June 10, 2006: My apologies for not posting sooner. My computer and the Internet - and FFN in particular - were not on speaking terms over the last few weeks. I think that's been resolved now. :)
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. :)
And in case anyone was wondering…
I started reading the X-Men in the mid-eighties and stopped about ten years later. I collected the back issues as well and Kitty Pryde has always been a favourite. Chris Claremont might have overdone the angst sometimes with my beloved heroes, but he did the character of Kitty some justice. I was sorry she wasn't more featured in the movie adaptations. What has happened to her character since about halfway through 'Excalibur' is mostly unknown to me, but the animated series has created their own interpretation - not unlike what I'm doing here. ;)
This has not been Betaed so any errors are my own darned fault.
Words bracketed by '/' are in another language.
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 greatly appreciated. I will remind folks that though I've said I've only written nine chapters, I have split them into two parts for posting on FFN. This means there are eighteen chapters in total to be posted. I hope to get back to this story soon and continue the adventure, as it is currently unfinished.
Enjoy!
Smashing Through the Looking Glass
Chapter Five: Part One
Waiting for Harvey
August 5, 2004, 8:22 PM
Jack sits with his arms wrapped loosely around his knees and holds his ground, calmly replying, "Chocolate."
"Chocolate's good." Jubilee kneels, her flowery skirt surrounding her prettily like a wave of petunias. She's wary, not sure what to make of the situation. "I'll take Peanut Butter Ripple for five hundred, myself."
"Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough." I must stop grinding my teeth. "Logan? Since you so kindly got the ball rolling, what's your favourite type of ice cream?" How I manage to say that brightly without sounding like Mrs. Brady may never be discovered.
"Rocky Road," he states clearly then glances at me. "I like pecans." Make note of that, Pryde, his eyes seem to say, mocking the whole 'Getting to Know You' experience. He returns his glare to the Brit.
Jubilee is twisting one corner of her towel around the fingers of her free hand. "Pecans are good."
"Nuts are a source of fat," Jack says evenly.
Over to Logan.
"And protein."
Volley to Jack.
"Protein is good."
I nudge Jubilee casually while straightening my towel. Maybe she'll get the message and stop being a parrot.
"So," I begin. "Where are you from, Jack?"
"England," he says flatly. Great. Thanks for the head's up. I never would've figured that out, I say - in my mind.
"It might be small on the map," I say diplomatically, "but I know there's a lot of different areas in England that you could be from." He doesn't respond but continues to stare at Logan, escalating the tension.
"Canada." Thanks, Logan, that narrows it down. Then again, he could be guessing for all I know. Details of his past are a mystery to everyone.
"Beverly Hills, California," Jubilee says chattily, deciding to ride her way through this rough patch the way she does her Literature classes: to quote her, 'Bamboozle 'em, baby.' "Though not the nine-oh-two-one-oh code. Palm trees, sunsunsun, and an endless variety of lip-gloss. After that, it was the Hollywood Mall, baby, in Los Angeles." Jack finally looks away from Logan to stare at her, obviously puzzled. If I didn't know the story, I would be, too. "Great shopping," she adds vaguely. I decide it's my turn, so Jubilee doesn't feel compelled to explain why she was living in a mall.
"Deerfield, Illinois. Small town. Cookie-cutter houses from the sixties, lawn gnomes, PTA meetings, you know?"
Logan's eyebrows rise toward his hairline. "'Lawn gnomes'?"
"Hey, I didn't put them there, my Dad did. Must be a guy thing, 'cause the neighbourhood swarmed with them and it was one of those areas where the men did the mowing." My eyes shift between Logan and Jack as I add, "Sometimes the testosterone gets out of control and people do weird stuff, you know?"
Chew on that, guys, I say - in my mind.
Logan smiles. It could be perceived as scary, but I've seen scary and know better.
"Glastonbury," Jack blurts, apparently relieved that the battle of wills has been interrupted. He sighs. "In Somerset. The West Country." He hesitates then decides he wants to share more details. "In a sixteenth century stone manse, with a view of the Somerset Levels and the Mendip Hills." I don't know what they look like, but I've seen documentaries on England and can imagine rolling green hills and so on. He certainly seems enthusiastic about it, but then, he obviously considers it 'home'. For me, that's Xavier's. "It's been in my family for generations."
"Cool," Jubilee says, meaning it.
"The floors are so uneven, a marble rolls along the planks without a push."
"I bet you've lost a lotta marbles."
"Yes, Kitty, I have."
That comment was a bit ambiguous, but I try not to examine it too closely and press onward.
"My house was boring by comparison, with beige walls and wall-to-wall carpeting and a view of the Johnson's laundry line and the Parker's pool, but my room was okay. Had to fight with my parents to let me paint it blue, though."
"You don't miss it, do you?"
Perceptive.
"Not one bit."
There's a lull in the conversation, which is more like loosely related statements than an actual conversation, really. I wonder how long Sam is going to give us before we have to do our presentations? Please let us go swimming first, please, please, please…
"I take it you like Tolkein," Jack says, nodding to where the One Ring is hanging just below my collarbone.
