Oni sat down in a meditation position and awaited the dawn, deep meditation can replace sleep but at least he wouldn't have the nightmares or so that's what he thought. They weren't nightmares so much as odd words and images, things some he recognized; others he didn't. He couldn't understand so he didn't try.
The sun suddenly was in his eyes and he knew it was morning, he stood up and after changing close he walked out, no one was up yet so far as he could see so, he went into a back yard area. He found a place suitable for practice and began going over some of his moves. He wondered how anyone could have such a vast place, but he sensed Professor Xavier was a good man. He didn't hold all of this over anyone in fact, he shared it with other people like himself but something felt wrong. He couldn't pin point it but it was there. So he kept practicing awaiting whatever would come.
Jean threw herself up, sweat beaded her forehead. Her eyes were wide and glowing a bit red. She looked over to Scott, blinking her eyes. Thank God, he was still asleep. She pushed herself up from the bed and took a deep breath. She rubbed her eyes and slowly got dressed. She put her hand to her forehead and pulled on her shoes.
For a moment, she looked over to Scott and sighed. She tossed her hair behind her and walked out of the bedroom, walking through the hallway. Not a lot of people were up yet, that was probably a good thing. She didn't want the headache to start earlier again. They think too much, she laughed to herself. She walked over to the balcony and looked to the skies, the sun was just coming up the horizon. And it was such a beautiful sight. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen. God, she hated that feeling. That deep feeling in the pit of her stomach that she could not get rid of, no matter what she did.
She sighed and leaned on the railing of the balcony. She looked down, seeing Oni the first one out in the courtyard. She smiled softly, watching him practice. "Good Morning." She called out to him. "..Want some breakfast?" She smiled happily.
Oni turned seeing Jean up. "Hi, sure. Just gimme a sec." He brought his hands together in a traditional jitsu pose but nothing happened. Then he started walking just like normal and when he got up to the house, he simply started walking up the side of the house casually. He reached the height of the balcony and simply stepped off the wall. "Hey, are you okay? You don't seem well." He could tell something was on her mind so he waited for the answer.
Jean hesitated to answer for a minute. She nodded. "I'm okay." She smiled brightly. "Just a few bad dreams of my own. Nothing really important." She shrugged. "That's really cool how you did that. Reminds me of spider man." She laughed, trying to change the subject. She turned to go back into the mansion. "So, what do you want for breakfast?" She asked, trying to keep her own mind off the images in her head.
Oni smiled. "Well I'm not any form of spider and I don't know who this spider man is so, I'll just explain by saying that I can walk on any surface at any angle. Its a matter of molding your Chakara to your feet you can float. With a similar technique, you can water walk too. If your really interested I could show you how to do some of it sometime. As for breakfast like usual, I'm not picky, but I have to tell you, I could get used to having a meal a day." He smiled somewhat wondering when would be the best time to ask her but for now he would let it stay. He knew that despite her attitude, she was troubled. He started to walk towards the kitchen, "Come on, don't worry about it."
Jean smiled. "Wow, that would be cool." She laughed and followed him. "Well, tonight.. I'm sure, you'll be full. We're having a welcome banquet for you and Lacey." She smiled. "I know, you'll have a good time." She laughed and looked to the hallway. "I'll have to make a lot.. They'll all want something, again. The chefs aren't in for about two weeks. So Storm and I are stuck with all the cooking." She chuckled. "I don't mind though." She pushed the kitchen door open and held it for him to come in.
She walked over to the fridge and pulled out some eggs and milk. She set them down and turned to the stove. With a flick of her wrist, a few pieces of bread were in the toaster and the butter was floating out of the fridge. She looked over to Oni with a smile, but inside she was anything but. No one else could see really through her eyes.. How could he so easily? He could just look right through her. She sighed and cracked a few eggs, letting them cook on the pan as she mixed the pancakes ingredients. "..So," she said. "Are you ready for your tour of the town this morning?" She smiled.
Oni was so deep in thought that when she asked him a question he didn't even notice.. "Hai—Oh, sorry.. I tend to think in Japanese; and old habit, I suppose. Wait, a banquet? That really isn't necessary for you to go through all that trouble. If you like I can help out, I'm goond at mixing precise ingredients and stuff like that. Infact, I was thinking if I could get enough ingredients together that I can make you some special emergency rations for the X-jet if you go on long missions.. So it'll increase energy, stamina.. All sorts of things.
