Mystique's little bomb went off and I just stood there, tryin' to sort it out. No point talking to anyone right now. Kurt wasn't listening to me, Mystique was busy, my teammates were dukin' it out in front of the door, and I didn't feel like talking to Pyro or Avalanche just yet.
The trouble was that it wasn't such a bad idea. Oh, sure, Kurt and I were on bad terms right now, I didn't trust Pyro or Avalanche at all. I didn't know yet if Chuck'd go for it, either. But she was right. She and Rogue would be out of it for a while. That would give us time to see if we could patch things up and work together as a group, not to mention working out all the other personal crap we had going on right now.
I held back and watched as Rogue and Scott got louder, screaming at each other. Pyro and Avalanche were walking over to see Mystique, wearing identical mischievous expressions, and I backed off. Kurt moved away too.
In a heartbeat, things changed. Chuck popped into our heads. I was a little offended, to be honest. I hadn't taken part in any of this nonsense. He said quietly to each of us, "Why are you making so much noise?"
I don't know what anyone else said, but I told him off. "Wasn't makin' any. Get out of my head, Chuck."
"Why was everyone else, then? And …" I could feel him, wantin' to tell me to stop calling him Chuck, but he stopped before he asked.
"Mystique had a little idea. It's not such a bad one, either. If you want to know more, ask her." I crossed my arms and tried to slam shut the door he'd opened in my mind.
He sighed. "Very well. I shall depart from you."
I shook my head, hard. It always felt weird having someone other than me in my head. Must be what it's like to be Rogue sometimes. I looked around the room. Pyro and Avalanche looked blitzed. Summers was almost entirely red. Rogue still wanted to hit somebody, and Remy was all riled up too. Hank was confused, Kurt apologetic, and Mystique …
She looked offended, but under that, I could see she was worried. Her eyebrows wrinkled up like that when she was nervous and tryin' to hide it. I scooted on over and held her. She looked at me and the creases smoothed out, though she tried to look annoyed instead. Didn't work.
After about five minutes, the prof had finished with all of them and spoke over our communicators this time. Smart guy, though he can be pretty dumb sometimes. "I will consider Mystique's proposal. For now, I have scanned her thoroughly and have obtained her promise, which I believe to be sincere, that she will not try to escape or work against us in any way. She may have her freedom and will begin rehabilitation as soon as possible. As for Avalanche and Pyro, they may go where they wish in the mansion as long as someone escorts them. I will render a final decision tomorrow. Now, please, keep your voices down and stay out of any further trouble. Please?" Huh. Never heard old Chuck pleading that way. He must not have had his Lucky Charms this morning.
Scott didn't bitch about it at all as Hank came over and opened the cuff on Mystique's right wrist. She sighed in relief and rubbed it a little. "At last."
I stayed where I was. Kurt stared at me. Rogue and Remy looked at the floor. An awkward silence fell over all of us.
Pyro broke the silence. "Say, Rogue, did you get a chance to read my book yet?"
"No," she said, staring at the bed frame.
"Well, let me go get a copy for you. I have tons in the car."
"I'll come with you." She practically ran over to him, but Scott cut her off.
"No. I'll go with him."
"You?" She looked him up and down, disgusted.
"Yes. I need to talk to him about something."
She didn't like it, but she went with it. "All right. I'll be here, waiting."
Scott left, ramrod straight, following Pyro. Hank left, too. That left me, Mystique, Kurt, Rogue, Remy, and Avalanche. Remy grinned. "So, who else plays poker?"
Mystique nodded, Avalanche said, "I do," and Kurt sighed. "I will only play if we are not playing for money."
"Good thinkin', elf." I remembered the last time I played against Remy for money. Ended up owin' him five thousand dollars.
Remy pretended to sulk. "Why play poker if no money change hands?"
"Because that is the only way we will play." Mystique folded her arms and he gave up.
"Okay, okay. Playin' pretend poker. Remy can do this."
***************************************
Scott followed Pyro out of the room silently and spoke only after they had gone up one flight of stairs. "So you really wrote Flames of the Riviera?"
Pyro nodded. "Guilty as charged."
"That means you also wrote Twilight Gardens and Cloud Castles." He stopped walking and Pyro took a few steps, then turned back, grinning broadly.
"You must be the one she gave it to! Good." The blond mutant grinned. "Always glad to meet a fan, especially when it's not a clueless fifty year old woman throwing herself at me."
Scott raised an eyebrow and Pyro shrugged. "Just been on a book tour. You wouldn't believe how desperate some of them are."
"Maybe I would. I've heard some of Jean-Paul's stories." He leaned against the wall.
Pyro gasped. "Jean-Paul Beaubier? He's here?"
"Yes." He enjoyed the man's reaction. "Been here only a few months. Jean found him while he was doing his book tour, now that I think about it. Know him?"
"By reputation alone, mate. Gotta keep my eyes on my rivals. Fifth on the best seller list this week, you know. Hm." He thought for a moment. "Dom'd probably be interested in talking with him, too."
"He skis?" Scott was curious. Pyro's words were innocent, but his tone intimated a deeper meaning.
Pyro looked directly at him. "Yeah. He skis. Downhill." He was fighting to keep a straight face.
Scott gave up. "Why romance novels?"
"Why do you read them?"
"Point taken." He smiled sheepishly. "Don't tell, please."
Pyro narrowed his eyes. "All right, but you'll owe me a favor."
He frowned. He should have known there'd be a catch. The guy was an evil mutant, after all…wasn't he? "Fine. So why do you want to join us?"
Pyro shrugged. "Misty asked. Had nothing better to do. Why not?"
"Are you really ready to live by our rules?"
The man retorted, "You think Misty didn't have rules, mate?"
They stood there, silent, until Pyro spoke up again. "So, gonna stand there all day? Crikey, you aren't letting the evil Pyro wander the mansion alone, are you?" He started walking away.
"Saint John?" Pyro stopped as Scott addressed him by his pen name. "May I ask you something?"
He turned, raising an eyebrow. "The air's free, and the ears are open."
"There was a scene in Twilight I've always wondered about, the one in the belfry. You know, when Genevra finally let go and landed in Maximilien's arms? Was that based on anything real?"
Pyro closed his eyes and his face stilled. "No. Just a lovely dream. The lady I favor's never fallen for me, mate, and I don't think she ever will." He turned on his heel and began walking again, and Scott escorted him out.