A Brave New X-World
By: Night Elf Crawler
Chapter 4
The wind blew harshly, threatening to tug her long hair free from it's confines as she crouched low against the cliffside, watching the two boys make their way up the red rocks. How had she gotten roped into this? She had wanted to go and visit her family, and make sure that they were all right, and try and re-assure them she was safe, and Kurt had suggested her talent could be helpful in sneaking in. So the team of four had made their way up to the surface, dressed in their outer gear, complete with heavy breathing apparatus, and weapons. Kitty had never held a taser gun before. and she was a bit spooked at the idea she might have to use it.
She had woken up, a little more rested, by Kurt shaking her shoulder. The three of them had spent some time laughing and exchanging stories before they had all drifted back to bed. A far cry from where she sat now, crouched, cold, and next to a sour voiced girl who didn't seem to care if she was alive or not. "Thay better hurry up." She snapped quietly. "Ah'm getting a cramp here."
Kitty glanced over at her. The girl had only given one name, Rogue. She was very physically fit, and had a rebellious attitude about her. Her hair had a white streak in it, which she claimed was natural, when Kitty had complimented the dye job. It was cropped short and spiky, and her bright green eyes stood out strongly, especially when she fixed you with a stare. Kitty had wanted to ask what her power was, but Kurt had gently told her not to push too hard, that Rogue had a short fuse.
So the two girls crouched by the rocks with their eyes on the strange hunched figures approaching the base of the rocks where the shield jutted out. Within seconds, a wave signaled their orders to move out, and the two made their way, low against the rocks and cliffside, to join up with the boys.
"Scouted ahead, way's clear." The shorter of the two said, in a slight British accent. Kitty hadn't really known him for very long, but Mortimer seemed like a fairly quiet guy, who knew more than he let on. His code name was Toad, and from what she had seen of him, he looked the park. Sallow greenish skin, with a wart here and there, pretty un-attractive and his odor was..to be desired. He covered it up with heavy aftershave, which made her gag, but she guessed it was better than his raw stench. From what she could see of his abilities, he could jump quite high, stick to some surfaces like Kurt could, and do some weird things with his tongue. He hadn't spoken to her, aside from a quick ''allo', so she couldn't judge his personality well.
Kurt nodded and gestured for the two girls to follow him, and he slipped into the inky black darkness of the sewer grate. At first, Kitty had been repulsed. Their entrance into the city was the sewers. but after she thought about it, there wasn't any other logical way in. The main entrances were more heavily guarded than the less known ones. There were still sensors and other tracking devices in the sewers, but no guards. And, since mutants had such a wide variety of talents, a couple of them had jimmied the systems that monitored down there, so they displayed false readings. This had to be activated before they entered, it couldn't be left on all the time or someone could discover the tampering. They walked a fine line, but according to Kurt, it worked well.
Kitty followed Rogue as she dove into the darkness after Kurt, their goggles automatically switching to night mode as they crept along the dark tunnels. Even so, Kitty had to really focus to make out Kurt's form. He blended near invisibly with the shadows, almost to the point where she switched over to heat vision to follow his movement.
They slipped silently through the winding sewers, which had long since been abandoned from use. Still, the stench seemed to hang around. Humanity had long since switched to other means of disposing of waste, liquidation and purification so it could be re-used as second level water for gardening, or other non-drinking uses. The fact was, it was clean enough to drink, but people were repulsed at the idea of drinking water that had once come out of their neither portions. However, the sewers below remained, an old reminder of the society that had existed before the wars, before the domes.
"How far do these go?" She asked softly into the communicator, curious.
"No one knows for certain. but hundreds of miles." Came Kurt's soft reply from ahead. "The cities used to be much larger than they are now, sprawling out hundreds of miles, the sewers all interlace."
Kitty blinked at that. "Then why don't you all just.?"
