotaru looked around suddenly.
"Na ne? Where's Usagi-chan?"
BAYVIEW HOTEL LOBBY
10:00AM
Usagi held a warm plate in her hand. She stared down at the strange looking food with interest. She had never seen food like this before. The powdery, round things labeled pancakes smelled good, but she didn't know what every thing else was. The food labeled g-r-i-t-s looked rather odd to her. She stepped aside as people- obviously Americans, or at least people who had eaten American cuisine before- walked past her and confidently scooped food into their plates. Usagi pouted.
"I'm hungry!" she whined. She turned around as she heard someone laugh behind her. It was the Asian girl from the hallway last night.
"Ya lost or something/?" the girl asked with a smile. Usagi laughed sheepishly.
"Hai, a little," she said. The girl looked confused about her answer.
"Hi, hiOH! HAI!" the girl crowed loudly in understanding, "You speak Japanese!"
"Hai!" Usagi giggled, grateful that someone finally knew, I'm visiting from Japan."
"Have you ever been to America before?"
Usagi shook her head.
"Well then! Come with me and I'll show you what to eat and what not to eat here," the girl said. Usagi grinned.
"Arigato gozimus- er, what's your name?" Usagi asked. The girl laughed.
"Oh, sorry, I'm Jubilee." the girl- Jubilee, apparently- said with a laugh, extending her hand. Usagi, recognizing this custom, grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously.
"I am Tsukino Usagi, and I am pleased to meet you," she said with a grin. Jubilee wrinkled her nose.
"Suuu-kee-no?" she tried to say. Usagi laughed.
"Just call me Usagi, Oo- sah-gee."
"All right Usagi! Now, over here in this container, is grits. Don't eat those."
"I was hoping you would say that." Usagi said gratefully.
"Now these-" Jubilee smiled, heaping her plate with hot pancakes, "you eat. This is the good stuff." She put some butter and syrup on the cakes and handed the plate to Usagi. Usagi smelled the hot maple and butter and grinned, drool comically forming in the corners of her mouth.
"Come on, I'll show you everything else. This over here is Coke, and don't let any adult tell you that it doesn't go well with breakfast, cause it does, and over here are Sugar Bombs, an essential part of ever American meal"
Jubilee gave Usagi a guided tour of American (teenage) breakfast cuisine. The two girls sat down in a booth off to the side with heaping plates, each happy to have found a new friend and breakfast at the same time.
Logan, who had finished getting dressed a few minutes ago, walked into the lobby and scanned the room for Jubilee. He smiled when he saw her laughing and talking to some blond kid. That's the girl from last night. Jubilee seems to have taken a liking to her.
"Jubilee's so friendly," he said to himself as he got some breakfast, "She certainly didn't get that from me."
Jubilee was talking excitedly to Usagi when she looked up suddenly. Usagi followed her gaze.
**Eeee!** Usagi thought in panic. The intimidating man from last night was walking right towards them! He smirked at the two girls, holding up one enormous hand in a friendly gesture. Jubilee waved back frantically.
"Hi Wolvie!" Jubilee yelled between mouthfuls of pancakes. Usagi didn't notice the bits of syrup flying out of her new friend's mouth. She couldn't help but stare at the bulky man who was walking confidently towards them. There was something about him that reminded Usagi of a wolf. Maybe it was his loping stride, or maybe it was the way he shifted his gaze nervously- a gesture almost imperceptible to a normal person's eyes- as if the room was too crowded. Maybe it was because he was so hairy. At any rate, Usagi assumed that Jubilee also noted these characteristics, if the nick-name "Wolvie" was based on these characteristics. Usagi didn't want to think what it meant if it didn't.
In an instant the man was by their table. He placed his tray down quietly and wordless sized up Usagi. He looked at Jubilee with a smirk on his face.
"Who's the kid?" he asked, hooking his thumbs through his belt loops and slouching slightly. Jubilee grinned up at the man.
"Wolvie, this is my new friend," Jubilee paused, wrinkling her brow in concentration, "Oo-sah-gee. Ya know, that's really hard ta say!"
Usagi giggled, momentarily forgetting her unease. Suddenly she envisioned Rei standing over her, pointing an accusatory finger in her face. Baka Usagi! Don't be rude! Introduce yourself!
Usagi hastily stood up and bowed nervously to "Wolvie."
