Disclaimer: Kitty Pryde, and all of Gen-X, along with the X-Men, and their universe are trademarks of Marvel Comics; I’m only borrowing them for an unauthorized work for my own personnel enjoyment. No profits are being made from the posting of this story. However, this work is copyright to me.
Warning: If a f/f
relationship upsets you, then this story is not for you. If you don’t agree
with a Kitty Pryde that is searching out her sexually with women, give this
story a pass. And if it’s illegal where you live,
Feedback: Please send any feedback to rachel12@tampabay.rr.com
Continuity: All of my stories will use X-Men #361/81 as the cut-off. Since there is no clean cut-off time, the whole Cerebro mess, and Xavier missing did not happen, along with the phony Wolverine. However, the older more mature looking Kitty with the short hair as seen in X-Men #100 is the look I’m including for the Shadowcat I’m writing about. As for Gen-X, Issue 40, in these stories, M and Penance are NOT related; there are NO twins that was a dumb idea IMHO, so please forget the M/Penance storyline. Also please don’t ask about Gaia, I don’t know much about her, and never really saw her as part of the team.
Notes:
This is the sequel to my story ‘Early Morning Confusion’. Also in that story I mistakenly referred to
Xavier’s mansion as ‘Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters’, which is Gen-X’s
school even though it’s still at times called the ‘
< > Indicates thoughts
[ ] Indicates telepathy
<Thank god that’s it, now on with the story.>
Heart of Frost
Part One
The bird flew over the strange earth, it had learned by following the black path it could find nice juicy bugs gathered along it attracted by the heat of the large animals running along its trail. Its eyesight was better than most birds it thought proudly, most other birds always talked down about pigeons, yet it knew they were the most plentiful on earth. Right now it was following high above the white animal as it moved along the trail gobbling up the insects in its path waiting for the chance to steal one of the bigger, riper bugs. Then it saw its opportunity, swooping down in a dive, he open his beak. Faster and faster his speed increased passing the white animal, and in an instant, grabbed the insect within its mouth. Only it misjudged the animals swiftness, suddenly it was upon the bird but it must have eaten its full, for it left it flapping in the violent wake of its passing, letting off a roar in annoyance.
“STUPID PIGEON!” Jubilation Lee yelled as she watched through the rear window the bird flap its wings trying to steady itself before flying off. Turning to her companion in the snow white limousine, the Chinese-American mutant crossed her arms over her chest with a look of boredom, “I think it’s time for me to say it, are we there yet?”
Katherine
Pryde, known as Kitty to her friends, codenamed Shadowcat to the outside world
smiled while she continued to look out the window at the snowed covered
buildings as the limousine journey along I-95, “Sorry, but we’re only halfway
to the Academy.” Kitty responded, not taking her eyes off the passing
countryside. She had been thinking of the events of the last few days, a scrap
of paper on which her fellow X-Men, Marrow had written a poem stating her
feelings for Kitty. Then of course within a day, she not only found herself in
bed with said mutant. But also was found out by half the team that she had
slept with Marrow, which didn’t go over well. <Why, why did I sleep with her?> Kitty had been asking that question even
since she got into the limo taking her and Jubilee to the
“Hey Pryde, I’m hungry, lets stop someplace okay?” Jubilation asked, getting a soft coo of agreement from the dragon on her lap. “They should be eating about now at the school, and I don’t want any cold leftovers, and ever since that last food fight, Frosty won’t stock the car anymore”
Chuckling, Shadowcat looked at the girl, then to the two-foot long purple dragon, who was in a blissful mood thanks to Jubilee’s scratching right between his wings. Lockheed, alien dragon, and her best true friend and companion for over four years. Nodding in agreement, she leaned forward pressing a button on the intercom letting the driver know their wish to stop at the next restaurant. Jubilee’s mention of the school’s headmistress brought back some memories to Kitty.
Emma
Frost, the ex-White Queen to the
Kitty’s thoughts were interrupted when the stretch limo came to a halt, quickly looking out the tilted windows she saw that they had pulled up right in front of a small diner. Grabbing her shoulder bag, Shadowcat held open the flaps allowing Lockheed to jump in just in time for the driver to open the rear door standing stiffly as the two girls exited the car.
“Would you like to join us Lumpkin?” Jubilee asked the driver, one of Emma Frost’s more trusted servants. She didn’t know why Frosty trusted him and his counter part Bumpkin so much, knowing how rare the White Queen’s trusted anyone; it was enough to the girl to consider them trustworthy also.
Bearing the weight of the handbag containing the dragon with little trouble, Kitty was not surprised to see Lumpkin silently shake his head no. From what the students at the school had said, no one has ever heard him talk. Shivering from a cold breeze, Shadowcat called on her companion to hurry up before they froze. Dashing ahead, Jubilee held the door open for Kitty as she entered the diner then followed behind. Seeing the stares the pair was receiving as they came in, Shadowcat guessed that not many patrons drove up in stretch limousines.
Making their way to a booth, they sat opposite of each other, with Kitty placing the handbag containing Lockheed between herself and the wall, while Jubilee started flipping through the music selection of the remote jukebox.
“Hey Kitty, they have some K.D. Lang,” the girl said, her eyes locked on the song menu, “and Melissa Etheridge.” She added enthusiastically.
Her
response was cut short by the appearance of the waiter, a balding older man
that spoke with a heavy
Surprised at first, then with a smile coming promptly to her face, Shadowcat nodded and answered, “Shalom, Ma Shlomxa, Shmi Katherine.”
Her eyes switching back and forth as Kitty and the waiter spoke what Jubilee guessed was Hebrew. They talked for over five minutes she estimated with the waiter giving off a short laugh every now and then. Finally he pointed at Jubilee, while Kitty said something again in Hebrew, then nodded again with a laugh before leaving the table. Still browsing through the jukebox selection, “Kitty, what did he mean are we together, I mean, together as, together or,” raising both hands with the index fingers twitching up and down, “Together?”
Breathing out a sigh, Kitty just shook her head and said, “Geek alert.”
“Where?” Jubilation said turning to look around the diner, then through the window at the parking lot. “Where, I don’t see….” Realizing just who Kitty was talking about, the girl reviewed the last few minutes in her mind and shrugged her shoulders, “Sorry.” She replied softly.
Pausing as the drinks arrived, Kitty knew that her being with Sarah freaked Jubilee out. But the girl was trying to accept it, even requesting that she be reminded if she started to act all geekie as she put it. “It’s alright, just remembered I never listen to those artist before, I don’t plan on doing it now just because I slept with Marrow. And together as in me paying for both of us, unless you want to?”
Panicked that Kitty even thought that she may foot the bill, Jubilee hastily shook her head, “What! No way, Frosty don’t give us any type of allowance, I mean she expects us to do work around the school to earn any spending money.”
In complete false sympathy, Shadowcat nodded her head, “I can’t believe it, she actually makes you all work for money?” While impressed with the new Emma Frost, the old one she thought would’ve just given money to the students in order to buy their loyalty.
Taking a big gulp of her Pepsi, Jubilation nodded thinking that Kitty was agreeing with her, “Yea, that’s what I think, like she has all of this money, think like she would just give us some, by the way,” Jubilee asked looking over her shoulder, “When are we going to get to order some food?”
“Already did, got a hamburger with all the fixins for you and Lockheed, and some Kosher Pesach Cholent, for me, haven’t had anything Kosher for a long time.” Kitty answered, her attention on a car that just drove into the parking lot, its radio blaring some old AC/DC. “Hmmmm?” She asked missing what Jubilee said.
“What is Pesach Cholent?” Jubilee said again.
Watching the car again, Kitty replied that it was a chuck roast served with potatoes as the occupants got out. She guessed they were both about nineteen, maybe twenty years old; both wore holey blue jeans and T-shirts despite the cold weather. And they were both loud, cursing at the top of their lungs, and laughing. Jubilee noticed them about the same time as their waiter arrived with their food. Setting the plates down with a smile, the old man looked worried as the two men entered the diner.
As the old man hurried over to check on his new customers, Kitty grabbed one of the hamburgers and dropped it in the oversize handbag, which soon had contented munching sounds echoing from it. Then returned to her scrutiny of the men, they seemed have settled down some, through they kept glancing at her and Jubilee. Then again Kitty thought, she was also watching them, so turning away she concentrated on her dinner.
As they ate, Jubilee filled in Kitty with what’s been happening at the Academy, that Paige was still following around Chamber, not knowing what to do with him if she ever caught him. M was still Ms. Perfect in Monet’s own mind. It was at this point that Kitty interrupted Jubilee’s gossip and asked if everyone at the school knows what happened between her and Marrow?
“No,” Jubilation said thoughtfully, “I told Paige but she didn’t believe me, so she put Angelo on, right away he got excited about something and started speaking Spanish. Next thing I know, Ev was on the phone asking me what was going on at the mansion.” Taking a breath she wondered why Kitty was rubbing her forehead, “Headache coming on? Any way, Ev was interrupted by Frosty, who told me to repeat everything I told the others, then she said the limo was on it’s way to pick me up, and that she had to speak to the Professor about some computers. So, no not everyone knows what happened.”
Staring at the girl for a few moments, Kitty finally shook her head and could not help but smile, “No, you’re right, not everyone knew then.”
Stopping in mid-bite, Jubilee thought about what Kitty said, and nodded, “Yea, you’re right, Paige just can’t keep her mouth shut.”
Shouting from the other side of the diner captured both of the girl’s attention. The two young men were arguing with the waiter, Kitty could only make out them saying something about ‘dirty’ and ‘you people’. Narrowing her eyes, Shadowcat was about to stand, when the two men suddenly turned around and stormed out of the diner, leaving the waiter saying a few choice words about their parentage. Easing back in the booth, Kitty and Jubilee just looked at each other before silently going back to their supper, while Lockheed took time out from his hamburger to peek over the rim of the handbag.
With no other disturbances the pair finished their meal, and Kitty paid the waiter while leaving a generous tip on the table. With the old man bidding them a nice evening, Kitty loosely held the handbag with Lockheed, as she and Jubilee walked out into the darken parking lot looking for where Lumpkin parked the limo. Sighting the car, Jubilee grabbed Kitty’s hand and gave it a tug as the pair started to walk across the lot. When out of the blue, with a loud screech, the car belonging to the men that had been in the diner drove right for them. Jubilation instantly jumped back out of the way, while Kitty just phased, even though it looked like the car was going to miss them.
Just
as the car passed by them, a hand shot out of the passenger side window
grabbing hold of Kitty’s bag, and hauled it in while a shrilled laugh followed
in their wake. Running up next to her companion, Jubilee stared after the
swiftly moving auto clearly upset. “THEY
Answering, “I know,” with a small chuckle, Kitty watched the car as it neared the parking lot exit.
Abruptly a thunderous roar split the air around the parking lot, followed by yellow flames erupting out both sides of the car. The doors opened as the two men came tumbling out, their clothes scorched with tails of smoke still rising. Getting to their feet they both ran off in opposite directions screaming at the top of their lungs as the abandoned car rolled forward until it plunged into a drainage ditch.
Jubilee joined Kitty in her laughter as Lockheed looking a bit indignant flew out of the kidnapper’s car with the handbag clutched between his muzzle. Snorting at the would be thieves, the dragon flew back to his mistress landing on her shoulder, receiving a welcoming pat on the top of his head, “Did those bad old men scare you?” Kitty asked her dragon with a grin. With a roll of Lockheed’s eyes, all three made it back to the car still laughing at the memory of the smoking men.
The rest of the trip was uneventful; to which Kitty was thankful for, Jubilee spend her time between watching the small TV build into the instrument panel, and for the twentieth time tried every switch she could find. Until the limo turned through the gates leading to the front doors of the school.
