pulled the tight latex suit up over her slender hips, took a moment in
front of the mirror to slick on some lip gloss and ruffle her own short
hair, and walked smiling out into the dormitory hall.
The others were already there, she discovered: Cyclops, their handsome
team captain, who she always felt wasn�t quite meeting her gaze�although
to be fair, she couldn�t be sure, since his eyes were always hidden
behind that visor; Colossus, the tall, strapping Russian, standing as a
metal man should stand, rigid and polished-looking; Iceman, the scrawny
blond kid they�d recently rescued from the Sentinels, with his usual
goofy grin; Wolverine, their latest, oldest, and creepiest acquisition,
dark and scowling; Storm, the only other girl on the team so far,
looking as exotic and pretty as usual; and Beast, low and massive,
beaming like morning sunshine at some secret glory.
Before Jean could scan him for the reason behind his unusual glow, the
Professor�he was there too, of course, sitting quietly in his wheelchair
as he waited for Jean to join the others�took away the need. �It�s time
we had a practice session as a team,� he announced. �I don�t want to
have to send you all out again with as little training as most of you
have received.�
�I�m fine, thanks,� Wolverine muttered, and the younger X-men shifted
uncomfortably. He had been trained, of course, and extensively. As a
killing machine.
�As a team,� the Professor said again, quite peaceably, and Wolverine
snorted but did not interrupt again. �Beast here has been helping me
develop some training equipment for our use, and I must say he has done
excellent work. Today we are going down to test it.�
�I�m sure it�s brilliant,� Jean smiled. She was still the team�s heart,
she knew, the first one most of them had met, and it was her
responsibility to support the others. Anyway, she liked Hank. Not in
the way that she liked Cyclops, of course; but they were becoming great
friends. �If it compares to what he�s already done to the Warbird.�
�Thank you, Jean,� Beast grinned. �I have to confess that I�m rather
pleased with the results myself. I�m looking forward to hearing what
the rest of you think.�
The rest of us nothing, Jean thought, amused. You want to know what
Ororo thinks of it. Because if she thinks well of it, she just might
take more notice of you.
She�d been meaning to peek into Storm�s thoughts on Hank�s behalf, to
see if he had a chance with her or not, since she didn�t give much
indication one way or the other on the surface. But this wasn�t the
time, because they were all moving back out into the hall and down into
the vast basement.
It was empty, except for a strange floor and switches on the walls and
far above them, some sort of sensors or something on the ceiling.
�X-men,� said the Professor, �meet the Danger Room.�
�Pleased to meet you,� quipped Colossus. �Should I wait outside while
it puts something on?�
�Looks like the movers made off with your furniture, Xavier,� Wolverine
agreed.
�To be fair,� Beast frowned, rankled by the teasing, �we haven�t turned
it on yet.�
�I will go out and do it now,� said the Professor, and left the vast
room, closing the door behind him.
�I really am trying to be impressed, Hank,� said Iceman. �But come
on�it�s just a big empty ro��
Except that suddenly it wasn�t, at all.
It was the same New York cityscape where they had found Iceman. Up to
and including three Sentinels.
Iceman leapt back and shouted, startled. The others gaped up at the
metal giants for a moment in horror.
Wolverine, though, just smiled. �Nice light show, Beast, but I�m not
dodging a hologram.�
�What makes you say it�s a hologram?� Beast asked politely.
�Two things. One, it appeared out of nowhere in Xavier�s basement.
Two, it doesn�t smell like anything.�
�Hmm. I will have to take that into account when I update the
programming after this test encounter. However, I assure you that you
will still want to dodge it.�
�Why bother?� Wolverine sneered, but suddenly, a vast red hand clenched
around his body and lifted him high into the air. The assassin roared
in surprise and protest, trying to pull his arms free.
�Because it�s not the usual sort of hologram,� Beast called up to him as
he struggled.
�Okay, team,� said Cyclops, quickly shifting into his business mode,
�it�s time to play save the old guy. Jean, can you pry the hand open?�
�I�m on it,� she answered, and frowned in concentration. After a
moment, the Sentinel�s grip had loosened just enough for Wolverine to
raise one of his arms, the flashing of his claws barely visible as he
sliced through the machine�s fingers. Jean slowed his fall with her
power.
�We�ve got this one,� Cyclops called out. �Storm and Iceman, take the
one down the, um, block. Beast and Colossus, get the one on the
right.� Without waiting for their response, he unleashed a red blast of
light at the first android�s head.
Jean ran to check on Wolverine, who suddenly rose up from the crouch in
which he had landed and charged at the Sentinel�s foot, slicing into it
repeatedly at the ankle. They both leaped out of the way as the machine
toppled and fell, luckily away from them and onto the second Sentinel.
Beast had to grab Colossus and carry both of them up to safety as the
two giants collapsed into a single heap.
�Could you do us the kindness of yelling �Timber� next time?� Beast
called down to Cyclops, from his perch up on the side of a building.
�Sorry!� Cyclops yelled back, and then all eyes turned to the remaining
Sentinel.
This one was standing quite still, inside an enormous block of ice.
�Get a load of us! Storm and I rule! Woo-hoo!� Iceman jumped and
capered back up the street toward his teammates. �She shorted out his
brain, and then with her feeding me extra cold for my ice�I mean, look
at that!� Storm was arriving behind him, with a much more demure smile
on her face.
�Mission accomplished, boss,� she purred at Cyclops, in what Jean did
not find an entirely pleasing way.
�Yes,� said a strange voice behind them, �nicely done, children. Now I
must ask you to come with me.�
They turned to look at the strange figure, a tall, dignified man in a
purple cape and helm. No one answered him, all being mystified as to
his identity, until Wolverine fell into a deep crouch and growled a
single word.
�Magneto.�
Cyclops instantly blasted at the stranger, but was dodged�and then the
steel girders of the building they were standing under began to buckle,
and pieces of wall started to fall toward their heads.
Cyclops and Jean fell back, and Beast carried Storm out of harm�s way in
a great leap. Iceman dashed off with a shield of ice held over his
head. But Wolverine stayed in his crouch, his body trembling as if it
was resisting some great force, and Colossus had fallen to his hands and
knees.
�Jean, Iceman, help them!� cried Cyclops. �The rest of you, with me!�
He dodged the collapse as well as he could, charging toward the new
enemy, and tried another blast. Somehow there always seemed to be a
piece of debris between him and the newcomer�but Beast was advancing
now, his approach covered by a sudden gust as he leapt toward Magneto.
