Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men, Marvel does. The OC that appears: Xander Green is from HMMaster.
School. The most chaotic and dramatic part of any teenager's life. Now being a mutant, that made it ten times worse. Lines were being drawn in the sand by both humans and mutants, over the most ridiculous things, but as it was high school, everything was a big deal.
Keith Lerry made an appearance again, this time confronting Leo and Cloak in the halls after school.
"Well what do we have here, boys?" He jeered to his jock pals. "Looks like two mutants getting ready for soccer try-outs."
Leo stood at his open locker and was grabbing his sports bag out. Enrique was next to him, his bag already slung over his shoulder. The two mutants looked at each other. Without a word Leo closed his locker and they began to walk down the hall to the locker rooms. Try-outs started in an hour.
"Don't say anything." Enrique muttered out of the side of his mouth to his friend. Leo took a deep breath and continued to walk.
"Aww, come on now! Don't be like that!" Keith yelled after them. He ran to catch up and 'accidently' stuck his foot out. The feline mutant tripped and his stuff spilled all over the filthy high school hallway floor.
He snarled and began collecting his things.
"Oh, so sorry about that Leo." Keith said sarcastically. "Let me-" he grabbed Leo by the back of his shirt, "-help you!" He slammed the spikey haired mutant into the lockers beside him.
"Hey!" Enrique yelled, stopping his picking up of Leo's things.
"Boys hold this snow-cap back." Keith growled. The other jocks ran up and wrapped their arms around Enrique's. "Now Leo…" the jock breathed into his ear, still squishing the other teen's face into the locker. "I hear you worked at the Zoo over the summer."
Leo snorted and replied with malice. "Yeah, maybe I did. What of it leather-jacket?"
"Nothing much, just see… there was a mutant there that… attacked me. He was never caught… and I thought… maybe you know somethin' about it." He emphasized his last few words by slamming the mutant's face against the locker.
The teen spit out a bit of blood that came from biting his cheek. "Lo siento. Don't know anything about that."
"To hell you don't!" Keith roared, whirling Leo around and throwing him to the other side of the hallway.
"Leo!" Enrique yelled, struggling against his capturers, but he wasn't an incredibly strong guy. "Damn it! Stop Keith!"
"No, Enrique, I don't think I will. Not until this mutie admits he was the one who attacked me." He grabbed Leo by the throat and shoved him against the wall. "I know you got a temper. If you won't admit it, and pay for my jacket of course, I'm gonna keep pressing your buttons until you snap and use your powers."
"What a shame too, Keith." One of the other jocks laughed. "The school has a no strict powers policy."
The jocks chuckled. Leo took a few more deep breaths, sucking down the rising anger in his heart. He was more annoyed than anything, he had soccer try-outs to get to and these jocks were getting in his way.
"So sorry to disappoint, but it's going to take a lot more than that." Leo sneered. Keith's dark face twisted in anger and he pounded Leo's head into the lockers repeatedly.
Stars swam in front of his vision, he supposed that his rapid healing factor was what was keeping him conscious. He groaned and slipped down the lockers a little, the numbness in his head making him lose control of his legs.
"Oh no, up up up! Can't have you blacking out mutie, you still got to answer my question." Lerry sneered. The jock slammed him into the lockers again and let him fall to the floor. After a few seconds he picked the teen back up and held him against the lockers. "Let's try this again: Did you, Leo Dyson, attack me at the Zoo?"
Leo's amber eyes rolled to the back of his head then snapped forward as he answered. "Possibly, maybe… m-maybe you should…" He gasped then continued, "… should ask when… my h-head's clear."
Keith swore and shouted at him.
While this was occurring Enrique saw a teen with black hair peer around the corner of an adjacent hallway; it was Xander. Enrique's eyes widened and he mouthed "No." Xander frowned then turned back around the corner, hopefully for help Enrique thought.
Xander jogged back down the hall he came from in a hurry. Using his powers was a stupid idea anyways, what would someone do when they came upon his empty body? The least he could do was find Principal Darth, or Clay, or someone!
