The door of the medlab closed with a whoosh. But not before Paige had a chance to glimpse inside. Heart pounding, Husk raised her hand to her mouth. There he was. Just a little to the left and she would see... Oh ma god... oh! ma! god!!' There he was sitting on one of the beds with his shirt off!!!! Paige slide to the floor, hands firmly pressed against her mouth, trying to contain the paroxysms of nervous giggles that were trying to escape. Stop it girl...get control of yaself' she told herself sternly, once her equilibrium had been recovered.
Husk slowly stood up, brushing off her jeans and straightening her hair. She considered husking into a neater form but realized there was no where to dispose of her spare skin. Quickly running through some calming breathing exercises Paige tried to figure out what to say. Oh Dr. McCoy, Banshee wanted me to... Oh Daemon fancy seeing you here', no that sounded too fake. Why Daemon, what's a guy like you...' No no no... completely wrong. If only she could find the right thing to say. Husk pictured herself in Daemon's strong embrace... his strong arms wrapped lovingly around her... crushing her to his manly chest he would...
Paige's internal muses were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. She jumped... it wouldn't do for anyone to find her here, especially if it was who she thought it was. As quietly as a country mouse, Husk quickly scampered back down the hall towards her sleeping quarters.
Chamber hulked up towards the medlab door. No way any Jamaican soccer player was going to steal his gel!!
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"Very interesting readings", Dr. McCoy bent closer towards the tricorder like instrument in his hand and twiddled some of the dials, "verrrry interesting."
Lexi stuffed her fist into her mouth and tried not to giggle as Beast passed the instrument around her body again.
"So you say that you believe you all have some sort of powers" the doctor said, examining his readouts again.
"Yes," Moe spoke up. The rest let her, seeing as she was the one who appeared to understand this sort of thing the most. "According to some computer records we found, we are actually part of a genetic experiment to produce so called super humans. Lindsey, however, is the only one of us who has managed to display these powers to the full extent, although we have all noticed some minor forms of manifestations lately."
India tossed her hair out of her face. It was a much improved face from the previous hour; Hank had done his work with the medlab's equipment well. The only remaining sign of her bruises and cuts were slight red marks which were fast fading. Indeed, with the clean clothes recently provided, the six were almost beginning to look respectable.
"Our powers are all different", the blonde explained, "But they don't seem to be completely related to this mutant thing you were telling us about."
Hank was greatly impressed with this insight. It was true, the genetic abilities of these six, despite the similarities to the gene factor, were slightly different. Manifestation didn't appear to be linked to puberty and as they were tied to dominant gene there was a one hundred percent chance of passing it onto one's offspring. Still, these slight differences were subtle, and he was fascinated by her observation.
"I believe you said you were studying at university?" He questioned India, peering at her from under his glasses.
"Yes, I'm studying at Harvard... well I was before this whole thing started. I guess I can't go back now." There was a hint of regret in the girl's voice. Something which Hank could sympathize with.
"Oh, so you're studying business?"
"No", India shook her head in amazement "Why ever would I study business at Harvard? It's an engineering school, best in the world!"
This brought Hank back to the realization that no matter how well adjusted the six appeared, they were from another dimension and should be treated with some delicacy.
"Ah, forgive me. Well I think that is about it for now. You should probably try to get some rest." With what he hoped was a fatherly grin, Dr. McCoy ushered the young people out of his medlab. There were some interesting results in the genetic structure of these kids and he really wanted some piece and quiet to study it. And that bionic arm! Even Forge would be hard pressed to construct something so elegant. With a smile of glee he rubbed his hands together as he thought of how excited the Professor would be to meet their guests.
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Chamber had been rather taken back when, with a quick whoosh the medlab door, had opened abruptly, crashing into him with none of its usual grace. He was shaking his head, rather confused, while the six piled out of the room and took off down the hall for their rooms. Cursing impotently at the fast disappearing Daemon, Chamber managed to grab one of the other's by his/her arm. It was Jonathan.
