Chapter Five:
"Splinter"
January 13
When Shaina awoke the next morning, she had no idea where she was. So, she went with the approach that seemed the most plausible: screaming very loudly, "AHHHHHH! I'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED!!"
A second later, Beast walked in to the room. "Please refrain from screaming like that. We're indoors, and it's 10:00 AM."
Shaina looked up at him. "Huh?" She asked stupidly. Who was this strange, furry blue creature that looked like an animal but talked with such a dignified manner? Was she drunk? Then, it hit her: it was Hank McCoy, the Professor she had met a week ago while touring the institute.
He looked at her. "How do you feel?"
She flopped down on her pillow. "Like I've been hit by a car. But I'll live."
Beast shook his head. "I'm not surprised. Sabertooth has that effect on people. You were lucky to get away with just a minor concussion."
Shaina looked up at him. "Just a minor concussion? He seems like one bad dude…ah, what am I saying? I teach P.E. at an Elementary School! You gotta be made of tough stuff for that!"
Beast blinked. "When you say, 'you gotta be made of tough stuff', do you mean physically, or emotionally?"
"Both. You gotta deal with kids running in to you at exactly stomach level, and swinging heavy objects in all directions, as well as dealing with people who won't take turns and wait until they get up on the high balance beam to realize that they're afraid of heights."
Beast smiled. "Ah…I see…I used to teach athletics at Bayville High."
Their conversation ended when Charles Xavier wheeled in to the room. "Good morning, Shaina."
"'Morning, Professor," Shaina replied.
"I'm glad to see you're doing better. You gave Logan quite a scare." The Professor said.
"Um, what exactly happened last night?" Shaina asked.
"Logan tells me that you were late meeting him, and when you arrived, you described an encounter with Sabertooth at your apartment, and then, Sabertooth charged in. Logan fought him for awhile, but then you used your power to break off his claws. He then threw you against a wall, giving you a concussion. However, Sabertooth not having his claws gave Logan an advantage, and he won the fight. Seeing that you may need medical attention, he brought you back here."
Shaina nodded. "Oh, yea…it's all coming back now…Um, where's Logan now?"
The Professor shook his head. "Actually, I have no idea. He comes and goes as he pleases, and doesn't often like to discuss where he's going or where he's been."
Shaina rolled her eyes. "Why'm I not surprised?" She sighed and rubbed her neck. "Anyway, thanks for your help, but I gotta get home. Sailor Chicks is probably worried about me."
"Sailor Chicks?" Beast inquired.
She smiled. "She's my cat. 'Sailor Chicks' is short for 'Sailor Chinese Chopsticks'. It's a long story."
The Professor cleared his throat. "Yes, about that. I think it would be in your best interest to stay at the institute."
She turned to him. "…Excuse me?"
"I know it sounds odd, but it's for your safety. For you see, Sabertooth was not working alone…he is an associate of Magneto, a very powerful mutant who is bent on wiping out humans. He takes what he wants by force, and while I'm not sure what he wants you for exactly, I know that you're not safe as long as he wants you and knows where you live."
Shaina sighed. "I don't suppose I can argue with that. But I really don't wanna impose. Or seem like a free loader. Besides, I reiterate: I have a cat. A pregnant cat, I may add."
"You won't be imposing. Keri tells me that you are a P.E. teacher, so I don't suppose you would mind aiding Logan, Hank, and Ororo with training, as well as doing the occasional chore around the mansion, you'll be fine. As far as the cat goes, as long as you take responsibility for it and its children, we don't mind."
Shaina sighed. "If you say so…I guess that means I need to go get my stuff…"
"Yes. Whenever you feel up to it."
"I'm alright now…But I don't suppose I could take a shower first?"
***
About 45 minutes later, Shaina, and Ororo took the X-Van to Shaina's apartment. Keri had insisted on coming along too, simply because she wanted to see a teacher's home.
Shaina was still wearing the clothes she had slept in, which were the clothes she had fought Sabertooth in, but she figured that could probably just change when they got back to the institute.
The apartment building itself was rather nice, with about five stories of 20 rooms on each complex. Shaina's apartment was on the second story. "Sorry if it's a mess," she apologized in advance. With that, she opened the door.
The apartment was in fact slightly messy, but in a cozy sort of way. It basically looked like any other apartment, except for the decorations and touches that made it original.
