2012-07-03 Bullies

-

10 years ago. 1st Grade.

A boy with dark hair falls to the concrete of the playground as children all begin to laugh around him. A boy with blonde spiky hair and stark blue eyes stands over him menacingly.

"I didn't mean to do it, Miss Harrison."

"It sounds like you two were just horsing around and things got out of hand, right?" Miss Harrison has been here before. They're nice boys, both of them. Boys will be boys.

"That's right, Miss Morrison, we just got a little out of hand." Joe Tyler's blue eyes meet Matt Keucker's dark ones and one of the children smiles reassuringly while the other cowers.

Matt Keucker's jaw is strong, which is a good thing. He's taken quite a few shots to it this year. The knock takes him off his feet and he skitters along the polished tile. His long brown hair flails about and he gets tangled just a bit in his trenchcoat. He's not down for long, however, as he knows he needs to get up fast.

Standing across from Keucker with balled fists and a smug smirk is Joe Tyler.

The Blackbird soars westward towards the setting sun, just a head the Rocky Mountains are in view as the pink sky in the foreground gives way to the purple sky behind them.

The lights of Boulder, Colorado are already on below.

The X-men have come as a response team. The reports are varied, but according to the information gained from Cerebro, some sort of Mutant hostage situation at a teen nightclub in the uptown area.

Cyclops is fiddling with the controls a bit as they begin to make their final descent.

Marvel Girl, as she goes by when in costume, is settled into one of the seats on the Blackbird. Jean is wearing a black suit which covers her from throat to toes, with a yellow leotard over it, belted at the waist with an X-buckle. Yellow gloves and boots complete her ensemble. She is leaning back in her seat, eyes closed, as she focuses on opening her mind to reach out and figure out what is really going on down below.

Shadowcat is sitting in the back, straped in, and jittery. She's been training for this for the last year, spending stupid amounts of time in the Danger room to prep herself for that first call to join the team on a mission. 'Wait until she's a little older'. She balked at that sort of talk, but what was she going to say? 'You're not ready yet'. The worst voice to tell you that, is your own.

As the blackbird made its final approach, Kitty worried her hands over the loose end of her uniform, left leg bouncing like a pogo stick as her nerves played happy havoc across her brain. So many thoughts, so many concerns. Are you ready? 'Yes, I'm ready'. Are you sure? 'Too late to change my mind now, so yes.'

She just hoped she was right.

Piotr's looking out the window by his seat since he's not piloting this time. "Mutant powers and hormones. A good combination, da?" FOR MAYHEM. When he first joined, he took one look at the yellow parts of the team uniform and asked if they were serious. Hence he's in all black though he hasn't bothered transforming yet. "Maybe diplomacy will be enough for a change." Yeah, right. Hormones.

Nightcrawler is settled into the co-pilot's seat, the radio is alive with ATC information, the clouds opening to them as they make their descent. There isn't much beyond keeping an eye on windspead, and taking the readings from the anonometer as they come across the coms. He's been quiet for most of the flight, moreso the end rather than the beginning, but now, he's going to try and be the voice of optimism. "I'm sure all that will be needed is a proper amount of reason applied.."

As for Beast, like Jean he's occupying one of the seats in the body of the Blackbird. His mask is currently peeled back, looking like he's sleeping at the moment. Perhaps something of a catnap, given that missions tend to upset his work schedule from time to time. Well, perhaps he was just meditating as the indication that the jet has changed direction in prep for landing has him cracking his eyes open and pulling his mask down into place. "I'm hoping that we can use that as the "Easy Way Out", Piotr. But a bunch of jumpsuit wearing a authority figures is probably not going to immediatly have them willing to join us in singing Kumbayah."

-

"Yer such a dork, Keucker." Kristin Blankenship's vocal chords are wound in such a way to always hit that perfect pitch between irritating and stomach-droppingly cruel. "You and all your friends. We wish you would just die.

"Leave us alone," Keucker says as he's trying to make his way towards class. A group of his friends are trying to get to class but to no avail.

-

"Let's hope so, Colossus," Cyclops says while keeping his eyes on the view in front of him. "Everyone, roll call in 20." Then there's a mutter about something regarding proper amounts of reason.

Jean reaches out with her mind and begins to comb the land below. She meets all sorts of people this way: lawyers and gas station attendants, accountants and teachers. As she begins to probe towards the nightclub her mind begins to go a bit haywire. There are thousands of mutants in that small four story building. It's possible, but not probable, right?

