There Must Be Some Kind of Way Out of Here
Chapter 38
Author's Note: Same stuff like all the other chapters - stuff in italics are thoughts and I love you all.
Disclaimer: Don't own any of this - Marvel and Kid's WB do, except my original character, John, but he's so dull that no one would want to steal him. Oh, and this has infrequent cuss words, so there's your warning.
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Doo doo doo doo dooo do doo dooo dooo dooo...
John made stupid beeping noises in his heads, resembling the noise made from something being sent through Morse code.
Calling all redheaded telepaths. Calling all redheaded telepaths. This is the Armless Wonder here, looking for a gorgeous red-haired telepath.
He didn't have much of an idea on where to find Jean, but he figured projecting a mental cry for her would work. That is, if he was projecting. He hoped he was projecting. If he wasn't...well, it was no biggie. There was no one to know that he was being stupid in his head.
Well, there's no stinkin' manual on what to do: 'How to Project Your Mental Thoughts' by the noted Cambridge physicist, Dr. Alfred P. Ununumium P.h.d.
The complete lack of replies to his mental projections told him that A) he wasn't projecting properly, or B) no one was listening.
John made his way into the hallway that held the rooms of all the other students (I finally remembered how to get here! he told himself triumphantly). He started knocking on every door until he finally got an answer.
Sticking his head into one of the rooms close to the opposite end of the hall, he found Jean sitting on a very large bed, rubbing her feet, in the middle of a room that looked exactly like his. Except it housed only one person.
"C'mon, we'll wait for him in his room," he said simply.
Limping slightly, Jean followed John to the room a couple doors down, at the end of the hall, where she quickly plopped down onto the bed, and continued with the massaging of her feet. John folded his arms and leaned against the wall, biting back a yawn.
"So, what'd you get off with?" Jean asked, keeping her eyes on her feet.
John groaned. "Don't remind me..." he muttered to himself. Louder, he said, "The same as you, four-fold."
"Ouch."
"Oh, but that's not all!" he said, trying to imitate some game show announcer. "I also get a week of special training sessions with Logan," he said behind a fake smile.
The memory of John's little lone run of the obstacle course, and the exercising Logan had him do a day after he arrived still burned in his mind.
"Double ouch," was all Jean said.
Easy for you to say, when you don't have to do it...
"Your feet hurt?" he asked.
Jean looked up and gave him an 'Are You F-ing Blind?!?' sort of look.
"Oh, heh, right," John murmured, looking away.
Scott should be arriving any time now, I hope.
The clock on a nightstand by the bed told John that it was only 3:35. "Uh...when do you think he'll get here?" he asked needlessly. He had already answered the question himself.
"Don't know. On any other day, he'd he here in just a couple more minutes. But then..."
"This isn't any other day," John said for her.
"Exactly."
"Can't you like...I don't know, talk to him telepathically, or something?"
"Not as far as the school. If he were here in the Institute, it'd be no problem."
"Er, I don't know how that whole mind reading stuff works. Can't you like, I dunno...find out if he's here or not?"
She nodded. "I'll let you know when he's here."
"I hope he comes straight home. I seriously hope he doesn't go off somewhere to brood," John said with a sigh, running a hand through his hair.
"Mmhmm," was all Jean replied with, and John didn't try to press her. She had to have been thinking the same thing.
With Jean back to rubbing her feet, John slumped down into a chair, propping his feet up on a small table. Staring up at the ceiling, the young mutant stifled a yawn as he rehearsed what he'd say when Scott finally did show up. With luck, he could say what he needed to say before Scott or Jean got in a word, and God willing that happened.
Then they can make out or whatever and be happy, and I don't have to fear for my life anymore.
He glanced over at Jean and hoped she'd do her part in this whole mess. That was the one part his nagging conscience reminded him of.
Just hope that she doesn't choke at the last second, or else this was all a giant waste.
Pushing aside his negative thoughts, John embraced a whole new set of thoughts...that were just as negative as the ones before.
So hey, those sessions with Logan sound fun.
Shut up.
Staying cooped up inside for four weeks sounds fun, too.
I still get to go out for school, much as it pains me to say it. And besides, it's not like I had a whole list of places I wanted to go around here.
Awww, but you can't go out with your girlfriend.
Is she my girlfriend?
I thought she was.
I don't know. I'm confused over the whole situation.
