Summary: This is kind of a 'What if?' type thing, Ororo was not brought to the institute, she and Gambit remained active members in another part of the country. When the X-Men are downed, and as the two where already on their way to the mansion Xavier re-directs them to help their fallen friends...
Categories: General Characters: None
Genres: Romance, Action, Comedy
Warnings: Violence, Adult language
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 3
Completed: No
Word count: 6137
Read: 4993
Published: 11-09-06
Updated: 12-01-06
1. And so it Begins by Jordan
2. Lunchtime by Jordan
3. Midnight Ventures by Jordan
And so it Begins by Jordan
Power and the Powerful
I went to the mountains for strength and they crushed me
I confided in the rock as my friend and it denied me.
I stood on top of the world and it humbled me
The greatest virtue that man learns from mountains is that he has not gone to the mountains to conquer them
Rather he has gone to the mountains to conquer himself
~Eric Trinka
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“The Professor’s got reinforcements on the way,” red haired Jean Grey jumped from the large disabled plane that had landed in the middle of a wide open field in a small town in Texas.
“There gonna have ta get here soon if they wanna be here fer the show,” Logan or Wolverine felt the small sting of pan as his long admantium claws pulled from the confines of his skin.
“Any luck in there?” Jean called back to her boyfriend and the young technically minded Kitty Pryde who where both buried inside the plane trying to find out of the large hole in the roof would be a large or small hindrance. Logan’s stormy grey eyes surveyed the tree line spotting bits of metallic shine that told him the sentinels where on the way.
“I can fix it but I need someone to buy me time,” Kitty stuck her grease covered face out from the stairs, to her left Scott ‘Cyclops’ Summers pulled himself out. Logan’s ears perked up at the distant sound of two motorcycle engines.
“We got company,” Logan sniffed the air; he felt something was coming but couldn't put a meaty finger on what exactly it is. Just as Scott brought his hand to his visor the twin sleek black machines roared into the clearing. Both riders wore black leather, the one on the left was obviously a woman with leather pants hugging her soft mocha skin and pushing up all the right things in all the right places. Her shaded helmet and visor hid her face from the view of the occupants while her companion, a leather clad man pulled off his own helmet.
“De Professor say you be needin Gambit’s help non?” he questioned a thick New Orleans accent making his words a bit hard to understand.
“What ya got fer us?” Logan asked smiling, the man pulled up one of the saddle bags to reveal a long metal chain that he grabbed the end of in his gloved hand.
“What’s that gonna do?” Logan laughed lightly, the man smirked and revved his engine tossing the end of the chain to the other rider her gloved hand caught it easily and attached it to her bike. In perfect unison the pair roared off across the field pulling away from each other until the chain was tight between them, they managed to dodge the laser blasts on their ride toward the machines. The man lifted the chain and created something of a wave effect when they where less then ten feet away, the chain following the wave began glowing red, once the wave hit her bike the woman back flipped off it just in time to stop it’s explosion upon impact with the right leg of one of the sentinels. She landed crouched on her feet while the man circled the machines once more then let go as the chain exploded destroying the sentinels from the waist down, a few sizzling electric wires later and the machines moved nevermore. Remy stopped picking up the woman who leapt onto the back of his bike to join them back at the jet.
“Holy shit,” Bobby Drake jumped up pumping his gloved fist into the air the first to break the silence. Impressed with the riding Logan brought his fingers to his lips and his long whistle was the accompanying sound to the riders pulling up.
“Impressive,” Scott choked out, Remy stepped forward to speak to Scott while the woman remained by the bike looking it over closely with her helmet still on.
“Yer friend got a name?” Logan asked interrupting Remy mid sentence.
“Oui,” he turned back to Scott ignoring Logan’s growl, “De Professor has offered us a spot at your school. Remy will teach French and she will teach History.”
“You’ll have to excuse him,” the soft voice of the woman came from his elbow, when nobody was looking she had removed her helmet letting a long rush of white hair pulled into a French braid loose while a pair of sunglasses shielded her eyes from the sun.
“Some jump ya did,” he gestured to the destroyed robots.
“Thank you” she smiled lightly revealing perfect white teeth, “My name is Windrider.”
