"Family Meeting"

[NightShade]

Catching Kris's eyes at the native american guy that wandered in with all the fuss, made Nightshade smile widely at Kris. "He's pretty hot eh?" she winked quickly at Kris before sitting down on to a chair her emerald eyes searching the cafeteria, amazement washed over her at the sight of everyone they looked no different than her friends back home yet they were so much different. Just like her, Kris and Ana, her smile faded slightly as Kris asked about her..power? Could you call it a power? Replying quickly and quietly Ivy looked away, "Poisonous lips..or something along the lines." her hurried hushed tone made it clear she wasn't comfortable talking about it..yet?

Just as Dr McCoy began to speak, Ivy's eyes turned to the big blue haired Beast her full attention passing to him. Her eye widened, Ivy let out a gasp once or twice throughout the whole ..speech? Toaring her eyes away from the Beast she turned back to Ana and Kris, but a unfamiliar blonde guy caught her full attention before she could even say a word. Letting out a huge sigh, Ivy smirked and straightened her back up looking straight to the blonde guy. Onyx..? Ivy heard someone call his name from the table around, another red-head had spoken it.

Smirking widely she moved slight to brush her auburn locks away from her shining eyes, interested in Onyx..a lot.

[Stoney]

Stoney didn't like the idea of more of them going into Limbo. He'd never been there himself but he wasn't about to say anything to contradict Beast, no matter how poor a teacher he thought he was. He watched with some measure of sorrow as his precious Gina was called to be among those on the rescue squad. He closed his eyes because he couldn't bear the burning in them . He just sat slowly breathing until the sound of little feet plopping along up to the table were heard.

At the sound he opened his eyes and cocked his head, looking down to see an Alpha Squad kid staring back up at him and his team. She spoke of silly childish things that made him smile. He liked the Alpha kids and sometimes when the rest of his team were doing other things he would volunteer to help Karma with them. Kids were honest to a fault, he liked that and as he missed his own innocence it was a way to get a touch of it back. Her little winged friend followed her over and Chester smiled even wider at them both.

[Colossus]

Colossus stayed quiet all through Beast’s speech, his mind muddled with thoughts about Kitty in Limbo again. He had to say that he was not particularly thrilled being left with the group of playground bullies, but Beast always knew what to do best in these situations. I hope Decibel is alright. I should not worry for her, she is more than capable of holding her own in anything. Ironclad is a dependable person who in the past has even helped me when I have needed it. HeartString is a fine addition. I hope her and Gina are able to set their differences aside for the good of everyone. As much as I like Gina, I think at some point it is best to let go of childhood grudges, he thought as he looked around at the remaining students. Colossus stood up and walked over to where Beast stood earlier, keeping an eye on the little ones that were with the Hellions. He knew that Stoney would see that they were alright. More than once he'd see him watching the little ones while Karma was busy or helping out with activities. Colossus didn't blame him, he loved being in their presence too.

"Alright everyone," he began in a loud voice that drowned out the other ones in the room. "You heard Beast, we need to get some things in order here. I am as anxious as the rest of you to learn of what happened out there and why that happened, though I am more interested as to why they were in possession of military weapons. However, we do have the disadvantage of darkness and that the trail is cold. Plus it looks like its snowing again," Colossus pointed out at the softly lit basketball courts made the snow stand out. It always snowed a lot this time of year.

"Right now, the trail is rather cold and we do not know where they are off to. The first thing to do is to get things in order here. Calorie, Stoney can you two please help me clear out the foyer. Oh and Calorie, no turning anything into food to make it easier. We can put it in the spare room until we learn of the girl's room assignment," he asked and looked at Rogue inclining his head to the Hellions. "Rogue my friend please talk to them about their plan so to speak. I'll get the heavier things done," Colossus said before turning to the others. "The rest of you sit tight. Or you may help with the things in the foyer. I believe we could all use a meal and talk about this afterwards," he said before turning to go to the foyer, but not before smiling at Karma, knowing she had a good grasp of authority when needed.

[~ N.P.C. ~]

As Colossus finished speaking there was a rumble, low and intense. Out through the glass of the cafeteria walls the basketball courts could clearly be seen and without warning they split down the middle, opening to show a yellow flashing safety light and then....

