Whoo, bloody while since I've posted! So incredibly sorry, but this perfectionist had been terrible ailed with the most gruesome case of writer's block imaginable to man. I hope these chapters are up to grade. Please review. Thank you so much all you incredibly wonderful, patient readers. Send me you're address's and I'll send you cookies
Disclaimer: By the power vested in my by my own self, I take no claim to the personages and characters pertaining solely to marvel and associates. If you so desperately seek a lawsuit, it will do no good- I am a minor and by law have been decreed unworthy to sign in my own name property or ownership over any or all things. Please enjoy responsibly.
First Impressions Last"Finally, this hall separates into individual quarters, where all my charges stay." Jubilee fought to maintain her sense of awe. In the time that had passed, not only had the sun chosen to hide below the horizon, but she had been led in and out of frivolously dressed rooms and halls- each more glorious then the rest. Rules and regulations had been laid out clearly and concisely. This was the manner, she concluded, Charlie conducted his business.
"Rooms, right?" she mumbled unconsciously. Xavier raised a brow in a charming way. So she had been listening. For the past few hours, each question was met with a restrained nod or garbled 'Hmm". These words were the first spoken voluntarily.
"Indeed," he smiled.
"Cool." Jubilee allowed him to roll forward, her attention mostly diverted to the layout of the rooms- the exits, eavesdropping points. Though, every so often she paused her musings, as to know which room belonged to whom.
The majestic hall split off two ways, the ceiling unfolding as only a rose might open to the sun.
"To the right," motioned the Professor. " We shall find your own accommodations." And he spun, allowing her first access to the door. She almost ran into the back of his chair, and blushed furiously at her inattention.
"S-sorry," she muttered, though he chuckled in reply. She hoped he took it as nervousness and nothing more. Reaching out a tender hand, she was surprised to see how easily the knob turned. The heavy brass of which it was composed looked to be heavier, and the door creaked only slightly as it opened.
He said nothing as she first absorbed the surroundings. From her demeanor, he could tell she was guarded though he had yet to learn what secret she withheld. Her silence seemed forced, partly from the way she walked, partly the unapologetic smirk behind her eyes convinced him so.
She entered the room slowly, her eyes tracing the high arch of the ceiling, the vast openness of the room and the continued Victorian theme, complete with a queen canopy. He chose this time to continue.
"Each room is similarly equipped with the necessities; a bed, a bureau as well as a dressing chest." Jubilee felt her lips turn up.
"A dresser?" Xavier felt her tension beginning to ebb and returned her grin.
"Such is the Western phrase." She rolled her eyes before she caught herself. "In any case, extras are earned by your own means, though this does not necessarily mean outer employment. As you will learn, we all have responsibilities of our own to meet." Jubilee meant to have asked him what this meant, but she felt the answer would be as vague.
"Okay…" She affirmed, if only to fill an awkward silence. Sensing this, Xavier nodded.
"Very well. If you have any questions, please feel free to speak to me at any time- " He trailed. For some reason, he found Jubilee difficult to comfort with words. "Logan will be up shortly with your things. The rest of the children tend to congregate in the downstairs parlor, if you wish to join them."
Jubilee stared out the window, only barely registering what he said. A school for mutants: this was ground zero for genetic disjunction. And how formidable- who would have thought? Locked away in a Victorian mansion nestled away in the woods of Westchester New York, yet only minutes from one of the most influential American cities.
"Oh, Jubilee, once again. Dinner is at-"
"Seven?"
"Six, if you please," Charles spoke in jest and Jubilee grinned.
"Thanks Charlie," she flashed him a thumbs up and winked. He merely nodded and waved dismissively. It was seconds later he realized her chosen utilization of his name. Yet, by unclear purpose, he didn't seem to mind.
Jubilee waited until the door closed before she dropped her bag. The room was so large it echoed when the bag landed. She whistled. This was going to be a change.
Kneeling on the plush carpet, she carefully unzipped her weathered parcel, revealing a mismatched jumble of clothing and toiletries. Her hands ruffled expertly through until her fingers brushed soft wood. Lifting the medium sized book-shape from where it hid, Jubilee traced over the familiar insignia.
"Soon," she whispered, assuring. "So very soon."