He realized he was talking about everything and anything, just not to ask that question. But he was worried about what the answer would be. It was funny, he could see so many things, he thought outside the immediacy of the problem and developed ideas and solutions based on that, but it was impossible for him to see beyond his own immediacy. And that's were the problem lay, but he would keep up with this banter for a bit longer.
"Jean, later on perhaps after the tour of the town, could you perhaps teach me how to control my ability of telekinesis? I know you have the same thing and if I can control it better things like yesterday won't happen so often." He waited for her answer.
Jean looked up from the bowl. "I think the rations would be a good idea." She smiled and poured some of it on the pan. She put the bowl down and looked over to Oni. "Yeah, sure.. I'll teach you how to control it. The trick is, you don't let it control you.." She paused, for a moment and turned back to the pan. "You control it." She sighed. A pause of silence entered the room. She looked up and gave a short smile. "It would be nice to have someone helping us around here. We're not maids y' know!" She laughed and gave him some eggs and pancakes. She looked over to the fridge as the syrup came along, setting itself in front of his plate. "There you go."
Oni nodded. "Yeah, I think helping out here and there is the least I can do. I don't understand how—nevermind, its probably not my place to say." He started eating and stood when he was done. "Jean.. I wanted to ask you a question, but I'm afraid you'll think I'm weird or…" He sighed. "Why did you hug me last night? No one, for a long time has ever touched me, when it wasn't meant to hurt or kill me. So why?" He trailed off, looking down.
Jean turned and smiled. She was finished cooking. She set the pan in the sink and walked over to him. She looked into his eyes. "Because everyone needs a hug now and then." She smiled to him. "..It looked like you needed it." She looked down, afraid he would again, see right through her. "You'll be getting a lot of those." She laughed.
Lacey opened her eyes and rubbed her head softly, letting her slim fingers fly through her dark hair. She stretched when she stood and walked over to the closet, opening it slowly. She bit her lip, seeing a lot of clothes. "Wow." She said and picked the first two things she seen: a yellow t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. She was surprised they fit. She smiled when she looked into the mirror. She was getting so much happier; happier than she's ever been in her life. She gave a joyful sigh walking through the hallway. Some of the kids were awake now and walking out to go to class, she figured. She turned, smelling something delicious coming from the kitchen.
She walked in and saw Oni and Jean. "Good Morning." She said, walking over to them. "Oh.." She said, looking at the food. She took a seat and smiled. "..This all looks so delicious!" She chuckled, taking a bite out of a pancake.
Jean laughed and looked to Oni.
Oni nodded. How could they be so nice to him? He had never met people like these and he was starting to think that he never wanted to leave and as soon as he was ready, he wanted to join the group the Professor had spoke of; the team that Jean was a part of. He knew he could be of at least some help, so he would work hard to master his abilities.
He looked over to Lacey and nodded. "Morning, Lacey. Did you hear, we're going on a trip today? I can't wait to see what this town has in store. I wonder if they've got a weapons shot. I might only look but, still.. or, look until the store keeper chases me away with a broom," he laughed. "What are you looking for?"
Lacey smiled to him, after taking a drink of milk. "I don't know.. I think I might get another necklace." She looked down for a moment. "I lost the one I had, so.. I just want to get another cross. That's all." She smiled and walked over to them. "I can't wait! When are we going?" She asked with a bright smile on her face.
Jean chuckled. "Well, I'm ready.. Are you guys? We can go now, if you would like." She looked to them both. "You can get whatever you want," she smiled to Oni. "Except weapons." She patted his head playfully. "Anything you want...! Other than that." She winked. "Well, come on. Let's get out of here!" She laughed and headed for the back door.
Oni smiled. "Yeah, right. I don't have any money, but yeah.. I'm ready." He followed Jean into a garage where there were a few sports cars, and motorcycles; some other ones as well. They got into an average looking car and drove off. "This feels weird. I haven't ridden in a car in years." He looked around at all the scenery as it passed by and wondered if this was nirvana or heaven.
Jean looked into the rear view mirror at them both. "I'll get what you guys want." She smiled. "Its no big deal. I'll say its presents!" She laughed and looked around to the shops. There were so many, she almost forgot. She hasn't been out here in awhile, herself. She was always just so busy at the school, she almost forgot there was another world outside the confines of that place.
She passed by one of the parks, looking at the small children. She remembered when she was young, she missed those days. She shifted into gear and went a little faster. She looked back to Lacey, she still had a smile on her face. So did Oni. That made her happy. She stopped and pulled up to a pawn shop. "This place has the best weapons here.. Also, the best jewelery." She smiled, pulling the key out of the ignition and getting out. She opened the door for Oni and Lacey and pulled out a few hundred dollars out of her pockets. She handed them each about three hundred dollars. "There you go." She smiled. "Now, go have some fun." She laughed, pointing towards the pawn shop.
