The World Keeps Spinning
"How are you holding up?" Scott asked Jean as he approached the gazebo overlooking the ocean. Jean was staring at the ocean watching the sun set. It had been two days since the attack. Sinister was nowhere to be found. He had even left Bayville University without a trace.
"How do you think?" Jean told him. "I've been betrayed, my friends and home were attacked. And now I've lost the only support at school I had. It was hard enough before but now that Professor Sterisin…No, Sinister is…Maybe I should just quit college?"
"Jean, you can't give up on your dream!" Scott put his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm not giving up," Jean said. "I mean I can take more online classes and do some private work here. The Institute is an accredited school. Maybe I can talk the Professor into creating some college level courses?"
"But it's not the same as a real college and you know it," Scott told her.
"What else can I do Scott?" Jean asked. "I can't go back to the university and I won't leave the Institute. I belong here. I'm needed here. I don't know what else to do!"
"Look Bayville University isn't the only college close by," Scott told her. "New York City isn't that far from here. There's a ton of colleges there."
"You're right," Jean said. "It's a bit of a commute but maybe…"
"Is it really that bad?"
"Remember what it was like the last few months of high school before graduation?" Jean asked him. "When a lot of the teachers didn't want us to graduate? Well combine that with a lot of student protestors."
"Ouch," Scott winced.
"There are anti-mutant demonstrations and meetings nearly every day now," Jean said. "And a lot of times they decide to hold them right outside my classroom window. And I'm blamed for all the disruptions.I'm just so frustrated Scott. The harder I fight the worse it gets."
Scott said nothing. "I'm just tired of being used and hated," Jean looked down. "Tired of the looks. Tired of the anger. Tired of being called a freak or worse."
"Don't you think I hate it too?" Scott asked her.
"Yes but you're here, not out there!" Jean told him. She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for dumping on you like this…"
"Well if anyone has a right to…" Scott began. "He really hurt you."
Jean took a breath. "I looked up to him, Scott. He was so kind to me. So understanding. He was the only one there that made me feel like a normal person. He taught me so much in a few months…And now I know it was just part of his twisted experiment. And more than anything it frustrates me that I couldn't see that."
"Well in the first place Jean, Sinister is also telepathic," Scott pointed out. "A telepath who is probably more than a few centuries old. So he's naturally good at shielding. Second, you have a very trusting and good heart. You always see the good in people. Sinister took advantage of that."
"And it almost cost us our lives," Jean blew out a breath of anger.
"That doesn't mean every person out there is an enemy," Scott told her. "We have to take chances. Isn't that what the Institute is about? To make peace between humans and mutants? Caution is one thing but you can't let one crazed maniac destroy what you believe in the most."
"I never expected you to give me this pep talk," Jean smiled weakly at her boyfriend.
"You once told me that even good guys need a nudge once in a while," Scott said. "You've given me a few every now and then. Just returning the favor."
"I feel so frustrated," Jean sighed. "It seems like we've been betrayed at every turn by someone we were close to. Our families, our friends…"
"Yeah we do get that a lot," Scott sighed. "Of course we get frustrated. We're only human. But we can't let it get the best of us. I think most of us have held up pretty well considering."
"Did you and Gambit talk?" Jean decided to try and change the subject a little.
"Yeah…" Scott told her. "Rogue made him tell the Professor about what happened. I don't know all the details but apparently it was a bad situation he was in."
"With Sinister I can only imagine what Remy must have seen," Jean frowned. "Considering his background it must have been very bad to rattle him."
"And me accusing Gambit of keeping secrets didn't help," Scott blew some air out of his mouth. "We both apologized and let it drop. Now that my head is a little clearer I guess I can't blame him for keeping some secrets. He had no idea Sinister would come after the X-Men. A lot of us have things in our pasts that we want to forget. I mistook that for…I dunno, some kind of betrayal."
"You were just thinking of Evan for a second," Jean stated. "I could feel it."
"Yeah, out of all of the people to turn our backs on us…" Scott shook his head. "It still bugs me you know? Why didn't he let us help him when he needed it? How could he just…change like that? I…I don't want to end up like him. I don't want any of us to end up like him. That's why we have to stick together and not give up."