“Logan,” he reached out a hand, she paused for a moment but shook it gently, “Windrider yer given name?” she was saved from answering by Kitty’s whop as the engines on the jet started up.
“Huston where on our way,” she cheered, she tossed a welders mask to Scott while Jean used her power to levitate the patch she had set aside earlier but not put on incase any wiring had been disrupted. The pair set to work and when Logan turned back to Windrider she had come up next to Remy who was discussing the trick riding they had performed with Scott.
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“Beautifully done, now I believe introductions are in order,” Charles smiled from his position after watching the video footage of the take down by Windrider and Remy.
“Jean Grey, telepath,” Jean began from Xavier’s left, Logan had been surprised when Xavier had gestured that the spot on his right be taken by the mysterious Windrider instead of its usual occupant Scott.
“Kitty Pryde, I can walk through walls,” the young girl nodded shifting uncomfortably under the surprisingly blue eyed stare directed at her by Windrider.
“Marie D’Amato but ah go by Rouge, ah can suck tha life outa other mutants, kinda borrowin’ their powers,” Logan’s close friend nodded pulling up her gloves.
“Bobby Drake, Iceman… I think that’s rather self explanatory,” Bobby smirked at Rouge who simply rolled her eyes.
“Remy LeBeau or Ace dis Cajun blows tings up,” Remy explained, with his heavy accent.
“Logan,” he flipped out his claws seeing this as explanation in itself.
“Warren Worthington the Third,” warren began but was quickly interrupted.
“As in Worthington Labs?” the woman questioned, Logan watched as Xavier put a restraining hand on her shoulder.
“Obviously my father and my views clash,” the blonde man’s jaw clenched slightly, the woman lifted a hand in surrender, with her gloves removed he saw that her hands where strong yet feminine. He looked down at his own, hairy knuckles, rough texture. Hers however where well manicured with soft curves that he always associated with women, he looked up and found that unnerving blank stare directed at him.
“Scott Summers, Cyclops and I conduct lasers through my eyes,” Scott’s words ended their contest as she turned to him.
“Ororo Munroe,” she said once Xavier had stared impatiently at her long enough, “Called Windrider I can control the weather.”
“I do believe however that new codenames should be given to the pair of you, therefore Remy you will be known as Gambit and Ororo will take the name Storm,” Xavier nodded after seemingly contemplating his own thought for a moment. “Now, as you all seem quite familiar with Remy’s power I believe a danger room session with Ororo is to be next on the agenda, let’s say tomorrow.”
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Logan watched covertly as the white haired Ororo Munroe walked past him into the game room, the pair’s teaching positions and other information had been announced at dinner that night and Charles had suggested they visit with the students that afternoon. Ororo had exchanged her leather for a pair of blue sweatpants, bare feet, and a white tank top with her hair falling down around her waist.
“Ah Stormy,” Logan smirked at the wince Ororo gave at Remy’s greeting.
“I don't know why but it does surprise me that I have had that name for less then five hours and you have already managed to pervert it beyond recondition,” the cool voice of the new team member was laced slightly with amusement, Logan moved further into the room to allow him a view of everyone. Remy had one hip propped up against the pool table with a stick clutched in his hand while Peter stood across from him seemingly contemplating how the Cajun man was beating him.
“No hustling,” Ororo padded closer to her friend with one perfectly formed snowy eyebrow raised.
“No money was exchanged,” Peter informed her with a shrug, “Though that’s not really helping my chances.”
“Never does with Remy,” Ororo commented falling into a chair over the arm allowing her feet to kick over the side.
“Comfy,” Logan finally decided to make his presence known.
“Very,” she said her cool eyes watching him as her friend went back to his game, “Logan right?”
“Yep, and yer Ororo.”
“Someone has to be,” she answered spinning the chair to face him as he plopped onto the couch causing Kitty who was deeply absorbed in her book to bounce from the weight of the other man.
“Intirestin’ way ta put it, how do ya like tha mansion so far?” his nose was at full alert waiting for a lie.
“Too soon to tell,” was the reply that wasn’t quite a reply at all, at least in his book.
“Ya don't like givin up information do ya,” he sat back propping his booted feet on the coffee table.