With a gentle, casual motion of one hand, Magneto plucked a streetlight
from the ground and swept it across the space between him and Beast.
The acrobatic X-man jumped clear of the first swing and continued his
charge.
�Cyclops,� Jean�s voice cried out behind them, �we can�t keep hold for
much longer! There�s too much��
The team leader turned to see a sudden tumble of debris between him and
the back half of his team, and so missed seeing Beast wolloped and laid
out by another swing of the streetlight.
�No!� Storm cried, flinging bolts of lightning that never seemed to
quite hit the mark.
�Jean!� Cyclops called back in the other direction.
�And then, abruptly, it was all gone. Cyclops surveyed the new scene in
bewilderment. Iceman and the huddled Colossus, under a wall of ice.
Jean bowed down, panting, beside Wolverine, who was slowly rising to his
feet. Storm looking as confused as he was, for a moment, and then
kneeling beside Beast, who was still laid out on the floor.
�That�s going to hurt in the morning,� Beast managed to choke out.
�Come to think of it, it hurts now.�
The Professor reentered the room. �I�m sorry about that,� he said. �I
wanted to check different levels, and you were starting to look cocky.
Beast, Colossus, can you stand?�
Both rose with some effort. �So, that was Magneto?� Colossus grumbled.
�I don�t think I like him.�
�That�s rather the point,� Storm smirked.
�A successful trial. Well done, everyone. Congratulations, Hank.
Would you like an aspirin?� The Professor smiled.
�A few dozen, yes please.�
The Professor chuckled, then announced, �I�m going away for a few days.
I�ll be visiting with a friend of mine, Dr. McTaggart, in Scotland.
Cyclops, Jean, you�re in charge while I�m gone. Hank, when I get back,
we�ll do some revisions on the program. I heard Wolverine�s comment
about scents. Also, our Magneto is still too weak.�
�Too weak?� several of them gaped, but the Professor was already away
again.
***
A knock at the door.
Too tired to rise and open it, Jean reached out with her talent instead,
remaining sprawled across her bed as Hank entered the room.
�Very nice,� he laughed.
�I�m surprised you�re up and about,� she said, sitting up to face him.
�You took the worst hit.�
�Well, I haven�t quite Wolverine�s flair for self-restoration, but I
manage.�
Jean looked at him for a moment, then groaned. �Oh, Hank, tell me
you�re not here to bug me about Storm again.�
Hank sneered. �If you don�t want to know, my little psychic
eavesdropper, there�s no law that says you have to look.�
�I can�t help it,� she whined piteously, knowing that he wasn�t buying a
bit of it. �Oh, fine, if we must. You�re disappointed that she didn�t
comment on the danger room.�
�Well,� he said, sitting down in her desk chair to sulk, �yes, rather.
You�re the one who said that if I didn�t think my natural physical
charms would impress her, I should use the strength of my other
talents.�
�She seemed pretty worried about you when we were fighting the Magneto
hologram. And she didn�t protest much when you tackled her.�
�That was a combat situation. It doesn�t mean anything.�
�Oh, get over it, Hank. You�re just worried that because you look a
little different, she isn�t going to like you. That she�s going to like
Colossus better because he�s a tall statue of a guy. Right?�
�Fairly accurate,� Hank sniffed.
�I don�t think she�s that shallow. She�who�s that?� she asked, and they
paused for a moment. Then she frowned. �Never mind.�
�Storm�s gossip about you and Cyclops remains unfounded, I take it.�
Jean pouted. �It does. You know, maybe all we need is something to
loosen up this bunch of straight-laced mutants. It�s a shame I can�t do
raves any more.�
Hank grinned. �You were a raver?�
�Darling, I was the queen of the ravers. Nothing you ever got into, I
suppose?�
Hank laughed, the traces of his sulk fading. �My feet aren�t so big I
can�t dance. I have been known to attend the occasional party. Spin
the occasional record.� He leaned forward meaningfully and whispered,
�Whip up the occasional tablet.�
She leaned toward him too, excited. �You mean, you know how?�
�I know how to make a great many things, young lady.�
�This mansion needs a party,� said Jean, grinning ear to ear. �And you
and I are going to throw it. Are you with me?�
�Always,� said Hank.
***
A knock at the door.
�Come in,� Storm called, �it�s always open.�
�Very trusting of you,� said Cyclops as he entered.
�Not really. I just don�t like feeling closed in.� She looked at him.
They had become good friends since she�d arrived at the mansion. She
couldn�t read his face very well, of course�that visor always hiding his
eyes�but there seemed to be a tension about him. �What�s up?�
�I don�t know,� he said, and stalled by rubbing at his pleasantly
overgrown brown hair. He was really very attractive...if he didn�t
already have a girl, and if Storm didn�t have her sights on someone
else....
�I was by Jean�s room,� he confessed. �I was going to knock, or...but
someone was there. Hank.�
�Hank?� Storm frowned. �But I thought he��
�You thought he what?� he asked when she stopped short.
�Nothing.� She collected herself. �Well, so, she was visiting with
Hank. Are you afraid she�s cheating on you, or something?�
�That would be hard for her to manage,� he said, lowering his head,
�since technically we�re not going out.�
Storm raised her eyebrows. �You�re kidding.� He shook his head to the
contrary. �But I could have sworn that you two were an item.�
�I wish. I�ve never gotten up the nerve to ask her.�
�Well, then, maybe you should. You obviously want to, and I have a
feeling she�d like you to ask.�
�I can�t ask her now!� he protested, waving his hands in frustration.
�She�s a party girl, and I�m...well...not.�
Storm smirked. �Well, of course you�re not a party girl. What of it?�
�You don�t understand. I don�t think I�m...um...experienced enough for
a girl like her.�
�Oh.� Storm blinked hard, sure that this handsome, usually confident
young man couldn�t really be implying what she thought he had. �Scott,�
she said quietly, �you�re not telling me you�re a virgin, are you?�
He sat silent, looking down at his feet. Then he nodded.
�How?� she cried, and he looked up at her, seeming embarrassed. �I
mean, how have you managed it? How have you kept the girls off of you
for so long?�
�You put that quite nicely,� he smiled. �I managed it by being a
mutant, of course. Until the Professor made me these shades, I was a
pretty obvious one. The first girl my age I met after that was Jean,
when she came here. I�ve always wanted to date her, but I�ve also
always felt she was out of my league.�
A wonderful idea came to Storm. It would help Scott, and it would also
provide her with a good distraction from thinking about what Hank wanted
with Jean.
