May 21, 2006: And now for Part Two…
Please read the first post for the huge Author's Note, explaining most things that might matter to this story, lol! ;)
I will repeat that I have taken a few liberties with the Marvel Universe - not unlike Marvel ;) - but that it should still be recognizable. I do not own these characters - except for the ones I created for the story - and make no monies from writing about them. This is just for fun, folks. :)
I will also point out that this has not been Betaed so any errors are my own darned fault.
Words bracketed by '/' are in another language. FFN doesn't like what I actually used the last few times so I've had to improvise. I hope it works…
And if you should lose track of which kid is which, don't worry about it. Stream of consciousness, go with the flow… :)
My continued thanks to those who read and those who review. Your feedback is appreciated. Mari? This is so you don't get bored… ;)
Enjoy!
Smashing Through the Looking Glass
Chapter Four: Part Two
What's Your Secret?
I fluff my wet hair and decide not to pull it back into a ponytail. I perform a quick check for unwanted body hair but that goop from the drug store really works and I haven't had to shave for almost two weeks. Sunscreen comes next, slathered everywhere for protection. Even though it's late, the sun still has the power to damage. Last thing I need is more freckles or a burn. My bath sheet is hanging on the back of my door and I wrap it around my waist, tucking it in so it won't fall off while I negotiate the stairs. It reaches my ankles, for which I'm eternally glad: it's cold in here. Must get outside. I wriggle my feet into my sandals, which I find under the dresser, put on a good layer of lip saver and head out the door, the One Ring bouncing against my skin as I walk -
- into Logan, who is standing outside my door, hand raised to knock. He steadies me before I can fall against the wall.
"Easy there, darlin'," he drawls. I don't seem to be 'kid' anymore. I'm not sure which I'm more comfortable with.
"Thanks," I say, closing my door and fiddling with my towel. It's perfectly secure, but I'm embarrassed to look at him. I want to get to the pool and play tag with the kids. Maybe the older group can set up water volleyball at one end and I can practice my spike: the pool is huge. I can guess why he's here, but I hope he doesn't ask me anything about Dr. Grey.
We stand there for about a minute. I can feel his body heat and wonder how he survives in the humid weather. I'm staring at his cowboy boots, worn brown leather but well maintained. He isn't saying anything, just breathing, apparently relaxed, which is more than I can say for myself. Finally, he speaks.
"/I apologize/" he says, quietly. Not quite what I feared. I slide my mind into Japanese.
"/For what/"
"/For scaring you./" I shrug. "/I do not want to scare you, Neko chan./" I look up at him when he says that. He just called me 'cat', as in 'Kitty', as if it were a translation of my name. He's looking back at me. I take a deep breath.
"/Apology accepted./" I poke him in the chest, like I did in the kitchen earlier, but I'm not serious this time. "Just don't make a habit of it, 'kay?"
He smiles, a nice smile, not scary at all.
"Deal."
"I owe you an apology, too."
His brow furrows in thought. "For what?"
"At the very least, for kneeing you in the crotch." I blush a little, knowing how much that part of the anatomy hurts. I'm ashamed I did that to him. It wasn't fair.
"Apology accepted."
"Thank you." I take a step to my left. "Coming back to the party?"
"In a bit," he says.
"See you later, then." I smile and head towards the stairs. Jubilee, who lives down the hall in the opposite direction, meets me at the main landing. Her red bikini is a bit more daring than mine and she's wearing a proper beach skirt made of semi-transparent floaty stuff in - what else? - red and yellow flowers. I think she picked out the fabric and pattern and Ms. Munroe made it for her. Her flip-flops and towel are red.
"You talkin' to yourself again?" she asks.
"No, I'm talking to -" But Logan isn't there when I turn back towards my room. That guy can really move, and quietly. "To… my giant, invisible friend, Harvey, the white rabbit." I pat the air above me and to the right. "Good bunny."
Jubilee looks at me, as if wondering whether or not she needs to get the Professor, then decides I'm joking. Guess she hasn't seen the movie.
"Well, lookin' good, babe," she comments, grabbing my towel and yanking it free.
"Hey!"
"Gotta show off those legs." She tries to drape the towel over my shoulder but I snatch it from her and start wrapping it around my waist again.
"Uh-uh," she says, and we have a short tug of war with my towel until someone clears their throat. We look down at the bottom of the stairs. It's Jack and Russell, the terrier twins.
"We, uh, came down the back stairs but you weren't in the kitchen -"
"Or at the pool so -"
"So we decided to come looking for you."
"Fuckin' A."
"Russell," I say, in a friendly, warning tone.
He spreads his arms, like a lawyer trying to convince the jury of his client's innocence. "Do you see any kids around here?"
I shake my head. "You're incorrigible."
