Chapter 10
After lunch Jean had gym class and was currently involved in a five on five basketball game. Three of the girls on Jean's team were so obviously uncomfortable that she was on their team Jean didn't need her powers to pick it up. At least she had Taryn on her side. Jean was a little distracted by thoughts and worries over what Clark heard Pietro was planning to do tonight as if she wasn't stressed enough about having to be the one to speak at the meeting. As it turns out Pietro's plan, so far, involved storming in right when she starts speaking from what Clark had managed to overhear.
They hadn't had enough time left at lunch to come up with a plan to frustrate Pietro's plotting but as soon as school was over for the day that was the number one thing to do it had been decided. The one thing they couldn't do was to confront Pietro here and now because they promised not to use their powers and it would not solve the problem as regards to Pietro seeking to out Clark long term. That's why they needed a plan that would solve these issues.
Back to the game the team opposing Jean are on the attack. Jean moves to try and intercept a pass but the girl she is near trips her up. "Oops, sorry," the girl sneers, with a sly grin that shows she tripped Jean up on purpose, as she catches the ball and advances towards the basket rapidly.
Jean gets back to her feet and runs after the girl who luckily is taking some time show-boating before trying to take a shot and therefore she doesn't see it when Jean comes in round the side and steals the ball before quickly offloading it to Taryn.
Jean runs forward while Taryn runs up the line. Taryn passes it back to Jean who is quickly surrounded by 3 girls. Jean leaps and manages to get the ball away over the grasping hands. The ball hits the rim rolls around the edge a few times before dropping in.
"Way to go Jean!" Taryn cheers as she runs up to her friend and they share a high five. That wins their team the game.
"No fair!" one of the girls shouts. "You used your powers to cheat!" she accuses Jean.
Jean's eyes go wide. "W-What?"
"It's true. I saw her!" another girl backs up the accusation.
That's baloney!" Taryn snaps as she squares up to the first girl. "You just suck at Basketball Violet," she quite rudely insults the brown haired girl who first made the accusation. "You've always sucked! Right Linda?" Taryn asks a blond girl from her side. When she gets no instant support Taryn snaps her head round and glares at Linda through narrow eyes. "Right Linda?" she asks again.
Linda sort of shrugs in a helpless manner as if she doesn't want to get pulled into the middle of this.
Taryn's dark eyes narrow further. This is getting ridiculous. Even if it had been a shock about Jean's mutant status, and it had been even for herself, Taryn knows Jean well enough to be certain of one thing. Jean is far too moral to ever cheat.
"Enough!" the coach, a tall African American woman, says in a raised voice as she moves to break up Taryn and Violet. She puts her arm in between the two girls. "The basket stands," the coach insists.
"But she cheated!" Violet repeats her accusation.
"Do you have proof of that?" the coach asks her.
Violet freezes. "W-well no," she has to confess.
"Then from what I saw Grey scored fair and square. End of discussion," the coach shuts the argument down. "Now hit the showers!" she orders.
Violet scowls and shoots both Jean and Taryn a stern, unfriendly, glare as she stomps away.
Jean lightly smiles almost in relief that at least one teacher around here doesn't hate her. "Thanks coach," she says genuinely grateful that the coach defended her.
The coach smiles lightly. "Contrary to the impression some of my colleagues around here may give off not everyone hates you and your friends Grey. Besides I owe that pal of yours."
"Pal?" Jean queries.
"The Bayville Blur. If it wasn't for him I would have ended up another victim of that car jacking epidemic we had around here at the start of the year."
Jean colours slightly as that car jacking gang was who she fought as one of the Sirens.
"I had my baby daughter in the car at the time," the coach says in a quiet voice at the sheer horror of what could have happened. "You seen that pal of yours lately?"
Jean shakes her head. "Uh...no. He said he had some personal affairs to take care of," she gives off the standard reply whenever anyone asked that question.
"Well if you see him tell him I said thanks."
"I will," Jean promises.
"It's a small world after all," Taryn remarks with a chuckle.
"That it is Fujioka," the coach agrees.
Jean has to shake her head. Clark saved Amanda and her parents in exactly the same way and now her coach. Just what does he get up to when he is out patrolling that she doesn't know about she wonders with curiosity. She'll have to remember to ask him one of these days. Jean's attention is suddenly caught by the sight of Principal Kelly outside the gym packing up the trophies from the display cabinets into boxes.
"That wasn't my idea," the coach says ruefully picking up on what Jean is looking at. "But the other schools and parents demanded an inquiry was undertaken."
Jean had been informed about it over the summer but to actually see it happen with her own eyes hurt. She never cheated when she helped win those. She just has got to say something to Principal Kelly in defence of herself so she walks over. Taryn follows.