�Scott,� she purred, leaning forward so that her cleavage was visible,
�I don�t think there�s a woman alive who�s out of your league. You just
need some practice to get up your confidence, that�s all.�
�Come on, Ororo. Where am I supposed to...get...practice?� he said, his
words grinding to a halt as she leaned in closer, his eyes drawn�she
guessed�down toward the brown valley between her breasts.
She took advantage of his silence by pressing her lips against his,
wrapping her arms around his neck, crushing her bosom against his
chest. He gasped in surprise, pleasant she hoped. When his hands
suddenly found her back and stroked down onto her buttocks, she was
proved correct.
She drew back for a moment, just enough to give him air. �Ororo...� he
breathed. �Really? Are you sure?�
�Yep, I�m sure,� she grinned, and pounced on him again. This time she
also sent her tongue in search of his, which hesitated, uncertain, and
then engaged, learning quickly. She took charge of the session entire,
unzipping her costume�for she had never bothered to change out of it�and
sliding it off of her shoulders to reveal the upper half of her body.
As she continued to kiss him, she guided one of his hands onto her
breast, and he rubbed at it eagerly.
Next she pulled his head away from hers and thrust it toward her other
breast, leading him by the hair. He responded correctly, licking at the
dark nipple and then wrapping his lips around it, gently at first, then
harder.
Yes indeed. She threw her head back, eyes half closed, and sighed. He
was a good student.
He tangled his fingers into her long white hair, clutching at her back,
and pulled her closer, crushing their bodies together. He was breathing
hard now. His hands slid downward, pulling the tight uniform down over
her hips, easing it the rest of the way off of her. She moved her legs
a little to make this possible.
She was kneeling on the bed, he sitting beside her; and now he looked
her up and down, almost reverent, his hands hot and resting on her hips,
clutching a little, unconsciously, as his gaze seemed to sweep past the
white mound of her pubic hair.
Scott was not Ororo�s first virgin lover. She knew that if she wanted
the best experience for both of them�and she certainly did�she had
better calm things down a little bit for now, make sure he stayed
relaxed.
�Hold on,� she smiled. �I�d like to give you a backrub first.�
�A backrub?� he puzzled, but when she took his shirt off he became more
than agreeable. She stripped him down the rest of the way�as she
thought, already hard as a rock, and nicely proportioned, she noted with
satisfaction�and laid him down on her bed, face down.
�Now just a second,� she whispered into his ear, �and I promise I�ll be
right back, okay?�
�Okay,� Scott sighed.
Dear, trusting boy, she thought. It was a good thing for him she did
mean to come back, and not run and get Jean or something. But what she
really wanted to get, was her props.
Being a pagan girl, she liked to have a certain vibe going for this sort
of thing. She broke out her scented candles and lit them, then dimmed
the lights. Then the massage oil. She poured this liberally over her
hands, then came back to straddle Scott�s pleasantly muscular backside.
She rubbed her hands slowly over his shoulders and back, and he
whimpered into her pillow. She stroked his body up and down, feeling
the tension gradually flow out of him, at the same time giving her
plenty of opportunity to feel his nice muscular shape under her hands.
Once he was fully relaxed he remained so, even when she began to stroke
her oiled breasts up and down the sides of his spine.
When she decided that he was ready, she rose a little and prompted him
to turn over. His lips were slightly open with anticipation, and his
hands moved up onto her thighs. He seemed very happy.
Strange, though, not to have eyes to look into. But then, she thought,
her own eyes were also strange, in their way.
She used the last of the oil to rub his chest, which was also
well-toned, and showed little by way of hair. She could feel that he
was still hard, but no longer in danger of exploding before they had
even begun. Without warning, she tilted her hips so that the swaying
motion of her massage brought him into her.
It felt wonderful, and by his gasp she could tell that he thought so
too. She rocked back and forth over him, letting wisps of white hair
fall into his face, her breasts bouncing gently until he reached for
them and held them still in his hands. She moved slowly, paused for a
second at times, so that he would not finish too soon.
By way of instruction, she took hold of one of his hands and moved it
downward, carefully positioning it so that one of the fingers hooked in
between her lips and stroked at her clitoris as she moved. �Here,
Scott,� she breathed. �She�ll want you to touch her here. Oh!� She
started moaning and writhing, and by some instinct Scott stroked gently
in rhythm with her movement, still teasing one hard nipple with the free
hand.
He was so much better than she expected, and oh, she was coming now,
oh�she threw her head and shoulders back, shaking, out of control for a
few magnificent seconds. An unintended breeze swept back her hair as
she sat for a moment, perfectly still. She swatted his hand away from
her, and it returned to her thigh to rest. Then she leaned forward
again, with a suddenly predatory smile, and began to move again, faster
and harder now. It was time to allow him to climax.
A wave of tension moved through him, and she could feel all of his
muscles tighten, anticipating the release. He cried out, spasmed, the
tension suddenly broken, and a moment later she felt him soften, so she
gently lifted herself off of him and laid down beside him.
Exhausted. A promising student, was Scott.
�Thank you for teaching me,� he smiled, taking one of her hands and
kissing it.
�Sure. My pleasure,� she panted. �So! Any questions?�
�Lots,� he laughed.
***
Bobby knew he was the runt of the X-litter. Oh, yeah. How could anyone
not notice that? What with Cyclops looking like some kind of Roman god,
Colossus nine stories tall, Beast as wide as a car, and
Wolverine...well, Wolverine?
And Bobby, a scrawny little teenaged geek?
That was his motivation for creeping into the gym first thing in the
morning, in the hopes that no one would be around to watch him work
out. But he had to work out, that was a given, he had to get into some
kind of shape to fit into this crowd.
Unfortunately, he didn�t notice until he had already changed and started
wrestling meagerly with a Nautilus machine that Wolverine had come in
behind him, and was now preparing to work out himself.
Fighting forms, his program seemed to be, and hitting things. Yikes.
Self-conscious, Bobby moved away from the Nautilus machine and towards
the free weights. �There,� he said loudly, �all warmed up. Now to hit
the real weights, huh?�
Huffs of air, kicks, several jabs at open air. No other response.
Smooth! But with the free weights he found himself totally lost�he
didn�t even understand what that big curved thing with the strap was
for, or which bar to use for which exercise, or what the choices of
exercise were, exactly, for that matter....
