Two weeks later:
Angel was sitting next to Alex a lot.
The two would laugh and talk like old friends, their hardened hearts softening when around each other. Raven could already hear the doves in the air. Alex and Riptide enjoyed each other's company. Riptide, in particular, like creating hurricanes for Banshee to try and escape or make worse with sonic noise. They were like two little kids who had discovered that they could do more with rocks than just chuck them at each other.
Azazel and she had started a gym routine, and her fighting abilities had grown. Emma and Hank were around each other quite often (which irritated her to no end, but no, she was not jealous) talking over some science trivia. Erik and Charles were hardly apart for more than five minutes at a time. If Raven didn't know any better, she would say Erik was stealing her brother.
Sometimes, she felt as if she didn't know any better.
She did not feel this sense of self-pitying loneliness often, just when they were all together, like now. Charles had telepathically called for a 'team meeting' as he called it in his ridiculously British voice, inside of the family room. It was one of the barest rooms in the house, probably because it had been empty most of the time before the other mutants showed up.
She and Charles used to play hide and seek in there. It was probably one of the only places that did not carry Father's horrible mark on it. Raven trusted that was the reason he had chosen it.
The roof was a high ceiling, with ornate decorations carved into its surface, of flowers and angels dancing about the four corners of the room. Charles had always called it supercilious. The walls were a dark burgundy color, and the two mahogany couches inside of it faced towards an indoor theatre, missing an actual T.V. The only picture was a painting of a giant white carnation, the flower a stark contrast to the dark theme of the room.
It was also one of the only rooms with carpet, and thus Sean and Alex came in with socks, rubbing their feet on the ground and trying to shock each other playfully. Hank's fur stood on end like small needles. He looked most unhappy about it. Raven took a seat next to Hank on the second couch, curling her feet up beneath her as they all awaited Charles and Erik.
"What's this meeting been called for anyway?" Sean asked the general assembly as he dodged Alex's electric fingers.
"I imagine it is to congratulate us," Hank growled, his eyes following Sean and Alex with irritability.
"For what?" Sean asked, pretending not to be aware of Hank's discomfort. "Remaking this house into school extraordinaire?" he wondered proudly.
"Xavier's school for gifted youngsters," Angel announced with a grand flourish as she flew into the room, wings flapping. As Raven watched enviously, she winked at Alex. His head followed her as he smiled back in greeting. Sean shoved into him with a loud exclamation, both of them shocking each other senseless and tumbling to the floor. A devious chuckle to her left alerted Raven to the appearance of Azazel. He had popped in without a sound, and was watching the proceedings with amusement. Riptide rolled his eyes net to him, muttering in Spanish.
Raven nodded thoughtfully. When Charles had first announced his idea to recreate the mansion into a school-with them as the teachers- Raven had been unsure what to make of it. She wanted to do more than just teach; that seemed like a characteristic Charles thing.
But Hank, Sean and Alex had thrown themselves into it with all the gusto of schoolboys themselves, and their energy had rubbed off on the rest of them. At the end of it, when the classrooms were mostly ready and now the only thing left to do was reconfigure the rooms they all took a certain measure of pride in what they had accomplished. Raven had a few ideas about the rooms herself.
Besides, Erik had privately assured her that their plans would not be dissuaded by this-but momentarily put off. "They need us, Raven," he had told her conspiratorially, glancing at her wheelchair prone brother.
Charles had been directing Hank and Azazel as they carried in a large metal table for the science wing, faces red and sweaty from strain. "No, that way! Into the foyer. Or, perhaps the upstairs west wing. What do you say, Emma?" He had wondered with all the thoughtful excitement of a contemplative puppy. Raven's heart had melted as she realized Erik was right.
Charles looked happier and more purposeful than she had ever seen him. This school would be his new pride and joy. He would get more children to teach and protect. He wouldn't need her anymore. The possibility sent a shiver of excitement up her spine-for with it came the thought of freedom unencumbered by Charles's incessant worry, but also sadness. He was, after all, still her big brother.
"I think," Emma grandly made her opinion clear as she fairly glided in after Angel, sharp blue eyes mischievous and feisty and beautiful. "That this is about whatever Erik and Charles have been arguing over the past few weeks," she said.
"How do you know they've been arguing?" Raven asked, though she had noticed it too. It seemed more like hot debating than arguing. She had seen Charles argue, and what he and Erik were doing was civilized.
Nevertheless, they had all seen them out of the corner of their eyes, quietly having back-and-forth conversations when they thought no one was looking.
Emma flicked her long golden hair contemptuously. Raven was tempted to make a face at her. "I should think that'd be an obvious answer by now, honey," she said sarcastically, gesturing to her head and the mind contained therein.
"Not exactly," Hank piped up, before Raven could. "After all, you aren't likely to get anything that way. Charles is a more powerful telepath than you are," he told her, not with gloating or anger, but merely in that matter-of-fact scientific way that made Raven smile. That was Hank: always the reasoned scientist.
