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oracle0422 — AU: Chapter 5 Two Weddings and A Funeral Part 3
[NSFW]
#alice #alternativeuniverse #changeling #coh #excalibur #fanfiction #iolar #landon #medusa #merrick #prime #skye #xgen #xgeneration #xmen #zoe #inola #leahslostsouls
Published: 2015-09-16 01:09:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 1725; Favourites: 1; Downloads: 0
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Opening night for Zoe’s play was upon them, Faelan was left with Kim and Christian to babysit while Merrick dressed up and took his Nana Hazel to the opera house to see the play. Hazel of course was wearing her bird brooch this being a special occasion in her book. Her future great granddaughter-in-law was going to be performing the play adaptation of her favorite Jane Austen novel. As Zoe went to her vanity space after getting into costume she stopped and smiled seeing a bouquet of blue lotus sitting there. “Merrick..”, she sighed picking them up smelling them and taking out the card. “Knock them dead hellraiser.”, she read with a laugh reading the words in his bad handwriting. Merrick and Hazel took their seats and taking seats on the other side of Merrick was Alex, Isadora and Damon. Alec smiled seeing Merrick. “Hello there Merrick. And always a pleasure to see you Misses Frost.”, Alec smiled greeting Merrick and Hazel. Merrick smiled a little giving a nod to Alec and past him to Isadora and Damon. “Evening. Looks like it’s going to be a full house tonight”, Merrick said looking around seeing very few empty seats. “Pleasure to see you all as well. Are you looking forward to the wedding as much as I am?”, Hazel asked leaning to look to Isadora and Damon. Isadora smiled. “Oh much so. But it’s a few years away. My understanding is that they want to get married in 2031. And Merrick is working on fixing up Aonair Mac Tíre between now and then so they can move in together.”, Isadora smiled.
Merrick nodded. “Yes. Malcolm and I signed the lease on the store in Boston a few weeks ago so I’m in the process of getting everything already built out of the upper floors so I can start work.”, Merrick commented. “I suppose it’s a good house to start in.”, Damon commented. “The old Haven in a good starter house indeed. I understand the place was home for a number of years to my granddaughter Kimberly’s cousins and even to them for a while. I’ms ure it will serve it’s purpose and has enough bedrooms for when these two start a family.”, Hazel comment. “A family? I’ll assume that will take some time.”, Damon commented. “Oh you’d be amazed at how quickly that can be accomplished. And if he’s like his mother having just our sweet Faelan won’t be enough. This one I see giving me more great great grandchildren before his sisters. After all I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but these two strain to keep their hands off each other.”, Hazel smiled. Merrick rolled his eyes. “Alright Nana, if I knew how to blush I think I would be. Adding to our family will happen when it happens. Let’s just watch the play.”, Merrick suggested pointing to the stage as the curtain was being pulled back.
The play began and as Zoe walked out onto the stage, she wasn’t as easily spotted wearing her wig unless you really knew the details of her face even under the makeup she had to wear for the stage. Merrick knew her the moment she got onto stage, not just because of scent but he had looked at her face...really looked at it so many times he had it memorized. As Zoe looked into the audience she of course saw her parents, her father easy to see with his white hair, then next to them Alec and then Merrick and Hazel, which she internalized a smile seeing him there. Throughout the performance Zoe could feel Hazel’s eyes on her. Yes the whole room was watching her, but she was performing one of Hazel’s favorite novels she wanted to do her proud. For the performance Merrick sat silent his eyes moving following the movements of the actors on stage, but as long as Zoe was on the stage his eyes stayed on her. In the scene where Mister Darcy proposed to Elizabeth he smiled and he mouthed the lines having committed them to memory from the proposal. A few rows back from them sat Shawn Boykin, his curiosity had been enough for him to venture from the city to Bayville on a trip that didn’t involve seeing Ororo. He enjoyed the performance, however it wasn’t enough to make him believe the white haired beauty was a hidden jem. No he’s need to see more of her work to know if she was good enough to approach.
After the performance and the theater started to empty Merrick went with the others to wait by the door they were all familiar with that lead to the backstage to wait to see Zoe. Zoe had changed from her costume into her street clothes, before heading out from backstage. She smiled seeing Hazel with the others waiting. “I hope I’ve done you proud Nana Hazel.”, she greeted Hazel as she walked out of the door carrying the bouquet of blue lotus flowers. “Ciao everyone.”, she greeted. “You were wonderful nightingale.”, Hazel greeted back with a smile. “Thank you Nana Hazel.”, she smiled giving the older woman a hug being careful of the flowers. “Ciao nipote.”, Alec greeted giving her a bouquet of lavender roses. “Grazie zio”, she smiled taking the flowers giving Alec a small hug and a kiss on the cheek. “A lovely performance uccellino”, Damon smiled giving his daughter a kiss on the cheek. “Grazie papà.”, Zoe smiled. “I always love watching you on stage.”, her mother smiled. “Grazie mamma.”, Zoe smiled looking to her mother. “Thank you for my flowers Lupo Cattivo, they are beautiful.”, Zoe greeted. “You’re welcome hellraiser.”, Merrick smiled hugging Zoe giving her a kiss. “Nana obviously loved it.”, Merrick commented glancing to Hazel. “I love all your performances my dear. And given our Merrick here used this play as his means for proposing I loved it even more.”, Hazel smiled. “Hey Zoe, are you coming to the club with the rest of the cast?”, Kayla asked walking out of the backstage. “Hi Merrick. You’re welcome to come too.”, she asked with a smile. Sure she knew Merrick was with Zoe but nothing wrong with just smiling at a good looking guy. “Sure, why not?”, Merrick shrugged. “Yeah we’ll see you there Kayla.”, Zoe nodded. Kayla gave a wave heading out with some of the other cast members. “Well you kids have fun. We should head back to the house”, Damon said taking Isadora’s hand in his giving it a gentle squeeze. “Gina is at the Draven for a few more hours after all.”, Damon added with a smile. Isadora chuckled a little smiling. “We’ll talk to you soon uccellino, have a good time with your friends.”, she said.