Bench press! There, that seemed straightforward enough. He put the
straight bar�that must be the one, he thought, for a bench press�into
place, and contemplated the amount of weight. He didn�t want to look
like too much of a wuss with Wolverine there, so he decided on one of
each weight per side, which would add up to...well, never mind that, a
nice macho amount, he was sure. Then he laid down beneath it and looked
up at the bar, apprehensive now, but determined to make a go of it.
He actually got the thing up into the air the first time, that was the
impressive part.
Then it fell with a sickening thud down onto his chest. He shrieked,
then found it impossible to pull any air back in, let alone to move the
bar.
He mouthed silently for a few seconds, helpless, thought he might pass
out....
Then another pair of hands took up the bar, with a miniscule effort that
might have humiliated Bobby if he had been less concerned about
breathing again, and plopped it back onto the arms of the bench.
�Stick to the machines, bub,� Wolverine growled. �It�s safer.� Without
waiting for a response, he wheeled around and returned to the bare patch
of floor where he resumed his own routine.
Bobby sheepishly followed his savior, watching him perform his combat
moves from a respectful distance for a few minutes before he spoke.
�Thanks,� he said at last. �How did all of you get so strong? I don�t
like being the only puny X-man, you know?�
Wolverine ignored him for a moment, then said, grudgingly, �You�re
young. Give it a while.�
Bobby sneered. �Yeah, sure, that gets the girls. I can just go up to
Jean or Storm and say, sure, I look pathetic now, but I�m drinking
milk....�
�Kid,� Wolverine said, without pausing in his string of jabs and
slashes, �you�ve obviously mistaken me for someone who cares.�
�Ah. Yeah, right, okay. Sorry.� Bobby backed up a step.
�Hey, Bobby! Here you are.� He turned toward the new voice, and saw
Jean (Jean! looking for him!) standing at the door in jeans and a tank
top. �I need to go shopping for some party stuff, and I don�t want to
go alone. D�you want to come along?�
Bobby was astonished. �Me??�
�Of course you, kid,� said Wolverine. �You and Jeanie there are the
normal lookin� ones. How do you think the rest of us are gonna look,
hangin� at the mall?�
�It�s hard to imagine you �hanging at the mall,� Wolverine,� Jean said
with a wry grin, �no matter what. But I also happen to know that Bobby
here is a would-be DJ. Aren�t you, sport?�
Bobby gulped. �Well, yeah, kind of.�
Jean nodded. �Beast knows a little about that too, but he�s going to
have his hands full with everything else, so we need a hand. Haven�t
you ever wished you could shop for CDs with your millionaire uncle�s
credit card?�
Bobby pulled himself up very straight, but he knew he was also grinning
like a madman. �Vinyl, if you please, Jean. Much better for DJ-ing.�
Jean laughed. �You�re the expert. You coming or not?�
�Sure! Give me a minute to change.�
***
They didn�t confine themselves to the mall, actually, because so much of
what they needed was specialty gear. Vinyl records, lots of them. DJ
equipment�bought, not rented, Jean insisted. Lighting. Strobes.
Chemistry lab equipment. Chemicals. Then the mall, for outfits. Then
hamburgers at the food court. Jean chattered happily the whole day.
For all her party girl persona, she was also smarter than she usually
let on, Bobby decided. That was part of her friendship with Beast, she
confided. Of course, the one she was really hot for was Cyclops.
Well, sure, it was Cyclops. Why wouldn�t it be Cyclops? Bobby sighed
inwardly. Not as though he�d really thought he had a chance with her
himself, of course. Being fifteen, and the class weakling, and all.
But it was nice to be included this far, at least, into such a cool
group.
As they were leaving the mall, they passed by an arcade. Having no
illusions of scoring with the girl, he indulged his other attractions.
�Do you mind if I just go in for a few minutes?�
�Sure,� she smiled, pressing some money into his hand. �Knock yourself
out. I�ll go across the way and look at shoes for a while.�
He cheerfully traded his first couple of dollars for tokens and wandered
through looking at the machines, settling on a vintage fighting game
near the door.
He selected the biggest, most muscle-clad character and started kicking
some ass. Ooh yeah.
Suddenly there was a rainbow flash of lights off to his right, and then
an explosion rocked the back of the arcade.
He instinctively ran a few paces out, then turned to look at what had
happened. Inside, toward the back, he saw some kid�s back, a little
shorter than himself, black hair and a yellow coat, standing next to the
blackened remnants of one of the games, as the manager glowered down
with the weird combination of disgust and fear that Bobby recognized
instantly.
�Jean!� he called over his shoulder into the shoe store. Glancing back,
he saw that she was coming to investigate.
Hang back, he heard her say in his mind. We�re close to home now�we
want to be able to show our faces here again.
Bobby nodded, and walked as casually as he could back into the arcade.
�You�re one of them, aren�t you?� the manager yelled, his body bunching
up with rage. �You�re one of those goddamned freaks!�
�I didn�t do it!� the kid yelled, in a high voice. �I didn�t mean to do
it....�
Up close, Bobby realized that the �kid� was a girl, probably in her
early teens, not much younger than he was. She was Asian, her light
brown eyes wide with terror at what she�d done and what it meant and the
big, burly guy staring her down. Bobby knew all about that, and now he
also knew that besides doing his duty as an X-man, he was going to get
to play white knight to a pretty young girl.
Life was good.
Oh yeah? So how was he going to get her out of here without proving
himself another one of �those freaks?�
Jean came to his rescue. �Get the other kids out of here,� she
whispered into his ear as she passed.
He nodded, then started to bring the temperature down around him.
�Jeezis, it�s cold in here!� he said loudly. �Screw this, I�m going
over to Tower.� He watched in satisfaction as the other patrons agreed,
rubbing at their suddenly chilled limbs as they hastened away.
He turned then to watch Jean�s performance. �Security,� she said to the
manager, with that special twinkle in her eye that meant that the man
was enthralled. �Is there a problem here?�
�You bet there�s a goddamned problem,� the manager snarled. �This freak
just blew up one of my machines.�
�What? She�s not�� the girl protested.
�Shut up,� Bobby whispered to her. �She�s bailing you out.�
Fortunately, the girl was bright enough to close her mouth and sulk as
if she had, in fact, been found out by security.
�All right, sir,� Jean nodded, taking the girl sternly by the arm.
�We�ll take care of it from here. It�s just a good thing no one was
hurt. Too bad they don�t sell freak insurance, huh?� she snickered.
�No kidding,� the manager snorted. �I don�t know how to write this up
for reimbursement, but at least this punk�ll get what she deserves.�
�Absolutely,� Jean agreed, and led the girl out with Bobby close behind
them.
