I don't own the x-men blah, blah, blah.
I'm not really following the plotline from anything, just taking bits and pieces from a few x-universes. Sebastian Shaw will be showing up soon.
Thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming! I'll be writing more if I get more reviews…it's encouraging! On with the show.
I found my way to the kitchen where a group of kids my age was studying. A young girl in beautiful black opera gloves walked to the fridge near me. She pulled two sodas out and held one out to me.
"No thank you," I said, glancing at the two neat white streaks framing her pale face. She shrugged and set the extra soda next to me on the counter.
I wasn't trying to be rude this time, honest. I didn't eat or drink anything I hadn't bought or cooked myself. It was another one of my rules. I had broken enough rules today; this one would have to stay.
"I'm Marie," she said, casually holding out one of her glove-clad hands. I clasped it, but I didn't shake. It was a sign of a deprived background to "shake" someone's hand like it was a seasoning.
"I'm Emma."
"Emma? Are you staying in dorm b?" she tilted her head, the two cool, white strands framing her face fell forward.
"Yes." She had an innocent sort of excitement, but something about her told me that she wasn't as unthreatening as she appeared.
"Hey, Jubes!" she called over to the group of kids at the table. "This is our new roomie Emma."
A short Asian girl with tightly cropped black hair jumped up and walked over. "Hey chica!" She held out her hand. I placed mine in hers and she shook it, furiously. I felt defiled by her merriment. "I'm Jubilee."
One of the other kids stood up. He was a clean-cut strawberry blond. He walked over behind Marie and smiled. "Hey, we'd better get to class," he looked to me, "Oh, sorry. I'm Bobby." His handshake was firm and wasn't an indicator of anything bad because of how sincere it felt. I nodded and gave a cool smile of acknowledgment; he passed the test. What test you ask? The one that everyone gives when meeting new people. He passed the test that tells me whether or not someone is worth my time.
The last kid at the table walked over to us with his hand outstretched. When I took it, he flipped a lighter on with his other hand and a tiny flame marred the soft skin of my middle knuckle. I pulled away and rubbed my burned hand against my uninjured one. I gave an accusatory glare and he gave a big goofy 'I gotchya' grin.
"Don't gloat child, it's a sign of poor upbringing." His smile faltered. I smirked.
"I'm John," he held his hand out once more, but this time palm-up. He flipped the lighter on over it. I watched with a veiled expression as the soft ball of light began to flicker with power, growing to the size of a tennis ball. Impressive, but I wouldn't let him know I thought so. His test was ongoing.
"Quit showing off, Pyro," Jubilee crowed. She slapped him on the back and the fire went out. Jubilee…she had failed. Oh how I wished I were able to stay in a single room.
They all laughed and Bobby reminded them they were supposed to go to class. They left with promises of meeting me for dinner and the little spunky one threatened to stay up all night having girly fake photo shoots. Great, just great.
The next morning I was informed that I would be entering the classes everyone else had been in for almost an entire semester. My first class was Math with a Mr. Scott Summers. I recognized him as the man in red glasses, seeing as he was still wearing the déclassé shades. He rambled on about sin and cosine functions, but after a while his words ran together and I thought about more important things.
It had been a long time since I had been in school. I had originally been a straight B- student, but after I first heard thoughts and before there were so many, I had been able to "borrow" the answers from other people (including the teachers) and my GPA had skyrocketed. Now that my mental abilities were limited to hearing nothing or hearing everything, I would have to focus and to work hard, or maybe not…homework just wasn't my scene.
Mr. Summers caught me staring out the window and took time after class to fill me in on everything I'd missed. I was supposed to go back after my last class to collect a file containing all of the materials I'd need for the upcoming final. My first day back in high school and I'm studying for a final.
Dr. Jean Grey (the resident redheaded harlot) was my Advanced Bio teacher and she didn't really seem to notice me. The English teacher had been more boring than anything I could imagine. She had a beautiful accent, but it amazed me that even with the lovely lilt, she could make Kafka boring enough that I fell asleep.
By my last class, I was itchin' for something, anything to break up the monotony. Thankfully I had Marie in my next class, she was a lifesaver. Unfortunately, the feisty little Jubilee was there too, along with my old friend Pyro.
The teacher was my nefarious friend from the elevator, the one snogging Mr. Summer's fiancé Dr. Grey. He seemed to be in a foul mood as well.
Jubilee made some catcalls at him and he let out a growl that made my bones quiver. He stormed past us and into a second floor room. When I asked what it was, Marie whispered that it was the danger room's control center. Oh good, because that made perfect sense…not. Marie was sweet, but sometimes I questioned whether or not her sweet dumb act really was an act.
The other students filed in behind him and I followed them. When we were inside, Logan, for that was his name, spat out some info about this "danger room" and its unique programming.
"This room is your final." He looked pointedly from student to student. "The Danger room is designed to attack your own personal weaknesses, both physically and mentally. If you can successfully battle the course for twenty minutes, you will receive an 'A' on the final. Anything below twenty and above eighteen will be a 'B.' From sixteen to ten will be a 'C.' Stay in the room for seven minutes to pass with the minimal 'D.' Anything less than that and you will have to retry the room at a thirty percent disadvantage or take an 'F' in the class."
"What do you mean about our weaknesses?"
Logan shot an annoyed glance at the young brunette. "It means what it means. It will play against your weaknesses. If, physically, you run slowly, you might be chased. If you're claustrophobic you may end up in a small space. It's different for everyone."
With that he demonstrated the different settings for the room. Apparently you could adjust the mental and physical strain levels from one to ten. We wouldn't be allowed to try anything over six until we had graduated.
After class Marie and Jubilee invited me to the mall. Considering that I was rather low on clothes and anything of that nature, I decided to go. I didn't have much money left, but it would be just enough to make myself look like I rolled in cash.
Time to review! Constructive criticism welcome, but if you want to remind me that I am glorious, that's alright too!