Erupting out of the depths of the underground hangar launched the BLACKBIRD, the highly modified X-Jet. With it's vertical take-off engine ablaze, it thrust straight up with a roar skyward and away. In it's belly it held a hope for salvation from hell in the form of The Baron, The Princess, The Rockstar, The Victim, The Fashion-plate, her Heart-throb, The Maker, his Apostle, The Beauty and The Beast. Leaving a room full of young students staring, mouths a gape at the sight.

[Inflict]

Having been less than thrilled at the two little ones coming to join him and his team at their table, Norrison wanted to shoo them away. He didn't care about little toy cars or stuffed bunny rabbits. When the other one with the wings flew over and alighted on his head he nearly lost it, his rage reaching a boiling point. Without a reason though, he found himself beginning to laugh and looking at Machete and Stoney sitting next to him he saw them giggling too. He couldn't help himself, her power was overcoming him.

Then he felt the room shaking a little and reached up to pull the little girl down into his arms. Still giggling he watched the Blackbird launch up and out of the underground hangar and off on it's mission. 'Damn what a ride that is. I'd love to have gone, if only for that ride.' he thought as he couldn't help but sit in awe of it's powerful engines and sleek design.

[Hotwire]

Ariel watched some of the people including Beast, the Dazzler, and two of her teammates leave. She listened with interest as to Colossus as he spoke of what was going to happen next, yet still a lot was unclear to her since she had come in just before everyone was called in. She was thoughtful as he spoke, wondering what in the world military weapons were doing on the school premises, but she was quickly drawn away as she heard the loudness that was the Blackbird taking off. Ah, that's such a nice ride. I remember when the Corsairs were on a training mission up in Canada. It was okay, but when we all bumped into that Alpha Flight team, now that was awesome. I think I remember hearing that Wolverine was with them before he came here. Ha, good times, she reminisced as she watched the X-Jet took off into the night sky.

Still feeling lost on details, she turned to Calorie. "Hey Kelly, what's with word about military weapons floating around? I mean I know I came in on something odd, but what happened with that? You were there before me. I wonder what Colossus is gonna have us do, especially now that all that mess outside is getting covered up with snow," she wondered aloud, speaking in a more serious tone now that it was only her and the people in the cafeteria left to take care of that whole deal.

[Machete]

Rose seethed when Gina was chosen to go on the mission, not that she herself wanted to be anywhere near hell itself, but she hated the fact that Gina was chosen for something as special as a mission. 'A real actual mission!?! How the shit? Oh now I'm totally putting Nair in her shampoo and conditioner, she'll be the bald crusty punk!' then she remembered that Gina didn't do too much bathing, she was the grungy biker rockstar. 'That's where the ''crusty'' part comes in.' she thought, and this irked Machete even more because now she would have to figure out another way to burn her.

The next thing she realized as she pulled her mind back to Inflict's voice, asking about the whereabout of Shade was two little girls approaching. Karma's Alpha Squad was on the move and headed this way. She rolled her eyes at the thought of having to babysit these two, but for some reason they lightened the mood. One even flying over and landing on top of her boyfriends head. Ordinarily Machete would have told them to go play elsewhere, but she decided she liked them.. and that they were good to have around... and that they were the most adorable.... and funny and..... she started to realize something wasn't right as she looked around at her team and saw Stoney and Inflict laughing along with her. 'What gives? Norrison should be freaking out right now, that kid is on his head for Christ's sake' she thought as a rumble from below shook the room.

Quickly she looked to see the launch of the X-Jet and knew that it would be a while before they saw them again, if they ever did at all. Suddenly she felt bad for her earlier ideas about Gina, the kid was like her little sister in a way, they had grown up together and sisters sometimes got on each other's nerves. Looking back she saw that Norrison had cradled the fairy girl in his arm and he took on a whole new image in her mind, she saw him as being more than just a fun guy with a lot of money. She thought for a moment that he might be capable of being- dare she think it- a daddy. Her features softened and she started to giggle again.

[Shade]

Holding off showing himself he did to confound and apply a pressure to Inflict as well to make himself more important for the moment, and glad he was that he did. For in the moments that passed he saw things from a different point of view and perspective was different for the Shade to begin with, askew his view was.

