It had become nightfall, and Tora had yet to finish tossing her belongings together. Charles had spoke of a family near the lower mountains that was would be more than thrilled to have Tora in their company. The tiger was a great animal to their eyes, and Tora was only a Goddess to them… it made her feel somewhat guilty… for she was no Goddess… she was a bundle of carefully placed organs come to life. No matter… she had a home, and soon, she would have a new, and, with any luck, enhanced life in her motherlands.
For the first time since the crushing information first entered her memory in the laboratory, she was smiling. Buzzing around her room like a giddy humming bird, she rushed her belongings onto her bed, each pile a type of item… a pile of clothing, a mound of her silk undergarments, her little stuffed toys so full of cheer…
As she moved swiftly from one side of the room to the next, placing an object to the bed with each new adjustment, she again used that dashing voice of hers, but in a good way. It was a beautiful song by Enya that no words were associated with… which was good, she couldn't have remembered them anyhow.
"So you are leaving…"
The thick voice made her jump from shock, her tail frizzing out some and her ears flattened. Twisting around with the speed of lightning, her eyes darted about and her fingers were curled up… she looked like a very bizarre feline.
"Oh… you…" her moan as added with rolling eyes, her posture slowly shifting back into a straight position and her return to gathering belongings continuing, "Come to give 'You better hurry it up, psycho-cat!' order? Or just here to toss belongings around and make task harder?"
"I'm going to wish you a better life, but if you're going to be a wench about it I can say those things if you wish…" Logan growled beneath his heavy breath, leaning on the doorway as he always did.
She simply snorted, "In all my time here, I've made friend to everyone… accept you. I never understood why…"
A satin dress of white was folded beneath her fingertips, and she reached for another article of clothing to neatly press so as to fit in her suitcase. Her clothing was all given to her… everything she had was a gift, mostly from Kurt or Oasis, but she would be forever grateful.
"I'll help… you have quite a bit here…" A hand reached out for her velvet jacket, but was quickly drawn back as she smacked it.
"There is no way in hell I let you touch my things! You'll just rip it up…" Normally, it was Tora who had the patients and Logan who was the complete ass hole… but it seemed to be switched, as he just glared her rather than make a rude comment or hit back.
Her back turned towards him and she wandered to a corner, gathering more of her plush novelties together. It gave him a instant to be nosey and see what she would take and leave behind… if anything. It was all the usual things, but that didn't stop him from snatching a black bra and examining it closely.
"Pervert!" She shrieked and slapped his back-head, stealing her garment back and stuffing it into her suitcase swiftly, "Stupid bastard, I should press charges!"
"…For holding your bra…?"
"Yes! Sick-o, get out!" Her lips curled as she snarled, pointing a finger to the door and pushing on his chest.
Calmly, and so drastically out of character, he curled his hand around the wrist in which her hand had shoved him before it fell to her side. Tora yanked on it with bared teeth, threatening him in her native tongue… to hell with English.
"Kurt's upset at your leaving…" some rapidly thought-of excuse for grabbing her, other than the truth of just wanting to get a clear look of her face for memory's sake.
At the elf's name, her struggle to be free was paused, and she took her glance away, "…I know he is."
Parts of his image where blocked due to the hair brushing over her eyes, but her voice had lowered and her stance was suggestive she no longer was willing to engage in a battle.
He was wearing the wife-beater Koneko had used as a teething-toy… she could tell by all the small tooth holes and rips. It was a surprise to her he actually kept the ratty thing. Even more astounding was when she caught herself just standing there starring at him as if she didn't have other things to do. What a terrible waste of time to gawk at him of all people. Disgusted with herself, her petite struggle to free her wrist from his warm hand kicked up once more. This didn't do any good, his grip just god tighter.
"Tora, what do you see in Creed…? He's a murdering ally cat… and you know it," as if the four death riders of the apocalypse were to come, within the profound layers of his tone, she heard a sense of misery.
She had no choice but to answer, if he ever sounded so dejected again, she'd have to wonder just what exactly Xavier tells him after him and her have a verbal brawl, "He… he's not. He only to you because you a selfish man. He saved me and brought me here. As far as I concerned, my life owed to him."