".settle in the sewers?" Came the higher male voice from behind. "'Cause, it's too obvious, luv." Mortimer, or Todd as he liked to be called, spoke up. "They can trace us more easily down 'ere."
"Tha's right." Rogues voice answered. "Besides, Ah wouldn't want ta live here, would you, city gal?" She asked, sounding rather bitter and taunting of Kitty.
Kitty's cheeks reddened. She had no idea why Rogue didn't like her. She was so busy feeling flustered about that, she nearly walked through Rogue, as the girl stopped right in front of her. She stopped just inches away, and quickly backed off, since Rogue had a tendency to snap at people who got too close.
Kurt was paused above, hanging from the pipes, near a manhole, slowly lifting it up. There was an extended silence, and finally his head poked back down and he gestured. "Safe, come on."
The group silently climbed up the ladders, and Kurt slipped through the hole, and they found themselves in an alleyway hidden behind some dumpsters. Kitty was amazed that the hole was still active, but then it could be possible they 'made' one just so they could use it. As they all slipped out, the manhole was replaced, and a box moved over it to hide the edges where the pavement met metal. They removed their breathing gear and packed it in their backpacks, pulling their cloaks out and wearing them instead. They moved silently, in the stealth of the early morning, the light hadn't quite yet pierced the clouds outside, and the luminance lights hadn't turned on yet. Kurt lead them down a few blocks, then turned into another alley, and rapped lightly on the door there. After a few minutes it opened, and he spoke a few quiet words in German, and the door opened wider, allowing them to enter.
Kitty glanced around as the door closed behind them, a maid in a nice crisp outfit standing there, looking anxious. "Vhy. are you hier so early, herr Wagner?" she asked in a heavy German accent. "Ve vere not expecting you fuer some taime."
Kurt hadn't removed his cloak yet, and was glancing around, checking the area. "I know, I apologize, something came up. Is he awake yet?"
"Nein, but I shall go vake him up." She bowed her head, and walked past him, and hurried up the stairs.
The four stood there in the spacious kitchen, and Kitty was aware how large the place was. The kitchen was at least the size of her family's whole apartment. It was strictly clean and orderly, and had the latest gadgets in it. As she stood there, Kurt moved into the living room, and she followed with the other two, and discovered it was very classy as well. She had figured out by now that this must be Kurt's father's home, and she was a bit nervous. Who was he? What was he like? She hadn't heard of any Senator named Wagner, but then. maybe his name had been changed for some reason?
As they waited there quietly, the maid came back down, looking a bit flustered. "He ist ready fuer you up in ze study." Her plump cheeks flushed a bit for some reason.
Kurt nodded, and started up the stairs, Rogue, Todd and Kitty followed him in silence, not wanting to wake whatever part of the household were still wrapped in their slumbers. They all filed upstairs, and into a small study.
Kitty could tell instantly that Kurt was on the defensive, by the way he stood as soon as they walked in. The man standing with his back to them, sipping some coffee, a red velvet robe tied around his body, didn't seem all that threatening. But the atmosphere in the room was almost stifling.
As soon as the maid had closed the study door behind them, the cloak hoods were off, including Kurt's. The Senator stood silent, then finally spoke. His voice wasn't unpleasant, it was mellow and had the lighthearted tone that Kurt's carried. "So." There was a long pause. "So." He repeated again, then turned. His face definitely bore a resemblance to Kurt's, the strong high cheekbones, the chin, and the untidy hair. If Kurt had been 'normal' he would have looked very strong of his father. His hair was a dusky blonde, and his eyes a clear blue. "It has been a while, Kurt." He said softly.
Kurt's father had a soft German accent, as did Kurt, but not thick like the maid. It was clear he spent a good deal of time doing public speaking, and as Kitty watched, she recognized him. Senator Schauffman. He must have either changed his name, or Kurt had been given a different one, more likely the latter, she thought.
"Father." Kurt said in a quiet, very eerily calm voice. Kitty got the strong impression he did not like the man much. "You know why we've come."