“Force of habit, information only gets you in trouble,” she looked as though daring him to argue.
“No arguments here darlin,” Logan smirked; he liked this new girl she looked him directly in the eye and didn't shy away from his glare.
“Ororo, I was hoping I would find you here,” Jean shouted causing the white haired woman to wince lightly.
“Grey right, Jean Grey?” she asked standing, Logan wanted to ring the other woman’s neck, just as he was getting to know the new girl.
“That’s right, good to know I can make an impression,” Jean smiled pulling Ororo down with her onto the love seat.
“Yah,” Ororo agreed Logan worked as hard as he could to hold back a laugh, if it was any more obvious she was lying it would be written in neon green letters on her forehead.
“Well, Scott’s team leader as you already know and he was thinking after the danger room session we could all go out to a lunch, leave the junior members in charge around here. We can have a great chat how you and Remy met, how long you’ve been going out,” Jean looked at Ororo startled as did Logan when a very unladylike snort issued from her mouth.
“Remy and I have never and will never date,” she held a hand over her mouth to stop the giggles.
“Not dat funny padnat,” Remy had wandered over upon Ororo’s laugh just in time to hear her confession.
“Yes it is Remy, think about it for just a minute.” Logan expected a scowl to break over the Cajun’s face but found instead a small smile.
“Oui, dat would be funny,” he patted Ororo on the shoulder and moved off toward Peter who was desperate to sink three balls in that many shots.
“So lunch then” Jean said finally recovered.
“Logan, will you come?” Ororo looked to him missing Jean’s face falling at the question.
“Sure darlin,” he stood and stretched cracking his neck before leaning down beside Ororo’s ear, “Lookin forward too it.”
Power and the Powerful
But I don't have to know an answer. I don't feel frightened by not knowing things, by being lost in the mysterious universe without having any purpose- which is the way it really is, as far as I can tell, possibly. It doesn't frighten me.
~Richard Feynman
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Ororo was relaxed, a look at Remy conformed his calm exterior as well. She stepped through the rubble looking for the army of solders that had created this mess her cerulean blue eyes searched through the area making sure to watch the progression of her long silver cape lest it snag on one of the protruding pieces of metal.
“Mutant!” called the voice of a solder, Remy disappeared into the shadows and a few short blows later he returned, his glowing red eyes less then remorseful.
“Next one’s mine,” she smiled broadly, upon her companion’s nod she took the lead her leather boots crunching on pieces of glass and other random materials.
“Perhaps if Gambit could see better non?” her best friend questioned sarcastically.
“If we can’t see them Gambit they cant see us, we don't know how many there are,” she whispered softly, Remy rolled his eyes but nodded anyway knowing his friend was right. The crunch of glass from her left propelled her forward, she stepped into a clearing with Remy right behind her and her eyes widened. Before her where no less then two hundred solders all pointing loaded guns at her and Remy.
“Now you make it light?” Remy asked pulling a deck of cards from one of the many pockets in his uniform. Ororo lifted her head pulling the energy toward her, her white hair was buffeted in it’s ponytail by the strong winds that came up dispersing of the fog. She lifted her hands and felt the euphoria of flight as she lifted herself into the air. Her first order of business was to create an electric current all around her that would hopefully stop any bullets; her pure white eyes searched quickly finding Remy taking out about ten solders by charging his hands and fighting them. A smile curled at her lips as she looked up seeing the sky darken, she reached a hand and felt the lightning enter it dancing around her fingertips, with a well practiced flick of the wrist it descended upon the solders. She spotted a nearby pond and her smile grew if possible wider, she directed her power toward the water raising it as a whirlpool.
“Gambit retreat!” she shouted he looked up seeing the water suspended above her and disappeared back the way they had come rather swiftly, she allowed the water to rain down on them but not before charging it with more electricity then anyone other then her could handle and stay alive. Right before the water would have landed on the solders the entire scene dissolved into a large round chamber. With a small pout Ororo landed softly on her feet meeting Remy in the center of the room, “Hey, nicely done,” she slapped his hand and he grinned.
“Ya, you too,” he smirked walking toward the door with her, the hydraulic system announcing their arrival into the room with the whirring of the engines.
