X-men: The Zen Chronicles (Redheadstemper)

[Hikari_Mamo]

"I met her." Faye replied. "Calls herself Rogue. Kinda tacky but ya know it's not my name I don't really give two flicks about it." She sighed and listened more to the other sort of rant on about something she didn't agree with. She was fine with just listening. She wasn't much of a talker normally. "I'm sure my parents don't mind that I'm like this. They always said I was a little special." She gave a tiny smile as she sat back and looked at the garden. It was going to look pretty when it was fully grown. "So, I guess you don't really like wheels ans what he stands for then?" She asked tilting her head. "Personally I just don't want to pass out every time I hug someone." She admitted moving to shuffle down and continue to replant the 'not weeds'. She moved two shuffled steps before losing her balance and landing face first in the dirt.

"See?" Xavier smiled at Scott. "I told you she'd be fine." He seemed just a tiny bit smug.

"Yeah well. . ." Scott frowned his argument now invalid. "Fine. I admit it. You were right, but will she come back to us?"

"Who the girl or Kel?" Xavier asked.

"Both." Scott replied arms crossed over his chest with a frown.

"We'll see." Xavier smiled over the scene of Faye face down in the dirt.  

[redheadstemper]

Kel watched the girl - Faye - collapse into the garden bed, and softened it for her.

"Damn, suppose I'd best take her over to the X-Mansion. Not like I can treat those burns, and they're not healing fast enough for her to not need treatment."

Kel packed up her tools and headed over to talk to her boss.

"Hey, boss-man, this student from across the road passed out on the garden bed, I'm gonna get her back up to the school, okay?"

"Why was she over here anyway? She shouldn't have been here, It's private property ... Oh well, you may as well take her over. Have you gotten through the two flower beds at least?"

"Yeah nah, got halfway through the second, but then I realised that I'd been weeding on autopilot and forgot that that one flower that's a weed back home isn't here, and took them out. Anyway, I'd just started replanting them when she collapsed, so that's about it."

"Seriously, Rakel, you can't do that. I've given you this afternoon as an audition, and you do something like that? I'll give you today's pay, but I can't hire you properly if you're gonna do something like that."

Kel sighed. "Okay, I suppose I can't argue with that, you have my deets to send the money to, so I'm gonna get this girl back to her school and see if I can find another job on short notice."

Damnit, I didn't even get a week out of this one, I'm running out of services that'll take me even for emergencies, I'm gonna hafta find some contacts in another state soon.

Kel rushed back to the bed she'd been working on, picked up her tools and Faye, and started the trek to Xavier's mansion, noticing as she crossed the road that the gate was still open.

It's not exactly a well-kept secret around here that it's a haven for mutants, you'd think they'd keep better security even in the daytime, but I suppose Wheels doesn't want the students to feel like prisoners.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Faye felt herself be lifted from her pillow but didn't complain. She started spouting random tunes while smiling a little strangely at the gardens. "Are the flowers supposed to be dancing?" She asked with a grin. "It's like Alice in wonderland!"

"Welcome back Kel." Scott said waiting at the doors when they arrived. "A message from Professor X. He says if you're interested the gardens could use some work and we're looking for a new Agriculture teacher. He also says thank you for returning the. . ." He frowned. "Really? You want me to say that?" He shook his head. "Thank you for bringing back the little lost Aussie lamb." He looked rather unhappy with that. "He also adds that you'll be paid full wage for both your teaching duties and your gardening duties. So ya know, two pay loads."

"Oh look!" Faye said grinning. "It's red eyes~! Hey! Hey Kel! Put me down! He needs to be poked!" Scott rubbed his temples. Looks like the pain killers were finally taking affect.  

[redheadstemper]

"Little lost Aussie lamb? Do I even want to know where that came from?" Kel shook her head. "And, no, Faye, I don't think you can stand on your own right now, how about this though?" With that Kel stepped over to within arm's reach of Scott as he lead them down to the infirmary.

"Tell me, have the students stopped talking about how I shouted at the Professor? But yeah, I could do with a job. Just got fired, didn't I? But he's gotta know I'm not gonna let him push his idealistic bull on me. Hell, considering how he takes a stroll through people's minds, he's gotta know that already, but I guess I needed to say it. Guess I'll hafta start figuring out a syllabus. Unless you've actually had an Ag teacher who quit recently?"  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Faye gave a squeal and started to poke, not to gently, Scott as he let them inside to show them their perspective rooms, he seemed to be ignoring the pokes, for now. "Well, she kind of. . . left." He said looking away. "So there's one already set up. And yes the professor has already gleaned your rules from your mind he agrees to them. now first we have to get her to the underground infirmary, she needs to have the burns checked out- Stop that!!" He roared grabbing Faye hand to stop her from poking him. But then he felt utterly calm before she blasted him down the hall with what seemed to be his own power.