"Wow…I'm in a teacher's apartment!" Keri breathed.
"Yea…Right…" Shaina retorted. She turned and said to what seemed like no one, "Here, Sailor Chicks! Sailor Chinese Chopsticks? Here, kitty-kitty!" When this failed to produce any results, Shaina rolled her eyes. "Ah, she'll come out as soon as she I go the kitchen."
And so their loading began. Fortunately, Shaina really didn't own a lot of things, so they were done after three boxes and 30 minutes…and she proved her theory about Sailor Chicks correct. For the minute she entered the kitchen, a fat white cat with a brownish-olive back trotted in to the room, purring.
Shaina glared at her. "Oh, so now you wanna be a loving companion?"
Sailor Chicks looked around, her green eyes settling on Ororo and Keri.
Keri's eyes shined. "CUUUUTE!" She squealed. She ran over began petting Sailor Chicks on the head.
The cat closed her eyes happily, and (still purring) stood up, signaling that she wanted Keri to stroke her back.
Shaina shook her head. "That cat…I'm actually glad that she didn't try anything heroic when that guy—Sabertooth, was it?—broke in. She has a tendency to attack things more than twice her size. The neighbor's Labrador is afraid of her."
Keri looked at Sailor Chicks. "I love cats!" She said dreamily. "And rabbits, and squirrels, and hamsters, and…"
Ororo ignored Keri and instead focused on the sliding glass door in Shaina's apartment…or, at least it's remains. Most of it was smashed, and bits of broken glass were littered everywhere. "So, this is where he came in." Storm noted.
Shaina shrugged. "Yea, I guess." She took a quick survey. "Well, that's everything."
Keri walked over, carrying Sailor Chicks over her shoulders. "You don't really own a lot, do you?"
"I'm single, and I'm a teacher. Whaddya expect?" As she spoke, she pulled out a cat-carrier from one of the boxes. "Sailor Chicks, time to go for a ride."
Sailor Chicks meowed.
"No, we're not going to the vet!"
Keri sat Sailor Chicks in to the ground, and she trotted in to the carrier.
The three girls loaded the three boxes and Sailor Chick's carrier in to the X-Van. Then, came the what Ororo and Keri thought would be the tricky part: telling Shaina's landlord that she was moving out. Not so. Their conversation went something like this.
"Hey, Mitch. I'm moving out."
"OK."
"Here's my key."
"OK."
"…Um, I broke the sliding glass door."
"Whatever."
"I'll pay for it."
"Nah. I screwed up on your bill a few times. Let's just call it even."
"Right…See ya…"
"You, too."
As they were driving back to the mansion, Keri piped up. "Well, he seemed nice!"
"There's a difference between being nice and not caring," Ororo sighed.
Sailor Chicks meowed.
***
Logan had been driving around all morning. Partly to see if he could pick up Sabertooth's trail, but mostly because he needed to get out of the institute. He knew he had to go back eventually, but he knew that if he went back, he had to see how Shaina was doing, and what if she hadn't gotten better? Even though he knew it wasn't his fault, he couldn't help but feel guilty…after all, Sabertooth was his mortal enemy.
Eventually, he admitted defeat and went back to the institute. When he walked in the door, he noticed a cat walking around. It turned, looked at him, and then scampered off. When did we get a cat? He wondered.
It was then that Professor X wheeled in to the room. "Logan. It's nice to see you."
"Yea…Hey, Charles, how's Shaina?"
"Oh, Shaina…she's—"
"Right here!" Interrupted a familiar voice.
Logan turned and saw Shaina, wearing a pair of loose jeans and a green sweater. "Shaina!" He exclaimed.
"Yup!" She said with a grin. "I'm here, out of bed, and I'm staying here for a while!"
Logan was surprised. "You're…stayin' here?"
The Professor piped up. "I think it's best, as Magneto seems to have his eye on her."
Shaina poked him in the back. "I hate to cut this short, but did you by any chance see a cat around here?"
Logan nodded. "Yea, it was headed in that direction." As he spoke, he pointed to his left.
Shaina nodded. "Right." She then departed, running down the hallways.
Logan turned to the Professor. "…Is she really stayin' here?"
The Professor nodded. "Yes, quite so."