“Right” Scott stared at Ororo who simply raised an eyebrow at him with a light smirk, “We can definitely make that work.”
“Good, now someone said somethin about lunch,” Logan stepped forward so he and Remy where flanking Ororo.
“Time for a shower?” Ororo questioned raising her gloved hand.
“That an offer darlin?” Logan questioned leering at her, despite the high collar of the uniform it hid very little from his wandering view. Skintight leather really did wonders for a person’s body and he was learning quickly in his time with the X-Men to appreciate that fact.
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“So where are we going?” Ororo questioned from her seat in the back squished between the small but muscular form of Remy and the unmovable wall that was the Wolverine.
“Small place just a couple miles from the institute, it’s called Jakes, Wolverine suggested it,” Scott spoke tensely but the undercurrent of tension in his voice at the mention of Logan caused Ororo to look up attempting to meet his eyes, he stared back down at her expressionless. The car quickly came to a stop and Ororo found she had been staring at Logan for the duration of the drive, with a light blush coloring her cheeks she leapt from the car following Remy his strong arms the only thing that stopped her from face planting on the pavement.
“Watch dat step Stormy,” he said holding onto her arm until she was steady.
“Don't call me Stormy,” she commented absently following Jean’s vivid red hair into the small roadside diner. The group took a booth by the window Scott and Jean sharing one side while Ororo got squished in with Logan and Remy took a chair before leaving for the restroom, after a few moments of uncomfortable shifting Logan finally lifted his arm to rest above her shoulder on the booth top.
“What can I get for you?” a spunky young woman with her hair cut short walked up too the booth with a pad and pen at the ready.
“Coffee, extra cream,” Jean spoke harshly and Scott mirrored her actions.
“Can I have a beer,” Logan grunted staring down at the menu.
“What kind?” the waitress inquired retiring from glaring daggers at Scott and Jean.
“Whatever ya got,” he grunted again not meeting the woman’s eyes.
“Could I have a coke with no ice and Remy will have a beer, thank you very much,” she smiled at the woman who nodded back once before retreating to the small bar that ran across half of the diner.
“So basically,” Scott began once Remy came back, Jean watched him closely waiting for him to ask what was ordered for him “Your jobs will be easy. Stick with the team and do as you’re told. Curfew is at ten you’ll be expected to check on the kids one night a week make sure there all in bed.”
“Hang on ya lost me at curfew,” Ororo leaned forward nodding to the waitress who deposited their glasses, “Thanks,” with an eyebrow cocked a position Logan realized would become his favorite quickly she returned her gaze to Scott.
“It be a time wen you come in at night chere,” Remy smirked, upon receiving her glare he simply raised his beer glass in toast.
“Curfew is for the safety of everyone involved,” Scott turned his red stare to Ororo who leaned back with a small smile playing at the corner of her lips.
“Well that wont be a problem I’m fully capable of taking care of myself,” she smirked lightly at Scott’s exaggerated look of anger before nodding to the waitress who had stayed to hear Ororo’s response to the curfew issue.
“Food?” she asked nodding to Ororo.
“Salad, ranch dressing on the side,” Jean barked out Ororo rolled her eyes at the waitress who held back a laugh.
“I’ll have the vegetarian burger,” Scott handed the woman his menu.
“Remy will have a steak chere, medium well merci,” Remy smiled flirtatiously at the woman.
“Same as the Cajun but make mine rare darlin,” Logan grinned at the woman as well, at that point Ororo could tell she was getting quite flustered.
“Can I have the double bacon burger medium rare with a side of sausage and fries please?” Ororo smiled at the woman who nodded taking the menu’s back.
“Be about ten minutes our cooks are quick,” Logan nodded to her and she walked off to place their order and deal with a couple of rowdy teenage boys sitting at the third booth down.
“The curfew is not negotiable,” Scott spoke again, “The students need to have positive role models,” Scott looked around surprised to be cut off when Ororo let out a full bellied laugh that stilled the entire diner. Remy laughed loudly along with her drawing a very feminine sigh from somewhere behind them.
“What the fuck is so funny darlin,” Logan questioned looking down.
“You guys are gonna love this,” she choked out before collapsing into a fit of giggles once again.
