Ch. 5
Cyclops had donned his ruby shades, jeans and red shirt. Jean wore jeans and a white blouse. Logan, ever the bad boy, wore a black shirt, leather pants, and a leather jacket (drool, heeelllllllllloooooooo Wolvie! Yes, I'd like to order the Wolverine, side order of HOT! MMMMMMMM Tasty! Sorry, back to the story.) Now, they stood outside of the shabby apartment door of the new mutant.
"All right everyone," said Scott, "we need to convince this mutant that Serena is a bad idea and –"
"Oh come on Scott," said Logan, "she ain't all that bad, just cause she spiked your drink a coupla times tain't nothin' to hold a grudge on forever."
"Logan, let me remind you that she tortured me-"
"Stop whining you bleedin' wuss!"
"Both of you stop it!" Jean whispered loudly, "Grow up!" She then knocked on the door. After what seemed like an eternity the door opened to reveal . . . Serena.
"Well, how ya doin' one eye? I see ya brought you buddies, Bitch and Claws."
Scott decided to let that pass, "We're looking for a mutant."
"Well, in case ya haven't noticed, I'm one and so's my gang. So if ya don't mind-"
"Who's at the door, Serena?" came a voice within, a moment later was a woman, her black hair streaked with red falling about shoulder length with dark green eyes. Her fading tanned skin showed that she loved hanging out in the sun, but had not had the time to do so as of late. "Hi, who are you?"
"These are some of the X-Freaks, or X-men as they prefer to be called."
"I'm Scott Summers, this is Jean Gray, and Logan."
"Logan? Just Logan?" said Sandy.
"Yeah, that's it darlin'."
Attracted by the small group at the door, Kota, Jas, and Hel came too.
"Uh, hi." Said Jasmine, suddenly shy around Scott. Dakota was behind her eyeing Logan like a piece of meat while Helen calmly surveyed the lot, successfully holding in her laughter for later.
"What do you want here?" said Serena.
"We wanna talk to the new one in yer little group." Said Logan calmly lighting his cigar.
"Yeah, well she don't wanna talk. So why dontcha just beat it, k?"
"Wait," said Sandy, "maybe I do."
"Yeah," said Jasmine, "maybe she does."
"Fine." Serena huffed and pushed past the X-men trio to the hallway, "I'll be at our place if ya need me."
**********************************************
"At least come over to the school and see what there is to offer." Said Jean.
At that very moment, Sandy's brother, Sam, came through the door. "Who the heck are you?"
"These are the X-men, this is Scott Summers, Jean Gray, and Logan."
"X-men?"
"Mutants."
"Oh . . . cool. So what are your powers?"
"Well, what's yours?"
"I don't have any."
"Sam's a nonmutant human."
"Isn't that redundant?" said Logan.
"No, you and I are mutant humans. Sam is a nonmutant human. We are all human."
"Huh, I never thought of it like that." Said Scott.
"Noone ever does."
"Well, does this invitation only to Sandy, or does it extend to Sam too?" asked Hel.
"Well, of course, Sam can come too." Answer Scott.
"Great!" said Sam, "I can finally meet some mutants my age."
Sandy chewed on her bottom lip, a sure sign she was thinking something over. "Fine, we'll come, but just to see the school."
**************************
Sam raced around the school like a kid in a candy store. It was lunch hour, which meant at least half the school was in the cafeteria. Sam asked them all questions, Sandy was at the teacher's table with mutants she came to know as Hank, Ororo, Rogue and Professor Xavier.
"Please, call me Charles."
"Alright then, Charles, what exactly is the point of this school?"
"This is a place for mutants to learn, it's just like any other school, with a few added lessens due to the powers certain students possess. This is a place where mutants can come to be accepted."
"Nicely put Chuck."
"Please, do not call me Chuck."
"Fair enough. What I don't get is why. Why would you do anything like this?"
"I do not understand."
"What I mean is why bother, no one else seems to. It's survival of the fittest, or the luckiest, whichever the situation states."
"I sense you were in such a position."
"I was in a few tough scrapes, yeah. I didn't have anyone to rely on, sometimes it's too dangerous. Are you teaching these kids just to use their powers or are you teaching them right from wrong?"
"We strive to teach the children the difference yes."
"But some just don't learn." There was a look of sadness in Sandy's eyes but in a flash it was gone. "I see Sam's made some new friends, or at least some kids that tolerate his questioning."
"Sam seems to fit in rather well."
"Always was quick at making friends."
"He's got your eyes. He's a remarkable boy, your son is." Said Rogue. At that moment, Sandy had been drinking a soda, which at this remark changed directions and nearly chocked her. After much coughing and nose blowing, Sandy began to laugh.
"Ah'm sorry, but what's so funny?"
"Sam's not my son. He's my little brother."
"Oh, Ah didn't realize, I'm sorry-"
"It's fine, I do treat Sam as a sort of son, he might as well be. It's his mother's eyes he's got anyway, not just mine."
"He's still a fine lad." Interjected Hank.
"No one said he wasn't. So, after lunch anyone care to show me more of this school?"