Well now, that last chapter was a slight smidge long, wasn't it? I guess that there was more to write about when they first got back than what I originally planned. But I'm glad that it was because I got to write about the characters and maybe give a little bit more depth.
So, here we are with a new chapter and ready to go!
The Welcome Home: Part 2: School Daze
The teen lycanthropic and X-Men werewolf, Rahne Sinclair, jived to the tunes on her iPod as she went down the crowded hallway to class. But despite the fast beats of the rock band in her ears, it couldn't possibly match the happy mood that she was in. She just got word that X23 and Todd were going to be coming in soon and that news was better than song or dance that she could have pulled out.
The Scottish redhead all but slid into her homeroom and smiled as she waved at Preston and Tiffany, happy to see her two friends. While her two friends had been away, Professor Xavier had decided that Rahne was ready to go to school and despite how nervous she had been, it wasn't as bad everyone said.
She actually enjoyed going to school because then she got to meet a wider variety of people and, well, actual normal people. It was odd to not be in a school with just mutants but she quickly got used to it and began to enjoy it. She then met Tiffany and Tiffany; one lunch, while eating on her own, Rahne was suddenly bombarded by the blonde and the redhead.
From there, she then met Tiffany's at the time to-be boyfriend, Preston. Once she found out that the three were good friends with Todd and X23, it made getting to know that much easier. They hung out nearly everyday at school and as soon as she got back from visiting her foster mother, Moira MacTaggert, Rahne spent a good chunk of the summer at one of their houses or out and about with them.
"Hey Preston, Tiffany; I got some cool news ye goanna want to hear." She said as he dropped her bookbag on the floor and sat on Preston's desk, turning her iPod off.
"What's up? Is it open house at the X-Mansion?" Tiffany teased, sticking her tongue out in retaliation to when the wolf-girl did it.
"Don't worry too much about it, Tiffany. I'm sure we'll get to see the inside of the place one day." The young Jock said, Rahne sighing; it was a pain that everyone was so uppity about the three normals coming over but there were some things that would never change.
"Nah, I heard that Todd and Laura are goanna be back some time this week." She said with a broad smile.
"What?! No way!" Tiffany said as she jumped up, her feet of her chair slamming down.
"Really? Wow, that is so awesome!" Preston said as he jerked forward. "Do you have any idea when?"
"Nothing really, just that they said they promise to come and see us as soon as possible." Rahne said, brushing her hair back in annoyance. "I can't wait to see them. I wonder if they would have changed that much?"
"Please, those two?" Tiffany laughed as she shook her head. "Those two will probably be the exact same as before."
Rahne was about to argue when she actually thought about it. Laura was way too stubborn to let even Todd change her in any major ways and she was set in what few ideals she had. Todd was a rogue by nature, a rebel against it all and he was always going to be true to what he felt he really was. Neither of them would ever really change unless something drastically happened or a tragic event occurred.
This made her mind wander again to the period of time around Christmas last year, when the two had begun sending those odd letters. They had been so short and blunt that it felt as though they hadn't even cared about what they were putting down, like they had asked someone else to write them.
It had really been disturbing for Rahne and the rest of them that their friends might have changed that much. But then letters were back to normal and the emails were also the same, making the young woman wonder what had happened in that small spell of time to her friends. It couldn't have been anything good but she was sure that they would tell her when they got back home.
But this didn't change the simple fact they all knew.
"You're right, those two don't change for anyone." Rahne said as she slid into her chair. "It would take one hell of a person to change them."
"Yeah, you know it. I thought the most stubborn person in this school was Duncan until I met Todd." Preston commented, the two girls snickering. "Of course, I then met Tiffany…."
"Hey!" Tiffany swatted the jock mercilessly.
"Ack! Oi, I'm not dating you! You can't hit me like that." He defended with a laugh, Rahne leaning against the wall she laughed at the two.
"Fine, I'll get Erica to beat you then, ha!"
"Oh, you in trouble now, boy-o." Rahne chortled.