“Love what,” Jean’s voice was unemotional.
“Remy and I, are car thieves… we’ve lived in New Orleans stealing information for Xavier until he called us up,” Ororo burst out laughing again while Jean and Scott just looked shocked. Twenty minutes later Scott still had yet to come up with an intelligent response while Logan questioned both Remy and Ororo about their involvement in thievery. It turned out that most of the information for roughly eighty percent of the missions the X-Men went on was based off Intel the pair collected together.
“Order’s up,” the waitress arrived dropping Scott and Jean’s food down angrily while being much gentler with the other three plates. Logan sniffed the air once and while Remy was chatting up the waitress he dropped his arm to Ororo’s shoulder and pulled her flush against him.
“She put hot sauce in there’s,” he gestured covertly to Scott and Jean; she looked up just as Scott took a big bite into his burger. If he had jumped for Remy’s beer any faster she would have sworn he was channeling Quicksilver, the waitress had scurried off quickly Ororo kept a straight face but when she met Logan’s eyes again he could see the mirth dancing in them. Ororo assumed after the display was over Logan would have allowed her to return to her side but was surprised when he kept his arm around her eating one handed while sneaking one of her French fries every few minutes, at first she was unsure of what to do but a quick look up at him joking with Remy relaxed her and she quickly dug in.
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Ororo sidled up next to Remy who had a cigarette hanging from his hand; he was sitting on the steps to the porch just looking out at the sunset. “Dis Cajun is worried,” he said finally, Ororo could tell from his silence that he had something on his mind since they left the restaurant and this point with Remy out for his late night cigarette it was her only chance to speak to him where they where guaranteed privacy.
“You’re always worried about me Remy, what's different this time?” Ororo questioned pulling her knees to her chest to ward off the cold of the New England night.
“De Wolverine worries him,” Remy admitted after a moment, his devil red eyes the reason for his abandonment as an infant remained focused on the setting sun.
“How so,” after a few moments of silence Ororo began to get irritated, “I can’t help Remy if you don't tell me what's wrong.”
“Remy thinks de Wolverine wishes to see his Stormy.”
“We see each other every day Remy, Wolverine is…” she paused looking for a word to make her brother feel more secure, “He’s a teammate.”
“Non, he is an Assassin,” Remy lifted a file from his trademark trench coat and handed it to Ororo. She threw it onto the ground at his feet standing.
“Some stupid guild rivalry is the reason behind this, Damnit Remy,” she paced back and forth in front of him her long white pants quickly getting wet from the earlier rain.
“Dese rules we live by Stormy, Papa Jean follows dem and you too,” Remy stared at her his face expressionless.
“Those rules are old and outdated, talk to Papa Jean he’ll tell you the same. Remy,” she knelt in front of him placing her hands on his knees, “We have a chance here, a chance to make a new life, there are people here who genuinely want to help us and you know as well as I do that that’s a really rare thing.”
“Remy will try,” he stood when she removed her hands and brushed off his coat moving to the door, “He will not promise noting, but he will try.”
“That is all I can ask brother,” Ororo called out to him, he paused for a moment before closing the door behind him, Ororo sighed and called upon her winds to lift her into the air landing gracefully on her balcony. Neither of the pair noticed the burning cigar and the man who sat behind it who had heard their entire conversation.
Midnight Ventures by Jordan
Power and the Powerful
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.
~Thomas Paine
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Logan stood outside long after both Ororo and Gambit had gone inside; his cigar had since burned out almost burning his fingers. He could hear the words repeating themselves in his head; the entire conversation was on replay. Had he felt better he may have realized the irony of his forgetting what he truly wanted to remember and being unable to get this one conversation out of his head.
“Wolverine?” Jean’s voice filtered over the grounds and Logan growled lightly, the last thing he wanted at that moment was to hear her cry out her problems with her precious boyfriend, the fucking that came after tended to be somewhat satisfying but he was beginning to wonder if it was truly worth the hassle. He pushed himself further into the shadows making sure his mental blocks where fully stable his stealth aiding him once again.
