Double Dare

Ch. 11

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Kitty rolled over on her side, eyes peering at the alarm clock on her side. The blaring neon numerals jolted her from her sleep; she was going to be late for her punishment. Cursing her luck she stumbled out of bed, phasing into the closet only to tumble out a few seconds later and jump out through the door and down the floor. A startled Tabitha and Ororo. Shrugging sheepishly, Kitty stared at their instructor, hoping to avoid any extra penalties. Storm shook her head, disapproving Kitty's use of her powers.

When would the children learn that their gifts shouldn't be used so carelessly, Kitty could have easily landed in something dangerous. Fire perhaps or lava.

"Kitty I do hope you use more restraint than what you've just shown when at school."

Shadowcat flushed under the criticism. "Well yea, I mean I do, it's not like—"

"You two shall be responsible for trimming the bushes today, the tools are in the garden shed."

Ororo turned on her heel and left, clippers in hand to tend to her own personal garden. Tabitha yawned widely, stretching her arms wide before crouching below a tree and promptly falling asleep.

'Ugh, she'll be no help.' Kitty sighed, put off by the unfairness level of the task falling on her. Trudging off towards the shed she reassured herself, after all there couldn't be that many bushes, right?

Lance stared down at his bed, Pietro was bouncing about the house all morning. He hadn't yet figured out why and decided that as long as the speedster wasn't bothering him any he wouldn't stop it. Of course Lance should have knocked on wood, because no sooner had he thought this than his door banged open.

"Lance! Glad-I-caught-you!"

Rising from his bed he shot the teen a unimpressed look. Pietro only looked for you when he wanted something, any other time you were just 'in the way!'. He let out a deep breath and prayed that whatever his roommate was planning now wouldn't hurt his chances with Kitty. She'd just started to allow him back in her good books, he didn't need some hair brained schemes messing that up.

"Yea, whaddya want now Speedy?" It came out a big gruffer than he'd intended but he made no move to correct himself. Besides Pietro didn't seem put off in the least.

"You-still-have-that-guitar-of-yours-don't-you?"

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Xavier stared blankly ahead of him, there was no way that could be correct, he must be mistaken. There was a first time for everything…right? Right. Shaking his head as a smile appeared on his face, he realized living with so many youth was starting to rub off on him. Perhaps he should invest in a vacation, a real one, just himself and the ocean, a white beach splayed out before him as the tide rose and fell.

Ten minutes later Ororo Monroe walked into the room and caught him with a goofy far off look on his face. She cleared her throat to give him time to compose himself .

"Ah Ororo, I'm glad to see you. The girls aren't giving you any troubles with the plants I hope?"

She shook her head. "Not at all Professor, in face both were rather helpful. Though Tabitha would have been more help if she'd stayed awake the entire time." With a sigh the African women just smiled. "I was wondering about Amara." Pausing for a moment the weather witch composed her feelings. "It seems that lately she just hasn't been able to connect with any of the other children."

"Yes Storm, is there something you'd like to suggest?"

"I am currently unsure how to deal with the situation without making it worse. Truthfully I was relying on you Charles."

'Aren't they all?' Charles thought bitterly. "I understand. I will see what I can do to remedy the situation." When Ororo didn't leave after this he continued. "Was there something else troubling you?"

Shaking her head, the weather witch backed out of the room. "No, thank you Charles."

Now what was he to do to get the girls to accept one another? He had thought that after solo training with Jean that the princess had been able to make a bond with the redhead and other girls at the mansion. Perhaps this was just a temporary thing, teenagers were apt to shifting their emotions from one to the polar opposite quite quickly. He called all to easily the many events that had happened in the past months for example and let the problem go. It was sure to fix it self soon enough, after all none of the other recruits were feeling any negative effects from being by themselves lately, a little introspection was always healthy for the soul.

He turned around, leaving his desk and moving over to the windows. Throwing them open he took a deep breath of fresh air and exhaled slowly, letting the tension leave with his breathe. There had to be an easy solution to all of this he was sure.

