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"Xi'an I'm hungry." The seven-year-old boy complained. His twin sister nodded.
"I know." Xi'an said. "I'll find something tomorrow. Tonight we have to stay on the train."
"Where are we going?" The little girl asked.
"Somewhere safe. I'm not going to let anyone split us up. I'll always be here to take care of you." Xi'an promised. "Now you have to go to sleep so you'll have energy tomorrow okay?"
" 'Kay." The twins chimed as they lay back on the blanket Xi'an had spread across the floor of the boxcar. Xi'an pulled another blanket out of the camper's pack leaned up against the wall beside her and spread it over them. Then she went to sit in the door of the train car. She watched the Great Plains fly away as the train sped last through the night.
****** ****** ******
If you could just read this petition." The determined blonde standing in the door insisted.
Rogue rolled onto her side and turned up her radio.
"Why won't you listen to me?"
"Sam! Come get your sister!" Rogue yelled.
A few moments later the lanky, sandy-haired boy wrapped an arm around Paige's shoulders and steered her away. "Come on kiddo, why don't yah try Ororo or Moira… Maybe some of the new kids."
Rogue went back to studying as Sam led Paige away. Several minutes later Wanda walked in, dropped several textbooks on Kitty's bed and made herself at home.
Rogue gave her a less then friendly look but didn't say anything in protest.
They studied together in silence for a while.
"Which band is this?" Wanda asked tentatively as she gestured to the radio.
Rogue tossed her a CD case.
Wanda glanced at the cover. "I like them." She said. Several minutes later she asked. "Has Pey heard from Remy lately?"
"Why don't yah ask him yourself." Rogue replied without interest.
Wanda frowned. "He'll just tell me to write to Remy."
"That's your problem. Why'd yah think Ah'd care?" Rogue said.
"Would it hurt you to tell me?" Wanda demanded angrily.
Rogue ignored her.
"Tell me!" Wanda snapped. "I haven't heard anything in months. I want to know."
Rogue sighed at the faint catch in Wanda's voice. "He's traveling around thievin' stuff." She said. "He's fine."
"Did he say anything about me?" Wanda asked.
"Yah got it bad don't yah?" Rogue said. "Look Wanda, do yah think your brother would be telling yah to get in contact with Gambit if the guy didn't still like yah? Pietro doesn't blame yah for trying to kill him yah know. He cares about yah anyway, he wouldn't tell yah to do something that'll get yah hurt. Got it?"
Wanda nodded as she glanced away. "You don't like me do you?" She asked.
"Ah like Quickie, a lot." Rogue replied. "You're his sister but Ah don't trust yah."
"I made a mistake, I know that now." Wanda complained. "Why can't yah give it a rest? Pietro forgave me."
"That's why Ah won't." Rogue said. "It's the people yah trust who can hurt yah worst. If Pietro won't guard against yah Ah have to do it for him."
****** ****** ******
Xi'an smiled at her twin siblings. "So, what do you want to eat?" She asked.
The twins glanced around. "Can we have hotdogs?" They pled. They grabbed her hands and tugged her toward a hotdog vendor.
"I suppose it was too much to hope you would ask for spinach." Xi'an laughed.
"Blech!" Nga cried. Leong nodded.
Xi'an smiled at the vendor. His eyes went glassy.
"Don't forget relish!" Leong ordered as she looked up at her big sister. Xi'an nodded and the man robotically added relish to one of the hotdogs then handed them to the trio. They walked away without paying, the man made no protest.
Five minutes later Xi'an found herself confronted by a tall, pale woman in a scandalously cut business suit. "Very subtle." Emma said. "But how long do you think it will be before they figure you out? Especially now, when they see evil mutants behind every unexplained event?"
"Who are you? What do you want?" Xi'an demanded as she pushed the twins behind her.
//One like yourself and I merely wish to offer you sanctuary in these troubled times.//
"You… your voice in my head." Xi'an stammered.
"Why look so surprised?" Emma replied. "You controlled that man's actions. I would wager that our powers are not so different. Will you come with me?"
"I won't leave the twins." Xi'an declared. "I passed their tests but they said I was not a fit guardian. I won't let them be taken from me."
Emma glanced at the seven-year-olds disdainfully. "I'll hire a babysitter to watch them while you train your abilities. Who knows, they may prove useful in another six years or so."
Xi'an took an uncertain breath. "I'll come. If they are safe and happy I am yours to command."
Emma's smile was predatory. "I think you and I will get along very well, my dear."
****** ****** ******
Outside of the movie theatre Kitty, Kurt, Amanda, Pietro, Rogue, Wanda, Alex and Jamie waited for the last two Institute students to emerge. Rahne and Todd had spotted some of Rahne's friends from middle school and decided to watch the movie with them. Kurt had been a little nervous about allowing the pair to split off from the group, even when they were only sitting in a few rows away in a crowded auditorium, there was no way he'd leave them to walk home alone.