Merrick shook his head. “Um we will Damon, I’d say the same to you but something tells me having fun won’t be an issue for you tonight.”, Merrick commented getting a slight poke in the ribs from Zoe. “Ciao papa and mamma. Uncle would you like to come?”, she asked looking to Alec. “Um...no. As ‘fun’ as the idea of dragging my old ass to a club filled with twenty-somethings sounds...I will pass in lieu of getting sleep to wake up at four to make pasta. Good night kids.”, Alec explained. “Aw but Uncle Alec, any idea how many of those twenty-somethings would hit on you?”, Zoe teased. Alec shook his head. “She’s got a point Alec. The design assistant for the company Jacob worked with on the Sanctuary build kept trying to hit on him and I’m not even sure she was old enough to drink.”, Merrick teased. Alec shook his head. “Yes well, no thank you. I will keep to my hermit old man life. Bye kids.”, Alec said leaving them. Merrick shook his head a little. “Oh well, his loss. Guess I get to show up alone with the best looking woman in the club.”, Merrick smiled. Zoe rolled her eyes and took his hand in hers. “As long as girls at the club know and you remember who you are going home with.”, Hazel commented. “Yes because I could forget that I’m going home with..”, he said sarcastically. “And I’m sure that Zoe will make it rather clear who I’m leaving with.”, he added as he walked out holding Zoe’s hand. “You two have a goodnight. I’ll see you again soon. I have big plans.”, Hazel waved getting into her waiting car where Michael was holding the door. “We should be terrified if she’s got ‘big plans’.”, Merrick whispered getting a giggle from Zoe as they left to meet up with her cast members at the club.
The sanctuary was starting to pick up, a small pride of cougars and a canadian lynx were brought it. A Short-eared owl clutch of eggs were brought in along with the mother whose wing had been broken by an inconsiderate child who’d hit her with a rock. A whitetail deer doe who’d been shot in the leg by accident by an inexperienced hunter that didn’t know the difference between a male and a female, was brought in along with her two fawns and a young male who’d been hit by a car but was able to be saved. Then not long after them a moose was brought in who’d been wandering a suburban area. The sanctuary was getting busy enough that Merrick knew he was going to need help sooner than later. But finding someone he could trust was the issue. He’d picked up at least two students from Bayville Community College, a guy named Dorian Allen and a girl named Stacey Farber who were there for the animal management program. The only reason Merrick was willing to bring them in was that the director from the animal shelter had recommended them. But he knew he was going to need more help than just a couple people. Little did he knew that as August started another potential employee was arriving at the Xavier Institute.
Beyond the sanctuary picking up Merrick’s Aonair Mac Tíre was also really taking off. He’d gotten the new store in Boston opened with Malcolm. The old Haven had been emptied out completed pieces and were now on display in the store where the staff of five were busy selling things. With everything cleared out Merrick had started on refurbishing the house to get it back to livable condition. Zoe had taken on the task of choosing what to paint the rooms when he was done. Both were a bit eager and excited at the idea they’d soon get to be under one roof. One thing that Merrick did know was he had to make sure the kitchen was really nice. Zoe was looking forward to having a real size kitchen with more counter space than her small apartment offered at the moment. The original Haven members were just glad that the house was going to get to be a home again. Sort of like the house was coming full circle, and this time it would be home to just one family not multiple people creating their own version of a family. So Merrick and Zoe juggled the renovations of the house with their other jobs, wedding plans taking a back burner for the moment.
Danielle Moonstar Pierce had arrived at the institute with her daughter Inola. Dani had attended the institute whens he was young and like many was an alumni of the school, but unlike many she’d not stayed in Bayville. She had returned to her tribe for a while and after that had actually joined the FBI where she met her husband Justin Pierce as they both work in the Metahuman Crimes Division. When their daughter Inola recenter started to show signs of having a similar ability to hers they’d agreed that she should be enrolled at the Xavier Institute. Inola sighed a little looking up at the massive school and then back over her shoulder at the phoenix statue. She’d never actually been to the institute but she’d been told about it. “So why the phoenix statue?”, she asked glancing to her mother. “The phoenix symbolizes rebirth. And after the destruction of the original institute that killed many it seemed like a fitting tribute to them as the school was rebuilt.”, Dani answered. “Now come on, let’s go inside. Duncan is waiting for us.”, Dani suggested turning her daughter back to face the stairs. Inola nodded, despite her father being caucasian it was hard to tell looking at her as she’d taken after her mother’s native american side in appearance. She sighed as they headed up the stairs.
She’d only really known a few people from the institute. And that was the Fearbirghs because her mother kept in touch with the headmaster Duncan. So as the large doors opened she wasn’t exactly surprised to be hugged by Ororo. “INOLA!”, Ororo exclaimed having been waiting with her dad in the lobby. “Hi Ororo.”, Inola smiled hugging back a little. “Ooo is that actually red fox on your vest?”, Inola asked pulling back to look at Ororo’s outfit. “No. But it sort of feels like it could be. The designer is trying to give the fur and leather appeal without having to use real animals.”, Ororo explained. Inola nodded. “Nice. Guess bonus of being a model.”, she teased. “Oh you know it. Come on let me show you around while daddy and your mom talk.”, Ororo smiled hooking her arm with Inola’s. “Alright. That okay mom?”, Inola asked looking to her mom. “Yeah that’s fine. I’m sure Duncan has papers I need to fill out.”, Dani nodded. “Go ahead girls. Remember Beta team is in the danger room training so you can’t take her into the danger room. Have fun girls.”, Duncan nodded to them. “Ooo Beta is training come on.”, Ororo said pulling Inola to the elevator. Inola chuckled.
