"Vixen?"
"Hey Logan," the woman raised her head from her hands and gave him a mournful look.
"You okay?" the gruff man asked, sitting down besides Ilehana on the fallen log in the mansion's sunny grounds.
"Not really," was her only reply before she sunk back into her own thoughts again. Logan didn't push her. She'd talk when she was good and ready. He just sat and waited, wondering why every time he breathed in her scent it made the hairs on the back of his neck tingle. Eventually Ilehana spoke again. "He's altered my memories, tried to block out the images of the day my mother died. I was there, Logan, but he's taken it all away…"
"I presume by 'he' you mean Chuck? It ever strike you that just maybe the man has your interests at heart? He is your Dad after all," Wolverine waited for the young woman to reply, but she held her silence unsure as to whether or not she even wanted him there. Logan had no desire to fail his friend again, "I mean, think about it Ilehana. The man had just lost his wife, can you blame him for wantin' to protect his daughter?"
"There are ways and means, Logan. If I hadn't been a telepath, if my mind wasn't as strong, I may never have begun to remember…"
"Hey, if you hadn't been a telepath, chances are you wouldn't have been so jealous of the time your Dad spent with Jean, tryin' to train her to have a mind as strong as yours. Maybe you wouldn't have left in the first place, grown up nice and safe here instead. Charles wouldn't have kept this from you forever; he's not that type of guy. If you'd stuck around…"
"Alright I get the point," Ilehana snapped viciously.
"No you don't," Logan enthused, wrapping a consoling arm around Ilehana's slender shoulders. "We've all missed you kid, even me. Just don't go chargin' off again any time soon all right? Then maybe Chuck can give you some answers."
Ilehana sighed heavily, enjoying the sun on her skin and the smells of the foliage around them. There had always been a kind of peace for her at the mansion and in truth she was glad to be back. She'd known this wouldn't be easy, hadn't she? Logan said nothing more, but neither did he withdraw his arm. His reward came when Ilehana finally gave in, relaxing against his muscular body and resting her pretty head on his shoulder…
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"Wow Rogue! That is like, so you!" Kitty Pride came to lean over her friend's shoulder as Rogue pulled a glossy black long-sleeved top off a rail. The newly opened mall buzzed around them, shoppers all relieved to once again have somewhere to spend their cash, the X-girls included.
"You think?" The southern belle asked as she pulled out the arms of the top against her. Kitty's reply was cut off though by two more of Bayville High's finest.
"Eugh! Are they gonna let just anybody shop here? I can't believe they let mutants shop with normal people…" The bleached blonde spoke as loudly as her bright pink outfit to her companion as both Kitty and Rogue bristled with anger.
"I'll have that," the other girl, a brunette, snatched the top out of Rogue's hands. "It's way too classy for mutey scum like you."
"Hey, you…" Rogue began tugging at her glove, but Kitty grabbed her arm.
"No Rogue, leave it." Rogue sighed heavily, dropping her fighting stance as the two girls laughed and started to leave. As they turned away, a curly haired redhead with sparkling brown eyes walked straight into the brunette, knocking the top out of her hands.
"Hey! Watch where you're walkin'!" the brunette screeched.
"Why?" Blaze asked, impish smile on her rosebud lips. "Is the floor going to do something interesting?" She didn't back down as the high school girl squared up to her. Instead she looked the brunette over slowly, noting the other girl had the advantage of height and weight if it came down to a fight. Just Blaze's kind of odds.
"I'm gonna wipe that smile right off your face!" the brunette cried, launching a forceful push on Blaze's shoulders. Her chubby hands never even touched the mutant. Blaze grabbed her wrists in a lightning quick reaction, twisted the girl's arms the wrong way until she was yelping and kneeling on the cold shop floor. Not smiling anymore Blaze called on a touch of her mutant power, putting fire into her grip on the girl's wrists. The girl screamed.
"You should learn to mind your manners girl," Blaze spat as Rogue and Kitty eyed up the approaching security guard. "Especially around mutants," Blaze let go, sending the girl over backwards towards her watching friend. They both ran.
"Is there a problem here?" The security guard put a hand on Blaze's shoulder. Blaze's Bambi eyes met the guards as she spoke in a worried voice.
"Yes, I'm afraid there is. Those girls were pickpockets. I saw them taking this girl's wallet while she shopped," Blaze held up Kitty's purse whilst Shadowcat exclaimed and in defiance checked her bag. The stranger was right, that was her wallet she'd rescued.
"Oh," the security guard dropped his hand from Blaze's shoulder and smiled shyly, "then thank you Miss. Don't worry ladies, those girls won't be allowed back in this store again." He turned and left, bemused. Blaze tossed Kitty's purse back to her before retrieving the black top for Rogue.
"Your friend's right," Blaze offered as a way of making conversation. "This top suits you, you should buy it."
"Thanks," Rogue replied hesitantly, "but Ah'm flat broke already. Guess it'll have to wait until allowance day."
"Then here, consider it compensation for fighting your fights for you," Blaze offered a selection of banknotes to Rogue with a wink, "it's been fun." Waiting until Rogue took the money Blaze then turned and left the store. She paused only to ditch the brunette's now empty wallet in a trashcan on the way out.