The Start of the Trip

[Colossus]

It never ceased to surprise Piotr to hear the smooth voice of Emma Frost in his head, but he did admit that it was much more pleasant to hear her voice than the times that Professor Xavier would call on him out of the blue in the beginning and scare him enough to revert to his metal form. ~Will do Emma. We are in the garage and still trying to load up. I will wait for her.~[/b][/color] He thought back before looking over at the small little group that he was bringing with him.

"We will have to wait just one moment for someone else. Sean, please make sure that Jenny is buckled in the seat," He smiled at her kindly, the fiery little girl had a way of worming into everyone's heart with her adorable stubbornness and spirited nature. He loved playing with the little ones, though much like Stoney, it took awhile for some of them to get used to him with his size. "Emma just contacted me to wait for just a moment. It seems someone else will be joining us. K'8, would you please sit up front, I believe you are the one who knows how to work this GPS here," Piotr said indicating to the portable GPS he took from one of the other cars.

Though he knew the area well enough, he had never been to the part of town were the animal rescue was held. As he understood, it was a sanctuary of a type for abandoned animals, and frankly he could think of no better place for them to adopt animals for the horses. He did hope that they had at least some trained dogs though. Piotr had never been one for training dogs, that was something that he left up to his sister, God rest her soul. She had a touch with animals that was just amazing to behold. His heart tightened for a moment at the thought of her, but like many times before he chose not to focus on the past and deal with the bright smiles in front of him.

[Jenny]

"Aw come on! I thoughts it was gonna be justs us!" Jenny said, the slight lisp of her coming out as she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. She was very selective about the Big Kids she went near, and frankly most of them just got on her nerves. They were all dumb and getting in fights and making gooey eyes at each other and just being stupid. For the life of her, Jenny didn't understand them, and vowed long ago never to be as dumb as them. "If it'ths Chopper, I says we leave him ats the farm, they cans always use more pigs!" she declared, giving a wide eyed and pointed look at Sean.

She had been thrilled when K'8 came over just as she finished her peanut butter and banana waffle sandwich. For weeks now, Jenny had been extremely homesick. She wanted her dog Albert and she missed her pony Lady so much, and it made really sad to think of them. They had been the best friends she ever had, and she found herself wondering everyday what they were doing, and if they missed her at all. She'd known Albert since she was really, really little, and being here was the first time in her life without him. Even though she wouldn't be seeing Albert, it would be nice to be around animals again just like she was at the farm. Maybe there were no cows or pigs like on the dairy farm back home, but horses and a dog and a cat were more than Jenny could hope for and she was thrilled.

"Pete! You saids earlier thats we have to go fast! What ifs they're closeds when we gets there on the count that we had to wait for some stupids big kid to get their dumb butt here," she exclaimed, leaning up from her seat to poke him on the shoulder, just so she could make her point. She liked Sean, cause he knew animals and he wasn't dumb, and she liked K'8 too even though she dressed funny and wore drew black crayons around her eyes. She wasn't dumb either, and she taught Jenny some funny words. "What's gonna happen ifs we miss its? I hate stupid Big Kids!" She crossed her arms again and looked out the window.

[D'mnchyld]

k'8 just grinned at the whole thing as she hopped up into the front seat and adjusted the GPS to the address she got off the printout. "Hey I think Jenny's right this thing is saying it's gonna take us almost forty minutes to get there. Who is this kid we're waiting on anyway?"

She didn't trust GPS's to be too accurate, but she didn't want to let today become a waste of time either, so she took some time to play with some of the settings and pulled the map into an extended overhead view so she could look for any shortcuts. Hmm, this'll do, yea. Looks like it'll shave fifteen minutes off if we cut out off the central road through town and just keep to this long stretch here. Bet we can go a little faster too, but I'm not gonna say anything yet.. I'll keep that in the alternate route setting until we start then switch it over.

"Okay, GPS is all set Peter. Seriously who moves this slow?" She looked at Jenny and crossed her eyes sticking her tongue out with a laugh. "But since we're just little kids maybe they'll let us spend a little more time. Whaddaya think Sean, could you say no to a face like that?" She pointed to Jenny "I know I couldn't."

[TuneUP]

Sean laughed a little at Jenny's face, shaking his head that Kate only encouraged it. "If we're lucky, it might be that girl that talks to animals, Ms. Frost mentioned her, but she also said she was busy with something, so I can't really tell ya'll one thing or another," he said trying to hold back more laughter at the little girl's feelings towards Chopper and other 'big kids'. The little girl amused him to no end and her spirited nature was just as funny as it was admirable. He knew she would only grow to be more of a handful, but he thought it was great. He always admired any strong spirited person, and Jenny was as spirited as they got.