“Remind me who’s on Beta?”, she asked as they got into the elevator. “Carter Delaney, Aurora Rodriguiez, Nikki Howlett, Jimmy Howlett, Reine Howlett, and Evan Kearney. Really should just call it team Howlett. The only Howlett not on that team is Junior and he’s on our team.”, Ororo explained. “Our team?”, Inola asked with an arched brow. “Yeah Everyone gets put on a team. And I know you are going to be on Alpha with me, Junior, Nathan, Taylor, Marco, and Stephan. Finally I won’t be the only girl on the team.”, she said smiling there was a tiny emphasis when she said Stephan’s name. Inola laughed. “Right Stephan...your crush..”, Inola teased. “Shh…”, Ororo scolded playfully as they stepped out of the elevator. “I’m just looking forward to actually meeting this Stephan. You talk about him enough when I’ve seen you.”, Inola shrugged as they walked down the hall. “Okay so first over here is Forge’s lab.”, Ororo said playing tour guide on the way and leaning into Forge’s lab. “HEY FORGE!”, Ororo called to be heard over the music playing in the lab. The music stopped and Forge spun on his stool and smiled. “Afternoon Ororo. And wow you have to be Inola.”, he greeted. Inola raised an eyebrow, she’d been told about the eccentric technopath Forge by her mother.
He actually supplied her mother’s FBI department with their tech. “We have never met I don’t think..”, Inola commented. “No we haven’t. But you look exactly like Dani did when she came to the institute all those years ago.”, he smiled. “You need something tech you come see me. Guess I should count myself lucky to be part of the grand tour.”, he chuckled. “Oh would never forget about you Forge. Well I’m taking her to the danger room, want to show her it in action since Beta is training.”, Ororo explained. Forge nodded. “Carry on. Bye.”, he waved. “Bye.”, Inola said following along with Ororo. “So he’s the one that dated your sister?”, she asked. Ororo nodded. “Yes and I feel sorry for him too.”, Ororo giggled. “Come on let’s see how Beta is doing in training.”, she said opening the door up to the control room. Inola nodded heading up the stairs. The amount of tech was impressive. Aurelia glanced over her shoulder hearing the door open. “Ororo what are you doing in here?”, she asked. “Hi Professor Howlett. I’m showing Inola Pierce around, while her mom talks with dad. Inola is going to be enrolling. So figured show her the danger room. And what better way to see what the room can do without potentially getting hurt than observing a session. Which Professor Howlett this is Inola. Inola meet Professor Aurelia Howlett she’s our survival trainer.”, Ororo introduced. Aurelia sighed and nodded. At least Ororo’s reasoning made sense. She smiled at Inola. “Always nice to have a new student. Nice to meet you and welcome to the Institute.”, she greeted. “Howlett like...and um nice to meet you too and thank you.”, Inola said. Aurelia smiled and nodded. “Yes Howlett as in my husband is Logan.”, she answered turning her attention back to the session in progress.
Ororo and Inola walked closer to the large glass panel and watched from above at the beta team worked their way through the maze. Ororo smiled watching them go through the maze. Carter and Renie using their combined light manipulation to blind enemies while Nikki shook the ground under them while Evan lifted Jimmy up into the air and doing their version of the infamous ‘fastball special’ where Evan used his momentum from flying to launch Jimmy who drew his claws directly at their target. “Nice an aerial fastball special….”, Inola remarked. Ororo nodded. “Oh yeah. Junior can’t wait till he can give it a try on our team. The older boys say they won’t throw him like Evan just did Jimmy till he’s a little older.”, Ororo smiled still watching the action as the team dominated their session. Aurora came in removing her gloves and causing the enemy to start to melt at her acidic touch. “Nice…”, Inola commented as the simulation ended. “When does our team hit training?”, she asked eager to get into the danger room. “Alpha trains on Mondays. It’s Wednesday so Beta is in today. Friday will be Gamma.”, Aurelia answered. Inola nodded. “Alright I suppose I can wait till Monday.”, she shrugged. “Alright come on let’s continue the tour.”, Ororo suggested. “Bye Professor Howlett.”, both girls said looking to Aurelia. Aurelia nodded to them as they left. ororo continued the tour showing Inola around before the last place she took her was outside where some of the students were enjoying the nice day. Stephan, Hiro and Nathan were playing a game of frisbee, just in the air. Hiro and Stephan using their wings to stay aloft where Nathan was using his telekinesis to stay up.
Inola blinked looking up at the aerial game. Ororo just smiled and waved. “HI GUYS! Comes down and meet the new student!”, Ororo called to them. Hiro looked down and waved throwing the frisbee to Nathan before swooping down and landing. “Hey ya Ororo.”, he smiled. “And hello new girl.”, he added with a wink. “Please excuse Hiro, apparently hormones hit him early.”, Nathan said floating down and hitting Hiro with the frisbee. He was careful about how much power he was using he. He’d been terrified to use his powers for a month after the accident. And now he was just starting to get back into using them on low levels. Stephan landed next to Nathan and gave a nod. “Guten Tag”, Stephan greeted. Inola raised an eyebrow looking at Stephan. Ororo had told her a lot about him, and apparently she’d not skipped the details. “Your dad having you practice your German?”, Ororo asked. Stephan nodded. “Yes...I mean ja.”, he answered. Ororo smiled she liked the way the German language sounded when Stephan spoke it. “Well guys this is Inola. Inola meet Hiro, his twin brother Evan was the one with the white wings doing the fastball special with Jimmy, Nathan and Stephan.”, she introduced. Inola nodded. “Nice to meet you guys. I’ve heard a lot about you.”, she commented. “Ooo and what have you heard? I hope good...or perhaps bad things.”, Hiro smiled getting an elbow from Nathan.