Feeling the young woman's apprehension, Cyclops looks to Shadowcat and smiles in a reassuring manner. "Kitty," he doesn't use her name at first, which is odd for him. "Everything is going to be o-"

Cyclops can never finish the sentence, however, as almost immediately something is wrong. It certainly didn't look like they hit anything, but looks seem to be deceiving. Almost immediately the ship goes into a tailspin, throwing the heroes against their harnesses. Cyclops desperately tries to get his bearings, even as the Blackbird begins to creak angrily, almost as if it's being torn apart from the inside.

Jean's eyes snap open as she grips the arms of her seat tight enough to whiten her knuckles beneath the gloves. She blurts out, "This can't be right, I'm reading thousands of mutants in that building. There is no way-" that's when the tailspin begins. Marvel Girl is thrown against her harness as she quickly reaches out for Scott's mind to try and judge what he's doing to steer, then trying to help him stabilize the blackbird with her telekinesis.

Kitty really wanted to believe that. Wanted to take comfort from Scott's smile and his assurance. She almost did, she came so close, and then the alarms start screaming and the blackbird is spinning. She's pushed against her seat and screams out in surprise, first, then a quiet sort of trembling fear in her gut. It's one thing to practice extreme gravity training in simulation, it's quite another thing when everyone's life is very suddenly in the pink.

'Calm down, Kitty.' Her voice is soothing. 'This is why you trained. These are your friends and they know what they're doing.' I know, I.. I'm just scared. 'You can't be a couragous, if you're not scared.'

Her eyes squeeze shut so very tight, her teeth grind together with a locked jaw. Even if she weren't being forced against the seat, she's gripping the harnass tight enough to make her knuckles go white.

Piotr grunts as he's thrown around in his chair and transforms into his organic steel form, making everything so much easier to deal with. Including crashes. Looking around, he take stock of everyone situation to make sure they are all right. "Katya, be ready to phase. If you are able, do so with Hank." Of course Jean will do her best to shield everyone and Hank especially since Kurt can teleport Scott out. And just about any landing is one Piotr can walk away from.

//Thousands//? Nightcrawler looks back to Jean, his expression questioning, but he doesn't get the actual word out before the Blackbird begins it's spin, klaxons blaring. What he does get out is the briefest of prayers he's ever uttered, "Gott.." He's thrown against the back of his seat, the harness keeping him in place, at least, and he's got to fight against the Gs to get hold of the secondary controls to help Scott stabilize the 'bird. He's at least able to send out a 'mayday', however, over the radio.. and looks to see where the ship is headed, and do whatever it is he can to at least avoid a populated area.

"Thousands?" Beast growls softly under his breath. "Did we do a Cerebro scan of the area before take-off?" Hank asks, pulling a computer pad from a pocket of the seat infront of him. Of course, that's when the jet seems to slam into something that's not there, Hank gritting his teeth as his feet grab for the seat infront of him to steady himself as he unhooks his harness... the pad slipped away for moment as Hank gets up... his fingers and toes clutching eagerly to every surface as he moves toward the front. "What did we hit?" Hank asks, holding tight to Scott's seat as he peers out the cockpit window. And at least he's close if they need another set of hands to regain control. Hank glances back, considering telling Kitty to attempt to phase the whole jet, but nods to Colossus instead.

Last Year: Mr. Kellison's class is quiet for the most part as students read through Romeo and Juliet. Out of nowhere a book's spine collides with Matt Keucker's head and bounces to the floor with a hard slap. Keucker is out of his seat and throwing a missing punch towards Tyler. "Matthew!" yells Mr. Kellison, "That's it. . .To the office right now. Principal Callen is going to suspend you for this!"

"911, what's your emergency?"

"OHMYFUCKINGGOD,THEY'VESNAPPED"

"Slowdown. What's going on?"

"They've snapped! They're going to kill us all?"

"Who? Who's going to kill you?"

"We're at Gaston's in Uptown. . .Please hurry"

The emergency operator tries desperately to get more information, but she's drowned out by a loud scream. The phone is then hungup.

-

Cyclops is having trouble holding consciousness as the Bird continues to tailspin. Inside, certain members may be feeling extremely nauseous as the systems within the plane are beginning to fail. Cyclops reaches desperately for the controls, but it's of little use at this point. Jean's scan will find him entirely discombobulated.

The plane continues to creak violently, until part of it along the back half of the bridge area rips away, taking precious oxygen with it. All loose items make their way out of the hole and up into the purple sky above. Above the roar of the wind, the warning klaxon's continue to fire off angrily

Red hair whips around wildly, half-blinding Jean, but she's not relying primarily on her eyes right now anyway. She's relying on Cyclops' which isn't any better. Her hands curl into fists as she strains to pull the plane out of the spin, trying to find the pivot point and push against it. |"Everyone out! Kurt take Scott. Kitty, Phase Hank. I have Piotr!"| Marvel Girl rips her harness off telekinetically before grabbing Colossus and flying them out of the hole in the back.