"What do you want" Jonathan snarled at the other boy. He was tired, still feeling a little battered and looking forward to a good night's sleep. He didn't need any of the crap which he could tell this guy was about to dish out.
{Just tell your friend Daemon to stay away from me gel.}
Jonathan just shook his head and smiled. "You must be a little confused bro..."
{I said, tell your friend to stay away from me gel.}
With a final glower, Chamber turned around and stalked off. Jonathan was left, standing bemused in the hallway. He shrugged and started to walk up the hall, whistling slightly. Finally it got to be too funny for him and he collapsed against the wall, giggling insanely.
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Somehow Lexi had managed to get lost. One moment she was right behind Daemon, racing him to see who would get to their room first and bamb, the next moment she had taken a wrong corner and no one had noticed to come back and find her. Oh well, things like that happen. Can't let them get you down and might as well take advantage of them. There were some cute guys around the place and she could always practise some of those lines she heard on tv. Not that she really expected them to work, but they seemed to for India so why not her?
Lexi started singing a little song to herself as she ambled along.
La la la THUD
With a giggled, the blonde topped creature peered at Lexi before scampering off again.
Okay, that was a _little_ strange' Lexi thought after she had picked herself up off of the floor,. "I think that was that Paige chick but what has she been smoking?' Not being one to overly concern herself with things like that, all thoughts of the husking mutant soon left her head as she continued along her way.
She didn't really notice the cute blonde guy either until she had walked right into him.
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Lindsey had purposefully straggled off behind the others. The stress of interdimensional travel and pounding the crap out of several of his teammates was beginning to tell and he didn't think his nerves could take much more. His thoughts were on Dylan when they were interrupted by a non too happy Chamber.
{Listen, tell your friend Daemon to leave me gel alone!}
{Excuse me?} Lindsey turned around to face the other telepath.
{You heard me}
Chamber scowled off, not at all pleased with the effects his words had had. The mute boy was doubling over with silent laughter. He wished some one would share the joke with him.
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"Uh... sorry" Lexi's words were muffled by the chest at eye level. She stepped back a bit to repeat her apology more audibly. Not many words, however, got out as her eyes travelled up the chest to a nice set of shoulders and a really cute face.
"Uh..." Great going Lexi. Face to face with a _really_ cute guy and you're standing there with your mouth open looking like a guppy. "Uh..." Then it hit her who this guy was and she winced.
"Oh god. I'm sorry" the words came tumbling out of her mouth, "look I didn't mean to run into you like that. And I'm really sorry I clocked you in the ribs earlier. It was a mistake, I..."
Cannonball smiled ruefully. Lexi groaned as she recalled digging him in the ribs with her elbow as he had pulled her from the fray earlier that evening.
"I..."
Sam shushed her. The kid looked kind of cute, all blushing and embarrassed like.
"Don't ya worry. It was an accident. Couldav have happened to anyone."
Lexi flashed him a radiant grin. Sam found himself realizing that she wasn't such a kid. Then blushed himself as he recalled pulling her out of the fray. Nope, she was definitely not a kid.
Things were looking up, Lexi decided. Rather than wanting to murder her, this guy was actually being really sweet about the whole thing. And that accent.... she wondered if there was any way under the sun that Jonathan would let her keep him.
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"Good night!" India waved goodbye to Daemon and Moe as they went into their respective rooms before continuing down the hall to the bedroom which had been assigned to her. She stretched her arms out and yawned. Boy was she ready to hit the sack! And her luck seemed to be holding out, she hadn't run into that Cajun guy yet. Only a few more feet to her door... and then safety!!
Needless to say India was a little startled when Chamber unfolded himself from the shadows by her door. The only thing which saved his life was that he wasn't Gambit.
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"So you use to be the leader of X-Force?" Lexi asked as she and Sam walked companionably down the hall. She had no clue what this X-Force thing was (sounded too much like a rather dodgy version of Power Rangers for her), but it seemed quite important to Sam.