Logan thought hard. "Why would Magneto want her?"
"I honestly have no idea. Now, if you'll excuse me, I hear yelling upstairs, and I believe it involves Keri, clear plastic wrap, and the toilet bowl." He wheeled away towards the elevator.
Logan was left standing there, alone. For some reason, he felt a bit annoyed.
Suddenly, Keri came bounding down the stairs loudly.
Logan looked up at her. "Did you put plastic wrap on the toilet bowl?"
Keri glared at him. "That was Evan!"
"Evan hasn't lived here for six months!"
"Really? Well, then I guess it was me. But don't be too upset, it was Scott who ended up with the surprise."
"Scott, eh?"
"He can't take a joke! It was just a harmless prank, and the he goes and starts screaming like I had hidden a snake in there! Anyway, did you know that Shaina's gonna be staying with us for a while?"
"Yea, I heard."
"She's got a cat! Her name's Sailor Chinese Chopsticks, but Shaina just calls her Sailor Chicks!"
"Uh-Huh. Where's her room?"
"It's the third one on the left in the second hallway. Though I think that now she's out looking for—"
Keri didn't have enough time to finish her sentence, as all of the sudden, they heard Scott's voice bellow, "KERI!!"
Keri's eyes shot open. "You know, I'd love to continue our conversation, but I've got an angry, eye-beam shooting college freshman out to get me. Toodle-Loo!" She made a mad-dash out of the mansion, phasing through the door instead of stopping to open it.
Logan rolled his eyes, and at the same time, wondered if he could have a conversation with each one of the X-Men if he just stood in that one spot all day.
***
Rogue was in the room she shared with Kitty, laying on her stomach on her bed, reading a book. It was very boring, and it was starting to make her drowsy.
She was, however, snapped to attention when Keri stomped in, slamming the door and blowing on her hands. "Would it have killed him to remind me that it was January and 20° outside?!" Keri demanded to no one in particular.
Kitty walked in. "Oh, hey, Keri. What's up? Did Scott, like, catch you?"
Keri shook her head, and blew on her hands some more. "No, I was running from him, and I went outside, and Logan didn't think to tell that it was 20° out there!"
"Oh…" Even if you're wearing a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, 20° is still pretty darn cold.
"Anyway, I was wondering if I could borrow your electric blanket," Keri continued.
"Oh, sure. Let me get it." Kitty grabbed it from her drawer, and wrapped it around Keri. The two then sat on Kitty's bed and had an elaborate conversation that Rogue couldn't follow. So, she left the room without another word.
Almost as soon as she set out in to the hallways, she bumped in to someone.
"'Skuse me," Said a female voice that Rogue recognized as Shaina's.
"Oh, hello, Shaina," Rogue muttered.
"Um, where's the bathroom? Please tell me that there's more than one in this place!" Shaina asked frantically.
Rogue smiled slightly. "There's actually one for the girls, one for the boys, one for the Professor specifically, and a couple around the Danger Room."
"Great…Now, can you show me the way to the Girl's Bathroom?"
"Follow me." With that, she led Shaina down to the bathroom. On their way, Rogue asked, "So, are you really staying at the institute?"
"I guess," Shaina said with shrug. "Professor Xavier really wanted me to. He's given me a part-time teaching job here."
"You're gonna teach us?" Rogue said, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
Shaina looked at her. "Hey, never underestimate an Elementary School Gym teacher!"
"Well, you're gonna need a uniform…and a code-name."
"Huh?"
"Ah mean, we all have uniforms that we wear while training and on missions, and code-names that we use, too. For example, Keri's is 'Dark Elf', Kitty's is 'Shadowcat', Scott's is Cyclops, and Logan's is Wolverine."
"Wolverine, hmm? Why am I not surprised?" Shaina asked absentmindedly. "Well, I'll think about it…"
"We're here," Rogue announced.
"What?"
"The bathroom…we're here."
"Oh! Thanks!" Shaina walked inside and shut the door.
Rogue sighed. It was common knowledge at this time that Shaina was going to be living at the institute, and the students had all been talking about her. Rogue had to agree with Logan: she was weird, but in a charming way. Rogue could probably like her, as long as Logan didn't…
Well, she didn't want to think about that right now.
***
Shaina was washing her hands when she began to think about what Rogue had said. "Well, you're gonna need a uniform…and a code-name."