Kitty.

Nothing.

Kitty move.

Terror, object horror...

NOW KITTY MOVE!

It's the creaking of the blackbird... It's got her scared to her core. Heart pounding in her chest, thumping so hard she can hear it... And then she's moving.

Seriously unsure why, or even how, the girl phases through her harness, nolonger affected by the Gs once she's out of sync with the rest of the jet, and hurtling towards Hank like a fastball... Count one, Count two... Count three..

Phase back in just long enough to smash into his shoulders and distort them out of sync with the plane... and then straight down through the metal, rolling end over end towards the ground rushing up to meet them...

Well, that's not good. As the plane starts to disintegrate and he feels Jean start to tug on him, Colossus releases the harness clasps so she can fly him out. "Release me if it'll help save the plane." he suggests before they hit open sky. He'll make a far smaller hole in the ground than the jet will. And won't break up on impact.

Kurt is reaching over at about the same time that he's getting the message. The speed of the descent really does cloud one's brain, and there's a muzziness that threatens to take over. "--Our Father, who art in heaven..--" (--Spoken in German.) Just because he's praying, however, doesn't mean he's not acting, and the moment he can get hold of Scott's arm, he calls out to his teammate, "Got him.." and it's that single heartbeat passes that has two people in one place.. and suddenly, they are gone with a soft *bamf*, the rapid shifting of air filling a void, with that touch of brimstone left behind. It's to land on the ground, slightly away from the trajectory of the Blackbird that he'll go.. and with a *bamf* once again.. the shifting of the ether allows for his appearance, and Scott's..

Beast makes it as easy on Shadowcat as possible, releasing his grip with his fingers and toes to their anchor points a micro-second before Kitty makes contact. Hank closing his eyes as their sent 'In, Through, and Beyond' the inside of the Blackbird as they phase through. His ghostly fingers stroking across her panels for a moment, remembering all the hours spent working on her, upgrading her, and making her so beautiful. "Goodbye girl." He whispers, as they slip through onto the otherside... Hank opening his eyes once more to see what's to become of her. "Thanks for the rescue Shadowcat. I owe you dinner." Hank offers, bracing for either impact with the ground or temporary phase into it.

Kitty's phase is perfect, grabbing Hank and putting them out and into the night sky. They're dropping hurriedly, but they're out of the crumbling plane at least.

The moment that Kurt bamfs out of the disintegrating plane, there's a moment of peace and clarity where the dizziness begins to abate. For a moment, there's almost nothing except the wind between their ears and then in an instant, there down upon the ground. Even as they land, Cyclops is still holding on to Nightcrawler trying to get his bearings.

He does so, just in time to look up and see the Blackbird explode into a billion pieces amidst a fireball of carnage.

Cyclops winces as he pats Nightcrawler on the side and finally goes upright. "That'll be expensive."

Marvel Girl sweeps towards the ground, dropping Piotr gently there. |"Kitty, phase back in, now!"| She reaches up with her telekinesis in the hopes of slowing Shadowcat and Beast's fall, then cushioning their landing. |"Everyone, check in please!"| Jean calls telepathically, reaching out for the minds she knew were there before their sudden departure from the plane. She reaches up to cover her eyes, turning her head away from the explosion, before instinctively erecting a dome of telekinetic force to cover herself, Piotr, Kitty, and Hank from debris.

It takes Kitty an extra half second to phase them back in after Jean sends out the order, but she complies and their decent is slowed and finally cushioned. Her fingers uncoil out of Hank's uniform, knuckles still white, and body trembling visibly as she looks around at their surroundings with eyes wide enough to use as tea plates.

Adrenoline is keeping her calm enough to remember her training... even if every nerve is screaming to break down into tears. "here.." She says, with a voice that surprises even her with the level of calm. Apparently muscle memory works even on higher mental functions.

Still, both arms snake around her abdomen, clutching it tight as she waits for everyone to report in following the dramatic explosion of their way home. Kneeling down watching the firey pieces fall to earth like comets..

That was a softer landing than Colossus was anticipating but he's not going to complain about it. "I am well." he says over the team comm unit. He leaves it at that till everyone is accounted for. Questions can wait. "Well done, Katya."

Teleporting with two is a little more fatiguing than with one, and Kurt blinks his eyes and takes a deep breath. He doesn't let Scott go until the other man finds his legs once again, and he nods, exhaling, a quiet whisper of thanks given before he straightens. "I know we didn't strike a bird.. and all systems were green-lighted.." he begins, his head shaking. "I.." no idea.

"Cyclops und I are fine.." comes the German accented words. "Though that might come out of our weekly paycheck."