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Jean opened her locker and automatically reached for her uniform, she cursed her soreness and Scott's enthusiasm. Not to mention her current hangover. She hadn't planned on getting smashed at Triton but when the other cheerleaders had started the game she just couldn't say no. It had been fun, especially her later activities, though Rachelle bursting in with Steve hadn't been very pleasant. Besides offering to share the space wasn't that bad of an idea, it's not like Tina and Buffy didn't do it during spring break last year with Brian and Jerry. The redhead was startled out of her line of thought by Ororo sticking her head in the locker room.

"Jean! Practice started ten minutes ago, what is keeping you?"

"Nothing!" Jean said, flushing. She hurried into her clothes and out into the Danger Room for her session. Ororo frowned at her and motioned to someone up in the booth to start the simulation. Jean felt her stomach sink.

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Kurt curled up on his bed, wearily reading one of his assignments for science class. Biology wasn't his strong suit but it seemed that it was that or thinking and he'd rather not. Currently his mother had been skittering about his mind lately, ever since Kitty had whined about communicating with her parents. Thinking about his mother, Mystique had left him feeling hollow. Empty. Like he was alone in the world, it was how he use to feel before he came to the Institute. When he'd made friends with Scott and the other X-Men it had been a dream come true. He had friends for once in his life, people that cared what happened to him and what he did, whether or not he was happy.

Yet . . .

it wasn't enough, he wanted more. He wanted parents that cared and loved him. And he curled even tighter because he knew that he would never have that. Could never have that. Not only since he was mutant but also his real mother could on no account be there for him. In fact, she was on the other team.

"Kurt?" He looked up, his ears turned first and his head turned second in the direction of voice. "Bobby?"

The ice mutant stepped into the room. "Are you alright Kurt? You look terrible." When the blue teen just collapsed back on his bed Bobby walked further into the room, sitting down on the bed. "Come on man, buck up."

"No, vhat's there to be so cheery about anyways?"

Bobby scooted closer to Kurt. "You know how we were planning to get back at Jean for telling Kelley about the prank?"

Kurt seemed to perk up, sitting up on his bed, leaning back against the headboard. "Yes?"

"Well it seems that little Miss Jean Grey has a few secrets that if we make the right moves she'll be in hot water."

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Rogue scowled as she scrubbed the cars, she was going to kill Maximoff when she saw him next. He'd rue the day he ever met The Rogue. Her legs still killed from last nights hour and a half Danger Room session. Why did they have so many vehicles anyways? Professor X was suppose to be a teacher not a cars salesman! Times like these made her wish she had mutant power like Ororo, she could just call up a little water and bam! Her wrongly appointed chore would be done in a few minutes flat. Maybe Kitty's ability, she could phase the dirt right off! She reluctantly admitted that even Jean's telekinetic talents would come in handy about now.

Sighing she scrubbed harder at the car, cursing her wrinkly hands and soaked outfit. Suddenly a motion out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Whirling in the direction she glared.

"H—hiya Rogue."

Her stance visibly softened, as did her voice. "Hey Jamie. What're you doin'?"

He frowned. "The other recruits won't play video games with me, and I've already finished all my homework and there's nothing for me to do now and I thought that maybe you'd let me help and then maybe we could play video games . . . maybe."

Rogue shook her head, little kids and run on sentences went together like fries and Micky D's. Jamie, taking this to mean that he wasn't welcome to help slumped his shoulders and started to walk away. "Wait!" He looked over his shoulder hopefully. "Jamie why don't you help me with the cars and I'll play you in a couple rounds of Super Smash Brothers?"

He gleefully grabbed a sponge, a little to gleefully as he fell to his knees in his haste to help. Six copies popped up and awkwardly all got to their feet. Rogue smiled warmly, she hadn't even thought to ask Jamie to help, with his power it would be over in no time. Not to mention his company would help to, he was such a cutie.

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Todd took a leap from the bookcase and landed with a tumble. He hurriedly got up, he was a toad on a mission! Skipping over a puddle he skidded to a halt, looked over both shoulders before jumping back, landing with a splash in the puddle Todd gleefully splashed about in the water for a few minutes. When he felt the liquid start to seep into his sneakers he jumped out, smirking at the squishy feel of water exiting his tennis shoes as he landed. It wasn't until he bumped into someone walking down the sidewalk that he recalled his mission. Looking up at the bumpee he swallowed loudly, backing up a few inches.

"Er hi! Ehehehe."

End Chapter