"Don't waste your breath Jean," Kelly says as he packs away more trophies, trying to cut off a debate he doesn't wish to have.
"But sir it is not fair," Jean protests. "I never cheated. I never used my powers once during those games."
Kelly snorts lightly and shakes his head. "Mutants," he says the world with close to loathing. "You think you can just act normal," he accuses as if they knew what normal was.
"Just because we have different gifts doesn't mean we are not normal," Jean says rallying to the defence of her species.
"This school has been plagued by disaster!" Kelly laments everything he has had to deal with. "Earthquakes, fires, explosions, vicious beasts! It makes so much sense now," Kelly almost kicks himself for not seeing it sooner but at least he knows who is to blame now.
Jean's expression becomes pensive because she can't deny those things happened and that in some way mutants were responsible even if it was never intentional.
"You're a menace," Kelly accuses Jean personally as much as he is accusing mutants in general.
"No. No. Not all of us," Jean argues a little weakly by being caught off-guard by how vicious Kelly is being.
"You're right. Some of you are cheats!" he almost says it in a way that is directly accusing Jean. Kelly picks up the box he has packed. "I'm going to be needing your soccer MVP trophy returned," he orders.
Jean gasps in shock. She worked her socks off to get that trophy. "That is so unfair!" she snaps angrily.
"A fiery temper," Kelly observes. "That's a dangerous combination with your kind of powers. You should be careful Ms Fujioka," he cautions Taryn. "And choose your friends with more diligence."
"I do choose my friends with diligence," Taryn replies in a low, tight tone showing she is standing by Jean. "And Jean is right you are being completely unfair."
"Am I?" Kelly questions that with an arched eyebrow.
"I have control of my emotions," Jean insists. "And my powers," she says in another defence of herself.
"And I have a responsibility to keep the normal students out of harms way," he proclaims pointing at Jean, implying she is someone who puts normal students in harms way.
"What are you saying?" Jean asks, a little puzzled by what that means.
"I'll see you at the meeting tonight," Kelly says in reply and then walks away as Jean places her hands on her hips and watches him go.
"Well there's no guessing which way he's voting tonight is there," Taryn comments crossly as she folds her arms across her chest. "God I knew he was a dickwad but never on this scale," she insults Kelly.
Jean lets out a breath. That...god it hurts to hear all that...all that loathing come from the Principal of all people just because of what she is. Taryn is right. Kelly is clearly going to be voting for getting them banned and it rests on her to prevent it.
"I can't wait until you show that jerk up tonight when you wipe the floor with him at the meeting," Taryn says with some anticipation.
Jean smiles lightly at her friend's support. "It's not a contest Taryn and honestly I think that kind of confrontational approach would backfire. It's about people coming together in a consensus. Mutants and humans living and working side by side in peace."
"Have you worked out what you're going to say yet?" Taryn wonders.
"I have a rough outline in my head."
"I'll know you do it Jean and hey if I have my way I'll be front and centre cheering you on."
"Thank you Taryn," Jean says and Taryn will probably never know how much that means to Jean to have Taryn's support.
Night falls over Bayville and Bayville High's auditorium is lit up as concerned parents, students, teachers and the school-board pile in eager to put to rest the issue of mutant attendance to the school one way or the other.
Jean is already inside sitting next to the Professor, looking around, feeling extremely nervous. The stakes were so high and then there is still the issue of what Pietro is planning to do. They had talked about it. They had a plan. Jean only wishes they didn't have to do it. They had tried the obvious answer; tipping off Mystique since it was clear that she had ordered them to keep a low profile but far too conveniently Mystique was nowhere to be found at the Boarding House and Pietro had already succeeded in getting rid of the other person to tip off; Alicia. They had a plan and Jean has complete faith in her friends they'll pull it off so she will just concentrate on her speech.
"Take a picture. It'll last longer!"
Jean turns her head to behind her. That was Domino telling someone off who is gawking at her.
The Professor actually smiles slightly. "Take it easy Domino. They are not use to such a unique person as yourself," he says referring to her unique appearance with her bluish-white skin and dark spot around her left eye.
"You old charmer you. I bet you were a hit with the ladies in your younger days," Dom quips.
"I am not that old," Charles defends himself first off. "And my private life Domino is precisely that. Private," he informs her. He is not disinterested in having companionship. It is he is just he leads a very full life which leaves little time for socialising.
"Is anyone else creeped out by the idea of the Professor dating?" Ray asks having overheard that.
Tabby shudders a little at that idea. "Yeah right there with ya sparky."