Beast drops into his usual crouched stance once on the ground. "Cubby! Err, Beast!" Hank cracks wise, since Iceman isn't here to calm the nerves of everyone. "And calling not it on explaining to X about trashing another jet." Beast offers with a sigh, crouched under Jean's TK barrier as flaming pieces of the jet rain down on them. Beast glances up and places a large hand on Kitty's shoulder and gives it a squeeze. "Thanks." Hank whispers again to Kitty.

Jean cracks an eye open to watch the rain of bits and pieces of their beloved Blackbird bounce off her shield. It hurts, watching the old girl go out like that. She's part of an earlier era, the one when there were just five of them living in the mansion. Now she looks over at Kurt, Kitty, and Piotr, and gives the next generation of X-Men a sad smile. Relief washes over her face as Kurt and Scott call in. Once the pair have rejoined them she asks, "What now, fearless leader?" trying to fill her voice with bravado for the benefit of Shadowcat. She pulls a simple domino mask with high points from her boot and presses it over her eyes.

"Cyclops, ok," comes through the telekinetic link, a bit redundantly, as the field commander looks up at the group of descenders. He doesn't seem worried at all, and even steals a glance at his surroundings.

"He's right," Cyclops says as he nods to Colossus. "Damn good work, kid." Noticing that everyone is okay, he exhales in the darkness. Not much farther is the highway.

Scott looks to Jean and shrugs his shoulders. "Anyone got a cell phone?"

10 MINUTES LATER. ..

The entirety of the team is scrunched into one of those mini-van cabs and looking completely annoyed. About as annoyed as the driver.

"Gaston's huh? Yeah, it's one of those biker/goth/punk rock places or whatever. Just a hang out, they let kids in there sometimes too. Always weird folks goin' in. Playin' dress up. . ."

His eyes look into the mirror and back at the X-men. Cyclops tries to wriggle himself some more room as he got seated next to Colossus.

"That sort of thing." The driver shakes his head and continues to Gaston's, his lead foot gets them there in 7 minutes flat.

A taxi cab. So much for a grand entrance. Jean is working hard to maintain the telepathic illusion that the party in the vehicle is a bunch of normal-looking teens heading for that nightclub. In irritation, she lets the cabbie think Scott is wearing pink and lime green with orange accents.

Kitty looks to the hand on her shoulder and forces a weak smile at Beast, but she's scared of what her voice will sound like now that they're back on the ground and the adrenoline isn't pulsing through her veins at a continuous rate.

Her arms loosen and she stands up, trying not to tremble. Trying so hard to look tougher than she feels. Sure, she knows that Jean can see the fear in her mind. It'd be impossible to hide it, even if she had the inclination to try. But she's trying.

Trying to be like the X-men around her. It's silly. It's the first time she's really starting to second guess herself for agreeing. Excitement isn't all it's cracked up to be.

10 Minutes later. ..

Seriously? Cloistered up in the back of a van next to Piotr? Kitty glances up at the russian with a weak sort of smile that she's trying not to let say 'oh my gawd, you are so hawt..' It does anyways though. "Hi..."

Seriously? Hi?!

Piotr smiles down at Katya then puts an arm around her shoulders to try to lend her some support. Just in case it should lead to the wrong impression, his other arm goes around Scott's on his other side. Aside from anything else, it gives them more room without his arms and shoulders in the way.

"Katzchen.." Kurt looks to Kitty, his voice low, his tones.. proud. "You couldn't have done better." He moves to wrap an arm around her in a brief hug, before everything else needs to get sorted out..

10 Minutes later...

Kurt is trying to keep his tail tucked up, but there are times when he swears the thing has a life of it's own. Taking hold of it, he keeps it from getting in the way too badly, as he's squished in next to Beast. "Do you do long distance rentals?"

Poor Beast, he tried to salvage some tech from the wreckage before they got a ride. But there wasn't much left, so it looks like it's the old days all over agan. When it was just kids in costumes, without crazy gadgets and devices. Again, poor Beast. For the moment he's just squirming uncomfortably in the back of the cramped cab. Hank fidgets and nearly steps on Kurt's foot. "I'm starting to get the feeling that we're the world's most dysfunctional family on vacation."

Things look pretty calm from the outside of Gaston's. Scott catches up with the rest after paying the cab and they all stand outside. Still looking to all observers as teen kids. Inside things are a different story, it appears. There appear to be thousands of mutants inside, but something doesn't seem right. I mean, it looks right to Jean. It just doesn't feel right. There aren't any hostages, per se. But there seems to be commotion on the third floor. A handful of non mutants are up there.