Children in the halls parted for the flying teacher who seemed to have come from the lobby. "Holy crap!" One screamed just as the girl who attacked passed out again. "That was cool!" Another breathed smiling.
"But she just blasted Professor Summers across the school!" Another hissed. "That's scary!" The children were abuzz with gossip over the new student who came in on the shoulder of a former student.  

[redheadstemper]

"Well, that went well. I'd say there's definitely something to do with using other people's powers in there, huh."

Kel chuckled before pinning the girl who called it cool with a glare. "One of you had best go get Dr Grey while I'm getting Faye here down to her domain. Mr Summers needs to get down there too, and you'd best think twice before calling powers 'cool'. 'Scary' fits better - as long as you remember it ain't her fault."

Kel passed her glare over the rest of the gathered students before continuing on towards the infirmary, wondering why Scott seemed to think it would be a good idea to show them to their rooms first.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Faye watched the world go by. Someone was being scolded and someone was picking up the teacher she'd blasted into next week. She kept her eyes closed at someone's suggestion. Huh. So that's what she could do. That was totally awesome! She had a theory as to why Scott showed them the rooms first. In an attempt to get Faye to be seen by the other students and therefore begin friendships. However Faye was way too stoned to even contemplate the dust in the air let alone make friends.
"Hey, Kel," Faye asked with a giggle. "At what point am I allowed to open my eyes again? It's boring in the dark~." She added with a whine. She tried to steady herself groping for something to help keep her from falling off from Kel's shoulder and groped behind. "Ooh~ Squishy~"  

[redheadstemper]

Kel was pretty sure the kids were laughing, now, even if she couldn't hear them.

"Um, yeah, you really need to not grab me there, Faye. It really hurts, and it's kinda inappropriate, especially considering I'm gonna be your teacher ... And you can open your eyes when you decide that a migraine and probably throwing up are not worse than the boredom. Personally, I'd advise you to keep your eyes shut 'til we get somewhere we can turn the lights down, 'k?"

Kel almost sighed with relief as they reached the infirmary without any further incidents, but held it in in favour of talking to Dr Grey.

"Hey doc, here's your patient back. Someone's bringing Scott down, too."

"Who lost control this time? Wait, Rakel Leifsson? When did you get back? I thought you were still refusing to work with us?"

Kel winced. Jean Grey had been in the meeting with the professor wherein Kel had ripped him a new one for extreme idealism.

"Yeah, well, I always said that we've gotta live in the real world, and in the real world a paying job that doesn't come with idealism attached, or prejudice, is always a good thing. I was going to have to start building up some contacts out of state to get a job, soon, with all the ones I've lost for being a mutant.

"Besides, my major problem was that X wanted me on your vigilante team, preaching your ideals to the students. Like I said back then, ideals are all well and good, but in the real world they're worth ja- less than nothing.

"This time I'm hired as gardener and Ag teacher, any vigilante activities are my business, and the Professor agreed to not push his ideals on me."

"Well, lay Faye down on this bed, and I'll check her over. Looks like the painkillers are finally kicking in, but she's loosened some of her bandages, and I've got to check that internal damage that I think is ..."

Kel tuned out the doctor's voice as she started using medical jargon, and went to look for someone to lead her o the former Ag teacher's office. Kel might not have a teaching degree, but X had a way of getting people qualified through on-the-job training, or some such, and she was sure that she had to follow some kind of syllabus.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Faye laid on the bed. She had completely tuned out everything the women were saying. However, when she felt a needle p***k her arm she kicked out. She opened her eyes for a moment and removed the needle in her arm then turned her gaze to the Doctor sending her flying through the wall. 'Faye.' She heard the voice soothe her. Felt him comfort her and she laid back down on the bed and closed her eyes letting his influence put her to sleep.

"She's dangerous!" Scott growled holding his gut. He seemed to not be too badly injured. "Look what she did to the school! To us! It's only a matter of time before it gets too out of hand!"

"Calm yourself Scott." Xavier growled. "She's new to her power, once she's learnt to control it you won't get any more of this. Please stop complaining about it and do something useful." He turned and rolled away making his way outside to look out at his school and make an order of priority for the gardens. He sensed that Wolverine was due to return in a few weeks. He just hoped that neither the new girl or Logan met otherwise. . . things could get difficult.  

[redheadstemper]

Kel was Pissed, capital P truly deserved, at the previous Ag teacher, "Storm, just why did this Ms Danvers 'leave'? 'Cause if it was because she was fired for incompetence, that'd at least explain this mess."

Storm had led Kel to the Ag teacher's office, which was in massive disarray, before deciding to help her find the syllabus.

"That was kept between her and the Professor, but I wouldn't be surprised, personally, as the students always seemed to treat her class as a joke. I'm sure the Professor could find his copy of the syllabus for the class, if not I could probably track down the state standards for it."