Oni nearly fell unconscious when he was handed 300 dollars. "Are you sure this is okay?' Jean nodded. Oni bowed and said, "Thank you, thank you very much." He walked into the store and saw weapons of all kinds on a wall. He walked over there immediately. He saw the katana he wanted here, he also saw an array of other bladed weapons they even had a huge variety of nin-jitsu weapons.
"Do you have any sharpening machines?" He asked the man at the counter. "Yes we do."
Oni pulled up his full array of sherukens, and the man looked to them. "Are you kidding? These have been used way to many times, you used them far past the recommended point and sharpened them to much."
Oni frowned at his critical assessment of his sherukens. "Listen here sir, I've had these weapons for 2 years."
Lacey walked through the store slowly, her hands sliding over some of the golden crosses along with the silver. They were so beautiful. She stopped and smiled, looking at one. Jesus upon the crucifixion. His head was up, and he seemed to be staring at her. She picked it up slowly and let her fingers dance over the surface. She wondered if the same thing would happen to this one. She hoped not. She smiled and held it in her hands tightly.
She walked over to Jean and Oni, and the store keeper. "..This will be all for me." She said, handing it to him with a smile.
Oni looked at the book that Jean had given him with disgust and opened it. He closed it quickly laughing. He was laughing so hard that he almost fell over. After he regained himself he said, "I'm sorry, Jean but I am Chunin Class. Well that was my last classification. Now with all I know I'm Junin. In English, it means elite ninja. These books are for at best moderate self defense. I understand the no weapons policy but, can I at least replace the weapons I have on me? I wont buy the sword even though its a non lethal weapon or at least it could be." He drew the sword and showed her that the blade was on the wrong side. "It's called a reverse blade sword, and I swear that I would never draw my weapons against another student. I follow a strict ethical code that prohibits me from doing any such thing, so what do you say? At least let me replace my worn out sherukens?" He awaited her answer with anxiousness.
Jean sighed and put the book back. She looked over to Lacey, who had just bought her cross and smiled. She gave a grin. "..Alright, alright already." She laughed. "But only this once! You can replace your sherukan-thingies." She smiled. She looked at the blade of the sword. "You can get the replacements, that's it!" She said. "Go ahead.. Get them. Just, um... Well, you know." She shrugged and looked to the store owner. She nodded and pulled out her keys. "When you guys are done, come on back to the car." She yelled back, walking outside.
Oni was still chuckling as he paid the man in full. He walked outside, his new sherukan's in his book bag and his old ones back in place. He would have to sharpen them later. He walked out to the car and smiled. "Thank you, Jean. You know it might seem odd, but without these it almost feels as if I'm naked." He laughed.
As he turned his head, he stopped speaking and crouched down. "Someone's here.. I don't know who, but," he reached for a handful of sherukan's and without hesitation, he threw them towards their location.
"Well, at least Magneton, or whatever isn't here.. You should go inside and protect Lacey, get her somewhere safe. She's not at combat level like you or I. I'll be okay." As he said this, four people stepped out of the alleyway. "…So that's him.. I'm gonna have to give him a beating for ruining my hair!" One of them said. He had a long trail of missing hair on his head, and only chuckled without mirth.
"I don't miss twice. Leave us alone, or my next sherukan goes through your skull." Oni wasn't going to kill them, but sometimes fear was a better deturent than anything else. He would have to see.
Jean looked to the four people and her eyes grew red. She threw her hand up and the four men were thrown back into the alleyway. She gave the keys to Oni and put Lacey in the car. "..I want you both to go back to the mansion. Where there are these people, there is either Magneto.. or Mystique." She blinked her eyes, making the red fade away. "..Go." She told him. "Get her out of here. If they get you, even one of you.. We're in deep shit. Please, Oni. Just tell the Professor, and I'll be fine. I've dealt with them enough times to know what to do." She gave him a reassuring smile. "...Go. You're aren't ready, yet either. You've only trained once. These people fight dirty, and I won't let you get hurt!"
Without turning, she threw her hands towards the alleyway, knowing they would only come back out. She held her hand there, holding them up in the air in the shadows hidden from human eyes. "..Please." She said, turning around and walking back into the alleyway.