"You're right, it's the only way we can stay sane," Jean said. "Evan abandoned us and it was wrong. But for the first time…I think I'm starting to understand the reasons why he did what he did. You can only be betrayed so many times…Before you snap."
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Speaking of Evan…
"YOU BITCH!" Tarot screamed as she lunged at Yvonne. The two of them fell out of Evan's room fighting each other wearing only their nightgowns.
"What the hell is going on?" Warpath shouted as he ran up the stairs with Bevatron and Roulette. "WOAH!"
"Tarot! Stop it! Yvonne!" Evan burst out of the room wearing only his boxer shorts.
"Oh man no…" Bevatron looked at the scene. "You didn't? Spyke you dog you!"
"It's not what it looks like," Evan defended weakly.
"Two girls in nightgowns fighting over a guy in his underwear," Warpath looked at him. "Yeah it could be anything."
The other Hellions came to see the commotion. "Whoa! Catfight!" Beef shouted. "What brought this on?"
"It seems neither Celandine nor Tarot like to share," Roulette cackled.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Tarot pulled on Yvonne's hair. "I'LL KILL YOU!"
"YEAH RIGHT!" Yvonne punched Tarot on the jaw and kicked her backwards. "Face it Tarot! You're not enough of a woman to give Evan what he wants and what he needs."
"Ooooohhhhhhhh!" All the male Hellions whistled at the same time.
"If by that definition that I don't act like a two bit whore and drop to my knees every time a guy looks at me, then no Yvonne, I'm definitely not in your league!" Tarot screamed.
"Whoa!" All the other female Hellions gasped.
"Girls! Wait!" Evan protested.
"SHUT UP!" Both Yvonne and Tarot shouted at him.
"I can't believe you're so pathetic that you have steal someone else's boyfriend," Tarot snarled.
"I didn't exactly have to work hard at it dear," Yvonne purred maliciously.
"Considering it's the only kind of work you know…" Tarot hissed back.
"AGGGGHHH!" Yvonne lunged at her and the two of them were fighting again.
"That's it!" Tarot pulled out her cards. "You're officially dead! SWORD CARD!" A huge sword appeared in her hands.
"You have no idea just how deadly I can be!" Yvonne snarled, her eyes glowing.
"Where did she hide the cards in that nightgown?" Bevatron blinked.
"Who cares?" Beef grinned. "This is great!"
"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!"
The telepathic scream of Emma Frost stopped both girls right in their tracks. Everyone flinched at her icy stare. "Ladies, and I use that term quite loosely. I want you both dressed and in my office in five minutes. We can discuss your punishment there. The rest of you, leave!"
They all turned to go. "Not you Evan," Emma said. The tone in her voice made him stand still.
"Somebody's gonna get it," Bevatron snickered as he ran off. Soon the two of them were alone in the hallway.
"Look, Ms. Frost…I know this looks bad," Evan gulped. "But you see Yvonne just…and before I knew it Tarot walked in and she just…Oh man I am so busted."
"So she finally found out about the two of you?" Emma raised an eyebrow.
"You knew?" Evan looked at her.
"Of course I did," Emma told him. "Yvonne told me all about it."
"Wait, she told you that we were…?" Evan gulped. "But why didn't you…?"
"Say anything? One, my daughters' private lives are their business. I made sure they learned about birth control and have taken precautions. Two, it's advantageous for me if Celandine and the White Warrior Prince have an…alliance."
"I see," Evan gulped.
"She likes you, you know?" Emma told him. "Yvonne has trouble bonding with people for obvious reasons. And I know you like her. I take it you understand what you have to do considering the situation with Tarot?"
"This is the part where you threaten to kill me if I don't break up wit Tarot right?" Evan trembled.
"I'm not going to do that," Emma said. "I won't do a thing if you hurt Yvonne."
"You won't?"
"No. Because she will hurt you much more than I ever could," Emma grinned and walked away.
Evan leaned back against the wall and slid down. "Some days I wish I never left the sewers."
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"But why can't I leave the sewers?" Dorian asked Solitaire. Solitaire had caught him trying to sneak topside. "I just wanted to look."