�Thanks,� said the girl quietly. �Um, wow. So, are you guys....�
�We�d better talk outside,� said Jean. �In fact...you have anywhere you
need to be?�
The girl ducked her head unhappily. �Not really. I�m, uh, kind of a
runaway. Please don�t turn me in, okay? I can�t go back.�
�I relate completely,� said Bobby, taking her arm in what he hoped a
gentlemanly way. �I�ve been there. In fact, we know a place where you
can crash. Trust me?�
She looked at him strangely for a second, then smiled. �Okay, what the
heck.�
***
�So, what�s your name?� Bobby asked her in the car.
�Jubilee.�
He grinned. �Really?�
�Yeah, really. What�s yours?�
�Bobby. This is Jean.�
�And are you both...um....�
�Mutants?� Jean smiled. �Yep, we are. You�re safe with us. And we�d
love you to stay with us. I have a feeling you�ll like the setup we�ve
got.�
�Thanks. So...you mess with people�s heads?�
Jean laughed. �A little. I�m better at moving things, though. Bobby
here does ice. There�s a few more at home, you�ll meet them soon. So
what�s your deal?�
Jubilee shrugged. �Um, I make weird lights. And sometimes I make
things blow up.� She glanced at Bobby and laughed. �Obviously.�
�Weird lights, you say,� Jean said, musing. �Jubee, would you be
interested in helping me throw a party?�
***
For the rest of the evening, Jubilee and Bobby helped Beast set up for
the next night�s big event. They hung lights, to which Jubilee made
strange additions; Bobby set up the music, and offered to try to make
dry ice for atmosphere. That was tricky, but doable if Beast provided
something for him to start from. Then Bobby made ice for all the
drinks.
�Excellent work, all,� said Beast at last, late into the night. �Now we
must see what tomorrow brings. For me, for the most part, it will bring
breakneck work with a chemistry set, alas. But, there it is, I am on a
tight schedule. The two of you, on the other hand, will want to get
yourselves rested for the festivities. Jubilee, a pleasure to meet
you. Did Jean have a chance to show you where the girls� dormitory is
located?�
�Yes, thank you. It�s gonna be great tomorrow.� She grinned broadly at
them, then stalled at the door. �Um, but Bobby? Will you walk me
anyway? It�s such a big house....�
�Sure. Catch you tomorrow, Hank.� Bobby followed the new girl out,
then took the lead, heading toward the dorms.
�Bobby?� she said, and took his hand.
�Yeah?�
�I do know the way. I just wasn�t quite ready to be by myself in a big
place full of strangers.� She squeezed his hand. Giddy, he squeezed
back.
They reached her room, and she let him in with her. Since she had just
arrived, there was no personality in the room yet, just bare furnishings
and a fresh set of sheets.
She sat down on the bed. �Thanks for helping me, Bobby,� she said.
�Sure,� he smiled, sitting down beside her and taking her hand again.
�It�s my job, you know. Superhero thing.� He grinned.
�Yeah, sure,� she smirked. �Thanks for hanging out with me, too. I�ve
never had friends like me before.�
�It�s amazing, isn�t it?�
She nodded. �I think I really like you, Bobby,� she said.
He felt like he was blushing. He hoped to God he wasn�t blushing.
�Thanks. I, um, I like you too.�
She gave him a light kiss. He gave her back a stronger one.
�Bobby? Have you ever....�
He shook his head. �No. I�ve done the other stuff, though. You?�
�No. Just the other stuff.� She gulped. �D�you want to?�
�What?�
�You know...the other stuff.� Now she was blushing.
He smiled. �I�d love to.� He kissed her again, and now, permission
given, fondled her gently through her shirt. Then under the shirt.
Sweet breasts, just the size of his palms, lovely. He unbuttoned the
shirt, unhooked the bra�front hook, wonderful girl!�and had a look at
them, their soft golden skin and small, tender nipples.
But now she backed away from him to kneel before him on the floor. He
bent down to kiss her again, and as he was kissing her she unzipped his
pants and started to stroke at him there with her small, thin fingers.
He didn�t need much help there by now, and soon he was hard. With one
last, lingering kiss, she stooped down and took him into her mouth.
Her tongue was surprisingly expert, caressing the ridge around the head
with special attention. Then, suddenly, she dove onto his member and
seemed to swallow it whole.
He bowed his head toward her, grabbed her by the hair to encourage her
to keep going as she released him out aways and then sucked in again,
over and over. �Oh yeah,� he whispered, �oh yeah, Jubilee....�
�Ssh,� she hissed, pulling back for a second just to shush him, then
quickly resuming her work.
So he tried not to say anything else. He just whimpered happily and
watched her cute bobbing head and pulled her hair until he came into her
mouth.
She pulled away gently, licking her lips�because she swallowed too, the
wonderful, wonderful creature�why on earth had he ever wanted Jean,
anyway?�and smiled. �My turn,� she purred.
�Gladly,� said Bobby, and pulled her up onto the bed beside him. He
kissed her more, rubbing again at the small round breasts, as he laid
her down. Reverently he took off her jeans, revealing a tiny patch of
hair and small brown lips. To tease her, he kissed just above this
point, stroking the insides of her thighs, lavishing attention
everywhere but at just the right spot. She wiggled and whined.
�You know,� he said playfully, �I�ve wanted to try something.� He
lifted one hand to where she could see it, and an icicle grew there.
�Aw no,� she laughed.
�Yes,� he grinned, and eased it in between the wet folds, then plunged
it deeper into her as she shivered�both happy and cold. He worked the
ice inside her for a few minutes, and while she shuddered she also
bucked her hips forward and smiled.
He surveyed his work, and the shrinking tool in his hand. �The
problem,� he pointed out, �is that it melts.�
�You can make another one,� she offered.
�Nah, no point. But we need to deal with this water. I don�t want you
to have to sleep on a wet bed.� He lowered his mouth over her pussy and
sucked at it, his tongue probing into her for the last of the icewater.
She liked that�she spread her legs as wide as they would go and pulled
at his head, as he had at hers. Once the water was gone and there was
only the native moisture left, he moved his attention slightly, flicking
at the knob where her lips met. After a moment her thighs started
trembling wildly, and she gave a loud, shuddering moan.
He released her. �Happy?� he smiled.
�Very.�
�Then I�ll see you in the morning.� He kissed her forehead and zipped
up his fly.