The Senator frowned a bit and leaned on the desk, watching him. "Yes, but it's early. I wasn't expecting you for several months. not that I wouldn't have minded you coming and visiting now and then." He added with some humor in his voice.
Kurt looked almost surprised by that comment, and blinked. "What?"
"Well you never come around just to spend time here." He added folding his arms.
Kurt looked flustered at this and stuttered out something inaudible then caught himself and straightened even more. "I was under the impression I was unwelcome in this household."
Now it was the Senator who looked flustered. "Well. I may have given that impression." He sounded a bit guilty and full of regret. "But.It's been five years between visits.and I found myself wanting to just talk."
Kurt frowned, and looked as if he were thinking something over, then walked over, and leaned on the desk, peering forward at him. "Mother always told me otherwise."
The senator sighed, and rubbed his temples. "Of course she would." He sighed faintly. "I. haven't exactly been the perfect husband or father. but since I took on this duty to. to become the magistrate, I've realized that I do want a family, and not just a family who is with me to look good. one that I love, be it whether they are mutants, or not." His eyes lifted, and met Kurt's, with a firm intensity that mirrored in the golden ones.
Kurt seemed taken by surprise, and the hostility seemed to drop. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Probably." The Senator acknowledged with a smile. "If you are going to put the plan into motion now, should we be successful what reason would there not be to rejoin as a family, if we can get past our. differences."
Kurt seemed to consider that, then nodded. "I will think about it. but we can't spend time talking about this now, we should go on to business."
"Right, of course." The Senator's smile vanished, and his posture became business-like. "The election isn't for another two months. We can't push THAT up. What are you proposing we do?"
Kurt pulled out a big stack of holo pads and handed him one. The Senator initiated it's sequence, and began reading the diagrams and summaries. After a few minutes, he frowned. "This plan is. risky at best, dangerous at worst.." He looked up. "Are you sure there's nothing else you can do?"
"Positive. We have discussed all other options." Kurt said with a small nod. "Of course, if this won't work in your opinion, we can go back to the drawing board."
The senator sighed. "No, no.. .this will work. Just. if it doesn't work."
"I know." Kurt smiled with a wry look. "You'll be joining us down below no doubt, your career ruined."
He snorted. "That wouldn't be such a bad thing." He slammed the holopad down on the desk. "I'm beginning to wish I never had gotten into politics to begin with.It's just a play of shark against shark."
"So what else is new." Kurt snorted and picked the pad up. "Can you do this then?"
"Yes. How soon are you going to set up?"
"As soon as possible, today or tomorrow if possible. Then we play the waiting game."
"All right. I think I can arrange a cover in that short of a time. I have a client meeting today, I can inform the staff right now, and get it set up."
"Wunderbar. We'll go back and gather our resources, and return before dark."
The meeting seemed to be over, and the Senator leaned forward, holding his hand out. "I will look forward to spending some time with you, son."
Kurt didn't seem all that thrilled, but he took his father's hand, and shook briefly. "We'll see. Father." He replied, but his tone wasn't completely as cold and distant as it had been before.
As they made their way back down through the tunnels beneath the city, Kitty glanced over at Kurt. He had seemed distant and close minded since they'd met his father. "Kurt.?" His golden eyes flashed her way, as he hadn't donned his goggles yet. "Why are you two so. tense?"
Rogue gave a snort. "Cause, shugah. Kurt's pop wanted ta disown his family at first. refused ta acknowledge they were alive at all."
Kurt frowned a bit and shook his head. "There has never been great love between us. It wasn't until I was seven that he ever met me. Screamed right in my face and threw things at me." He sounded bitter. "I expect that of normal people, but not from the man who saw me upon birth. he should know better."
