Here we go, X-Men fans. Chapter two of Wushu Who and we're official into the story now. I'm sure everyone was happy to see the story starting off and that I will be continuing the story started in Capoeira De Toad. But you should know that while it was such a delicious story, I feel that I didn't get to address some issues that are vastly complex and were unable to look into due to the first story's parameters and requirements. So, I see that this is a chance to expand that horizon and for us to see what really is in the characters, morally and ethically, because of the situations that are coming up. And it is going to be a dozy.
And there is even a reason for this chapter being put out in nearly half the time that I said it would take. This chapter is written for a friend overseas, who solely pushed me to write better and better and to make this story a reality. This Sunday was his birthday and since I got this chapter written so quickly, I'm putting this up in his honor. Thanks a million, bro, for all the support! The next chapter will be put on the 30th of November and following that will be the 30th of December and so on. This was just kind of a special event for me.
But, I feel that is enough of my irrelevant ramblings of an author and that you all are here to read something of intelligence. So, pleases, enjoy the chapter here for you all.
The Welcome Home: Part 1: Landing in Winchester, New York
The traffic had been light when they left the mansion that morning, a habit both Charles Xavier's and Ororo Munroe's shared. For Charles, it was result of being a professor at university and some of the more encouraging lesson that had been taught to him in the army. For Ororo, her life in Africa always started with the sun rising and not one once of daylight was to be wasted.
The black Mercedes eased to a stop outside an airport just outside of Winchester, closer to the X-Mansion than the town of Bayville. Ororo smiled as she looked out for the two students that they were picking up. Normally, she was excited to meet new students because that meant meeting new, interesting people and that she would have someone else to look after. But this was even more exciting for because they were picking a current student and her boyfriend that had been away for a year.
Ororo wasn't sure why it she got her self so wound up but she supposed it was because the house hadn't felt the same without either of them there. Not to mention that they really made an effort to speak and see how she was doing every time they saw her. Other students did that too but she just felt there was something different when they did it. Ororo glanced over to the silent professor and smiled as Charles looked for their students.
The years had been kind to the Professor but the last five years had been very challenging with the trials of the X-Men and his once friend Magneto. His blue eyes shut briefly as he remembered all of the cost that both sides had suffered through, this senseless war. Was peace between the two races, humans and mutants, really something so hard to wish for, or was it a fools dream?
But the old man shook his head, smiling as he opened his eyes and looked out to the newly arriving travelers from all sorts of places. Some were coming to visit to friends, others for family and some came here for the sake of a vacation. But he was looking for two very specific people, two young adults…
"Professor, do you think that they changed much?" Ororo asked him curiously.
"Why do you ask, Ororo?" He asked back, looking at his beautiful assistant.
"Well, I know living somewhere for a long period of time can change a person and the letters Jamie and Rahne got for a while were rather worrying."
It was true. The two students, Laura and Todd, had been over in China at an extremely prestigious school for the martial arts and for just over a year the letters had been full of such promise. Some things were more worrying that than other but in the end the two had made the right choices. But a few weeks later, the letters and messages had been getting shorter and shorter and the underlying messages were full of hollow words.
It wasn't until that the head teacher had sent Xavier himself a letter to explain that a death of some students had shock the school and Todd had been close to them. There had been other issues but the master had been unable to elaborate on them. Soon after, a maybe a week at most, the letters returned to normal and the worry mostly left everyone.
"Ororo, my dear, I'm sure that those two will be more the same than different when they arrive. Yes, of course there are going to be changes to them but I think that you can relax in knowing that they will be the same." Xavier assured her.
"I guess your right. I mean, they certainly seem to have opened up considering the photos we saw of them." Ororo said in reflection. "Some of those were very cute, I must admit."
"Hmm, indeed and it does look like they both made some solid friends." Xavier added, smiling and patting her hand. "Don't worry, I'm sure they will be same."
As they spoke calmly and casually between the two, the bald psychic felt a trigger go off in his head. As he looked over to the exit of the airport, he felt a large smile spread on his face as he saw the two people leaving the airport.
"Ororo, look." Xavier gestured to the glass doors and the weather goddess gasped lightly as she saw the two standing there.
And she couldn't help but let her smile just grow to its fullest length. Walking out of the sliding doors was the happiest couple in the world, Todd Tolansky and Laura Logan. And Xavier was right, they still looked the same but they were also different in a good way.
The young man was dressed in brighter and more vibrant colors than before, his smiling and open appearance something that was different from when he left. His smile was bright and his eyes, while scanning the lot for their ride home, always returned back to X23. His button shirt had a green base touches of yellow and purple, accentuating the trail of cross-like designs going across his torso with a dragon wrapped around the images.