�Wait. You�re just in the next hall down, right?�
�Yeah. Don�t worry, I won�t be far away. Are you okay here?�
�Yeah,� she said, with a tired smile, �I will be now.�
***
�So when are you going to cut Scott a break?�
Jean looked at Ororo warily. They�d never discussed the guys before,
which she supposed was odd, since she and Hank talked about practically
nothing but who they liked and what they were (or were not) going to do
about it. In sage and intelligent tones, of course, being the clever
intellectual types they were. Ha!
�I suppose when he finally bucks up and asks me out,� said Jean.
Ororo laughed, and waved her long hair around to get it wet before
reaching for the shampoo. �So where is it written in stone that the guy
has to ask first?�
�If he�s scared to ask me on a simple date, he�ll jump out of his skin
if I ask him.�
�You don�t give him enough credit,� Ororo scolded her.
Hmm. �Who do you like better, Pyotr or Hank?�
�You�re changing the subject.�
�So what? Which one do you like?�
Ororo sneered at her. �I�m sure, Miss Psychic Wonder, you can figure it
out yourself.�
Jean whipped her washcloth at the dark-skinned girl. �Look, you
smartass, don�t make me go into your skanky brain fishing for this.
It�s a simple question. Unless you don�t like either of them? Or you
like both?�
�Both, I guess,� Ororo admitted at last. �I mean, well, I guess I like
Hank better, if I have to pick one. My thing with Pyotr is just
physical. He�s hot, but I don�t really see anything deeper than a good
romp with him.� She stopped short. �If he can...uh, Jean, do you
think, with the metal skin, he can...?�
�Beats me. Everything else seems to work, though.� She grinned.
�Maybe he�s ribbed!�
Ororo shrieked with laughter.
�And it�s not sexual with Hank?� Jean pressed.
�I�m not saying that. I�m curious about him. There�s that saying about
big feet, you know.� She giggled again. �But it�s not all sexual. I
really like him.� She frowned. �But he seems to like you.�
�Me? Why do you think that?�
�Well, he hangs around you all the time. I know he was in your room the
other night.�
Jean rolled her eyes. �Girl, you have to stop worrying about what�s
happening in whose room. You�ve never been right yet.� She looked at
Ororo severely. �Do you know what Hank and I are really doing, all that
time we�re together?� She paused. �I�m talking about Scott, and Hank
is talking about you.�
�Oh.� It was hard to tell when a girl of Ororo�s complexion might be
blushing, but she stood very still and quiet for a second, with a ghost
of a smile threatening to break across her face but never quite making
it.
�You know,� she said at last, �what would be really great? Don�t think
I�m a slut, or anything, but...it would be great just to have Hank and
Pyotr, one time, to get the physical thing with Pyotr out of my system.
Hank I could get more serious with, after that.� She looked wistful.
�I don�t suppose they�d go for that, though.�
�My dear,� Jean smiled, �I have a plan.�
***
A quick scan of Pyotr�s mind indicated that Ororo�s fantasy should be
more than fine with him, given the right atmosphere, and that had
already been taken care of in yesterday�s preparations. Peachy. Hank,
Jean decided, required a more personal touch.
�How do you really feel about Ororo?� she asked.
Hank raised an eyebrow. �Deja vu. I feel sure that we�ve discussed
this topic before.�
�Do you care about her enough to share her?�
He frowned. �I don�t think I like where this is going. She likes
Pyotr, doesn�t she?�
�Less than you. But here�s the thing. What if she really liked
you�really liked you, Hank, enough to maybe get serious�� she paused to
watch his face light up at the thought� �but she just had a little kink
to work out of her system? Would you play along?�
�What qualifies as a little kink? We have to stay in costume, she�s
into pain, she wants me to dress like a Sentinel...?�
�She wants to try a threesome.�
He was quiet. Then, �With Pyotr, I take it.�
�Yes. Once.�
�Once.�
�Exactly once.�
�And then she would pick me to have a relationship with.�
�Right.�
�Because she likes me better.� He looked skeptical, afraid to hope.
�Precisely.�
�And will do so, after she�s been with Pyotr. After we find out what a
statue looks like naked.�
�Well,� Jean giggled, �what would you pick? Flesh or a statue?� Then
she took pity on him, and said, �You�re way too hung up on this looks
thing. She told me straight out, you�re the one she cares about for
anything more than one fling. You. You�re not going to lose that by
doing this. You�re only going to reinforce it. Because sex with him is
going to be purely physical, mechanical�how can it not be mechanical,
with a metallic guy?�and sex with you is going to be spectacular,
because you care about each other. You�re golden, Hank.�
She gave it a minute to sink in.
�She really said there could be a relationship?� he asked, finally.
�She really did, Hank. Are you game?�
He took a deep breath. �If it�s what she wants, I�ll try it. I may
need my inhibitions lowered, however. You did remember to buy the
booze, right?�
***
The vast room was dim, except for the central strobe and the phantom
shimmer of rainbow lights that drifted about the ceiling and floor. A
couple of private chambers, with plush fabric-and-cushion floors�Hank,
scoffing, had referred to them as �the makeout rooms,� which though the
silliest available term was not untrue�were tucked away to the sides.
Toward the front, a table offering snacks, drinks, and Hank�s
ecstasy-like concoctions. To the rear, huge speakers, turntables, and
Bobby and Jubilee, curled around each other cheerfully when they weren�t
scrambling to choose the next record.
Center stage, Jean and Ororo, Hank, Scott, and Pyotr, loitering, waiting
for someone to start the party going. Jean had, reluctantly, invited
the dour Wolverine, but he had declined.
Hank and Jean went to the table, came back with drinks and tabs. Ororo
took one of each gratefully. Pyotr accepted a drink first; then, after
watching Ororo and Jean both down the tabs smiling, he took one of them
as well.
Scott, however, hesitated. �I don�t drink,� he said, loudly so as to be
heard above the music. �And what are those, anyway?�
�Another creation of mine,� Hank smiled. �Perfectly safe, I assure
you. I am very careful about such things.�
�Yeah, I�m sure,� Scott scowled.
Jean did a quick scan and found him resentful of Hank. Resentful of
Hank? She puzzled over that for a moment. Oh, Lord, Ororo didn�t tell
him that fool story about Jean and Hank before Jean had corrected her,
did she?
Making sure that it was not Hank she was standing near, Jean swiveled
her hips and gave Scott a flirtatious smile. �C�mon, Scott. Loosen up
a little, just for tonight. For me? I promise not to tell on you.�
His jaw clenched and unclenched. He grabbed a drink from her and downed
it in one gulp, using it to wash down one of the tabs. �There. For
you, Jean.�
�I appreciate the effort,� she said, resting her hand on his shoulder
for a second.