Charles shakes his head and looks to the heavens. He is seriously starting to regret saying that everyone should come along to support Jean.
Jean smiles at the banter. It takes the edge off her nervousness.
Charles turns his attention to Jean. "I know you are nervous Jean," he says hardly needing to be a telepath to sense it. "But you'll do fine," he assures her. "If I didn't believe that I would never have asked you to do this. You have my complete confidence."
That makes Jean feel a little better but still taking in the audience didn't make her believe her task was any easier. She could feel the waves of disapproval from parents desiring to do anything to keep their children safe. She doubted the emotions of the school-board were any different and she already knew what Principal Kelly thought after their confrontation earlier. There were even a couple of people in the audience with these 'FOH' armbands. That Friends of Humanity group...Gah! They wanted to make Jean scream with their racist agenda of having mutants essentially segregated like what was done to coloured people in the South before the triumph of the Civil Rights movement. Jean wishes Scott was here right now.
At this point Domino excuses herself citing the call of nature as in needing to go to the bathroom.
"Professor Xavier?"
Jean looks up to see a blond girl has come up to the Professor.
"Yes?" Charles inquires politely.
"I don't know if Clark mentioned me yet. I'm Cat Grant."
A subtle smile comes to Charles' face as he recognises the name. "Yes. He did mention your intriguing request. If you are looking for an answer Ms Grant I am afraid I have not yet come to a conclusion. I think you'll understand that tonight's events have taken priority for me."
"Of course," Cat says in complete understanding. "As long as Clark mentioned me. I would go speak to him but I see he's rather stuck in the middle," she says referring to the fact Clark is sitting next to his mother in the middle of the row. "Anyway please take as much time as you need. I'm not going anywhere."
"You will receive my response as expediently as possible," Charles promises the young lady.
Cat smiles and turns her gaze to the red head. "You're Jean Grey right?"
Jean nods. "Yes."
"Knock them dead honey," Cat encourages her knowing Jean is the one going to speak.
"Don't tempt me," Jean quips dead-pan style.
Cat chortles in response to that. "Well when you've won your vote hopefully you'll allow me a few minutes afterwards of your time to get your views."
Both Jean and the Professor both express they are happy to do that as they will have be with anyone who wishes it. The Professor is not above seeing that mutants need as much good PR as possible even if that includes a school paper.
Cat smiles at them before she goes to find a seat. Once sat down she pulls out her notepad and prepares herself. She thinks this meeting will be very interesting material for her first proper article in the school paper.
Outside the auditorium Scott had arrived along with Kitty, Kurt, Evan on his skateboard, Rogue and Wanda. Despite the ongoing issues between the two Goth girls no-one had been able to stop Wanda coming and volunteering to help when she heard what her brother was up to. Wanda's reaction to her brother's scheming was...lets just say they came awful close to having to rebuild the mansion again.
They approach the entrance looking for any sign of Pietro, Duncan and the rest when Duncan pulls up in a blue convertible blocking their way into the auditorium. Duncan gets out of the car, his face carrying a deadly serious expression. "Hey Summers. We have unfinished business," he says in a threatening manner.
Kitty rolls her eyes. "On brother. Give the macho act a rest will ya," she dismisses Duncan's posturing, as she sees it, as she waves him off.
Duncan gives her a sneering look in return. "The rest of you can go. This is between me and Summers," Duncan tells them.
Evan stalks right up into Duncan's face. "That ain't goin to happen," he promises the taller, larger boy.
Duncan smirks. "Figured you would say that." Duncan puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles. From behind a van parked to Duncan's right come 4 of his friends on the football team and Pietro, Neutron, Toad, Blob and Avalanche. Plastique as it turned out could not be persuaded to participate as Pietro had managed to do with his 3 male friends but she did agree not to tip anyone off that could have stopped this.
"You're outnumbered Summers. You're going to have no choice but to use your powers and then it's the end for you and your mutie friends," Duncan explains his simple plan.
As much as it may not seem so this is going according to plan. The idea was just to keep Pietro and company out of the auditorium until after the vote. A delaying tactic really. It wasn't the greatest plan ever but they were severely limited in what they could do because above all else they had promised not to use their powers.
Pietro's eyes narrow in annoyance when he doesn't see one person. "Where's that good for nothing mutie loving friend of yours Clark Kent?" he asks, keeping up the pretence of being human for Duncan for just a little longer.
"Smart enough not to fall for your idiotic scheme Pie-Pie," Wanda pours scorn on her brother, using the nickname she had for him when they were growing up.
"W-Wanda," Pietro stutters out, suddenly short of breath from fear at the unexpected appearance of his twin sister, as he notices her for the 1st time.