He looked down at his watch and looked at Kate worriedly. "I hope that we can get there on time. What's the road like Katie girl? Will we make it with time to spare?" Sean didn't want to miss it now that they were all ready, and Jenny had been really looking forward to it. Hell, he was too and with his own bout of homesickness that had been hitting him, it would do him good to be on a farm for awhile. His family ranch wasn't elaborate, as they shared it with both sides of his family, but he loved it. He missed rounding up the cattle with his dad and sister and exercising the horses in the morning.

Just from the pictures on the website, it was obvious that some of the animals there had been through some hard times, and he had to admire the people for being kind enough to provide them with a sanctuary and to try and find them homes. He hoped that it wouldn't be anything too tragic for them to see, but he felt that if any animal deserved a home, it would be one from a place like that.

[Rhetoric]

Liv hauled ass across the grounds, her wet curls slopped over her eyes as three of her birdies dropped her crummy Elvis t-shirt into her waiting hand. It was soaking wet and she wrung it out before tugging it down over her tank top, praying that no one from her team was out to see the sparrows and squirrels that chased after her, lugging her sneakers behind them. If she got caught being dressed by animals she’d never live it down. But what the hell was she supposed to do? Frost hadn’t left much room for debate, and there was no time for the shower that Liv had been craving since RAM had wiped bird crap down the side of her face. The lake had been her only option… One quick dunk had done the job.

“Hold the bus!” Liv skidded into the garage in a flurry of feathers and bushy tails. Most of the sweat, grit, and forest grime had washed off, and her yoga pants were already almost dry. Her shirt was still damp and her curls were out of control, but for the most part Liv was clean and presentable as she doubled over gasping for air.

“Voice. Shirt. Ran. Colossus…” Liv panted out each word and craned her neck back so she could actually look at the Acolyte team leader. “Damn, dude. You are like obscenely tall, aren’tcha?” Her patented smirk settled into place as she caught her breath. “Frost told me you guys needed me, STAT? What’s up?”

[Colossus]

Piotr had to bite back a laugh at the frazzled young woman, and settled to greet her with a smile. "It is nice of you to join us. We," he pointed to the others in the van. "Are going to an Animal Sanctuary not far from here. There are horses coming tomorrow and we are being sent to pick up a suitable barn cat and dog to stay with the horses. I trust Emma believes that you will be useful with this task." He trusted Emma to know what she was doing and he didn't mind looking after another kid. "My name is Piotr, and just in case you do not know everyone, that is K'8 in the front seat and Jenny and Sean are in the back."

Opening the car door, Piotr slid into the driver's seat. "If you please, it would be best if we go now, before you explain how you can help us," he gestured her to climb into the car and waited until the door was shut and everyone was buckled in before he pulled out of the driveway and on to the road. "The GPS is working yes? Ah good job K'8! And the estimated time looks good too!" Piotr looked over at her and grinned as they drove out on the road. "You see Jenny, there was no need to worry, we will get there just in time," he said looking at Jenny through the rear view mirror. "We'll have plenty of time." Piotr couldn't keep the smile off his face when it came to the little girl, and he could only imagine what the trip had in store for them.

[Jenny]

"It doesn'ts mean it couldn've happeneds," Jenny said crossing her arms and looking over at the other big girl, wrinkling her nose. "You smell. I hopes the animals don't all runs away cause yous stink," she stated without shame and stuck her chin away pointedly. She normally was nice to most big kids, on the count that her mama taught her manners, but this stupid big kid made them wait and came looking like a swamp monster and smelling like one too.

"What kinds of animals do they got there? Is it only dogs and cats or other animals?" Jenny asked with wide eyes, a big excited smile on her face as she waiting for an answer, opening her window so the girl's stink wouldn't bother her as much. "Would they have horses? And sheep and goats? What about cows?"

[Rhetoric]

"Settle down, short stack." Liv yanked her curls into a ponytail and started picking off the bits of twig and reed that were stuck to her t-shirt. She was well aware that she was a touch malodorous but there wasn't a hell of a lot she could do about it. Frost said move. She moved. "Whatcha think the dog's gonna smell like? Roses? They eat their own poop. What's up, Voorhees?" She dismissed the kid without a second thought and clapped k'8 on the back from her seat. “When you woke up this morning, did you think you’d get to see freakin’ Colossus driving a van full of kids like the world’s sickest soccer mom? I love this school.”

