The next moment, there was a loud clap of vacated air and a hot wave of sulfur blew into my
face. Make that everyone's faces. Most of us were coughing and sliding back in our chairs to get
some fresh air and by the time Kurt's leavings cleared, Duncan's cronies had realized they were
missing a Duncan. A muffled bang shot out from under the table. I took a half glance down . . .
Kurt was pressed up against the floor, image inducer off, tail twitching. I didn't, like, want to
call attention to him, so I kept my eyes on the cronies instead. They were just staring blankly at
the space Duncan had occupied. A little slow on the uptake.
Scott stood up, brushing the front of his shirt (although, he like, didn't need to it wasn't dirty),
"Why don't you guys find Duncan, huh?"
Crony one shrugged and made as if to leave, but Crony two had finally figured it out. I thought
Duncan had been red before, but this guy was like some over-ripe tomato. He roared and
launched himself over the table. Which wasn't, like, terribly original of him. Jean caught him
with her TK and flung him . . . I mean, flung him! . . . into an empty cafeteria table. Crony one
got the hint and ran. Crony two slowly pulled himself up from the tangle of table and chair legs .
. . and he ran as well.
It was really cool, but I knew we were so gonna get in trouble.
"We're so gonna get in trouble," I said as Kurt slipped back into his seat and Scott sat down. "I
mean, you know what Principal Kelly said about using our powers. We'll be suspended. The
Professor . . ."
"So vhat?" Kurt muttered, his tail twitching spasmodically now, "Who cares vhat anyvun does
about it? Ve've done nothink for two months and still he comes. Still he tries to start fights.
I've had enough. He could haf caused an accident, comink at Scott like that."
"Yeah," Jean spat, and glowered at some point on the floor tiles. She was really mad, I could tell
that.
"You both should have let me handle it," Scott said quietly. He was really mad, too. Just not
slam-the-next-guy-into-a-locker mad. He only got that kinda mad with Lance, you know? "Just
because we're exposed doesn't mean we should . . . you should have let me handle it. I know
how to deal with Duncan."
Principal Kelly was coming across the cafeteria and I suspect he'd have looked madder than Jean
and Scott if he didn't have such a scared kind of face. It kinda made me sad, you know, that we
scared him. And I dunno, Kurt teleporting Duncan out, that was okay with me, but Jean's throw
was like, clearing the cafeteria. People were leaving, keeping this really wide berth of our table,
and Principal Kelly was coming and we were in so much trouble.
"Where's Duncan?" I heard Scott whisper to Kurt as Kelly got closer.
"Forge's basement," Kurt hissed back and Kelly was on us.
He was fidgeting with his necktie, "Listen, you . . . you . . . you must understand how much of a
risk it is to have you . . . you here. And this behavior is completely unacceptable. Completely.
If it wasn't for . . . wasn't for Xavier's generous funding for the school, I'd . . . I'd be strongly
tempted to have you all expelled. I probably should have you all expelled. These . . . the other
students can't defend themselves against you. You've . . . you've not caused too much trouble
before," his expression darkened, "but it's easy for you to cause trouble, apparently. I need . . . I
need your promise to abide by the school rules, or you will be expelled, or at least . . . at least
suspended. And, for the moment, you must apologize to the two young men you hurt. And . . ."
He glanced nervously at Kurt, "I'd ask . . . I'd ask that you please not . . . show yourself like that.
Maybe . . . maybe I can't make you, but I've been receiving complaints from the general student
body that you're . . . you're a distraction. This isn't any sort of . . . of slur against your
appearance, but it's a . . . a distraction and this is a place for learning. I'd thank you . . . thank
you . . . to comply with my requests." Then he withdrew, his step jerky. I sighed with relief,
until I'd realized why we'd been let off.
"Gosh," I said, "Gosh. He really doesn't know what to do with us, does he? I mean, I think he's
afraid . . ." I had, like an epiphany, and my eyes widened, "I think he's afraid that if he punishes
us, we'll come and trash him or the school or something. Wow. You know, I don't think I like
this."
Kurt turned on his image inducer and left without a word. Scott put his head in his hands and
wouldn't look at me. Jean didn't seem to hear a word I said. The space around her with
practically ionized, and this sounds crazy, with rage. She left too, by the outside door.