"What, hungry already?" The bemused growl sent shivers up her spine. How preoccupied had she been, not to notice the approach of another? Quickly jamming the box into the bag, she zipped it hurriedly and shoved it under the bed.
"Huh? No, I was just-" she laughed nervously and popped a bubble from gum that had gone unnoticed until now. "You know."
His brows felt the urge to furrow in suspicion. Anxious beads of sweat practically danced over her lip and she wasn't able to hide the nervous shake of her hand. Whatever it was that Jubilee had been viewing, it would not be considered public domain. He sensed no danger from it and so, for now, he allowed her to keep this secret.
"Supper ain't gonna be ready for a while, darlin'" he tossed in a grin to ease her tension. "Might as well make yourself at home." Finally remembering what it was he came to bring, he pulled his arms from behind his back and shoved a soft ball of gray into her hanging arms. "Right, you'll need that."
"Huh." She blinked. Stretching her arms before her she eyed what now appeared to be a jogging suit. Simply gray in color and accented by a small black insignia upon the left breast presented it the property of 'Professor Xavier's Academy for the Gifted'. Jubilee's lip pulled up in disgust. "You said nothin' about uniforms." He laughed.
"S'not for that."
"What for then," she countered, a little sneer in her tone. Logan raised his brow, a teasing smile playing his lips.
"C'mon. You should go meet the others." He turned, clearly enjoying the moment.
"Hey," she called after him, dropping the suit. "Don't change the subject! What're the suits-" And she followed his chuckles through the hallway and down the stairs.
He paced nervously. Fiddling his fingers, he drew a handkerchief up and blotted his face, sucking as deep a breath as humanely possible. The air was stuffy. Through the heavily lined windows, he could barely make out the outside. It was as though the room existed on its own, exclusively. For all intensive purposes, it could be very well true.
How had it come to this? His name, Gregory Hayes, was well known within the financial ring. He was top priority. Did your company suffer an onslaught of bankruptcy? Gregory counteracted. He made pillagers into rich mongrels; he held the power of the majority of all international clientele within his grasp. Yet here he was, and he was reduced to a very shaky state.
"Mister Hayes, so glad you could join us." The voice- he'd only ever known Him as the voice. Velvety as it was smooth and now he was to be condemned by it. "My associate and I have caught wind of some rather, unsettling news." A small light dimmed the black room. It flashed amber and died slowly. Death curled around this fire. Death chocked him in this room. The speaker allowed the smoke to billow a moment before continuing. "We were under the impression you had agreed to our plans." A deep growl rippled through the room. Where was it coming from? He looked around desperately yet found himself unable to move. "Were you to have changed your mind, we are also somewhat hurt you chose to run from us. After all, we're all friends, aren't we?"
That growl morphed to a chuckle. Low and mocking, his bones cried against it. Fear froze him to place.
"Please, Sir I-"
"Have an explanation?" Could his face have been seen from the shadows, Gregory was certain the Voice's brow would be lifted. Another curl of smoke unfurled. He felt a hot breath on the back of his neck.
"God no," it was only a whisper.
"We do not deal well with betrayal here. Mister Hayes, I will remind you again there are two roads to be taken. Our way,"
Gregory tried to scream but quickly something grabbed his mouth. The growl around him increased to unimaginable levels. It resounded in his mind as though a thousand bombs exploded. His pleas were muffled as a searing pain swept through his chest.
His bones were breaking, his muscles and tendons all were shredding. He gasped for air yet received only the strangling sensation of a crude copper in his mouth. Gregory's shrieking eyes looked out to see the cigarette approaching. The glaring tip opened as a well before his eyes imprinting forever on his tortured soul the sight of one's own, beating heart.
"Or death," The light was extinguished and all that was left was the sound of someone licking their fingers clean.
"Hey, I said CATCH it, stupid!" Kurt chuckled, reappearing behind a very frustrated Bobby only to be intercepted by Kitty.
"Sorry guys, this one's mine!" She spun over their bodies and continued the last couple steps before triumphantly spiking the ball onto the soft grass. "Too like, hot out here for you Bobby? Because I think you just got BURNED!" The girls jumped around wildly, high fiving one another on a job well done. Jubilee stared at them from her place by the pool.