The Russian man spoke his speech, a clash of brash bravado. Command voice command stance and yet he did not command the Shade, 'We follow our own compass, where it points we go, and right now we protect our own.' Shade thought. He saw the effects of the fairy dust as it fell on his team, 'A bio-toxin?- may it be, pheromones? Hallucinations of humor or happiness we see don't we.' he considered as the launch of the rescue mission and the flight of the dark jet drew all eyes out the windows of the cafeteria. At that he made his move.

Not to be altered without desire, not without permission, Shade took offense to the little one with wings. 'Pretty wings, yes, but on any other day Norrison might have pulled them from off her back and blew his nose in them laughing as he did so. Oh, this day is not today and for why? Because she plays not with what she knows. And me they call a corrupter of human spirits and twister of desires?'

Immune was he to anything of this type while in his Shade form, and move as a cloud he did and he would, to make clean the air with his darkself. He did just that and swirled past and through the area of the Hellions and their pestering Alpha companions. "Time you were gone little monster!" he said and his Shade face showed at the end of the table for a brief second his eyes glowing and his teeth bared. His voice a rasp of dried husks of corn and ground splinters of bone dragged through sand "You make people do things that they don't want to do. Now be off." he said with as soothing a tone as a ghost could muster.

[Rogue]

At Peter's directive Rogue nodded her head. They'd been friends so long it didn't matter who was put in charge, the other one would back them up. She looked across the room to the Hellion's table, there a scene was playing out that made the hackles of her neck stand straight up. Squaring her shoulders she walked over, softening her stance as she looked to the young ladies who had mistakenly wandered into the lion's den. "You pretty little girls go and see miss Karma now if y'all don't mind please." she said to Jenny and Lily. Her voice as soft as a spring rain and as sweet as grandma's peach cobbler.

As they began to climb down and step away she turned her attention back to the source of the drama. "That is quite enough outta you, ah think an apology's in order Stephen!" Rogue said to the dark mist that was Shade. "Y'all think ya rule this here school butcha don't. It's high time somebody put a foot down and if ah'm the one gonna do it then that foot's goin down on y'alls throat." she looked at the table full of hoodlums and bullies and grinned an evil sorta grin. "These young ladies were just bein' kind and sayin' hi, but that wasn't good enough for ya huh? Well Ah know what your team leader would have y'all do and ah'm gonna make it happen. Danger Room! Now!" she stood there and folded her arms. Waiting for the first sign of anyone to give her any sass.


"Chester, Colossus has you with him." she watched for a second, waiting to see what they would do or how they would react. A long time ticked past in seconds tense and taught as a drumhead. "MOVE!" she said with authority. She watched as they had no choice but to follow her order or mutiny on her, it was a gamble but Rogue was sure the odds were in her favor.

[Fleet]

"Yeah, that sounds o.k., but I gotta do something first." Kyle said to Chase as he stood. Looking ot the table where his new est Team leader had gone he wanted to see about a couple few things and he felt that he could redeem himself in one fell swoop. Not to do it to prove anything to Rogue, or out of vengance or retribution on Inflict, even though those were good reason too, but he needed to do this for himself. He needed to reclaim himself, he had lost himself in that room, his powers had gone and shown their real nature there. He had to face the Danger Room, reclaim his poor first impresiion to his Team Leader, and show that asshole Inflict what the kid with the dials could do.

'Damm implants, how come they're itching now?' he wondered but put the thought out of his mind as he turned to walk over and right up to Rogue. "I'd like to go too. I've been worse than them, not to the little ones, but to my friends. Plus I got a score to settle with ugly on the end, and I don't think he's all that without the big guy. Nobody to hide behind." he looked at him and ran his hand though his hair to show how he was just too cool and didn't care what he thought.

"Oh, and I want a chance to change your opinion of me, but most of all to change my opinion of myself. Please Rogue, win lose or die I can't go on here if I'm not sure in my heart about myself. Please." It was true, the implants had changed him, or at least showed him he wasn't who he thought he was. Not a teleporter. His behavior showed him he was not a good friend, maybe a workout would put things in perspective.

[Calorie]

The noise from the jet made Kelly jump a bit, but he just used it as an excuse to practically pull Ariel onto his lap. "Aw man, I wish I could be on that thing. Cyclops said I can fly it when Wolverine becomes President of the U.S. I volunteered to be his campaign manager,"he said nodding his head with a big grin. "You think he's still mad at me for turning his cigar into chocolate and his beer into jam from last time?" Kelly asked Ariel as he scratched his head in wonderment.

