Regina: Goodbye writer's block! But it might be back soon. I just need to
find my weapons storage facility. I can't believe I forgot where I put it!
And it's got my stuff for defeating writer's block! But it's gone for now,
and that's why I have got this next chapter all done! I am so proud of
myself.
But another reason I have not been able to write any more of this is that I have been working on my websites: 'Mutant High' and 'Randomland'. And now I have been working on my new Yahoo! Group. It's called 'Beauty of the Beast', and it's dedicated to our big, bouncy, and lovable blue Beast! Of course, you can talk about other stuff to do with X-Men, but I decided to build it becuase I noticed there was a distinct lask of sites etc. about the Beast. So, i'll put the link up on my bio, and once you've read this chapter, and reviewed it, you can go and visit it! Yay for the Beast!
Beauty and the Beast
Chapter Twenty-Three: A Cause for Celebration
"Par-tay!" shouted Kurt, jumping to his feet.
"I suppose that's one possibility," said Jennifer wryly, but a hint of a smile played at the edges of her lips.
"Well, what would you rather have us do?" asked Kitty.
"Graduate first!" replied all the adults as one, Jennifer included.
"I think you've been living here for far too long, Ms Reed," interrupted Bobby.
"Yeah. You're starting to sound just like them!" added Ray.
Jennifer blinked. "Am I? And to think," she added, her voice dry, "I thought I was the normal one around here."
Everyone laughed, except for Hank, who said, "You are definitely not normal. You are amazing, and I am lucky to have you."
Everyone went, "Aw." (Except for a few of the younger boys, who stuck their fingers down their throats, and made gagging noises. But they quickly stopped when they saw that Logan was glaring at them.)
"It seems a celebration is in order, then," Ororo summed up neatly.
"I believe that is the best solution," added Xavier.
"All right!" shouted all the students. "Let's celebrate!"
"Slow down, punks," interrupted Logan. "You've still got to go through the graduation first. And that's a couple of weeks away. You've got plenty of time to get ready, so slow down."
*
Although Logan did tell the students to slow down, the weeks leading up to the graduation sped by, until finally it was time for the big day itself.
"What do you think?" asked Jean, turning around so that everyone could get the best view possible of her gown.
"Um. . ."
"Er. . ."
"Well. . ."
"Come on, Jean!" Scott's voice floated up the hallway. "Everyone else is ready!"
"Coming!"
Bobby, Kurt and Ray all let out huge sighs of relief - but only when Jean was out of range.
"Hurry up, guys!"
Kurt instantly teleported outside to where the group was waiting, leaving Bobby and Ray to catch up with the group in their own way.
*
From their vantage point, Xavier, Ororo, Logan, Hank and Jennifer had an excellent view of the proceedings below them on the field.
"Detective McPhearson!" Ororo said suddenly. "What are you doing here?"
The plain clothes detective looked extremely uncomfortable as he replied, "I was in the area on business."
From her seat next to Hank, who was dressed much like a detective from an old movie - hat and trenchcoat included - Jennifer said, "Well, it was nice of you to come by."
"Why don't you join us?" suggested Xavier.
McPhearson declined the offer. "I'm sorry, but I can't stay. More work to do."
Hank looked up at McPhearson from beneath the wide brim of his hat. "No rest for the wicked?"
"Seems so. I'll be seeing you later, then," McPhearson, and then he left, just as suddenly as he had arrived.
*
The actual graduation ceremony went smoothly, except for a few expected bumps in the road. The main one was the silence that permeated the air when Jean and Scott went up onto the podium to receive their diplomas, which was broken only by the clapping and cheering of the students and the teachers who knew the students best, as well as Jean's family. But apart from them, the audience sat in stony silence, refusing to acknowledge the achievements of the Xavier Institute's two eldest students.
But there seemed to be no outward signs that this bothered Jean and Scott, as well as the other students, even though Principal Kelly's speeches did seemed to be aimed in their direction - and not in a positive way.
But what did they care! They had graduated!
"Congratulations!"
"Well done!"
"Thanks, you guys."
"Now let's celebrate!"
"Kurt!"
"What?!"
But the celebrations were cut off, as a loud and very angry voice could be heard over the happy voices.
"What are you doing?! You can't do this to me!"
"Edward Kelly, I am placing you under arrest for the conspiracy to commit the murder of Jennifer Reed," said McPhearson, grabbing Principal Kelly's arms and moving them behind his back, where he proceeded to put handcuffs on them. "You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can, and will be used as evidence in a court of law."
"You can't do this! I am innocent, I tell you!" shouted Kelly.
McPhearson ignored his shouts. "You have the right to an attorney, and if you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you."
As Kelly was pulled towards the waiting police car, next to which a uniformed officer was standing, McPhearson nodded towards the company from the Institute. "Told you I had work to do," was all he said, before pushing Kelly into the backseat of the squad car, and getting into the driver's seat, and driving away.