“About time,” Jubilation grumbled as she slipped on her favorite yellow jacket, “Why don’t we have teleporters, I mean every time we go against the bad guys, they have teleporters, so why don’t we?”
Zipping up her own black leather jacket, Kitty smiled while Lockheed curled around her shoulders. Pausing long enough to caress the dragon’s chin, she waited for Lumpkin to come around to open the door. “I guess we just don’t pay enough.”
“Yea, that’s what I say, I mean Frosty should be paying us for going to school right?”
The rest of Jubilee’s banter was halted when Lumpkin opened the door for the girls. Exiting the vehicle, Shadowcat looked over the front of the school remembering the last time she was here, tied to a chair while the White Queen wearing her white corset, thigh high boots and cloak tried to brainwash her to become the first member of the Hellions.
“Hey chica, welcome back.” A voice from the shadows called out to Jubilee. Turning at the sound, they saw Angelo, one of the Academy’s students also known as Skin, step out with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Taking a deep drag on his smoke, the young man nodded to Kitty, before turning his attention to Lockheed. “What’s with the purple rat?”
All three individuals, Jubilation, Kitty, and most of all Lockheed who took on an indignant air stared at Angelo, with Jubilee just beating out her friend’s reply. “Lockheed,” she began sternly, “is not a rat, he’s a dragon!”
“You’re kidding me.” Skin laughed while shaking his head, “chica, I’ve seen a dragon, in fact I fought a dragon, and that,” he added pointing at Lockheed, “is no dragon.”
Before Kitty could come to Lockheed’s defense, the doors to the front of the school open and out stepped Emma Frost. Shadowcat was shocked at her appearance, instead of the Hellfire Club outfit she’d imagined, the woman was wearing an oversize white cashmere sweater, white slacks that Kitty guessed she herself would never be able to afford, finished with a of pair high heeded boots.
“I’m glad to see that you made it home safely Jubilation,” Emma said, in a tone that seemed contented, yet controlled in its manner. “And Kitty, it’s been a long time, I’m happy to see you in more pleasant circumstances, please come inside.” As she stepped aside holding the door open for the pair.
As Kitty walked into the school with Lockheed stilled curled around her shoulders, the dragon kept his eyes locked on Angelo, his eyes burning with fire as he thought of revenge.
Part Two
Shadowcat strolled through the doors of the
Closing the door, Emma Frost turned to her guest taking time to look over the now older Katherine Pryde with a slight grin, “It’s been awhile Katherine, I’m please that we’ve finally met again, although I guess that you were maybe expecting me to be dressed somewhat differently?”
Briefly suspicious that Emma had read her mind, Kitty just as quickly dismissed the idea, <More likely that she’d come to expect that from people’s first reactions> she thought. Yet she could not deny that something was different about this Emma Frost over the one she met in the past. Then it stuck her, the smile on the woman’s face, it was friendlier, her attitude more relaxed. Stepping forward Kitty reached out taking Emma’s hand in a gentle grip, “Yes,” she admitted. “But I’m glad to have be wrong.”
Sniffing the air, Lockheed uncurled from around Kitty’s neck, bracing his paws on her shoulders. The little dragon nose flared in Emma’s direction, then with a leap and a quick flap of wings gently landed on a momentarily startled Emma’s shoulder.
“LOCKHEED!” Kitty cried reaching out for the dragon as he took to sniffing Emma Frost’s hair. “It’s okay Kitty,” Emma replied holding up a hand, while watching the Lockheed’s muzzle break into what seemed like a smile. Then she was furthered surprised though she didn’t show it, when the small dragon curled around Emma’s neck while letting out a contented sigh.
“That’s my Lockheed, always had a weakness for beautiful women,” Kitty said off-handedly as she petted her friend, then looked around the foyer, “Okay, it’s getting a little late, but could you show me where you’ll want the computers set up?” Smiling, Emma nodded to a hallway off to their left, <So, you think I’m beautiful.>
Leading the young woman through the residence, Emma pointed out some of the antiques she had acquired over the years, taking satisfaction that Kitty seemed to be interested in the home she had build over the years. They passed though the living room where most of the students were watching the latest episode of ‘Buffy, the Vampire Slayer’ Jubilee was lying next to Everett in front of the sofa, while Paige Guthrie who had been reading a book, was now staring at Kitty as if she was from another planet.
[Paige my dear, it’s not polite to stare at our guest]
“Yes, ma’am,” Husk replied out loud before she realized that the White Queen has been speaking to her telepathically. Embarrassed the young girl buried herself back into the book.
“Ms. Pryde,” a voice called out to Kitty with a definite French accent. Stopping, Shadowcat turned to look at the mutant she guessed to be Monet raising from the lounger, “Forgive Paige, she’s still a bit immature when it comes to matters of sexuality.”
“Oh, like that’s the voice of experience coming from a sixteen year old that still thinks boys are yucky,” Jubilee added coming to Paige’s defense.
“Children,” Emma in a calm voice that still had a stern tone behind it, “That will be quite enough on this subject. Katherine will be staying with us for a few days, and I will not tolerate any impertinent comments.” Turning back to Kitty, the White Queen nodded slightly as she lead the young woman onwards, commenting just as they were leaving the room, “My apologies Kitty, but I hope you understand how children can be when confronted by someone different.”
[What was that all about?] Jonothan Starsmore telepathically asked the group in the room. Straightening up from his slouched position on the window seat he looked after the departed women. [This Katherine girl no more than one to two years older than most of us, why is Frost acting like she’s something special?]
“Cause she’s beaten Frosty every time they tangled together.” Jubilee answered straightforwardly. Looking around the room at the disbelieving expressions, the girl nodded her head, “It’s true, when I was an X.” A roomful of groans prevented her from completing her favorite line. “ALRIGHT, sheez, just that I heard that whether Kitty was with the X-Men, or the New Mutants, they beat Frosty and the Hellfire Club every time.”
“Respect,” M said simply, “Ms. Frost respects her.”
With a smile the White Queen cut off her telepathic link to the room, it was relatively easy to listen in when the students gathered to talk, instantly tapping each mind in turn so that her silent attendance is not noticed. Though Chamber and M were more in synch with their telepathic powers. She had discovered if the touch was brief, and non-intrusive they took no notice that she was ever resting within their psyche. <Yes, respect for Kitty, I think you have it almost right M> she thought while directing Kitty into the classroom which the mutant was to set the computers up in. <I do respect her, and wonder how far she could have gone if she had join me to form the Hellions?>
******************************************
Bored at listening to Emma and Kitty talking about computers, Lockheed finally flew off from his resting spot on the White Queen’s shoulders, who he thought smelled nice. Though not as pleasant as the natural scent that his pet Kitty gave off. Flying back into the living room, the students gathered around him talking and petting him, while Jubilation explained just who he was. Lockheed enjoyed the attention, even Chamber kept glancing at him while trying to hide his interest. Mostly the dragon enjoyed the petting and the new scents. The blond girl had a strange scent, as if she held multiple skins within her, while the dark girl smelled sweet, though artificial.
Before he could finish taking in all the new scents a familiar odor drifted to his snout, an odor that reminded him of his pet’s former mate, the scent of burned paper and leafs. Taking flight from the startled group the dragon flew into the foyer just as Skin was getting ready to close the door. “Hey, it’s the purple rat,” the gray mutant said upon sighting Lockheed. Before Angelo could do anything else, the dragon swooped down grabbing Skin’s pack of cigarettes out of his hand, and darted out the door into the cold night air, with a howling Angelo chasing after him.
Lockheed was beginning to regret his spur of the moment thief of Skin’s pack of smokes; normally he would have planned things out better. But he saw the opportunity, and took it, now he flying around the house with the owner of the cigarettes close behind, and what made more worrisome for the dragon, he knew the young man was a mutant, but not his power.
Then his nostrils flared, the scent of fresh grass and water coming from the strange building up ahead. Increasing his speed the small dragon flew towards the Biosphere, just as he was beginning to wonder how he was going to get in the door opened. Flying over the red-skinned girl grouched in the doorway, Lockheed flew into the building while Skin came to a screeching halt.
“Penance,” Angelo managed to get out between labored breaths, “Move Penance, that little rat stole my smokes.” Rolling his eyes as the girl only know as Penance tilted her head and looked back at the teenager in puzzlement, she suddenly smiled as if understanding and turned running back into the sphere with a laughing Angelo coming up behind her.
“That’s it Penance, it’s a game find the little rat!”
Halting, the young girl sniffed the air and turned her head back and forth, more animal like than human Skin thought. Then again, he wondered how badly he would have been traumatized if he had been held prisoner by a cannibalistic mutant that regularly fed off of him for years. Her clear blue eyes widened suddenly as Penance caught the dragons trace, with a bolt she ran off through a set of double doors that lead from the hallway into the biosphere. Straight forward she ran over the grass and jumped the small brook stretching through the sphere towards a tree house in the back.
Perspiration was flowing down Angelo’s face, his breath was coming in gasps now, all he wanted to do now was wring the little rat’s neck. No longer needing Penance as a bloodhound, he knew where Lockheed was hiding, just a little further he kept saying to himself. Only Penance beat him to the ladder leading upwards, quickly the mutant scrambled up only to turn around when she reached the top blocking the entrance and smile at Skin with shinning blue eyes.
“Ah chica,” Skin moaned, “Come on move, this is not part of the game…..please?” he pleaded only to have Penance tilt her head while staring at him. While behind her, he could see Lockheed in the tree house sticking out his tongue at him. “Fine,” Angelo said dropping back to the ground and walking around the tree house until he was right under one of the windows. “There’s more than one way to skin a rat.”
Holding up his arms, Skin concentrated as his fingers started stretching up to the window ledge twelve feet above. Taking a firm hold on the ledge, he reversed his power only this time he used his shrinking skin to haul himself upwards with little effort. Just as he was almost to the window, a green face boy with large white eyes stuck his head out of the window, with a smiling Lockheed sitting on top of his head. “Hi, you come to play with Leech too?” He asked innocently.
“NO!” Skin screamed, since he knew Leech ability was to drain the powers of any mutant near the boy. But with Angelo, it had the added effect of turning his skin almost liquid. His first thought was to pull himself up, but Leech was in his way, and just about the time he thought to lower himself back down, his powers quit.
“Ah shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.”
At the next window another young boy stuck his head out just in time to hear the bone-crushing thump of Angelo hitting the ground. Turning his pink face to Leech, a picture of a building appeared over his head with a red cross on it. Nodding his head emphatically, Leech smiled and darted for the ladder, “Skin wants to play hospital!”
Part Three
“So what do you think of the Academy?” Emma asked the young woman next to her as they proceed up the main stairs to the second floor.
Kitty paused slightly to run her hand along the smooth surface of the stairway’s oak banister, “I like what you’ve done,” she replied with a smile. “But I have to admit, the only other time I’ve seen it before, I was a bit tied up.”
“Really?” Emma said, a single eyebrow rising slightly while a devious glint showed in her eyes. “Don’t worry, I won’t tie you up again - unless you ask me to.”
Surprised, Kitty jerked her head to stare at the White Queen, noticing she was unsuccessfully trying not to smile. <Well I’ll be, she does have a sense of humor>. Reaching the top of the stairs, Kitty waited for Emma to lead the way, following in step as the taller woman escorted her down the plush carpeted hallway. “I have to admit I’m surprised that you haven’t asked about Sarah.”
