The mutant girl known once as X23 was simply amazed at how... big... the mall was.
She'd never been inside of one in her life. Hydra had trained her to interact and remain unobserved by humans in public places, like a park, but never in such a big place. Too many people, too many distractions. They hadn't risked it. Thus, Sarah was in awe of how big everything was. And so many people. It was a Friday afternoon, and the mall was packed. Still, none of the other girls seemed concerned as they made their way to and fro among total strangers towards their destination, which happened to be a Hot Topic. Sarah reluctantly kept up with them, her senses nearly overloaded by the stimuli of the mall environment.
So many sounds, so many sights and... she grimaced as she realized, so many scents. A rather unpleasant mixture of natural body odors and a large number of artificial fragrances. Like the sort she'd sensed around some of the Institute girls. Particularly Kitty, it seemed. The girl practically bathed in artificial fragrances, it seemed.
Shirts, naturally were first, in a variety of styles and sizes, and they seemed to pile up in Sarah's arms as the other girls picked out one after another for the dark-haired former assassin.
"This is so totally your color," said Kitty, tossing on a dark green t-shirt onto the pile.
"I... I prefer black, its much better for stealth..." she started to reply, but Tabitha drowned her out. Black was a simple color too. It absorbed heat during the colder times of year, and was easy to conceal stains. White would've been abysmal on her.
"Oh this is a good one too... but we'll have to do something with your hair..." said the blonde bombshell.
"I... rather prefer my hair the way it is," replied Sarah, but again was drowned out by Jubilee. Her hair did possibly need a trim, however. It was already far too long, and in danger of obscuring her vision during a fight.
"Oooh, this'll be perfect on you girlfriend," she said, adding a rather skimpy looking tube top to the pile.
"But this would be... too awkward to move in," replied Sarah, heat coming to her cheeks as she wondered how anyone could possibly move in such a garment without it sliding off their body. She may've been new to fashion but not modesty.
Once Sarah had managed to appease the other girls and allow them to finish their fights over her clothing (requiring entirely too many trips to the changing room, as far as she was concerned), Ororo politely shooed them all away to other parts of the store. The white-haired woman knew this next bit would be delicate, but did her best to be accommodating as she helped Sarah pick out some undergarments that fit her. She'd been developing over the past few months quite a bit, filling out, and Sarah was grateful for the support and comfort. And, she confessed privately, it felt good against her skin.
Finally, it was finished, and she stepped out of the dressing room a changed girl. She had managed to pick (and be persuaded to pick) an outfit that made her look like a downright normal teenaged girl. A red vinyl, sleeveless shirt, some black leather pants the molded against her shapely legs, and a pair of platform sandals wrapped around her surprisingly dainty feet. It was comfortable, fashionable, and practical.
Ororo paid for the clothes and together they grabbed up some bags. The rest of her things were mostly reds and blacks of the same basic design, plus a thick wool jacket and boots for the coming winter, and also a one-piece swimsuit. This also exposed Sarah to the concept of money, though she was quick to understand the basics. Ororo helped pick out a wallet as well for her. Sarah was really starting to like the white-haired woman, she was always so kind to Sarah. Even nicer than Dr. Risman had been.
No trip to the mall was complete without window browsing, and that was exactly what happened next. All of the girls wandered up and down the halls and along the various stores, and sometimes into them to buy something. Or more often, just to lovingly admire something beyond their price range. Living with Professor Xavier gave them a better allowance than most kids their age, but unfortunately most of them had to spend it repairing the stuff that they 'accidentally' destroyed. Still, that didn't stop Tabitha from managing to gather enough cash in loans to purchase some beautiful earrings she had her eyes on.
"Thanks guys... pay you back, honest..." she said, holding up her new silver studded earrings as she admired herself in the mirror. She barely paid any attention to the others.
Another stop was made to a Staples on the way back to the Institute, to purchase the necessary school supplies for Sarah. Pencils, binder, paper, pens. Sarah's eyes widened with each item she beheld, wondering how on earth people managed to carry such things to and from school. The backpack made a little sense, but then they'd also explained about a locker, until Sarah's head was on the verge of exploding from so much information.