As he raced down the halls he passed two girls he recognized as Amara and Tabitha talking at a locker. What they were still doing after school was a mystery, as most students had left by then.
"Hey speedy, where ya headed?" Tabitha called after him.
Spinning on his heels he faced them and answered. "Trying to find Principal Darth. Some jocks are giving two mutants a hard time. Haven't seen him have you?" He bounced impatiently on his feet. If it hadn't been as serious a situation he probably would have hunched his shoulders in the presence of such pretty girls, but he was distracted.
Tabitha looked at Amara, she shook her head. "No, sorry kido. Who were the mutants?" She asked nonchalantly.
Xander knew she was a mutant too, course the whole school did. He pondered on the other mutant's name. "Enrique Oculto and… uh…"
"Leo Dyson?" Amara asked. The two girls knew how good of friends they were.
"Uh I suppose, red spikey hair, lion tail, right?"
"Yeah." Tabitha said. "Amara why don't you go with him and try to help him find Darth, I'll try to diffuse the situation."
"Tabitha," Amara said quickly as she started down the hall, "don't do anything too stupid! The professor wouldn't like it if you were expelled!"
Tabitha started strutting down the hall in the other direction. "I'll try."
By this time Leo was on the ground again, his head still swimming. Keith had him by the tail with a foot on his back.
"Wanna try again?"
"No." Leo moaned. He was used to getting beat by Logan, that just couldn't be helped, but when he couldn't fight back? That hurt more than his head.
"Fine, let's try a different tactic. Your friend will undoubtedly be less strong." Keith growled, leaving Leo on the floor and moving over to Enrique. "Hold him boys."
Enrique grimaced, seeing his impending doom.
"How's it going boys?"
The jocks stopped and turned their heads. Leo dragged himself into a sitting position and was shocked to see Tabitha standing not too far away.
"Need help kitten?" Tabitha asked Leo. His eyes didn't quite focus on her, and that had her worried.
Leo shook his head. "You shouldn't be here." He whispered, shutting his amber eyes.
"He's got a point missy." Keith growled, walking over to her. "Why don't you just run along?"
Tabitha examined her nails and shook her head. "Sorry love, I have to make sure no one else is gettin' roughed up here."
The jock grabbed her arm violently. "Leave. Now."
"Hey Keith? Ain't she a mutie too?" One of the other jocks asked.
Keith squinted his eyes at her and looked her up and down. "Yeah, I recognize you now. Tabitha Smith, one of those bloody X-Men. Maybe she can convince Leo to tell the truth." He drew her close to him and looked wolfishly at her, then he glanced at Leo. "I hope you don't mind if I have her, do you Dyson?"
Anger flashed from deep in his eyes and he sat up a little straighter. "Actually I… do!" He snapped.
"So do I." Tabitha said, slipping a small self-made firecracker in the front of his shirt, then shoving him away.
Keith glared at her, and then his shirt exploded. A tiny hole was ripped straight through and left a nasty burn on his chest. He flailed back in a comical manner, shrieking like a girl as it went off.
"Oops?" Tabitha shrugged.
The jock roared in anger and advanced on the girl. "THAT'S IT!"
"Yes, you're right Mr. Lerry." A melodious voice said. "That is it." Principal Darth strolled down the hall to where the teens were gathered. Amara and Xander trailed after him.
"All of you, my office. Now." Darth said with authority.
The other jocks released Enrique and he rubbed his forearms. "Uh, sir? We have soccer try-outs."
Darth looked at the white-haired teen. "When do try-outs start?"
"In about forty-five minutes."
The principal rubbed his chin. "Hmmm. I need you to at least come to my office and help me get an idea of what happened here, Enrique. After that you can go, but I don't think Mr. Dyson will be ready for that. I will let the coach know what happened, and make sure you can get another shot at it if need be."
"Thank you." Enrique said.
"All right, Miss Amara, Mister Xander, I believe you can leave, everyone else, let's go. We will call your parents in my office after we find out what happened."
Principal Darth's Office
Darth sat down at his ebony desk and gestured at six open chairs for the students. Tabitha and Enrique helped Leo sit down, as he was still trying to get his head together. The jocks sat together on the right, moving their chairs a little away from the mutants.