The change over Emma was instantaneous, her smile turned into a tight line that betrayed her anger. “As for her being a woman, well you’ve seen the inside of the Hellfire Club Kitty, the inner circle had their choice of women.” Then noticeably pausing, she added almost as if it was an afterthought, “And men, hired to provide for our every desire and I took full advantage of that.”
Letting loose a very unladylike snort, Kitty smiled at Emma, “Like the way you dressed didn’t give that away.”
Chuckling, Emma lips once again became tight as all humor
left her. “Not long ago I had a encounter with Marrow and Gene Nation, she
killed several of my employee’s in
Halting in front of a door, Emma looked at Kitty seeing that she had the woman’s full attention. “She had fun tormenting me before the bitc….before she planned on killing me, and one of the children that lived here, a eight year old that she thought was an insult to the memories of the Morlocks.”
Looking at the floor, Shadowcat attempt to find a flaw in the carpet and try not to think about Sarah’s past, yet it bothered her. “She’s trying to change,” Kitty said in a tone that even she knew was a feeble defense of Marrow.
“Really?” Emma detected Kitty’s weak defense of Marrow, and hid her smile, “Your girlfriend had just killed eighteen people at a club, know what she told me as to why she did it?” Turning to fully face Shadowcat, Emma waited until Kitty just shrugged her shoulders, “Cause she wanted to.”
Seconds passed without either woman saying a word until Emma opened the door they were standing in front of, “This is your room, I’m across the hall.” Taking a couple steps back, Emma could not help but noticed that Kitty hadn’t moved from her spot, still mulling over what the White Queen had said about her lover.
“Like to join me for some tea?” Emma asked suddenly
“What?”
“Tea, I generally have a cup of tea before I go to bed, would you please join me?” Emma asked again this time holding out her hand, smiling as Kitty gripped it.
***********************************************
“More bandages.” Skin heard a voice say as consciousness slowly returned. With a groan he tried to stretch out his arms, only to panic when they refused to move. Jerking his head up, Skin’s eyes flew open finding Leech kneeling next to his legs wrapping them in rags.
“He’s awake doctor Artie,” the mutant said to the pink eight year old helping him bandage up Angelo’s legs using a multicolor of rags. A picture appeared over the Artie’s head showing, himself, Leech and Skin’s body, almost mummified with the exception of his head, but with closed eyes and little z’s floating over the three of them.
Nodding his head while finishing up the wrapping of Skin’s legs, “Yes, Leech sleepy also.” The green mutant said with a yawn and stood up. “Let’s go to bed,” Leech told his companion, who projected an image of a hand waving at Skin before he ran off with Leech following.
“WAIT!” Angelo screamed after the departing children as they ran off, “UNTIE ME FIRST…..COME BACK!” Struggling within the tight bindings, the mutant tried extending his fingers only to discover his hands were securely enclosed under all the rags. “Yo no creo que esto se caga,” Skin muttered to himself as he kept attempting to get his hands free.
A crackling of leaves brought his attention to a red figure kneeling over him, “Penance,” he cried out in hope, “Chica, please, cut me loose you can do that for me right?” Thinking it would help he added a wide smile for the mute girl.
Penance stared at the wrapped mutant, his colorful bandages then down at her own dull black straps covering her own body, then back to Skin’s wrappings with a tilt of her head. Reaching out a finger she carefully turned it sideways and ran it across the bandages, her blue eyes tracing the straps covering Angelo.
“That’s it girl, pretty colors, you can even have them, just a little cut and I’m out of here okay chica?” Then in disbelief Penance leaped over his body running after the departed Artie and Leech, “PENANCE!”
A disturbance in the air followed by a weight on his chest made Skin turn to look right into Lockheed’s grinning face. “Usted, usted la rata pequeña, usted el lagarto, usted bastardo, yo lo mataré, yo cortaré sus alas.” Skin said in a rapid fire of Spanish as his struggles increased.
Laughing in his own manner, the little dragon didn’t know what Skin was saying, but he already guessed it wasn’t very nice. Watching Angelo face, Lockheed brought up the pack of cigarettes he stole, and precede to rip open the pack eating them one at a time in front of the enraged mutant.
“THIS IS NOT
***********************************************
Kitty moved her feet closed to teacart, when Emma invited her to tea before bed, she didn’t expect it was going to be outside on the second floor balcony. Looking around she observed Emma Frost who was certainly living up to her last name right now.
They were sitting next to a decorative teacart outside the
French doors leading to the White Queen’s bedroom on the second floor balcony.
The view encompassed the entire front courtyard of the
“Beautiful.” Emma said softly.
“Hmm?” Kitty purred, relaxed from the tea and snowy landscape in front of her.
“The view, it’s beautiful,” Emma repeated while looking at Kitty.
Sipping her tea, Kitty snuggled back into the chair, the cold night air and heat of the tea and the seat warmer was making her mind relax, “Yes,” she answered looking back to the night sky. “You know I just love taking walks in the snow at night, it’s so.”
“Peaceful,” Emma finished watching Shadowcat nodding in agreement. “I like winter, and not just because it’s all white.” Pausing to join Kitty in a chuckle, “At night, when it’s quiet, you can almost forget everything and just be alone with your own thoughts, no problems, no hatred, no responsibilities, just a brief time when everything feels…”
“Perfect with life,” Kitty finishing this time for Emma, her eyes bright as she looked on the woman she was starting to like even more.
Taking in a deep breath of cold air Emma nodded, “How did the X-Men take to your new relationship with Marrow if I may ask?”
“Not well,” Kitty replied as she refilled her cup, “Ororo and Logan didn’t have a problem that it was a woman, just that it was Marrow. Jean, freaked a little though not as much as Jubilee. While Bobby kept wanting me to take him to a lesbian bar.”
“Ah, the labels have started already,” Emma said with a smirk, “And I know how you feel about labels.” Seeing the questioning raised eyebrow the White Queen continued, “I have a full recording of your little speech that you gave when that boy killed himself.”
“You were recording me!” Kitty asked amazed that anyone would think to do that.
Laughing at her expression Emma nodded, “Of course, you’ve always intrigued me Pryde, besides with Magnus running the X-Men at the time, I was being cautious.”
Not knowing how to react to the White Queen’s revelation that she found her intriguing, Kitty’s mind overrode her thoughts with a memory of her conversation with the Professor earlier in the morning when he said that he was so proud of her for that same speech. <Only he was light years away in Shi’ar space, how did he know about that, I guess one of the X-Men must of told him>.
Realizing that Emma was calling her name again, Kitty sipped the last of her tea and sat the cup on the teacart, “Sorry, just drifted off for a bit, guess the day is starting to catch up with me,” she said with a smile.
Standing to join Kitty, Emma nodded and requested forgiveness for keeping her up so late. Saying their goodnights, Kitty made her way back to her room still puzzled by what Xavier had said. <I’m sure that one of the X-Men must have told him about it, but I just can’t shake the feeling that the professor actually believed that he had been there, but that’s impossible>.
Part Four
With a yawn Kitty forced her eyes open, normally she was a ‘Morning Person’. But then she never been in a bed so luxurious or comforting, with an effort she got to her feet taking a moment to adjust the waistband of her boxers before padding over to the door leading to the shower.
Pausing to look at herself in the bathroom mirror, Shadowcat took in the Vee neck t-shirt along with the silk boxers while running her hands through her closely chopped hair, <Gods Pryde, you look so butch>, after a minute she stuck out her tongue at the reflection. Phasing, her clothes dropped to the floor before she stepped through the glass door of the shower. Bracing herself, Kitty turned on the cold water first, losing her breath as the water hit her. <I’M AWAKE!> then just as quickly turned on the hot water until she got to a happy medium and just stood there letting the water cascade over her body. <Wonder what Emma would say if she saw me sleeping in a men’s t-shirt and wearing women boxers?>
Picking up the soap, Kitty scrubbed herself down wondering why she was concerned about Emma Frost knowing that she wore to bed, or that she preferred wearing women boxers. At least that was one of the more pleasurable aspects that was left over from her relationship with Pete Wisdom. He never did understand why Kitty found his underwear more comfortable than the thongs and garter belts he desired to see his lover in.
[Katharine?]
[Morning Emma, love the bed I may have to take it with me when I leave.]
Telepathy always intrigued Kitty, the idea of sharing someone’s thoughts was so intimate, it still amazed her that without Emma being there she could feel her laughter.
[At least now I know what to send you for a Hanukkah present. Would you like to have breakfast with me?]
[Well, thank you, but I wanted to start setting up the computer room as soon as possible, plus I thought I would eat with the rest of the kids, you know, get to know them.]
She should have guessed something was wrong when the White Queen seemed so tentative at her idea, more so when Emma wished her good luck. Still, she found herself enjoying talking to the White Queen while finishing her shower and dressed into a pair of loose-fitting jeans and tank top, giving a moments thought to wonder when her dragon was.
Out the bedroom door and down the stairs she ran into Sean Cassidy, the schools headmaster
who greeted her with his famed Irish smile, “Kitty, Pleased to see ye, Emma
told me that ye will be setting up that blamed system I spend all of yesterday
buying, wish the woman would plan things out.”
Holding
back her laughter while waiting for Sean to finish, something that he said
suddenly stuck her, “Sean, are you saying that Emma decided on the spur of the
moment to set up a
“Aye girl,
right after she talked to Jubilee on the phone.”
Distracted
at the news she didn’t notice the concerned look upon Cassidy’s face when she said
that she was going to have breakfast with the students. She turned down his
repeated request that she have eggs and muffins with him and Emma.
Down the
stairs she hurried hoping that the kids would not be waiting on her, turning
towards the kitchen she heard Husk’s voice cry out.
“Jubilee,
those were my pancakes!”
“You’re
right there hayseed, they WERE.”
“Can we
please have at least one day without you stealing someone else’s pancakes?”
“
“You know
what class you are M, and that’s JUBILEE.”
“Morning,”
Kitty said as she came into the kitchen then halted with a stunned expression
looking at the disaster area. Pancake powder and batter covered half the
counter tops, with the remains of several burned cakes dumped into the sink.
The kitchen table was covered with a collection of breakfast cereal, milk and
sugar.
“Morning,”
Jubilee managed to get out between bite fulls, “See, told you guys she would be
cool and eat with us.”
[Morning,
don’t mind me, just remembering what it was like to eat] Jonothan Starsmore
telepathically sent to the room while keeping his eyes downcast.
“Jono, do
you have to always have to be so depressing in the morning.”
“Please
“I don’t think he would do that on purpose Monet,” Kitty said as she searched through the refrigerator looking for something other than the student’s boxes of ‘Sugar Bombs’
“You speak French?”
“Sure Kitty speaks French,” Jubilee spoke up for the woman, “She’s bi you know.”
The room instantly became quiet as all eyes turned to stare at the girl. Confused the young mutant threw up her hands in aggravation, “What, didn’t you ever meet someone that was bilingual?”
“Actually, I’m multilingual Jubilee,” Kitty said with a chuckle, “I speak over eight languages.” Looking around the room she saw the rest of the students were staring at their cereal bowls. “Okay.” She started off by saying with a added deep breath, “let’s get this out in the air, go ahead and ask me anything you like.”
For a few seconds everyone remained quiet, then Monet couldn’t contain herself, “Are you gay?”
Sitting next to Jubilee with her oversize bowl, Kitty poured the ‘Sugar Bombs’ while wondering at the answer herself, “I don’t know,” she finally said, “I’ve found my experiences with women to be a lot more emotional than men, but I enjoyed my time with Pete.”
*******************************
Emma paused in drinking her tea; she had meant to monitor how the students would accept Kitty. But she didn’t expect a question and answer period. Deftly she planted a thought into Jubilee’s mind.
