Chapter 5
The Professor sat facing the students gathered on one side of the room, Logan was standing right behind him, surveying the curiosity pouring off the younger mutants. He was reminded just how jaded the three brotherhood members were when he looked at those across from him. Even Rogue and Kurt had some time left to be kids.
The three that were coming had been immediately thrust into adulthood, they had been providing and managing for themselves for a long time, Logan doubted that they would even know what to do with the freedom of an actual teenager.
Scott was the first to speak, "Professor what is going on?"
The professor shook his head, "It will all be explained very shortly, so please just be patient."
Suddenly there was a knock on the pair of large wooden doors; Storm entered holding it open for the five who followed right behind her.
The older teens on the couch immediately sprang to their feet, and this time Evan got it first, "What the hell are they doing here, do you want them to sell us out to Mystique and Magneto?"
Todd and Pietro moved towards the former Acolytes, Lance unconsciously shifted himself towards Logan, who moved slightly to block some of the glares with his own. Gambit and Pyro were deflecting some of the more murderous glances at the two younger mutants with dark looks of their own, which caused some of the younger teens to simply look ways.
Todd had quickly fallen behind both Pietro and the two older mutants, allowing them to face the rest of the X-men, he was just not good with all that hostility, and right now it just couldn't be dealt with.
Lance put one hand on Pietro's shoulder and lowered his voice as the Professor started to explain, "Permaneça calma, deixa-o manipulaá-lo.... para agora." (Stay calm, let him handle it.... for now.) Gambit smirked as he heard the words come from Lances' mouth, he recognized just enough of the words to get the message, and appreciated the restraint of it.
"Lance, Pietro, & Todd are going to be staying here, hostility is not welcome, they have already agreed not to antagonize you as long as they receive the same courtesy. I expect that courtesy to also be extended towards Remy and St. John during their stay." The professor's voice was level but there was a hint of steel just underneath the surface, telling them he was serious.
Scott broke in angrily, "When have those three ever kept their word, they're the enemy! Magneto's lapdogs!"
Lance noticed Jean starting to look at them intensely and nudged Pietro and gestured with his eyes at the redhead.
They both put up strong shields on their minds, Lance's resembled a thick clay wall, it was nearly impenetrable, and Pietro's was like steel, he quickly reached out and touched Todd extending his shield to cover him as well.
He still had a hard time doing something so obviously dominant in his own mind. Lance did the same for two older Acolytes though it was merely an extra defense since their shields were already fairly sturdy.
Jean suddenly stumbled back her face paling, the Professor looked at her and saw immediately what she was doing, "Jean, what do you think you are doing?"
"I just wanted to make sure they weren't a threat Professor." The redhead mumbled halfheartedly, blushing in shame, "Their shields are too good, they have never been this good in the past."
"That might be because we have never bothered to actually try against you before, it was more play for us, not a real fight." Lance said in all seriousness, his tone and facial expression helping to convey the fact that he meant what he said. "and I would appreciate it if you did not attempt to rape our minds while we are here, because in case you didn't know that is essentially what you were trying to do. The professor would know if we are a threat or not, obviously."
This was not the Lance Alvers that they had thought they knew, the mutant standing in front of them seemed infinitely more dangerous then Avalanche ever was.
Just then Jamie entered the large living room, even during Lance's time in the institute before the two had never run into each other simply for the fact that Jamie did not participate in the danger room sessions all the time since he was younger then the other mutants.
At that moment all eyes swung to him and he hesitantly scanned the room laughing nervously, "Sorry, I just heard there was a mee...." As he reached Lance his sentence faded off and a look of shock came over his face, "La..n..nce? Sha..k..k..er?"
Pietro and Todd immediately turned their attention to Lance, very few people knew that name, who was this kid? Lance's face was a look of shock as well, "Squirt? Jamie?"
The younger boy smiled a huge real smile, and immediately it struck the others how fake all his others looked compared to this one, and with a laugh of true happiness he ran across the room, attaching himself to Lance's waist, who immediately gathered up the smaller boy. "I thought you were dead, I was so sad, Trip said he couldn't find you, and then the SS (A/N: SS = Social Services) people showed up and sent me back to my pops..."
"Woah Squirt, breathe now and then talk. I missed ya kid, when did you become a mutant?"
Seeing the nervous, anxious look in the younger boy's eyes he quickly squeezed his shoulder indicating he could tell him later when there were fewer people around, "These geeks bein' nice to ya Squirt?"
"Yeah, but I missed ya Lance!"
Lance noticed that somehow the two of them had become the center of attention in the room, he indicated with a look that he would tell the other four about this later and then looked at the Professor, he stood with all seriousness and walked over to him. "Thank you for taking care of Squirt, I owe you a street debt."
Turning back to the older X-men Lance looked at them coldly, "We won't get in your way if you extend us the same courtesy; we are not your enemy unless you make us be, and that would not be a wise decision."
With a jerk of his head Lance threw an arm around Jamie's shoulder and the six left the room, as they passed Logan he met Lance's eyes and growled under his breath, "my room, 9:00." It was just low enough that only Lance, Pyro, and Gambit heard the low order, the teen nodded imperceptibly as they swept out of the room.
Gambit and Pyro both shot Logan looks promising that they would be back for explanations later as the heavy doors swung shut behind them.