Todd and Rahne finally exited the theatre with Mindy and Vest. The two boys were gesturing expansively while the girls were giggling with their heads together.
Wanda cleared her loudly to draw their attention to the group from the Institute. As soon as Todd and Rahne started over Wanda strode off toward the Institute at a rapid clip.
"Vait up!" Kurt called leaving Amanda's side to jog after her. "The Professor only let us go tonight because we promised to stick together." He protested.
"Yeah…" Alex began.
"Call me 'dudette' one more time and I'll make your tongue rip itself out." Wanda snarled.
Alex dropped back to walk beside Rogue and Pietro. "Man, your sister is harsh." He said.
"Why did we bring him?" Pietro asked Rogue.
"So-Wanda-wouldn't-feel-like-a-fifth-wheel." Rogue replied speaking so quickly that only Pietro could understand her. "He's-Scott's-brother-Ah-thought-he'd-be-okay."
Todd hopped up beside Rogue and used his tongue to snatch the scarf around her neck. "Hey!" Rogue protested.
"I'll-get-it." Pietro offered as Todd tied the scarf around his head.
"Oh leave it." Rogue sighed. "Ah don't want it back till it's been through the washing machine anyway."
Pietro shrugged then darted off to thwack Todd on the back of the head anyway.
"I didn't deserve that." Todd declared gleefully. He caught up to Wanda with a couple of leaps then quietly dipped his hand into her purse and grabbed a stick of black lipstick. Wanda turned and saw him coloring circles around his eyes.
"Toad give that back!" She snapped. Todd leapt back to avoid a hex bolt. He finished off his eyes moments before a second bolt sent him flying into a nearby bush. Wanda picked up her lipstick as it rolled across the sidewalk.
"I might have deserved that." Todd continued still delighted about how his game was progressing.
Kurt and Amanda tugged him out of the bushes.
As soon as he was free Todd leapt back to Rahne and made an impressive bow. "Captain Jack Sparrow at your service mi-lady." He announced then swept her off her feet for a kiss. Rahne returned it enthusiastically. "I'm not sure if I deserved that or not, but I liked it." Todd laughed. Kitty rolled her eyes at them and shook her head. Jamie, her 'date' for the evening grinned mischievously. He leapt up and grabbed a slender branch from a tree as they walked beneath it. After Jamie stripped the leaves off he glanced around to make sure no one was watching then slammed one fist into the other. The resulting three Jamies charged Todd. "You are under arrest in the name of the crown!" They shouted.
Todd set Rahne back on her feet then bounded over the Jamies in his search for a sword of his own.
Kurt's nature wouldn't let him stay on the sidelines for long. He kissed Amanda's hand. "Miss. Swan." He said politely then bamfed up into a tree to pick a well-balanced 'sword' then dropped into Todd's path. "You sir, are trespassing." Kurt declared assuming a swordsman's stance.
Rahne tossed Todd a stick of his own. "You think you're a match for Jack Sparrow, whelp?" Todd announced as he parried Kurt's slash.
In a few seconds they were bounding back and forth, dodging between the other as they walked along. The Jamies added to the chaos, shouting and waving their 'swords'.
Pietro urged Rogue to catch up with Wanda then slung an arm around his sister's shoulders and began happily chattering with both girls. After a few minutes Rogue and Wanda allowed him to draw them into a friendly three-way dialoge.
Several of the Jamies cornered Todd. "All for one and one for all!" They yelled.
Todd somersaulted over their heads. "There can be only one!" He replied as he attacked them from behind.
Kitty paused and glanced around with the feeling that someone was watching them. After a moment she shrugged and caught up with the group again.
As they got further from town Todd and Kurt took their duel up into the trees. "Luke, I am your father!" Todd declared in a raspy voice as he gained the advantage by knocking Kurt's stick out of his hand.
Kurt used his tail to snag his 'sword' as it fell. "I am Inigo Montoya! You killed my father, prepare to die!"
Down below the Jamies had turned their attention on Alex. The blond had picked up a hubcap from the side of the road and was using it as a shield.
"We are the knights who say nay!" The Jamies laughed. Then circled around Alex shouting "Nay! Nay!"
"No Monty Python." Kitty begged.
"You lack the style to catch the Scarlet Pimpernel." Kurt challenged as he exchanged blows while hanging by his tail.
"Well, um, I'm Cyrano De'Bres-something-or-other." Todd shot back. "And I'll defeat you while composing a verse… um, 'The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out, the worms play Ayieee!" Todd's voice rose in a high-pitched shriek as he lost his balance.