"Cuddlebumps!" Toad cheers at seeing his crush.
Wanda groans at that. This would one reason she doesn't leave the mansion much. Toad's inexplicable and unwanted advances towards her.
"Pie-Pie?" Evan queries from Wanda.
"It was his name growing up," she explains.
An enormous grin grows on Evan's face. "Oh I'm going to be cherishing that one for a long time. What about you Pie-Pie?" he mocks his rival.
Fred and Toad giggle at it because it was funny. Even Lance's lips twitch. When this is over there will be much material for teasing. Pietro scowls in response.
"Remember no powers unless there is absolutely no choice," Scott reminds his friends.
"Don't worry about it. Powers or not I could always kick my brother's ass," Wanda says, as she points at Pietro, relishing the idea of inflicting such a beating upon her treacherous twin.
Duncan frowns in puzzlement at the pointed finger and looks at Pietro as the one it is directed at. "She's your sister? But she's a mutant...does that mean...?"
"Yes Pietro. Why don't you tell him what that means," Wanda says to him in such a tone as to tell her brother that this charade is over.
"Always better to show them. Avalanche. Rock their world," Pietro instructs.
Lance steps forward, clenches his fists and concentrates hard making the ground shake. The look on Duncan's face in reaction is exactly the one Pietro wanted.
Duncan only has a moment to think about his next decision. He was set up...used...by a mutant! Anger courses through him but when he sees Summers rocking off balance Duncan makes the split second decision to get Scott Summers right here and right now. He can deal with Maximoff's deception afterwards so Duncan charges forward right into Scott.
The Brotherhood members look at Pietro with puzzled expressions at Duncan's actions. Pietro shrugs. "I guess he hates Summers that much," he supposes. His lips curve upward in eager anticipation. "Come on guys lets make as much noise as we can," he says and the Brotherhood charge into the fray.
Duncan's 4 pals stand there in shock unsure what to do after having seen this. Without Duncan to instruct them they're lost.
"So you 4 just going to stand there?"
The 4 boys turn to see a young woman with bluish-white skin, dressed casually in a top and jeans, walk up to them.
Domino had left the auditorium using the 'needing the bathroom' bit as an excuse for the very reason she knew this was coming and was never going to leave her charges to fight it alone. She looks the 4 teenage boys over, assessing what threat if any they pose, trusting in the X-Men she helps train to handle the Brotherhood for the moment. "Personally if I were you 4 I would recommend going home. It'll save on your medical expenses," she advises them with a smirk.
One of the boys' faces twists in anger. "Mutie bitch," he mutters. "I'll show you!" he vows and charges at Domino who stands perfectly still, hiding how, thanks to a side-effect of her power, her body is always in the perfect position, stance and balance to give her the advantage in any fight...especially against some hotheaded lug who in reality wouldn't last 10 seconds in a proper fight.
Domino easily side-steps the charging teen, leaving her foot behind and the boy's momentum does the rest as he goes sailing over her foot and crashes down face first. A second boy tries to then hit her. Domino leans back and the swing misses her completely. She didn't even think about the action. It's instinctive. It's all about probability which her powers effect. Instinctively her body just moves to the position with the highest probability that she won't get hit and will put her in the best position.
The boy's miss has left him completely off-balance, which shows he was over extending, an amateur mistake. It leaves him completely open. She kicks him in the stomach doubling him over and then rolls over his back using the momentum gained to lay a kick into the face of a third of Duncan's pals knocking him down. She returns her attention to the 2nd boy and sweeps his legs from under him before delivering a knock-out blow to his face.
This leaves her back turned to the 4th of Duncan's pals who tries to attack her from behind...only he doesn't notice one of his shoelaces is undone. He trips over and falls to the ground. He looks up to find Domino standing over him looking merrily amused by his predicament. "Ooh that's a piece of bad luck," she says with mock sympathy. "You know you'd be amazed how often that happens around me," she says practically laughing since it is another side-effect of her powers that people who attack her tend to suffer streaks of bad-luck.
Domino delivers a quick, but not overly hard, kick to the boy's head. She isn't looking to hurt him. Just keep him down until the meeting is over. She briefly looks at the X-Men/Brotherhood clash and checks her watch. Jean has to be speaking by now and she was the last voice before the vote. They just have to keep them out here a little longer. Domino can only pray it doesn't spiral out of hand before then.
Back inside the auditorium the debate was nearing its end. Duncan's father, a member of the town council, had been making the argument about how dangerous mutants were and that by allowing them to attend Bayville High put all their children at risk. That had gotten a loud cheer from those 2 armband wearing members of the FOH.
