Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada, zip. Blaze owns me.
Scene 05"That's really very good Kitty," Hank praised his student. "But you do realise you've got more paint on yourself that you have on the poster? Not to mention on the carpet…and the walls…and indeed the ceiling."
"I'm sorry Mr McCoy," Kitty said sheepishly as she rocked back to sit on her calves. She had been kneeling over the massive banner she was painting in orange, red and black. "I like totally got into painting, its like art or something."
"Don't worry, I'm sure Van Gogh and Monet were equally untidy when working on their masterpieces, be they 'Sunflowers' or 'Bridge at Giverny'," Hank consoled her. "I'm just glad we are using water-based paints that we have a hope of cleaning up before the Professor sees. Kurt, would you mind hanging Kitty's banner for us?"
"No problem," Kurt replied, piling another fat orange pumpkin on top of the recently acquired stack. The only problem was that Rogue was underneath the stack with her hands more than full. The minute Kurt put his pumpkin on top of the pile, the whole lot started sliding and rolling out of Rogue's grasp, bouncing across the floor. Rogue scowled and threw her hands up in the air.
"I swear Kurt, if ya got two brain cells to rub together, I'm the Queen o' England!" Kurt responded by stickling his tongue out at his stepsister and bamfing away to help Kitty lift her poster up. With sticky tape suitably positioned to support the banner, Kurt bamfed up to the ceiling. There he dangled from the light fitting by his prehensile tail, whilst his furry blue fingers stuck the banner up across the foyer. As wide across as Kurt's arms could spread, it was about seven feet long and painted with foot-high black letters, filled in with orange and dripping red 'blood'. Satisfied with his handiwork, Kurt bamfed down again, only to have one of the smaller pumpkins bowled at him by Rogue.
"All right Rogue, I get the hint. I'll tidy them up already!" Kurt exclaimed. "Though if you can't hold onto them it's hardly my fault…"
"Why you li'l…" Rogue started, picking up another pumpkin. Beast sighed, bracing himself for an all-out pumpkin fight, only to be saved by a voice in the doorway.
"Hankenstien's Halloween Fancy Dress Monster Ball?" Blaze asked, reading the banner aloud.
"Cool," decided Tabby. "When's it gonna be?"
"Halloween you ding bat," pointed out Kitty, trying to rub orange paint off her nose and only succeeding in spreading it out more.
"Oh yeah," Tabby realised, making Blaze and Kurt laugh.
"There you are Tabitha," called Storm, coming into the foyer with Berserker, Cannonball and Magma. "Where have you been? You were supposed to be in training with the rest of us."
"That would be my fault Ororo," Hank admitted, "I gave her permission to skip the Danger Room session. My apologies for not letting you know."
"Very well," Ororo decided with a frown at her colleague. The Weather Witch turned and left then, without commenting on Hank's party plans or the sea of pumpkins. Beast was troubled for his friend; she did not seem herself. Excusing himself from the teenagers Hank followed Ororo, determined to see if he could help at all. That left the other X-Men admiring Kitty's handiwork amidst a scattering of pumpkins.
"We're getting a Halloween bash? Cool," grinned Berserker. "Hey Rogue, you wanna go splits on DJ with me?"
"Nah that's okay Ray, I don't wanna cramp your style. You go for it," replied Rogue, waving her hand noncommittally. It worked too with most of the gang thinking that she was being altruistic, until Kurt piped up, "Rogue's got a date!"
"You have?" Ray looked a little disappointed, whilst Blaze just smirked, "Who with?"
"None of your business Blaze," replied the Southern Belle haughtily.
"Suit yourself," shrugged the British girl. "I'm not going to be out done though." Coyly she turned to Tabby at her side, "Boom Boom, would you be my date to the party?"
"Oh Blaze, this is all so sudden," Tabby laughed in reply as Blaze was overcome with a fit of giggles and Rogue's scowl deepened. "You know I'd love to darling," both of them erupted into a peal of laughter.
"You're a traitor Tabitha," Rogue fumed after Blaze had patted Tabby on the back and left to answer a telepathic summons from the Professor. "After the deal she and Gambit made with Slade, we could've all been killed!"
"She's suffered enough Rogue, can't you just drop it?" asked Tabby. "Everyone makes mistakes. Keeping giving Blaze the cold shoulder isn't helping. Besides, we all know its just because you're jealous that she's close to Gambit. You two might have broken up, but everyone knows you still have a thing for him."
"Stop talkin' 'bout somethin' you don't understand!" raged Rogue, coming across the room to push Tabby back by the shoulders. "I've touched Blaze, I know what's goin' on in her head an' am tellin' you she ain't to be trusted."
"Sheesh Rogue," Tabby rolled her eyes, backing away from the brunette. "At least she's got a sense of humour." Rogue looked around for back up, but not even Kitty or Kurt would meet her eyes. The Southern Belle started to flush an angry pink, spun on her heel and fled to her room.
"So, um," Magma asked as she tried to fill the awkward silence that suddenly overwhelmed the group. "Are we gonna carve these pumpkins already or what?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Storm wait," Hank called out, breathing a sigh of relief as Ororo paused whilst he caught her up. Together they went into the kitchen and Ororo poured herself a glass of water from the jug in the refrigerator. Hank waited until the Weather Witch had swallowed two painkillers with a mouthful of water before asking her what was wrong.
"I'm sorry Hank, I didn't mean to be so short with you or the others. I'm afraid it's all starting to get to me. Running this place so short handed, dealing with Ilehana's sacrifice and taking on the mantle of Guardian of Air…" Storm sighed deeply. "I feel it will be a long time until I can even begin to comprehend what that means."
"I understand," Hank smiled, squeezing Ororo's shoulder gently in a gesture of support. "We're not so short staffed anymore now the Professor is back, if you want to take more time for yourself?"
"That's just it Hank. I know technically the Professor is back, but do you get the feeling his mind is not on the job? I'm not convinced he's ready or able to resume his role here at the Institute."
"That's not a circumstance we are in a position to judge Ororo," warned Hank. "Things will get better, you'll see. Gambit will soon collect Logan and the situation will start to return to normal, I promise. "
"Don't make promises you can't keep Hank," cautioned Storm. "We are yet to see what kind of state Logan is in after Ilehana's passing and the influx of powers he received as the Guardian of Metal. Why did the Professor feel he needed bringing back at all? Why did he not just ask Logan to return via Cerebro?"
"I don't know Storm," admitted Beast dejectedly. "I just do not know."