That relaxed things somewhat, but still, no one was dancing, no one was
making the desired overtures to the right partners, just loitering more
pleasantly. Time for her and Ororo to kickstart them.
She whispered into Ororo�s ear, and the two of them stepped off a little
bit from the men and started to dance. Very slow, very close. Jean
could feel the others watching them. She stroked her fingers down the
length of Ororo�s arm, and the other girl responded in kind. They
danced even slower, grinding against each other, crotch to thigh, breast
to breast, holding each other by the arms.
Oh so attentive, the three men.
Then the two women kissed, just once, softly, broke apart and approached
their intended targets. Jean wrapped her arms around Scott�s neck.
�Dance with me, Scott?� she smiled. And, amazingly, he would. And not
too badly, either.
Ororo, on the other hand, had already lost interest in dancing. She
brushed each of her two men lightly, and with no other gesture led them
both back toward one of the private rooms.
Jean danced with her partner for a few minutes. When the song changed
to something they liked less, it was actually Scott who spoke first.
�Can we go where it�s more private?� he asked. �I want to talk to you
about something.�
�Of course,� she grinned, trying not to make it too obvious that this
was what she had wanted all along, and they left the floor arm in arm.
Which left it completely empty, with Bobby and Jubilee looking out
across its desert expanse.
***
Pyotr, who seemed to understand instinctively what the plan was and to
find it agreeable, kissed Ororo once on the back of the neck, and went
inside to wait for the other two.
�Are you sure you�re okay with this?� she asked, close to Hank�s ear.
�Shouldn�t I be? Pyotr seems fine.�
�Pyotr is a big hunk of iron, Hank. Pyotr will have a good time and
then move on with his life, because he�s about as fond of me as he would
be of a deal that went down well. You�re the one with a heart. You�re
the one I care about.�
He touched her shoulders. �Do you mean that?�
She kissed his neck. �Of course I do, Hank.�
He grinned, his heart feeling much lighter of a sudden, and his big
hands squeezed her arms gently. �Then with that in mind, I am more than
okay with anything you like.�
She smiled at him and drew him inside.
Pyotr was waiting, already shirtless, the metal bands that passed for
his skin sparkling in the pulsating light. With another glance back to
make sure she had Hank�s approval, she knelt beside him, let him reach
up and push her hair back off of her shoulders, then pass his hands over
her once, slowly.
Hank glanced up once, at the lights high above them. Good that they
hadn�t put ceilings over these rooms, he thought, because this way they
didn�t feel so closed in. Ororo didn�t like close spaces.
He sat down behind Ororo as Pyotr pulled down her tight microdress,
revealing, between the white locks of her hair, all the chocolate curves
of her skin. He watched as Pyotr, a man who made the word statuesque
absurdly literal, leaned forward and pressed his lips to the base of
Ororo�s throat. He listened to her make a low, strange moan. He
wondered for a moment whether this scene unfolding before him should
arouse him or break his heart.
Then she reached back for him, found his hand, guided it onto her.
Still wanting him there.
That made the question easier to answer, at least for the moment, so he
brushed her hair gently to one side so as to see better whom he was
touching. She had a beautiful shape, curvaceous but athletic,
everything he had expected and hoped. At least, what he could see of it
from the rear. He reached out to turn her slightly, so that both men
would have access to the front of her.
His hand accidentally brushed Pyotr�s as he did this, and found it
unyielding and cold.
Of course it was, he thought. Being metal, and all.
Which would you rather, Jean had teased him, flesh or a statue? And it
made perfect sense now. Granted, Pyotr made a grand appearance; but
that was all he had to offer her, and Hank understood now how that could
never be enough. Why, how could she ever have chosen him, sweet Ororo,
however pretty he might be, knowing that all he presented to her was a
cold, untouchable surface? How could she ever think of choosing him,
when there was someone who really loved her, someone warm and touchable?
Oh Ororo, how could I ever have believed such a base thing of you?
He caught his breath. She was even more beautiful from the front, her
full breasts hanging, dark nipples turned downward toward a second crop
of shocking white hair. Her face was radiant with expectation, and as
her left hand found its way onto Pyotr�s face, her own glowing eyes
opened to meet Hank�s. She smiled at him, leaned toward him, kissed
him. Kissed him first, and long.
That was the last of his jealousy.
***
�What did you want to talk about?� Jean asked, sitting on the floor and
leaning back provocatively.
Scott sat down beside her. He didn�t speak for a moment, gathering his
courage, she supposed. �I�m really attracted to you, Jean.� He flashed
a disarming smile. �You must know that already.�
�I had an inkling,� she grinned.
�You�ve never mentioned it, though. And that might already be the
answer to this, and if it is I apologize.� He paused again, cleared his
throat. �What I want to know is whether you think you could have any
interest in me.�
She was thrilled that he�d finally asked, but couldn�t help but tease
him a little about the timidity of his wording. �Whether I think I
could, Scott? Or whether I do?�
He smiled again, nervous. �Well,� he said, �which one gives me the less
soul-crushing answer?�
�Here�s your answer, Scott.� She moved toward him, stalking, moving her
mouth very close to his. �I could, I do, I have, and I will.�
His breath was quickening. �Will what?�
�This,� she said, and pounced on him.
***
Pyotr took off his own pants as Ororo helped Hank out of his and laid
him down in front of her. His face was sweet and adoring, which made
her smile. His chest was broad and covered with hair, and�
She couldn�t stop herself from staring, her eyes wide. Huge.
It was true about the big feet.
Impressive, she mouthed silently at him, and he laughed.
He reached up for her with one of his broad, strong hands. She placed
hers in it, and came to straddle him. She felt her outer lips part as
she moved into position. She playfully scratched at Hank�s plentiful
chest hair with her right hand as she reached her left toward her clit,
hoping to ensure that she was ready to take such a generous portion of
manhood into herself. Having no inner lips to speak of, she stroked her
fingers along the outer ones as well, dipped them in to confirm
moisture�though there was little need for that; she couldn�t remember
ever having been more aroused.
Pyotr came behind, kneeling, and kissed the back of her neck again, and
his hands took possession of her hips. A strange, cool sensation, his
touch, very different from Hank�s deep warmth in the hands she now felt
sliding up onto her breasts. She whimpered between them as Hank pulled
at her nipples and Pyotr brought his hands back to spread her cheeks�ah,
yes, she thought, she had figured Pyotr for a back door man. This
position should work quite well for everyone, then.