"What? That's not fair…"
They kept going for a while, waiting for the class to fill up. Since that their year had the most mutants in it, the class often took its time to gather. Despite the fact that people had been aware of mutants, they still acted like it was a crime that some people were born differently than others. Most people weren't too bad and they tried to make an effort to get to know the mutants, some even becoming really close.
But there were the others, who were so determined that it was the mutants fault for everything and they hated them on principle. It was senseless but Rahne knew that they couldn't force people to change their minds. That would only fuel the hatred between the two and a resolution would never come.
Still, there were many times that she wondered, what would it take for people to put this behind them?
"Okay everyone, settle down. I've got some announcements for this class." Their teacher, Mr. Jack Kirby, called for silence as he walked in. "Apparently, we have some students returning form abroad this week and the three of them will be joining us in this class room."
Rahne perked up when she heard that. Three students? So, Todd and X23 weren't the only ones returning from and they were goanna be in the same class. So far the news was good news.
"Two of the students have been in China, studying academics and a sport of sorts, called Wushu. They managed to achieve a high rating in class and, oh, they even went to a tournament of sorts for this Wushu, placing in the finals." Mr. Kirby said with some air of surprise. "The other student has been in Japan, where he has been in high school with a high B average. He was captain of the….Kenjutsu and Jujutsu club for, about, three years. Well, looks like we'll have some high achieves in this class then."
As he went on for the rest of the news for that day, the kids began to chatter quietly about who would be coming and what they would be like.
"It feels weird, that's all, yo." The green teenager said, sitting back in the chair with one leg over the other.
"I'm sure its not going to take that much to get used to again." X23 said with a sigh, flipping airily through a magazine. "Is it really that bad?"
"Well, it's just, I actually have to go and pick out everything instead of just having a uniform. I mean, I like wearing what I want but the uniforms just cut down on so much time and they were really comfortable."
X23 shook her head as they sat in the administration offices of Bayville High. They had arranged it so that they would have a good chunk of the morning to finish the unpacking at Otero's place. They were a little bummed when Otero didn't come home that night but figured that they could just see him today. So, instead they sorted the clothes and mementos that they had collected, since they had to back to their own respective houses tonight.
Without each other nearby…
X23 never thought that the thought could shake her so much. Sure, they had been separated for classes in China and some days they had been apart for days because of a certain crazy Sifu's teaching methods. The clone grinned in amusement as what her boyfriend had bitterly complained, since his class had been out for week for survival training. So it wasn't as though they were going into withdraw right away, they had spent time apart.
But it was still a little saddening. She and Todd had shared a room for nearly sixteen and a half months and in that time, something had happened. Yeah, they had both matured and yes, their bond had grown closer, but all the same that wasn't it. This was more like a mental reassurance that he was less than five feet away. So that when she woke from a memory of her past, X23 had someone to hold and someone could console her as she cried.
Before they left, thing had moved fast, really fast, in their relationship. In fact, now that X23 looked back on what had happened, it was ridiculously silly what they had done. This year together had really made them look at each other and see each for all their flaws and achievements. She knew better understood why her outburst when Todd had been in a coma for a stint had been so overly violent. Because X23 had been so new to the emotions, she hadn't thought about it in a level mind and she panicked. That panic made her go back to what was normal for her and that was to shut down and react with rage, forgetting all about controlling herself.
X23 smiled and set the magazine done, happy that she had been able to grown so much while she was away.
She looked at Todd and had to turn away as she fought her laughter, her green boyfriend giving her an indignant look. He looked so miserable and uncomfortable in the normal cloths and it was evident that he had been tugging on the collar. She understood what Todd missed but she wasn't going to start ripping holes in her clothes.
And he didn't look that bad either. His dark blue jeans were loose and the ornately designed black shirt wasn't limiting his movements, the three buttons open to show off his collar bone. But compared to wearing silk training robes that allowed you to move in nearly imaginable way, X23 had to admit she missed the uniform too.
"Are you going to use the uniform when you train in Capoeira?" X23 asked, glancing at the secretary before continuing in Chinese. "Or if you decide to train with Dad, myself and the other in the Danger Room."
X23 loved speaking Chinese. It sounded like they were singing when used the beautiful language and it was great way for them to speak together without anyone knowing what they are talking about.
