I'm back! It's been longer than usual since I've updated...sorry. Got a job. Although that's not what's been taking away my time...it's not a demanding job. I just haven't had the inspiration to write lately. But I've started again. Oh, yeah, the cameo from last chapter! Pyrotic is the only one who got it. But Pyrotic cheats, so there! Anyway, look at the very first character mentioned in the last chapter. FIRST AND LAST NAME!!! If you can't get it after studying it for hours and hours, then read chapter 9 of my first book...which I have to fix. All bunched up and stuff. If you don't get it then, I'll tell you. Yah, enjoy.
Ruben was standing in the middle of the hallway molding clay into an indistinguishable shape. Ruben was soon joined by Bobby, Rogue, Amara, Ray, Kurt, and Allen.
"What're you doing?" Ray said immediately.
"Can't you tell?" Rogue gestured to Ruben's clay, "It's modern art."
"Dude, it looks like a helicopter with poison ivy," Allen commented.
"What does a helicopter with poison ivy look like?" Amara asked him, doubting she would like the answer.
She was spared from hearing one by Ruben's sudden outburst, "No, no, no! It's all wrong! It's garbage! I hate myself!!"
The other students could only watch as Ruben crushed the clay blob with his hand. He then lifted it into the air and took a big bite out of it, making Amara wince in disgust. Ruben suddenly got a peculiar look on his face and spit out the clay. He then proceeded to let out a scream and stick his head in the nearby fish tank.
"Hey, Bobby, why don't you freeze the water," Ray grinned mischievously, "I think it would be funny to see him walk around with a cube of ice on his head."
Bobby would have answered, but Amara stomped on Ray's foot.
"It's a good thing I have my camera with me," Kurt pulled a camera from his pocket and quickly snapped a picture of Ruben with his head in the fish tank.
Roberto and Kyle walked into the hallway.
"Hey, you should keep an eye out for the twins," Roberto warned, "I think they're up to something."
"Yeah, they were watching some security camera thing on the internet," Kyle explained.
"Anyway, I'm going to breakfast," Roberto announced.
"Good idea," Bobby agreed.
The students, excluding Ruben, began to walk to the Meal Room. As they entered, they passed Jean walking the other way.
"Is the breakfast any good today?" Rogue asked her.
"Oh, I didn't have a chance to have any yet," Jean stopped and gestured towards the door, "I was going to, but I sensed someone outside."
Jean continued to the front door while the students got their breakfast. Opening the door, she greeted the two newcomers, "Welcome to Xavier's School for the Gifted."
"Yup, dis is da place," the tall Jamaican teen said to the shorter, brown-haired girl next to him, "I am Marcus Kashka, and dis is Jaime Bancroft."
Marcus's dark dreadlocks were nearly matched in color by his dark skin, which contrasted with Jaime's slightly tan complexion.
"Why don't you come in," Jean stood back to let the newcomers inside, "We're all just eating breakfast."
At that moment, Ruben came stumbling into the hallway, his hair dripping. He stopped as he saw Marcus and Jaime. Marcus walked up to him and held out his hand.
"Hey, man! Does it rain inside here or what?" Marcus said jokingly, "I am Marcus and dis is Jaime."
Ruben shook Marcus's hand and began speaking as if he were a butler for some rich guy, "But of course. I am Ruben of the Shire...but actually not."
Ruben's 'formal' attitude quickly wore off and he gestured for Marcus and Jaime to follow him, shouting, "TO THE MEAL ROOM!"
The rest of the school, excluding Nucleo and his 'army', was eating breakfast. Nucleo had taken his followers into the city the night before to find another mutant.
Bobby sighed. Bear had just emerged from Bobby's bowl of cereal, eliminating Bobby's appetite.
"Cheeweeos! Fwoopdewoops! Popocuffs!" Bear shouted, naming brands of cereal, "Wice kwispies! Siwy wabbit! Twix is fo I!"
The students watched as Bear jumped out of the bowl, dripping with milk, and ran away towards Mr. Kamon's counter shouting, "Wucky Choms! Magicwy dewishus!"
"And you wonder why Bobby hasn't died of starvation yet," Travis commented, smoothing his red hair.
Kurt picked a clump of hair out of Bobby's cereal, "I suggest not eating that."
"That's disgusting!" Amara pushed the last of her toast away, her appetite disappearing.