Kitty nodded faintly, and as they stopped beneath another grate, Kurt indicated they were to wait there. He vanished up into the gloom, and with a scrape of metal signaling his departure, he was gone, leaving the three to sit there in the gloom alone. Kitty's eyes wandered over to the Toad. He was sitting there, looking bored, tinkering with some gadget in his hands. Curiosity got the better of her, and she walked over.
"So, how long have you been here?" She asked softly, watching his deft hands work on what looked like some kind of weapon.
His goggled eyes jerked up at her, and then back down. "Eh, most 'o me life." He answered in a mutter. "My family threw me out when I was a kid. That was before they knew o' me being a mutant." He flipped the device back upright, and shut the panel he had opened, and eyed it up and down. "Wandered 'round.finally ended up 'ere. Ran into the blue bloke."
Kitty shuffled on her feet, not knowing what to say. It seemed everyone but her had lived a very difficult life. She found it hard to relate, when her life had been good up to the point her mutantcy evolved.
"Stop buggin' us girly." Rogue snapped, and Kitty turned, seeing the young woman watching her. "Ah know yer all curious 'n shit, but this ain't a party. Ya don't go round just askin people wha' their life was like." She strode forward and poked a finger onto Kitty's breastplate. "Ya wanna fit in, shut up and learn."
"Hey, easy on 'er." Mortimer glanced up, looking a bit cross. "She in't harming anyone."
"Ah jus don't want mah brother being forced ta look after a little whiny bitch." Rogue snorted and folded her arms. "Makes him weak."
Kitty was floored, and felt hot tears welling up in her eyes. The one major difference between the mutants and the 'norms' was their attitudes. Mutants had lived a harsh life, and their behavior and actions reflected it for the most part. Kitty wasn't used to this kind of attitude, and so she just did as Rogue said, she shut up and sat down, not looking up any more at the two of them.
Not long after, Kurt re-emerged from above, and landed soundlessly in the vacant sewer. "Ready, let's go."
Author's not: Sorry it's going a bit slow, plot development and all. Don't worry, another couple of chapters and things will liven up ^-^
Chapter 4
The wind blew harshly, threatening to tug her long hair free from it's confines as she crouched low against the cliffside, watching the two boys make their way up the red rocks. How had she gotten roped into this? She had wanted to go and visit her family, and make sure that they were all right, and try and re-assure them she was safe, and Kurt had suggested her talent could be helpful in sneaking in. So the team of four had made their way up to the surface, dressed in their outer gear, complete with heavy breathing apparatus, and weapons. Kitty had never held a taser gun before. and she was a bit spooked at the idea she might have to use it.
She had woken up, a little more rested, by Kurt shaking her shoulder. The three of them had spent some time laughing and exchanging stories before they had all drifted back to bed. A far cry from where she sat now, crouched, cold, and next to a sour voiced girl who didn't seem to care if she was alive or not. "Thay better hurry up." She snapped quietly. "Ah'm getting a cramp here."
Kitty glanced over at her. The girl had only given one name, Rogue. She was very physically fit, and had a rebellious attitude about her. Her hair had a white streak in it, which she claimed was natural, when Kitty had complimented the dye job. It was cropped short and spiky, and her bright green eyes stood out strongly, especially when she fixed you with a stare. Kitty had wanted to ask what her power was, but Kurt had gently told her not to push too hard, that Rogue had a short fuse.
So the two girls crouched by the rocks with their eyes on the strange hunched figures approaching the base of the rocks where the shield jutted out. Within seconds, a wave signaled their orders to move out, and the two made their way, low against the rocks and cliffside, to join up with the boys.
"Scouted ahead, way's clear." The shorter of the two said, in a slight British accent. Kitty hadn't really known him for very long, but Mortimer seemed like a fairly quiet guy, who knew more than he let on. His code name was Toad, and from what she had seen of him, he looked the park. Sallow greenish skin, with a wart here and there, pretty un-attractive and his odor was..to be desired. He covered it up with heavy aftershave, which made her gag, but she guessed it was better than his raw stench. From what she could see of his abilities, he could jump quite high, stick to some surfaces like Kurt could, and do some weird things with his tongue. He hadn't spoken to her, aside from a quick ''allo', so she couldn't judge his personality well.