"I've been a fan for ages," I say. "You've read the books?"
"Oh, yes, and seen the movies." He sniffs. "Not bad, for Hollywood."
"The movies were awesome!" Jubilee likes this topic. We could be here for hours. "And the elf totally rocked, though I'd've married Aragorn for stability, ya know? And who wants to live with someone prettier than you, anyway?"
"You lead a rich fantasy life, Jubes."
"This from the girl who talks to Harvey."
Jack blinks. I can tell he's running through the list of people he's met and coming up empty for 'Harvey'. "Who?"
"He's a giant, white rabbit, apparently."
"Really?"
"No," I say. I can't suppress a grin. Change the topic or she'll reveal all your idiosyncrasies, Pryde… "What's your all-time favourite book, Logan?"
He looks a bit startled, like no one thought to ask him before because they didn't think he could read, or something. He shifts on the grass so he's half lying down, elbow on the ground, head propped up by a hand. I think he's giving himself time to think. I decide he probably has a lot of books to choose from, and finish my shortbread cookie.
"'Moby Dick'."
Jubilee swallows some of her éclair a bit sharply. "'Moby Dick'?"
Logan laughs. It's a genuine, deep sound, like hearing the rumble of an underground river.
"You were expecting 'Harry Potter'?"
"Nooo, just not a big fish story."
"And your favourite book would be?"
Jubilee appears to contemplate her other éclair. Bet she didn't expect Logan to ask her that.
"And don't say 'Harry Potter'," I add in a tone that suggests I am eliminating her only choice. She sticks her tongue out at me.
"It's five books so far, anyway."
"I… sit corrected."
"I'll pick… 'The Bourne Supremacy'."
"Why?"
"Hey, I didn't ask you why you chose the whale tale."
Logan shrugs. "It's a classic struggle. You?"
"It's a movie, with Matt Damon, no less, so I thought I'd read the book."
Logan snorts at the mention of one of Jubilee's most loved actors. "The book came first, of course."
"I know that."
"So that's your favourite of all time?" he sounds sceptical, but in a kidding sort of way. No wonder these two get along.
"I'm reading it now and it's good. That's the best I can do. Jack?"
"'The Iliad'."
Jubilee looks blank. I step in. "Homer. Trojan War. Greek stuff." Still blank. I sigh. "You know, city at siege, wooden horse, thousands of people dying in horrific battles because some guy named Paris can't keep his pants -"
A light goes on. "Oh, you mean 'Troy'? That movie with Eric Bana?"
"Close enough." Someday, I'll strap Jubilee to a chair in the school's library and force her to read some of the classics that are really classics. Homer would be as good a place to start as any.
"Well, that's an interesting choice," she says, trying to be polite.
"Why?" Logan asks.
Jack smiles. "It's one of the few pieces that are as close to a true historical account as we're going to get, I think." Enter 'classroom mode'. He must really like this subject. "It was written not long after the war actually occurred, relatively speaking for those times, considering the tradition of oral history, and I think the writing - in the translation I read, anyway - is beautiful."
"If there was a Trojan War."
Jack frowns slightly. "I have it on good authority that the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann found the remnants of Troy at a site in Turkey in the nineteenth century. He determined it was the seventh city down of nine built on top of one another. Writers and poets other than Homer documented the event. It's hard to miss a ten year nightmare."
"Fair 'nough. What about you, Pryde?"
"'Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There'."
Jack laughs. "Have you been asked this before or was that just an impulse response?"
I shrug. "It's my answer." I gaze longingly at the pool and the setting sun. C'mon, Sam, give us a break. I locate him near another one of the torches and focus on the back of his head. If you're listening, God, you'll let us go swimming first, then finish the game…
Sam stands and claps his hands, twice. "Alright, everybody, time for a break. Why don't ya'll get some refreshments an' take in the sunset an' the pool. We'll come back in about half an hour to forty-five minutes an' share what we've learned about each other."
Dani looks confused, like this wasn't part of the plan, but everyone starts getting up and stretching and heading for the dessert and beverage tables, chatting happily.
I swallow.
God? Is that you?
Hello, Kitty…
A rush of wind fills my ears and I'm burning.
Dr. Grey? No response. Jean?
That's better. Enjoy the pool.
And she's gone.
I'm shaking. I think I've just channelled Jean Grey. Professor. Must find the Professor…
"C'mon." Jubilee takes my dessert plate and puts it on the grass. "We won't be long and if the ants reach it, Julie can tell us if they get a sugar buzz."
I follow Sam with my eyes as he walks with his group. Dave says something to him, and he smiles and nods. Everything seems fine. I turn to speak to Logan, not sure what I'll say but I don't get the chance.
"Come on!" My hands are grabbed by the other members of our group, Jubilee taking my right and Jack my left, and I'm hustled towards the pool. I manage to shake them off, assuring them that I come willingly. I reach the edge. The water is already churning with bobbing heads, as some of the kids didn't have to be told twice, but they've moved away from the deep end, knowing that should be kept free for the divers. I hold my breath and arc into the water.
