Homecoming (random ficbit!)
This isn't from a full fic. I wrote this based on roleplay with some friends of mine while watching X2 yesterday (I'd never seen it the whole way through 'cause I'm lazy XD).
"Alba, you will be in charge while I am gone. This should not be difficult. I hope you have no troubles."
The Japanese woman had her eyes focused on the tall Italian fashion designer-turned-math teacher, watching when Alba flipped her hair and flashed a grin. "Tomoe, I could run this place with my eyes closed."
Tomoe's brow raised. "That is what concerns me."
Rolling her eyes, Alba walked around the desk, patting Tomoe's arm gently as she smiled. "Seriously, I can handle this. You'll only be in New York for a week and most of the kids will be too busy with classes to notice."
"But some of the special needs children-..."
"Will be fine. We've given Emily a new roommate, one that her glow won't bother. She and Anna will get along wonderfully."
At that, Tomoe couldn't help but smirk. "Of course Emily's glow will not bother Anna. Anna cannot see."
Alba grinned. "All the more reason for us to pair them as roommates. Emily's afraid of the dark, so she keeps her palms glowing at night. That won't bother Anna because Anna is blind. It's a win-win situation."
Chuckling, Tomoe leant over to pick up her bags. "You are so weird. And what if anyone needs help other than something like that?"
"We have Evie on that... so long as we can get her out of that library." She smiled, patting the Japanese headmistress on the shoulder. "You and Bue have fun out in New York in that stuffy old mansion." Then, she grinned. "We'll have fun out here."
Tomoe couldn't help but roll her eyes. "This place is a stuffy old castle, and do not forget, you graduated from that "stuffy old mansion" too!"
Smiling, Alba gave the girl a little shove. "Go on, Tomoe. Get Bue, catch your flight, and have fun. Harpsford will still be standing when you get back."
*****
As it turned out, finding Bue was the hardest part. He got a long well with some of the other students, such as nine year-old Anna West, and could often be found somewhere on the grounds with them.
Today, however, the soft misty rain had many preferring to stay indoors, and she found the boy in one of the common rooms, helping Emily and Ra as they worked with Anna on object identification. It was a practice, she realized, that many people would not understand at first seeing it. A simple object was held up in front of the white-eyed girl's face, she would open her mouth, and then, a moment later, state what the object was. It seemed she was simply naming what she saw.
Only it was not that simple. Anna, like everyone at Harpsford, was a mutant, and her blindness was hardly a handicap, for the girl could use echolocation so precise she could identify people and objects simply by memorizing the sound waves that returned to her, much like a normal person would memorize an image.
"Okay, what's this one?" Bue asked, holding up a ladel in front of the girl's face. "Go."
There was a pause; then the blind girl grinned. "It's a ladel!"
Emily lifted her head a little, impressed, switching the glow of her palms on and off as she watched. "Wow, that's pretty impressive."
Tomoe smiled. She didn't really want to interrupt the session, but if she didn't get Bue going, they were bound to miss their flight. "Bue? It is time to get going."
The boy glanced over as the other kids lifted their heads, sitting up just a little bit straighter at the sight of the headmistress. Once he saw her, standing with her suitcases, he smiled and hopped up. "Coming!"
Waving good-bye to the other students seated around, making sure to speak up for Anna, he moved to join the young Japanese woman, who went with him to his room to pick up his bags before they went to catch a taxi to the nearest airport.
*****
It was late evening when the plane from Oregon arrived at Westchester County Airport, and both Tomoe and Bue were exhausted. It had been a long trip, and she almost wished she would have contacted someone ahead of time to be waiting there at the airport. She did not like the idea of riding a taxi all the way out to Salem Center.
"Charles Xavier's Institute for the Gifted, please," she stated as they climbed into the cab once their luggage was safely in the back.
The driver did not seem to want to know much more, as he simply nodded before pulling away from the airport. The ride to the school was quiet, for the most part. They would arrive very late, but that was not uncommon, and she knew right where to head once she got there.
It was nearly nine when they arrived. Still early.
She thanked and paid the driver once they arrived, and she kept Bue at her side as she made her way up the long walkway to the mansion proper. It had been years since she was here, and yet, it never seemed to change. A soft smile crossed her face and she drew in a deep breath, buzzing for entry at the front door.