With a grin, she leaned back in her seat and acknowledged the cowboy with a nod. "How goes it, bro? I'm Liv.” She picked a stray feather out of hair and brushed it off her fingers nonchalantly. “So we’re headed to an animal shelter? Guess that explains why Frost wanted me with you. If nothing else, I can find out which dogs want the job. Might have trouble with the cats, though. They don’t always talk to me. Snotty, little things.”

It’s nice to be useful, Liv thought to herself, grinning like a lunatic. It might not be much, but at least my power’s good for something. She glanced out the window as the van puttered down the road. “Come on, Piotr, the gas is the one on the right! Let's get the lead out and go before the kid needs a diaper change."

[Jenny]

Jenny glared at the stinky girl and stuck her chin out stubbornly. "Yous the one who sthmells like yous need a diaper change. And I don'ts wears diapers!" she exclaimed with a scowl on her face while glaring at her, automatically putting her in the 'dirty trash can full of poop' category. There were A LOT of people on that list, and she was looking at the newest member.

"I dunnos how old yous were when you sthoppeds wearing diapers, but I stoppeds when I was 2," Jenny added and crossed her arms again, sticking her tongue out at the girl. "How longs will it be tills we get there? Sthmellings a bunch of animals woulds be better." She gave one last glare at the girl and then craned her neck to try and get a look at the GPS.

[D'mnchyld]

k'8 looked back over her shoulder at the pair as they sat bickering and wondered how Liv was enjoying the little firecracker giving it back as good as she got. She giggled a little as she made eye contact with Sean and mouthed the words 'Oh BOY' and grinned. "So ummm, well I was playing around with the settings and I think I found a shortcut." She looked up at Colossus driving and said "I was actually gonna just click over to the alternate course I'd programmed in, but well it's um, too important a decision to take that all on myself I think."

"So it looks like there's going to be a road coming up in like two miles on the right that will take us all the way around, kinda skirting away from the center of town, but it should shave some time of the trip. I'm guessing ten, maybe even fifteen minutes if you go a little fast. I mean, like not speeding but you know just maybe five miles an hour over the limit?" She smiled weakly and raised her eyebrows up hopefully. "Whattaya think?"

Her nose wrinkled up as she finally caught a whiff of what it was that Jenny was freaking out over. "Oh, man that is a bit ripe there ya Piney." She whipped her head around her seat and grinned a toothy grin at Liv, then looked at Jenny and Sean too to ask "you's guys mind if I open my window? Sean let me know if it's too much on ya okay?" She started to roll her window down a few inches and sat back in her seat to let the fresh air rush past her face and catch a breath of it. She wondered if the animals wouldn't mind that smell and if they'd have a problem with her like all the animals she ever tried to pet in her whole life. She knew now why they were like that with her, her Dad was only like THA FREAKIN DEVIL for cryin out loud. Only now she knew it as a fact and she had taken a stand, for herself and for the world, and made a serious decision to be her own person and not like him- not how he wanted her to be. She hoped the animals would know it too.

"Well," she turned her head back to Colossus "whattaya sat Pete? Should I set the alternate course, warp factor nine?"

[Colossus]

"Please program the shortcut K'8, I would like us to have enough time to look at the animals. On the way back, we can stop for lunch somewhere," Piotr said, holding back a laugh. He gave Jenny an amused warning look when he met her eyes in the rearview mirror. "Jenny, please mind your manners, and I would like to point out that most of you grew up on a farm, including myself and I know for a fact that Liv here smells much better than I did after a day working the fields and with the animals."

He looked back at Liv and winked at her. He knew that it was rough to be new, he wasn't too old to forget that feeling. Piotr shook his head with a smile and looked at the GPS as K'8 reprogrammed it for the shortcut. "Ah wonderful! We will be there in about twenty-five minutes then!" he said with a big smile. A thought occurred to him and at the red light in town, he reached over and opened the compartment in the front of the car and pulled out a soft worn clean towel. "Here you are Liv, this might help you a bit," he said throwing her the towel so she could clean up a little bit better.

The drive to the animal sanctuary was rather smooth, the GPS guiding them straight there. In the meantime, Sean shared the sandwiches that he brought for everyone so they would all have a lunch, eliminating even more time for them. Before they knew it, they were only two minutes away and about to pick out two new additions to their little family at Xavier's.