I go deep, enjoying the sensation. It feels wonderful and cooling, even though the pool is heated. I stay under as long as I can - that's three minutes and twenty-two seconds, last count - and surface near the middle of the pool. Holding my breath is required for phasing, too, and I've been practicing, trying to extend it as long as possible. You never know when it might come in handy.
Jubilee did decide to swim, after all, and I watch her tread water beside Jack, who looks just as good wet as he does when he's dry. I chew on my bottom lip and drift in the opposite direction, towards the shallow end.
Rahne is no longer wearing her sweat pants and t-shirt. I think the blue one-piece flatters her. Rogue is in the water, looking very fashionable in a black swimsuit with long sleeves and gloves, trying to talk her down the steps. She's obviously nervous, but is sitting on the second step down, so the water is lapping around her thighs. Bobby is making pushing motions behind her back and some of the other guys are giving him the thumbs up.
The den mother in me reacts. I don't think it's a good idea. I think people's fears need to be respectfully addressed, and I can tell this isn't the time to put Rahne to the test. Not on her first day here, and not at a party full of people she doesn't know very well. Who knows what her mutant ability is, or how she'll react if she's startled? And the caterers are still here… At this point, my feet touch the bottom and I stride towards him to prevent any pushing from occurring. I don't want to yell across the pool, but I'm not moving as fast as I would like.
Bobby Drake! Don't you dare!
It takes me a few seconds to realize he's collapsed onto the stone, cringing, hands over his ears. I stop suddenly and the water wakes behind me, breaking over my hips like a wave on a rocky shore.
Oh, shit.
Rogue and Kale are at his side but he's waving them away, looking around a bit wildly. Rahne, who would've been the victim of his mischief moments ago, is out of the water and meeting Dr. McCoy, who has hurried towards the pool. He probably saw it happen. Moves fast for a big guy.
"Bobby -"
"I'm fine, Rogue. Lemme alone!"
He stands and waits for the doctor, who arrives seconds later.
"Mr. Drake, are you -"
"Someone was in my head," Bobby tells him, quietly enough that there's no cause for alarm, but he's shaking. "A girl, in my head."
"Can you elaborate?" Sam has joined him and is looking worried but remains silent.
"Well, I was just going to push Rahne into the pool -"
"Hey!" Rogue puts a protective arm around the young redhead.
"I didn't mean any harm! And I didn't do it 'cause -"
"Someone made you stop." Dr. McCoy is good. My appreciation of his multiple degrees and legendary status as a member of the first X-Men team grows daily. "A voice, inside your head, forced you to stop."
"Yeah." Bobby shifts from one foot to another. "It hurt, too." He looks at Rahne. "I'm sorry."
"You dinna do anythin'."
"No, but I thought about it, and it probably wouldn't've been a good idea."
"Rahne's scared of water," Rogue says quietly, firmly. "Weren't you payin' attention durin' the group talk?"
"Duh," Pietro adds, suddenly part of the conversation. He's standing on the other side of Rahne, arms crossed over his chest, pale hair slicked back with water: a knight in shiny, silver Speedos. "It came right after 'What's your favourite thing to do?' under the heading 'What are you most afraid of?'" He sounds brave and puts on a good show, but I note he's standing out of Bobby's hitting range.
"Okay, alright, I'm a jerk. Get over it, Pete. I said I was sorry."
So, I was right. I could sense the girl's fear. The accusation comes: It's just a party; it would have been just a harmless little prank. Did I over-react? A better question might be: Was that my voice inside his head? And if it was, how did I do that?
Dr. McCoy waves Liz over: the only known telepath other than the Professor on the grounds. She walks, with grace and dignity, purple ponytail swinging, and stops beside him.
"Did you notice what Bobby was doing, dear?"
"You mean after he fell?" Her voice is very BBC World News. She would probably read the telephone book well, too.
"No, dear. Before he fell."
"Was he doing something interesting?" Liz looks around. "What did I miss?" Her confusion is genuine.
"Thank you, Liz." God, he's patient. He turns to Bobby. "Are you feeling well?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just… I'm fine."
"Alright, then." He slaps the boy heartily across the shoulders, and somehow, Bobby manages not to fall for the second time in as many minutes. "Back to the party!" He and Sam return to the buffet. Pietro wisely makes himself scarce. Even with the caterers here, Bobby the Prankster will not be denied if given the opportunity.
I'm still standing in the shallow end, watching. Our fears weren't covered in our group, I think. Rogue probably came up with that question, having some major issues herself. Makes our stilted conversation about ice cream and books stupid by comparison.
Smooth, Jean. That wasn't subtle at all. Not like what you did with Sam.
There wasn't time for subtle, Kitty…
Damn. She's still there.
I'm going to enjoy the rest of the evening. Please don't intrude again, unless it's an emergency.
Silence.
I turn back to the deep end and disappear under the water, walking along the bottom near the edge. Thinking.