The woman that answered - oh, Tomoe often felt so small standing in front of Ororo Munroe, who had the presence of a goddess even when she wasn't trying - did not seem to recognize the petite Japanese woman at first.
"Alba, you will be in charge while I am gone. This should not be difficult. I hope you have no troubles."
The Japanese woman had her eyes focused on the tall Italian fashion designer-turned-math teacher, watching when Alba flipped her hair and flashed a grin. "Tomoe, I could run this place with my eyes closed."
Tomoe's brow raised. "That is what concerns me."
Rolling her eyes, Alba walked around the desk, patting Tomoe's arm gently as she smiled. "Seriously, I can handle this. You'll only be in New York for a week and most of the kids will be too busy with classes to notice."
"But some of the special needs children-..."
"Will be fine. We've given Emily a new roommate, one that her glow won't bother. She and Anna will get along wonderfully."
At that, Tomoe couldn't help but smirk. "Of course Emily's glow will not bother Anna. Anna cannot see."
Alba grinned. "All the more reason for us to pair them as roommates. Emily's afraid of the dark, so she keeps her palms glowing at night. That won't bother Anna because Anna is blind. It's a win-win situation."
Chuckling, Tomoe leant over to pick up her bags. "You are so weird. And what if anyone needs help other than something like that?"
"We have Evie on that... so long as we can get her out of that library." She smiled, patting the Japanese headmistress on the shoulder. "You and Bue have fun out in New York in that stuffy old mansion." Then, she grinned. "We'll have fun out here."
Tomoe couldn't help but roll her eyes. "This place is a stuffy old castle, and do not forget, you graduated from that "stuffy old mansion" too!"
Smiling, Alba gave the girl a little shove. "Go on, Tomoe. Get Bue, catch your flight, and have fun. Harpsford will still be standing when you get back."
*****
As it turned out, finding Bue was the hardest part. He got a long well with some of the other students, such as nine year-old Anna West, and could often be found somewhere on the grounds with them.
Today, however, the soft misty rain had many preferring to stay indoors, and she found the boy in one of the common rooms, helping Emily and Ra as they worked with Anna on object identification. It was a practice, she realized, that many people would not understand at first seeing it. A simple object was held up in front of the white-eyed girl's face, she would open her mouth, and then, a moment later, state what the object was. It seemed she was simply naming what she saw.
Only it was not that simple. Anna, like everyone at Harpsford, was a mutant, and her blindness was hardly a handicap, for the girl could use echolocation so precise she could identify people and objects simply by memorizing the sound waves that returned to her, much like a normal person would memorize an image.
"Okay, what's this one?" Bue asked, holding up a ladel in front of the girl's face. "Go."
There was a pause; then the blind girl grinned. "It's a ladel!"
Emily lifted her head a little, impressed, switching the glow of her palms on and off as she watched. "Wow, that's pretty impressive."
Tomoe smiled. She didn't really want to interrupt the session, but if she didn't get Bue going, they were bound to miss their flight. "Bue? It is time to get going."
The boy glanced over as the other kids lifted their heads, sitting up just a little bit straighter at the sight of the headmistress. Once he saw her, standing with her suitcases, he smiled and hopped up. "Coming!"
Waving good-bye to the other students seated around, making sure to speak up for Anna, he moved to join the young Japanese woman, who went with him to his room to pick up his bags before they went to catch a taxi to the nearest airport.
*****
It was late evening when the plane from Oregon arrived at Westchester County Airport, and both Tomoe and Bue were exhausted. It had been a long trip, and she almost wished she would have contacted someone ahead of time to be waiting there at the airport. She did not like the idea of riding a taxi all the way out to Salem Center.
"Charles Xavier's Institute for the Gifted, please," she stated as they climbed into the cab once their luggage was safely in the back.
The driver did not seem to want to know much more, as he simply nodded before pulling away from the airport. The ride to the school was quiet, for the most part. They would arrive very late, but that was not uncommon, and she knew right where to head once she got there.
It was nearly nine when they arrived. Still early.
She thanked and paid the driver once they arrived, and she kept Bue at her side as she made her way up the long walkway to the mansion proper. It had been years since she was here, and yet, it never seemed to change. A soft smile crossed her face and she drew in a deep breath, buzzing for entry at the front door.
The woman that answered - oh, Tomoe often felt so small standing in front of Ororo Munroe, who had the presence of a goddess even when she wasn't trying - did not seem to recognize the petite Japanese woman at first.