She turned the water off. You had a name, a part of her brain pointed out. Do you remember? It was the name he gave you. And you gave him "Morpheus". Because he could—
Stop! She commanded. Don't think about that! She splashed some water in her face, trying to clear her thoughts.
Abruptly, she heard a distinct "Meow!" outside the door. She walked out, and there stood Sailor Chicks, waiting for her.
"Hello," Shaina said casually. "Been standing there long?"
"Meow," Was her cat's response.
"Uh-huh." Together, the two of them walked over to Shaina's room, which was a heck of a lot neater than her apartment.
She laid down on her side on her bed, and Sailor Chicks hopped on as well. Sailor Chicks gave Shaina a look.
"Yes, I know," Shaina sighed as she stroked the cat's head. "But don't worry, in a few days, the room'll be messed up properly."
"Are you talkin' to that cat?" Shaina heard a gruff voice ask.
Shaina turned and saw Logan standing in the doorway. "And if I am?" She teased. She sat up. "Well, sit down!"
Logan obeyed.
Sailor Chicks looked up, and stared at him for a few seconds. Then, she began washing her left-front paw.
"What was that?" Said Logan.
"Oh, she was just registering that you're mutant. That's one of her many quirks."
"What?"
"That's what she does whenever she sees a mutant."
She knows I'm a mutant?"
"Uh-huh."
"How do you know that's what it is?"
"Well, she did it the first time she saw me, when she saw Ororo and Keri, when she saw you, and when she met up with Jean a little while ago. She never does it to normal people. And I would say that she and I tend to know what the other's saying, but that would crazy. So I won't say it."
Apparently, Sailor Chicks tired of their conversation, and scooted under a table that had a sheet draped over it, hiding it from view.
"What's under there?" Logan asked.
"Litter Box."
This sounded like a good time to change the subject, so Logan did. "Um…nice room ya got here," He pointed out, looking around. It was a bit cluttered, but not messy.
"Yea, it's good. Smaller than my apartment, but it gets the job done."
"So, you like the institute?"
"Yup. Everyone seems pretty nice."
Abruptly, Kitty stuck her poked her head in the room. "Hello! Just came to tell you it's lunch time!" Then she noticed that Shaina and Logan were sitting together. "Whoa, I'm not, like, interrupting anything, am I?"
Logan rolled his eyes. "Yea, right!" He stood up.
"Right-oh!" Said Shaina. "Let's eat! I'm starvin'!"
***
When Shaina arrived back at her room after lunch, she found what she assumed was her uniform: Off-black one-piece suit with what looked like a red tank-top built in, red and black boots, brown gloves with a brown strap around the wrist that white circles running around it, and a yellow belt with a red square in front that had a black X on it.
Eagerly, she tried it on and found that it fit perfectly. She looked at her reflection the large mirror on her dresser, and then opened up her closet to look at the full-length one that she had brought from her apartment.
"Cool!" She breathed. She thought for a second, and then gathered her hair up in a ponytail with her hand. She turned to Sailor Chicks, who was looking at her with interest. "Hair up or down."
"Meow."
Shaina dropped her hair.
"Meow."
Shaina gathered it up again. "You're right: up it is."
Shaina then heard a knock on the door.
"Just a sec!" Shaina called, and quickly changed back in to her green sweater and loose jeans. Then, she opened the door.
"Good afternoon, Shaina," Greeted Professor X.
"Hello," Shaina replied.
"Have you tried on your uniform?"
"Oh, yea! It's great! Fits well, too. Hey, how did you all know my sizes?"
The Professor smiled. "Did you forget that I'm telepathic?"
Shaina was quiet for a second, and then said, "I guess I did!"
At that moment, Logan walked past them. He noticed Shaina's uniform laying on her bed and walked up to her. "Hey, what does your uniform look like?"
Shaina looked up at him. "It's a secret."
"Oh, come on!" He said.
She stuck her tongue out. "No!"
Professor X smiled. "Ah, Logan. I was just looking for you."
Logan looked down at him. "Huh?"
"I need you to show Shaina the ropes. If she's going to be teaching here, she'll need to know about Cerebro, the danger room, and the vehicles."
"Yea, yea…" Sighed Logan. "Well, come on." He began to walk away.