Now it was Jean's turn. As she comes up to stand behind the podium she gets a loud cheer from a certain Asian girl sitting front and centre like she said she would. Jean smiles at Taryn, grateful for that. She takes a breath. "Uh...good evening," she begins, still a little nervous. Her stomach is doing flip-flops if she was being honest but throwing up in front of everyone would definitely not leave a good impression. "My name is Jean Grey," she continues. "I suppose I could stand up here and recite the Fifth or Fourteenth Amendments or quote some passionate speeches from some famous Civil Rights leaders...but to be honest, I don't want to."
In the audience a corner of Charles' lips curve up as he figures out what Jean is doing...exactly the right thing to reach the people here. This is why he asked her to speak. People have heard him speak over and over. They need to hear it from someone they could imagine is their own child.
"Since this is personal lets keep it personal." Jean looks out amongst the crowd as if she is trying to talk to them personally. "Now most of you have children and you love them for who they are. Not what they can or can't do. There is a chance that one of them will have an advanced x-gene and as they grow older they will be considered mutants. You will love them anyway," Jean says with complete, honest, sincerity in her voice. "But other people will hate them. People will want to hurt them," she says with a sadness to her tone hoping to help the people here see and possibly feel what it is like to be a mutant. "You will hope for the day when your child can live in a safe world." Jean's eyes narrow slightly in determination. "Well that world must begin now...with you...," she actually goes as far as pointing at the crowd, "by allowing mutants to attend public school. Thank you."
There is several moments of silence before a single applause starts until it joined by another and then another until there is a ripple of applause across the whole auditorium. Not overwhelming, shaking the rafters, applause from everyone present but certainly the majority. Jean starts to smile...
...and the then the whole building shakes violently.
"Avalanche," Jean murmurs with utter dread at what this means has happened to the others.
The moment after Duncan barrelled into Scott, Pietro zips forward, grabs Evan by an arm(there is no way in hell he is going near Wanda) and stars spinning him round and round and throws him hard into one of the parked cars. Pietro zips up to stand over Evan as he rubs his head. "Gee Daniels you are still so lame. Why did I ever consider you a threat again? I must have been having a really off day," Pietro mocks Evan with a smirk.
Evan grabs at Pietro only for the superfast teen to zip out of the way. Kent may not be here but Pietro can still get his fun out of Evan and with a cruel smile he determines that is what he will do.
Toad starts hopping around Rogue just out of her reach. He spits one of his slime-balls at her hitting her in the chest. Rogue looks down at her ruined purple top. Her eye twitches. "This was mah favourite top dang it!" She looks furiously at Toad. "Vous êtes mort, vous verrue géant!" she yells slipping into French which she only does when she is really mad. Basically she just told him he's dead and that he's a giant wart.
Toad pauses for one instant. "Wow you really do speak French yo," he says in surprise that what Clark said turns out to be true. Pausing turns out to be a mistake as Rogue slams a swing-kick into Toad's side sending him tumbling.
"Yeah and ah can also kick your slime covered ass," Rogue says as more of a promise than anything.
Toad groans and holds the place where she kicked him. "Is it me or is she getting stronger?" he asks out-loud because that seemed to hurt more than last time Rogue clocked him. He then finds himself picked up and thrown hard to rest on top of a parked car. "Yep. Definitely getting stronger," he concludes as he groans in pain.
Kurt finds himself bouncing off Blob's large frame as Fred charges into him and he ends up skidding across the tarmac of the car park. He rubs his head wishing he had used his teleportation powers...heck even a little of his agility would have been good. Blob roaring gets him to look up to see Blob towering over him holding a car up high and about to smash it down on top of him. Kurt rolls and flips out of the way as Fred throws the car which lands on top of another wrecking both.
Wanda wants nothing more than to get her hands on her no good brother but finds the tall blond boy standing in her way.
Neutron looks at Wanda with a strange little smile. "I suppose I could take it easy on you since you are Mags' kid," he says.
Wanda scoffs. "Oh please don't," she says. "That man is not my father!" she insists angrily.
Neutron's smile grows. "I hoped you would say that," he says eager for what comes next. He forms a ball of radiant energy in his right hand. "Tell you what. How about we play my version of dodgeball? Here's the one and only rule. Don't let this hit you because you won't survive it," he says, still smiling, at the prospect of killing Wanda.
'Oh great,' Wanda sarcastically thinks to herself at what she has just gotten herself into. This would be a reason she really needs to work on controlling her temper.
Neutron throws the coloured ball of energy and Wanda leaps to the side to avoid getting hit. The ball hits a street lamp vaporising part of its base and it comes toppling down almost on Wanda who barely rolls out of the way. Neutron laughs, highly amused as he forms another ball to throw. He is going to really enjoy this.