“Hiro Marcus… you have no clue who this girl is do you.”, Nathan sighed. “Um no. Should I? Do you?”, he asked. “Inola Pierce, her mother is Danielle Moonstar aka Mirage. Her mom is an alumni.”, Nathan sighed shaking his head. “You seriously need to start reading.”, he groaned. “Why if you’ll just tell me?”, Hiro teased. “And you know my mom how?”, Inola asked. “Partially because my mom is Jean Shadow formerly Grey. And I picked up the slight habit of my ‘cousin’ Landon and like to read up about the mutants who came before us. Your mom was mentioned in a few of the mission archives.”, Nathan explained. “Ah okay. And to answer your question Hiro I’ve only been told mostly good things from Ororo. I do recall being told that for being my age you are just way to hormonal for your own good.”, Inola smiled. Ororo giggled as Hiro shot her a look. “It’s fact. I love you Hiro, but seriously you talk more about which guy or girl you think is good looking than anyone I know. And I’m in a business that is completely superficial in its judgement.”, Ororo teased. “Well okay that’s true.”, Hiro smiled. “Glad that being in that line of business hasn’t influenced you though.”, Stephan commented. Inola glanced over to Stephan and smiled. “Noooope it hasn’t.”, Inola smiled getting nudged by Ororo.
“Inola will be joining team Alpha. Where are Taylor and Marco? Or Junior for that matter? Wanted to introduce her to the team.”, Ororo asked. “Taylor and Marco are at the club. And Junior is with his grandfather.”, Nathan answered. “Club? The Draven?”, Inola asked. Nathan nodded slicking back his brown hair with his new white bangs. “That’s the one. Ororo told you about it?”, Nathan asked. “Yeah for what she could. Apparently she can’t get in till next year when she turns thirteen.”, Inola nodded. “I have to wait two years to turn thirteen.”, she added. “Me and Evan too. Welcome to my world.”, Hiro chuckled. “Well don’t worry I won’t be going off to the club without you guys next year. Not like I’d have a person to go with me.”, Ororo shrugged. “Didn’t your parents meet in a club?”, Inola asked. “Maybe if you go you can find your one.”, Hiro added. Stephan rolled his eyes just a little. “Yes my parents met a club, Cub 21. Mom pulled dad to the dancefloor by his tie wanting to dance with him.”, Ororo smiled. “Oh I’m sure we can find a guy you can pull by his tie.”, Nathan smirked. ‘Or by your tail’, Nathan teased telepathically to Stephan. ‘Shut it’, Stephan replied telepathically. “Well given Ororo, like her mother, has made a name for herself in the modeling world I’m sure when she starts going to the Draven a number of boys will want to dance with her. So she won’t have to pull someone by their tie.”, Stephan commented.
“Ah but the ones that are over eager aren’t always the one a girl wants. There are some of us that like the shyer type.”, Inola smiled as she was elbowed by Ororo. “Okay well I should get Inola back to the office I’m sure dad and her mom are done talking. We’ll all see lots of each other going forward.”, Ororo suggested. “If you are like your mom, Inola, and want something to do since you obviously can’t go hang at the Draven. Faelan’s Wildlife Animal Sanctuary. Talk to Merrick Bryant-Frost. Tell him his nephew sent you.”, Nathan suggested. “Um thanks. I might do that.”, Inola nodded as she followed Ororo back inside. “Stephan is adorable, those wings are something else. Then again the wings on your friends Hiro and Evan are rather singular too.”, she commented as they walked. Ororo laughed shaking her head. “Of course you notice wings above anything else.”, she smiled. Inola shrugged. “What. Think I might talk them into letting me take any of the feathers they lose to make a headdress?”, she asked. Ororo shrugged. “Maybe. No harm in asking them I guess. So you think you want to volunteer at the sanctuary?”, she asked. “Maybe, what is it?”, she asked. “What the name suggests. It’s an animal sanctuary. Nathan’s uncle Merrick, who’s an animal shifter, opened it and named it for his son Faelan who’s also an animal shifter. I think at the moment they have some wolves, mountain lions, canadian lynx, moose, deer, and owls.”, Ororo explained. Inola nodded. “Sounds like my kind of place. I will have to check it out after all.”, she smiled as they went into the office so she could say goodbye to her mom and start to settle in.
When the weekend came Inola was driven up to the sanctuary by Forge. He’d agree to take her since he had business with Merrick in regards to security systems and a few tech items that Merrick wanted to get. Merrick heard Forge’s jeep as it pulled in and headed outside leaving his two employees inside. “Hey Forge. How’s it going old man?”, Merrick greeted teasing Forge. It was an odd relationship between them. Both had been with Karli. Forge of course the one who had dated her and even thought about marrying her at one time, and then Merrick was the one she turned to after the break up just looking for a good time not a boyfriend. And both weren’t with her any more. Merrick having his son and now engaged to Zoe and Forge well he had his tech and that’s about all he ever seemed to need. Forge chuckled getting out of the jeep. “Hi Merrick. I’m doing fine. How are you little boy?”, Forge teased back. Inola climbed out of the passenger seat a bit confused and curious about the interaction between Forge and Merrick. Merrick was certainly no little. From where she stood and best she could guess he was over six feet, even being taller than Forge. As she looked at Merrick she was trying to figure an resemblance to Nathan who said Merrick was his uncle. But then there they were, the unique green-yellow eyes.