"I might, since I was able to keep two uniforms but I still don't know about training in the Danger Room. That place still freaks me out." Todd said smoothly and melodically, X23 feeling the base of her back shiver slightly.
He had learnt the language surprisingly fast, considering the stories she had heard from Otero about Todd first learning Portuguese. She almost didn't believe him when she heard that the amphibious mutant had only fluidly starting speaking the day before they met. But it was odd that he was able to pick up such a difficult language like Chinese in less than three months of being at the Temple.
X23 often wondered how he managed it, and how he managed to sound as charming and sexy when he spoke the Asian language, but often decided it was because of where they were. Still, he had been impressive when he began speaking fluidly so quickly…
"Aw, my big brave warrior is scared of a mere room?" She asked teasingly, shaking her head. "Is this the same man who either bravely or stupidly agreed to weekly sparing with the grandmaster of the temple?"
"Eh, everyone has their weak points." Todd said humbly in English, increasing his slouch in his chair. "I think Grandmaster Sho just liked the opportunity to beat someone who could marginally keep up with him."
"And you're just realizing this now?" X23 said in mock surprise, turning to look at him.
Todd's gaze told her that he was paying attention for more reason that to just hear her out. His eyes told her that he was following the curves that her black shirt gave her as the cloth hugged her. The hem exposed the skin of her lower back above her hips and the jeans were snug around her hips and then looser around her thighs. She smirked, her boyfriend being more subtle than her normally would have been.
"I know for a long time, but I was just a little confused when he asked. After all, he had only been teaching me for, what, two months?"
"Hmm, I thought he was in charge of you for a month and a half before that?" X23 asked and Todd frowned as he thought, even sitting up.
"Uh, I don't remember. Wow, I guess with all the stuff that we learnt, it's kind of understandable."
"Yeah, looking back, the first class looks so much easier than when we first got there." X23 reminisced before her ears perked up and she tapped him twice on the arm. "But at least we'll be able to keep practicing while we're back home."
"Yeah, that's true." Todd agreed as he straightened up in the seat after getting X23's message.
They both knew that they couldn't just use their powers as freely as they had back in China and so they had spent time on the plane thinking up some code words and gestures so they could still utilize their heightened senses. Todd's were no where as near as powerful as X23's but they still came in a pinch if she overly focused on one area.
And as if on cue, Principle Kelly strode out of his office with his regular air of self-righteousness and arrogance and X23 nearly smacked her boyfriend when he growled lowly. The sound went unnoticed to the headmaster and he spoke with his secretary before he turned and looked at the two teens.
If he was recognized the two, it didn't show. He was peering at the two with so much concentration that the clone was sure his head was going to pop off. Principle Kelly was particularly looking at Todd and then back at the file he had in his hand, X23 trying the read the paper under both their files.
"Mr. Tolansky and Ms. Logan, correct?" He asked curiously, both looking at him with polite smiles and they both stood to speak with him. "Well, I'm glad to see that you're both back from China and you both look well. How were the academics over there?"
"They were an enlightening experience, sir." Todd admitted and glossed as he spoke with such unusual formality. "I particularly found Chinese History and Medicine interesting, the reason I took up acupuncture in my spare time."
"And I found that sticking to Mathematics and Sciences was a good choice for me, although I was able to enjoy their art programs as well." X23 added, before her sweet smiled spread even further. "How has the year been for you, Mr. Kelly?"
If her question of insight to his life was shocking, the principle hid it better than the jaw slack secretary.
"I have been well, despite breaking some ribs in the middle of last year. There were some minor issues with some students here, but they have been taken care off." He told them, his tone clearly happy she had asked.
"Ouch, I know from experience that breaking ribs is not pleasant." Todd sympathized and the principle nodded. "Have they healed well?"
"Yes, the doctors took very good care of me." Kelly seemed to come to himself as he heard the bell for class. "Ah yes, here are your class schedules and your locker numbers. I would show you the way but I have another student to speak too."
"It's quiet alright, Mr. Kelly." X23 said as she shook his hand.
"I'm sure we remember our way around here." Todd assured him as he took his hand. "See you later, sir."