"Right," Cyclops says. "Here's the plan. Colossus, Kitty, and Nightcrawler do things the old fashioned way. Through the front door. Engage, and run." Cyclops looks to Colossus, "Okay, engage for a bit, and then see how you're doing. Hopefully that'll draw everyone out. Meanwhile, Beast, Marvel Girl, and I will try to recon to see what this is all about."

Once the cabbie is gone, Jean connects everyone telepathically. |"I'm sensing a disturbance of some sort on the third floor,"| she informs them. |"There are non-mutants there."| She nods at Scott's orders, then gestures with both hands, rising into the air and lifting Cyclops and Beast with her. They can make their own entrance once the 'kids' make a diversion below.

Right because Kitty is totally not a seventeen year old girl who's crushing on the guy who just put his arm around her. She /totally/ realizes his other arm is around Scott and totally doesn't get the wrong impression... Totally.

Shadowcat has slipped her mask over her face and tied it off atop the ponytail hanging out from beneath it. She feels kind of silly in it, but... it actually gives her a little extra boost of confidence. Something powerful to be said about annonymity.

"Okay boss." Said with a grin, mostly nervous, but still genuine. Then she's jogging forward towards the front wall of the building once the 'plan' is laid out.

It's a well laid out plan... go in the front door (check). "Uh... Hey, how big a diversion do we want?" Danger, danger will robinson. She's got /that sound/ to her voice. That, I'm about to do something crazy sound.

"Because... I... Have an idea..."

Colossus nods to Scott and waits a moment to watch them begin to ascend. "Very well. Kurt, Katya, stay behind me till we see what is going on." Though at Kitty's words, he pauses to look at her promptingly. "I was thinking we should just walk in and pretend to belong there while we see what is happening. What is your idea?"

In through the front door? Okay.. it'll be in through the front door! Kurt looks to the two with him, and with an exaggerated bow, offers, "Shall we?" before he, himself, begins that walk, not at all feeling as if he's the third wheel. There's bound to be a bouncer, and turning about, walks backwards, "They want a diversion. So, we should give them a diversion.." Yellow eyes turn towards Kitty in question, his brows rising, "Katzchen, idea?"

Beast crouches even more as Jean TK-Grapples him, hugging his knees to give Jean something easier to control. And hey, if worse comes to worse... she can always TK-Shoot him into someone like a billard ball. Hank keeps the banter to a minimum now, as there's a time and place for everything. For now he focuses on the mission at hand, flexing his prehensile toes in eagerness to get down to business. He offers a nod to Jean that he's ready when she is.

The trio of Beast, Marvel Girl, and Cyclops rise slowly into the air. Next stop, third floor. As they get higher, the wind picks up and their hair begins to blow around quite a bit. Cyclops in particular, has his game face on, as he reaches up towards his visor, waiting on team Alpha below.

Jean holds the trio aloft, and waits for Cyclops to give the word. |"Make your move, Shadowcat,"| she sends.

Kitty grins in a way that cannot be good and or healthy. She looks between Piotr and Kurt and grabs their uniforms in curled fists... suddenly running towards the brick wall at full tilt. "HOLD ON!" She's about to go all Buckaroo Bonzi... 'They call me John Big booty' on this nightclub.

If they shake her off, she phases right through the wall alone, waiting until she's on the other side, knows her surroundings, and is abreast of any immediate dangers before phasing back in and diving at the first group of teens in her path... Releasing both Kurt and Piotr if they 'did' come in with her, so that she can phase through... grab the collar of... and yank down a dancer.

"Huzzah!"

Colossus doesn't 'shake off' Kitty so much as just not run with her as he had no idea what she planned and is left standing there as she disappears through the wall. Open mouth. Close mouth. "Da, teenagers and hormones." Now he does go running for the front door so he can get inside and make sure nothing bad happens to anyone.

Kurt's very presence can easily be a diversion. Add teleporting and acrobatics? He'd be the very image of a moving target! But, he's more than happy to hear what Shadowcat has to say, certainly.. and time is passing and quickly. "Hold--" On?

Kurt is pulled through the wall, a very strange feeling certainly, and once upon the other side, he gets his bearings, and quickly. In the blink of an eye, he's teleported with a *bamf* only to land upon the top of the bar, his perch brief as he reaches to push a beer lever forward to stop the flow of alcohol. "Serving underage children? Where are their bracelets?" Beat. "Stamps?"

As soon as Shadowcat takes the group inside, Cyclops unleashes a vast optic blast (ooc: teehee, that's a rhyme) that blows a giant hole in the side wall.

Once the smoke settles, it's apparent that two groups of kids are about to get into a fist fight. There's a group of preppy looking kids and a group of goth/trenchcoat types and there's a lot of yelling and screaming and it looks like there are a couple kids who are crying. It would almost look like a normal high school fight, if there weren't bodies laying on the floor. And blood.