Merrick raised an eyebrow feeling eyes on him and the new scent. He turned his attention to Inola. “You have a small fry with you?”, Merrick questioned. “And she’s staring at me. Got a problem with the way I look kid?”, Merrick asked. Forge chuckled. “Merrick this is Inola Pierce, she’s a new student at the institute. Her mom’s an alumni from way back. She asked to come along.”, Forge explained. Inola shook her head. “No. No problem with the way you look Mister Bryant-Forst. To be honest you are much better looking than your nephew who told me I should come by. I was trying to find any family resemblance. Since well around the institute people throw aunt and uncle around for adults they’ve known their whole lives I’ve learned.”, she explained. Merrick laughed a little and nodded. “The name is Merrick kid. I hope I’m not old enough to be called Mister Bryant-Frost yet. And since you are saying nephew you mean Nathan. He’d be the only one who’d call me that because I am his biological uncle on his dad’s side. I trust you found the resemblance.”, Merrick commented with a smirk. Inola nodded. “Yes you have a very unique eye pigment.”, she explained. “Thanks. I’ve yet to hear a complaint about them.”, he commented. Forge rolled his eyes. “Please excuse Merrick what he really means is he’s never heard any complaints about any of his physical appearance from a girl.”, Forge said.
Merrick shrugged. “Karli didn’t seem to mind the way I look.”, Merrick teased. “Come on old man, I’ve had some stupid kids trying to climb my fences to taunt my wolves. Which when I track their scents I’ll be carrying them by their scruffs to the Delaney brothers or Holly Boland. Till then I need security cameras to catch them before my wolves chomp them for a midnight snack.”, Merrick said leading the way into the main building. Inola covered her mouth to not laugh as she followed them. “You know jabs about Karli don’t phase me.”, Forge commented carrying a large case with tech he’d brought for installation. “Yeah I know. It’s been nearly a decade since you two split up. I’d hope that by this point it wasn’t an issue. Otherwise I’d have gotten a metal fist in my face long time ago. So you get to work. And now kid why did my nephew think you should come up here?”, he asked turning his attention to Inola. “Because I’m like my mother in regards to my…”, she glanced seeing two strangers and went silent. “Like your mother? Come on we can talk in my office. Dorian and Stacey help Forge with anything he asks otherwise stay out of his way while he works. I’ll be in my office.”, Merrick instructed figuring it Dorian and Stacey were what kept the kid quiet.
Once the door was closed Inola started to look around his office. The furniture all looked handmade and very well at that. She could appreciate that it was a very natural in the office. She looked looked at the pictures he had hung up and on his desk. There was mostly pictures of a baby, which she assumed was this Faelan that Ororo mentioned. Merrick noticed her looking at the pictures. “He’s a cute pup isn’t he?”, he smiled. “Proud poppa…”, she chuckled. “Of course. The others are pictures with my family and friends.”, he explained looking at the pictures. In a multiple picture frame he had a pictures of him with Lily, with Josalyn, with Sebastian, even with Demitri which were all recent, and in the center a picture from when all five Bryant-Frost children were little and lived at the Academy. Inola looked at the collage frame and tried to figure it out. two identical red heads, obviously twins, a older red head male, and a dirty blonde mal. Yet the center picture was five children, the two red haired girls, the dirty blonde boy, one she assumed to be be Merrick and a blonde girl but no signs of the older red head boy. “Who’s the blonde girl in this picture?”, she asked. “That was Emma, my little sister.”, he explained. Inol was confused by the tense he used. “Um I’m sorry...when did she pass?”, she asked. “She’s not dead, just to me for being a psycho cunt determined to ruin my life.”, he explained. Inola nodded. “Gotchya. So why isn’t he in the center picture?”, she asked pointing to Demitri. “That’s Demitri, Nathan’s dad. And he’s not in the center picture because he’s a Shadow not a Bryant-Frost. We share a biological father but me and my triplet sisters Lily and Josalyn..”, he said pointing out the red haired girls. “We were raised by our mom and what people call our step dad. Basically the whole situation is complicated.”, he explained walking over to his desk and sitting on the edge.
Inola shrugged. “Seems fair.”, she said still looking around at the pictures hung up. There were pictures of him with Malcolm, many with Zoe, with his parents, and with Hazel. One in particular was just of Zoe with Faelan that sat on his desk. Inola tilted her head looking at the picture on his desk, the girl had very unique white hair. “Your girlfriend?.”, she asked pointing. Merrick arched an eyebrow and looked at the picture and smiled. “Yeah, well fiancee now. Zoe DeLuca.”, he explained. “So she’s the mom to your son?”, she asked. “Something like that, just not genetically. So what was the reason Nathan thought you should come here?”, he asked changing the subject. “Right. The reason I’m here. He figures that since my powers are like my mom I would be a good fit.”, she explained. “And those powers would be? My cousin Landon’s the one that memorizes who has what powers.”, Merrick asked. “Well my powers are illusion creation and control, I can also create psionic arrows, bullets and bolts. But probably the biggest reason Nathan figured I’d fit here is that I have an empathic/telepathic link with all kinds of animals.”, she explained. Merrick nodded. “Alright the last part would be useful. Because I’m an animal shapeshifter I have a link like that to the animals. Which makes working with them a snap for me. But Dorian and Stacey out there, as nice as they are don’t have that kind of connection. I hired them because they came recommended by a colleague and they are studying animal management at college. How old are you kid?”, he questioned. “Eleven, but I’ll be twelve in March.”, she answered.
Webber was still trudging through all the data he was turning up. Unlike Xavier he didn’t have others to turn to so he was responsible for trying to crack the encryption on his own. He wasn’t going to report anything to Mason till he had more facts work off. And he was also a bit distracted as he was digging into the mutant prisoner that Queen was keeping called Myst. He’d taken to late at night taking over the security at the lab she was held in, bypassing Alan’s security, and talking to Myst via the monitor near her cell. Alan was busy trying to dig up dirt on Mason Templeton and Jonathan Silvercloud as his employer requested. But he was turning up very little about them that would be helpful. All the information he could find about Mason was nothing ground breaking. The son of respected Lord Quentin and Lady Emma templeton, elder brother of Gabrielle Templeton. He had high marks in at Westminster private school and then at Oxford university. From everything Alan could find on the man the only interesting thing was about his mutant bodyguard Adder. Till the year she started working at Templeton Industries the girl didn’t exist as far as the government was concerned. Then one day she showed up to register as a citizen and to obtain legal forms of identification and to change her name. And for whatever reason any of the documentation online was black marked like an MI6 report. Her birth name, the names of her birth parents were all blacked out. Which to Alan said she had something to hide or because she was abandoned it was to protect the parents who obviously didn’t want to associate with her.