At this his hold released and he left, silently, not one more glance to her. Tenderly she licked over the pinkish marking he had left behind, rubbing it afterwards.
That was the oddest thing he'd ever done… okay, so she had caught him happily festering up a sandwich for Kurt, and even playing ping-pong with Scott wearing a smile… but this had to be the icing on the 'peculiar' cake. Since when did he care about her enough to wonder about her thoughts on others? Not only that, but when did he start paying attention to Kurt long enough to understand his feelings? All her answers pointed to Xavier, who had worked miracles before, and shrugging it off as so, not paying it much mind afterwards.
None else bothered her that evening, and she was ready just as quickly as her agreement to leave had been struck. In her sleep she dreamt of snow and mountains, a frozen lake and a fuzzy figure with a small white animal… soon it would be her reality, her peace that she was meant to have.
"How much longer?!" Scott groaned, fidgeting in his seat.
"Yo' ha'e tha atten'on span of 'ah fly… yo' kno' that, Scott?" Remy grew tired of Scott's constant complaining… a jet-trip from New-York to China wasn't some five-minute ride.
"Shut up, both of you!" Fyer curved in her seat, glaring at them behind her, "We're not doing this for your entertainment, Scott! We're doing this for Tora!"
Scott sank into his seat, but held an immature pout-face. Remy chuckles and rubbed his fingers into Scott's thick, hazel hair.
Oasis rolled her eyes, her seat next to Fyer's, but as she slipped back into a normal positional, she poked at Fyer and giggled.
Near the front Tora and Kurt occupied a set of two seats, Tora at the window and never taking her eyes from it since take-off. Kurt had long since fell into a deep sleep upon her shoulder, the clear saliva making up his drool on her outfit, but Tora didn't mind, she found it rather cute actually. The jet's shadow masked the pale colorings of the clouds, but no matter, they were moving too swift to actually tell where one could ended and the other began.
Koneko was pawing at Kurt's speared tail pleasantly, careful not to extend his claws and wake Kurt with pain. His goal was just to keep occupied, not to inflect harm.
In her heart it felt wrong to have all these people coming with her just to see her off, then take the long flight back, but the joy that filled her to know they cared so much overrode that and made her body pulse with gratifying warm feelings.
"Tora, we're going to be landing soon…" Xavier came forth from the pilot room, stopping at the set of seats Tora placed herself in.
The others took sight to her and the professor, the aircraft shaking violently every few minutes from the turbulence of the landing process. At the last, tremendous crash, she moaned and held her hand on Kurt's head, "What is that man doing…?"
"It's alright… this part of the country has a thin layer of air, Logan knows what he's doing."
Immaturely she snorted, and Remy busted out into a thunderous laughter, "Ob'ously he do't! He's lettin' her go!"
"I would be happy to kill you before I leave!" The jet had come to a halt, and it was safe to stand as she did… she would have anyway, nevertheless.
He turned his head in the opposite direction to hide his lighthearted snickers and held his palm out, a wordless sign he wished no harm on either of them.
Past the window Tora could see the land, unmoving, and close. She saw no house, but guessed it was near and stood hastily. Kurt slumped over and plopped his head on the seat Tora once occupied, his slumber within the insightful confounds of the dream-world keeping him captive.
He was so charming like that, though saliva dripped from his pinkish tongue, it made him look like an innocent child who's buggiest worry was what to do with the booger he'd just picked. He'd be missed most, her friends were valued highly, but family was blood… and he was the closest thing she had… they all were.
After leaning to kiss his cheek, she was aimed for the open doorway in the jet's rear, the rush of snowy hair filling the interior and leaving goose bumps on her skin. Oasis wouldn't let her go so simply, bursting from her seat and tackling herself on Tora, she tightly curled her arms around her shoulders and pushed her face onto Tora's, "You'll know where I'll be! It'll be silent without you and Logan fighting…"
A chuckle escaped from Tora's lips, and her hands brushed over Oasis, "You, I won't forget… Kaysa."
During their goodbye hold, the lime orbs glittered at Fyer, who leaned in her seat and smiled. She was so gorgeous wearing that smile… Tora had never seen her with that expression to her face, only Kurt had ever made her grin… but that was Kurt's specialty: to make light of everything in a joyous manor.