His cargo pants were a darker, more forest green color but the threading had been down in a bright yellow; even his black jacket seemed to be brighter on him. Todd's hand was gently interlinked with Laura's and the girl had her head resting on shoulder as she laughed, straightening up to help him look about. She looked absolutely gorgeous, the young woman really growing up while she was away and opening up too.
The way Laura was dressing didn't really emphasize the personal growth like the body language was. Her long black hair had been done up with red chopsticks and shockingly she had red lipstick on and red eye shadow. Her top was a laced blouse front in a dusk red and black color, fading into her black dress pants. She even still had her black jacket on, so Laura still had some residual of her former life.
But her eyes were brighter and her smile was almost brighter than a fluorescent light could ever match. Her hand was interlinked with Todd's, her other hand pulling a suitcase in similar size to her boyfriend's and her knapsack attached to the suitcase while Todd kept carrying his.
A man in uniform came over and, almost instantly, Ororo could see the eyes of the younger woman darker while Todd seemed to look older beyond his years. Quickly, she put the car in gear and drove around to them; the two teenagers looked hopeful at first and then elated at the sight of Ororo while the officer present just look confused.
"Hello children, it's so good to see you!" Ororo exclaimed as she stepped out of the car.
Todd took a hold of his girlfriend's bags and let her run to Storm, giving her long, warm hug. Ororo squeezed the child back and leaned back to see her in her glory up close. Laura, or as she was more commonly called X23, look almost exactly as when she had left and she even looked a bit more but Storm wasn't sure what it was.
But it was definitely there, she was practically a whole new woman!
"Hey Ororo, I'm so glad you were able to pick us up. We were a little worried when Otero said he might not be able to make here today." X23 admitted as she stepped back, holding Ororo's hands.
"Now child, I would make all the time in the world for you." Ororo assured, looking up as Todd walked over and set the suitcases upright. "Ah, Todd, come here and let me see how you are."
Todd chuckled and walked over, wrapping his arms around Ororo and gave her a warm hug. The weather goddess was surprised by the hug, because he never really hugged her so tenderly before and she never felt his arms were this strong. As he stepped back, his bright green hair had grown into their spikes and didn't seem as wild before. Also, his body felt slightly wider than before and a bit thicker but Ororo wasn't surprised.
He went to China to study martial arts for a year; he was bound to get stronger physically at the very least.
"Its so good to see you again, Ororo. It nice to see familiar faces after being in China for so long, yo." His voice was as every bright as his face and his eyes shifted to the side, the young man laughing. "Hey, Wheels is here too! Awesome, yo!"
As Todd hurried around the car, Ororo saw X23 shaking her head with an enduring smile on her face. It was a little surprising for the teacher; X23 would never have let Todd talk to the Professor like that before they left and she even found it amusing to boot. Maybe the year in China had been better for them than she thought.
Ororo looked back over to see that Xavier was receiving a hug from Todd and the young man was earnestly asking how he had been. Ororo always forgot that Todd held the Professor in high esteems since he never outright judged the boy. Storm was vaguely aware of X23 walking over to the older man and hugging him, the three looking so happy and vibrant that she was glad she came.
This is what it looked like when people were happy to come home.
X23 sighed as she sat back in the far better cushioned seats of the car, her body slightly kinked up from being on the plane for so long.
But she was happy to be back home. China had been beyond incredible and the experience was worth treasuring, the two making very close and dear friends. All the same, it just hadn't been home for her. Maybe at a different time in her life she could see herself living there but not right now. Now she found herself far too attached to her family in the X-Mansion, a feeling she found very pleasant.
The clone looked down at her hand, her left hand that was happily interlinked with her boyfriend's right hand. It was so strange, that they were so confident and comfortable with such public displays in a place where they had been hiding everything about themselves. She wondered when it all had really happened.
"I'm really glad you guys were able to pick us today, yo. I was bummed when Otero said that he was goanna be busy when we arrived." Todd said as he leaned forward a bit. "I really appreciate you guys picking us up."
"It's not a problem, Mr. Tolansky." Xavier assured him and Todd leaned back, his amber eyes glinting at X23 with a steaming meaning
"So, how was everything at the temple? Did you guys learn a lot?" Ororo asked as she looked back at them with the rear view mirror, the two breaking eye contact quickly.
"Yeah, we both had a chance to learn from a wide assortment of teachers and it really was an unforgettable experience." X23 explained, leaning forward to speak with Ororo and Xavier. "I focused on learning two particular styles, Wing Chun and Nanquan."