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Finally, Sarah and the girls returned home. Naturally, they enlisted the help of Jamie to carry in their bags, the little boy was ever eager to please. It also gave her a chance to apologize to the little boy, and Jamie took it about as well as Scott did. Sarah made her way to her room, sitting down on her bed after her things had been carefully laid out and packed away. She certainly had a lot to think about.
A knock came at the door, and also a voice. "May I come in?" it asked.
"Sure," replied Sarah softly, mildly surprised when the door opened and their stood Kitty, smiling.
"Sorry if you were like busy," said Kitty, though she could plainly see Sarah had just been sitting on her bed. "But it's time for dinner, so I thought I'd come get you."
"Okay, uhm... thank you," replied Sarah, who slipped to her feet to follow the energetic brunette down the stairs to the kitchen. Everyone was there, and for a moment Sarah was reminded of the frenzied pace and crowded conditions of the mall, as all of the students (especially the younger ones) fought for their food. Plates were being casually tossed about, as the mutant kids grabbed utensils, scooped up some food and made their way to the less cluttered dining room to eat. Reluctantly, Sarah followed suit, keeping close to Kitty and following her example.
Sarah winded up sitting at the long table in the dining room between Roberto on her left and Rahne on her right. Everyone was talking animatedly, about school, training, and a slew of other subjects that went straight over her head. They could've been speaking Japanese, if she were not versed in the language (as well as German and Russian). So Sarah remained quiet, her eyes downcast, as she picked at her broccoli and cheese with her fork and knife. Using both instruments clumsily, since she was used to her meal being tossed into her cell between training, she ate her meal.
"Sarah... Sarah, hello?"
Sarah's head jerked up, as she glanced across the table at Kitty, who'd been speaking her name for the past few moments. "You alright, Sarah?" she asked quietly.
"Fine," snapped Sarah. "I... I'm fine, sorry," she added, seeing how hurt Kitty was by her first comment. The brunette was only concerned for her, after all.
"Okay... uhm, I was asking, did you enjoy your meal?"
"Yes it was fine," she replied, finishing off the last few bites of her ham.
"Oh good I got it right this time..." replied Kitty happily, clasping her hands together in self-satisfaction. However, at the statement, the only sound that could be heard was her clapping.
Everyone else at the table had gone deathly silent.
This was quickly followed by a general exodus from the dining room, as one by one every single students and adult came up with an excuse and removed themselves from the room, sometimes even copying one another's excuses. Kurt didn't even bother with an excuse, just teleported out, leaving the thick stench of brimstone in the air behind. In the end, as Sarah watched in confusion, they whittled down to herself, Kitty, and Logan, sitting at the far end of the table and eating his seconds. Kitty was positively fuming, her cheeks red with suppressed rage.
"You'd think they'd appreciate my hard work!" she all but yelled, as she grabbed up her own plate and stalked out of the room, stomping her dainty feet as she made her way back to the kitchen.
Sarah glanced at Logan for an explanation, but the big man simply shrugged his shoulders and finished off his meal.
Definitely a lot to get used to.
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Sarah didn't exactly know what to do after dinner.
She'd cleaned her plate and utensils and returned them to Ororo, who thanked her politely, and shooed off her when she'd tried to help with the rest of the utensils, telling her to 'go have fun.' Logan was busy elsewhere in the mansion.
What was there to do for fun around here? She wondered to herself. What was fun, exactly? Sarah had a vague notion of the idea as something pleasurable, because during her combat training one of the scientists had described something bad happening as "not fun." Perhaps one of the other students would have an idea.
Gently, Sarah tilted her head back, sniffing the air. Her razor-keen senses detected a rather large grouping of fresh scents, down the left hallway. Presumably, most of them had gone there after dinner, and she could still detect faints scents of the evening's meal around the air. So she made her way down that way, pausing at the room they were in. She could clearly hear them, but puzzling out their speech was much harder as she slowly turned the knob and peered inside.
To her surprise, the room was filled with activity. In one corner two of the younger students, Jamie and Rahne, were playing some sort of electronic game, hooked up to a small screen television. In the middle of the room, a flat green had been placed, and around it hovered Ray, Bobby, Tabitha and Amara, all holding long wooden staves. To Sarah's surprise, they weren't using them on each other, just using the fine tips to prod small colored balls along the table. At the far end of the room she could just make out Jubilee and Roberto throwing darts at a circular board against the wall. A number of drinks littered any sort of counter that could be found, and a soft, steady music filled the air, emanating from a nearby stereo near the green table.
