AN: Zanyness begins.
Chapter 37: Homeward Bound
The day after the assassination attempt, the X-Men climbed onto the separate bus the school had sent for the X-Men. A.K.A., The Xavier Institute chartered a bus, and sent it.
As the first of the X-Men boarded the bus, they found a pleasant surprise, in the form of the rest of the X-Men.
As the mutants caught up on the events of the past week, the younger mutants settled themselves into seats, being careful of the various injuries incurred. The President had insisted that they be treated, refusing to take no for an answer. It had been an experience, although the X-Men would always treasure the looks on the doctor's faces when they took Bobby and Amara's temperatures as part of the examination.
The X-Men would soon find themselves subject to another pleasant surprise however.
"Mamma?" asked Paige, stunned when her mother and siblings climbed onto the bus.
"Paige! Come an give ya mamma a hug."
Paige rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her mother's waist. The X-Men settled into their seats, the Guthrie's sitting closer towards the front, allowing the student's some privacy. The driver told them that he didn't care if they walked around, as long as they didn't do anything stupid. Kitty smirked.
"Where were we in our game?"
"I think it was your turn, Jubes." Said Kyle
"Alright," the Asian mutant said, "Mara, truth or dare."
The island princess watched her for a long moment. "Truth."
"What happened when you and Kyle were talking outside the restaurant?"
She grinned, "We hooked ourselves up."
Jubilee blanched, "We went through all that for nothing?!"
Kyle nodded sagely, "Yep."
Kyle turned to the others. "If you hadn't guessed, we're playing truth or dare. Anyone want to not play."
Most of the institute guys and girls jumped in instantly, although Rogue did require that they not 'maike me do anythaing stupid." Perhaps the least willing were Jean and Scott, both of whom were unwilling to participate at all.
"Be that way." Said Tabby, "Mara, it's your turn."
"Alright then, Tabs. Remy, truth or dare?"
The Cajun thief thought for a moment. "Dare."
"You poor lost soul." Said Bobby.
Mara grinned. "Go for ten minutes without playing with your cards."
Remy stared at her like she was mad. "Ye can' do dat to Remy!"
"I just did."
"Awlright den. Cheri, truth or dare."
Rogue glared at Remy. "Dare."
He smirked. "Don be sayin the letter E fo ten minutes."
"Easy."
"Ye just said it."
Rogue glared at him. "Tabby, truth or... ya know."
"Truth."
"What's ya full..." she turned to glare at the Cajun. "Now Ah can say it."
Jean grinned. "She wants to know your full name."
Rogue smirked, "Thank ya."
"My full name?"
"Mmmmhhmmm..."
"Okay then. My full name is Tabitha Marie Jasmine Carolyn Yvonne Leah Annabel Smith."
The X-Men watched her for a full minute, dead silent. Finally, the dam burst when Amara started giggling. The entire X-team burst out laughing until their sides hurt and they cried from their mirth.
"Ha ha, very funny.
Bobby, truth or dare?"
"Dare." Iceman managed to squeak out through his laughter.
"Prank Logan when we get back."
The laughter redoubled at the thought of Bobby pranking the Wolverine. Finally, after several more hours of fun and dares, the X-Men finally asked the bus driver to pull over somewhere so they could stretch their legs, and get some food. The driver complied, pulling into a small strip-mall.
As the younger Guthrie's wandered the mall under their mother's supervision, the X-Men hit a restaurant nearby. Upon entering the restaurant, they were lead to their table by a mime, who looked eerily familiar to the X-Men who had been in D.C.
Their minds were soon pulled away from that, however, by their server.
"Hey! My name is Sandy, and I'll be your server. It's so good to see you all again!"
Kyle sat ramrod straight in his chair, his face a comical display of terror and disgust merged into one. The other D.C.ers were just as comical, their reactions varying from annoyed to disgust. After ordering their beverages, Sandy was sent on her way, although she made extra sure to brush by Kyle.
"What's wrong with you?" Asked Evan.