Their walk across the room was swift and X23 gave him a smile that said more thanks when Todd nearly ripped the door open. As soon as the door closed and the two were ten feet from the room, Todd let a frustrated grunt from his chest and X23 quickly took hold of his hand to steady him and herself as well.
Oh, she had not missed that racist bigot at all. He wasn't any better than when they left and he still looked down on them like they were insects he wanted to crush. X23 shook her head and Todd gave her a look as her ponytail hit him.
"Hun, why do we always have to deal with that prick, yo?" Todd asked as his normal slang reemerged.
"I have no idea, sweetie." X23 answered honestly. "Maybe he just has a secret crush on you?"
"Oh, come on, that's nasty!" He said in disgust despite his laughter, the clone giggling too much.
"Just wants to steal you away from me, lock you in his closet and then spend all night running those greasy little hands of his…" X23 teased him as she trailed her fingers over his chest, the doors to classrooms opening and dozens of students pouring out.
"LA LA LA…I'm not listening to this!" Todd said loudly as he covered his ears with his hands and walked ahead of her.
There were two new students that soon collapsed in laughter as they looked over their schedule and where their lockers were placed. The other kids stared at the two new additions to their school, some wondering who they were and others wondering why they looked so familiar. They looked just like some people that used to be in the school but there was no way that they could be the same people.
The boy was similar to that slime-ball punk, Todd Tolansky, but he almost looked completely different. Tolansky always walked around with his feet shuffling and his back hunched over, dressed in disgustingly dirty clothes that made his scrawny figure overly apparent. He never even showered, stinking so bad that flies would actually gather around his head.
This guys had a similar skin tone, his skin more of a lighter olive color that Todd's swamp skin pigment, and their eyes were certainly similar, both larger and their amber eyes resembled each others as well. But his guy was a lot different from Todd. His hair was short and a bright green color, clean looking in comparison. He may have walk with a slight hunch and his knees were slightly bent, but this guy carried himself with much prouder air about him.
And his build, he positively ripped compared to Tolansky. His toned arms, a well defined chest and many of the girl would guess that his abdominal was just as good. The cloths gave a slightly loose fit to him, his pants showing his powerful legs and well kept ass.
And then there was the girl next to him. She was literally almost a spitting image of the girl that had joined about a year and a half ago, that Laura Logan. She had to be one of the sexiest and feistiest girls to have walked down the hallways, the wet dream to nearly every guy in school. But she was so cold and shut off, it was like she had no idea how to act in a normal society.
This girl looked like her happy twin; smiling, laughing and with the way she held onto the guy, she was like a furnace compared to that ice queen that Laura had been. She wore the dark shirt and long jeans like Laura had but her shirt was showing off a bit of her stomach and the small of her back. Even her pony tail was different from Laura's, whose was always in a tight and straight simple pull back. This girl had some braids in her hair and her black hair was held up by a light blue chopstick.
Yeah, there was no way in Hell that those two were Todd Tolansky and Laura Logan. Besides, those two had just disappeared on day and no one saw them again; what would they be doing back here?
"Yeah, looks like we're just two down from were your locker used to be and….hey, mine's right next to yours." X23 point out, Todd shrugging.
"I guess that makes sense, the free lockers being next to each other, yo." He rationalized as he looked over the code. "The combinations are still as simple as ever…"
"Good thing I memorized yours already." X23 said with a smirk, Todd looking up to see both lockers were open.
"Hmm, I guess I can't hide anything in there then." Todd retorted as he took his bag from his shoulder.
X23 rolled her eyes as she dropped her back too and began to file away the extra pads of paper and folders. She had gotten in China while they were planning their return trip and she wasn't about to go back to school unprepared and unawares. Not to mention that their friends who lived in Shanghai were more than helpful to show them around and help them collect their stuff.
She knew that the space in her locker wasn't going to last, what with her text books she would get from the teachers and then her gym bag. But she always marveled at the bare space she had to begin with. Looking at the metal, she was able to get the vague gist that the previous owner hadn't used this container much and some traces of half removed tape let her know that he also wasn't very neat.