The Professor sat facing the students gathered on one side of the room, Logan was standing right behind him, surveying the curiosity pouring off the younger mutants. He was reminded just how jaded the three brotherhood members were when he looked at those across from him. Even Rogue and Kurt had some time left to be kids.
The three that were coming had been immediately thrust into adulthood, they had been providing and managing for themselves for a long time, Logan doubted that they would even know what to do with the freedom of an actual teenager.
Scott was the first to speak, "Professor what is going on?"
The professor shook his head, "It will all be explained very shortly, so please just be patient."
Suddenly there was a knock on the pair of large wooden doors; Storm entered holding it open for the five who followed right behind her.
The older teens on the couch immediately sprang to their feet, and this time Evan got it first, "What the hell are they doing here, do you want them to sell us out to Mystique and Magneto?"
Todd and Pietro moved towards the former Acolytes, Lance unconsciously shifted himself towards Logan, who moved slightly to block some of the glares with his own. Gambit and Pyro were deflecting some of the more murderous glances at the two younger mutants with dark looks of their own, which caused some of the younger teens to simply look ways.
Todd had quickly fallen behind both Pietro and the two older mutants, allowing them to face the rest of the X-men, he was just not good with all that hostility, and right now it just couldn't be dealt with.
Lance put one hand on Pietro's shoulder and lowered his voice as the Professor started to explain, "Permaneça calma, deixa-o manipulaá-lo.... para agora." (Stay calm, let him handle it.... for now.) Gambit smirked as he heard the words come from Lances' mouth, he recognized just enough of the words to get the message, and appreciated the restraint of it.
"Lance, Pietro, & Todd are going to be staying here, hostility is not welcome, they have already agreed not to antagonize you as long as they receive the same courtesy. I expect that courtesy to also be extended towards Remy and St. John during their stay." The professor's voice was level but there was a hint of steel just underneath the surface, telling them he was serious.
Scott broke in angrily, "When have those three ever kept their word, they're the enemy! Magneto's lapdogs!"
Lance noticed Jean starting to look at them intensely and nudged Pietro and gestured with his eyes at the redhead.
They both put up strong shields on their minds, Lance's resembled a thick clay wall, it was nearly impenetrable, and Pietro's was like steel, he quickly reached out and touched Todd extending his shield to cover him as well.
He still had a hard time doing something so obviously dominant in his own mind. Lance did the same for two older Acolytes though it was merely an extra defense since their shields were already fairly sturdy.
Jean suddenly stumbled back her face paling, the Professor looked at her and saw immediately what she was doing, "Jean, what do you think you are doing?"
"I just wanted to make sure they weren't a threat Professor." The redhead mumbled halfheartedly, blushing in shame, "Their shields are too good, they have never been this good in the past."
"That might be because we have never bothered to actually try against you before, it was more play for us, not a real fight." Lance said in all seriousness, his tone and facial expression helping to convey the fact that he meant what he said. "and I would appreciate it if you did not attempt to rape our minds while we are here, because in case you didn't know that is essentially what you were trying to do. The professor would know if we are a threat or not, obviously."
This was not the Lance Alvers that they had thought they knew, the mutant standing in front of them seemed infinitely more dangerous then Avalanche ever was.
Just then Jamie entered the large living room, even during Lance's time in the institute before the two had never run into each other simply for the fact that Jamie did not participate in the danger room sessions all the time since he was younger then the other mutants.
At that moment all eyes swung to him and he hesitantly scanned the room laughing nervously, "Sorry, I just heard there was a mee...." As he reached Lance his sentence faded off and a look of shock came over his face, "La..n..nce? Sha..k..k..er?"
Pietro and Todd immediately turned their attention to Lance, very few people knew that name, who was this kid? Lance's face was a look of shock as well, "Squirt? Jamie?"
The younger boy smiled a huge real smile, and immediately it struck the others how fake all his others looked compared to this one, and with a laugh of true happiness he ran across the room, attaching himself to Lance's waist, who immediately gathered up the smaller boy. "I thought you were dead, I was so sad, Trip said he couldn't find you, and then the SS (A/N: SS = Social Services) people showed up and sent me back to my pops..."
"Woah Squirt, breathe now and then talk. I missed ya kid, when did you become a mutant?"
Seeing the nervous, anxious look in the younger boy's eyes he quickly squeezed his shoulder indicating he could tell him later when there were fewer people around, "These geeks bein' nice to ya Squirt?"
"Yeah, but I missed ya Lance!"
Lance noticed that somehow the two of them had become the center of attention in the room, he indicated with a look that he would tell the other four about this later and then looked at the Professor, he stood with all seriousness and walked over to him. "Thank you for taking care of Squirt, I owe you a street debt."
Turning back to the older X-men Lance looked at them coldly, "We won't get in your way if you extend us the same courtesy; we are not your enemy unless you make us be, and that would not be a wise decision."
With a jerk of his head Lance threw an arm around Jamie's shoulder and the six left the room, as they passed Logan he met Lance's eyes and growled under his breath, "my room, 9:00." It was just low enough that only Lance, Pyro, and Gambit heard the low order, the teen nodded imperceptibly as they swept out of the room.
Gambit and Pyro both shot Logan looks promising that they would be back for explanations later as the heavy doors swung shut behind them.