"It's dangerous up there," Solitaire told him. "How many times do I have to tell you? The human world is not our world."
"By why?" Dorian asked.
"Long ago I learned that most humans will either kill or use our kind for their own twisted purposes," Solitaire told him. "They will not just let us live in peace because it isn't in their nature to. Make no mistake, they are still hunting you as well as the rest of us. Do you understand?"
"But my mom is human," Dorian told him.
"Yes she is. But her son is not," Solitaire explained. "That makes her a target as well. Especially since she stood by you. Most mutants aren't as lucky as you are to have a parent like that. Remember what I told you about Artie and the other children?"
"Oh," Dorian remembered.
"I know this is hard for you to understand," Solitaire put his hand on his shoulder. "But you must trust me. These rules are not just for your protection. They protect all of us in the Vault including your mother."
"Will I ever be able to go topside again?" Dorian asked.
"Perhaps one day, when you are stronger," Solitaire said. "But not alone. A mutant alone is as good as lost. And you don't want to be lost do you? How would that make your mother feel?"
"I guess she would cry," Dorian thought. "I didn't think of that."
"Well now you understand," Solitaire said. "Go on home. Your mother is probably worried about you." Dorian ran off. He shook his head. "Kids…"
"You know they can't help it," Eve said as she walked up to him with Patch, Postman and Cell. "They don't understand at that age."
"Yes, I know…" Solitaire sighed. "Report."
"From what we've heard on the grapevine the GRSO hasn't captured any mutants in Chicago for over a week now," Cell said. "But that ain't slowing them down in looking."
"Do they know anything about us?" Solitaire asked.
"Well they suspect something about a group of mutants hiding in the city," Postman said. "That was inevitable, but I don't think they know exactly how many or where we are."
"You think?" Solitaire asked.
"We can't exactly walk up to them and ask them now can we?" Eve folded her arms. "We hear things on the street. I could try hacking into their system like I did with the cops a year ago."
"Too risky," Solitaire shook his head. "They might be able to trace it."
"So what do we do?" Eve asked.
"Keep exploring the tunnels," Solitaire told them. "It's good to know if there's a back door we can sneak out of if things turn out for the worst."
"And if they do turn out for the worst and they find us?" Patch asked.
"Then that will be the last thing the GRSO will ever do…" Solitaire growled.
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"I'm sorry Mistress," the Bacchae warrior spoke on the videophone. She was dressed like a Joe Greenshirt. "My partner and I have looked everywhere at the Pit. Well save the Misfit House but we can't find the Destiny Stone."
"We are just going to have to look harder now, shall we?" Selene hissed. "Have you checked the dojo?"
"First place we looked. Nothing," She shook her head.
"Well I doubt the Joes are stupid enough to put the Destiny Stone in where the Misfits could find it," Selene sighed. "But check it out anyway. And then look again! Do not report back until you have news of the stone."
Selene shut down the phone and thought. "Where the hell are those peasants hiding it? Well I know one thing for certain, it can't have been placed in a host yet. I've got to find it soon, before the Hellfire Club dooms us all."
Selene thought a moment. "Perhaps I should investigate the Pit personally? Yes…and I think I know where I should start. The Misfits. And if I happen to encounter young Avalanche…It will just be part of my investigation."
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"I'm glad you decided to talk about selling your house, Mr. Dale," A tall man with dark hair, glasses and a business suit sat on a chair in a living room.
"I'm only doing this to please my wife Mr. Maxwell," Mr. Dale, a fortyish ordinary looking man sighed.
"Now honey it doesn't hurt to listen," His wife said as she brought in some tea. "I hear the Clays got a very good deal on their house and were able to move far away from Bayville to a town where people are normal!"
"It's hard isn't it?" Maxwell said sympathetically. "Living in a town full of mutants. Never knowing when your family will be threatened or worse…"
"Don't think I haven't thought of moving before," Mr. Dale told him. "I wish I could afford to move as far from these freaks as possible. When they allowed those muties in the high school it nearly did me in I tell you. Every day I had to call my kids from work to see if they were okay."