Kurt nodded and gestured for the two girls to follow him, and he slipped into the inky black darkness of the sewer grate. At first, Kitty had been repulsed. Their entrance into the city was the sewers. but after she thought about it, there wasn't any other logical way in. The main entrances were more heavily guarded than the less known ones. There were still sensors and other tracking devices in the sewers, but no guards. And, since mutants had such a wide variety of talents, a couple of them had jimmied the systems that monitored down there, so they displayed false readings. This had to be activated before they entered, it couldn't be left on all the time or someone could discover the tampering. They walked a fine line, but according to Kurt, it worked well.
Kitty followed Rogue as she dove into the darkness after Kurt, their goggles automatically switching to night mode as they crept along the dark tunnels. Even so, Kitty had to really focus to make out Kurt's form. He blended near invisibly with the shadows, almost to the point where she switched over to heat vision to follow his movement.
They slipped silently through the winding sewers, which had long since been abandoned from use. Still, the stench seemed to hang around. Humanity had long since switched to other means of disposing of waste, liquidation and purification so it could be re-used as second level water for gardening, or other non-drinking uses. The fact was, it was clean enough to drink, but people were repulsed at the idea of drinking water that had once come out of their neither portions. However, the sewers below remained, an old reminder of the society that had existed before the wars, before the domes.
"How far do these go?" She asked softly into the communicator, curious.
"No one knows for certain. but hundreds of miles." Came Kurt's soft reply from ahead. "The cities used to be much larger than they are now, sprawling out hundreds of miles, the sewers all interlace."
Kitty blinked at that. "Then why don't you all just.?"
".settle in the sewers?" Came the higher male voice from behind. "'Cause, it's too obvious, luv." Mortimer, or Todd as he liked to be called, spoke up. "They can trace us more easily down 'ere."
"Tha's right." Rogues voice answered. "Besides, Ah wouldn't want ta live here, would you, city gal?" She asked, sounding rather bitter and taunting of Kitty.
Kitty's cheeks reddened. She had no idea why Rogue didn't like her. She was so busy feeling flustered about that, she nearly walked through Rogue, as the girl stopped right in front of her. She stopped just inches away, and quickly backed off, since Rogue had a tendency to snap at people who got too close.
Kurt was paused above, hanging from the pipes, near a manhole, slowly lifting it up. There was an extended silence, and finally his head poked back down and he gestured. "Safe, come on."
The group silently climbed up the ladders, and Kurt slipped through the hole, and they found themselves in an alleyway hidden behind some dumpsters. Kitty was amazed that the hole was still active, but then it could be possible they 'made' one just so they could use it. As they all slipped out, the manhole was replaced, and a box moved over it to hide the edges where the pavement met metal. They removed their breathing gear and packed it in their backpacks, pulling their cloaks out and wearing them instead. They moved silently, in the stealth of the early morning, the light hadn't quite yet pierced the clouds outside, and the luminance lights hadn't turned on yet. Kurt lead them down a few blocks, then turned into another alley, and rapped lightly on the door there. After a few minutes it opened, and he spoke a few quiet words in German, and the door opened wider, allowing them to enter.
Kitty glanced around as the door closed behind them, a maid in a nice crisp outfit standing there, looking anxious. "Vhy. are you hier so early, herr Wagner?" she asked in a heavy German accent. "Ve vere not expecting you fuer some taime."
Kurt hadn't removed his cloak yet, and was glancing around, checking the area. "I know, I apologize, something came up. Is he awake yet?"
"Nein, but I shall go vake him up." She bowed her head, and walked past him, and hurried up the stairs.
