With the influx of new faces at the mansion even Sunday nights proved difficult whereas matters of

privacy and quiet were concerned. Seniority and suggestions from Hank made it possible for Jubilee to

snag a semi-private room near the bathroom female faculty-members shared however, and while faculty

made rounds to make sure students were in their rooms, the former X-Woman borrowed hair-dye and

clippers prior to locking herself up in the bathroom. With all of the new faces, private moments for

self-expression were few and far between. Well aware of this fact, Jubilee hung a sign on the door

instructing people to stay out. If someone knocked on the door? Well she'd simply rely on loud music

as a not-so-polite way of ignoring it. She was crucified and lost yet another friend in the process. If

she was going to return to the team under those circumstances, his death, her feelings were going

to be something she would deal with on her own terms.

It starts with one thing, I

don't know why. It doesn't even matter

how hard you try. Keep that in mind,

I designed this rhyme to explain in due time.

Glancing at herself in the mirror, Jubilee reached for the scissors that lay atop the sink with one

hand while holding onto her long mane of hair with the other. Apart from trimming dead ends, she

hadn't had a real hair-cut since well before Ev died. That thought alone brought the tears out.

How long had she buried the pain that followed in the wake of his death? Sean had become a

drunkard and Emma didn't appear to even give a damn. When Jubes left from L.A. with Ange she

swore she'd never look back. And yet, there she was at the mansion - lopping of chest-length hair

with blunt scissors - all in the interest of moving forward.

All I know time is a valuable

thing. Watch it fly by as the pendulum

swings. Watch it count down to the end

of the day. The clock ticks life away.

X-Corps reminded Jubilee of just how much being a part of a team, doing something with her powers

had become an integral part of her life. As field leader for Banshee's Angels Jubilee had actively been

in charge of a real team in real situations - something that had given her a chance to use everything

she had learned from the X-Men, from Generation-X. Her tactical skills impressed former teachers

and teammates alike. They broke into a number of places and freed mutants from places not unlike

the one in which Bastion kept her for a time.

"Hmph," Jubes muttered as she went for the clippers. The last time she had gotten anything resembling

a buzz cut was from one of Bastion's goons. This time? This time Jubes was the one with the tools -

she was the one in control. And as far as she was concerned things were going to stay that way.

It's so unreal. Didn't look

out below. Watch the time go right

out the window. Trying to hold on but

didn't even know. Wasted it all just to

watch you go.

Hair scattered about her feet, Jubes glanced at herself in the mirror. The style was similar to the cut

she had when she was first with the X-Men: short in the back and a little long in the front. And whereas

hair cuts usually made some people look younger, losing the pounds of hair only helped Jubilee look more

like her age. Short and sassy, much like Jubilee herself - the cut complimented her Asian features. Now?

Only the final touches needed application. Provided the dy job worked, her hair would serve as her reminder,