"That's right, kids!" Shawn announced, "Hairballios is part of your balanced breakfast!"
"We eat what we like!" Aaron joined in.
"Dude, the taste you can see!" Allen smiled proudly.
Jubilee gave Amara a pat on the back, "Try not to toss your cookies until you're back in your room."
"Great, here comes Fish Tank Head," Ray muttered, hearing Ruben's shout from the hallway.
"And he's, like, got someone with him," Kitty added.
Ruben hopped onto the table, knocking over Cory's orange juice and the bottle of syrup.
"Here ye! Here ye!" Ruben shouted, "Lend me your ears!"
"It's supposed to be 'Hear ye, hear ye'" Aaron corrected.
"Dude, you don't need anyone's ears," Allen informed Ruben.
"Be silent!" Ruben began shouting again, "I would like to introduce..."
Ruben was interrupted by Scott from the other table, "Ruben, sit down!"
"Curses!" Ruben clenched his fist dramatically and climbed down off the table.
In that matter of time Marcus began to introduce himself without Ruben's help, "I am Marcus and..."
"I'm Jaime," Jaime cut him off.
"Dude, you don't look like Jamie," Allen scratched his head. Allen was referring to Jamie Madrox, who had left the school temporarily to live with a friend and his family in another state.
"Allen, this is a different person," Rahne informed him, "People are allowed to have the same name, you know."
The twins stood up in unison, extending their hands, "Live long and prosper."
"Let them get their breakfast," Melanie said to Shawn.
"She's got a point," Shawn immediately sat down. Aaron stared at him for a moment, flashed an eccentric madman grin, and sat down.
Ruben, Marcus, and Jaime went to get their breakfast from Mr. Kamon, who watched them suspiciously.
After breakfast, Bobby and Rogue introduced Marcus and Jaime to the teachers, while all the other students went to get ready for their classes.
"Mr. Summers teaches chemistry," Bobby was explaining the classes, "Ms. Munroe teaches history, Professor Xavier teaches physics, Dr. Grey teaches all our math, Mr. McCoy teaches science, and Mr. Fulke and Logan teach our gym class. Logan also trains us in the Danger Room."
"It sounds fun," Jaime looked around the Meal Room.
"But da reason I'm here," Marcus explained, "is 'cause I can't keep my power under control."
"What is your power?" Storm asked him.
"It's dis weird sort of ting," Marcus began, "It's like I got some sort of shield around me, and when someting comes too close, it gets zapped. Dat's why I am sometimes called Visor,"
"The greatest reason that we have this school, Marcus," Xavier spoke up, "Is to help mutants control their abilities."
"Dat is good," Marcus smiled, "I don't got a problem controlling it around people, but it's da small stuff dat sets me off. Like da bugs and stuff. Dey fly too close and bam! Dey gone."
"How about you, Jaime?" Xavier turned to Jaime, already knowing the answer, "What is your power?
"I can control anything that is not liquid or solid," Jaime explained, "Things like smoke, fog, even oxygen. I'm sometimes called Vapor."
"It gives a whole new meaning to da phrase 'take your breath away'," Marcus smiled at his own joke.
"If you're curious about the other mutants' powers here," Scott offered, "I can show you the records. Or just ask them. I'm sure they'd be glad to give a demonstration."
Rogue gave him a dirty look.
"Uh, most of them will be able to give a demonstration, that is," Scott said apologetically.
Packrat sat at the end of the driveway next to the mailbox. He had seen the white vehicle bring the pretty envelopes for many weeks. Now he wanted some of his own.
It wasn't long before the mail truck rounded the corner. As it drew nearer, Packrat hid in a bush. He waited until the envelopes had been placed in the mailbox. He knew that the envelopes in the mailbox belonged to his friends.
"But there has must be more envolpes in the wheelsy white box," Packrat crept from the bush, "Brine wonders what becomes of the other envolpes. Brine must get him some."
Packrat slipped into the door-less mail truck without being seen. As he crept into the back of the truck, he was overjoyed to find himself surrounded by thousands of envelopes, sorted and rubber-banded together. He quickly grabbed one of the rubber-banded packets of envelopes.
Packrat looked around and spotted a handle on the back of the truck. He immediately pulled it, opening the back door.