He however had slightly better success when researching Silvercloud. He was able to find that the CEO and founder is a Native American named Jonathan Silvercloud. There was images of this Jonathan Silvercloud, however he had not been seen in public in over a decade. He had become a recluse only telecommunicating with his board or anyone within the company. Alan tried to track the source and find a location for where the recluse was but Jonathan Silvercloud certainly lived up to his reputation of being a tech genius as any tracing of the IP brought him to a remote science center base in Antarctica. Which Alan had easily confirmed to been abandoned twenty years prior. So trying to find the man was becoming a dead end. He couldn’t find any living relatives, as all were deceased at this time. He did find a brief period when Jonathan was in the public eye and was dating a woman but her name was never mentioned so that was a dead end too. the only really interesting thing about Silvercloud was some of his tech. Which was very advanced, though most of the data Alan came across was just on things publicly sold and even in that some information and details were still classified. But from what Alan could tell the potential behind Silvercloud’s work was more advanced than even what Queen built.
Since the charity terrorist attack Jonathan Fuller had been trying to find out more not only in regards to the Church of Humanity but to King Hudson’s Scottish bodyguard Skye Kearney. He’d already published his article about the event, but he knew there was so much more to this than he was able to find out in enough time. So he’d talked his editor into letting him do a more in depth piece on the subject of the Church of Humanity vs Mutant Rights. After all there had been more than a few documented occurrences where masked vigilante mutants were showing up to help other mutants and protect them from the more extreme members of the church. And even within those masked groups it seemed there were two sides to the coin. One group consistently left the attackers alive and just tied up for police to take into custody where the other left dead bodies. Jonathan hoped that perhaps Skye might know a bit more than she’d originally told him the night of the attack. So with a big research he found out she worked for GQ magazine. So he headed for her office wanting to get an interview, and well this time he wasn’t going to remain professional. This time he was getting a number and maybe a date.
Skye was busy trying to finish up a deadline for the next issue that needed to go to print when her receptionist buzzed. “Yea Mark?”, she asked. “Um you have a visitor….and he’s rather cute.”, Mark said whispering the last part. Skye furrowed her brow. “W’o is it?”, she asked. “Said his name is Jonathan Fuller from the Sun.”, Mark answered. Skye thought for a moment the name sounding familiar. Then she remembered the cute reporter from the fight. “Alrig’t ya can send him in.”, Skye sighed. Mark smiled looking at Jonathan. “You can go in now Mister Fuller.”, Mark said. “Thanks.”, Jonathan smiled heading into the office. “Afternoon Miss Kearney.”, he greeted shutting the door. “Afternoon Mister Fuller. ‘ow did ya manage ta find w’ere Ah work?”, she asked setting aside her work for the moment. “Journalist.”, he answered simply taking a seat. “You didn’t really give me a number or anything and disappeared before I could try and get one. But you did give me a name. Kearney may be common but Skye Kearney there’s only one. Thankfully not sure the world could handle two beautiful women like you running around kicking ass. Which I am curious how does the editorial photo director of GQ end up freelancing as a royal bodyguard let alone know how to take down multiple armed assailants?”, he asked still smiling at her.
Skye laughed a little shaking her head. “Aye Ah dinna give ya mah number cause ya didn’t ask fer it. Despite yer flirty banter like ya doing now. Ya were looking fer a story dat nig’t. And Ah get da impression yer mostly looking fer a story today. Ah wasn’t exactly freelancing as a bodyguard. Ah was doing a favor. And Ah’m a highland lass, mah dah made sure Ah kne ‘ow ta defend mahself against a number o tings.”, Skye explained. “In a way yes I’m here about a story. I’m doing a piece about the Church of Humanity and it’s extreme methods and its impacts of the mutant community. Figured I’d start with you for asking some more questions. Though on a non-business note I don’t plan to leave today without your number and maybe a date for Friday night. Now what do you mean a favor?”, he explained himself. Skye rolled her eyes. “Dere ain’t much dat Ah can tell ya bout da Church beyond wat Ah told ya dat nig’t. Dey exteme nut jobs dat want ta kill all mutants. Fools don’t seem ta understand being a mutant is evolution or genetics. Ya canna really breed it out or kill dem all off. More are born every day and many ta non-mutant parents were dere been ‘istory o mutants. And fer da favor da blonde girl Ah was wid dat nig’t is mah cousin, da man wid us is her fiance and da nephew ta King Hudson. So his majesty would rat’er ‘ave family ta guard him dan strangers.”, she said with a shrug. “So you mean...the Japanese guy that got shot in the leg when the fight first started? That’s King Hudon’s nephew?”, he questioned a bit skeptical. “Aye. His mother was adopted if yer look is due ta lack of any resemblance between dem.”, Skye explained.