Remy took to his feet as well, slinging a arm around her shoulders, and Oasis' arms, and softly tweaking her feline ears. The tickling made her laugh and warmed her whole insides. Even Scott was waving too her, the side of his lips tugging unwillingly for him into a cheesy smirk.
Tora had a family, a real family… she could care less about blood, their DNA could never be alike, and their backgrounds stated anything by siblings… but they banned together, they'd save her from death, just as she'd place herself right under the finger of death for them. They were mutants, created, born… it made no difference. All they had was each other, and they were happy with it… Tora was happy, yanking both Scott and Fyer from their comfy seating, she longingly stared at each face for what seemed as forever… she'd never forget them, these allies who gave her the skills to speak, those who accepted her, those who loved her and would miss her on this exit.
Her smile was so bright, her eyes shutting to drink in the sent of her comrades, each one unique and easy to pick from the others.
"Tora?" Xavier held his hand out for her, knowing indeed this would be like guiding a troubled child trouble danger… in this case, Tora was so full of rapture, it hurt.
Hesitantly she pulled from them, underestimating how entirely tricky it would be to take herself from the only relations she ever had, and yet there she was, walking from them by the supervision of Xavier's hand.
The snow was so pure, the metal staircase frigid and growing minuscule crystals of ice… she didn't mind, in fact, she adored the chilling breeze to her face and the frosty feel of snowfall beneath her bare feet.
Smoke hit her nose hard, her eyes taken to its direction, a small wooden residence emitting the gray haze from it's crimson stack. It was so quant… pleasant, a place where she could make new memories of this land, great ones of playing in the fluffy white ice and spending many a night with her cub… Koneko! She had come so far with him, she couldn't ditch him now.
She spun so fast that gravity took control and would tripped her into the flurry, if it wasn't for Logan breaking her fall. Beside his boots sat Koneko, mewing at her as if he was laughing like Remy would have.
"You forgot something…"
"I know… Charles did say this family had my belongs already… right?"
"Yes Tora… be careful next time."
Soundless, she pulled away and snatched up Koneko, his furry little head rubbed on her chin before snuggling in the crease of her coat. She giggled as yet again she was tickled, scratching his back with her black nails carefully.
"Thank you… I would have gone mad without Koneko…" shyly, her head tilted so as to see his face clearly. She wanted to remember everyone perfectly… even if they had their moments of bickering.
Offering a veiled hint of peace with him, she blossomed a pleasant smile on her rose lips, her head tilting to the right daintily and her eyes sparkling like the pure snow. He had never seen her smile so marvelously… at least not towards him. Her off-center head made her appear as a guiltless kitten whom had just been found under a pile of clothing. God, was it ever sweet… this disappearance from the institute must have lifted the sharp pain from within her, if she could look at him so beautifully, and actually be showing a true emotion… she was at peace.
The urge to do something… anything but stand there and let her beam to him perfectly was driving hard… he knew he'd regret just wandering away from her now, when she was offering this one chance to put aside ignorance and pride, and just be a stunning woman.
Without a second thought, he took her hand and lunged her towards him, pressing his arms over her and holding his palms to the arch of her back. Gasping, she jerked her head in the direction of his neck, leaning into it, "Logan…"
"Tora, I ask one thing of you… and don't screw it up…"
It was pure shock to him when she laughed warmly and nuzzled her forehead the jacket above his wide collarbone, like she would with Nightcrawler, "Yes?"
He waited, pausing to merely see her expression, which was also somewhat of astonishment: she rested her head upon his shoulder, tilting again, and still holding that girlish grin that was positively delightful. Her hand was curled into a limp fist on his chest, and it would pat the ashen jacket every few seconds that passed.
The trees echoed back Logan's sigh, his inner thoughts going over if he really wanted to say this or not… "Don't forget me."
The giggle that was once delicate became a roaring chuckle, but was no less from her healing heart, "It hard to forget idiot like you."
Poking his nose in one heartbeat, and dashing off to the cabin in the next, she left him confused and placing a finger on the exact place her finger met with his skin.
Tora would spends her days in this land, tossing snow at Koneko and rolling in the sprouting spring grasses with him. She'd learn the customs of her own people, and become one with her roots one more.
She would live a healthy life in what she deserved from the start: in harmony.
Concluded.