As the mailman pulled away, he heard the back door clang and looked in his rearview mirror. He slammed on the brakes as he saw his neatly sorted envelopes flying from the back of the truck. He got out, grumbling, and began to pick up the rubber-banded envelopes. In his frustration, he never noticed Packrat scurrying back to the Mansion.
Inside the Mansion, Packrat scuttled through the hall towards his room. Halfway there, Jubilee, Kitty, and Louis stepped into the hallway, accompanied by Aaron, Shawn, Melanie, and Steve.
"What do you have there, Packrat?" Jubilee asked him, indicating the envelopes in Packrats hands.
"Brine never takes envolpes from wheelsy white box," Packrat quickly hid the envelopes behind his back, "Brine knows not what you talks from."
"You, like, totally can't fool us, Packrat," Kitty told him.
"We'll make you a deal," Aaron said, reaching into his pocket, "If you let us see what you have behind your back, we'll give you this paper clip chain, this coat button, and this Canadian penny. Whaddaya say?"
"Thinks about this, Brine must," Packrat pondered, "Brine gets his envolpes back?"
"Without a doubt," Louis quickly spoke up.
"Without the doubting, yes," Packrat scratched his stubbly chin, "Brine thinks that he will accept your fantastish offer."
"A pleasure doing business with you," Shawn shook Packrat's hand while taking the packet of envelopes from him, "Have a nice day, sir."
Aaron handed over the three items from his pocket. Packrat, being overjoyed, ran to put them in his room.
"So what was he hiding?" Jubilee looked at the envelopes in Shawn's hand, "Whose mail is it?"
"Um, mine, of course!" Shawn quickly put the envelopes in his pocket, "What a coincidence!"
"Wait a minute!" Jubilee took hold of Shawn's shoulder, "That's not your mail!"
"Yes, it is," Shawn protested, "Don't you believe me?"
"No," Jubilee continued to grip Shawn's shoulder, holding out her hand for the envelopes, "Hand 'em over."
Shawn hesitantly pulled the envelopes from his pocket. He pretended to look at the addresses and quickly looked up.
"Oh, you're right!" Shawn gave an innocent smile, then quickly tossed them to Aaron, "They're Aaron's! Run, Aaron, run!"
Aaron took off down the hallway, having no idea why.
"Stop that Kerr!" Jubilee shouted.
Louis placed his hands on the wall. His hands quickly began to turn green and extend into climbing ivy. The ivy grew across the wall and around the corner that Aaron had run.
There was a distant wail of defeat. Jubilee, Kitty, Shawn, Melanie, and Steve began to walk down the hallway, the walls covered with climbing ivy. Louis followed them, the ivy they passed transforming back into his hands.
They finally reached a clump of the ivy on the wall with Aaron's face sticking out of it.
"Sorry, bro," Aaron apologized, "Nature is an amazing thing."
"Where are the envelopes?" Jubilee demanded.
"Oh, they're in here somewhere," Aaron assured her.
Louis released Aaron, the rest of the ivy forming Louis's fingers. Aaron slid onto the floor and grinned up at them all. Louis handed the envelopes to Jubilee.
"Like, who's it for?" Kitty looked over her shoulder.
"Some mutation database," Jubilee looked confused.
"It's probably some sort of mutant organization," Steve suggested while Melanie nodded.
"You know something!" Jubilee pointed to Shawn, "What's the mutation database?"
"I don't...know?" Shawn's voice tapered off when he saw the look on Jubilee's face, "Oh, ok. I'll tell you. But I'll need to sit down."
While the group walked to the living room where they could sit down, Jubilee held Kitty back.
"This doesn't seem like just another one of their pranks," Jubilee gave her opinion, "I think the other students should know. Not the teachers, at least not yet. Find all the students that you can and send them to the living room. I'll look upstairs."
Kitty nodded and set off to find students.
You like? Not a bad chapter. More characters as you can see...har har. Oh, by the way, Ruben's sudden outburst from the beginning of the chapter is taken from Weird Al's enhanced CD, Poodle Hat...there's a video of Al's Home Movies on the CD and Al says, "No, no, no! It's all wrong! It's garbage! I hate myself!" in the commentary of the Home Movies. I thought it was funny. I give credit to Weird Al, of course. Farewell, until next time, faithful reviewers! Look both ways before crossing the road!