He slipped in through the back door and headed full speed and silently for the danger room, the simulation room had quickly become his safe haven, nobody else ever ventured into it at night and he found it a quiet place to rest and recuperate by killing different versions of his enemies. The hydraulic doors sifted open and Logan ducked narrowly avoiding a gun firing at his head, he dove in rolling and stopping crouched lightly his booted feet making nary a sound. The man who had shot at him was pulled back by a glowing hand and two beady red eyes to match, Logan spotted another man coming up behind Gambit and pure adrenaline guided him to the branch that he sent flying into the other mans’ jugular.
“What is you doing here?” Remy growled.
“Down!” Logan shouted pulling the Cajun man down avoiding a spray of fire from an automatic, “Simulation terminate,” he commanded his booming voice reaching the computer even over the spray of gunfire.
“Why did you do dat,” Remy dusted himself off making no move to help Logan from the floor.
“Cuz I was gettin shot at Cajun,” Logan growled pulling himself from the ground.
“If Remy is right dat would not affect you much,” the smaller man stared Logan down angrily.
“Whatsa matter swamp rat, I bust up yer show,” Logan smirked leaning against one side of the large room.
“Out!” Remy commanded his voice soft.
“Aw what, ya gonna throw some cards at me,” Logan smirked tossing one of Remy’s discarded playing cards toward him.
“Dat sounds like a good idea,” he grabbed the card out of midair and tossed it back at Logan who only narrowly avoided it.
“Now see here Cajun,” he began but was forced to duck again as three cards came hurtling toward him.
“Ya don't want me ta hurt ya,” Logan commented from his crouched position. His eyes remained on the younger man’s chest his knowledge of combat telling him that in all but the very best fighter’s movement in that region would betray their next move. Unfortunately for Logan Remy was one of the best, only a quick tumble that probably hurt more then the blow would have stopped Remy’s foot from slamming into his head.
“Yer good,” Logan immediately jumped to his feet and assumed a fighting stance, “I’m better.”
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All this was accomplished with a subtlety so perfect, that the minister, though he had constantly a dim perception of some evil influence watching over him, could never gain a knowledge of its actual nature. True, he looked doubtfully, fearfully”even, at times, with horror and the bitterness of hatred”at the deformed figure of the old physician. His gestures, his gait, his grizzled beard, his slightest and most indifferent acts, the very fashion of his garments, were odious in the clergyman’s sight; a token implicitly to be relied on of a deeper antipathy in the breast of the latter than he was willing to acknowledge to himself. For, as it was impossible to assign a reason for such distrust and abhorrence, so Mr. Dimmesdale, conscious that the poison of one morbid spot was infecting his heart’s entire substance, attributed all his presentiments to no other cause.
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Ororo looked up quickly from her book; she sat curled in her large feather bed in a pair of light blue silk pajama pants and a light blue camisole. She stuck a bookmark into her place tossing the book down onto the bed as she rose, the glaring name Nathaniel Hawthorne glared up at her in golden letters. The large letter A rested above that and below the title. The Scarlet Letter was one of her favorite books of all time, the troubles of Hester Prin where quite intriguing and her intelligent mind quickly devoured the tale at the frail age of eleven. She padded silently toward the bedroom door taking extra care to bring along her lock pit kit and to close the door silently. She couldn't say for sure what rose her from her comfortable position but that feeling of wrongness clung to every inch of her mind.
A few close calls with Jean Grey and with her instincts guiding her she soon arrived at the door to the danger room, she punched in her code and listened to the light beep as the computer analyzed it, the door opening put her on full alert and good thing for the sight that greeted her was anything but good. Black circular patterns decorated the ground obviously from explosions, thrown in for a bit of color where large spots of blood, she looked up shocked to find Remy and Logan facing off. His shirt and most of his jeans burned off due to explosions caused Ororo a temporary start but the healing chest she was privy to see when he turned his black eyes following Remy’s glowing red ones brought her back into focus.
“Enough!” she shouted her command punctuated by a rumble of thunder, both men looked at her Remy hanging his head shamefully but Logan meeting her gaze steadily and without fear or reservation. “You are acting like children” she spoke pleased to hear how icy cold her voice was, “And worse, without the fail safes you could have been killed.”
“Ororo is very right,” Charles came up beside the furious weather witch; she looked down at him her eyes loosing their cloudy appearance.