"Yeah. I guess ya could say that. Cable really helped out a lot though..." Cannonball kind of glossed over all the difficulties that his group had had with Cable and the X-Men. He didn't want to bore Lexi and it was really complicated to explain.
"And now you're with the X-Men", at Sam's nod, Lexi continued "So, watcha do?"
"Well I..."
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Chamber was not very pleased. With a psychic snarl he hurled himself around and stomped back down the hall, leaving yet another of the six dissolved in giggles.
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"So basically you've become the X-Men's..." she hesitated at how best to phrase this " Lackey boy?" Lexi's quick mind put together a fact that all but the most attentive were oblivious to.
Sam winced, and Lexi realized that she had not been quite so tactful as she could have been. How best to fix up the situation which had been going so well for her?
Realization was beginning to dawn on Cannonball. He let go off Lexi's hand (which he didn't remember taking) and ran his hand through his hair. "I guess, ya're right..." His moping was interrupted by a giggle soon followed by a tickle.
"Hey, cut that out!" He squirmed as he tried to evade Lexi.
"Lackey boy, lackey boy" she taunted as she gave him a final tickle before ducking under his grab and tearing off down the hall. She stopped at the corner and turned to face him, before giggling again and dashing around the turn.
With a mock snarl Cannonball took off after her.
"Just wait til ah catch ya!" .
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India finally manage to calm down enough to heave herself up, using the door handle for support. Man, that Chamber was funnier than she thought! She wiped a few tears off her cheeks and giggled a bit more.
"Gambit dought he erd some laughter"
Oh shit. India looked up in time to see the Cajun advancing down the hall towards her.
"Why if it tisn't de pretty lady... I tink" With a frown, Remy began to wonder if he was mistaken again. Well, he shrugged his shoulders, she was the only blonde in the group and she was quite pretty. Even if that other girl had been a figment of his imagination, he could certainly be...
{REMY - I thought I told you to keep those sort of thoughts to yourself!}
{Uh, excuse-moi Jean, je regrette...} Jean sounded a little testy. Gambit guessed (correctly) that Scott was spending another night on the couch.
{Can it! Just remember she's very young...} With that threat left hanging, Jean left Remy alone.
"Let me guess, telepathic message... or do you always zone out with your spit personality." India started to edge towards her room "Well, as they say three's company so I'll just leave the two of you alone".
"Oh, excuse-moi." Remy realized that he must have been looking rather gormless and, recovering his composure, flashed her a smile full of that old Cajun charm. He quickly walked over to India's door and with another smile prevented her exit from the hallway.
"So, pretty lady, how about you and Gambit get to know each ot'er a leetle better".
"Ew... I don't think so". With more care than usual, India planted her foot in Remy's shin and slammed her door shut in his face.
What a woman!!!
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With a final lunge, Sam tackled Lexi to the floor and started to engage in the pleasurable pass- time of tickling her to death. With giggles, she tried to squirm away but it was to no avail. She was good and truly caught.
"I surrender!!... I surrender" She laughed, struggling to sit up.
"Honest?" Sam eased his grip on her a little.
"Nope!" Lexi grinned irrepressibly as she took advantage of this opening to tickle him back.
Things digressed for a few more minutes, before the two came to a sort of mutual surrender. Although, Lexi realized moments later, Sam seemed to have got the better end of the deal. Not that she really cared. Seated in front of her, Cannonball had her hands still pinned behind her back. It was, he reasoned to himself, merely a precaution as she seemed to be very good at breaking her word.
Lexi looked up at him from under a tangle of hair.
"Won't cha let me go?" she pouted sweetly
Sam considered it. He ducked his chin and considered it again.
"Na..." Cannonball looked at Lexi thoughtfully. He then closed his eyes and leaned towards her.
With a bit of a start Lexi realized that this was _it_. He was going to kiss her!! She was going to be _kissed_. Lexi leaned forward a little. She then started to panic as she realized she had no idea of how to proceed. Oh, what the hell. Who really cares if you don't know what to do next. She leaned forward just enough.
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