*
"Yeah! Shake that tail, fuzzy dude!"
As you can tell, the students were devastated by the arrest of Principal Kelly.
For about a nanosecond (if that long!).
And this meant that they could finally do what they had been waiting for, and planning for, and waiting for the past few weeks. To celebrate the graduation of Scott and Jean.
As well as their own freedom from school, over the summer, at least.
So after a time, they began raising their glasses to celebrate.
"To Scott and Jean! Best of luck for the future!"
"To the X-Men, and the future of mutants everywhere!"
But after a while, they started to get a bit silly, especially as more and more of the teens got hyped up on sugar.
"To the X-Men! And their tight-fitting uniforms!"
"To toast, which always land butter side down!"
"To Detective McPhearson, who finally gave Kelly what he deserved."
Until finally, the toasts got beyond silly.
"To Principal Kelly! Have fun in jail, but don't drop the soap!"
"Here, here!"
"I think that's quite enough," interrupted Ororo, putting a halt to the celebrations.
"Aw!"
"I guess you're right."
"This is supposed to be a celebration," added Hank. "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have one more thing to celebrate about." Smiling at everyone, he went on. "I was going to wait until your birthday next month, Jennifer, but I suppose now is as good a time as any."
Jennifer, who had been standing next to the table, talking to Ororo, put down her glass and said, "I told you, I didn't want any gifts, let alone one that I get early." But despite her words, her hazel eyes sparkled. "But if you went to all that trouble, and have already got me my present, let's see it." To Ororo she whispered, "I wonder if he picked up on my hints. Maybe I was too subtle. I only mentioned that book five times."
"Close your eyes."
"I don't see why we have to go through all of this," muttered Jennifer, but she closed her eyes anyway. She could hear a few giggles and shushing going on, but that was about it.
"Okay, now open them."
Jennifer complied, to find the sight that greeted her was not the book she had been wanting, instead, there were all the students and the adults with smiles on their faces. . .
. . . and Hank on one knee right in front of her, holding out a small box with a ring in it. Jennifer's hands flew to her mouth as a small gasp escaped from it. She said nothing more.
She did not have to, as Hank had something to say.
"Jennifer, will you marry me?" he asked simply.
Jennifer looked around with wide eyes as she struggled to find the words. But then she saw the smile creeping across Xavier's face, and knew that she did not have to say it, but that it would sound best coming from her. "I love you, Hank, and yes, I will marry you."
But another reason I have not been able to write any more of this is that I have been working on my websites: 'Mutant High' and 'Randomland'. And now I have been working on my new Yahoo! Group. It's called 'Beauty of the Beast', and it's dedicated to our big, bouncy, and lovable blue Beast! Of course, you can talk about other stuff to do with X-Men, but I decided to build it becuase I noticed there was a distinct lask of sites etc. about the Beast. So, i'll put the link up on my bio, and once you've read this chapter, and reviewed it, you can go and visit it! Yay for the Beast!
Beauty and the Beast
Chapter Twenty-Three: A Cause for Celebration
"Par-tay!" shouted Kurt, jumping to his feet.
"I suppose that's one possibility," said Jennifer wryly, but a hint of a smile played at the edges of her lips.
"Well, what would you rather have us do?" asked Kitty.
"Graduate first!" replied all the adults as one, Jennifer included.
"I think you've been living here for far too long, Ms Reed," interrupted Bobby.
"Yeah. You're starting to sound just like them!" added Ray.
Jennifer blinked. "Am I? And to think," she added, her voice dry, "I thought I was the normal one around here."
Everyone laughed, except for Hank, who said, "You are definitely not normal. You are amazing, and I am lucky to have you."
Everyone went, "Aw." (Except for a few of the younger boys, who stuck their fingers down their throats, and made gagging noises. But they quickly stopped when they saw that Logan was glaring at them.)
"It seems a celebration is in order, then," Ororo summed up neatly.
"I believe that is the best solution," added Xavier.
"All right!" shouted all the students. "Let's celebrate!"
"Slow down, punks," interrupted Logan. "You've still got to go through the graduation first. And that's a couple of weeks away. You've got plenty of time to get ready, so slow down."
*
Although Logan did tell the students to slow down, the weeks leading up to the graduation sped by, until finally it was time for the big day itself.
"What do you think?" asked Jean, turning around so that everyone could get the best view possible of her gown.
"Um. . ."
"Er. . ."
"Well. . ."
"Come on, Jean!" Scott's voice floated up the hallway. "Everyone else is ready!"
"Coming!"
Bobby, Kurt and Ray all let out huge sighs of relief - but only when Jean was out of range.
"Hurry up, guys!"