“The forecast called for a warm beautiful night,” he said telling her easily what had brought him.
“Sorry,” her eyes clouded again destroying the storm raging outside the windows.
“What the hell’s going on,” Scott came to the door of the danger room his shaded eyes doing nothing to hide his fury.
“Fuck off Scooter,” Logan growled and Remy was unable to suppress a chuckle at that, a cursory glance revealed only cuts along his chest, rather shallow due to his quick and agile movements but Ororo knew her friend would be sore in the morning.
“Fighting is not allowed,” Scott yelled, Ororo simply raised her eyes waiting for a response.
“I’m goin to bed,” Logan brushed past Scott shoving him into a wall, “Comin darlin,” Logan grinned, her steely glare did nothing to dissuade him as he left the room, he was surprised however to sense her following him closely until he got to the elevator where she opted to take the stairs.
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By six o’clock the entire mansion was awake. By six fifteen they all knew the cause of the thunder the previous night. Various theories where flying about their new teacher. Some feared the white haired woman; other’s revered her as a goddess. Some simply took her in stride as their own mutations where quite extreme. Ororo’s first class however was seated quietly in their desks before she even arrived.
“Remy I don't want to talk about it,” they heard their teachers voice carrying lightly down the hall.
“Padnat-” the Cajun man was cut off by the door of the classroom closing in his face. Ororo turned around and almost jumped out of her skin seeing the curious faces pointed in her direction.
“Right, did the bell ring?” she checked her wristwatch with a furrowed brow.
“No, where just on time,” Kitty Pryde who had told everyone about the sentinel attack and was hailed for it spoke up.
“Alright then, my name is Ororo Munroe, you all can just call me Ororo or Storm,” she smiled moving to her desk. The classroom she had been given was exactly what Xavier knew she would have wanted. No actual walls simply glass was the boarder, the glass was also set up to become tinted at varying degrees for different days. Scattered all around the room where various plants and other special items she had brought to the mansion when she moved.
“Um…” Kitty raised her hand tentavley.
“What’s up?” Ororo questioned smiling and perching on the front of the desk her booted feet swinging back and forth.
“Well Mr. Summers says where not supposed to call teachers by their first names,” Kitty smiled sheepishly.
“Well Kitty I’m going to let you in on a big secret,” Ororo smirked at the girl who smiled back the older woman’s grin infectious, “I’m not Scott Summers.”
“Well obviously,” a young man by the name of Jim Steele exclaimed before he could be stopped.
“Thanks… I think,” she laughed and the entire class visibly relaxed. “So where here to talk about… Hamlet, you all finished the book with the substitute?” upon the groups affirmation she pulled out her own copy, “Alright… any objections to just jumping right in?”
Logan watched from outside how she began asking about scenes students didn't understand, when all expressed a lack of understanding of one particular scene involving a banquet she pulled a few students up to act it out.
“She is quite a teacher,” Xavier came up beside him watching Ororo just as closely as she tossed and arm around Jim and threw her head back laughing.
“Yah,” Logan agreed, “Why do you like her so much better then Scooter?” Logan was known for being blunt and this was no exception.
“Logan do you respect Scott?” Xavier asked with a sigh.
“No.”
“Ororo has a gift for being a leader, Logan a very influential man by the name of Clarence Randall once said, “The leader must know, must know that he knows, and must make it abundantly clear to everyone else that he knows” Scott unfortunately does not fit that description,” Xavier looked up at Logan, “Perhaps I put too much pressure on him but I truly believe that Scott does not have the necessary abilities to be a leader of this group.”
“Yer right,” Logan looked down at his boots thinking about the times he had spent with Ororo. She never pushed him or criticized his opinion, her goal with Remy the previous night had been team unity something Scott could not truly understand. He enjoyed pressing Logan’s buttons just for the hell of it and Logan was quite aware that the others on the team only followed him because they believed Xavier had put his full trust in Scott and in betraying him they thought it betraying their true leader. Logan looked up opening his mouth but found Xavier had already left. Logan shrugged and looked back to the classroom his eyes locking with Ororo’s. He gave her a small nod both as a greeting and as an agreement with Xavier; she returned the nod and turned back to her class.
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