"You already said that," Shaina piped up, but she followed him anyway.
***
"…The Professor is the only one with the mind power to work Cerebro, although he's teachin' Jean to work it, too." And, as they stepped away from Cerebro, Logan announced, "And that concludes our tour. Watch your step, and be sure to stop by the gift shop. Thank you for not smoking."
Shaina rolled her eyes. "Nice. You should get a job at Disney Land, giving tours. And in your Spare time, you can beat up Chip and/or Dale."
It had been about an hour, and Logan had just finished showing Shaina around the institute. Although Logan had been a little reluctant, Shaina now knew quite a lot about her new home.
"And the schedule?" Shaina asked.
"What about it?" Replied Logan.
"What is it?"
"Oh! Uh, for meals: breakfast at 7:00, lunch on weekends is 12:00 Noon, dinner at 6:30. If you're late to a meal, ya do the dishes. The kitchen is open for in-between meal snacks, help yourself as long as ya don't hog it and don't make a mess. Training sessions aren't really scheduled or anything, but you'll know when there's one to go to. There's a chore-chart that's updated weekly, make sure you know what you're supposed to do."
Shaina blinked. "OK…"
"Did ya get that?"
"Yea…And if didn't, I'm sure I will later."
Logan rolled his eyes. "Whatever floats your boat."
"Hey, Rogue told me you all had code-names."
"Oh, yea. Just names that we use during missions. Mine's—"
Shaina cut in. "—'Wolverine'. I heard. Keri also tells me that sometimes, she calls you…'Badger'…" She grinned.
Logan felt his face grow a bit hot. "Alright, so ya know my name. If I can't see your suit, then let me hear your name…That is, if you've got one yet."
Shaina was quiet for a second, and then she said, "My name…is Splinter."
"What?"
"Splinter. That's my name. The word 'Splinter' can mean 'crack' or 'break', which is what I do. So, that's what I'll call myself."
"Splinter, huh?" He rubbed his chin, a gave her a smile. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
"I'm glad I have your approval…Badger!"
***
"You gotta!" Insisted Keri.
"No," Answered Rogue.
"You gotta!"
"No."
"You gotta!"
"No."
"You gotta!"
"No."
"You gotta!"
"No."
"You gotta!"
"NO."
"You gotta!"
"NO!"
"You gotta!"
"NO! Doncha ever get tired of this?!" Rogue snapped.
Keri blinked. "Hello? I'm eight! This is what I do!"
"Anyway, wah should ah?"
"Hello? Shaina's moved in! And she's gonna be a teacher! Meaning, she's going to be spending a lot of time with Logan!"
"So? There just friends!"
"Hello! That's the way it usually starts out! Then, they start spending time together! Then they find that they have a bunch in common! And that's when they…"
"Keri, does Logan seem like that kinda guy that would do that? You know what his feelins' on love are."
"Hello! He—"
"Runt, if you say, 'hello' one more time…!"
"Um…Ding-Dong! A lot men are like that! And then, they meet up with a dream girl who'll melt their heart! Rogue, don't you want that dream girl to be—"
"Men? Dream girl? Like, what are you two talking about?" Kitty chirped as she walked in to the room that she shared with Rogue, which was where Rogue and Keri were having their strange conversation.
"Nothin'." Rogue replied, turning back to the book she had been reading before Keri had rushed in to the room and started rambling.
Kitty sighed, and sat down on her bed next to Keri. "So, you know Shaina?"
"Oh, yea! She's the gym teacher at my school! She's really cool: she let's us decide what we want to play every other Friday, and she let's us listen to cool music during class. She can be a bit sarcastic at times, though. Oh, and she used to be a professional gymnast! She was the one who got me in to the Gymnastics League!"
"Hmmm…Interesting…And from all of this information, do you think she'd be, like, a good match for Logan?"
"ARG!" Rogue groaned. She picked up her book, and stomped out. Abruptly, she bumped in to Logan.
"'Skuse me, darlin'." He said.
Rogue glared at him. "Wah does everyone keep bumpin' in to me?!"
Logan blinked. "Uh, sorry?"
Rogue sighed. "No, ah'm sorry. Ah've just got a to think about."
As she walked away, she caught a glimpse of Logan looking at her with a look of confusion…and maybe a bit of concern…