*******************************
“Wait a minute, you said women!,” Jubilation spoke up, “Are you saying that Marrow was not the first girl you slept with?” After she asked the question, Jubilee wondered what made her think of it, and then dismissed the thought as she leaned forward anticipating the answer.
“Err,” Kitty delayed in answering, more because the memories still hurt even after the passing of three years. “Yes, Marrow was not the first woman I’ve been intimate with.”
Paige shook her head while watching Kitty pour milk over her
cereal, “We didn’t have anybody like that back in
[Don’t believe that gir, you just weren’t looking too hard
back home,
“YO!” Jubilee spoke up angrily, “That’s not nice Jono, Kitty’s my friend, so talk like that again and you’ll find a firecracker in your shorts!”
Looking a bit surprised, Chambers nodded his head, [No
offense meant, that’s just a term used back in
“How did you know that you liked women that way?” M said cutting through the tension around the table with just a hint of urgency.
*******************************
“Sean,” Emma said interrupting the man’s breakfast of biscuits and gravy, “I think that maybe we should think of teaching sex education to the students?”
“WHAT!” Cassidy exclaimed in a slight state of shock.
“We’ve taught how to use their powers, fight, teamwork, but we’ve never helped them deal with their sexuality, or how to deal with someone different.”
“Or gay?” Sean finished thinking of Kitty and the story of her and Marrow that swept through the school only the day before. “I don’t know Emma, you do have a point, let me think it over.”
*******************************
Monet nodded thinking of Kitty’s reply while Shadowcat took her first bite of ‘Sugar Bombs’, a quick flash of light passed in front of the young woman’s eyes as she tried to shake off the effects of the cereal. <Lord, no wonder Jubilee is so hyper> about that time Lockheed flew in the room settling next to Kitty, “There you are,” she said while hugging the small dragon. “Where have you been hiding?”
“My room,” Husk spoke up looking slightly guilty, “He came in through my window last night and just slept with me, was that okay?”
“By the way, where’s Angelo?” Jubilee said interrupting Kitty’s reply to Husk that Lockheed could sleep where he pleases.
Closing her eyes, M was silent as she concentrated then opened them again with a shake of her head, “He’s tied up in the biosphere, yelling something about Lockheed and then Leech and Artie playing hospital.”
Kitty spend the rest of breakfast forcing more cereal down, thankful that she didn’t add any sugar before tasting it. Jonothan walked out broadcasting that he’ll go untie Skin, as M kept asking her more questions.
After she finished breakfast, and finding herself full of
energy, Kitty almost ran to the computer room and launched herself into putting
the computers together. She was impressed with Sean’s selection of the latest
wireless
Taking a break to try and settle down her sugar rush, her thoughts went to Marrow, then Emma and finally Courtney. She found it easier to think of Sat-yr-9 as Courtney Ross, the woman she thought she had fallen in love with. <So Pryde what now? You slept with Marrow for whatever reason, now you’re finding Emma attractive, wonder what Ororo would say about your taste this time?>
Strolling back into the computer room, she noticed right off that the host system had been booted up. Curious she typed in a few commands to find the latest installed software and was not surprised to find there was now a DOOM directory hidden within the operating system.
After deleting the directory, Kitty went back to programming the host computer, trying to ignore the need to go out and run a marathon, whist promising herself never to touch a bowl of Sugar Bombs again. Just as she was about finished with the system much to her surprise she found a 3.5” floppy dish with ‘TST PERGRAM’ written across the front in crayon.
Chuckling, she guessed that it had to been planted by Artie
and Leech, a check of the contents revealed to Kitty’s horror that it contained
‘Barney’s Adventure.’ <Poor kids, if they only knew> Then a wicked gleam flickered
in her eyes, going back into the host computer to the new
*******************************
Jonothan hadn’t quite finished untying Skin when the gray skin mutant started struggling to free himself from the multicolored rags that had imprisoned him through the night. “Gracias amigo.” Angelo said as he stood shaking his limbs to get the blood circulating again.
[Now, do you want to tell me how you let Artie and Leech tie you up like this?]
“No amigo, this is between me and a certain dead rat.” Skin replied as he left the astonished Jonothan behind heading for the equipment room.
*******************************
Kitty wasn’t sure what to do after finishing setting up the system in record time. Granted it was not Shi’ar technology, but she didn’t expect to complete the work so soon. The sun had only just set and she was already walking around the school for the third time. Maybe she thought there was something beneficial in eating a bowl of Sugar Bombs in the morning. <If a person doesn’t mind giving up their sense of taste, a decaying stomach and their teeth after a month of eating that stuff>
Smiling the young woman noticed a dark object ahead, slowing
her pace she pulled her jacket tighter against her until she was once again
standing next to the snowman. She had seen Artie and Leech working on it
earlier, the sight brought back memories of life in
<As Thomas Wolfe said, you can’t go home again>
<Hello Emma, eavesdropping?>
<No, I just finished classes with the students and was looking for you; I didn’t mean to intrude into your thoughts, my apologies>
Running a hand over the figure, Kitty lightly touched the small rocks making up the snowman’s eyes, <None necessary, just thinking how my life has changed since joining the X-Men, when building a snowman didn’t seem strange>
<I’m afraid I don’t have those memories, snowmen were not something the Frost family encouraged their children to build, too ordinary>
<I guess the Frost family went to dinner parties where they had servants presenting those little finger snacks, and wine in tall glasses>
<How else do you think the rich can keep those slim shapes, and of course only to those parties that had the right class of people>
Halting her laughter at Emma’s comment, Kitty turned towards the woods seeing a dark shape walk out from the trees. “Who’s there?” she called out bracing herself for an attack.
“Me chica,” Angelo called out walking towards Kitty with his hands behind his back.
Relaxing, Kitty was still curious to find Angelo out on the grounds after dark, he just didn’t strike her has the type for evening walks in the woods. “What’s that you got there?” she asked catching sight of a object weaving back and forth behind his back.
Shrugging, Skin showed Kitty the baseball bat he had been carrying with a smile, “Just some protection chica, I’m just a boy from the barrio’s, don’t know what monsters you’ll meet while walking in the woods, si?”
<Is everything all right Katharine?>
<Yes, just ran into Angelo out taking a walk>
<Most likely he needed to take a cigarette break>
Waving to Kitty, Skin walked off in the opposite direction, all the time calling out softly “Here ratty, here ratty, come and see what uncle Angelo got for you.”
The first snowflake gently touched down on Kitty’s forehead, turning her gaze to the night sky she watched the air filled with softly falling flakes. <It’s snowing>
<I know, I can see it from my room, have you ever thought where you would be if you’ve join me and the Hellions?>
<Dead most likely> was her first thought. Calmly she watched the falling snow while waiting for an answer, after a minute she called out to the White Queen but still didn’t receive a returning answer, worriedly she started toward the house when Emma replied, Kitty couldn’t miss the depression in the tone.
<You’re right; if you had followed me you would have died like the others, goodnight>
She felt the link between them snap shut almost like a phone line being disconnected.
<Emma?> Kitty called out in her mind though she knew the White Queen had cut the connection. Hurrying to the house Kitty felted annoyed at herself, she knew that Emma felt guilt at the deaths of the Hellions, so of course she threw it right into her face that she would be dead also if she had joined the Hellions instead of the X-Men.
Ignoring the looks from Jubilee and Paige as she rushed up the stairs to Frost’s room, she came to a halt outside the woman’s room and knocked. Hearing no answer she simply phased through the door and stood inside the darken room waiting for her eyes to adjust.
Emma’s voice quietly floated out of the darkness, “I don’t remember giving you permission to enter my room.”
Taking off her jacket, Kitty dropped it on the floor as she made her way into the room before seeing Emma sitting on a sofa facing the French windows. “I’m rude that way, though I’ve been told a couple of times it’s an endearing quality.”
“What do you want Pryde?” Emma said wearily, “It’s been a long day and I need to get some sleep.”
Walking over to the sofa, Kitty sat down next to Emma while looking at the window at the snowfall, “Sleep, it’s eight-thirdly I didn’t think you were such a party animal.”
Laughing despite her spirits, the White Queen moved closer to Kitty, she just wanted some type of contact with another person at the moment. “You were right, if you had join me most likely you would be dead now”
As if sensing her need, Kitty reached out and curled her right arm around Emma’s shoulders pulling her closer. “Yes I could be, or I may have used my power to escape. It’s not like I never faced death with the X-Men, there’s been a number of times I’ve thought I would never see eighteen, now I’m just shooting to live until twenty.”
Emma initially wanted to resist Kitty’s attempt of comforting her, then she wondered why she would want to oppose it as she leaned over settling against the surprising muscular body while propping her feet up on the sofa. “The Hellions didn’t get to eighteen, I failed them, at times I wish….”
“That you would’ve died with them.” Kitty finished laying her cheek on top of Emma’s head feeling the woman’s nod. “I know what that feels like to be full of guilt, despairing that you had let the team down, and because of you they died or were going to sell their souls, so the only way out is to die.”
“Maybe not a hundred percent right but close,” Emma said puzzled at first then it became clearer in her mind, “You’re talking about yourself.” Turning her head in the dark room she looked at Kitty in astonishment, “You attempted to kill yourself!” Her mouth dropped open when she saw Kitty’s answering nod, still not quite believing that the young woman she had always thought so unruffled had once tried to commit suicide.
“After I was wounded by the marauders a few years ago, I was dying, my body was at the time permanently phased and I was loosing control. Only Psylocke was able to hold me together by linking me with her mind, so the X-Men took me to Doctor Doom as a last hope.” Letting out a sigh she rubbed her cheek against Emma’s hair seeking some comfort, “They were willing to sell their souls to Doom in order to save me.”
Taking a deep breath, she glanced at Emma her eyes settling on a single pure blond hair, “I was being kept in a glass chamber to help keep me from floating away. One morning I just walked out of it and went outside to watch the sunrise, the morning breeze would come and….and I would be gone.”
Snuggling in close to the firm body she felt next to her, Emma still had trouble believing what she was hearing, “What changed your mind?”
“Franklin Richards,” chuckling at the look Emma turned to give her Kitty nodded her head, “Yes, he was there along with the Fantastic Four, and well, with him crying for me to stop, I thought about what I was doing and how could I kill myself in front of a small child…..I went back to my chamber.”
Feeling Kitty’s other arm encircle her gave Emma a feeling of peace she had not felt for a long time, “But you didn’t let the X-Men down, me I didn’t teach my students how to defend themselves, so they died.”
“They died because we live in a world where mutants kill each other.” Kitty said while watching the snow, her hand absentmindedly stroking Emma’s hair, “Look what you have done with the school now, you’ve made a start at giving them a life, one day you will have more students then more and more. You’re saving the next generation Emma…..Emma?”
Looking down the pale face, Kitty smiled at the sleeping woman she was holding so tightly. Briefly she thought about going to her room, then laying her head against the White Queen’s she closed her eyes.
*******************************
Skin had a restless night’ sleep, he didn’t know where the little dragon was hiding, but after searching half the night he was determine to find the little rat in the morning. Turning over in his bed he felt warm air flowing over his face, opening one eyelid he held back his scream as Lockheed licked his face and scrambled out the door with Angelo tumbling out of the bed with a string of curses.
Hastily he crawled to the door clad only in a pair of boxers, the blankets tangled around his feet falling off the bed. Peering outside he caught sight of a purple tail ducking into Monet room. Sitting up Skin pulled at the blankets while muttering, “I got you ratty, I got you.”