But where there were thousands, originally, there is merely a handful now. Weird.

Meanwhile, team Alpha gets the same treatments. They were originally expecting bunches and bunches, but there's really just 5 in there. Kitty takes care of one by her very lonesome with her Huzzah trick. Four more. And while they don't look very old, they're definitely mutants. What kind of mutants wear letter jackets? I thought they were more the leather jacket types. ..

Sensing that the second generation has made their entrance, Jean drops the illusion, feeling a bit relieved as she was starting to strain from so much effort tonight. She shields her group from the debris of Cyclops' blast, then shoes them all through before releasing her hold on the gentlemen. "Stop!" she calls out, to see if any of the combatants listen.

Shadowcat could have swore there were more people in here a second ago... Glancing around at the other four individuals, music all quiet, dance floor not so jammed packed.. And everyone's wearing letter Jackets. "Would you believe we're with the building inspector?"

Sheepish.

Kitty clears her throat and glances at the senior members of team Alpha... wide eyed and shrugging her shoulders. Mouthing, 'Do we challange them to free throws?' Which probably doesn't get seen. She's still phased... just incase they attack first. Really, this is all a bit odd to her...

Colossus has paused just inside the doorway since the lack of wall to wall mutants was not quite what they were expecting. "Good evening." he decides on. "Would one of you care to explain just what is going on here?" A few teenagers in letter jackets? Lets not escalate.

Five? Just.. five? Kurt looks up, yellow eyes counting those in the room, and his head quirks. "How.." and he releases the hold on the beer lever to perch. He clears his throat and announces, "What is going on?" He casts his gaze around, looking for one that might have the answers, even if by posture.. manner.. a couple of pins added to his letter on his jacket? His words simply echo Piotr's, but.. well.. yes. "Why the cover?"

Beast lets Jean launch him through the opening made by Scott's optic blast. Rolling out of the 'Beast Ball', and quickly scanning th area for combatants. He doesn't immediatly start throwing punches though, wanting to get a quick survey of the surroundings on the upper level now that they're inside. He's ready though, in case someone wants to start trouble with him. Preppy Kids vs. Goth Kids? "West Side Story: The Next Generation?"

But the kids don't stop at Marvel Girl's warning. The blonde haired boy, Joe Tyler, turns towards Marvel girl and emits a vicious blast from his mouth. Searing lava-type material spews in her direction.

There are two people up on the top floor who are not really in any mood to fight. After seeing the blast, they make a break for the downstairs in an attempt to flee.

As Beast gets to his feet, he immediately feels that awkward touch of someone in his head. There are images of all sorts, flashing by his eyes over and over. For some reason they always come back to something that looks like Pompeii being destroyed by Mount Vesuvius.

"Look out!" Cyclops quickly switches his visor to stun and picks off a kid who was taking advantage of Hank's momentary issue.

Downstairs. ..

One of the young men begins to bend out at an impossible angles as his body takes on the consistency of putty. He slinks towards Kitty, intent on doing some harm if possible. "Oh, it'll be free, hottie," he remarks disgustingly.

"Sure," says another boy. With hands that become giant anvils and arms that stretch out at incredible speed, the earlier boy's twin attacks Colossus with a giant two hand. . .well, two anvil, attack.

It's always the enemy you don't see that's the dangerous one. As the invisible mutant unsheathes a knife and stalks behind Nightcrawler, he makes nary a sound.

"Cover?" asks one of the mutants. "Why not?"

Well, that didn't go very well. Marvel Girl throws up a TK shield between herself and the lava, before thrusting a bolt of pure psionic power at the vomitter, trying to turn off his lights. "That was not nice," she scolds.

Putty fingers and pick up lines. Yeup, definately a mutant frat party... LulKitty is not impressed.

She's got her mask on and her confidence working in over gear now that the threat is 'right there'. She just survived a jet crash and a twenty minute cab ride with Piotr's arm around her shoulder... this will be cake.

"Uh... Man, you're a creeper!" Dipping back away from the wiggly fingers of mister pudtastic... Her hand swipes up a beer mug as she spins and heads back towards him, intent on phasing /through/ him, but leaving a little glass gift in his tummy. He's made out of goo, he'll be fine!

She's the decker... why do they always expect the decker to fight?!

Colossus rocks back at the double impact but doesn't really look hurt. Or impressed. Fixing his gaze on the one that attacked him, he says frowning "I would prefer not to trade blows with other mutants but I will not let you attempt to harm my friends. If you all stand down now, it will be the end of it."