"Yes," he agrees, nodding his head. "Yes, I am."
I fold my towel over my right arm. As Jubilee and I descend, I quickly take in what these lads from England consider to be pool attire. Russell is wearing a t-shirt and a pair of swim shorts, both in black. Must be his signature colour, if black is considered a colour. His feet are bare, trusting soul that he is, and a towel is draped around his neck like a scarf with one end flipped over the shoulder. It seems to have come from the same bin as Don Ho's wardrobe. He looks adorable. Jack is wearing a black tank top and black Speedo swim trunks that, of course, might as well be lycra briefs. He's wearing his sneakers, without socks, again. His towel has similar origins to Russell's, and he has it draped over one shoulder. I hope Jubilee isn't drooling too much or I might have to pretend I don't know her.
I give her a quick glance: never seen her before in my life.
"Shall we?" Russell holds his arm out to me a fraction of a second before Jack does. I link my arm through his and we proceed to the kitchen. I see Jack graciously accepting Jubilee's arm and she hasn't noticed a thing. Gold star for Hotboy - Jack.
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The scrambler is a big hit. Kids are hanging upside down and swinging around and challenging one another. Peter and Mr. Wagner are supervising. Roberto, still in wet clothes from his jaunt in the pool, is doing chin ups on one of the lower bars, with Siryn as a rapt audience. Keisha is standing at the top when we emerge from the kitchen and she waves to us. We wave back. I can't see Angie or Rahne or Xi'an. I do a quick survey of the pool area. Or Amara.
"Sorry, guys, but I'm still hungry."
I pull away from Russell and head for the dessert tables. Someone has switched on the faerie lights that are threaded around the porch posts and the paper lanterns glow along the beams. The garden floodlights have been activated, for security as well as party visibility and the torches have been lit. The lights are on around the pool, of course, including the ones under the water. It's approaching dusk, but you can still see without all the extra sources of light. It's beautiful. In about an hour, the sun will have completely set and the garden will be transformed into another world.
As I pile various tasty looking confections onto my plate, I consider two things. The first one is the idea of the garden becoming another world. It sets off distant bells of recognition that I can't identify. The second thing is the Professor's warning to the kids earlier, one I know very well, that you shouldn't go swimming until you've digested food for about an hour. I study my plate. My stomach growls. It feels like I haven't eaten for hours.
"What's up, babe?"
"There's just so much to choose from," I lie. "I want to eat it all." Hmmm, that's a third thing to think about, though: Why am I so hungry?
"Do what I do," she says and plates a couple more éclairs. "Stick with the really good stuff."
"Sound advice," says one of the terrier twins. Jack and Russell don't bother with plates. They each take a napkin and an éclair and start eating them voraciously. Russell finishes his first and raises his arms in what I take to be a victory pose.
"You win this time, young Jedi. Until we meet again," Jack tells his friend in a deep, menacing voice, reminding me a bit of Darth Vader. Guess he likes 'Star Wars', too. I take a bite of a butter tart and look over at him.
Mistake.
Jack is licking the last of the cream from his lips and sucking the chocolate off his fingers. It's quite possibly the most erotic thing I've ever seen, not that I get out a lot, but… Then he sees me, watching him, and his eyes go very dark and gleam, like polished jet. I've seen those eyes before, but I don't know where, and it bothers me. He doesn't resemble the angel he reminded me of earlier anymore. He's a devil now, and he knows it.
What's your secret? I ask - in my mind. I wonder if that'll be part of the 'Getting to Know You' game?
I look away. Angie, Rahne and Xi'an have returned to the garden, sporting various styles of summer clothing that might conceal swimwear. They're all carrying towels, anyway, so it's a good guess. Angie is wearing a t-shirt and shorts, both purple, with sandals to match. The white letters in a fancy script on the t-shirt ask: 'Pourquoi pas?' I don't have an answer to that one. The sentiment goes well with Bobby's t-shirt, though.
Pourquoi pas? Just do it…Rahne is wearing a t-shirt that's too large for her and shapeless, lightweight track pants, both in grey. Her sneakers are also grey, but I think they used to be white. It isn't the most flattering ensemble I've ever seen but I'm sure she's comfortable.
Xi'an looks like she's been attacked by the promotions department of a sports competition. Her light blue cap is Nike with the swoosh, of course. Her golf shirt is also blue and has the Olympic logo above her left breast. Matching shorts complete the outfit, with the exception of the sneakers, which are high-end, shiny white Adidas that will make Pietro drool as soon as he sees them. For some reason, I remember from all the hype about the Athens games that the Vietnamese athletes will compete for the first time in rowing and canoeing. I wonder if she's a sports enthusiast or just enjoys looking like one.