"Gomen, gomen, I am Tsukino Usagi, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
It had been some time since Logan had last been exposed to the formality and politeness of Japanese culture, so when he heard the familiar words spoken by this young girl he softened immediately. He bowed slightly to her as well, then extended one hand, which Usagi took after only a moment's hesitation.
"Your name means Rabbit of the Moon, right?" Logan asked nonchalantly in Japanese. Usagi gaped at the man, surprised to hear someone speak her language. She grinned and nodded her head before taking his hand.
"I think I'll call you Bunny, Usagi- and you can call my Logan," he said. Usagi laughed at the nickname he gave her, bowing politely again. Logan felt refreshed at seeing Japanese etiquette again. It had been so long since he last saw anything like it. He gave Usagi a little bow as well before sitting down.
"So whatcha doin' on this side of the world, kid?" he asked Usagi suddenly. Usagi nearly fell out of her chair. What could she tell him? She knew that saying that she was the future ruler of Japan who as a warrior and moon princess from a fallen empire nearly 1000 years ago was reborn to fight an evil force that just happened to arrive in New York would sound more than a little insane. Suddenly she remembered Ami's book on the history of the city.
"I'm here for school!" Usagi said a little too quickly, in what she hoped was her most convincing voice. Jubilee stuck out her tongue.
"Yeck!" she said, "That sucks that you have to do this for school. Do you have to write a report or something?"
While Jubilee seemed convinced, Usagi noticed that Logan was staring at her curiously.
"Ya mean to tell me that they sent you girls out here (half-way around the world) just for a report?" he said in an off-hand tone. He drank calmly from his cup of coffee without ever taking his eyes off the young girl in front of him. Usagi laughed nervously, and looked as if she were about to explain when a voice called out from the other side of the restaurant.
"Usagi-sannnn!"
Usagi looked up to see Hotaru looking around, her dark, penetrating eyes gazing through the crowd of people. Haruka soon followed the little girl into the restaurant. Usagi stood up quickly. She turned to Jubilee and Logan and bowed again before taking her plate, glad that Haruka and Hotaru showed up at such a convenient time. Usagi waved, and Haruka began to wave back but stopped when she saw that Usagi was not alone. The tall girl's face hardened and she stepped forward, but Hotaru, who also noticed that Usagi had company, stopped the older girl from approaching. Usagi thought it best to leave before Haruka had a chance to argue with Hotaru. She hoped Jubilee and Logan hadn't noticed her friend's behavior
"Gomen, but I must go. My friends are waiting for me." Usagi explained. Jubilee waved nonchalantly.
"Don't worry, I know how it is," she said with a grin. Logan nodded at Usagi.
"Nice ta meet ya, Bunny," he said, "I'm sure we'll see ya around."
"Hai, Logan-san," Usagi agreed with a grin. Out of the corner or her eye she saw Haruka gesture towards her and say something quietly to Hotaru. Usagi hurried towards them so she wouldn't have to explain Haruka's behavior to her new friends.
Jubilee reluctantly watched Usagi go. Jubilee was friendly, but she very rarely connected with people, however she immediately felt she could trust Usagi. It was almost as if the girl with the strange hair radiated a sense of warmth.
"What do you think of her Wolvie?" Jubilee asked. Logan thought for a moment.
"I think she's a sweet kid, but she was lyin' to us about why she's here." Logan said. Jubilee looked up from her breakfast at him.
"Whadya mean?" she asked. Logan gestured at the door with his fork as if Usagi and the other two girls were still there.
"Did you see the two girl who were waiting for her?" he asked.
"Um, I saw a girl and a GUY with her, a cute guy actually," Jubilee added with a sly grin. Logan chuckled.
"That's was a girl, darlin'."
"Are you sure, Wolvie?" Jubilee asked, both astounded and slightly unbelieving.
"Yeah kid, take my word for it," he said, and tapped his nose for emphasis, "But something seems...strange, I guess, about Bunny. She was..." Logan's voice trailed off. He looked at Jubilee.
"Warm- she was warm...." Jubilee said softly, "I felt so calm being near her...did you fell it too, wolvie?
"Yeah darlin', I did."
"What was that about her?" Jubilee asked quietly. Logan could only shake his head. He didn't know any better than Jubilee, but he had a feeling they were all going to find out.