When Colossus called him to help, Kelly moved Ariel off his lap and flexed his muscles. "Yea I got it Colossus, this body was made for help and pleasure," he said flexing his muscles. "Oh and uhhh...." he thought about Ariel's questions for a second. "Well the vans collided and went KABOOM and we found metal parts left over that Colossus man said was military. I just thought they were cool cause they're like battle souvenirs or something. Maybe I'll join the Salvation Army so I can get stuff from the war sights," Kelly said thoughtfully before he went off after Colossus.

[FreezeFrame]

"Good. It'll be a fun time, you'll love it, we'll pace ourselves." Chase said anticipating a hell of an evening with his drunk roommate. "Uh? Sure I'll be right here." he said as Kyle got up and walked over to Rogue. he tried very hard to listen to what his interesting new buddy was talking to her about, and since Kyle didn't whisper he could make out most of it.

'Dang! What's he doing? Is he stupid? That kid nearly killed him and now he's gettin smart with him again? Maybe I should go and stop him, or offer to help.' he thought before he stood up and walked over next to Kyle placing an arm around the shorter kid's shoulder he leaned in and said "Hey you shouldn't beat yourself up. You been an alright friend to me, you know. What's up are you crazy?" Chase sure didn't want Kyle bruised all up, not now, not tonight. He wouldn't be much fun to drink with if he was beat to a pulp, and now there was no healer to run to if things got rough and bloody.

[Lily]

Lily kept giggling along with Inflict even as he pulled her down into his arms when the room went rumbly. For a minute she cuddled into him as she continued giggling, looking at him to the pretty girl next to him, and to Jenny too. When she saw a whispy black cloud float by and stop at the end of the table she looked to it in curiousity. The interest she had in the cloud quickly turned to fear when two scary eyes appeared, as well as sharp looking teeth came out too, and Lily's big eyes widened in growing horror. Her giggles were now gone and her lip began quivering as the ghosty person spoke in a scary voice, telling her to go away.

Her eyes began watering, and then she burst out crying, pulling herself out of the white haired boy's arms and flying off towards her dear leader Karma, zooming across the cafeteria to hide behind her. "H-he's s-scaw-wy," she blubbered as tears rolled down her face while she clung to Karma's back as she hid.

[Jenny]

The sound of the airplane scared Jenny a bit that she clung to Roger, but it didn't scare her as much as the scary black cloud with scary eyes and fangs. She didn't hear what he said, but it had to have been mean because the next thing Jenny saw was her happy friend's face fall and her fly away dissolving into tears. Her own face fell and tears came to her eyes, but she held them back. How come all the big kids here are so mean? They don't want to be friends with me, Lily, or Roger at all. Mommy did say that not everyone is gonna like me. But this is two times in one day that I tried to make friends and they are just mean. Maybe I'm just not someone big kids like, she thought as she hugged Roger to her and blinked back tears. Even that pretty lady coming over to yell at the big kids didn't make her feel better. They didn't do nothing wrong. It's not their fault they don't like us.

Mustering the last bit of courage that Jenny had left from being rejected every time she tried to make a friend, she looked up at the big kids bravely and spoke in a softer and much less enthusiastic voice. "I'm sorry for botherings you. Me, Roger and Lily wonts bother you anymore," Jenny said dejectedly. She turned to walk back to Karma, who she knew liked her and Roger.

Jenny looked down at Roger and began talking to him comfortingly. "It's okay Roger. We won't talk to the big kids no more. They don't like us and their scary. We have our new friend Lily and the grownups like us. They can be our friends. Oh and Shimmer too. You like Shimmer right?" she asked her ragged yellow bunny as she walked back to Karma feeling very rejected.

[Katana]

Nodding to Jumper, Katana said, "Alright I'll catch you later. You take care of yourself and know that I have your back...all you have to do is ask."

As Jumper walked away she saw Chase go up to him, take him aside, and put an arm around him but could not here what was said. After the new boy let Jumper go Katana spoke to him too saying, "Don't worry. He can be very tough. He just needs to get back to himself. Then we can get that Inflict guy....The trick would seem to be to stay out of his reach...hit him with projectiles and we can knock him out. He'll pay."

Although at the same time she was saying it her eyes were not on Chase, but were over on Jumper and filled with something more than just concern.