"How about you Todd?" Xavier asked curiously.
"Oh, I actually got to focus four styles. I just found everything out there really interesting and the teachers really pushed me to realize what I was capable of, yo." Todd said, his hand rubbing X23's back. "I mean, I don't think I've ever worked that hard in my life."
"What did you focus on?" Ororo asked curiously, even though she had never heard of any of the styles.
"Well, I really got this art called Tan Tui really fast because it was just filled with kicks and flashy stuff, yo. I took Nanquan with X here because elements of Tan Tui were embedded within the art." Todd said with pride, happy that he had found something that he was able to understand. "Sifu Sho then felt I was ready for other stuff and got a teacher to train me in Shequan, while he taught me Xingyiquan. It was beyond intense to say the least, yo."
"Do you use Shequan that much, hun?" X23 asked curiously.
"Nah, I mainly stick to Tan Tui or Nanquan mainly 'cause, uh, well, I learnt them the best. It's just something I can use to switch it up in fight." He said with a slight pause, the two sharing a look. "Those guys did have me learn a lot anyway, yo."
"I'll say, your class started before and ended after ours during the third semester." X23 said in recollection. "I remember Xun and Jia had to help you back more than once."
"Not like my classes with you or anybody else were any easier. You and Jiang practically went to war every other class and more than once you decided that we had to spar sporadically, yo." Todd chastised teasingly as he played with some of X23's hair.
Ororo couldn't help but smile as the two talked, X23 turning around to poke Todd in the side as he mention something about hot springs and their friends in Hong Kong. They really had changed in China and they were clearly so much happier.
X23's smile changed and she rested her head on Todd's shoulder, briefly wondering what was going to happen to them now that they were home. They had been so carefree with their relationship and everyone at the Temple had been really supportive. But the X-Mansion was different, since most of the X-Men still held a grudge against Todd for his time at the Brotherhood.
She held back a laugh as she remembered what Todd had said when they discussed it at the temple.
"Aren't you worried how the others are going to act?" X23 asked as she packed her suitcase while Todd finished folding his clothes. "What are going to do when we get home?"
Their room was quiet spacious compared to what they had before and the window over looked the lake that the temple was next to. The wooden floor had creaked in the winter and the warm color of the drapes had greatly warm the place for the two.
Todd looked up from his small wooden bed and smiled, shaking his head.
"Simple, X. We're goanna be quiet and we're goanna keep what's ours private, yo." He said as he cross the room to where she was. "I know things are going to be just fine."
"How can you say that?" She grumbled, biting her lips as his arms wrapped around her from behind and his lips kissed her neck. "It's not goanna be that easy, you know…"
"I know, but nothing worthwhile is…" Todd said in a low tone, his hand stroking her sides down to her hips. "…and I'm goanna try my damnedest because I want to make this work no matter what, babe."
She felt her neck heat up when she remembered that he then proceeded to make them nearly hour late for their departure but luckily they still made it. Oh, she had not been happy with him for that. Especially with the way the rest of the students had been looking at them, something she would never live down.
But it was nice that the other kids at the temple had been so supportive of them. They never had to hide that they were in a relationship and they were even able to go on dates where the others would ask them how it was. It really was a refreshing change for them both, as well other aspects of the temple.
"Wow, sounds like you both made a lot of new friends over there." Ororo commented, both teenagers nodding contentedly.
"Oh yeah, everyone over there was really friendly and accepting of us. I mean, I've never felt quite like that before." Todd said happily, his girlfriend snorting as she sat up.
"Yeah, you were a little too accepted for my tastes." X23 grumbled, giving Todd dark looks while the green teenager shrugging with a sheepish smile.
"It's not like I asked for it, yo!" Todd defended, Ororo sharing a questioning gaze with Xavier.
"You didn't exactly protest a great deal either."
"Hey, hey, you two, what happened?" Ororo asked in concern.
"It's nothing really-"
"All the girls liked him!" X23 snapped as she overrode Todd, the amphibious mutant holding his head while Xavier and Ororo looked confused. "I'm serious. Every single girl there, junior and senior in the class, couldn't help but flirt with and flutter their eyes…"
Xavier smiled as he bit his lip, trying not to laugh while Ororo started to chuckle, X23 groaning as she flopped back. Todd reached over and rested his hand on her leg, giving her a sympathetic look.
"You know that I'm more than happy with you, right X?" Todd asked, his face showing that this wasn't a new question.
"I know but it wasn't fair either." She said as she held his hand, gnawing on her lip. "We go half around the world and the one place we can be public, is also the one place that women throw themselves at you."
