Disclaimer: None of this is making me any money, and I don't claim to own anyone or anything mentioned here-with the exception of Susana and the red velvet couch she sleeps on.  Yep, I own the couch, it's residing in my parents' basement until I live somewhere that's safe for red velvet couches(i.e., not with 6 hard drinking college students)…and Susana and I have a mutual ownership style setup.  Marvel owns the rest of the characters. Oh yeah, there are some inconsistencies as far as ages go…I've taken over the Gen-X members' aging processes (and decreed that Jono likes Monty Python) so that everyone is the way I need them to be for the story to work right.  Would that I could avoid such meddling…but Marvel had to go and make it difficult for me. 

 

Notes:

Sound

*Thought*

} Telepathic conversation {

Setting: Susana's room at the Mansion.  About 10:00 AM

Jubilee stepped off the last step and onto the landing of her floor of the Academy's girl's dormitory.  She looked from one door, which led into her room, to the other, which led to the room Susana had been placed in for her stay.  Susana's door was closed, but she'd told the younger girl to just knock if she ever wanted to come in.

 

taptaptap "Hey, can I come in?"  Scuffling sounds ensued from the other side of the door.

"Sure, just a minute…let me get the door" She pulled it open even as she said this, tying a pareo she'd gotten in Mexico around her waist over the hem of her black tank top.  "Whatcha up to?  I was just meditating."

"Not much, just got back in from blading up and down the driveway…I swear, one day it's going to be really easy.  But for now…" she trailed off.  "So what do you have planned for today?" 

"I thought I might see if Ms. Frost would let me borrow a car to make a run into Boston.  I have all this cash saved up from working the desk at the yoga center in Austin, and the Professor won't even let me pay to live here…so I thought I'd go pick up some new leggings-the stretch is kinda fading from mine-,and maybe a book or two.  I miss reading for fun!  Did you have anything planned, or would you like to join me?"

 

She walked away from the door and collapsed onto the red velvet couch, covered in blankets and placed at a right angle to the room's windows.  Straightening her spine and curling her legs into the lotus position, she turned and grabbed the CD player remote from the coffee table that had been designated as her bedside table.  "Do you mind if I play the CD I just made?  It's got some U2, Portishead…and Dixie Chicks."

"Oh, no, go ahead, I don't mind.  Yeah, that sounds great- the trip, I mean.  What would I do here but listen to Monet talk about her greatness and watch Angelo lose at that new video game of his again.  What stores were you going to?"

"I thought just a general sporting goods store for the leggings, and that little bookstore we saw last time we were in the city.  And maybe, if you're good…"

"URBAN OUTFITTERS?!?!?" shrieked Jubilee.  It was no secret that she loved the place, and it's "edgy, urban" merchandise fit perfectly with her general choice of attire.  They even had a purple raincoat, similar to her signature yellow garment, which she'd had her eye on for a few months.  Maybe she'd pick it up while she was there…or maybe she'd get that pair of black vinyl jeans she'd been considering since her last trip into Boston.  *yeah, I think I'll get those.  They were really sweet.  And they'll look really cool with that tank top I ordered last week.*

"Hello, earth to Jubilee…come in please."  Susana laughed at the discomfited expression on her friend's face.  "Let me guess.  OK, you're either going to buy those pants you tried on or the coat you wouldn't stop talking about when we left last time." 

"I'm thinking the pants.  Did I show you that tank top I ordered last week?  The white one with yellow squiggles on it?  Well, I think it'd look really cool with those pants and my coat.  What do you think?"  

"I think it sounds like exactly the outfit to wear when we go to the club next weekend.  Consider the decision made.  Now, what do I want to buy?  I think those black suede flares.  They'll go great with my hot pink v-neck, those boots I got for Christmas, and the white shirt my roommates at UT gave me before I moved out."

"I think," said Jubilee, pausing for effect, "that the guys at the club will step on their tongues if you wear that."

"Really?  You think that?  Well, we'll have to take some steps to make sure they're the only ones to step on their tongues.  I mean, those boots are suede-I can't have guys' spit hurting them.  It'd be a horrid waste!"  *Besides, I don't want the guys at the club to step on their tongues.  There's only one guy I know who I'd want to provoke that kind of reaction from.  And the uncooperative bugger doesn't even have a tongue!*

 "Now, give me a chance to shower and get dressed, let's go beg, borrow, or steal a car…and permission to leave, while we're at it."