Kurt instantly teleported outside to where the group was waiting, leaving Bobby and Ray to catch up with the group in their own way.
*
From their vantage point, Xavier, Ororo, Logan, Hank and Jennifer had an excellent view of the proceedings below them on the field.
"Detective McPhearson!" Ororo said suddenly. "What are you doing here?"
The plain clothes detective looked extremely uncomfortable as he replied, "I was in the area on business."
From her seat next to Hank, who was dressed much like a detective from an old movie - hat and trenchcoat included - Jennifer said, "Well, it was nice of you to come by."
"Why don't you join us?" suggested Xavier.
McPhearson declined the offer. "I'm sorry, but I can't stay. More work to do."
Hank looked up at McPhearson from beneath the wide brim of his hat. "No rest for the wicked?"
"Seems so. I'll be seeing you later, then," McPhearson, and then he left, just as suddenly as he had arrived.
*
The actual graduation ceremony went smoothly, except for a few expected bumps in the road. The main one was the silence that permeated the air when Jean and Scott went up onto the podium to receive their diplomas, which was broken only by the clapping and cheering of the students and the teachers who knew the students best, as well as Jean's family. But apart from them, the audience sat in stony silence, refusing to acknowledge the achievements of the Xavier Institute's two eldest students.
But there seemed to be no outward signs that this bothered Jean and Scott, as well as the other students, even though Principal Kelly's speeches did seemed to be aimed in their direction - and not in a positive way.
But what did they care! They had graduated!
"Congratulations!"
"Well done!"
"Thanks, you guys."
"Now let's celebrate!"
"Kurt!"
"What?!"
But the celebrations were cut off, as a loud and very angry voice could be heard over the happy voices.
"What are you doing?! You can't do this to me!"
"Edward Kelly, I am placing you under arrest for the conspiracy to commit the murder of Jennifer Reed," said McPhearson, grabbing Principal Kelly's arms and moving them behind his back, where he proceeded to put handcuffs on them. "You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can, and will be used as evidence in a court of law."
"You can't do this! I am innocent, I tell you!" shouted Kelly.
McPhearson ignored his shouts. "You have the right to an attorney, and if you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you."
As Kelly was pulled towards the waiting police car, next to which a uniformed officer was standing, McPhearson nodded towards the company from the Institute. "Told you I had work to do," was all he said, before pushing Kelly into the backseat of the squad car, and getting into the driver's seat, and driving away.
*
"Yeah! Shake that tail, fuzzy dude!"
As you can tell, the students were devastated by the arrest of Principal Kelly.
For about a nanosecond (if that long!).
And this meant that they could finally do what they had been waiting for, and planning for, and waiting for the past few weeks. To celebrate the graduation of Scott and Jean.
As well as their own freedom from school, over the summer, at least.
So after a time, they began raising their glasses to celebrate.
"To Scott and Jean! Best of luck for the future!"
"To the X-Men, and the future of mutants everywhere!"
But after a while, they started to get a bit silly, especially as more and more of the teens got hyped up on sugar.
"To the X-Men! And their tight-fitting uniforms!"
"To toast, which always land butter side down!"
"To Detective McPhearson, who finally gave Kelly what he deserved."
Until finally, the toasts got beyond silly.
"To Principal Kelly! Have fun in jail, but don't drop the soap!"
"Here, here!"
"I think that's quite enough," interrupted Ororo, putting a halt to the celebrations.
"Aw!"
"I guess you're right."
"This is supposed to be a celebration," added Hank. "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have one more thing to celebrate about." Smiling at everyone, he went on. "I was going to wait until your birthday next month, Jennifer, but I suppose now is as good a time as any."
Jennifer, who had been standing next to the table, talking to Ororo, put down her glass and said, "I told you, I didn't want any gifts, let alone one that I get early." But despite her words, her hazel eyes sparkled. "But if you went to all that trouble, and have already got me my present, let's see it." To Ororo she whispered, "I wonder if he picked up on my hints. Maybe I was too subtle. I only mentioned that book five times."
"Close your eyes."
"I don't see why we have to go through all of this," muttered Jennifer, but she closed her eyes anyway. She could hear a few giggles and shushing going on, but that was about it.
"Okay, now open them."
Jennifer complied, to find the sight that greeted her was not the book she had been wanting, instead, there were all the students and the adults with smiles on their faces. . .
. . . and Hank on one knee right in front of her, holding out a small box with a ring in it. Jennifer's hands flew to her mouth as a small gasp escaped from it. She said nothing more.
She did not have to, as Hank had something to say.
"Jennifer, will you marry me?" he asked simply.
Jennifer looked around with wide eyes as she struggled to find the words. But then she saw the smile creeping across Xavier's face, and knew that she did not have to say it, but that it would sound best coming from her. "I love you, Hank, and yes, I will marry you."