Me too.
You aren't much of a help, you know?
You expect me to give you answers? You know, I'm just you, John. A more cynical you, but you, nonetheless.
Then why am I talking to you?
Because I answer the questions to which you already know the answer, but don't want to admit to? You know, like that whole deal with you and Amara.
Shut up.
Jean's right - you are whiny.
But wouldn't that mean that you are also whiny?
The cynical voice in his head shut up after that, which suited John just fine.
Before he knew what was happening, the door to the room flung open, and John looked over to see Scott standing in the doorway, a very bewildered look on his face.
John unsteadily looked over to Jean. "W...why didn't you tell me he was coming?"
"I tried," she said in an irritate tone, "But you were off in La-La Land."
"Oh..." John muttered as he felt his face heat up.
Scott's face contorted, and John couldn't tell if he were trying to glare at them or frown. "What are you doing in here?" he said finally.
"Well, you see," John began, getting out of the chair. But Scott stopped him before he could stand up.
"Don't. Just...I'll go now," Scott said, turning around. He didn't get far either, as the door shut in his face.
From the angle at which John was sitting, he could see the older boy working his jaw with his fists clenched, unsure if he should say something or simply open the door.
But Jean beat him to the punch. "Scott Summers," she said in a very stern tone, "We need to talk."
He turned around and smiled weakly, but didn't move away from the door. "Fine. Say whatever is you want to say."
John stepped in front of Scott's path, feeling a little intimidated. Scott wasn't much taller than he was, but his body was much more muscular. And he had his laser beam eyes. John didn't doubt for a second that Scott couldn't kick his ass.
Alright. It's go time.
"Scott, forget everything that happened today, up until this very moment. Absolutely everything, from when you woke up this morning to when you just came in here. Forget all of it. Now, you're going to sit down and Jean is going to tell you something very important." He ignored the frown that started to form on Scott's face, and tried to imitate Jean's stern tone from seconds ago. "She's going to tell you something very important and you're going to listen to it. I don't care if you don't want to right now, but you will be glad you heard it later. If you don't want to listen, God as my witness, I will pull off my arm and beat you over the head with it until you do want to listen."
John let out a very long sigh of relief..
There...that wasn't too hard.
Taking a tight grip on Scott's arm, he pulled him out of the doorway and pushed him over to the recently-occupied chair. "Listen to her," he added for good measure.
Looking over at Jean, he sent her a telepathic message, or he hoped so.
Alright, I got the ball in your court. It's up to you to make the basket.
He didn't bother to wait for a response. He pushed the door open and stepped outside, sagging backwards against it once it was shut.
He let out another very long sigh of relief before easing himself down to the floor. That had really drained him.
Letting his head fall limply onto his chest, John Jashback and shut his eyes, feeling extremely content. In fact, he hadn't felt like this since the night he gave Pietro his just due.
Oooooh man. It's like a burden's been lifted off my shoulders.
"Hey, hey, hey! It's Hot Lips!" exclaimed a cheery voice.
John groaned involuntarily. He had wanted to avoid human contact for at least another five minutes.
Yeah, well, next time don't decide the hallway is a good place for your ass to go.
In front of him crouched Jubilee, the Institute's Asian mutant who made fireworks. He found a piece of irony in that - she being an Asian and shooting fireworks. It just seemed so...clichè. He smirked at the thought.
Yeah, well, at least she's not a ninja or anything. That would definitely be clichè.
She gave him a curious look that made John realize how pretty she was.
You know...she's no eyesore. I wonder why I didn't notice that before?
Seriously John, do you need to be thinking about girls again? Haven't they gotten you into enough crap already?
Good point.
Ignoring that she called him by one of the loving nicknames the other students had for him, John smiled back at her. "How's it goin'?"
"So..." she crooned. "I heard you got in a fight with Duncan Matthews today..."
"You heard right."
"I also heard you skipped school. And Jean went with you."
"You heard right, again."
"And what did you two do together?" she asked, winking.
John rolled his eyes, but decided to play along. "Oh, a little of this, and a little of that..."
He had to fight hard not to laugh when she gasped, but in the end, it was a battle he lost.
Jubilee's punch to the arm shut him up. Barely.
"Oh come on. I'm not allowed to have fun?"
She snorted. "Tell me. What did you do today?"