*******************************
Yawning Kitty opened her eyes and smiled at Emma’s peaceful face. <Well Pryde,> her thoughts raced <came here two days ago not sure what to expect from the White Queen, next thing you’re telling her stuff you’ve only told Lockheed>
“Good morning Katherine,” Emma said with her eyelids still closed, then raising her head with a smile she looked in her eyes, “I must say, you’re one of the more comfortable beds I’ve slept on.” When Kitty didn’t laugh or smile at first Emma thought she had said something wrong, then she saw the pain in Shadowcat’s face, “What’s wrong?”
Grimacing, Kitty used her hand to massage her right arm, “I think my arm is dead,” as a laughing Emma turned around to help get the feelings back into her arm.
*******************************
Carefully Angelo pushed the door to Monet’s room open a few inches and peeked, the room was as orderly as it’s occupant. M was sound asleep in the bed that had a telltale lump moving under the covers. Dropping to the floor Skin crawled at a snail's pace towards the bed. <Grab and run, grab the rat and run>
*******************************
“Feels like it’s being stuck with a thousand needles,” Kitty said as she wiggled her fingers.
“Oh, poor baby,” Emma replied now kneeling on the sofa facing Katharine, then reached taking the young woman’s hand in hers and kissed the palm. “Did you feel that?” Emma asked teasingly.
Blinking rapidly, Kitty felt a fluttering in her stomach and nodded, “Only a little.”
Moving closer, Emma leaned over and planted a kiss at the curve of Katharine’s elbow, “How’s that, feel that one?” she asked with a wide grin.
“Uh, that was a little better,” Kitty managed to get out between deep breaths.
Nodding, Emma eased over straddling Kitty, then braced her hand on the back of the sofa behind the woman’s head, slowly she leaned forward aiming for a pair of sensuous lips.
*******************************
Hiding next to the bed, Skin extended his fingers upwards under the blanket to the last place he saw the dragon. <Where are you rat, I know your hiding there> Not finding Lockheed, he slowly moved his hand searching for the small dragon when he encountered a small round object. <What the hell is that?> Risking a glance, Angelo raised his head above the bed frame and met the enraged eyes of Monet staring back at him.
“Awwwww shiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.”
Part Five
Kitty watched Emma move closer, her eyes on the pair of wet lips. As she started to lean forward to meet them, the sudden blast of alarms echoing through the mansion brought out her instinct to phase causing the woman straddling her lap to fall through her and almost over the top of the sofa.
Catching her balance before she was flipped over, Emma was a bit annoyed already guessing that one of the students was responsible, most likely Jubilation Lee. Standing up from the sofa trying to regain her dignity, she saw that Kitty was already moving for the door. A quick scan of their resident mischief-maker found that she was also confused from the alarm. Suddenly concerned for the safety of her students, the White Queen spread out her scan checking each one while Kitty paused at her request to delay while she checked the academy. “Monet’s room, her thoughts are disorientated and she seems to be in a rage,” Emma told Kitty in a steady voice. “Go and assess the situation and I’ll contact Sean.”
Nodding, Shadowcat phased once again and went through the door only to have a fist pass through her face as it pounded on the door. “Oh my gosh!” Paige Guthrie cried out startled by the ghostly form in front of her nose. Smiling even though alarms were clattering all around them, Kitty wondered if she ever sounded like the backing-up Paige when she said those words a lifetime ago.
“It’s M,” Husk managed to grasp out in a thick southern accent and wide panicky eyes. “She just hurled Skin through her window!”
Knowing her jaw must have dropped down to the floor, Kitty only managed a confused “What?” Before the door opened behind her and Emma Frost in all of her calm glory stepped into the hallway holding up Kitty’s leather jacket. “You’ll need this Katherine, seems that Monet tossed Mr. Espinoza out her bedroom window.” Her lips twitched upwards into a half smile as the two young women stared at her. “He landed in a tree in the back, but according to Sean, she has since tied Angelo’s legs in a square knot around one of the branches.” Pausing for a moment she nodded her head at an unheard voice then turned for the stairs, “Pardon me, a diamond knot.”
Her mouth opened but finding she could not say a word, Kitty just shook her head in disbelief and followed Emma, not noticing that Paige was looking at the door leading back to the room they just exited then at their departing forms then back to Emma’s bedroom door before she covered her mouth to stifle the “Oh my gosh!”
*************************************
With Emma leading the way and Kitty at her side, Paige was trailing behind, they crossed the snow covered yard to a tree that currently had two occupants, and the rest of the students gather in a circle around it along with a solitary snowman with a smile made of charcoal that seemed to be enjoying the scene.
“M,” Sean called out in an exasperated voice as he clutched the tree branch he was balanced on, “Please, come up here and help me untie this knot.” He was thankful that it was thick enough to hold both his and Angelo’s weight, but as he looked down at the mutant currently dangling upside down with over six feet of skin stretched from his feet wrapped in a knot some ten feet above ground. He could not fault the girl for her anger, and once they got him down, well he already knew what he had to do.
Floating only a few inches above the snow still wearing only her nightgown, Monet with her arms tightly folded across her breasts just shook her head. Unable to say a word ever since she woke up and found the dangling mutants hand inside the top of her nightgown.
While the object of her murderous glare kept shouting out his innocence’s.
“It was the dragon, I was only after the dragon, I swear!” Skin called out to anyone of the group that would listen. “Jono, you know me, would I do that to M!”
Watching solemnly from the sides, Jonothan shook his head as he looked up at the head schoolmaster trying to untie his friends’ skin. [I would have thought you would’ve tried Paige before M.]
“Wow Skin, I didn’t think you were that big of a perv.” Ev remarked standing close to Jubilee.
“It was an accident, there was nothing there!”
“WHAT!” M screamed as she self-consciously looked down at her breasts.
“Man, Angie, that was cold.” Jubilee said pulling her yellow jacket closer around her, then looked at Paige as the girl tugged at her arm signaling that she wanted to talk.
“Wait, that’s not what I mean, I mean she has a lot…”
“WHAT!”
“Mr. Espinoza,” Emma said evenly, “I would suggest that you remain quiet until you’re down from the tree, then you will have a lot of explaining to do.” With a last icy glare at the young man she then moved over to Monet and started to softly talk to the girl.
“I’m getting it,” Sean called out as some of the knotted skin started to come free.
Emma started to say something more but was distracted when a picture bubble appeared above the head of Artie, showing an upside down skin, a snowman, an equal sign followed by a image of a broken snowman.
“What did he say Em?” Sean called down enjoying a little relief as more of the knot became unwrapped.
“Angelo’s right above their snowman,” Kitty called out while looking over the Skin’s and the snowman’s position, “He’s afraid that you’ll untie him and the snowman will break his fall.”
“That’s sweet, you guys are worried about some frigging snowman instead of me breaking my neck.”
“WHAT!” Jubilee exclaimed at the top of her voice as she stared at Paige, “FROST SLEPT WITH KITTY LAST NIGHT!”
The world appeared to go silent as everyone turned to stare at the two women. Emma projecting a calm annoyance while Kitty’s face turned beet red as she stammered out, “Wait…wait a sec, it’s not what you all think.”
At precisely that moment the knot holding Skin to the tree breach started to unravel and with a howl he fell, landing right on top of Artie and Leech’s snowman breaking it in half. Artie looked at the broken snowman then at Skin before running over and kicking him in the shin. Then turned and ran towards the biosphere crying with a picture bubble of a red Angelo with horns and tail carrying a pitchfork appearing over his head.
“Em?” Sean said weakly.
“Sheezz Kitty,” Jubilee said with a roll of her eyes, “First Marrow, then Ms. Frost both in the same week, who do you think you are, Gambit?”
Looking at Jubes with her mouth open Kitty just threw up her hands while saying “I give up.” And preceded to walk back to the mansion her arms moving around wildly as she kept up an animated conversation with herself.
“Jubilation,” Emma said in a aggravated tone, “And Ms. Guthrie, my private life is not a matter for idle gossip or rumors, is that understood!” Looking sufficiently ashamed, Paige stared at the ground nodding her head, while Jubilee shrugged her shoulders, “Sorry Ms. Frost, was just surprised that’s all, didn’t expect you to go all gay on us.”
Other than a flare of her nostrils the White Queen showed no emotions, her darkening eyes looked around at her group of students. “My sexually is not open for discussion, though I will disappoint you all by saying that I’m not gay. That as Katherine once said is just a label, a label for the small minded in my opinion.” Nodding to Monet she moved the young woman towards her friends, “Now you three go and have your breakfast, Sean!”
“Yes, Ms. Frost, I mean Emma,” he said nervously beholding the White Queen in her full intensity.
Nodding to the figure still laying on the ground, “Mr. Espinoza is yours, as headmaster I expect you to handle this problem by the time I return.” Walking away before any return comments, she contacted her chauffeur and order the limo around to the front. Then send a message to Kitty telling the woman to get her athletic gear and meet her outside refusing to take no for a answer.
Glancing upward, Emma saw Kitty’s dragon on the balcony railing, with what seemed like a smile on its muzzle. Reviewing the turn of events for the last five minutes, she had no doubts that before the morning would be over, Jubilation will be calling Xavier’s with the latest news. Most likely talking to Drake, then of course the Iceman would tell anyone that would listen, and by nightfall everyone at Xavier’s would know Jubilee’s version of her night with Kitty. Smiling at last Emma thought that things had gone quite well.
Part Six
“More wine?” the waiter asked Kitty as she looked at Emma
Frost with a smile. Shaking her head no, she took another bite of her roast
duck and listen to her table companion reply to her question about Frost
Enterprise, the company of which Emma was the
*********************************
When she received the telepathic message from Emma to gather all of her athletic gear, at first she said no, then to her astonishment was told that it was not a request and to be outside in fifteen minutes, then felt the link clang shut like an iron door. So for the first ten minutes she paced back and forth grumbling about who Emma Grace Frost think she was, to order her about. Then after looking at the time, for reasons she didn’t know why. Ran to change clothes, putting a blue wool sweater over her black tank top and a pair of button fly jeans. Pausing to look in the mirror she shrugged her shoulders, she didn’t expect to going out when she came to the academy.
With barely enough time to pull on her boots, she grabbed her sneakers, shorts and sports top then just phased through the floor scaring poor Paige half to death. Not that she minded that much; after all it was the girl’s mouth that started out her day so poorly. She marched right through Husk and phased through the front door to the waiting limo, Lumpkin was already holding the rear door open with Emma already inside.
The White Queen didn’t say a word when she tossed her stuff on the floor and sat next to her. So the first part of the trip was made in silence, Kitty used the time to calm down, remembering that none of what happen this morning was Emma’s fault. In fact she was as much a victim as she was. With a sigh she looked over at the woman, she was wearing a white pant’s suit with a tan blouse underneath and white high heel boots. “Why do you like white so much?” Kitty asked with a smile now on her face.
Emma returned the smile along with a chuckle, “You know, after so many years being known as the white queen, you’re the first to ask me about my obsession with white.”
Relaxing some, Kitty sat back in her seat enjoying the rich leather comfort, “That’s not an answer.”
“Tell me Katherine, why do you wear the clothes you do?” Emma replied turning slightly to watch her companion as they rode along.
Shrugging her shoulders Shadowcat thought about the question before answering, “I like how they look, feel, how they make me feel.” Not hearing any reply she turn her head to Emma and saw that she was looking at her with a knowing gaze. At first she didn’t understand, then laughed as it hit her. “That’s why you wear white…..ask a silly question.”
“I apologize for this morning Katharine, if not for my…lost of control last night, you would’ve never been in a position to be accused of being my lover.” Emma quietly said as the car traveled along.
“There’s no reason for apologies Emma, I mean I’m sure a lot of other women….huh…and men that would be grateful to be known as your lover.” Kitty replied then blushed slightly, not sure how Emma would take her meaning. “So where are we going?” She asked to change the subject while looking out the window.