The four stood there in the spacious kitchen, and Kitty was aware how large the place was. The kitchen was at least the size of her family's whole apartment. It was strictly clean and orderly, and had the latest gadgets in it. As she stood there, Kurt moved into the living room, and she followed with the other two, and discovered it was very classy as well. She had figured out by now that this must be Kurt's father's home, and she was a bit nervous. Who was he? What was he like? She hadn't heard of any Senator named Wagner, but then. maybe his name had been changed for some reason?
As they waited there quietly, the maid came back down, looking a bit flustered. "He ist ready fuer you up in ze study." Her plump cheeks flushed a bit for some reason.
Kurt nodded, and started up the stairs, Rogue, Todd and Kitty followed him in silence, not wanting to wake whatever part of the household were still wrapped in their slumbers. They all filed upstairs, and into a small study.
Kitty could tell instantly that Kurt was on the defensive, by the way he stood as soon as they walked in. The man standing with his back to them, sipping some coffee, a red velvet robe tied around his body, didn't seem all that threatening. But the atmosphere in the room was almost stifling.
As soon as the maid had closed the study door behind them, the cloak hoods were off, including Kurt's. The Senator stood silent, then finally spoke. His voice wasn't unpleasant, it was mellow and had the lighthearted tone that Kurt's carried. "So." There was a long pause. "So." He repeated again, then turned. His face definitely bore a resemblance to Kurt's, the strong high cheekbones, the chin, and the untidy hair. If Kurt had been 'normal' he would have looked very strong of his father. His hair was a dusky blonde, and his eyes a clear blue. "It has been a while, Kurt." He said softly.
Kurt's father had a soft German accent, as did Kurt, but not thick like the maid. It was clear he spent a good deal of time doing public speaking, and as Kitty watched, she recognized him. Senator Schauffman. He must have either changed his name, or Kurt had been given a different one, more likely the latter, she thought.
"Father." Kurt said in a quiet, very eerily calm voice. Kitty got the strong impression he did not like the man much. "You know why we've come."
The Senator frowned a bit and leaned on the desk, watching him. "Yes, but it's early. I wasn't expecting you for several months. not that I wouldn't have minded you coming and visiting now and then." He added with some humor in his voice.
Kurt looked almost surprised by that comment, and blinked. "What?"
"Well you never come around just to spend time here." He added folding his arms.
Kurt looked flustered at this and stuttered out something inaudible then caught himself and straightened even more. "I was under the impression I was unwelcome in this household."
Now it was the Senator who looked flustered. "Well. I may have given that impression." He sounded a bit guilty and full of regret. "But.It's been five years between visits.and I found myself wanting to just talk."
Kurt frowned, and looked as if he were thinking something over, then walked over, and leaned on the desk, peering forward at him. "Mother always told me otherwise."
The senator sighed, and rubbed his temples. "Of course she would." He sighed faintly. "I. haven't exactly been the perfect husband or father. but since I took on this duty to. to become the magistrate, I've realized that I do want a family, and not just a family who is with me to look good. one that I love, be it whether they are mutants, or not." His eyes lifted, and met Kurt's, with a firm intensity that mirrored in the golden ones.
Kurt seemed taken by surprise, and the hostility seemed to drop. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Probably." The Senator acknowledged with a smile. "If you are going to put the plan into motion now, should we be successful what reason would there not be to rejoin as a family, if we can get past our. differences."
Kurt seemed to consider that, then nodded. "I will think about it. but we can't spend time talking about this now, we should go on to business."
"Right, of course." The Senator's smile vanished, and his posture became business-like. "The election isn't for another two months. We can't push THAT up. What are you proposing we do?"
Kurt pulled out a big stack of holo pads and handed him one. The Senator initiated it's sequence, and began reading the diagrams and summaries. After a few minutes, he frowned. "This plan is. risky at best, dangerous at worst.." He looked up. "Are you sure there's nothing else you can do?"