Through a series of questions Darth figured out what happened that afternoon.
"Mr. Lerry, I hope you have another school you wish to attend."
Keith Lerry gulped. Frowning he looked at Tabitha then back to the principal. "What about her? She used her powers."
Darth frowned, the purple scar over his eye scrunching up. "I believe she used her powers because she felt threatened by you. But we must remain fair, I will need to speak with your parents Miss Smith."
"I don't live with my parents. I live at the Xavier Institute."
"Ah, I see. I've been meaning to speak to him anyways. Leo you live there as well, correct?" Darth asked.
"Uh… yeah." Leo answered, shaking his head.
"I'll call him now. Mr. Lerry, you and your friends wait outside." When the jocks had left the office he turned to Enrique. "Mr. Oculto, your parents—"
"Are at work until nine." Enrique finished.
"Can either of them afford to leave work for a little bit?"
"No, they… uh… things are tight at home. They… uh…" The teen muttered.
Darth held up his hand and smoothed his silver tie. "I understand, I will leave them a message, go on to soccer try-outs." He grabbed a piece of paper off his desk and a pen and scribbled something on it. "Take this to the coach and let him know Leo is physically unable to try-out today."
Enrique took the note and left, giving Leo a smile as he left. Mr. Darth looked at the two remaining mutants in front of him and then picked up the phone.
The phone at the Institute began ringing; causing numerous students and teachers to scramble towards the phone (the landline was shared by everyone).
"Ah got it!"
"Got it!"
"Ack! Jamie where'd you put the phone?"
"Me? Colossus had it last!"
Several hands picked up the extensions throughout the mansion. Rogue's southern twang, Colossus's quiet but strong voice, Bobby's goofy tone, Logan's gruff bark, and the professor's calm voice all answered the phone at the same time, throwing out a variety of greetings.
Principal Darth winced under the barrage of voices. He coughed slightly and asked, "Excuse me, is Professor Xavier there? This is Principal Nicolas Darth."
"Professah, are ya on the othah line?" Rogue's voice asked over the phone.
"Yes Rogue, I am. I'll take over from here." Xavier's voice sounded. He waited for the clicks of the other phones being hung up to continue. "This is Professor Xavier, what can I help you with Mr. Darth?"
Darth looked at the two in his office then swiveled his dark chair to face away from them. "I would like to speak to you in person, professor. Mainly about Tabitha Smith's continuing attendance at this school…"
"What happened?" The professor's tone suddenly darkened.
"There was an incident after school today revolving around your other student Leo Dyson, Enrique Oculto, and a few of our football players. Miss Smith, as good as she was, broke up the fight, but not in a way that agrees with our school rules. I'm afraid we need to continue to discuss this matter in person with the other parents, please be here as soon as you can." The principal's voice said over the receiver.
Xavier rubbed his temple with one hand as he replied. "Yes, I understand… I'll be there right away." Both hung up.
"What was that all about Chuck?" Logan growled, walking into his office. "What did the principal want?"
"I believe that Tabitha got in some trouble using her powers today. Good thing is she probably did it to protect another mutant, bad thing is… well of course it is against the rules."
"Greeeaat." Logan rolled his eyes. "I assume you want the van gassed up and ready to go."
Xavier cracked a smile. "It's like you read my mind."
Author's note: Now I get to ask: A) what'd ya think? B) I don't really have an ending entirely for this two-parter, if you want to see something make a suggestion. Be as fair/unfair as you want to Tabitha, I'll see what works.
Ah yes, the intro I didn't go back and add on the previous chapter, it doesn't actually affect the chapter so I'll leave it til later. I plan this summer (so starting May 19th) to do a Haven Chronicles: Origins fanfiction (for all you guys who gave me an OC [or three]) and depending on how far in this one I get: Alternate Realities, a twist on a certain point in D-Factor where I get to suck Leo into the future. Kinda based on Teen Titans: How long is Forever?
Next chapter (for sure): Clay and Sionnach will play swords (like that'll end well), and Tabitha and Keith recieve their consquences.