I finish chewing my butter tart and start a conversation with Amara, of all people, who has appeared beside me, gazing at the desserts, wearing some sort of toga in white with a deep blue border and leather sandals. It suits her but this isn't a costume party. Whatever. "I don't think we've met," I say, swallowing the last of my tart and offering my free hand. She shakes it hesitantly. "I'm Kitty."
"I am Lady Amara Juliana Olivia Aquilla." She has a nice voice, gentle yet firm. Appropriate for royalty, I guess. I can't figure out her accent, though if she's from Rome, I assume it's Italian.
"Wow." Brilliant response, Pryde. "You have a beautiful name. Mine is alarmingly short by comparison."
"It is not to be expected that everyone have such a responsibility."
"Responsibility?" I select a chocolate-dipped shortbread cookie from my plate and bite into it.
"Each of my names denotes an ancestor to whom I must strive to honour."
"Oh." I swallow and try not to be overwhelmed by such an ominous statement. "I was named after my grandmother," I say, keeping a straight face though I feel seriously out of my depth.
Amara looks at me with solemn, blue eyes. "You have been honoured, too, then."
Roberto is suddenly beside us, still wearing wet clothing.
"The Professor tells us you'll be able to introduce Lady Amara to the world of computers," he says smoothly. He smiles. "Lady Amara has not had the benefit of modern technology like most of us." So, Lady Amara has a champion, I say - in my mind. I decide the title fits, as 'puppy dog' doesn't, and wonder what these two have been through to create that bond. They exchange a glance and look at me, as if uncertain how to continue. As Fate would have it, they don't need to worry.
"If I can have everyone's attention, please." The Professor is beside the pool, near one of the security lights. "Your attention, please?"
Someone gives a sharp, loud whistle, like I can sort of do if I put two fingers in my mouth and blow. I trace it to Logan, who does it again for emphasis. He doesn't need to put any fingers in his mouth to get it right, though. The scrambler isn't abandoned but those playing on it perch, at attention. The kids in the pool swim to the edge and hang onto the side. I can see blurry legs under the water, kicking slowly behind them. We all calm down sufficiently that the Professor speaks, smiling as he takes in the sight of his teachers and students, gathered together before the start of another term.
"Thank you. I'd like to welcome all the new students to our school. We're like a family here, and be assured that questions, concerns and successes will receive an equal level of diligence and attention. But tonight, academics are not the focus. Tonight, I want you to relax in your new home. I will now ask Ms. Munroe to give a toast."
The goddess steps forward and faces everyone, raising her glass of lemonade. She provides a striking figure and reminds me of the Statue of Liberty. Something catches in my throat when I think of that, wondering how my grandmother, Katherine Prydeman, felt when she first saw the skyline of New York.
"To students and teachers, old and new, and those absent from our embrace."
There are murmurs around the garden as various salutes in different languages and at different volumes are heard.
"Thank you, Ororo." The Professor clears his throat. "Before we enjoy the piñata, Sam, Dani and Xi'an have been working on a 'Getting to Know You' game. Please indulge them, and don't forget the dessert table still has lots of food."
Here it comes…
"Okay, everybody," Sam says, and he's tall enough and loud enough to be impossible to ignore. Reminds me of a drill sergeant, albeit a relaxed one. "Ah'd like you to find three other people and form a group and find somewhere to sit. Let's go!" He claps his hands for emphasis. I catch snippets of conversation as Jubilee and I drift together in a sea of noise and bodies.
"Nice toast, 'roro," I hear Logan say to Ms. Munroe as she passes. "Way I like 'em: short an' sweet."
"Thank you, Logan."
"Can I be in your group, Roberto?"
"Of course, Siryn. I would be delighted." The giggle of a young girl.
"Ange! Over here, girl! We're with Mr. Wagner and Dr. McCoy."
"I'm coming! This is so exciting!"
"Sorry, Iz, you have to leave the pool."
"Dani!"
"It's only for a while."
"Oh-kay." The slosh of water on stone.
"Nice speech, Chuck. Way I like 'em: short an' sweet."
"Thank you, Logan."
"Rahne? Sugah, you're with Pietro an' Bobby an' me."
"That's vera kind o' you."
"Ray? Blink? You can hang upside down later."
"We're too old for games, Peter!"
"I'll be playing, too. Come down."
"Awww!"
"Come down. Now." The thud of bodies landing on the ground.
"Wanda?"
"Over here, Ali. We get to meet Russell."
"That's not a big deal, you know, luv."
"Listen to Wanda. Stay here."
"Do you always talk about yourself in the third person, luv?"
"Wanda wants you here, too, Sarah - just don't summon your friend to join us. Wanda isn't in the mood right now."
"Is that a 'yes'?"
The splash of water.
"IZ!"
"Not me, Mr. Guthrie."
"Sorry, Iz. Kale! Frankie! Outta the pool!"