John knocked his head against the door behind him, and he could hear the faint voices within. "Ask Jean. She's inside. With Scott," he added a second later.
The girl's eyes widened and she pressed her ear up to the door.
"What the hell are you doing?" John spluttered, pulling her away.
Her tongue sticking out at him, she said, "I couldn't hear them. What are they talking about?"
John shrugged his shoulders. "With any luck, they aren't talking, but practicing CPR on each other."
But with my luck...yeah, best not to dwell on that.
Jubilee grinned devilishly and nodded. She stood up and helped John do the same. "But why did you skip school?"
"Would you have stayed, if all that happened to you?"
"Good point," she replied.
"So I'm guessing that since you're here, everyone else is, too?"
The Asian girl nodded. "Amara was asking Miss Ororo where you were," she said, flashing that devilish, knowing smile again. John arched an eyebrow in response. "Jamie was, too." She made an odd face. "Him, more than anyone, and I think we all asked about you. How can you put up with him? He's so annoying!"
John pressed his lips together in thought. "Why? That's a good question. Maybe because...I was him, once. I know what it's like, being the youngest, being surrounded by people older than me. I figure he could use a friend, being so different from everyone else. And besides, he's my retreat from the insanity here."
It was Jubilee's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Isn't that what Amara's for?"
"Er...I uh...suppose so. But we've been uh...dating...for a couple days, if you can even call it dating!"
"I can see what you mean. But I think you two look cute together."
On the inside, John grinned evilly. A great idea had hit him, and he deserved to have a little fun today. Leaning his face very close to hers, he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. He locked his eyes with hers, and brought his other hand up under her chin, tilting it upwards. "And you and I wouldn't look good together?" he said at last.
He heard and felt her breathe in sharply, and watched the blood heat her cheeks. It took a great amount of willpower to maintain his composure, simply smiling at her, but on the inside, he was laughing hysterically. Keeping his gaze locked with hers for a moment longer, he leaned in a bit closer before apruptly pulling away. Turning on his heel, he headed off down the hall and eventually, the stairs, whistling softly to himself, leaving a very confused Jubilee behind.
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"Salad after steak? I'd hate to say this twice in one meal, but...horse's ass."
Just so you know, Ununumium is a real element on the Periodic Table.
Chapter 38
Author's Note: Same stuff like all the other chapters - stuff in italics are thoughts and I love you all.
Disclaimer: Don't own any of this - Marvel and Kid's WB do, except my original character, John, but he's so dull that no one would want to steal him. Oh, and this has infrequent cuss words, so there's your warning.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doo doo doo doo dooo do doo dooo dooo dooo...
John made stupid beeping noises in his heads, resembling the noise made from something being sent through Morse code.
Calling all redheaded telepaths. Calling all redheaded telepaths. This is the Armless Wonder here, looking for a gorgeous red-haired telepath.
He didn't have much of an idea on where to find Jean, but he figured projecting a mental cry for her would work. That is, if he was projecting. He hoped he was projecting. If he wasn't...well, it was no biggie. There was no one to know that he was being stupid in his head.
Well, there's no stinkin' manual on what to do: 'How to Project Your Mental Thoughts' by the noted Cambridge physicist, Dr. Alfred P. Ununumium P.h.d.
The complete lack of replies to his mental projections told him that A) he wasn't projecting properly, or B) no one was listening.
John made his way into the hallway that held the rooms of all the other students (I finally remembered how to get here! he told himself triumphantly). He started knocking on every door until he finally got an answer.
Sticking his head into one of the rooms close to the opposite end of the hall, he found Jean sitting on a very large bed, rubbing her feet, in the middle of a room that looked exactly like his. Except it housed only one person.
"C'mon, we'll wait for him in his room," he said simply.
Limping slightly, Jean followed John to the room a couple doors down, at the end of the hall, where she quickly plopped down onto the bed, and continued with the massaging of her feet. John folded his arms and leaned against the wall, biting back a yawn.
"So, what'd you get off with?" Jean asked, keeping her eyes on her feet.
John groaned. "Don't remind me..." he muttered to himself. Louder, he said, "The same as you, four-fold."
"Ouch."
"Oh, but that's not all!" he said, trying to imitate some game show announcer. "I also get a week of special training sessions with Logan," he said behind a fake smile.
The memory of John's little lone run of the obstacle course, and the exercising Logan had him do a day after he arrived still burned in his mind.