I suddenly felt very alone.
face. Make that everyone's faces. Most of us were coughing and sliding back in our chairs to get
some fresh air and by the time Kurt's leavings cleared, Duncan's cronies had realized they were
missing a Duncan. A muffled bang shot out from under the table. I took a half glance down . . .
Kurt was pressed up against the floor, image inducer off, tail twitching. I didn't, like, want to
call attention to him, so I kept my eyes on the cronies instead. They were just staring blankly at
the space Duncan had occupied. A little slow on the uptake.
Scott stood up, brushing the front of his shirt (although, he like, didn't need to it wasn't dirty),
"Why don't you guys find Duncan, huh?"
Crony one shrugged and made as if to leave, but Crony two had finally figured it out. I thought
Duncan had been red before, but this guy was like some over-ripe tomato. He roared and
launched himself over the table. Which wasn't, like, terribly original of him. Jean caught him
with her TK and flung him . . . I mean, flung him! . . . into an empty cafeteria table. Crony one
got the hint and ran. Crony two slowly pulled himself up from the tangle of table and chair legs .
. . and he ran as well.
It was really cool, but I knew we were so gonna get in trouble.
"We're so gonna get in trouble," I said as Kurt slipped back into his seat and Scott sat down. "I
mean, you know what Principal Kelly said about using our powers. We'll be suspended. The
Professor . . ."
"So vhat?" Kurt muttered, his tail twitching spasmodically now, "Who cares vhat anyvun does
about it? Ve've done nothink for two months and still he comes. Still he tries to start fights.
I've had enough. He could haf caused an accident, comink at Scott like that."
"Yeah," Jean spat, and glowered at some point on the floor tiles. She was really mad, I could tell
that.
"You both should have let me handle it," Scott said quietly. He was really mad, too. Just not
slam-the-next-guy-into-a-locker mad. He only got that kinda mad with Lance, you know? "Just
because we're exposed doesn't mean we should . . . you should have let me handle it. I know
how to deal with Duncan."
Principal Kelly was coming across the cafeteria and I suspect he'd have looked madder than Jean
and Scott if he didn't have such a scared kind of face. It kinda made me sad, you know, that we
scared him. And I dunno, Kurt teleporting Duncan out, that was okay with me, but Jean's throw
was like, clearing the cafeteria. People were leaving, keeping this really wide berth of our table,
and Principal Kelly was coming and we were in so much trouble.
"Where's Duncan?" I heard Scott whisper to Kurt as Kelly got closer.
"Forge's basement," Kurt hissed back and Kelly was on us.
He was fidgeting with his necktie, "Listen, you . . . you . . . you must understand how much of a
risk it is to have you . . . you here. And this behavior is completely unacceptable. Completely.
If it wasn't for . . . wasn't for Xavier's generous funding for the school, I'd . . . I'd be strongly
tempted to have you all expelled. I probably should have you all expelled. These . . . the other
students can't defend themselves against you. You've . . . you've not caused too much trouble
before," his expression darkened, "but it's easy for you to cause trouble, apparently. I need . . . I
need your promise to abide by the school rules, or you will be expelled, or at least . . . at least
suspended. And, for the moment, you must apologize to the two young men you hurt. And . . ."
He glanced nervously at Kurt, "I'd ask . . . I'd ask that you please not . . . show yourself like that.
Maybe . . . maybe I can't make you, but I've been receiving complaints from the general student
body that you're . . . you're a distraction. This isn't any sort of . . . of slur against your
appearance, but it's a . . . a distraction and this is a place for learning. I'd thank you . . . thank
you . . . to comply with my requests." Then he withdrew, his step jerky. I sighed with relief,
until I'd realized why we'd been let off.
"Gosh," I said, "Gosh. He really doesn't know what to do with us, does he? I mean, I think he's
afraid . . ." I had, like an epiphany, and my eyes widened, "I think he's afraid that if he punishes
us, we'll come and trash him or the school or something. Wow. You know, I don't think I like
this."
Kurt turned on his image inducer and left without a word. Scott put his head in his hands and
wouldn't look at me. Jean didn't seem to hear a word I said. The space around her with
practically ionized, and this sounds crazy, with rage. She left too, by the outside door.
I suddenly felt very alone.