It was after supper, but before dusk had begun to set and it was suggested a game of football be played. No power's were to be used, but it did not seem to be discouraged and Jubilee soon found herself in the midst of sulphur gases, floating, telekinetic balls, laser passes, ice catches and super strength throws. She snuck away half through the game but no one noticed. To her, this was perfectly acceptable.
They were all much nicer than she would have initially thought. Scott was just as bossy and Jean remained the know-it-all, but here they seemed more open, more human.
"Hmm," the irony in her statement caught her off guard. Is this what she thought of them? Inhuman? If so, what did that make her?
Glancing back to the field, she watched them continue in their jamboree, each unafraid to show their power. Such control, such precision. Jubilee turned her hands over in her lap, locks of her hair clouding her vision. Such small hands. When the time came, would they be able to stand up to his?
"Hey, Jubilee!" She threw her head up, caught in her musings and smiled her cheery grin.
"Yeah- ahh!" Hands from either side grabbed her by her wrists and ankles, pulling her up from the slippery deck. "Heyy!" She giggled. "Put me down!" She was laughing with them as though they'd all been friends for life. They swung her back and forth.
"One," Logan called out, Jubilee frowning at him.
"Don't you dare!" Scott stood to the side of the group.
"Alright, that's enough guys."
"Two!" Laughed Kirk and Jubilee struggled to kick him, laughing the whole time.
"Listen to Scott!" She cried, watching Scott shake his head seriously.
"Three!" And in the chorus of yells, Jubilee felt herself flying. Shrieking with a joy unfelt in so long, she spun and grabbed the first limb she saw.
The cold of the water jolted her senses. She felt herself spinning, alongside the weight she pulled in. Releasing it from her grasp, she tucked immediately, grinning at the feel of butterflies wrestling in her stomach. The pressure decreased quickly and in no time, she popped up from the frigid liquid.
"You guys SUCK!" she yelled, laughing as she swam back to the edge. Turning her head to breath, she caught sight of the victim she'd dragged (literally) with her. Scott Summers. Only, he wasn't laughing. His eyes clenched shut; he seemed to be keeping afloat with one arm while scouring desperately for something with the other.
"My glasses," he yelled. "My glasses!" He swore, feverishly trying to feel in the water for those familiar quartz lenses.
Jubilee spun to the others, searching their reaction for any sign of a joke. They were all dead pan. One started shouting something about his power but, as they all joined in at once, Jubilee could not tell one from the other.
Swimming closer to the floundering man, she delved her eyes into the darkening water. Spotting the goggles floating just beneath the surface, she dove for them.
"Scott, Scott! I've got them," she thrust her hand before his face, dragged below when his first hand flew to retrieve them. Pushing away from him, she came up gasping, looking to meet his very, angry eyes.
He made it to the pools edge in seconds and ran passed the group and into the door. The mob who, moments prior had been laughing and joking now looked at her with unreadable explanation.
"Scott! Wait Scott it was an accident, please!" Jean was the first to break the tension, running of after his soaking figure. Pulling herself onto the deck, her brain processed at last the coldness of the evening. She looked up, surprised to see apologetic eyes.
"We didn't think to tell you," Bobby reached out, helping her up.
"We've got, y'know, our strengths but also weakness'" Kitty seemed to be staring at the beautiful southern girl who's name Jubilee had forgotten.
The others mumbled similar apologies before awkwardly leaving. Jubilee stood there, her one-ten frame shivering, her cloths sticking heavily to her.
"You're still here?" Jubilee looked to Logan who, unmovingly, kept her gaze.
"I ain't going no where. It was an accident. They happen kid." Her eyes flashed. Kid? With all she'd seen, done, had done to her. All her experiences and he saw her as nothing more than a kid.
"I'm not a kid." He kept her gaze.
"Yeah, you are. It's just a shame you didn't get to be one longer." She gasped. Did he know? He couldn't know. She focused her eyes on his. Blue met blue, as though the sky gazed to the ocean; both a world a part yet so perfectly reflected.
She blinked. But could he be trusted?
"G'night," she said abruptly.
"Seeya in the morning," a light chuckle could be sensed but Jubilee had neither the strength nor the will to learn anything more of this place or its people. They were very counterproductive to the success of her plan. Her fist clenched; and she had a plan.
Logan turned his eyes to the horizon and sniffed. Dark clouds settled above and the air was growing thick.
"Something big's comin'," he mumbled.
The sun set.