Shaking her head, X23 closed her locker door and raised a brow when a tall teenager walked up to her. He was fairly good looking, wearing a varsity jacket and his red hair reminded X23 of the psychotic Acolyte, Pyro. She knew what was coming but she decided to hear him out, noting that Todd was also paying close attention.
"What is a sexy thing like you doing in this school?" He asked flatteringly, or at least that X23 thought he was going for. "Besides being an angel and answering my prayers?"
"Wow, now that wasn't bad for a pick up." X23 said as she crossed her arms with a smirk. "Not the best I've heard, but not bad. However, I think my boyfriend would get a little put off hearing that, maybe even angry."
"Really, you really think he'd mind that much?" The jock asked tentatively, trying to press his luck and the clone heard Todd trying to stifle his snort of laughter.
"Don't know but I'll ask, kay?" She said as she pushed the open locker next to her closed and Todd turned to look at the jock, his hand wrapping around her waist. "Todd, hun, do you mind that he's flirting with me?"
The look on the jocks face was priceless, as he tried to straighten up and step back. His earlier confidence and bravado had been ruffled too much by these two and he was at a loss for what to do. Todd rubbed his face and then shrugged, squeezing X23 a bit closer.
"Nah, as long as it doesn't go farther than that." Todd said taunting, his fingers tracing on her skin. "Sides', his pickups sound a good deal better than mine."
The jock was now blushing as the short and slimmer kid took his verbal jabs at him and quickly coughed and left the scene. Todd couldn't help but laugh at him a bit, X23 joining him before she turned and kissed him, deliberately slowly and passionately. They broke apart and Todd shrugged, X23 looking at him curiously.
"I actually didn't mind, X." Todd told her honestly and she nodded to show she knew. "As long as you with me, you could flirt till I'm old and gray, yo."
"Heh, only one man I want to flirt with." She said in a sultry tone. "But we have class soon."
"Yeah, damn it." He said mockingly. "Let's get going then, yo."
"Number two-seven-nine…..where is two-seven-nine?" Sebastian asked the air as he scanned the locker numbers
He was a fit teenager, although the way he dressed hid that pretty well. He had a black, long sleeved shirt under a white button shirt, the cuffs loose at his wrists. But you could see were his forearms and biceps were by the shallow points of his elbows and wrists. His upper body also flowed down in a smooth fashion, his chest small in comparison to his long abdomen. Jeans covered his legs all the way to the floor and his sneakers, the simple necklace around his neck and the watch the only sign of personalization on him.
He hadn't been in Bayville for nearly ten years but that didn't stop the school from assuming that Sebastian Tate knew where everything was. It didn't help that he had spent close to ten years in Japan and he was completely used to their life style. But he would persevere, as he always did. He just hoped he could find a dojo to train in, since he could already feel the lack of practice from moving over the past two weeks catch up on him
Since he had been in Japan for so long, Sebastian at first was bullied a fair bit and felt that it was only smart that he get some training so he could defend himself. After going to his first Jujutsu class, the boy had watched a demonstration featuring Kenjutsu, Aikido and Jujutsu and he was sold. He immediately signed up for the first available class, soon joining the other classes when his sensei recommended it. It had been a grueling task and his lessons had not been easy, many times Sebastian just wanted to give up. But he soon over came all his odd before that unfortunate day…
The new student had been really miserable when he heard that he was going to leave his home and head back to Bayville but he couldn't exactly say that he minded going back. After the incident with his sparring partner and how badly injured they both had been, one had been banned from the dojo and the other had been unable to practice Kenjutsu or any other sword art ever again. Sebastian sighed pushed the memories aside and went back to looking his locker.
He brushed his light brown hair around as he adjusted his shoulder bag and the grip he held on the plastic bag full of text books. His brown eyes kept scanning for the locker until he saw the metal cabinet at the end of the row. Sebastian set his bags down and fiddled with the combinations, mentally cheering himself when he got it on the first go.
"Right, now I just…" As he turned, the bag with his text books was sent scattering and his shoulder bag went sliding as another student tripped over them. "Aw shit, look out!"
