Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters and/or places. Aurora
Nova, her roommates, and Rapscallion are mine.
ShadyLady: Maybe. . .I didn't really include either, because no one voted!
Faith: That is more or less in this chapter, plus a newbie!
Wertyleigh: Thanks, and yes
Tigereyes: Oh, a challenge! Actually I don't really get it, but whatever!
You guys are going to hate me for this chapter!
*****
Aurora shifted slightly. Not once had she used her powers today, so she had been able to see quite freely. It was strange, usually after extended use of vision her head began to throb, but not today. It was yet another thing to puzzle over, but not right now.
She could not take her eyes off the girl across from her, a dark-haired, shady-eyed female who seemed not to care much for showers. Beside her sat the teen, Rogue, or Marie. Most of the students here showed blatant signs of their powers, like the boy who had antennae. Not so the strange, dark one.
"So, why don't we all introduce ourselves?" Ms. Munroe suggested amiably.
"Because we all already know each other?" suggested the dark girl.
"Grace," Ms. Munroe replied in a calm voice, "we have a new student with us. Why don't you begin? Say your name and something important about yourself."
This idea of 'Circle', or 'Group', as it was variably called, was not bad. Some of the more "troubled" students came together after class and, as far as Aurora could tell, sat in a circle on their desks, or in seats if they preferred.
"My name is Rapscallion," the dark girl called Grace said, "and as far as I can gather, I'm rotten." Ms. Munroe sighed and gave her a reproving looking.
"No code names," she corrected, though her tone held extra meaning to Grace.
"My name is Grace," she muttered, "I like cricket." This seemed a great effort for her to admit, and she glanced at Marie, to her right.
"Crickets?" someone asked. Grace seemed to know at once who had said this, and she glared at him. He shrank back, and she returned to her earlier position, composed, as though nothing had happened. What had happened? Aurora wondered.
"My name is Marie," said Marie, "and I. . ."
So things went on. No one seemed to be as unresponsive, as venomous, as Grace. Circle seemed a very well executed plan. The children seemed to really understand each other with the more relaxed environment. They did things that seemed like games, such as drawing things that were important to them (no one was forced to draw or to share) and talking about problems they were having with life in generally. When the clock ticked around to show the hour, Ms. Munroe dismissed them, asking Grace and Aurora to stay for a moment.
"Grace," her infinite patience seemed to be wearing thin, "is there a reason you cannot cooperate? This is meant to help you, no one here wants to hurt you, do you not realize this?"
Grace breathed heavily, but she did respond.
"Very well. Perhaps you noticed Aurora? She's in your dormitory."
I am? Aurora thought. I never noticed her. . .
"Your assignment this week is to show her the ropes."
"Ms. Munroe, that is completely--"
"Grace, we have a deal," Ms. Munroe reminded her.
"Hardly worth it," Grace mumbled. "All right, Aurora, come on. . ." she turned to leave. Aurora was unsure of what to do, so she followed Grace out into the hall. Grace wheeled around. "My name is Rapscallion," she said, "I don't like people."
Aurora felt something she had not felt so uncontrolled in a long time: anger. "I didn't ask for this," she pointed out.
"Neither did I, so shove off," Rapscallion said, shoving her way past Aurora, who stood for a moment, stunned, then she turned around to see Ms. Munroe watching her.
"I apologize for her behavior," she said. "Grace hadn't a very easy time of things before. She is known for her hostility."
"Oh," was all Aurora could think of to say. "She seems to listen to you. In Mr. Summers' class, she was not that cooperative, and she spoke out often."
Ms. Munroe nodded. "Grace and Scott do not get on well. Aurora, I know that you are new here, but would you mind. . .perhaps not helping Grace, but watch her for me? I cannot be there all the time."
"Of course," Aurora said with a nod. Something occurred to her. "You said that she and I are in the same dormitory, but I have not seen her before."
"That would make sense. Grace has not been here for a week. No one really knows where she was."
Aurora pondered this. The X-Men had been kind to her, more so than anyone else she could recall. She had no reason not to trust them. How could Grace be so cruel as to be so mean to people who did such good things? Did she have a conscience? 'I may as well find out,' Aurora thought. 'I will be watching her, after all.'
