Hello again to all my friends. I don't own X-men, but regardless the original characters that I'll be using in here do belong to me.

I think I'm on a roll, two chapters in one day, woot! Sorry for those waiting for the update for the other fic I'm writing :( I'm a little uninspired for it at the moment. I'm trying though, I promise!

Chapter 24

"What happened to you?" Naomi asked while pulling out the first aid kit in the kitchen.

"Nothing really," He hissed as she wiped a wet rag over a gash on his face."Just a suggestion to you, never date someone who likes to take revenge on exes when they feel like it."

"Who?" She had an idea, but wondered all the same.

"Oh come on no one can keep a secret in this house for very long. What have you heard about her?" Rune stated, "You don't have to do this you know."

"You helped me when I was sick, its the least I can do." She replied and began cleaning blood from his split knuckles. "I was told her name was Recharge, and she likes to manipulate people because she's got a druggy touch."

"Yeah well," he sounded defensive, then paused and nodded, "Yeah that pretty much sums her up." He flinched as the rough cloth ran across an open wound. "She had a few of her new addicts beat the shit out of me for breaking up with her, oh, four years ago. Ouch!" He pulled back as she began applying other liquids to the injuries.

"Don't be a big baby." She replied, "Where you out looking for her?"

He was quite, he didn't speak again until she'd finished wrapping the knuckles of one hand and had begun working on what looked like road burns with gravel bits lodged into the skin. "Yes, and no." He kept his eyes to the floor, "She had me once Naomi, I was her puppet on a string, and it wasn't just that she had me drugged with her power. I'd been drawn to her even before then, it was... strange... the power boost was just a boon if I could be around her." He looked at his hands then up at someone who walked through the room, gave a glance in at him sitting on the counter then started getting herself something to snack on, then left the way they'd come. "I guess a part of me will always be looking for that drug she gives," he shrugged then hissed out through his teeth again when Naomi pulled out a piece of rock from his skin. "Once an addict always one. Withdrawal's always a bitch though."

Chameleon walked in and paused at the sight of the two of them.

Rune smirked, "Speak of the devil, did you just hear me call for you?"

She rolled her currently gray eyes, her hair was purple at the moment, "Ha ha ha, very funny doofus." She looked to Naomi, "Curse was looking for you in the dance room. It looks like she's getting antsy about you not answering your phone."

"Sparky fried my phone." Naomi replied.

Her hair turned pink and her eyes lighted with secret pleasure, "Really, well that really is unfortunate. I guess you're just going to have to buy a new one. Will your oh so, wealthy uncle be pampering his niece again with a new toy."

"Do you always have to act so joyful about torturing another human being?" Rune asked. Naomi had a sneaky suspicion Chameleon was the one who said something to Sparky.

"It makes my day more interesting." Cameleon reached into the fridge and took out a bottle of soda, "Ta then, maybe you're parent will come find you and take you home." She vanished out of the room.

Naomi finished tying more gauze around Rune arm, she pulled it tight, "I really don't like her."

"I'll tell you a secret, no one really does." He jumped down from the counter and winced, "I'll go down stairs for the ribs I think." She noticed the bruising starting to form across his eyes and some swelling to his left jaw. "Thanks though."

"So what kind of mutants attacked you for Recharge?" Naomi asked before he could limp off on a sprained ankle.

"One could quicksilver parts of his body, not all of him at the same time, but parts. It was weird when he made it into blades off his arms and stuff." Rune replied leaning on the wall, "The other one... she could phase through solid objects like Shadowcat, but unlike Kitty, I could feel her hand or whatever going through. I'm pretty sure she broke a rib, from the inside." He left the room, "Oh," he came back in. "There's a party going on at the high school this weekend, we all usually manage to get in, posing as friends of students. Want to go?"

Naomi blinked, "Go with you?" Rune nodded, "I've never been to a party."

"So that's a yes?" Rune asked, "Go meet up with Curse, I'm sure she'll help you with the pending party." Then he vanished, Naomi walked out the door in time to see him go down the stairs.

She pushed her hair back behind her ear then went off to meet Curse.

Curse, of course, already knew about the party. "Rune asked you on a date?" The girl squealed with joy, her creation, a knee-high cloth creature that looked similar to a cat tilted its head to the side and stared at her. "That's so cool!"

"I don't know if its really a date though." Naomi stated, a second cat, this one slightly smaller was sitting on her lap, this one was made of fuzzier fabric. While neither of them made any sounds they did act and react almost like normal cats; they did seem to understand words better though. "Isn't everyone going?"

"Mostly just people who attend the high school and some of their friends." Curse replied. "Didn't Storm tell you? Some of the kids from here that blend in better and have more control go to the high school for some of their classes, and to get use to being around normal people."

Naomi could vaguely remember that conversation. "Is it some kind of special party?"

"Usually they're dances."

"I can only do some ballet."

Curse scoffed, "Its not like professional dances or even ballroom. Most of the time they just throw their hands up in the air and move to the beat, or jump up and down. Here I'll show you." She grabbed both of her creation by the naps of their necks, they both fell into limp dolls again. She tucked them into one of the corners and walked over to the music system in the room. Curse tuned it to a popular radio station. Pounding rhythms, thrumming beats and words filled the room. "Today will be a lesson in modern styles of dance." Curse said with a smile as she helped Naomi to her feet.

They were in the midst of some mash-pit style jumps when the door opened. Circuit walked in and blinked. They both paused then broke into a fit of giggles, Curse went and turned down the music. "Sorry, it isn't much of a mash-pit with two people. I'm Curse."

"Circuit." He replied and shook her hand. "I'm just bringing Naomi back her phone. Its good as new." He caught sight of the dolls, he raised an eyebrow at them.

"Oh," Curse blushed, "Those are mine, I can,"

"I know what you can do." Circuit cut in, "My power's similar, just more, electronic based."

"Really?" Curse replied. Naomi smiled as she was forgotten and the two of them began conversing. She walked out the side door and into one of the smaller rooms. She connected her phone to the music system and stretched out as music she'd begun collecting on her phone-songs she'd heard on the radio that she'd liked- began to play. Her shadow spread out and began shifting to the beat, after a moment Naomi closed her eyes and did the same.

Her shadow remained in a constant flux around her, shifting and changing as she moved. Almost dancing with her, in the calm state she didn't notice the little cracking on her hands.