"Thank you Hank," a new voice said mildly as he wheeled himself in, followed closely by Erik. "I'm glad someone seems to understand that, since Ms. Frost has been taking daring liberties as of late," Charles sent Emma a look full of warning. "I'd advise you to stay out of my head, Emma," he cautioned, with no more threat than usual, but the steel in his eyes told Raven that though they might not be privy to the mental battle; it would not end well with Emma.
She backed down gracefully, and with sarcasm. "But it's such a pretty head, professor," she drawled flirtatiously. Charles cocked an unimpressed eyebrow.
"Oh, I know," he assured her, wheeling past with some difficulty on the plush rug. "However, it remains off limits," he continued.
At last, Charles wheeled himself to the front of the room, beneath the carnation painting while the others piled onto the couches facing them, eyes intent. Erik stood beside him, arms crossed. "Well," Charles then began, with a reasonably more cheerful tune. He glanced at them all, eyes twinkling. "I would congratulate everyone here on their hard work. The school is near to done," he announced.
The mutants in the room broke into applause, clapping each other on the back and shoulders, smiling. "You all know the basic arrangement," Charles continued. "This time we will retrieve six children, bring them back here, and teach them ourselves," his next affectionate glance took in the original team. "Everything that we ourselves have learned," he said.
"Hey! Team Shaw busters!" Sean laughed, exchanging a high-five with Alex. Raven couldn't help but laugh at Alex's face when he heard Sean's new nickname for them. He buried his head in his hands.
"That was bad, dude," he told Sean, horrified.
"However," Charles interjected, the corners of his mouth twitching. "There are other problems going on beyond these walls, problems which I know all of you are aware of," the smiles immediately dropped from Alex and Sean's faces. Hank squirmed uncomfortably. Raven crossed her arms, feeling that coal of determination in her chest grow larger. It was about time someone addressed it.
"The human/mutant situation is going to be a tricky and - more than likely- violent one, but because we have the knowledge of it; we have the power to prevent it," Charles glanced at Erik. "You all are aware that Erik and I have different… Philosophies about how to approach this issue. This school is only one portion of a plan we have devised to help mutant-kind. The other plan will adhere to more direct means," he told them, sounding curiously okay with this. Raven leaned forward.
Erik shuffled his feet. "I'm still half convinced you used telepathy to talk me into this Charles," he grumbled, and Raven could see that this plan didn't sit completely with Erik. There was another agenda he had for taking it. An agenda she was relatively sure only he and Charles knew about.
"If only," Charles shot back.
"So what is it?" Emma asked impatiently, eyes twitching from Erik to Charles and back.
"A bet, for lack of a better word," Erik piped in, crudely cutting off Charles in mid-breath. "Charles here is still convinced that the humans won't try to destroy us…"
"Of course he is," Raven snorted bitterly.
"If," Erik went on emphatically. "We show them that we are no threat, or that our powers could be constructive in society," he explained.
"Why should we have to show them that?" Angel demanded, eyes flashing.
"Why should we have to prove ourselves to them when they already hate us?" Raven seconded that statement.
"They fear us," Charles corrected calmly. "Because they don't know what to make of us. They don't know what's happening to make us this way or what will happen to them. They're afraid we might take over and if we do," he sent Erik a pointed glance. "Then we'll only confirm that fear and give them reason to try and annihilate us. Tell me, when you all discovered your powers, were you not afraid and confused?" He wondered.
Only Alex, Sean and Hank nodded, but Charles very well knew the answer to that anyway. "Then why would you expect people who don't feel your power to automatically accept you? Fear eventually will turn into hatred, and by that time it will be too late. We have to stop that before it happens," he said.
"By doing what, professor?" Hank inquired.
"There will be a team," Charles went on. "Similar to when we went to defeat Shaw, going around the world, using your powers to help others…"
"To help the humans?" Raven cut in, unable to believe what she was hearing. Charles didn't look at her.
"I'm sure you'll find some mutants to help in there," he told her flippantly. Raven looked at Erik.
"You've lost your mind," she gawked.
"Or someone's been in your mind without permission," Emma added suspiciously, glowering at Charles. He rolled his eyes.
"Honestly, all of you, if I were to brainwash anyone, why would it be the man who saved my life a scant few weeks ago?" he asked. The same reason you would brainwash me, because you can't stand not having control, Raven thought as anger built in her chest. She hoped Charles had heard the thought, but if he did, he gave no indication of being hurt by it.
"Listen to the catch and you'll see why I agreed to this," Erik instructed them. Raven cocked her brows. There was a catch? "The bet part comes in now," Erik continued. "Our team-led by me-will only have to do this for a year. In that time, Charles is sure," Erik gave Charles a signature 'you bloody idiot' expressions.
"That the humans will see through our efforts the good in all mutants. If they do, we'll do things Charles's way and hope that it works…
"Until it works, Erik…"
"Notwithstanding, if by that time, some significant change has not happened in the human/mutant relations, we'll take matters into our own hands," Erik stated.
"And I," Charles added. "Will not stand in your way." There was an astonished silence as the others took this new development in. Raven narrowed her eyes, wondering at the complacency in Charles's voice. Was he really so arrogant? It appeared he was, because he sat there, calm as a king on his metal throne, and watched for their reactions.