Back with Scott and Duncan both teens were now back on their feet. Duncan throws a right which Scott deflects, a left uppercut which misses as Scott takes a step back, another right Scott ducks under. Duncan gets frustrated and charges in closer throwing lefts and rights all which Scott blocks or avoids showing the difference of what proper training can do.
Scott's eyes narrow behind his shades as Duncan's face twists in frustration, anger and last but not least just pure hate at what Scott Summers has done to him and of what type of freak Scott Summers is. Duncan charges in once again, leading with his right. Scott uses the momentum to grab Duncan's arm and throw the blond teen into the back of this pick-up truck hard knocking all the air out of Duncan's lungs. That should buy Scott a good few minutes by his reckoning.
"Lance what are you doing?" Kitty virtually pleads with her ex-boyfriend as they find themselves facing off against each other. "You're acting like...like...like some hood!" she accuses him of.
Lance's face grows dark with anger. "Yeah well I was never good enough for you was I," he spits out with anger, bitter at what transpired between himself and Kitty.
Kitty's hands go to her hips and her face darkens with anger. "Don't you dare blame me for what happened Lance!" she snaps. She then proceeds to jab him in the chest repeatedly as she speaks. "You were the one who chose Magneto's doolally take over the world, mutants are superior, spiel over me! Over us!" she reminds him.
"I chose practicality over fantasy Kitty. Grow up! Look at what's going on here tonight! They're about to ban you from school! Magneto's right about humans! You know he is!" Lance argues back at her with a raised voice.
Well ok Kitty did think that the chances of winning this vote were slim, and getting slimmer by the second at this rate, but Magneto being right...she'll never say that. "You're the one who needs to grow up Lance!" she retorts. "This isn't a game any longer where we can fight and there are no consequences!" she yells trying to make Lance see that with mutants now exposed they can't continue on doing this as if things were still the same way they were before.
Lance's face goes through many expressions as he tries not to lose his temper at her. Despite it all he doesn't want to hit her or hurt her. "Kitty," he says, his voice strained through gritted teeth. "Move aside," he commands her and when she doesn't move he pushes her aside as he slams his foot down into the ground unleashing a huge tremor. The ground cracks under the stress and Lance directs the crack towards Spyke who is still sparring with Quicksilver. Evan is on his skateboard weaving in and out of the parked cars as is Pietro as he runs.
As the ground cracks in front of him Evan is able to jump over it and continue on his way. Blob then throws a car at him. Evan pushes himself faster and drops into a manhole cover that has been left open for maintenance just as the car drops atop of where he was. Lance directs his tremors at Rogue who is forced to run out of the way as Toad hops up on a car cheering Lance on, mostly because it saves him from the beating Rogue was laying on him. A tree in front of Rogue topples over, snapping some power lines and forcing her to change direction suddenly and roll out of the way of the sizzling live cables.
Lance sweeps a seismic wave across the parking lot making the whole area shake. Kurt uses all his agility to jump from one car to another to avoid it. Wanda, who is tangling with Neutron, spots the wave coming at her and smiles to herself. She dodges an energy ball thrown at her, leaps into the air and lands a firm kick into Neutron who goes stumbling back enough to fall into the wave's path where he disappears into the crack in the ground. Wanda meanwhile has used that kick to push herself out of the way and she lands and rolls neatly to a stop in a crouch. She guesses those Danger Room sessions are starting to pay off she thinks proud of herself at her self-restraint.
By now people have begun to pour out of the auditorium, including Principal Kelly, who gasps as a car Lance sent flying comes directly at him. It lands mere feet away upside down on its roof. Kelly turns and covers his head awaiting in fear for the gas tank to explode and end his life. It doesn't. Kelly breaths a sigh of relief. He looks about and sees the terror on the people's faces at what is transpiring and he realises this is the chance he worked so hard at to set up. "You see!" he accuses. "Mutants are not only dangerous but uncontrollable! This is what is in store for our school!" he proclaims gesturing at the carnage around.
"Look again," Charles' patient voice interrupts Kelly's tirade as he tries to salvage the situation. "Despite the overwhelming urge to use their powers my students are exhibiting self-control."
At this point Scott throws himself to push Duncan out the way as another car comes flying at the blond footballer and despite Scott's loathing for Duncan he was never going to let Duncan die.
Kitty meanwhile has to flip out of the way of yet another flying car courtesy of her ex-boyfriend and boy does this ever emphasise why he is her ex if she ever doubted why they broke up.