Smiling inside, Emma hoped that her plans for the young woman could proceed faster now that Paige unexpectantly started things off. “To the Snow Valley Spa, it’s a members only club build at first for the foremost families here in New England, so of course the Frost family been members since it first open in 1865. I thought you might wish to get rid of some frustrations by hitting a racquetball.”
**********************************
“Did you enjoy the game?”
“Wha..?” Kitty said coming out of her recollection.
Waiting while she finished the mouthful of pasta, Emma smiled and looked closely at Kitty, “I asked if you enjoyed the game?”
Chuckling, Shadowcat sat back in her chair and nodded, “I did, both games.”
Feigning ignorance, Emma Frost wrapped another mouthful of pasta around her fork as she also remembered the games.
**********************************
It all started in the dressing room, after Kitty quickly changed clothes she started a few stretching exercises when Emma spoke from behind her, “Here’s your racquet.”
Such simple words, until she turned around and saw that the White Queen was only wearing a satin bra, low-cut satin bikini panties and white silk stockings with matching garter belt of course. Speechless, Kitty understood for the first time why the White Queen used to fight the X-Men wearing nothing more than a satin camisole; for she was definitely distracted.
Holding the racquet handle first to the mutant, Emma could not help but smile, happy to see that she still had the desired effect. “What’s the matter Katherine, cat got your tongue?”
Unable to keep from continuously nodding, Kitty grabbed the racquet handle and managed to mutter that she’ll wait outside, missing Emma wicked grin as she ran out the door. Chastising herself when she started to phase though the door, she paused long enough to pull it open stepping into the busy hallway and leaned against the wall taking a deep breath ignoring the glances she was receiving from some of the member until she looked down at herself taking inventory. Ever present necklace, black sports bra with matching lycra thigh-length shorts, and a pair of well-used sneakers. <Well, if they can’t take a K-mart blue-light special, heck with them> she thought just as the door opened and Emma walked out wearing a full set of white sweats.
She should’ve known Emma was up to something. First the woman asked for a private court, one that had no viewing windows. Then of course there was fitness, agility, speed, no matter how much Emma may have worked out on her own, Kitty expected to trounce the White Queen. So when they got into the court, Emma allowed Kitty first serve then asked for a few seconds to change out of her sweats while Kitty took some practice swings. Then, Emma stepped in front of her wearing a crop sweatshirt that seemed two sizes too small for her. Every time she moved it seemed the baggy shirt flew upwards revealing the undersides of a pair of perfect white breasts. Then there was her painted-on mini-shorts, when Emma leaned forward; she actually had to remind Kitty that it was her serve after an entire minute passed.
The first game was not even close with Emma winning 15-6, her leaning over to pick up the ball, bending backwards, the long stretches even for the simple shots took their toll on the girl. Kitty even became so distracted that she turned and watched Emma serve a few times which earned the White Queen a few easy points.
<Scott naked…Scott naked> Kitty kept imagining for the second set, not that she really hated the man, just she never really forgotten, or forgiven the leader of the X-Men for how he treated his ex-wife Madelyne Pryor once he learned that Jean Grey was alive. Yet the distraction was enough for her to beat the White Queen 15-2.
Shadowcat even had a good 6-0 lead when Emma changed tactics on her. Suddenly the woman found all sorts of excuses to lean against Kitty, raise the bottom of her sweatshirt to wipe her brow. Even to go as far as to hug the woman very tightly while exclaiming what fantastic shots she was making.
After she won the final point of the 15-13 match, Kitty was extremely grateful that they had individual showers stalls back in the dressing room. She didn’t know about the White Queen, but she needed the cold wash to help recover from the match, and from Emma Frost.
**************************************
“It was a close game,” Emma said nonchalantly before eating another mouthful of pasta and shrimp. “Shame you didn’t wish to try the whirl pool to help relax.”
Laughing with a shake of her head, Kitty sliced off another piece of duck, “Very close, and I don’t think I would’ve survived the whirl pool.” The young woman also was not sure which part was the closes, the match, or Emma’s seduction? “Emma?”
“Mmmm?” was all she could answer with raised brows and a full mouth.
Setting her silverware on the table, Shadowcat took a sip of wine while watching her host carefully, “Sean said that you only asked him to buy the computers right after you asked for me to come and set them up……why the sudden interest right after you hear about me and Sarah, and don’t say because you always been meaning to get them.”
Nonplused, the White Queen also took a sip of her wine and nodded, “I asked before I could plan it out, so I’m not surprised that you learned that there was more than computers on my mind.” Seeing that Kitty only returned her gaze without answering she continued. “I’ve admired you for sometime, your superior intelligence, personality, beauty.” Holding up a hand to forestall the coming protest Emma continued, “Yes, beauty, you may not think you are beautiful Katharine, but I do….I think you’re amazing.”
Blushing at the complement, but deep down her insecurities rebelled at the thought anyone could think that. “Go on,” was all Kitty could say.
“What is there to say?” Emma replied softly, “I suddenly found that an amazing creature that I admired was not as unattainable as I thought. So I asked Xavier if you could come and play.”
Shaking her head, Kitty paused studying her glass of wine, “And I guess that by *playing* with me, you could not help but disrupt things between me and Sarah?”
“A bonus as far as I was concerned, but not important as you are,” Emma gently whispered in the nosily dinning room.
A man’s voice abruptly interrupted their conversation, “Ms. Frost, forgive me for intruding, but you were asking about a membership for your friend?”
“Yes,” Emma nodding then returned her gaze to Kitty, “I told you the matter is settled, it’s a gift for all of your work.”
“Emma, a hundred thousand dollar membership!” Kitty protested.
“I hate to inform you my dear,” the White Queen replied, “But that’s not even interest on my bank account, indulge me this once.” Turning back to the man standing over the table, Emma stood not liking the dominate position he seemed to be in, or the fact that he was looking at Kitty a bit oddly. “I’ll be back after we handle business, coming Mr…….” Cocking a single blond eyebrow, she didn’t wait for the man to follow as she headed for an empty hallway.
“Gordon,” the man called after her as he followed closely behind, “James Gordon, Club Manager, Ms. Frost.”
Waiting for the man to catch up, Emma took quick note of the man. Slightly taller than her own 5’9”, hair as dark as hers was blond, with a slightly darker skin tone most likely Mediterranean, “Now Mr. Gordon, if we can handle this quickly, I do not wish to leave my friend alone for long.”
“Ms. Frost,” replied the manager looking back at the table they just left, “As you know this is a private club, and certain rules must apply to all members.”
“Yes?” Emma said following his gaze back to their table, unable to help the smile that came to her face.
“Well,” James started out saying with a smile, “Since this is a private club, we and the owners have found that some people just don’t meet the standards required… restricted, if you understand my meaning,” as his index finger tapped the middle of his chest.
Narrowing her eyes in confusion at first, she once again followed his gaze to their table and realized that he was staring at Kitty’s Star-of-David necklace. Her first thought was to mind wipe the man, even more after she glanced in at his thoughts and saw the vile things he would have done to Kitty just because of her religion. Then calmness took hold since, as he would have said, he was only following instructions, and the owners would still be in charge.
“Yes Mr. Gordon, I do understand.” Emma managed to say though tight lips. Nodding, the man started to leave when Emma placed a hand upon his chest. “Please wait, I think the situation will be changing soon.” Then using her other hand, pulled a cell phone from her jacket pocket and hit a number on her speed dial, her mood starting to relax.
“Yes, John Berry please….Emma Frost…….Hello John, how have you been?……Yes…..Yes…..Yes, the reason I’m calling, you heard of the Snow Valley Spa up here in Massachusetts?……That’s it….obtain it by the end of the week……Yes, you heard me, I don’t care about cost, use petty cash, but I want it by the end of the week understood?……Good, by the way the Spa Manager, James Gordon….Fire him…talk to you soon, bye.
Dropping the cell phone back into her jacket pocket she
turned and smiled at the now red faced man, his eyes dark and violent, “Look
you stupid bitch,” he started off by saying in a menacing tone, only to stop in
mid-sentence by a glare of icy blue eyes. “I will say this only once James.”
Emma hissed, “If you know what’s best for your health, don’t fuck with me!” An
instant later the icy glare was gone, replaced by a smiling face and a pair of
hands that brushed the dust off the lapels of his jacket then straighten his
tie before turning away and forgetting about him, as Emma Grace Frost
“Is everything okay?” Kitty asked when Emma returned to the table, “I thought you looked a bit upset over there for a second.”
“Everything is fine dear,” the White Queen replied feeling
quite pleasant, “The club is going though a change in ownership, so I’m afraid
you’ll have to wait until the end of the week.” Finishing her glass of wine,
Emma looked at her watch then back to Kitty, “It’s still early, how about we
take a walk and I’ll show you
**************************************
Jonothan Starsmore stood up from the chair he’d been occupying for the last hour as the door to Sean Cassidy’s office open and a down looking Skin walked out with Banshee right behind him. “I’m telling ye lad,” the man said in his heavy Irish accent, “This is serious and will not be tolerated, one more incident like this, and ye may have to go.”
Watching Cassidy nod a greeting, Starsmore waited until he left before questioning his friend, [Well, what happen?]
Rubbing his forehead Angelo sighed from a pounding headache, “A two hour lecture on how my body is changing and I should resist my natural urges involving girls.”
[Yer bloody pulling my wanker!] Chambers thoughts cried out in astonishment.
“I wish,” Skin said then paused thinking it over and shook his head not caring how it sounded. “That, along with writing a formal apology to M, <However you write one> grounded for the next month, and kitchen duty for as long as I’m grounded.”
[What are yer going da do now? I say leave the bloody dragon alone.]
Looking up with a crazed gleam in his eyes Angelo shook his head vigorously, “No way hombre, I know what to do now, with your help that rat’s dead meat.”
Part Seven
“How’s this one?” Emma asked holding up a black lambskin leather jacket with crisscross black suede patches running across the back and front.
With a sigh, Kitty put the jacket on and looked at herself in the mirror, she had to admit that she liked it but, pausing to look around the Snow Valley Furs and Leather Showroom. The saleswoman had initially tried to help, but after receiving a icy blue-eyed stare, she decided to check on some other customers “Emma, please…you don’t have to do this, I mean you already gave me a hundred thousand dollar membership to a club that I’ll be lucky to use once a year.”
“Katherine, please.” Emma said while casting an apprising eye
on the figure of the young brunette modeling the jacket. “I wish to show you
“But I’m the one that forgot to bring my own jacket.” Kitty protested, though she did like how the jacket looked and the soft lambskin lining felt like silk. Maybe she’ll buy it herself. But that thought lasted as long as it took to look at the price tag. Gasping she knew that there was no way she could afford it. The X-Men really didn’t pay a salary; they fought for what they believed in, not for rewards. Though they did have a petty cash fund like that she used to pay for hers and Jubilee’s meal the other day.
When she was with Excalibur, Brian Braddock aka Captain
Running her hands along Kitty’s shoulders, Emma enjoyed the feel of the leather and suede, as well as the form filling out the jacket. “Katherine,” then the White Queen hesitated wondering how truthful she should be, she never lied unless it was absolutely necessary since it was so much easier to recall the truth. “Katherine, I’ve…never brought gifts for someone that I…. desired to form something more than a causal relationship with. Yes before you ask, I have purchased gifts for escorts that at the time fulfilled my needs, but to me those instances were essentially a business transaction, nothing that necessitated any feelings behind it.”