"Julie, if you let the grasshopper go, she can rejoin her family."
"I know, Ms. Munroe. I just wanted to say 'hello'."
"Would you like to be in our group? Xi'an will be with us."
"Okay. I just have to put her into the bushes, where she won't get stepped on."
"Of course."
"KALE!"
"Coming!"
The clatter of pop cans as some recycling is done.
"Jamie, why don't you come with us? I'm sure Amara would like to meet you."
"Sure, Mr. Summers."
"Only one of you though, please. The caterers are still here."
"Gotcha."
"'Bye, grasshopper."
"We need a forth. Karina? Are you with a group yet?"
"Uh, no…"
"Why don't you join Julie, Xi'an and myself?"
"Uh, sure, Ms. Munroe."
"I almost didn't see you, dear. You're blending in with the wall again."
"Uh, sorry."
There's a rush of colour as Kale and Frankie join Roberto and Siryn. Kale just has a stereotypical surfer's lack of wardrobe sense: is it clean? Doesn't have to match. Wonder if he dressed like that when he first walked on water in Baja, at San Miguel, I think it was. Frankie dresses almost as brightly as Jubilee - appropriate for someone who turns into some kind of exotic bird.
Ray and Blink, rarely apart, join Harley, who's chatting with Liz, as usual these days. Ray has a reptilian mutation that's always present in at least one way: his tongue is forked. He's very quiet in public. Blink doesn't know what sleep is, poor kid, but he can sure absorb a lot of television shows at the speed he changes the channel. Harley lives up to his name as his mutant power involves being able to repair anything with wheels. Neither the Professor nor his parents will let him have a hog until he turns eighteen, so for the next two years, he'll have to live with performing stunts on his tricked-out bike. No new student amongst them, but Liz is still fairly recent and her brother is Brian Braddock, Mr. Super Dude over seas. As a low-level telepath, she intimidates some of the other students, but not Harley. Her purple hair is, apparently, natural.
I look around at who isn't in a group yet, as I've been too busy people watching with Jubilee to find a group myself. Other than Jubes and me, there's Sam, Dani, Peter and Logan. Oh, and Dave, who can paint with his fingers - without any exterior source of paint - but he's about to be dragged out of the hammock by Sam. I don't count Professor Xavier, as he'll probably listen to the game but not directly participate. He's reaching for another glass of lemonade and smiling at the caterers. I wonder what they think of this school…
I've forgotten someone: Jack. Right. Why isn't he with a group yet? You'd think by now someone would've grabbed him -
Then I realize he's beside me, Jubilee's hand firmly around his wrist. He looks amused. She arches an eyebrow at me and says, "You thought I'd let Hotboy get away from us, babe?" Jack laughs at the name.
I had hopes, I say - in my mind. Something about him bugs me but I can't put my finger on it. I must still be spooked from the whole Dr. Grey experience in the study earlier. "Now we just need a fourth."
The words have barely left my mouth and Logan has joined our group.
"Guess I'll oblige," he drawls, but he's looking hard at Jack.
Dear God, this is Kitty again. Can I please start this day over, from the beginning, just so I have a chance to get a grip on it? 'Cause right now, I feel like a snowball in Hell. When did I lose my ability to deal with my life? Hope you get back to me soon. Ping me! Love, Kitty.
"Great," I manage, giving a tight smile, and parking my butt on the ground near a torch. The others join me. I glance around the lawn and note Xavier's garden is populated with little powwows. How cute. I give myself a mental shake, wondering when I became quite so sarcastic about a harmless little barbeque. Hold hands when you cross the road. Swim with a buddy. Always put things back where you find them. Play well with others...
"Okay, people, listen up!"
We do. Once again, it's hard to ignore Sam.
"Dani, Xi'an an' me have decided we're all gonna get to know the people in our group." There are some murmurs which he silences with his hands. "Just general stuff, like where you're from and what your favourite type of ice cream is, you know? Then we'll each stand up and say something to the whole lotta us about someone in our group other than ourselves." Sam frowns a bit. "Am ah clear on that? Dani?"
"You're clear, Sam," Dani says, stopping any doubts her friend might have about his presentation. Sam does like to get things right.
"It's just an icebreaker, folks, so ah won't be giving a quiz later, but see if you can retain somethin' about your new friends."
Jubilee and I exchange a glance that conveys several things. She's wondering why I wouldn't want Jack in our group. I shrug. We're wondering why Logan is eyeing Jack like he's trespassing on private property. We both shrug at that. I roll my eyes and lightly snap the top edge of my bikini bottoms. Jubilee nods. We want to go swimming, damn it. This game could take forever.
"So," Logan says, startling both of us back to the task at hand and turning a mild glare on Hotboy. "What's your favourite type of ice cream, Jack?"
Dear God, where are you?