Oni grabbed Jean by the shoulder. "No one fights alone, so long as you don't have to. Besides.. Like I know how to drive a car?" He stepped forward and made several hand forms and said, "Replication!" Three of him appeared, and he made two more hand signs, "transform." Suddenly, Jean, Oni, and Lacey stood before them. "Sometimes its better to use illusion and escape." He got in the car shortly followed by a scared and confused Lacey, while the three replicates marched off to fight.
Jean rushed back into the car, not even asking any questions. Her eyes were still burning red as she threw the key into the ignition and took off. Of course it had to be bad traffic, but she fixed that very quickly. Her eyes focused on the cars in front of them as they were now controlled by her. She made them park on the side of the road, letting them pass by quickly.
They were at the school in a flash. She parked the car in the garage and turned it off. She took a deep breath and leaned against the chair, closing her eyes. "..You saved our asses, Oni." She laughed. She knew Lacey was a little bit scared and confused. But, she would have to get used to it. There were a lot of things that were confusing about this place, and the Brotherhood. Damn them.. She thought, getting out of the car slowly. She was tired, her mind and her body. She hadn't used that much power in a long time.. She sighed. She looked over to Oni. "Come on.. We have to talk to the Professor about this."
Lacey slowly got out of the car, gripping the cross that was now around her neck. She took a deep breath and leaned against the car. "..Man, that was close." She took a breath and followed after Jean.
Oni nodded. "When I told you I was a Junin, I wasn't exaggerating. Although, the transformation is extremely simple.. That car thing was quite awesome." He walked the rest of the way in silence until they came to the Professors office, which opened before Jean could even knock.
"Come in, Come in… I heard you had quite an eventful time. Are you all okay?" Oni nodded and wondered how the hell he could possible know already, but then he saw the T.V. behind him. It was displaying his technique in slow motion. "Ooh, no. Sensai is going to kill me. I know I should have looked around for video cameras before I did that."
Jean looked over to the Professor, then to the television. "Well, what are we going to do? The Senate is already thinking about the Mutant Exposing Program." She sighed. "I don't know whether this helps us, or... hurts us." She sat down and put her hand to her head. She looked over to see Lacey still clutching the cross. "I'm sorry.." She said to her.
Lacey looked over. "Oh, No.. It's okay. I'm sorry, I'm just.. Still a little bit jumpy." She gave a nervous laugh.
Jean forced a smile and looked back over to the Professor. The headache got worse, every time she used it. It started to hurt every time she even thought about it. Hurting every time she heard their thoughts in her own head. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, her head throbbing.
Professor Xavier thought for a moment. "I don't think at this point it matters. There will be reports of what happened and when that comes out, we'll see." He sighed and turned off the television. "Oni, I know that was you with the replications, but can you replicate Jean's telekinesis without your own?"
Oni thought and shook his head. "Something similar, but not with enough force to throw people like that, no."
The Professor nocced and said. "Well, for now there's nothing we can do. So you're all dismissed."
As Oni walked out his said, "Jean, I'll be in my room for a while.. Do you want to learn about Chakra, now?"
Jean looked up to Oni and forced a smile. "Umm... Sure, in a little while.. Okay?" She looked over to the Professor and nodded. "Have a good day, Professor." She waved as she walked out. Lacey decided to walk through the school, have a tour of her own. She would figure everything out.. Eventually.
Jean smiled to Oni. "I'll be there in a few minutes alright?" She smiled brightly, never letting anyone see her pain. She turned and waved to Oni. "I'll be there! Just have to get something real quick." She chuckled and turned the corner of the hallway. The smile and cheer disappeared as soon as she was out of everyone's sight. She hoped that Scott wasn't still sleeping in their room.
He had class today, so she figured he wouldn't be. She took a deep breath and opened the door to the bedroom and slammed it shut behind her, locking it as well. She made sure it was locked, and sighed. She raced over to the dresser beside their bed and pulled the drawer out, almost throwing it across the room. She looked to the bottle of heavy dose aspirin and sighed. Her hands were shaking, and the voices.. The thoughts were just getting louder. She wanted to yell out, "Shut up!" But kept her mouth shut.
Her head was pounding, pounding.. Throbbing, throbbing. She tried to open the bottle, and managed to. Her fingers were shaking and she dropped the bottle. She yelled and kicked the bottle across the room, falling to her knees and holding her head. "..God dammit." She whispered to herself. Tears were racing from her eyes. She kept telling herself that she had to control it, not let it control her. But, they were just getting louder, overpowering her own voice. Pain was racing through her and she tried to scream, for anyone.. For anything. But her voice was stolen away by the pain as well. All that came out was silence.
She closed her eyes and dropped to the floor unconscious, the pills at her side.