"Positive. We have discussed all other options." Kurt said with a small nod. "Of course, if this won't work in your opinion, we can go back to the drawing board."
The senator sighed. "No, no.. .this will work. Just. if it doesn't work."
"I know." Kurt smiled with a wry look. "You'll be joining us down below no doubt, your career ruined."
He snorted. "That wouldn't be such a bad thing." He slammed the holopad down on the desk. "I'm beginning to wish I never had gotten into politics to begin with.It's just a play of shark against shark."
"So what else is new." Kurt snorted and picked the pad up. "Can you do this then?"
"Yes. How soon are you going to set up?"
"As soon as possible, today or tomorrow if possible. Then we play the waiting game."
"All right. I think I can arrange a cover in that short of a time. I have a client meeting today, I can inform the staff right now, and get it set up."
"Wunderbar. We'll go back and gather our resources, and return before dark."
The meeting seemed to be over, and the Senator leaned forward, holding his hand out. "I will look forward to spending some time with you, son."
Kurt didn't seem all that thrilled, but he took his father's hand, and shook briefly. "We'll see. Father." He replied, but his tone wasn't completely as cold and distant as it had been before.
As they made their way back down through the tunnels beneath the city, Kitty glanced over at Kurt. He had seemed distant and close minded since they'd met his father. "Kurt.?" His golden eyes flashed her way, as he hadn't donned his goggles yet. "Why are you two so. tense?"
Rogue gave a snort. "Cause, shugah. Kurt's pop wanted ta disown his family at first. refused ta acknowledge they were alive at all."
Kurt frowned a bit and shook his head. "There has never been great love between us. It wasn't until I was seven that he ever met me. Screamed right in my face and threw things at me." He sounded bitter. "I expect that of normal people, but not from the man who saw me upon birth. he should know better."
Kitty nodded faintly, and as they stopped beneath another grate, Kurt indicated they were to wait there. He vanished up into the gloom, and with a scrape of metal signaling his departure, he was gone, leaving the three to sit there in the gloom alone. Kitty's eyes wandered over to the Toad. He was sitting there, looking bored, tinkering with some gadget in his hands. Curiosity got the better of her, and she walked over.
"So, how long have you been here?" She asked softly, watching his deft hands work on what looked like some kind of weapon.
His goggled eyes jerked up at her, and then back down. "Eh, most 'o me life." He answered in a mutter. "My family threw me out when I was a kid. That was before they knew o' me being a mutant." He flipped the device back upright, and shut the panel he had opened, and eyed it up and down. "Wandered 'round.finally ended up 'ere. Ran into the blue bloke."
Kitty shuffled on her feet, not knowing what to say. It seemed everyone but her had lived a very difficult life. She found it hard to relate, when her life had been good up to the point her mutantcy evolved.
"Stop buggin' us girly." Rogue snapped, and Kitty turned, seeing the young woman watching her. "Ah know yer all curious 'n shit, but this ain't a party. Ya don't go round just askin people wha' their life was like." She strode forward and poked a finger onto Kitty's breastplate. "Ya wanna fit in, shut up and learn."
"Hey, easy on 'er." Mortimer glanced up, looking a bit cross. "She in't harming anyone."
"Ah jus don't want mah brother being forced ta look after a little whiny bitch." Rogue snorted and folded her arms. "Makes him weak."
Kitty was floored, and felt hot tears welling up in her eyes. The one major difference between the mutants and the 'norms' was their attitudes. Mutants had lived a harsh life, and their behavior and actions reflected it for the most part. Kitty wasn't used to this kind of attitude, and so she just did as Rogue said, she shut up and sat down, not looking up any more at the two of them.
Not long after, Kurt re-emerged from above, and landed soundlessly in the vacant sewer. "Ready, let's go."
Author's not: Sorry it's going a bit slow, plot development and all. Don't worry, another couple of chapters and things will liven up ^-^