With Duncan safe Scott runs at Lance hoping to reach him and disable him, still restraining using his powers as they were instructed to. Lance cries out as he makes the ground shake even harder than before, raising a barrier in front of himself which stops Scott's advance. Lance then sweeps another huge wave across the parking lot making the rows of cars parked up fly into the air. Lance had decided that if they were doing this then he might as well put the exclamation point on it and ensure the precious goody goody X-Men could say goodbye to Bayville High.
"We have to do something," Jean says as she witnesses the carnage because they can't let this go on. It's gotten completely out of hand and people are now in danger.
Kurt sees a man and woman in trouble. They have fallen over and a silver car is heading right for them as it soars through the air courtesy of Avalanche. Having no other choice but to use his powers in order to help them Kurt teleports to them quickly, places a hand on each person and teleports them out of harms way just in time.
A green people carrier is pushed and rolls toward the auditorium and right at, of all people, Duncan's father. Jean raises her hand out and brings it to a stop with her powers.
Another car flies right at Martha and Clark who by now have joined many others in fleeing the building. Bobby steps forward, raises his hand and creates a column of ice which grabs the car mid-air and holds it there. He blows on his finger self-satisfied.
"Thank you Robert," Martha says to him gratefully.
"No problem Mrs Kent," Bobby says with a cocky grin. "The Iceman always stays cool under pressure."
Roberto groans at that pun. "You just had to say it didn't you."
Many of the New Mutants are now busy pulling people out of harms way as Lance continues to generate earthquakes and send cars flying.
Domino has yanked the 4 morons she beat up out of harms way too.
Wanda hexes another one of the flying cars which changes direction at what would seem to be an impossible angle and lands safely avoiding any innocent bystanders. Wanda can't help a moment of pride at how good her control was there as that was exactly what she was intending to do. 'First time for everything,' she thinks to herself humorously.
Cat Grant's eyes widen in fear as a car flies at her and there is no time for her to get out of the way. She closes her eyes and waits for the end but it never comes. She tentatively reopens her eyes to find the car has been caught by a young man dressed all in black with a silver S on his chest. He looks at her with gentle concern with incredible cerulean blue eyes and for the first time, in possibly her entire life, Cat Grant almost swoons. "You ok Miss?" he asks her with a warm, deep baritone, voice as he lowers the car back to the ground with ease as if to him it weighs nothing. Cat can only nod in response as her power of speech has deserted her.
Lance gets angry at seeing what the X-Men are up to. He lets out a frustrated cry and uses his power to use the ground to push up a red car and throw it directly at Principal Kelly who tries to run out of the way. Kitty phases up out of the ground in front of him, grabs him by his suit jacket and phases both of them as the car harmlessly passes through them.
Evan, having crawled up out of the sewer, is back on his skateboard. He is leaping over the cracked ground when he spots a street lamp about to fall on a couple. He unleashes several spikes which embed into the auditorium wall and catch the lamp saving the couple.
The X-Men now take the opportunity to regroup as the Blur zips in next to them. The Brotherhood too regroup as Neutron punches his way out from under the ground, where he ended up, to stand next to them. He sneers at his opponents. "Are we suppose to be intimidated or something because we're not!" he insists and then summons up one of his energy balls. "X-Geeks!" Neutron yells using the name the others taught him. "Catch!"
Neutron throws the ball and the Blur zips in front of the X-Men. "That's ok. You keep it," he says as he backhands the ball, as it comes near him, and sends it right back the way it came.
Neutron's eyes widen. 'How did he..?' is all Neutron manages to think before his own energy ball slams into his chest sending him sprawling onto his back groaning in pain, learning for the first time that his own attacks can hurt him.
The Brotherhood pause. Pietro's eyes narrow and takes in what they are facing and that is when he spots it. Kent being the Bayville Blur in front of him and off to the side Kent standing next to his mother. Pietro snorts and points at the Blur and then at Clark and Martha. "Seriously Kent. You're trying to pull this off with me around? Puh-lease!"
The Blur frowns in puzzlement. "I'm sorry? Are you talking to me?" he asks, his voice as puzzled sounding as he looks.
Pietro zips over to where Martha and Clark are blowing away the New Mutants from around them by running around fast and creating a whirlwind. "Ladies and Gentleman!" he shouts to gain people's attention. "Let me let you in on a little secret! The secret identity of the Bayville Blur!"
Pietro in a blur of motion then rips the watch off Clark's left wrist. He grins in anticipation in the few moments before the hologram will fizzle out...except it doesn't and Pietro's grin starts to slip. A gust of wind indicates the Blur's arrival. Pietro looks on in total confusion. He looks at Clark. He looks at the Blur. He looks down at the watch in his hand. "Ok how? Where...?"
