"I said drop it!" The mall security guard had a hand on his baton, three of his colleagues standing behind him equally ready for trouble. Gambit glanced sideways at Blaze who grinned and nodded.
"Anyt'ing you say, my friends." The Cajun tossed the card at the doorway as Blaze attacked the forcefield with a blast of her firepower. The explosion was huge, blinding the security guards as Blaze and Gambit both lifted hands to protect their eyes. When the effects faded Gambit chucked another card, this time uncharged, at the doorway. It hit the mysterious barrier and slid graciously to the floor.
"What the…" a second security guard exclaimed, stepping forward. The others followed suit, one trying to request backup via his radio that had mysteriously ceased working. Gambit readied another card, eyes narrowing as the Brotherhood stepped in besides him ready for a fight.
"Wait!" Kitty exclaimed, running in between the two sides, holding her hands up at both of them. Blaze remembered she was supposed to be one of the good guys these days, and came to back up her fellow X-Man. "Listen there's something trapping us all in here. We were only trying to get out."
"Oh yeah," a guard said. "Sounds like mutants causing trouble to me. Maybe one of you is blocking the door or something."
"Why on earth would we want to do that?" Blaze asked, meeting the guards' eyes one by one as if daring them to not believe her. "We don't know whose doing this, but you're probably right, it may well be a mutant. If you can keep all the shoppers and staff calm and away from the doors, Shadowcat and I will do all we can to find whoever it is and get them to stop."
"Alright," a guard answered after a brief conference of cautious looks and hesitant shrugs with his colleagues. "I don't see that we have any choice."
"Don't worry we can handle this, it's what we're trained for," said Shadowcat. Blaze and Kitty started to move away from the door as the security guards deployed themselves to do their thing. Toad sniggered as one of them dared to touch the invisible barrier and pulled his hand away, wincing.
"What about us?" Wanda asked, hands on her hips, "We're stuck here too. Do you expect us to just wait around and do nothing?"
"I didn't expect that you'd want orders from the X-Men," Blaze sniped back, "though you've obviously not got the brain cells between you to figure out a plan to get us out."
"Blaze and I will solve this," Kitty retorted before Wanda could use her powers on the redhead. "You guys just stay out of our way." The X-Men left as Wanda fumed, arms ramrod straight by her sides. Toad on the other hand was glancing round the mall with a vaguely confused look on his face.
"Hey, where'd Gambit get too?"
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"Ilehana," Rogue asked the blonde as she sat perched on the edge of a table watching over the food table like a hawk. "Can Ah have a word with you?"
"Sure Rogue," Ilehana shook her head slightly as if to dispel whatever worries were festering there. "What is it?"
For a second Rogue glanced around the room, looking from gathered X-Man to gathered X-Man. Logan and Beast were presiding over a card game in the middle of the floor. The Professor and Storm were in deep conversation with Jean and Amara by the birthday cake. The southern girl didn't think anyone was listening, but you never could be sure in this house. Realising it was privacy Rogue wanted; Ilehana addressed the girl telepathically instead. #Is this better?#
#Much,# Rogue responded, visibly relieved as she sat next to Vixen, #thanks.# Rogue paused for a moment, Vixen allowing her time to figure out what it was she wanted to ask. #Ah just wanted to know, Ah mean if you don't mind tellin' me, how you know Blaze?#
#To cut a very long story short, she did some work for me in Paris and we just hit it off. Why do you want to know?# Rogue quickly gathered that Ilehana was not going to spill the beans on her friend just like that.
#It's just that at the mall when Blaze tackled some girls from school who were lookin' for trouble, she accused them of stealin' Kitty's purse.#
#Oh,# Ilehana smiled, #and you think it was Blaze who lifted the money? Do you have any proof?#
#No, course not. Ah don't mean to accuse your friend, really. Still Ah… Ah just wanna know if we can trust her, now she's an X-Man, y'know?# There was worry in Rogue's voice that the Professor's daughter might judge her harshly over this. She needn't have worried because Ilehana was more amused than offended.
#I know Blaze can be aggravating Rogue, but she's not had an easy life, and yeah, she's not always been one of the good guys. Still I trust her with my life and I know you can do the same. Even if you don't like her.#
#Is it that obvious?# Rogue grumbled, flicking white hair away from her face.
#I'm a telepath Rogue, it's as obvious as the stripes on a zebra or the beak on a toucan.#
#How about you and Jean hatin' each other?# Rogue asked with a grin. #What's up with that?#
#Again, long story short she's a self-important little miss who thinks she owns the place,# Ilehana folded her arms and pursed her lips tightly. #Less personally, it's a wolf pack thing.#
#Wolf pack?# Rogue was sceptical. She knew Ilehana could turn into a wolf and other predatory animals, but this was a bit bizarre.
#I can also speak to animals Rogue,# Ilehana filled in. #I've even lived in a wolf pack for a while. In the pack there's always a pecking order that keeps it working together as a unit, much like we have here at the mansion. My dad would be alpha male, the top dog, and Scott would be his second.#
#Not Logan or Mr McCoy?#
#No, I don't think so. Pack females always have their own structure, hence me and Jean don't get on because both of us want to be alpha.#
#So does that explain why I don't feel comfortable with Blaze?# Rogue quested, making Ilehana smile at how quick her father's student was.
#Yes because, much as I know you don't think you have anything in common Jean, you are her second Rogue. The other girls follow the example the two of you set. And for a long time now Blaze has been my second, she backs me up even when she thinks I'm wrong. So I guess its mine and Jean's fault you don't like her, or maybe it's just fate.#
#Ouch. # Rogue's thought-voice muttered but she didn't expand on it.
#Just remember that if Jean and I can work together for the good of the X-Men, you and Blaze shouldn't have any problems doing the same.# Vixen counselled, a warning growl in the back of her telepathic voice.
#You're not gonna ask me to give her a chance? To try and get to know her?# Rogue was almost shocked as she'd expected a lecture.
#What and repeat everything I got told when I met Jean and knew straight away I'd never get along with her? If you know you know.# Ilehana stood up and absently dusted off her black jeans. #If it's any consolation, Blaze hasn't given much thought to you at all since we got here.#
#Why, she too busy daydreaming over Magneto's lackey?# Rogue was even slightly offended. Ilehana actually laughed as she replied out loud.
"The only thing Blaze ever daydreams over is food!"
