Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men Evolution or any of its characters. Be glad
I don't---I'd warp all their little minds.
A/N: Whoa, my first Evo fic---and it's really more of a ficlet. I didn't even mean for it turn out like it did---I ended up focusing on a character that I hadn't even thought about. This may be confusing---and its serious, strangely serious considering the main character is anything but---- Slightly OOC, I guess. Oooh, well.
Timeline---Pretty much anytime after the New Recruits join---probably after Joyride-hell, it could be after Cajun Spice, as long as no one cares that Jubes and Rahne are back---Come on, everyone knows they're gonna have to come back eventually!!
Follow the Leader
Bored. Bored. So bored. So disgustingly, despairingly bored.
The students of the Xavier Institute were bored.
And a large group of bored teenagers was always a bad thing, but when adding in the fact of nearly superhero like powers-it could be become downright dangerous for anyone that happened to cross their path.
Which led the students back to where they were, specifically in the Rec Room---each lounging around with nearly matching expressions of exasperated boredom. Half of them weren't even allowed to leave the Institute---boredom had been temporarily relieved after a bout of 'Let's steal the X-Van'. Too bad it had led to a premature stop at the front gate when Logan had jumped out in front of them and the Professor's voice had come ringing through their heads.
Bobby's head was still ringing from the telepath's order to return to the house-plus, the lovely addition of a week of grounding. So, now, he, Amara, Ray, Jubes, and Jamie weren't allowed to leave. But that didn't explain the others.
Kitty and Kurt were arguing in the corner-it looked like Kitty was trying to get Kurt to eat some sort of misshapen cookie-or maybe it was a brown mushroom with spots. Were chocolate chips supposed to turn green? Bobby tilted his head, considering the question-eyeing the "cookie" with morbid curiosity. How did she manage to ruin such simple things? Muffins, cookies, brownies-things that even HE could make and yet she always managed to turn them into some sort of science project gone horribly wrong.
Maybe he could slip Principal Kelly one of her creations. Ding dong the principal's dead, the principal's dead.
He snickered softly, like the others he had come face to face with the bigoted principal and his "ideals". Going to school was like walking through a mine field-sometimes you made it to the other side, other times you had to face the explosions. He didn't get it as bad as the older X-Men, but no mutant went unscathed.
Bobby stretched his feet out further, taking over the entire couch, his arms settled comfortably behind his head as he continued to observe his classmates. Jubilee and Amara were gossiping in low tones near the window. Amara propped up in the window seat while Jubes sat on the floor-her attention half on Amara and the other half on the polish she was dabbing on her toes. Bobby watched with lazy interest, as Jubilee became excited by something Amara said, her hand reaching out wildly, knocking over the polish. The two girls gasped as the sunny yellow nail polish seeped into the floor.
"Damn! That was my last bottle!" Jubilee let out a defeated sigh as the two girls went about grabbing towels to clean up the mess.
"Think anyone will notice?" Amara's nose wrinkled in disgust, as the polish seeped through the towel and stained her hand yellow.
"Nah. They haven't noticed that huge blue stain on the curtains, yet, now have they?" The two shared a grin before returning to the mess at hand.
Bobby sighed---well, that had been sooooooo interesting. Man..
He scanned the room and saw that Ray had brought his laptop with him and was quietly typing, his eyes never leaving the screen. Across from the Static King was Roberto, his dark eyes watching Ray warily. Though, the two could be civil to one another---even somewhat friendly, there was a silent competition always waging. It was like living with Evan and Pietro---except where those two actually fought---Ray and Roberto held endless staring contests.
Boring.
Jamie was reading a book.. No, make that comic book. Hmmm.. Looked sorta cool, actually. He'd definitely have to borrow it.
Scott and Jean had left about five minutes ago, during the polish incident- something about needing to study. He snorted, if studying consisted of trying to inhale each other while swapping as much spit as possible then yeah, they were studying. He'd been tempted to spy, gather a little blackmail, but he'd already done that two days ago..
Hey. Where did Sam and Rahne go?
Bobby suddenly sat up, gaining the attention of his fellow New Recruits. They all watched him expectantly and he flashed a cocky, yet goofy grin. But inside, he couldn't help but worry sometimes when they all watched him like that. He knew that kind of look. He'd seen it plenty of times. When the X-Men watched Scott. A leader look. A look that said "Ok, now let's hear your plan. Let's follow your lead."
A while back it wouldn't have bothered him to be considered a leader. Hell, he would've loved it. He was a glutton for the spotlight. But back then it would've just meant silly pranks or crazy joyrides. But now, with things so crazy. One day those plans would be turned to something more serious, where the situation involved life or death.