"Double ouch," was all Jean said.
Easy for you to say, when you don't have to do it...
"Your feet hurt?" he asked.
Jean looked up and gave him an 'Are You F-ing Blind?!?' sort of look.
"Oh, heh, right," John murmured, looking away.
Scott should be arriving any time now, I hope.
The clock on a nightstand by the bed told John that it was only 3:35. "Uh...when do you think he'll get here?" he asked needlessly. He had already answered the question himself.
"Don't know. On any other day, he'd he here in just a couple more minutes. But then..."
"This isn't any other day," John said for her.
"Exactly."
"Can't you like...I don't know, talk to him telepathically, or something?"
"Not as far as the school. If he were here in the Institute, it'd be no problem."
"Er, I don't know how that whole mind reading stuff works. Can't you like, I dunno...find out if he's here or not?"
She nodded. "I'll let you know when he's here."
"I hope he comes straight home. I seriously hope he doesn't go off somewhere to brood," John said with a sigh, running a hand through his hair.
"Mmhmm," was all Jean replied with, and John didn't try to press her. She had to have been thinking the same thing.
With Jean back to rubbing her feet, John slumped down into a chair, propping his feet up on a small table. Staring up at the ceiling, the young mutant stifled a yawn as he rehearsed what he'd say when Scott finally did show up. With luck, he could say what he needed to say before Scott or Jean got in a word, and God willing that happened.
Then they can make out or whatever and be happy, and I don't have to fear for my life anymore.
He glanced over at Jean and hoped she'd do her part in this whole mess. That was the one part his nagging conscience reminded him of.
Just hope that she doesn't choke at the last second, or else this was all a giant waste.
Pushing aside his negative thoughts, John embraced a whole new set of thoughts...that were just as negative as the ones before.
So hey, those sessions with Logan sound fun.
Shut up.
Staying cooped up inside for four weeks sounds fun, too.
I still get to go out for school, much as it pains me to say it. And besides, it's not like I had a whole list of places I wanted to go around here.
Awww, but you can't go out with your girlfriend.
Is she my girlfriend?
I thought she was.
I don't know. I'm confused over the whole situation.
Me too.
You aren't much of a help, you know?
You expect me to give you answers? You know, I'm just you, John. A more cynical you, but you, nonetheless.
Then why am I talking to you?
Because I answer the questions to which you already know the answer, but don't want to admit to? You know, like that whole deal with you and Amara.
Shut up.
Jean's right - you are whiny.
But wouldn't that mean that you are also whiny?
The cynical voice in his head shut up after that, which suited John just fine.
Before he knew what was happening, the door to the room flung open, and John looked over to see Scott standing in the doorway, a very bewildered look on his face.
John unsteadily looked over to Jean. "W...why didn't you tell me he was coming?"
"I tried," she said in an irritate tone, "But you were off in La-La Land."
"Oh..." John muttered as he felt his face heat up.
Scott's face contorted, and John couldn't tell if he were trying to glare at them or frown. "What are you doing in here?" he said finally.
"Well, you see," John began, getting out of the chair. But Scott stopped him before he could stand up.
"Don't. Just...I'll go now," Scott said, turning around. He didn't get far either, as the door shut in his face.
From the angle at which John was sitting, he could see the older boy working his jaw with his fists clenched, unsure if he should say something or simply open the door.
But Jean beat him to the punch. "Scott Summers," she said in a very stern tone, "We need to talk."
He turned around and smiled weakly, but didn't move away from the door. "Fine. Say whatever is you want to say."
John stepped in front of Scott's path, feeling a little intimidated. Scott wasn't much taller than he was, but his body was much more muscular. And he had his laser beam eyes. John didn't doubt for a second that Scott couldn't kick his ass.
Alright. It's go time.
"Scott, forget everything that happened today, up until this very moment. Absolutely everything, from when you woke up this morning to when you just came in here. Forget all of it. Now, you're going to sit down and Jean is going to tell you something very important." He ignored the frown that started to form on Scott's face, and tried to imitate Jean's stern tone from seconds ago. "She's going to tell you something very important and you're going to listen to it. I don't care if you don't want to right now, but you will be glad you heard it later. If you don't want to listen, God as my witness, I will pull off my arm and beat you over the head with it until you do want to listen."
John let out a very long sigh of relief..
There...that wasn't too hard.