Jonathan nodded. “Seems fair then. So you don’t know anything more about the Church than you’ve told me? Or have a better answer to how you were able to take down armed terrorists without breaking a sweat in a dress, that might I add looked fantastic on you, than you’re a highlander?”, he asked. Skye shook her head. “Nope. If ya ain’t got more questions Ah got tings Ah need to approve fer our next issue.”, she said looking down to the papers on her desk. Jonathan sighed, he couldn’t place it maybe call it journalist intuition but he had the feeling there was more than she was giving him. “What if I asked those questions off the record?”, he asked. “Ah’d give ya da same answer. Maybe ya s’ould be talking ta Mason Templeton. He da one dey want dead, not me.”, she suggested. “Oh I have a meeting set with him next. I just...you are a bit of an enigma Miss Kearney. And my gut tells me you aren’t giving me the straight truth. You’re holding something back.”, he said not moving from his chair. Skye rolled her eyes. Attractive or not she would not and could not discuss even a fifth of what she knew about the church, about Mason, and about her fighting skills. That was Excalibur business and therefore she’d take it to her grave. “Ah not sure ‘ow ya figure a lass from Glasgow is an enigma. Perhaps yer gut is telling ya yer hungry. And Ah don’t tink yer one to talk bout ‘olding back.”, she retorted leaning forward resting her forearms on her desk.
“I don’t know what you would think I’m holding back Miss Kearney.”, he countered though his eyes briefly glanced down at the cleavage being unintentionally presented. She could easily see into his mind. Sure he’d casually hinted that this wasn’t just a business call but he’d not really tried to go that direction with the conversation. And it didn’t take telepathy to notice him look at her chest or get an idea of what he was thinking. The telepathy just told her exactly what he was thinking and at the moment he was thinking about how long it would take her receptionist to notice if they had sex on her desk. Skye smirked a little. “Well fer starters ya’ve said dis wasn’t just a business visit but all ya’ve asked are questions bout yer article. Ya also were just looking at mah breasts and doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to get an idea o wat yer tinking.”, Skye explained. Jonathan laughed a little in a slightly nervous way being caught. “My apologies Miss Kearney. Curse of being a man I suppose. Something comes into your line of sight that you find appealing you look.”, he apologized. Skye nodded. “Aye. Dat more a curse o being ‘uman. Ya tink women don’t check men out? Cause we do. In regards ta yer article, Ah ain’t got more ta say on da subject. So Ah suppose dis da point Ah tell ya good day and ya leave.”, she said sitting back in her office chair.
“Alright well non-article questions then. Do you see anything appealing in your line of sight?”, he asked. Skye laughed a little about to reply when her intercom buzzed. “Skye? Sorry to interrupt. But Brian is on line one wanting to know when you’ll have the photo selections ready for print.”, Mark’s voice spoke timidly. “Well dat would be da end of yer time Mister Fuller. Ya kne yer way out.”, she said picking up her phone and hitting the flashing light for line one. “Ello Brian. Aye Ah got dem just bout ready. Gota a few more ta approve den Ah’ll bring dem up.”, she greeted. Jonathan let out an exasperated breath standing up. Once again leaving without her number. Mark frowned a little seeing Jonathan walking out looking a bit defeated. “Didn’t get to ask all the questioned you needed Mister Fuller?”, Mark asked. “Something like that and didn’t get answers to some of what I did get to ask.”, Jonathan shrugged. “Well you could always try catching Miss Kearney out of the office.”, Mark suggested. Jonathan arched an eyebrow. “A few nights a week she goes to a pub called the Tap Room with friends.”, Mark suggested. Jonathan nodded. “Thanks for the tip.”, he smiled making a mental note as he walked away.
As part of Landon’s curriculum he’d been randomly assigned a local school to be a teacher's assistant. His assignment was at Léman Manhattan Preparatory School for the Seventh Grade Social Studies class. At first Landon was rather excited about this prospect. Sure teaching junior high was not his final goal but it was a start. And with the research he’d done during the summer on the school it was supposed to be rather progressive. So he was a bit disappointed when he showed up the day before school started to meet the teacher he’d be working with. He’d peeked into other classrooms on his way and saw a lot of tech and more modern educational tools. But as he opened the door to Professor Cuthbert’s class he was very disappointed. A standard chalkboard with basic white chalk. Nothing modern in sight. And certainly not the older gentleman haunched over at his desk. “Ahem. Professor Cuthbert?”, Landon questioned walking into the room. He was dressed down wearing cargo shorts and a t-shirt since it wasn’t an official workday. Cuthbert looked up over the top of his small bifocal glasses and looked at Landon rather unimpressed as his arm and leg tattoos were very visible.
“Tell me you aren’t my TA for this year. I was told that Columbia was sending their best and brightest.”, he said sitting up straight in his chair. “Sorry to disappoint. But I’m Landon Bryant, your teacher assistant for the year. And perhaps my outward appearance isn’t exactly what you feel should go along with being the brightest Columbia University has to offer from their history education masters programs, but I am. I’m top of my class.”, Landon said offering his hand. Cuthbert snorted a little and shook his hand only to be polite. “Well I like to run my class my way. So when you show up tomorrow I expect you to be dressed appropriately.”, he said looking Landon over again. “Well of course. This is casual clothes not work clothes. I only came to meet you before classes start tomorrow and see if there was anything you needed me to prepare for class tomorrow.”, Landon explained. “Alright fine. Here..”, he said sliding three large stacks of paper in Landon’s direction. “I need all of these to be correlated and stapled to be given to each student tomorrow. I suggest you get started.”, he said standing up putting a stapler down. Landon wanted to ask if the printer’s correlator had malfunctioned when Cuthbert printed the pages but decided better of it. Instead he just took a chair and started to staple the pages together.