"So let me get this straight Quicksilver," the Blur says. "Just so no-one is confused. You thought I was him?" he queries pointing at Clark. "I apologise for this in advance Mr Kent and it is not directed at you in anyway," the Blur says before he grabs hold of his sides and laughs long and hard. He ends up having to wipe a few tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry Mr Kent," he apologises again, "but that suggestion is ridiculous. I don't indulge in that secret identity stuff. I'm afraid Quicksilver here has been reading too many comic books."
Clark smiles, taking it in good humour, as he pushes his glasses up his nose. "Oh I understand. Honestly I'm flattered by the comparison."
Martha looks between her son and Bayville's hero. "I can see a passing resemblance," she remarks. "But you clearly have a few inches in height," she says to the Blur, who is visibly taller and of larger build than her son standing next to her.
The Blur contemplates her remarks and looks Clark over, glasses and all. "I can see what you mean," he concedes, acknowledging there is a passing resemblance between himself and Clark Kent. He turns to face Pietro. "Now I think you have caused enough trouble. Time to go home," he instructs the silver-haired teen.
Pietro glares at...at whoever! Oh it's Kent. He hasn't figured out how he has done it yet but there will be hell to pay. Pietro swears.
"And you can return Mr Kent's watch before you do," the Blur says in a stern uncompromising tone as in don't bother arguing this.
"You want it? Catch!" Pietro yells as he spins round at superspeed and throws it.
The Blur zips past him with speed that surprises even Pietro, leaps into the air and catches it before landing with surprising softness. He then zips back and around and around Pietro creating his own whirlwind. Caught in it he leaves Pietro comically spinning around across the car park before he returns the watch to Clark and zips back to stand with the X-Men.
Pietro stops spinning. He only wishes the world would. He shakes his head and focusses his anger on one person. He snarls in rage and zips right at the Blur...who inhales deeply and blows. A sheen of sheer ice forms along the ground in Pietro's path who slips and starts skidding right at the X-Men. Rogue steps forward and pulls a glove off. Pietro closes his eyes and braces himself. "I hate this part," he grimaces the one moment before he slides into Rogue's bare hand.
The Blur catches Pietro as Rogue drains him to unconsciousness. He then zips forward to stand in front of Avalanche. "Take Quicksilver and go," he instructs Avalanche. "And in case you think of continuing this make a note of who you are up against."
The Blur steps to the side and Lance can see not only the X-Men but most of the New Mutants have now joined the opposing side as Domino also moves in to stand next to her students. While Lance is as confused as the next guy about what just happened with Clark he is not so stupid not to see this is a fight they can't win. This is over. Lance takes the unconscious Pietro from the Blur and hoists the silver-haired teen over his shoulder. "Blob. Pick Neutron up," he instructs. "We're done here," he says with finality in his tone that transfers that he really means what he says.
Blob picks the groggy blond teen up and the Brotherhood make their retreat.
The Blur zips back next to his friends to find the parents and school-board members looking on with bewildered expressions. The Blur addresses them. "Ladies and Gentlemen," he begins. "I apologise for my tardiness and for my absence these last few months. I had a pressing personal issue to deal with but on the other hand I always had complete faith and trust in my friends, the X-Men, to handle anything. I also have the same faith and trust in you to overlook the actions of those few that would set mutant and human against each other. As for myself, now that I have returned, I pledge myself to protect the innocent citizens of this city, be they human or mutant, against any perpetrator who may wish to harm them, be they human or mutant. I will see that Truth and Justice prevail as I know that you here tonight will see the truth of what has happened here and you will ensure natural justice is done. I will not tell you what decision to make as I believe in the inert goodness and wisdom of humanity. You want a world where your children are safe. That world will be one where all humans of whatever creed, colour and race live together in peace and understanding. In your hearts you know what the correct choice is. All I ask in that you find the courage to make it. With that I will take my leave as there are many people who require my help. A goodnight to you all."
The Blur then leaves with his usual gust of wind.
Jean surveys the damage of the wrecked parking lot. Power lines down, water mains burst shooting up a fountain, most of the ground surface turned up. "Well...not quite the impression I was hoping to make," she says wryly to Scott.
Jean and the Professor then move off to speak to the school-board members and learn what their fate is.
With nothing more to be done for them the X-Men return to their varying vehicles, which survived the carnage, and head home, their thoughts downcast at what fate now awaits them.
Author's Note: Originally I thought I could tell the return to school arc in 3 chapters but there were just too many loose ends to tie up so it will need 4. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My poll for who gets possessed in Spell remains open. Next up; Fury returns looking for the Blur, we catch up with Lionel Luthor making a new friend and find out whether the X-Men get banned from school.