But the other student was fine; as he fell forward, Sebastian watched as the young man tucked his chest to his stomach and twisted his body to the right with a powerful jerk. His hips soon followed suit and his body spun diagonally in the air before his feet touched the ground. His left knee touched down while the right foot hit the ground flat on, the green teenager's right arm raised up while the left one was plant next to his knee. His amber eyes were visible as the collar of his shirt fell down, releasing a slow and easy breath.
Wait, green skin…amber eyes…?
"Todd!" The new student looked in the direction the other guy had been coming and saw a striking gorgeous dark haired girl with deadly green eyes. "Can't you watch where you're going? You knocked this guy's stuff everywhere!"
"Wha? I tried to move but then I slipped, yo!" Todd yelled back before apologetically looking at Sebastian, the new student surprised to see that this Todd was shorter than him. "Sorry, man, I'll help you get this stuff."
"Ah, thanks." Sebastian said gratefully as the kid named Todd began to get his books and he joined in. "I'm really sorry about that. I should have kept my stuff closer in to the lockers."
"Ha, don't sweat it, yo. No harm, no foul." Todd said as he handed the books to the other guy. "I'm Todd Tolansky, nice to meet ya. This here is Laura Logan, my girlfriend."
Sebastian took the books and unceremoniously dumped them in his locker, sighing at the troublesome objects that had nearly hurt someone. He couldn't say that he wasn't surprised to her that the girl was dating him, since he did look so abnormal. But it also made him very happy that she was looking through that and she was with him anyways.
He took the offered hand that his fellow student offered and smiled as they shook. Looks like he was going to have friend before he knew it.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Sebastian Tate." He said politely, grinning pleasantly. "That was an excellent recovery."
"Thanks, and you got some serious hands there, yo." Todd said as he turned the palms over. "Whoa, check it out, X. He's done some serious work."
Sebastian blushed as the other boy noticed the calloused bumps near his fingers and along by his thumb. He was at a loss of what to say. He wasn't sure if martial arts were liked in this school and he didn't want to freak out his new friend by saying that he did something as old as Kenjutsu.
But how he used to love to practice Kenjutsu and Iaido, the two arts some of his favorites until ha had been forced to give it up. He hesitantly closed his left hand, a sliver of phantom pain running through his forearm. Maybe he would just not mention anything about it and-
"So what did you train in to get those?" Todd suddenly asked, breaking the other boy from reveries and he stared at him for a moment. "Martial arts wise, I mean. I've been doing Capoeira and some Wushu arts for about two and half years now. Reason my hands are so rough up too."
"Really?" Sebastian said in shock and the two nodded, surprised by the girl. "You too?"
"Yup, ever since I was six. I started on Karate and I just progressively expanded." She explained, ruffling Todd's hair. "This monkey taught me Capoeira, so I'd like to think I'm pretty well round."
"Wow, that's so cool. Yeah, I've been doing martial arts for ten years now. It's so much fun." Sebastian said as he looped his side bag over his shoulder and saw his watch, his face falling in fright. "Ahh! I'm late for Biology!"
"With Mr. Durrant?" X23 asked in shock, Todd soon mimicking it. "So are we! Come on, follow us!"
With that, the three panicking martial artists raced down the hallway, Laura leading her boyfriend and their new friend to class. Internally, Sebastian was really happy to have them and he felt, and he hoped, that they would become some of his closest friends.
And there it is! The first day at school for two of our favorite students and a new guy! I just seem to be throwing this OC in at random but don't worry, hopefully he will work out to be a very pivotal character, or at least I hope. For all you hardcore Manga (Japanese Comic) readers, the character Sebastian Tate may seem like some one from a certain manga and that is because Tate was inspired by that character. I felt that he could have been explored better and so I'm going to with this story.
Anyway, he'll be around in the coming chapters, so please be happy with him. Next chapter will be featuring the much anticipated reunion of X23 and Rahne, Todd and Otero, the love birds and their normal friends. So, keep an eye out for that and enjoy all.
I know I shouldn't say it but please remember to review, as I do love feedback from everyone, members and visitors to the site alike. Hope that this chapter was a good addition and sorry about the slow pace of it all right now. Hopefully it will pick up soon.
Take care and later,
– Lin