"Thank god the school board finally came to their senses," Mrs. Dale sighed as she poured the tea. "Of course this was after all the times those mutants wrecked the school. Poor Jill's graduation was ruined because of them! At least Jack and Janet's remaining schooling will be mutant free!"
"That's not what I heard…" Maxwell sighed. "There are rumors going around that the school board is reconsidering allowing mutants back into public school."
"Are you joking?" Mr. Dale nearly slammed his coffee cup down. "Is this some kind of sick joke?"
"I'm afraid not," Maxwell shook his head.
"But how could they allow that?" Mrs. Dale asked.
"I'm afraid Professor Xavier has a lot of influence in Washington DC and has quite a few lawyers working for him," Maxwell shook his head.
"It makes me sick," Mr. Dale hissed. "Damn politicians and judges look the other way and ignore decent folk just so they can get hunk of some rich freak's money to line their own pockets!"
"My company is very sympathetic to your plight," Maxwell told him. "We believe that humans and mutants should not live together. It's just too dangerous. Unfortunately the government is unwilling to solve this problem so we have to take more…practical measures."
"What kind of measures?" Mr. Dale was curious.
"How would like to be able to leave this mutant infested town for good?" Maxwell asked. "Just pack up and leave all your troubles behind?"
"But where would we go?" Mrs. Dale asked.
"Anywhere you wish," Maxwell told her.
"And what would we live on?" Mr. Dale asked.
"Maybe this can help," Maxwell showed him the offer.
"That's your offer? For this house?" Mr. Dale's jaw dropped.
"That's right," Maxwell said.
"We'll be out by the end of the week," Mr. Dale said quickly. "Where do I sign?"
Maxwell was soon leaving the house in a very good mood. He called a number on his cellphone. "Chief, it's Maxwell," He grinned. "Got another one. Third one this week. I know. Humans are like frightened sheep. It's just a matter of herding them. At this rate the entire town will be ours lock stock and barrel by the end of the year. And by then not even the X-men will be able to stop us."
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Rahne was never really the center of all the drama at the Institute. And that was how she liked it. She was amused at all the antics that went on around her. The adults were often so busy dealing with the trouble that the other students caused they rarely paid attention to her.
That was just how Rahne planned it.
Back home she could never sneak out as much in her wolf form and explore the woods. Here, as long as Logan didn't smell her or any of the telepaths catch on to her thoughts she could come and go at night as she pleased. She was always careful to hide her scent as much as possible and had learned to shield her thoughts. If Xavier and the other telepaths knew about her nightly runs, they never mentioned it. Probably they were too distracted by Bobby and Kurt's morning pranks or some argument with the Misfits.
Her whole life she had never known such freedom. When she had lived with her strict grandfather, she was watched nearly all the time and never allowed to play or have fun. When Moira took her in and adopted her it gave her a taste of freedom she never had. And the wolf inside her wanted more.
When she was the wolf she could go anywhere and do anything she pleased. Sometimes she hunted. Sometimes she merely explored the woods. One night she had even snuck into town and caused a slight bit of mischief to some very nasty jocks. Naturally the idiots mistook her for a large dog that belonged to someone else so they never even suspected the mutants. She smiled to herself as she thought of her secret trophy stashed in her drawers, a torn piece of a Bayville High letterman's jacket.
One night she had tangled with a huge Doberman and won. Hiding the wounds she got from the fight was tricky. Fortunately they were little more than scratches and could be hidden under her clothes. Her soreness she was able to pass off as a side effect from Logan's Danger Room sessions. No one ever questioned that.
It was really the only thing in Rahne's life that she kept private. In her human form, her life was an open book. She was always friendly and willing to gossip. But her night hunts…They were an outlet for her.
She didn't think anyone would understand her need to be wild. Except maybe Mr. Logan and Mr. McCoy. Still they were adult males and she was a teenage girl. A teenage girl that wanted some freedom in her life.
Suddenly she picked up an unfamiliar scent. The scent of another wolf. She raced toward it and found a huge silver wolf staring at her on top of a rock in a clearing. The wolf did not challenge her. He merely stared at her.
This was no ordinary wolf. She could see it in his eyes. Who are you? She asked in wolf speak.