She eased herself onto Hank, shallow at first, relaxing into it slowly
as if it were a holy act, a sort of pilgrimage, to take him all the way�
There. She breathed deeply. Oh, there, perfect. Now she could move
back and forth�so much sensation, so full of him�he looked every bit as
entranced as she felt. Pyotr held her back from falling forward onto
Hank, and lacking her mouth Hank took her hand and kissed it, again and
again, eyes never straying from hers, rapturous, reaching lovingly
toward her breasts and her face.
Now Pyotr was there too, in her from behind, in the place he favored.
Smaller, in that after Hank any man might be considered smaller; and
even that part of him was cool. And moving perfectly in rhythm with
them. He must have done this before, she thought�but that was the last
clear thought she had, and then she was only a creature of sensation,
moaning and growling, thrusting herself backward onto them harder and
faster, ravenous now for all the hands on her skin and the friction
inside her, wailing, beyond herself with joy. Seeing the height to
which they had driven her, the men quickly joined her there, and for a
moment they were all suspended there together, all still and taut.
Then they descended again as they must. Pyotr was first to withdraw.
As Ororo slowly disentangled herself from Hank�of no mean size even
now�Pyotr unceremoniously dressed himself. When he was done, he smiled,
bent down for a last caress and kiss, and with no other comment he was
gone.
Ororo collapsed next to Hank, who hadn�t moved. �There,� she managed to
say at last, �you see, quite harmless.�
He didn�t answer, and she looked at him as he continued to stare
vacantly into the ceiling. �Hank, are you okay?�
�I have found God,� he said at last.
She giggled. �And here I was hoping you�d found Goddess.�
Now he turned his face to look at her, his eyes twinkling with delight.
�Well, and you�re quite right,� he grinned, and turned to hold her in
his massive arms.
***
Scott responded more boldly than she could have hoped, grabbing her to
him with just as much conviction, licking her lips passionately. She
almost tore her carefully chosen outfit in her haste to get it off of
her, then took his clothes as well.
She pressed at his shoulders, as if she thought to lead him; but he had
other ideas. He threw her down onto the cushioned floor and pinned her
by the wrists under him.
�Ooh,� she grinned.
�Who�s the team leader, Jean? Miss I-have-a-secret-plan?�
She was beaming now. �Oh, you are, Scott. Lead me.�
He kissed her long and deep, and started working his way down her pale,
fantastic body. He kissed the dusting of freckles across the tops of
her heavy breasts, and bit at their pink nipples, which made Jean squeal
in torment and arch her back up for more.
The hair between her skinny legs was even brighter red than her head
hair, spreading in a lazy tangle across the whole area, untrimmed. He
pried her legs further apart, revealing the swollen pink lips, much more
prominent than Ororo�s, like a hidden flower. Rather than directly
assault the spot Ororo had taught him, he took the flower�s petals into
his mouth and sucked at them, to see what that would do. He rather
liked the result, so he continued with that for a while before moving on
to the main target. Here he took her almost to the point he had seen
Ororo reach.
Almost, but not quite.
Then he broke free of the tight lock of her legs around him, as she
whimpered at losing his tongue, and he knelt, keeping hold of her legs,
holding her up a bit from the ground.
�Scott?� Uncertainty.
He thrust into her and stopped there, listening for a second to their
hard breaths. �Yes, Jean?�
�Don�t stop.�
He resumed his movement, to their mutual relief. At this angle her
breasts were pushed back somewhat toward her head, and they jostled at
each thrust in a charming way. He watched them for a moment,
mesmerized. Then his gaze moved upward, into her green eyes, which were
looking at him as if he was a revelation.
�Oh, Jean,� he whispered, and abandoned their awkward position to lie on
top of her, kissing her and twining his hands with hers just before they
both reached that place that Ororo had shown him, but now it was better,
so much better, and he was with Jean.
�Jean,� he said, unable to stop himself, �I love you.�
And she said, �I love you too,� and it was almost like coming again, and
he held her tight, and it was some time before he could bring himself to
let her go.
***
Pyotr casually watched Bobby and Jubilee necking behind the turntables,
occasionally thinking to switch the record. He chuckled to himself and
took another swig of vodka. Sentimental American kids.
Eventually, the rest of the party people began to reappear, all tousled
and unkempt and blissful and�
Wet!
Water was pouring down on them from above their heads, at an alarming
rate.
�Sprinkler system?� he called to Hank.
The shorter man shook his head, causing water to spray from his hair.
�Must be a malfunction,� he shouted.
The music was gone now, only the noise of water and their protests
remaining.
�Storm!� Cyclops yelled. �Can you stop it? Iceman, try to freeze up
the pipes or something.�
�I�m on it!� Iceman yelled back, but his efforts seemed fruitless; and
Storm only buffeted the blow. There were several inches of water
standing on the floor by now. The private chambers fairly disintegrated
into floating sheets and cushions.
But then the rush of water abruptly stopped.
The door opened, which should have let out a flood into the hall, but
did not. A silhouette appeared there: a man in a wheelchair.
They all froze.
�And that,� the Professor announced coolly as he entered the room, the
phantom water vanishing in his wake, �should teach you better than to
throw parties in the danger room. And it will teach me,� he added, with
a stern look at Jean and Scott, �to leave the two of you in charge.
Now, off to bed, all of you. Your own beds!�
He dealt out additional reprimands as they passed him, walking in pairs
except for Pyotr. �Pyotr, I expected better. Storm, you too. Hank,
you of all people should know better�you�re helping clean this up in the
morning. And you know,� he added, catching this one�s arm, �if you�d
just thought about it more, you could have done holograms of all this
sound equipment and lighting. Would have saved me a fortune.... Bobby,
this was beneath you�and who is this? Jubilee? A pleasure to meet you,
dear, although this is not the best way to make a first
impression�you�ve been given a room, I hope? I can tell you�re one of
us�yes, well, off with you then, and we�ll talk about appropriate
behavior for my students tomorrow, you obviously can�t learn it from
these.... Scott, honestly, I am appalled. I�m tempted to leave
Wolverine in charge next time I have to go out, if that gives you any
idea. And Jean, I�m sure this was your idea, dear girl�yes, and the
liquor too, for all these minors�just because you�re my protege doesn�t
mean you can get away with this sort of...well, at any rate, go to bed.
You�re on cleanup too, young lady.�
He sat in the middle of the empty space for a moment, surveying the
wreckage, and sighed. �Why do I recruit teenagers again?