"That girl's following us, I swear. She was our waitress at some little dinner on the way to D.C., at seven different restaurant's in D.C. and here." Said Bobby.
The older X-Men traded looks, and, before they could say anything, Bobby spoke again.
"And she can't stop flirting with Kyle."
The older X-Men all opened their eyes wide, as this sunk in.
"I have an idea." Said Kyle. With that, the X-Men leaned in near to each other over the table, and made their plan.
Later, Sandy walked by their table, brushing against Kyle with her hip, only to have the ground shake slightly, knocking her off balance, conveniently into the lap of a customer at the next table over, who looked particularly well-to-do.
When she went to bring him a hot cup of coffee, Bobby did his thing, chilling the pot, then the cup. When she went to hand a new cup of coffee to the man, she tripped over seeming thin air... or maybe she was pushed? Either way, the cup of suddenly scalding hot coffee poured all over his two hundred dollar suit.
"THAT DOES IT!!!" He yelled, "I WANT TO TALK TO THE MANAGER, NOW!!!!"
With that, the X-Men figured, they had seen the last of Sandy, the waitress from hell.
Soon after, the X-Men climbed back onto the bus; the Guthrie's soon joining them. They headed off again, driving towards the Institute.
Tabby primed her voice, and began to sing.
"Ninety-nine bottles of pop on the wall, ninety nine bottles of pop..."
To her surprise, unlike last time, Amara joined in, and soon, even the driver was singing with them.
Many miles later, they ran out of pop on the wall, and moved on to the infamous, most terrifying song known to man.
"This is the song that never ends, this is the song that never ends. Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was. And now they'll be singing it forever, just because."
Many miles later, the Mrs. Guthrie finally lost her mind, and temper, forcing Paige and Sam to find another song to sing.
Kyle, however, was the one to come up with the next song. In a deep voice, he began singing a low, haunting tune, with a waltz beat.
There is, a house, in New Orleans
They call, the Rising Sun
Remy smirked, he knew this song, and jumped in a key lower than Kyle.
And it's been the ruin, of many
A poor boy, and God, I know I'm one
Kyle gathered Amara to him, and, as she leaned against his chest, he sang in such a way that the breath tickled her ear, yet carried to even the driver.
My mother was a tailor, Lord,
She sewed my new blue jeans
Amara sighed, and leaned back against her new boyfriend.
My daddy was a gambling man
Down in New Orleans
Rahne crawled into Sam's lap, letting him wrap his arms around her, hugging her to him. She placed her head on his shoulder, and listened.
Now the only thing, a gambler needs,
Is a suitcase and a trunk
Jubilee leaned against Bobby, wrapping her arm around his waist, as her head leaned on his shoulder. His head came down to rest on hers, as the two listened to Kyle's song.
And the only time, he'll be, satisfied,
Is when he's all a-drunk
Tabby leaned against Piotr, who blushed slightly. Looking down, he saw tears begin to form in her eyes. Her father was a drunk, a child beater, an abusive husband, and forced her to steal for him, came Jean's voice in his mind.
Now mother tell your children, Lord
Don't do what I have done
Piotr's eyes narrowed, as he wrapped an arm around Tabby's shoulders, and let her cry into him.
And spend your life, in sin and misery,
In the house of the Rising Sun
Rahne growled slightly at the inadvertent reminder of her past life.
I got one foot on the platform, Lord
The other is on the train
Kurt held Amanda close with his tail, as she played with his fur.
I'm going back, back to New Orleans,
I gotta wear that ball and chain
Lance held Kitty in his lap, his head resting on top of hers. That could have been me, in that story, if I hadn't met Kitty.
Kyle's voice jumped up to the top of the scale as he sang through the next verse
There is, A house, In New, Orleans
They call the Ri-hisin' Sun
The other X-Men and women listened, as did the Guthrie's.
And it's beeeeeennn the ruuiiiiin,
Of many a poor boy
Amara shivered on her boyfriend's lap, as the other X-Men held their loved ones close.
And God, Oh God I kno-how,
I KNOW, I'm Ooooone