"That'd be great. Actually, I'd better go get my ute and stuff, before my former boss of one day gets it towed. Any chance of a lift?"

"Very well, I'm sure Scott won't mind us taking his car, for a short trip at least. There was a man staying with us some time ago who actually drove off with Scott's bike, and he's been livid ever since, but he's always told me I can borrow his car when I need it."

The pair of foreign women headed towards the garage, Kel hoping Scott didn't hold the incident against the kid, Ororo hoping that Charles knew what he was doing this time.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Faye woke in her own room. It was a single room. No sharing. Thank god. She hated sharing. Oh. . . And her stuff from the other school was already here. . . how? She frowned but then shrugged it off and went to the window in her room. The grounds were pretty. And the kids looked like they were having so much fun. She turned and pulled on some proper clothes and shoes for running and put up her hair, then went outside and inhaled the outside air. Kids pushed by her but none touched her skin. She had a mild headache from the painkillers. She noticed the bandages were redone so she figured some gentle walking around the grounds was wiser. More in order than a run. The last thing she wanted was that weirdo touching her. A few children waved or said hello to her and she responded with a simple "G'day." Which stumped them since her accent was clearly Australian. She looked around at the trees happy. Rogue was busy with her group and Faye didn't want to interrupt so went in the opposite direction to them. She decided just too look around, find all the classrooms all the hiding spots. Everything. She wanted to be familiar just in case she needed to hide for some reason.
Faye looked up at one point, feeling eyes on her, and saw Wheels at the balcony smiling down at her. Well, she guessed he was smiling, she couldn't be sure. His hand went up and she put her hand up in response and smacked into a tree.  

[redheadstemper]

Ororo, in Scott's car, preceded Kel's ute into the garage, and the two women climbed out of their respective vehicles.

"I'd better show you your room so you can unpack your belongings."

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea. The Ag classroom is still in the same room, yeah? And the prac spaces? How long do you reckon I'll have to get the lessons together? And I really oughta check these garden's I'm supposed to be fixing up so I can start thinking out a plan ..."

While Kel was listing things she needed to check, she and Storm walked past an incensed Scott, who was muttering about someone getting out of hand. Glancing at each other, each woman separately came to the conclusion that mentioning the use of his car would probably be a very bad idea.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"Hey are you all right?" That familiar Southern twang sounded putting Faye's nerves on edge.
Rogue's hand touched her to help her up but Faye pushed out of the girls grasp and stood up on her own. "Yes." She hissed a bit too meanly. "I am fine. The tree broke my fall." She crossed her arms over her chest narrowing her eyes. She didn't like this girl. She was too. . . What's the word? Depressing? Faye turned and continued walking ignoring that the other was following her asking questions. Faye just grunted in response. Dammit! Were all American's this pushy? "Hey you got blood running down your nose." Rogue's voice broke her thoughts. Faye rubbed her lip stared at the blood shrugged and licked it off her finger.
"I've had worse." Faye replied heading back inside. She ran into someone making skin contact. Both exchanged angry words and Faye noticed the other's eyes were reptilian. "Great! Just perfect!" She growled.
"What? What's wrong?" Rogue asked trying to get her to calm.
"I'm gonna look like Orochimaru the rest of the afternoon." Faye hissed. "And stop following me!" She roared feeling herself getting too angry. Rogue grabbed her shoulder and Faye's instant reaction was to punch the other in the face. She gasped, her eyes widening as she felt her windpipe close. She fell to her knees gasping for air. Her nose continued to bleed onto the floor.
"Rogue!" Someone called. "What have you done?! Someone get Dr Grey! OR Someone!" People rushed to the scene making sure to separate the two girls.  

[redheadstemper]

Hearing a raised, angry voice outside, Kel left her unpacking and rushed to her window, only to see Faye collapse as a girl with dark hair - other than two white streaks - reeled away as if punched.

Jesus, that girl's gotta have the worst luck ... oh hell, can't let the only other Aussie - that I know of, at least - here get hurt cos the idiots won't stop watching. None of them look to be leaving to get someone ...

Kel moved to the intercom and called Jean to let her know of the issue, before forming a pair of thin walls from nearby dirt and gravel,that she moved to form an open corridor to the nearest door.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"I didn't do anything!" Rogue cried as she recovered from the hit. "She hit me!" Faye continued to gasp for breath, tried to heal but her body was so sluggish, so slow to react. She laid on her side trying to get her body to relax. She felt more hands on her and flinched. Her body so overwhelmed she couldn't stop her mind from shutting down.

"Jean," Rogue said. "I swear I didn't touch her, all I did was follow her to make sure she was okay then she punched me!" She seemed to be very distressed. The other students parted when Kel arrived. "Seriously Kel I didn't do anything." Rogue started to cry. The last thing she needed was killing fellow mutant on her hands.