Sarah had stumbled upon the rec room.
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"I dunno what to make of it, Charles," said Logan quietly. "Whoever it was meant business. I saw that blast... most nukes I know cause less damage than that missile did, and it'd been aimed right at her head."
"Then it seems Hydra has given up on recapturing X23... perhaps they mean to destroy her instead," replied Professor Xavier after a moment's thought.
"Hydra only discards what it no longer has use for..." stated Logan quietly.
"Which means in all likelihood they have found something better to replace her... a better assassin," replied Professor Xavier, his frown deepening.
"And there's somethin' else odd..." said Logan, his voice becoming less harsh and more thoughtful.
"Oh? What?"
"I caught a scent, right before I left the gas station... I wasn't payin' too much attention at the time, but... it was... familiar, somehow. Now hers, either... someone elseÕs," he added thoughtfully.
"Omega Red? Or one of the other trackers you mentioned that captured you and Sarah?" asked Professor Xavier. Logan shook his head emphatically.
"No... couldn't have been Omega Red, I checked with SHIELD, he's still in lock-up," replied Logan. He would need to talk to the big Russian someday. Not necessarily about his involvement with SHIELD, but his vendetta against Wolverine and the Weapon X Program. Perhaps he held clues to Logan's past. Maverick, Wraith, Sabertoo...
"That's the scent I recognize!" Logan said, jumping to his feet. He made his way to the door, as Xavier wheeled along after him, barely able to keep up.
"Logan? What? Where're you going?"
"Gotta go find an old friend," replied Logan as he donned his jacket and headed down the stairs. He also grabbed a pair of his fighting gloves, the sort with the claw holes already made in them, and zipped up his jacket.
"We will take care of Sarah," replied Xavier. "Return safely, old friend."
"You bet I will..." Logan replied as he vanished into the garage. A short while later their was the rev of an engine as a sleek red motorcycle zoomed out of the garage and towards the gates. It did not stop, or even slow, until it was long out of sight. Silently, Xavier hoped Logan would find what he was looking for. For his sake and Sarah's.
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"Hey Sarah! Come join the fun!" said Tabitha, who'd finally noticed the dark-haired girl standing by the doorway, taking everything in with eager eyes. She'd missed her shot, the seven ball had neatly escaped the blonde with her attention diverted. But, she wasn't really playing to win. She and her girl Amara had decided to lose on purpose the first to inflate the guy's egos. Ray and Bobby had obliged in typical male response, posturing and slapping one another on the back, believing themselves invincible.
It would make winning the next few games that much sweeter.
Sarah nodded, making her way over towards Tabitha. However, at that moment Jaime, who was losing a rather difficult round of the combat game he was playing with Rahne, jerked on his controlled to get more length of his wire and thus gain better control over his character (currently at half life and dropping). The wire however, choose to entwine itself around the foot of Jubilee, who'd been about to take her final throw and win the dart game against Roberto. As it was, the dart suddenly flew from her hand, and in the direction of Sarah.
X23 acted instinctively, her fist slashing up even before her claws fully emerged, slicing the dart in half. Both halves slammed into the wall behind Sarah as she gasped, not realizing what she'd done until after she'd done. As it was, everyone's eyes were on her, their mouths open, and no sound filled the room save that of the stereo, now largely ignored.
"I... I... I uhm..." Sarah started to say, trying to find the words as her claws slid back into her fist and her fingers relaxed. But she couldn't bring herself to say anything, and thus she broke down into tears and fled from the room, running, not really caring where she wound up as long as it wasn't there. They hadn't viewed her as a friend, they'd been scared. She was a freak. A monster. A weapon.
Her eyes were blinded by her own tears. She did not realize she was alone in the hallway until she bumped hard into someone, and stumbled back to see who it was. To her surprise it was Rogue, walking down the hallway with a book under her hand. She looked at her in surprise and, upon seeing her tears, concern.