"So let me get this straight," Riptide cut in. "We're going to go help humans for an entire year… Just to make sure you stay out of our way?" he asked Charles.
"If you win the bet," Charles agreed, nodding.
"Professor, a year isn't nearly enough time for people to change their minds about an entire species," Hank told him worriedly. "It's impossible," he told him. Charles gave Hank a consoling smile.
"My dear friend, many of what we have done in the past few months has been impossible. I'm willing to bet my stakes on this new endeavor too," he chirped.
"I think this is stupid," Riptide cut in angrily. He pointed at Charles, his eyes going to Erik. "Why are we even concerned with whether or not he tries to stop us? We should be doing it anyway!" he cried. Erik cocked an eyebrow.
"If he stands in our way, he can join the humans in their grave," Emma drawled, without much scruple. Alex, Sean and Hank bristled.
Charles barked out a laugh. "And I thought we had such a fondness for each other Emma," he said without humor.
Erik gave them both a look of absolute authority. "If we were to go ahead with our plans now, Charles would fight us tooth and nail. We'd spend more time warding off his attacks than actually getting anything of worth done," he told them matter-of-factly.
"Don't forget about us," Alex added, gesturing to him, Sean and Hank. "We're on Charles's side," Hank nodded firmly, staring at her from the corner of his eyes. Raven tried not to show how much his siding with Charles stung her.
"However, when this bet turns out our way," Erik proceeded. "He won't lift a finger. Things will go smoothly and without a bump," he informed them. He shrugged, a small smile creeping unto his mouth.
"Who knows?" he asked, turning to Hank, Sean and Alex. "Maybe you boys will change your minds once you see the evil of humans," he considered. By the expressions on aforementioned boy's faces, however, Raven severely doubted they'd ever see eye to eye, if only to spite Erik.
She shook her head, another fact occurring to her. "I can't believe you're staking our entire species on a bet you two made overnight!" she said, referring to both Erik and Charles, scandalized. She looked between the two, wondering if it would have been less cruel to just allow Charles to drown. When this didn't work, it would destroy him just to sit back and watch. Unless, he were to join them, but that was highly unlikely.
"It took the past two weeks, actually," Erik corrected.
"And hours of fighting over it instead of playing chess. You'll be rusty, my friend," Charles observed, almost breezily, to Erik. The metal-bender sent him an amused glance before turning back to them seriously.
"Who will come with me?" he asked. At first, no one moved. Raven could feel the tension in the air, half composed of nervousness from the ones who were staying and anger from the ones who were going. This was so stupid.
But she could see there would be no talking Erik out of it. She stood and walked over to his side, sighing. "If it will get you off our backs, Charles," she grumbled, glaring at her brother. He gave her a sad smile.
She looked to Riptide, Azazel, Angel and Emma. Raven rolled her eyes. "Just come on!" She snapped impatiently. "It isn't as if we've been given a choice in the matter," once again, Charles had snatched the choice out from underneath her for his hypocritical morals. Was this what the rest of her life was going to be like? A puppet to be played by others?
Not if I have anything to say about it.
Stirred by the anger in her voice, Riptide joined her at Erik's side, followed by Azazel and Emma. "Oh, and we've been playing so nice together while we pretended to be friends," she purred, pinching Sean's cheek as she passed by.
He slapped her hand away, muttering a playful: "shut up, Emma."
"You've been pretending to be my friend, Emma?" Charles gasped, feigning shock and betrayal. She gave him a shining half shrug.
"Sorry, professor. Your theories on Newton's law were too abstract for me," she told him as Raven examined Angel. The girl seemed torn. Charles snorted.
"That would be a friendship breaker with you," he replied dryly. Then, he cocked his head as if he had heard something, eyes sliding to Angel. "You can say it aloud, Angel," he told her gently. Angel looked up, staring at him gravely before answering.
"Cassidy," she whispered, head bowed so that none of them could see her eyes. "My real name is Cassidy," Alex squeezed her hand. "And I'm staying here," she said. Raven was taken aback.
"What?" She gasped. Erik seemed surprised as well.
"Why?" he blurted. Angel looked up and gestured to the walls of the mansion.
"Just look at this place. It so peaceful here, so safe. I've never had that in my life, and there are kids out there who probably don't either. I want to give them what no one ever gave me," her eyes brightened with idealistic determination that Raven had never expected to see in An-Cassidy's eyes. "I want to give them peace. No more war," she shook her head and repeated, in a voice lost in painful memories. "No more fighting."
Erik stared at her for a long moment, his eyes torn between being angry and understanding before he shrugged. "If that is what you want; very well," he conceded reluctantly. "We'll miss you on the team, Angel, but teaching future mutants is good work. Worthy work. Those kids out there will need good teachers," he nodded, with finality as if he had forced himself to come to this conclusion.
"And all of you are always more than welcome here anyway," Charles added kindly, grinning at her. She smiled back, tentatively. Charles's eyes slid to the mutants going with Erik. "All of you," he repeated and it was a promise. One Raven did not intend to fulfill. If she never saw this house again, it would be an honor.
She looked up At Erik-their new leader- and scowled. Somehow, by the look in his eyes, she knew that he did not feel the same.