"Oh, I'm never goanna live this down, am I?" Todd asked as he rubbed his eyes, so he missed the look on her face.
"Hmm, I suppose you might be able to make it up to me some how." X23 said teasingly, trailing her nails under his chin.
As Todd shivered and X23 gave him a wink, Ororo couldn't help but wonder just what those two had gotten up to. She knew that they must have gotten closer after together for so long, but she wondered how long this had been going on. And after the two had been caught by Rahne, Jamie and Kurt that one time and then by Hank before they left….
Well, there wasn't much worse they could get up to in a year.
As she turned off the highway and onto the exit that led to Bayville, she suddenly remembered something that she wanted to ask them. It was about the two months around Christmas, when they had gotten really distant and weird with their emails.
"Oh, I meant to ask you both this sooner." Ororo said as she turned into main lane of traffic. "What happened around December? You guys got really distant around then, so we worried that something really bad happened."
Xavier frowned when the two subtly changed; Todd's eyes seemed to grow depressive and his hands shook while X23 looked like a reincarnation of the Ice Queen and held Todd's hand tightly. The older woman and the powerful psychic were more than aware that some powerful had happened to the two teenagers. Xavier teased with idea of reading their memories but he decided against.
He didn't have to when he felt the darkness emitting from Todd's mind and the immense amount of regret that filled the young X23. Something dangerous, something life changing had happened to the two of them and it had come at a heavy price.
Ororo, who didn't not have the luxury of reading minds, could see that Todd had to something he didn't agree with. He was definitely in conflict with his heart and X23, well, she looked livid but with herself. Like she had been right there, unable to help her boyfriend, again.
"It was nothing, an accident that happened right next to us." Todd said hollowly. "I tired to help them but I wasn't…fast enough, yo."
"It's really sad; we were all visiting this shrine in the mountains and one of the students, Rebecca Bai, slipped on the ice." X23 explained, Todd rubbing his eyes as she spoke. "Todd was the one who reacted the fastest and tried to chase after her, but…."
"I should have done something better…" Todd said softly, X23 looking at him intently.
"Todd…" She suddenly began speaking another language entirely, the rhythmic and melodic tones unlike anything Ororo had heard before.
The amphibious mutant began returning the words when X23 placed her finger on his lips, a sad smile on her face as she began talking again. She said something that made him relax and Todd smiled at her again, the two sharing a quick kiss.
It was clear to both adults that they weren't comfortable with what had happened and since they didn't really want to elaborate on it, they let it go. It was better that way for now, maybe once they were settled back home again they try again. Then again, they may never talk about it but as long as it didn't eat them whole.
Ororo just wondered what could have happened, because the accident story sounded like-
"Hey! Ms. Munroe, could you stop for a second?" Todd said as he sat up to look out the window. "I think we just pass the Alexia's orphanage!"
X23 was glad that she had left her jacket in the car, her arms folded as she wandered down the steps.
The weather was a tad warm for a September and she didn't feel like soaking through her shirt. She watched as Todd walked around the building to where a bunch of kids were and smiled as the young girl named Gabby became ecstatic. The young girl was the one that Todd had shielded when the Brotherhood attacked and apparently she was old enough now to start classes with Otero at Bayville High.
The little brunette bolted from the rest of the kids and tackled into Todd, the amphibious mutant tossing the girl in the air. As he put her down, the other kids had gathered around him and X23 watched at other kids suddenly filled the windows. Todd tossed himself over some of the kids and landed on his hands, his legs sweeping around as he began playing with the younger kids.
The clone didn't take her eyes off her happy boyfriend as she stepped to the side to let the older kids run out to see him. She was happy that they were happy and that Todd got to see the kids that looked up to him. X23 knew that he saw them a lot while he was in Bayville and that his year away from them had been hard. It was way he had made sure to send a written letter to them on express, that way they felt that he still remembered them.
In fact, it was partially for them that Todd had been able to control his depression after what happened. She closed her eyes as she reflected on what really happened and she shook herself. It wasn't something that neither Todd nor she was able to forget anytime soon.
"Hey, not so fast, kids." A voice called from the door and X23 looked over to see a woman she had missed dearly. "A blind woman can only get somewhere so fast."
And there was Alexia Ruby. The older woman still wore her dark glasses and still had short hair, the woman showing little change after the year had passed. She wore casual and well worn jeans with her white blouse, the silver cross on her showing through as normal. She still didn't carry a cane, instead a young boy pulling her along to see Todd.