Invisible means, well.. invisible, and there isn't a thing Kurt can do about that. As a result, he's not going to perch and wait around- not when Kitty is being attacked. There.. and gone, Nightcrawler teleports from his spot on the bar and appears again near his teen-teammate before the knife can find purchase, "You don't want to pick on a girl.." he begins, and reaches to take hold of the bendy-boy and teleport him across the room.. in small trips. "So I'll ask you to wait across the room until she wants to talk with you."

Beast growls under his breath, his lips curling just a bit as he's fed nightmarish images. Telepaths have never been one of his favorite things, especially rummaging around in his head. "Thanks." Beast growls in thanks to Scott, grabbing the knocked out form of the young man as he crumples from Scott's optic blast and pitches him across the room at one of the other unruly mutants. Note to all, don't go into his head without asking if you want to get on his goodside. Once the young man is pitched, Hank leaps forward with a growl and charges towards the remaining group. "Don't you kids have anything better to do?"

As Jean tries to shot a telekinetic bolt at Tyler, she's being blocked by someone or something. What? Oh, there it is. There's a young lady holding her hand up to her head, squinting, looking in pain, and giving the telltale sign of, I'm like a really strong mutant for such a young girl, but I've had no training so I make really pained faces.

Another mutant tries to engage Hank, but this guy is really no match one way or another. It's only clear what his power is when he moves. As the light hits him differently, you can see different images of people near him. Almost as if he's a projector of some sort. To Jean, she'll notice that every now and again, when he can concentrate, there's a flurry of mind activity (well, it's pretty mindless because it's all the same) that makes it feel like there are far more people in the building than there are.

There's a spit of green goo that catches Cyclops across the chest. The affected area begins to smoke and dissipate as some sort of bile-like acid eats away at his uniform. Gross.

The beer mugged creeper doubles over in pain and screams. He lands on his side, literally crying, and his body goes back to normal. Kurt picks him up kindly, and teleports him out of danger. Meanwhile an invisible mutant sighs, revealing his presence to those who are listening especially close.

Colossus' foe is simply not taking no for an answer and comes at the older mutant a little bit harder this time. The long anvil hands are twisting in the air to gain more force, like giant balls on the end of lassoes coming straight for Colossus.

Jean reaches for the lava-spitter with unseen telekinetic arms. She picks him up and slams him, repeatedly, into a wall. Apparently no one warned him about redheads and their tempers. She then throws him into the psychic girl, to break her concentration, hopefully. "What is the point of this fight!?" she yells at them, frustrated. They should be doing good with their powers!

Seriously, Shadowcat isn't a fighter yet. She sneaks through walls and provides angles for the real combatants, sure, but standing mono e mana with people? Negative Ghostrider.

The sigh, however, catches her attention... Her head snaps around to the source of that sound... and narrows eyes seeing where it was. Ready, to strike, Kurt...

Angry seventeen year old girl... is... go.

"Oh no you didn't..." She seeths, leaping over a table.. through a chair.. phasing and unphasing instinctively now that she's got a purpose, a plan, and a target upon which to exact both.

"NOBODY HURTS THE ELF!"

Leaping up onto a table and diving... she doesn't have the velocity for a solid tackle, so she clips him on the legs.. phases and pulls him half way through the bar before letting him go.

Now it's all about using him like one of those springing clown kid punching thingies. But instead of kiddy fists, she's smashing beer bottles on his head.

"You guys need a damn role model!"

SMASH!

Colossus just sighs as the boy starts to attack him again. Wasn't the complete lack of effect of the first attack enough of a clue? Obviously not. As both anvils come at him again, Colossus steps forward so they sail past him, lifts both hands to grab the boy's arms beyond where they turn into anvils and then gives a huge yank, bringing the boy flying toward him to slam into his chest. "I said stop." Piotr tells the boy sternly and lets go of one arm to lightly - for Colossus - slap the boy across the face. He does keep an eye on the others but they seem to have everything under control as well.

With the curling up of the kid, Kurt looks in the direction where Kitty was, his expression pained, "Take that out of him, please.." Guilt.. and it's just a child! Well, a teen.. The request, however, is certain to fall on deaf ears as Kitty launches herself into.. the air? He turns about to follow her trajectory, and it's where he had been.. and on the heels of a sigh, he catches sight of a boy, with a knife in hand, now where he had once been. "Kat- Katzschen! I think he gets the message.."

A projector? Or... in this case perhaps like a strange mutant prism? It's a longshot, but that's sometimes what Science is. If he's the reason for the multiple ghost mutant signatures that they picked up, taking him out could be a good start. Beast leaps forward towards the man, thrusting his feet forward and kicking him in the chest. Driving him back against the far wall, as Hank lands and leaps forward again to slam him into the wall... and through it. Landing in the bathroom, and skidding across the tile. And if the guy is still conscious, Hank grabs him by the back of the neck and slams his head against the toilet, leaving him unconscious leaning on it. "You're lucky I didn't give you a swirly." Hank noted, patting him on the head.