Taking a tight grip on Scott's arm, he pulled him out of the doorway and pushed him over to the recently-occupied chair. "Listen to her," he added for good measure.
Looking over at Jean, he sent her a telepathic message, or he hoped so.
Alright, I got the ball in your court. It's up to you to make the basket.
He didn't bother to wait for a response. He pushed the door open and stepped outside, sagging backwards against it once it was shut.
He let out another very long sigh of relief before easing himself down to the floor. That had really drained him.
Letting his head fall limply onto his chest, John Jashback and shut his eyes, feeling extremely content. In fact, he hadn't felt like this since the night he gave Pietro his just due.
Oooooh man. It's like a burden's been lifted off my shoulders.
"Hey, hey, hey! It's Hot Lips!" exclaimed a cheery voice.
John groaned involuntarily. He had wanted to avoid human contact for at least another five minutes.
Yeah, well, next time don't decide the hallway is a good place for your ass to go.
In front of him crouched Jubilee, the Institute's Asian mutant who made fireworks. He found a piece of irony in that - she being an Asian and shooting fireworks. It just seemed so...clichè. He smirked at the thought.
Yeah, well, at least she's not a ninja or anything. That would definitely be clichè.
She gave him a curious look that made John realize how pretty she was.
You know...she's no eyesore. I wonder why I didn't notice that before?
Seriously John, do you need to be thinking about girls again? Haven't they gotten you into enough crap already?
Good point.
Ignoring that she called him by one of the loving nicknames the other students had for him, John smiled back at her. "How's it goin'?"
"So..." she crooned. "I heard you got in a fight with Duncan Matthews today..."
"You heard right."
"I also heard you skipped school. And Jean went with you."
"You heard right, again."
"And what did you two do together?" she asked, winking.
John rolled his eyes, but decided to play along. "Oh, a little of this, and a little of that..."
He had to fight hard not to laugh when she gasped, but in the end, it was a battle he lost.
Jubilee's punch to the arm shut him up. Barely.
"Oh come on. I'm not allowed to have fun?"
She snorted. "Tell me. What did you do today?"
John knocked his head against the door behind him, and he could hear the faint voices within. "Ask Jean. She's inside. With Scott," he added a second later.
The girl's eyes widened and she pressed her ear up to the door.
"What the hell are you doing?" John spluttered, pulling her away.
Her tongue sticking out at him, she said, "I couldn't hear them. What are they talking about?"
John shrugged his shoulders. "With any luck, they aren't talking, but practicing CPR on each other."
But with my luck...yeah, best not to dwell on that.
Jubilee grinned devilishly and nodded. She stood up and helped John do the same. "But why did you skip school?"
"Would you have stayed, if all that happened to you?"
"Good point," she replied.
"So I'm guessing that since you're here, everyone else is, too?"
The Asian girl nodded. "Amara was asking Miss Ororo where you were," she said, flashing that devilish, knowing smile again. John arched an eyebrow in response. "Jamie was, too." She made an odd face. "Him, more than anyone, and I think we all asked about you. How can you put up with him? He's so annoying!"
John pressed his lips together in thought. "Why? That's a good question. Maybe because...I was him, once. I know what it's like, being the youngest, being surrounded by people older than me. I figure he could use a friend, being so different from everyone else. And besides, he's my retreat from the insanity here."
It was Jubilee's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Isn't that what Amara's for?"
"Er...I uh...suppose so. But we've been uh...dating...for a couple days, if you can even call it dating!"
"I can see what you mean. But I think you two look cute together."
On the inside, John grinned evilly. A great idea had hit him, and he deserved to have a little fun today. Leaning his face very close to hers, he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. He locked his eyes with hers, and brought his other hand up under her chin, tilting it upwards. "And you and I wouldn't look good together?" he said at last.
He heard and felt her breathe in sharply, and watched the blood heat her cheeks. It took a great amount of willpower to maintain his composure, simply smiling at her, but on the inside, he was laughing hysterically. Keeping his gaze locked with hers for a moment longer, he leaned in a bit closer before apruptly pulling away. Turning on his heel, he headed off down the hall and eventually, the stairs, whistling softly to himself, leaving a very confused Jubilee behind.
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"Salad after steak? I'd hate to say this twice in one meal, but...horse's ass."
Just so you know, Ununumium is a real element on the Periodic Table.