Of all the things Ororo has planned for the day, sitting in her office with one of her exes was not one of them. Certainly not T’Challa, who should be an ocean away ruling his country or off with the Avengers. She’d almost expect something like this from Forge, but T’Challa? How did he even get past the front gates?
"You still haven’t answered my question, bub. How’d you get in here?"
Ororo stole a glance at the man leaning against the front of her desk, arms crossed. She couldn’t quite see his face - he had placed himself almost directly between her and T’Challa - but she knew the expression that went with those tense shoulders.
"I don’t see why that is any of your business," T’Challa replied coolly, tilting his chin up like the arrogant royal he was. Ororo barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. How dare he come to her school and act as if he was in charge?
"Answer the question, T’Challa. Even though we have every right to escort you off the grounds for breaking into private property, we’re giving you a chance to explain yourself," Ororo folded her hands on her desk frowning at the man in front of her. "So tell us, why have you shown up here unannounced and uninvited?"
Surprised, he frowned back at Ororo. "Xavier would have never welcomed an old friend this way."
"It may have escaped your notice, but I am not Charles." Ororo leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Do you deny that you broke into the school?"
"Well, no, I do not deny it," T’Challa admitted still frowning. "But..."
"And are you here on Royal business or Black Panther duties?" Ororo interrupted.
"No, I am not here for either. Not exactly."
Ororo narrowed her eyes. "Then why are you here?"
"And how did you get in?" Logan added.
Barely glancing at Logan, T’Challa sighed. "Is it so unusual that I would want to see you, Ororo?"
"Yes."
T’Challa frowned, "It shouldn’t be. Not considering our," He shot a smug glance in Logan’s direction, "history. It has been so long since we have seen each other. Have you not missed me?"
Ororo barked out a laugh. "Missed you? No, T’Challa, I have not. I have moved on with my life quite happily without you in it."
"Moved..." T’Challa took another glance at Logan who was still standing between him and Ororo. He raised an eyebrow. "Oh."
"You got a problem?"
T’Challa shrugged indifferently, "I just did not realized Ororo’s tastes had shifted so... dramatically. Or that she was spoken for."
"So what if she is?" Logan growled, planting his feet firmly and dropping his arms.
"I do not believe it is any of your business if I am or not, T’Challa." Ororo spoke up, hiding her surprise at Logan’s words. "And despite your rude arrival, I have work I need to get to." She moved the closest stack of papers to the center of her desk. "I expect an honest answer to why you are here this evening, when I have a few minutes to spare." She nodded her head towards the door before turning her attention to her work. "You may show yourself out."
"But Ororo..."
"Now. And close the door behind you." Ororo kept her focus on her work until she heard the soft click of the door. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. This was going to be a long day.
"Who is that guy?" Ororo looked up to see Logan staring down at her.
"Would you like the short version or the long?" Ororo asked, leaning back in her chair.
"Short. I ain’t looking ta pick curtains with the guy."
Ororo chuckled. "I cannot imagine you wanting to pick out curtains with anyone, Logan." He only shrugged in reply. "T’Challa is king of a small country in Africa called Wakanda and works with the Avengers as the Black Panther. We were friends when we were young and dated briefly."
"Didn’t want to be Queen ‘Ro?"
Ororo rolled her eyes. "If I wanted to rule anything, I would have remained in my village as its Goddess." She waved her hand dismissively. "T’Challa was not a good match for me. He had his charming moments, but his ego and lineage make him arrogant and manipulative."
"So why hear the guy out?"
Ororo shrugged. "He may be here on Avengers matters or have heard rumors on anti-mutant issues in Wakanda. I would like to know why he took such a risk breaking into the school. And how he managed to get past the security."
Logan grunted crossing his arms as Ororo glanced at the ornate clock on her desk. "Aren’t you supposed to be setting up a survival test?"
"I’m going. Mind helpin’ out later?" Logan asked, his lips twitching up in a small grin. "A bit of rough weather or some rain?"
"I believe that can be arranged. "She returned her focus to the stack of papers in front of her. "Now, I really must get to work. Assignments to grade and a storm to plan."
"You have four hours ta set up yer base camp, including a shelter" and a fire, gather food and locate a water source, Logan said to the group of 10 students gathered in the middle of the mansion’s expansive woods. He had picked a spot far enough from the lake as well as any man made shelter to make sure his students would really use what they had learned. "Split into pairs and each pair take one of these backpacks." He gestured to the bags behind him containing a basic survival kit - two different sized knives, a good length of rope, a compass, a large canteen, a mini first aid kit and keychain sized fire steel.
As they split, the wind began to pick up. Logan grinned, "And ya better hurry. Looks like a storm’s rollin’ in.
Once they were all set, he sent each group off in a different direction, reminding them that they were not to depend solely on their powers, not to steal anything from another pair, but that they may share a found resource.
Three hours into the test, Logan was preparing to make his final checks. The steady rain Ororo had provided was just beginning to let up, but he hoped his students were already set into their bases. The remaining hour would not give them enough time to gather and prepare. And if they were set up sufficiently when he came to inspect – as they should be – then they could return to the mansion. If not, well they had another hour.
In the end, all but one of the pairs were sitting somewhat dry underneath various versions of lean-to shelters and rough teepees covered with leafy branches with covered fires and small stores of fire wood nearby to dry. Some groups had set up their ponchos to gather rain water to boil while others had cut wide trenches in nearby fallen logs to store water. The final group was in the process of moving their fire out of their lean-to when Logan arrived at their base. Most had small piles of dark berries and cattail roots ready to be roasted. Two groups had managed to get a few strips of tree flesh and dandelions as well. One pair looked to be in the process of practicing trap building.
All in all, Logan was impressed. Sure their shelters could have been sturdier, but adequate for the time limit. He critiqued each base and made suggestions – mostly rock walls to support shelter frames and smaller fires inside a shelter before dismissing them. Making sure they cleaned up their bases first, of course. The students seemed surprised that he was sending them back to the mansion. It seemed like they all believed he was going to leave them out there overnight.
He shook his head as he made his way back to the mansion. Of course he was planning on an overnight test, but not for the first one. He would have to talk to ‘Ro about taking the kids off site for a few days.
Logan cut through the kitchen, chuckling as he saw his entire class crowded around pizza boxes. Dodging around the teens, he headed into the den. Then he caught a familiar scent coming from the direction of the classrooms. And she wasn’t alone.
‘Guess he thought he’d get to her early’ Logan thought with a frown. He didn’t like the arrogant prick. And he was glad that ‘Ro didn’t seem to be buying his crap either.
He rounded the corner to see Ororo and T’Challa standing together in the hallway in front of her classroom. She looked ready to walk away from the guy, but he grabbed her arm before she could.
Logan growled low in his throat, missing what T’Challa said, but he clearly saw him hold out a box to Ororo.
A small black box.