Sure that her expression showed just how stunned she was, Kitty could only shake her head in disbelief. Not that Emma desired to start some type of relationship with her, she had already figured that out. “Emma,” she said so softy that her slightly taller companion needed to lean in closer. “You never,” hesitating herself now, Kitty was not sure how to word her question, but tried never less. “I can guess how you feel about your students…but you never had anyone that you really…. loved?”
“No,” Emma admitted with a touch of embarrassment she was surprised to experience. “I was the White Queen of the Hellfire Club then, all I wanted was power. Romantic attachments were for the weak and to be exploited,” shaking her head, Emma looked Kitty with smirk, “I was quite the fool then.”
Leaning back on one leg, Kitty tilted her head and narrowed her eyes as she stared at the woman, “Who are you, and what have you done with the Emma Frost that I used to know?”
Unable to help herself, Emma laughed out loud, not noticing the look of astonishment spreading across the young woman’s face. “Oh, I’m still the White Queen, make no mistake about that, you would not wish me to be your enemy, its just as I’ve gotten older, I’ve finally gotten wiser.”
Still with her look of astonishment, Kitty stepped closer to Emma with a smile, “Do that again!”
“What?”
“Laugh,” she simply said while only receiving a puzzle gaze in return, “I’ve never seen you really laugh before… The small chuckle, or smile, but never a for real laugh.”
Opening her mouth to respond Emma halted, not sure what to say, then just shook her head, “I’ve always kept full control of my emotions, like I said, if someone showed too much emotion, I used to believe it was a weakness.” Faltering slightly she raised her eyebrows questioningly, “What do you see when I laugh like that?”
“Something I like very much,” Kitty said as she took off the jacket and handed it to the White Queen, “I see the heart of Emma Frost…. Thank you for the gift.”
Not sure that Kitty was talking about the jacket, Emma nodded and turned for a salesperson, unable to kept her smile from growing ever wider.
****************************
Leech opened the refrigerator and took out the milk carton and carefully filled two glasses. A picture bubble appeared in the air with cookies and a question mark, as his best friend Artie searched through the cupboards. A noise from the door leading to the basement made them turn around just as the door open and Angelo walked out.
The mutant over his normal clothes had a baseball catcher’s chest protector strapped on, as well as shin guards. While on the top of his head rested a goalies hockey mask, in his hands he held a baseball bat. “You coming hombre?” he called back down to the basement.
The scuffle of footsteps proceeded Jonothan Starsmore; his appearance almost rivaled that of his friend. Wearing football shoulder pads and helmet, he also carried a cricket bat that he rested on his shoulders. [Ange] he broadcasted outwards, [Is tis really necessary, yer know wat I feel like?]
“No,” Leech spoke up as he and Artie stared at the pair, ‘But Leech know what you look like,” as Artie nodded in agreement.
[All right that’s it; I’m outta here,] Jono announced to the room and started to unsnap the helmet.
“Yo, Amigo” Skin called out his hands stretching out to stop his friend, “Come on, you said you’ll help me, okay… Like I agreed, we’re only going to scare the little rat that’s all, I promise… you’re not going to run in my time of need, are you hombre?”
Jono would’ve let out a deep breath in exasperation if he could still breathe, yet that function was taken away from him when his mutant powers manifested and blew out his chest and lower jaw in a blast of psionic energy. [So wats yer plan?]
Nodding as he looked around the room, Skin started laughing then quickly stopped when Chambers eyes widen in shock. “Yo, way I figure, that rat always gets me inside, like the sphere and the house, so we trap him outside and shake him up a bit and I’m even.”
[Tha’s its!] Starsmore exclaimed, [how the ell are we going ta trap a flying dragon outside?]
Pulling the hockey mask down over his face, Skin nodded to the door with bulging eyes as Leech and Artie backed up against the wall. A picture bubble over a frighten Artie’s head showed Angelo in his hockey mask along side a monster from a series of horror movies that also wore a hockey mask.
Following his friend outside Jono looked at the two kids and nodded, his telepathic speech sounding a bit nervous [That’s ta problem, everyone in tose movies bloody well passed on.]
***********************************
Kitty was still buttoning her new jacket as Emma held the door open for her. Pausing outside the young woman could feel the chilly bite of the air, yet for some reason she felt warm. More so when Emma wrapped her arm around Kitty’s and strolled down the wet side walk together. The frost in the air made her breathing easier it seemed, the traffic ambled slowly along the main street, with the occasional horn beeping, and the muted voices that echoed down the length of storefronts.
[You look like a tourist; you’re acting like you’ve never seen a city street,] Emma commented, as she unconsciously pulled Kitty closer.
Expecting that the White Queen would be monitoring her and for some privacy, she kept her replies to the telepathic link, [I feel like that at times, this seems so… normal]
[Is that bad?] Emma questioned.
Waiting in her answer to clear her thoughts, Kitty watched a couple of children play tag as they followed their mother, then switch her gaze to a couple walking arm in arm just like she and Emma were doing without a care in the world it seemed. [I’ve been fighting off and on for five years… mostly on it seems.]
[But you had time off] Emma asked as she turned to look at her walking companion, taking in the butch hair cut leaving only a bare inch of hair on the sides and back, yet with a wonderful wave in front. [I seem to recall that my spies reported that you and Doug Ramsey played many a video game at the arcade?]
[How come I’m not surprised that you had us followed.] Kitty stated with a smile at the taller woman. [But that was long ago, about the last three years been nothing but seeing the insides of Muir Island, or Xavier’s, being outside during that time always had someone trying to kill me, I’ve forgotten what being normal is like.] Kitty commented as she turned to watch a car drive down the street, not recalling ever seeing the model before.
[Take time off.] Emma stated simply, [You’re not in bondage…. Not at least until we get to know each other better.]
Letting lose a laugh, Kitty turned to look at a window display in a attempt to hide her reddening cheeks, [So where would I go, there’s no mutant teams hiring last I heard, and I’m not the head of a large corporation with millions of dollars in the bank…. Going off on your own requires a bit of money I last heard, and before you say it, NO, I will not take any money from you.]
[Teach at the academy,] Emma replied her eyes turned to Kitty, [You forget that both Xavier’s and the academy are collage certified. I’m sure that with a review of your school records at Xavier’s and adding more than a few credits from your knowledge of alien technology, though we won’t say it that way. You should have more than enough points for a degree, and I suspect that you would breeze through the states teachers’ certification.]
She had nothing to say at first other than the quickening of her heartbeat, time away from the fighting sounded like a dream. Yet could she let the X-Men down like that, and would…. could she teach? [What would I instruct in?]
[Please Katherine, I know no one that is better qualified to instruct the students in computer science.] Emma broadcasted to Kitty while coming to a halt. [I know how to operate a computer but that’s all, and Sean’s even worse. You on the other hand could hold a lecture for the faculty at M.I.T.]
Licking new falling snow off of her lips, Kitty was tempted, the thought of a normal life, no fighting, no wondering if she should try to save this person or that, no more seeing the horror of bodies dead and dying day after day. To walk down a street without someone trying to kill her, and not feel like it’s strange when your only worry was how to grade a report, not how to keep from killing a person. [And if we don’t work out?]
[Really,] Emma thought was a touch of annoyance, [I can think of the school and not of my own selfish reasons. You would be a great addition to the school Katherine. But I will admit that it would give us more time to develop a bond, but you would be your own person, or do you think so little of yourself that you could not handle me?]
[Oh I can think of many ways to handle you Emma.] Kitty thought and smiled at the White Queen’s sudden raise of an eyebrow. She was enjoying the flirting they’ve been at throughout the day. Yet the thought of leaving the X-men and joining the academy as a teacher was both intimidating and thrilling at the same time.
************************************
“I think it’s intriguing.” Monet replied as she looked up from her coloring book. The mutant was only weeks away from her eighteenth birthday, yet she found coloring books relaxing, fun and for some reason safe, despite the snide remarks she got from some of her schoolmates, especially Jubilation Lee, who was presently standing at the doorway to the classrooms.
“Come on M,” Jubilee responded while casting a look at Ev sitting over by the big screen TV for support. “You’re almost the same age as Kitty, and she hooking up with Frosty… I mean Emma’s okay, but she’s like…. OLD!”
Looking up from the television,
Nodding in agreement, M finished a line in her book and turned to sharpen the blue crayon, “Is it the age difference that’s getting to you Jubilation, or that they’re both women?” Smiling slightly in satisfaction at the narrowing of the Chinese-American girls’ eyes in anger.
“I just think that Kitty’s making a mistake hooking up with Frosty that’s all,” Jube’s replied flippantly, “But then I would expect that kind of answer from a girl that’s almost eighteen who still thinks boys are yucky.” Turning away from the room, she called out, “I’ll see ya later, I hear DOOM calling my name, and I’m just too slick for Kitty to have even noticed that I installed it before she finished putting them computers together.”
The crayon snapped in Monet’s hand as she glared after the
departing girl, angrily she turned a page in her coloring book and started to
color with the broken crayon in an attempt to calm herself. While
“Ah just don’t
understand the whole thing,” Paige finally piped up in saying. She tried to
hide her
Sinking even lower into the chair Ev just covered his face with his hands while shaking his head. <I’m not going to answer that, I’m not going to answer that> he kept thinking over and over. While Monet looked up from her book at Paige, resisting her first impulse, instead saying, “I would suggest that you look it up on the Internet try, lesbian.com.”
“Thanks,” Paige answered with a southern drawl, then stop dead and turned back looking at M, “How did y’all know about that site?”
Before Monet could answer the air was pierced by a loud scream, staring at each other for a few seconds in shock, the students rose as one sprinting down the hallway, all shouting at once.
“THAT WAS JUBE’S!”
“I DETECT NO FOREIGN THOUGHT PATTERNS”
“CAREFUL, IT MIGHT BE A DIVERSION!”
Rushing into the classroom they found the girl sitting of the floor wide-eyed, her face almost at the point of tears. Before they could ask what was wrong she pointed at the computer on the desk. Turning towards the monitor they saw a background from the game DOOM on the screen. Yet bouncing around the monitor screen was a purple dinosaur with the head of Jubilee, a deep voice slowly singing out of the speakers again and again.
“I love Jube’s, Jube’s love’s me, we’re a happy fam-a-ly”
“Make it stop…please make it stop…. the horror….. the horror” Jubilee wailed as she covered her ears.
*********************************
[Ow long are we going ta chase him?] Jono sent to Angelo who was about thirty yards in front of him. They had caught the small dragon outside just like Skin had wanted. But Starsmore could not help but feel that the dragon had intended for that to happen. If he could breathe the mutant figured he would be out of breath. The chase had to have covered close to two miles, and they just climbed over their second posted fence of the pursuit.
If it started to look like Angelo was losing interest, the dragon slowed down almost to the point where Ange once jumped forward and they thought Lockheed had finally been captured, only then to see the small dragon flapping his wings and sticking out his tongue at the mutant, which only served to increase his anger even more. So the hunt continued through the ever-deepening snow.
Coming to a halt, Angelo leaned forward resting on hand on his knee while he slung the bat up and rested it on his shoulder, taking a deep mouthful of air. “We’re wearing him down Amigo.” He abruptly said looking at Starsmore, then stood back up looking for the dragon, not seeing the creature land softly on the tip of the bat behind him.
Looking intently at Lockheed, Jono took time to rub his eyes then look again at the dragon, [Yes, I see ow tired out he is.]
Turning around to check the sky around him, Angelo kept saying, “Do you see him?” All the time Lockheed fluttered his wings to keep balance on the end of the bat. “I hear the rat, but can’t see him….. help me out here man.”