ShadyLady: Maybe. . .I didn't really include either, because no one voted!
Faith: That is more or less in this chapter, plus a newbie!
Wertyleigh: Thanks, and yes
Tigereyes: Oh, a challenge! Actually I don't really get it, but whatever!
You guys are going to hate me for this chapter!
*****
Aurora shifted slightly. Not once had she used her powers today, so she had been able to see quite freely. It was strange, usually after extended use of vision her head began to throb, but not today. It was yet another thing to puzzle over, but not right now.
She could not take her eyes off the girl across from her, a dark-haired, shady-eyed female who seemed not to care much for showers. Beside her sat the teen, Rogue, or Marie. Most of the students here showed blatant signs of their powers, like the boy who had antennae. Not so the strange, dark one.
"So, why don't we all introduce ourselves?" Ms. Munroe suggested amiably.
"Because we all already know each other?" suggested the dark girl.
"Grace," Ms. Munroe replied in a calm voice, "we have a new student with us. Why don't you begin? Say your name and something important about yourself."
This idea of 'Circle', or 'Group', as it was variably called, was not bad. Some of the more "troubled" students came together after class and, as far as Aurora could tell, sat in a circle on their desks, or in seats if they preferred.
"My name is Rapscallion," the dark girl called Grace said, "and as far as I can gather, I'm rotten." Ms. Munroe sighed and gave her a reproving looking.
"No code names," she corrected, though her tone held extra meaning to Grace.
"My name is Grace," she muttered, "I like cricket." This seemed a great effort for her to admit, and she glanced at Marie, to her right.
"Crickets?" someone asked. Grace seemed to know at once who had said this, and she glared at him. He shrank back, and she returned to her earlier position, composed, as though nothing had happened. What had happened? Aurora wondered.
"My name is Marie," said Marie, "and I. . ."
So things went on. No one seemed to be as unresponsive, as venomous, as Grace. Circle seemed a very well executed plan. The children seemed to really understand each other with the more relaxed environment. They did things that seemed like games, such as drawing things that were important to them (no one was forced to draw or to share) and talking about problems they were having with life in generally. When the clock ticked around to show the hour, Ms. Munroe dismissed them, asking Grace and Aurora to stay for a moment.
"Grace," her infinite patience seemed to be wearing thin, "is there a reason you cannot cooperate? This is meant to help you, no one here wants to hurt you, do you not realize this?"
Grace breathed heavily, but she did respond.
"Very well. Perhaps you noticed Aurora? She's in your dormitory."
I am? Aurora thought. I never noticed her. . .
"Your assignment this week is to show her the ropes."
"Ms. Munroe, that is completely--"
"Grace, we have a deal," Ms. Munroe reminded her.
"Hardly worth it," Grace mumbled. "All right, Aurora, come on. . ." she turned to leave. Aurora was unsure of what to do, so she followed Grace out into the hall. Grace wheeled around. "My name is Rapscallion," she said, "I don't like people."
Aurora felt something she had not felt so uncontrolled in a long time: anger. "I didn't ask for this," she pointed out.
"Neither did I, so shove off," Rapscallion said, shoving her way past Aurora, who stood for a moment, stunned, then she turned around to see Ms. Munroe watching her.
"I apologize for her behavior," she said. "Grace hadn't a very easy time of things before. She is known for her hostility."
"Oh," was all Aurora could think of to say. "She seems to listen to you. In Mr. Summers' class, she was not that cooperative, and she spoke out often."
Ms. Munroe nodded. "Grace and Scott do not get on well. Aurora, I know that you are new here, but would you mind. . .perhaps not helping Grace, but watch her for me? I cannot be there all the time."
"Of course," Aurora said with a nod. Something occurred to her. "You said that she and I are in the same dormitory, but I have not seen her before."
"That would make sense. Grace has not been here for a week. No one really knows where she was."
Aurora pondered this. The X-Men had been kind to her, more so than anyone else she could recall. She had no reason not to trust them. How could Grace be so cruel as to be so mean to people who did such good things? Did she have a conscience? 'I may as well find out,' Aurora thought. 'I will be watching her, after all.'