The scores of Goth kids begin to run away trying to get out a back door, but not before they grab their bloodied friends and lead them out as well. Luckily, all the people who want to stop them are getting their asses kicked all over the building. They get to a back fire escape and make their way down gingerly.

Jean's attack is really all about women playing against little boys and girls. She smashes one mutant into another, knocking both their lights out and bringing "Poor" Joe Tyler to his knees. Heh. I hate that kid.

Beast's kid was conscious, but barely, and loses consciousness just after the joke.

The invisible mutant shrieks and becomes visible. It's easy to see why the power benefits him. He looks like the evil red head kid from the Christmas Story. Well just like in that movie, Kitty goes all Ralphie on his punk ass. But instead of fists, it's broken bottles. Yeouch.

Colossus' vicious slap is only lightly administered for him, but still packs a hell of a wallop. It makes the mutant, a 230lb linebacker on the Boulder Central Football team, begin to cry.

With a sweep of her arms, Jean grabs hold of the upstairs hooligans and pins them telekinetically to a wall so they don't wake up and get any stupid ideas. |"What will we do with them?"| she asks Scott and Hank with a concerned expression. |"They clearly need training of some sort. Or better parental supervision."|

SSSSSMASH!

Shadowcat has a stern face beneath her mask... but the kid is bleeding from multiple lacerations on his head and slumped over groaning. Seriously, she didn't mean to go that far, it just sort of happened...

Yikes...

Two fingers touch him, phase him, and let him fall backwards out of the bar, crumpled up on the floor. Glancing back at Kurt with a loose, but very pained, frown. "Y-..okay sorry.." Seriously. Jet crashes and she's scared, bar fights and she's excited, Kurt disappointed and she's mortified.

Over to the curled up young stretch armstrong to remove the glass from his stomach, trying to do it as nicely as she can, but ... damage did. Guilt is go.

"Sorry... S-..." Poop.

Colossus continues to look stern, unmoved by the bully's tears. "You have been given a great gift. It is not one to be abused or used to hurt others. You will use it responsibly because if you do not - and I will find out - I will be back." He sweeps his gaze over all three of those who attacked them. "We will all be back." It's like he never left the school.

Children.. they're children. And like Jean, upstairs, the first question Kurt has on his mind (as if she's telepathic or something!) is 'What now?' "Thank you, Katzchen.." and his voice lowers, "They are children.. who apparently haven't been taught the measure and proper use of their gifts." Yes, he'll go with 'gifts'. "We can't afford to have more turning against the world." Including other mutants.

Kurt looks to Colossus and nods, "We will be back.. and we'll help you. If it is wished." And even if it's not, he, at least, will make the effort. "This isn't the end.. this is the beginning for you."

east stops at the sink to wash his hands, leaning back to glance out the hole in the wall at the others. Yeah, he's wearing his costume gloves, but still... who knows how dirty that bathroom is. Afterwards, Hank steps back through the whole in the wall and surveys the mess both upstairs and downstairs. "Sorry, had to use the restroom. What I miss?" Hank asks, flashing Jean a playful smile. Of course, the question of what to do with so many mutants gives him pause. "We weren't expecting a recruitment drive. But... it's what we do. We should have Angel dispatch a jet and some civilian clothes. We have a lot of parents to meet and greet and sell on a 'Private School'."

"Not sure, Marvel Girl." Cyclops looks at her with a wince. "We already beat them down pretty good." He pauses for a minute. "We'll be in touch with them."

As the dust begins to settle, the teenagers are groaning and crying in pain on the ground. For just a moment--/just a moment/--Scott allows himself the pleasurable feeling of the aftermath of delivering the beatdown on some snotnosed students. Because all teachers feel that way. At least once.

The victims got away, running so scared they never stopped to ask who their heroes were. And in the distance, the police sirens could be heard coming closer and closer. Now downstairs as the X-men are playing cleanup, Cyclops nods to Shadowcat and gives her a smile. "Told you we'd be okay." He tilts his head towards the sirens and adds. "Looks like they're playing our song, guys."

-

"Well, it doesn't make sense to rent one. I mean, they'd be able to trace it to us. We need to go underground. We need to buy something. . ."

Scott looks up and winces, "Oh man. This is going to hurt my pocket book, isn't it?" He sighs and makes his way towards an ATM.

-

Paying in cash has always been able to get you places, even today. And as the sun rises in the east, burning up I-80, an old RV hobbles along angrily.

Scott, now wearing the lower part of his suit, but only an A-cut shirt on his upper half and looks at the sleeping mutants piled on beds and couches in the back.

"I really hope this piece of shit gets us back to New York."