Just before he was going to tell Skin where the dragon was, Lockheed turned his head and looked intently at him. He could not explain what he felt, but he knew that if he stayed where he was and not interfere, no harm would come to him. Turning his gaze back to his friend then back to the seemingly wiser dragon, his mind unaccountably went back to a time long ago as a child, hearing tales of dragons and unicorns with wonder and innocence’s. Within the body that was unable to express the feelings he had, Jonathan Starsmore sighed and kept silent, watching the dragon once again take flight.
Zooming in front of Angelo who yelled in delight, Lockheed flew about ten yards, just over the crest of a small hill as Skin followed swinging his bat wildly. “Come on man, we got him!” he shouted with a touch of triumph although the dragon kept about two feet out of reach.
Then with a mighty roar, Lockheed let lose a blast of shearing flame. Ducking, Skin at first thought he was toast, then as the heat ended he stood once again looking around seeing that he was unharmed. “Hah,” he screamed with contempt, “You missed ratty.”
[I don’t think he did.] Jono added with a shake of his head.
Just then a creaking noise made Angelo look down as the snow bank he was standing on started to give way. “Ahhhhhhhhh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii” was all that he got out before it gave way and he plunged downwards towards a pool of frozen water.
Rushing forward, Jonathan saw his friend slide down then hill with a scream, just before he reached the water Skin’s feet hit and log which flipped him high in the air sailing onwards until with a crunch he hit the ice.
Groaning, Angelo tried to stand but found the ice far too slippery, “What is this,” he cried out trying to ignore the cracking of the icy surface from his weight. “There’s no streams or lakes near us man!”
[Didn’t you see the signs?] Jono asked as he saw the ice
crack even more, [The last fence we climbed over said this area was the
“RETENTION POND!” Skin screamed when after a final crack of the ice he slowly started to sink while laughing hysterically.
Looking at Lockheed who landed on a tree branch next to him, Jonathan Starsmore turned along with the dragon, both shaking their heads sadly while watching the laughing Skin sink beneath the waters, [He’s gone bleeding bonkers.]
Part Eight
The ride home, correction Kitty thought to herself, the ride
back to the academy from
[La Boheme of course, I don’t listen to opera as much as I used to, I’m afraid that only Monet shares my enjoyment for that style of music. I must admit that I never really seen you as an opera fan.]
Keeping her eyes closed, Kitty could almost sense as if she was part of Emma while sharing the telepathic link. Since she’s been an X-Men and later in Excalibur she shared a number of telepathic links with teammates, but never one that seemed so…. intimate. [I like some opera, and heavy metal, classical, pop, rap… whatever sounds good to me, I try not to limit myself.]
Absentmindedly, Emma stroked the back of Kitty’s hand that she was holding with her thumb. [You’re feeling some of my emotions; your teammates only open a channel for the sharing of speech.]
Jerking her head up Kitty stared at the woman beside her, who was also reacting to the sudden shock emulating from the young woman. [You’re reading my inner-thoughts, not just speech!]
Feeling like a child that been scolded for something that seem so natural, Emma promptly slammed their link shut. “I’m sorry Katherine, I just fell into a more…. in-depth and personal sharing of our minds, I should’ve asked permission first.” Dropping Kitty’s hand she turned to look out the Limo’s window at the dark landscape whipping by the car. “It will not happen again.” She stayed that way for a full minute until a small but strong hand touched her cheek and turned her head back towards her companion.
“I was just surprised that’s all,” Shadowcat said with a warm smile that seemed infectious. “It feels nice and you have my permission to stay there.” Laying her head back on Emma’s shoulder she added, “I never dated a telepath before, it’s definitely different.”
[So today was a date in your opinion?] Emma asked while slowly opening back up the link she had established.
[What would you have called it?]
[A very special day,] then added with an almost heavy sigh, [We’re home.]
Almost as soon as she received the thought, Kitty heard the limo’s car door open and the cold air invade the shared warmth. Groaning, Shadowcat followed the White Queen out as the chauffeur drove away to park the limousine, leaving them standing in the dark driveway with snow falling around them. [Shouldn’t we go indoors?] Kitty asked with a grin as Emma wrapped her arms around her.
[I don’t know, you look so beautiful in the falling snow; I think snowfall is special for us.] Not sure how long they just stood there holding onto each other, Kitty just felt warm, while feeling a breathtaking sameness from Emma through their link. The White Queen moved first causing Kitty to look upwards at the descending mouth, just as their lips were about to meet Kitty pulled back, her face scrunched up in disgust.
[WHAT IS THAT SMELL!] Kitty shouted in her link with Emma.
Letting loose of the younger woman, Emma turned around placing her hand under her nose in an attempt to stop breathing in the foul odor. “Mr. Espinoza!” Emma said with a rigid tone as two figures came walking across the large lawn from the woods.
[Evening ladies] Jonothan Starsmore broadcast while steering a frozen looking Angelo towards the house. [Excuse us, Ange ha a bit of an accident with a pond]
“And what were you two doing out in the woods at this time of night?” Emma asked her eyes set on an unresponsive Skin.
“Emma,” Kitty piped up, the front of her new jacket now pulled up over her nose making her look like some type of bandit, “Emma, I’m dying here, can he wash-up first and questions later?”
Taking the opportunity to get away, Jono nodded and pushed Skin, who was behaving like a zombie towards the house. [Es, I need ta get him inta a hot shower, don’t wan him catching cold right?]
Stepping between them and the mansion, Emma Frost folded her arms over her chest and shook her head, “Oh no, you’re not going to circulate that stench throughout the house, take him to the biosphere, use the showers there.”
Standing side-by-side, Kitty and Emma watched Jonothan herd Skin to the biosphere, a ray of light appearing when Jono open the door and closed it behind him. Then about thirty seconds later the door once again opened and Penance, Artie and Leech came running out slamming the door behind them. Even from the distance Kitty could see Artie’s thought picture of Skin and a skunk. “Let me get this right,” Kitty, said now looking at Emma with a smirk, “These are the students you want me to teach?”
Still looking at the biosphere, Emma sighed wondering for the millionth time just what kept her from going insane. [Did I mention the job paid very well?] Turning back to Kitty, the White Queen reached out stroking the woman’s cheek, “And it comes with a excellent fringe benefit that you can have tonight if you wish… whether you take the position or not.]
Taking hold of Emma’s hand, Kitty kissed the palm, then licked a few drops of snow off of the thumb. [It’s very temping…]
[But…] Emma replied hiding her disappointment.
[But I ran from Xavier’s after making a mess of things, and I need to go back first and correct them before I can move forward.] Kitty thought, her brown eyes looking back at Emma full of hope that she’ll understand.
[You’re heading back to Xavier’s in the morning.] Emma stated with a nod of comprehension. Placing her arm around Kitty’s waist, she led the way to the front door, [The car will be ready for you in the morning, your purchases are still in the back, though I confess that shopping with you raises many questions, just what are you planning on doing with those items?]
Grinning, Kitty tilted her head forward looking at Emma with a mischievous grin and raised eyebrows.
Noticing the look, Emma dived deeper into Kitty’s thoughts and burst out laughing, [Oh, you are a naughty woman, I wish I could see their faces when you arrive.]
****************************
Just after breakfast, the students with the exception of Angelo who said he was to sick, along with Sean and Emma all were standing in the driveway saying their goodbyes. Though Jubilee did tell Kitty she’ll have to get her back, since last night after seeing the computer, both Artie and Leech thought she knew a certain purple dinosaur and kept asking her what he was like.
Monet when she said her goodbyes curiously also said thank you, despite the fact that Kitty was not sure what M was thanking her for. And when Kitty looked at Paige the girl turned red while looking at the ground. She wondered if it had to do with whatever she saw last night when she went to get a glass of milk. While walking pass the classroom she heard a noise and phased her head through the wall, seeing Paige at a computer looking at something on the internet and repeating ‘Ohmagosh ohmagosh”
Lastly Emma came up and hugged tightly, Kitty returned the fierce embrace, then leaned back looking up at Emma, [You know, I’m sorry we never got a chance to kiss, we kept getting interrupted.]
Smiling Emma shook her head thinking with a laugh, [You think a crowd would stop me from kissing you?] Then leaned down bringing her lips to Kitty’s.
Ignoring the sudden ‘Oooooooooo’ from those around them, Kitty opened her mouth accepting the tongue the White Queen was thrusting forth. Snaking her arm around Emma’s back, the young woman pulled her closer while her other hand caressed the back of the taller woman’s neck.
“I think it’s beautiful.”
“Ya would M, good thing Kitty can hold her breath.”
“Oh ma gosh!”
[Ev, are yer all right, why yer bend like tha?]
“It’s nothing… I’m just going to take a shower right now… a nice cold shower.”
“Emma…..Emma…. the kids are watching, yer think it’s proper.”
At last breaking the kiss, the two women just looked at each other smiling, [I’ll see you soon Emma.] Kitty thought turning for the car only to be stopped as her companion kissed the tip of her nose smiling but otherwise not saying a word. Joining Lockheed in the back of the limousine turning with a last wave Kitty looked at Emma, [By the way, how about thinking of another way for the kids to earn money, I remember hating doing cleaning chores myself.]
Not trusting herself to speak, the White Queen nodded and shut the car door with a wave, watching it drive off. Thinking of what Kitty said with a sudden inspiration. “Students.” Emma called out stopping them as they turned back for the mansion. “Whomever can call Xavier’s first with the latest gossip, earns a two hundred dollar shopping spree at the mall.”
The students paused looking at the White Queen then glanced at each other before all but Jubilee made a mad dash for the door.
“Am first, I called it!”
“Ev, thought you were going to take a shower!”
[No fair, I can’t speak.]
Watching the crowd at the door Jubilee glanced back at the White Queen and rolled her eyes while pulling her last birthday present from Wolverine out of her coat pocket, shaking her head as she hit the speed dial, “Amateurs.”
Looking out the window Angelo let out a breath, at last they’re gone he thought, thankful now that he survived. Three days, in three damn days, he got M wanting to kill him, a month of kitchen duty, cleaning the biosphere, putting up with Leech and Artie calling him stinky, and the rat eating all of his smokes. He considered himself lucky that he was alive, but they were gone, and now he was safe.
*BEEP*
Blinking, Angelo looked around wondering what the sound was.
*BEEP*
Following the beep to its source, Angelo opened his closet door. At eye level was a small box taped to the door with a counter on it.
4
3
2
“Ahhhhhhhh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiii”
1
Glancing out the back window of the limousine, Lockheed rumbled then tilted his head in confusion as green smoke started to pour out of a open window at the academy. Turning in her seat Kitty joined her friend in watching the smoke billowing outwards. “Big bully,” Shadowcat said with a smile as she petted Lockheed, “picking on a poor defenseless dragon.”
Epilogue
Wearily, Professor Charles Xavier powered his wheelchair from the blackbird landing bay, thankful that the group had their own jet, right now he didn’t think he could take the airport crowds.
“Hey Chuck, how things go in D.C?” Wolverine asked as he came out of the danger room followed by Bobby and Marrow.
“Well Logan,” he answer coming to a halt, his eyes set on Bobby yet continued to talk to Logan, “I have high hopes for next weeks Mutant Registration vote.” Then felt somewhat annoyed when Bobby only gave him a wave and a “Hi Professor,” before continuing on down the hallway talking to the woman at his side, “I tell you Sarah, you can’t take Jubilee serious, just because she said that Kitty swallowed Emma Frost’s tongue does not mean it really happen.”
He’ll have to make a note Xavier thought, and remind the X-Men as he kept his eyes on the woman Bobby called Sarah. That all strangers should be introduced to him if he’s on the grounds, especially mutants.
Fin