He didn't want to be their leader. He didn't want to be the one to lead them into battle. But he knew that when the time came, it would be him they turned to. Because the New Recruits weren't really part of the X-Men, they were their own group-their own special section of X-Men, and no matter how much they looked up to Scott, it was Bobby they relied on. It was Bobby they trusted.
The grin slowly faded and the girls exchanged worried glances, as Bobby suddenly frowned and began to massage his temples.
He didn't want this. He didn't need this. He just wanted to be normal-to goof off with his friends, to flirt with Jubes, to go to school.. To be normal. He didn't mind putting himself in dangerous positions-heck, fighting the Acolytes had been one of the most exciting experiences of his life! But the idea of someone getting hurt because of him, because of a decision he'd made..
That was different.
But he was Bobby. The clown, the prankster, the leader of the wild and crazy New Mutants.
So, he forced a wide grin-erasing the worry in his comrades' eyes, as he spoke up mischievously, "So, where do you suppose Sam and Rahne disappeared to?" He waggled his eyebrows for extra effect and was instantly rewarded with five mischievous grins.
"Ooh la la." Jubilee sang, "Not so innocent, are they?"
Amara giggled, "Those two are too cute!"
Ray rolled his eyes, "Every time someone's got a crush, you think they're 'too cute'."
She sniffed haughtily, "You're just jealous cause no one could possibly have a crush on you, Ray."
Roberto was laughing while Ray had stood up, his hands crackling with energy. "Why, I oughta---."
"Can't talk about them like that without proof." Jamie interrupted, tossing aside the comic book as he edged closer to the older kids.
Bobby nodded, rubbing his hands together evilly, "So we get proof!"
That was all it took---they were gone, out of the room, the group nearly stampeding down the hall in search of their lost companions. Bobby was with them, grinning and laughing. But inside his mind flinched, at how easily they all followed him. How they nodded and agreed when he whispered his silly plan.
Watching them each get into position for some serious blackmail spying, only one thought crossed his mind---over and over and over.
One day, I'm gonna be leading them into something far more dangerous, far more deadly. I'll have to order them to place their lives in danger, I'll have to watch them get hurt for the greater good. I'll have to be their leader, their friend, their counsel, their shoulder..
And he knew that day wasn't that far off, not anymore..
But it wasn't today, it wasn't yet-so for now, he grinned and bore the weight of responsibility, praying that it didn't crush him.
A/N: Whoa, my first Evo fic---and it's really more of a ficlet. I didn't even mean for it turn out like it did---I ended up focusing on a character that I hadn't even thought about. This may be confusing---and its serious, strangely serious considering the main character is anything but---- Slightly OOC, I guess. Oooh, well.
Timeline---Pretty much anytime after the New Recruits join---probably after Joyride-hell, it could be after Cajun Spice, as long as no one cares that Jubes and Rahne are back---Come on, everyone knows they're gonna have to come back eventually!!
Follow the Leader
Bored. Bored. So bored. So disgustingly, despairingly bored.
The students of the Xavier Institute were bored.
And a large group of bored teenagers was always a bad thing, but when adding in the fact of nearly superhero like powers-it could be become downright dangerous for anyone that happened to cross their path.
Which led the students back to where they were, specifically in the Rec Room---each lounging around with nearly matching expressions of exasperated boredom. Half of them weren't even allowed to leave the Institute---boredom had been temporarily relieved after a bout of 'Let's steal the X-Van'. Too bad it had led to a premature stop at the front gate when Logan had jumped out in front of them and the Professor's voice had come ringing through their heads.
Bobby's head was still ringing from the telepath's order to return to the house-plus, the lovely addition of a week of grounding. So, now, he, Amara, Ray, Jubes, and Jamie weren't allowed to leave. But that didn't explain the others.
Kitty and Kurt were arguing in the corner-it looked like Kitty was trying to get Kurt to eat some sort of misshapen cookie-or maybe it was a brown mushroom with spots. Were chocolate chips supposed to turn green? Bobby tilted his head, considering the question-eyeing the "cookie" with morbid curiosity. How did she manage to ruin such simple things? Muffins, cookies, brownies-things that even HE could make and yet she always managed to turn them into some sort of science project gone horribly wrong.
Maybe he could slip Principal Kelly one of her creations. Ding dong the principal's dead, the principal's dead.
He snickered softly, like the others he had come face to face with the bigoted principal and his "ideals". Going to school was like walking through a mine field-sometimes you made it to the other side, other times you had to face the explosions. He didn't get it as bad as the older X-Men, but no mutant went unscathed.