Rahne changed forms and sprang into the air. Her teeth clamped down on the back of Todd's collar as she controlled their landing. Todd reached up and ruffled her ears gratefully.
Kurt teleported to the ground. "Are you okay?" He asked with concern.
"No harm done." Todd assured him.
"And on that note I think we should call it a night." Kitty said. "Before someone really does get hurt."
****** ****** ******
Pietro paused to glance around the kitchen the next morning. "What is this? A last meal for the condemned?"
Ororo turned from the stove. "It is the first day students from the Institute will be allowed back at school. I thought a hot breakfast might help." She said as Kitty, Kurt, Todd, Rahne and Amara filed into the kitchen with their book bags slung over their shoulders.
"That's what I meant." Pietro said. "Well I better run if I'm going to make my eight 'o clock lecture."
"Pietro wait." Ororo requested. "Jean called last night, she wanted one of the sweaters she left here."
"Sure, I always annoy her in chem. anyway." Pietro said with a shrug.
"The rest of you hurry and eat, you don't want to be late."
"Late no, absent yes." Kurt commented.
"Yeah." Todd chimed in. "We don't have Lance, Scott or Fred anymore. I mean we can fight pretty good, even without powers, but none of us can intimidate the way they did."
"You won't have to fight." Xavier said as he entered the kitchen. "Principal Kelly assures me that last year's problems won't be allowed to repeat themselves. Lt. Jensen and his unit will maintain a presence at the school to ensure that things remain peaceable."
"Jensen is there to protect us?" Kitty asked angrily. "After what he did to Lance. Is this supposed to be a joke?"
"Jensen is dedicated to doing his job." Xavier sighed. "He was no crueler than he had to be. He means well."
****** ****** ******
"Dad! She used my door as a scratching post!" Theresa yelled.
Sean sighed.
"I can't stand her! Feral, she's, like, not even human."
"Theresa, Feral is every bit as human as you are, no matter what she looks like." Sean replied with a frown at his daughter.
"I should have known you wouldn't help me." Theresa snapped and stormed out.
A few minutes later an eerie shriek rattled the windows in Sean's office. He signed and ran outside.
Theresa hovered in the air above the sign naming the estate the Massachusetts Academy. Her coppery red-gold hair floated around her as she produced the unearthly shriek that had drawn Sean out of his office.
Feral was on the lawn below. Her high-set, triangular ears were pressed flat against her skull as she hissed at Theresa. "Come down here you witch!" She spat.
The tone of Theresa's shriek changed. Feral jumped back as the ground at her feet erupted in a spray of dirt.
"Theresa Mary Cassidy enough!" Sean yelled. His voice rose in pitch and volume until the sound waves collided with and cancelled out those holding Theresa aloft.
Sean caught his daughter as she tumbled from the air and set her on her feet. "You're my daughter and I expect better behavior than this young lady." He said firmly.
"What are you going to do? Send me to my room?" Theresa demanded.
"That sounds like a good idea to me." Sean snapped.
Theresa turned and started for the road. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" Sean demanded.
"My room, the one in Atlanta." Theresa shot back. "Because this circus certainly isn't a place I'll ever call home!"
"Upstairs now." Sean ordered as he grabbed Theresa's arm and spun her around.
Feral crouched in the grass, with a broad grin as she observed the discord she'd sparked.
****** ****** ******
Kitty glanced around at her little group. "Okay, we're going to stick with the buddy system like Lance and Scott had us doing last year." She said.
Kurt nodded. "Ve don't want to use our powers offensively. Everyone has a comm. unit right? If anything happens call me and I'll evacuate us. Kitty, Todd and I all know vhat to expect. Rahne, Amara, stick close."
Rahne smiled and wrapped both arms around Todd. "Works for me."
"Why do we have to go?" Todd whined. "Mr. McCoy actually makes school fun, all our friends are there, no one hates us. Why do we have to go to school?"
"Todd." Kitty said warningly. "We're not letting them scare us. Come on guys lets get this over with."
The quintet rounded the last corner expecting to be confronted by a mob with hate filled signs in front of the school. Instead they found a steady stream of students going about their own business under the watchful eyes of several armed guards.
"Officer Nelson." Amara said with a nod to the lady cop.
Nelsen returned the girl's greeting with a fleeting smile.
Amanda was waiting for them just inside the door. Kurt broke away from the group to hurry to his girlfriend's side. "I'm so glad you're back at school." She said as Kurt's tail curled around her wrist and drew her closer to him. "I guess Kelly probably gave you guys the zero tolerance speech too?" She asked.
"Ja," Kurt said. "Anyone instigating or participating in any sort of violence gets suspended.
"Yeah, I guess Kelly wants the jerks to learn the fine art of being subtly nasty." Amanda said.
"Nasty we can deal with." Kitty said grimly.