Someone like you…The silver wolf replied as he came down from the rock. The wolf shifted into a partial human form. Then into a full human form. He was a tall boy of eighteen with black clothes, yellow eyes and long silver hair.
"Hello Rahne," He spoke with a soft Irish accent. "I'm Aiden."
"You are like me," Rahne was amazed as she changed into human form.
"Of course I am," Aiden grinned. "You didn't really think you were the only one of our kind did you?"
"Our kind?" Rahne asked.
"Mutants like us, the Wolf Clan have existed since the dawn of time," Aiden said. "Where do you think all those stories about werewolves came from?"
"But how…?" Rahne gasped. "I never knew…The Professor…"
"Professor X doesn't know everything," Aiden chuckled. "We've been pretty good at concealing ourselves over the centuries. We learned a little magic ages ago to fool machines such as his. You could learn such power."
"If you start saying things like 'It's your destiny'…" Rahne glared at him.
"As much of a cliché as it sounds, it's the truth," Aiden said. "You know you're not like the others don't you? Why else would you hide your nightly hunts?"
"You know about them?"
"Of course. I've been watching you for a while now. Trapped in that human world. Forced to conform to their rules and their customs. Made to feel ashamed of your natural urges and desires."
"The Professor never made me ashamed of what I am," Rahne defended.
"Really? Then he's an exception to the rule," Aiden shrugged. "But he's always going on about how you should control the wolf inside you? Am I right?"
"He doesn't lecture me that much…" Rahne said softly.
"Well that's because you're smart enough to fool him," Aiden said. "I have to admit, I'm impressed. Mutants like that who think they are the highest in evolution are so easy to fool. They assume that they are the best and brightest and it is their heaven sent duty to keep us base animals in line and make us aspire to greatness! I don't know who came up with the term 'Homo Superior' for mutants but whoever it was certainly the stupidest name invented. That's all people like that need, an official title to show how wonderful they are!"
"He's not like that! The Professor's not arrogant at all!" Rahne spoke up.
"Well not with you," Aiden circled her. "To him you're one of his converts! One of his chosen disciples. I wonder what he'd say if he found out about some of your nightly activities? Hmmm? How do you think he'd feel if he found out his so-called domesticated puppy was really a hunting wolf? What would you say if he knew you killed?"
"Only rabbits and other animals!" Rahne defended. "And I eat those. I-I never…"
"Relax," Aiden held up his hands in a sign of submission. "I never said I was gonna tell him. Like a person like that would understand. Creatures like us don't kill for fun or sport. We kill only when we have to. To feed our hunger. Oh to have food all laid out and prepared for us is nice, but…"
"It's not the same," Rahne admitted. "Some nights, I purposely don't eat too much so I can hunt."
"That is the sign of a mature hunter," Aiden said. "One with self control. We do not hunt animals to extinction. That is a human trait. We take only what we need."
"I…I try to be in control," Rahne said. "I try to control the wolf."
"Why? Why control when you can co-exist?" Aiden asked. "Only man needs to dominate everything around him at all times! A wolf knows there are times one must submit as well as dominate. Why be ashamed of the wolf and hide it? You must embrace your wolf nature and live with it."
"You make it sound so easy," Rahne sighed.
"It is actually," Aiden put his hand on her chin. "I can teach you. If you let me."
"I admit I'm…curious," Rahne backed away and looked behind her. "But what about…?"
"The others? I see no need to tell them," Aiden grinned. "This is a wolf thing. Who better to teach you than another wolf? Meet me back here two nights from now. That's when the first lesson begins. Unless of course, you're content to spend the rest of your life living like a pet dog."
"I'm not a bloody dog!" Rahne snapped.
"Well then, I'll see you two nights from now," Aiden grinned. Then he changed into wolf form and walked away.
"I will!" Rahne called after him. "I'll show you just how much of a wolf I can be!"
She changed back into a wolf and ran in the opposite direction. Arrogant Pup! She thought. He's not that much older than I am! We'll see who's the real wolf around here! Although…He is kind of cute. Well it's not like I don't already keep my hunting a secret. I've done a few things I wouldn't want the others to find out.
What's one more secret?