Bobby stretched his feet out further, taking over the entire couch, his arms settled comfortably behind his head as he continued to observe his classmates. Jubilee and Amara were gossiping in low tones near the window. Amara propped up in the window seat while Jubes sat on the floor-her attention half on Amara and the other half on the polish she was dabbing on her toes. Bobby watched with lazy interest, as Jubilee became excited by something Amara said, her hand reaching out wildly, knocking over the polish. The two girls gasped as the sunny yellow nail polish seeped into the floor.
"Damn! That was my last bottle!" Jubilee let out a defeated sigh as the two girls went about grabbing towels to clean up the mess.
"Think anyone will notice?" Amara's nose wrinkled in disgust, as the polish seeped through the towel and stained her hand yellow.
"Nah. They haven't noticed that huge blue stain on the curtains, yet, now have they?" The two shared a grin before returning to the mess at hand.
Bobby sighed---well, that had been sooooooo interesting. Man..
He scanned the room and saw that Ray had brought his laptop with him and was quietly typing, his eyes never leaving the screen. Across from the Static King was Roberto, his dark eyes watching Ray warily. Though, the two could be civil to one another---even somewhat friendly, there was a silent competition always waging. It was like living with Evan and Pietro---except where those two actually fought---Ray and Roberto held endless staring contests.
Boring.
Jamie was reading a book.. No, make that comic book. Hmmm.. Looked sorta cool, actually. He'd definitely have to borrow it.
Scott and Jean had left about five minutes ago, during the polish incident- something about needing to study. He snorted, if studying consisted of trying to inhale each other while swapping as much spit as possible then yeah, they were studying. He'd been tempted to spy, gather a little blackmail, but he'd already done that two days ago..
Hey. Where did Sam and Rahne go?
Bobby suddenly sat up, gaining the attention of his fellow New Recruits. They all watched him expectantly and he flashed a cocky, yet goofy grin. But inside, he couldn't help but worry sometimes when they all watched him like that. He knew that kind of look. He'd seen it plenty of times. When the X-Men watched Scott. A leader look. A look that said "Ok, now let's hear your plan. Let's follow your lead."
A while back it wouldn't have bothered him to be considered a leader. Hell, he would've loved it. He was a glutton for the spotlight. But back then it would've just meant silly pranks or crazy joyrides. But now, with things so crazy. One day those plans would be turned to something more serious, where the situation involved life or death.
He didn't want to be their leader. He didn't want to be the one to lead them into battle. But he knew that when the time came, it would be him they turned to. Because the New Recruits weren't really part of the X-Men, they were their own group-their own special section of X-Men, and no matter how much they looked up to Scott, it was Bobby they relied on. It was Bobby they trusted.
The grin slowly faded and the girls exchanged worried glances, as Bobby suddenly frowned and began to massage his temples.
He didn't want this. He didn't need this. He just wanted to be normal-to goof off with his friends, to flirt with Jubes, to go to school.. To be normal. He didn't mind putting himself in dangerous positions-heck, fighting the Acolytes had been one of the most exciting experiences of his life! But the idea of someone getting hurt because of him, because of a decision he'd made..
That was different.
But he was Bobby. The clown, the prankster, the leader of the wild and crazy New Mutants.
So, he forced a wide grin-erasing the worry in his comrades' eyes, as he spoke up mischievously, "So, where do you suppose Sam and Rahne disappeared to?" He waggled his eyebrows for extra effect and was instantly rewarded with five mischievous grins.
"Ooh la la." Jubilee sang, "Not so innocent, are they?"
Amara giggled, "Those two are too cute!"
Ray rolled his eyes, "Every time someone's got a crush, you think they're 'too cute'."
She sniffed haughtily, "You're just jealous cause no one could possibly have a crush on you, Ray."
Roberto was laughing while Ray had stood up, his hands crackling with energy. "Why, I oughta---."
"Can't talk about them like that without proof." Jamie interrupted, tossing aside the comic book as he edged closer to the older kids.
Bobby nodded, rubbing his hands together evilly, "So we get proof!"
That was all it took---they were gone, out of the room, the group nearly stampeding down the hall in search of their lost companions. Bobby was with them, grinning and laughing. But inside his mind flinched, at how easily they all followed him. How they nodded and agreed when he whispered his silly plan.
Watching them each get into position for some serious blackmail spying, only one thought crossed his mind---over and over and over.
One day, I'm gonna be leading them into something far more dangerous, far more deadly. I'll have to order them to place their lives in danger, I'll have to watch them get hurt for the greater good. I'll have to be their leader, their friend, their counsel, their shoulder..
And he knew that day wasn't that far off, not anymore..
But it wasn't today, it wasn't yet-so for now, he grinned and bore the weight of responsibility, praying that it didn't crush him.