X23 smiled and walked through the older kids to her, smirking as the boys stumbled as they saw her. She would never admit it but it was a little bit of fun to see the boys and men stumble over themselves. Though it would never compare to what she felt when Todd saw her like that, it was still amusing.
"It's okay, kid. I think I can take care of Ms. Ruby from here." X23 said politely, the little boy nodding as he hurried off and the clone saw the shocked face of Alexia. "Aw, don't you like me too?"
"Laura? Oh, I'm so happy you both are back." Alexia said as she took X23's hands and then hugged her tightly. "How was China? Did you two have fun?"
"China was incredible, absolutely breath-taking." X23 told her as she guided Alexia around the building. "And we learned a lot but we did also a great deal of fun, as well as making a lot of fun."
"Oh that's wonderful!" Alexia said excitedly, pausing as she heard how happy the children were and X23 had to smile at the sight. "They sound ecstatic that Todd's back."
"They are. They must have really missed him." The clone observed and the blind woman nodded.
"It was really hard for them, since Todd is like their big brother and they look up to him so much. They were so upset he left for so long but the picture that you two sent made them very happy." Alexia admitted and then chuckled. "I wonder if Todd even realizes how big his family here is."
"But he's still discovering his family." X23 said with a furrowed brow. "I mean, it's very sweet that they call him brother feel that he's part of their family but Todd has a hard time with accepting that. With everything that happened to him with his real family and others around him, its such a fragile concept to him."
Alexia stared at the younger woman and even though X23 couldn't see her eyes, she knew what she was thinking. She felt the grip of the blind woman tighten and Alexia lowered her eyes.
"So, he finally told you all of it." The blind woman said distantly.
"Yeah….not the nicest thing I ever heard, but it was in the past." X23 said as she smiled. "So I just smile as much as I can for him and show him all the love I can."
"Why does the last part of that statement make me worry so much?" Alexia teased and the clone couldn't contain her laughter.
As the two laughed between themselves, Todd looked up and the next thing anyone knew, Todd had cleared the space. X23 pealed into more laughter as the older woman shrieked when her adopted son lifted her up, patting Todd's back when he lowered her down to a normal hug.
The car eased up by the apartment complex where Otero lived, the two teenagers climbing out. Todd pulled the suitcases out and X23 held onto the backpacks as her boyfriend took them up the stairs. While he put stuff in the apartment, the clone walked over to the drivers door and knelt down.
"It's alright, you guys. Todd's still got his key." X23 assured them once her heard the lock click open where her boyfriend was. "I'll bring my stuff over tomorrow afterschool since we'll get most of the stuff sort tonight and tomorrow morning."
"Are you sure you still want to go to school so soon, my dear?" Xavier asked, resting a hand on her forearm. "You both could take an extra day and no one would think less of you."
"I know and he knows, but he really wants to see the friends he had in school again and he wants to get back into school life." She explained, reaching in and giving the older man a hug. "We'll be over tomorrow night, okay?"
"Okay, Laura, gets some rest." Xavier said as he closed the door.
"See you two tomorrow, child." Ororo called as she pulled away, X23 waving them goodbye.
She then turned and headed up the stairs, her fingers lazily trailing over the worn down cement and the much battered railing. The stairs were a little damp from a shower earlier and it was evident that children were more abundant in this area by the chalk drawings on the wall. As X23 passed the second flight, her fingers grazed over a chip that had come out while she and Todd were goofing around. She remembered taking as much time as possible walking away from this hallway and hurrying to this particular open door.
As she stepped in the doorway, X23 smiled as a rush of memories washed around her. All good ones swarmed her mind and all with the young man that wrapped his arms around her waist, her hands sliding up his chest.
"Hmm, we're finally home." She said softly.
"It's a good feeling, yo. I can't wait for Otero to get back from school. I miss him, ya know." Todd said, hugging X23 as she smiled. "So, should we start unpacking?"
"Hmm, I have a better idea…" X23 said as she pushed him in the house, kicking the door closed behind them.
Aw, wasn't that a pleasant chapter? Full of heart warming reunions of some their family and friends and the signs that they both have grown up a bit while away. But what was the truth behind the incident that happened to the two?
And the talk about Todd's past? That will makes sense after the story "Dark Provenances" is put up on Fan Fiction. It will be my own take on Todd's origin story and I feel that his origin deserves its own story, that telling it in this story would just be tacky and predictable. So, keep an eye out for that, okay?
And that is chapter one and the official kick off for the sequel of Capoeira De Toad. Please, if this story is making no sense at all, please go back and read the first story, Capoeira De Toad?. You will be lost without reading it. So, I'll see you all next month with the next installment of Wushu Who.
Take care and later,
– Lin