But she couldn't bear to see her treat her like a monster too and she blindly pushed her aside and ran into her room, collapsing on the edge of her bed. She burried her face in the covers and wept. This place was no different, she was still a monster here. Still a freak. She'd have to leave... go back to the wilderness, and be herself again. Be free... be alone...
A very gentle, very tenative knock came at her door, and her head instinctively jerked up to see who was there. She abruptly realized she'd forgotten to close it upon her entering. There stood Rogue, watching her. She looked hesitant, as if she wasn't sure she wanted to be there or not.
"Hey... you ahlright?" she asked. A stupid question. An idiot could plainly see she was -not- alright. She was about to tell her as much, but the look on her face... and the tone of her words... she was concerned for her. So she bit back the harsh reply she was about to give her.
"I'm... no, I'm not alright..." she replied angrily, again burying her face in the covers. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? She hoped she would pick up the clue and leave, but instead she moved into the room. Not hesitant, she realized. She didn't want to intrude upon her personal space.
"Do ya want ta talk about it?" she asked, her voice incredibly soft. Though Sarah could pick up the sound as if she was speaking right next to her.
"I... I..." she said as she angrily wiped away her tears. Sighing, she gave in, and retold Rogue what had happened in the rec room. When she finished, she saw to her surprise she was wearing a smile. A thin, humorless smile, but a smile none-the-less. Why?
"Is that all?" she asked, as he sat down on the bed beside her. "Sarah, when I first came here ah accidently touched Kitty during one of our training sessions and knocked her out cold. Ah was so scared that they'd kick me out because of that... but they haven't. They try to help people like us here."
"I lost control," she replied, still angry at herself.
"Its okay, Sarah... we understand mistakes will be made from time to time."
"Back at Hydra a mistake usually meant death," replied Sarah coldly.
"Well this isn't Hydra," she replied, standing and starting to leave. "If you want to talk more Sarah I'm just down the hall..."
"Wait..." she said softly, reaching out to her. Then, realizing how foolish she must've looked she stopped, dropping her hand and looking away. "Thank you," she said simply.
"Anytime," she replied. The dark goth girl closed the door to give Sarah some privacy, who need to collect herself after an important realization. This isn't Hydra, she'd said. And it was true. These were nice people, understanding people. Sarah was safe with them. Tomorrow she'd have to go and apologize to the younger students, but right now she was exhausted... and needed her sleep.
Gently, she peeled off her newly acquired clothes and folded them up, placing them away as she slipped into her pajamas. She sat down on her bed then, gazing out the window at the dark night sky. The cool, icy white moon lit up the sky, half full. It was a beautiful sight to Sarah, and she lay back in her bed and closed her eyes, pulling the covers up over her. She fell asleep almost immediately.
And dreamed.
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Author's Notes:
Yet more of X23 bonding with someone other than Logan. That is my only gripe with 'X23' and 'Target X'. Give her someone else to talk to already. Ah well, with a fifth season maybe we can see more of her, but for now I'll handle it for everyone. Comet-hime was kind enough to provide me with the fan art of X23 in civvies, and she inspired me to write it. Hehe, hope everyone liked my reference to Kitty's poor cooking. More to come, including more foreshadowing of events to come and references to the still mysterious assailant. I am totally shocked no one has bothered to guess. For shame.
Kinomi: The Institute girls don't just have numbers, they have authority on all girl subjects. Or have you noticed how much power they weild over their male counterparts? Hehehe. But yeah, don't worry, Sarah isn't going to be totally mild throughout the story.
Elrohirthewriter: As Scott put it mildly, it had more than it needed. And it varies from story to story. Some say it had poison breath or fangs too, but I don't know. But hopefully the point was understood and it made for some cute Scott-Sarah interaction.
Glaivester: I do recall about the immortal head, actually, but I didn't feel it necessary to mention. Thanks for the input though. And don't worry, you read my story, its ony fair I read and review yours. First chance I get.
Comet-hime: Ah now I understand the flannel inside humor. I doubt many others will, but such is life. Thanks for the suggestion and for the always beautiful fan art.
DoWriter: That... is only the beginning. School, training, and more for our favorite fourteen year old assassin.
The Rogue Witch: Yay for clones, you say? Yay for claws? Oh then you will love this story more than you can imagine, my dear. Glad you like the crush on Scott... would you like more?