It took a while but Landon accomplished the task and even made a neat pile with the exact number of students per class before he left. He sighed the next morning as he was getting ready to head to the school as he was tying his brown, light blue plaid pattern tie. “Oh come on you’ve been waiting for the part of your master's program that would let you start teaching.”, Rachel said shaking her head at him as she slipped into her shoes. “I know and I have been. But meeting Professor Cuthbert yesterday. God it’s like the stone age in his classroom. All the others are modern and fantastic rooms. Then his looks like your dad or Sensai Logan attended them when they were boys.”, Landon explained. Rachel laughed a little walking over and straightening his tie. “You will do just fine. Come on you are Landon Rouse Bryant. You fearlessly faced death multiple times. You bought Wanda twice. You trained with Uncle James. You have the heart of a warrior and a brilliant mind to go with it. I don't think there’s a situation in this world you can’t think your way out of and find ways to make it work to your advantage. Plus you are doing this because you want to teach and mold young minds. And I’ve got to say..”, she smiled taking a step back looking at him. The brown and light blue plaid tie worked well with the darker brown slim fit dress shirt that had the same shade of light blue on the cuffs, the dark wash jeans and even his grey and cream suede wingtip paneled shoes As with any shirt that wasn’t a turtleneck the tips of the crow and raven wings on his neck were visible.
“Say what?”, Landon asked folding his arms smirking at her. “Those private school girls are going to be paying attention in class, well paying attention to you as they try to not drool.”, Rachel teased. Landon rolled his eyes but smiled pulling her closer kissing her deeply. “Mmm...yes well look as much as they or any woman likes...I know who I always come home to.”, he smiled pulling back. Rachel smiling a little rubbing her lips together enjoying the lingering feeling and taste of his lips on hers. “Damn straight you come home to me. And after I graduate from university there will be a ring on your finger to ensure they know you aren’t a free man.”, she chuckled lacing her fingers with his. Landon smiled pulling her left hand up and kissing her ring. “And that’s a day I can’t wait for. You’ve had me since high school and I don’t ever want that to change. Guess I should get going though. I love you.”, he smiled giving her lips a soft kiss. “Mmm..love you to. Have a good first day.”, Rachel sighed watching him leave. She didn’t doubt that he would make this assignment work for him. He’d find a way to make his impact on those students no matter the teacher. Cuthbert wasn’t extremely impressed when Landon showed up in the classroom wearing jeans. “What? I meet dress requirements for the staff.”, he argued as he put the lanyard he’d been given at the office over his head. He turned it so that his name wasn’t visible and from his messenger back he pulled out a sheet of ‘hello my name is’ tags he’s prepared. He selected the one that said ‘Hello My Name Is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.’ and stuck it to the left breast of his dress shirt with a smile.
Cuthbert rolled his eyes as he started writing on the chalkboard. Landon shrugged and took out his tablet to work on a song as he sat down in a chair putting his feet up on the edge of the desk. “Oo...apple.”, Landon smiled noticing a red apple in his bag. “God I love you Rachel.”, he said taking the apple out and started to chew on it. Slowly students started to file into the room in their school uniforms, the boys in their chino slacks, the girls in their knee length skirts and all wearing the oxford white dress shirt with the school crest and the blue stripe tie. They all looked at him with a bit of confusion and intrigue. Some of the girls smiling and whispering to each other as they went to find their seats. Landon just smiled eating his apple and gave a playful wink as he shut down his tablet taking his feet off the desk to sit up straight. He did notice that one girl, a blonde who seemed maybe to have not woken up yet, walk in alone her blue eyes a bit glazed over. He wondered if it was just she was still sleepy it being first period and the first day of school, he’d prefer that over the idea maybe the student had gotten stoned before class. Cuthbert turned his attention to the class as the bell rang.
“Welcome to American History . I am Professor Cuthbert.”, he greeted in his monotone voice pointing to the blackboard where he’d written his name. “As you may have noticed, we have a guest with us. Columbia University’s teaching college has sent us it’s, supposedly, brightest student Mister Bryant.”, he introduced pointing to Landon but saying the ‘supposedly’ under his breath. Landon smiled with a small wave. “Good morning. You don’t have to call me Mister anything. Today I’m…”, he said looking at his name tag. “Inigo Montoya.”, he smiled. Cuthbert rolled his eyes and snatched the sticker from landon’s shirt throwing it out. “Um alright. Well i guess Landon will do. My dad saw fit to give me the name, so feel free to use it. Looking forward to working with you all this school year.”, he said not losing a beat. Some girls just smiled giving him one of the daydreaming looks. Cuthbert sighed and picked up the stack of papers and handed them to Landon. “The packet Mister Bryant is handing out is the course syllabus. It outlines all twenty-three chapters in your american history books that will be covered, what each week’s lesson will be on, how much homework, quizzes, tests and the final exam will play into your overall grade for this course. My subject is American History . I deal with facts, not myths and legends. So we will only cover facts.”, he explained. Landon sighed and went around handing out the packet of paper.
That was his whole day. He wasn’t given a chance to really participate. He was to just stand there and hand out papers as Cuthbert deemed necessary. The only highlight was that he had sheets of nametags and each time Cuthbert ripped one off him he put another on. During the eight period day he’d been Inigo Montoya, Captain Spock, Gizmo, Chunk, Chewbacca, Mr Peabody, Optimus Prime, and Batman. Every kid, except that one Alice Gryphon from first period, had found it amusing that he was trying to be funny. Most teachers had just kind of gone an easy on the first day. Not Cuthbert. He immediately after handing out the syllabus started them into his lecture about the first inhabitants of North America and even assigned ten pages to be read for the next day. And it didn’t get much better then next day or after. Cuthbert had his way of doing things and it was not going to be altered with Landon’s presence. Landon just stood by handing out quiz papers and such as Cuthbert requested. The best he got in regards to any interaction with students was that some had asked him for help understanding something during a free period. Which he was happy to explain what Cuthbert was trying to get across in a way they could understand better. But other than that he could only stand back and watch. Homeroom though he kept a specific eye on Alice, he was a bit worried about her. She was very quiet, which that’s fine some people are, but any time he saw her outside of the class she still had that same glassy look in her eyes. When he did inquire about it in the staff lounge he got an answer. Apparently the girl was new to the school and had some medical condition that she had to go to the nurse at midday to take her dose of medication. Landon wondered what kind of medication would be given to a child her size that would make her seem so out of it.
