Okay, I know its overdone, but I've had this thought in my head of the new X-kids for ages and my muses finally made me do it.
This basically takes place around 20 years in the future. There's no futuristic technology, but that's because it requires thinking.
NeXt Generation
"Do we have to go?" The youngest teen whined from the back of the posh, black minivan.
The driver sighed, a parental, with just a hint of repressed-desire-to-give-the-chronic-complainer-a-thick-ear kind of sigh. Luckily, the red-headed passenger in the front took pity on him and answered her daughter's question. "We've discussed this before, Gracie, and all of you agreed to go. We go there every holidays, why should this be any different?"
"Yeah," came a voice behind the parents, "but that was before you told us that it wasn't going to be just the holidays."
"And that you weren't staying." Gracie whinged.
"We had to leave all our friends behind," another voice added, "and we're going to be in the middle of nowhere. No malls, no shops, no life..."
Now the mother sighed. She rubbed her temples to try to get rid of the headache she felt coming on.
The driver smiled at his wife. "Your mother and I lived there when we were young, thats how we met. And Bayville may not be New York, but it still has malls." He turned back to watch the road, and started with a seemingly practised explanation, "Your powers have started to develop more rapidly than before. We just want our children to be safe."
The fourth, and most quiet of all the teens, looked up from his book, "Besides, we do have friends there, I mean, we're not going to be entirely alone. TJ texted me the other day to tell us Kurt and Amanda have dropped her off at the Institute. And Simon said his parents have finally agreed."
"Oh, yeah," the blonde teen rolled his eyes, "And I thought that it couldn't get any worse."
His mother sent a we'll-talk-about-your-influence-on-our-childrens'-minds-when-we-get-there look (1) to her husband."Nathan, I do not want to hear you talking like that."
Jean Grey-Summers then smiled in an attempt to cheer them up, "You're going to have a great time!"
Talia Josephine Wagner perched on the window sill in the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, twitching her tail. Of course, it was just a nervous habit, the Wagner household held an opinion that tails had a mind of their own (3).
She looked out towards the gates, waiting for the others to arrive. TJ had arrived at the Institute last week, and since then she'd gotten a bad case of cabin fever.
The mansion was huge compared to the family home, but she was used to the place, and its large rooms held no secrets to a girl with the ability of teleportation. Her tail twitched again and her eyes began to glaze over from the boredom.
Down below, the gates slid open and a sleek minivan rolled into view. The honking horn woke TJ from her daydreaming.
"They're here!"
Simon Alvers had just started on his apricot pie and icecream when he heard a car beeping and TJ squealing from upstairs. He sighed, and dropped the spoon back into the bowl.
It had been nice for the last month to have decent cooking – he had survived from an early age by eating fast food and living at his grandparents place. To put it bluntly, Kitty couldn't cook (4).
There was a smell of brimstone in the air as TJ 'ported behind him. She grabbed his arm, said somethin unintelligable (though it was along the lines on "They're here!") and teleported them both outside to see 'them' pull up.
Scott Summers stopped the car in front of the doors of the mansion. Just in time too, he didn't think TJ would have lasted much longer without exploding. Well, at least she's now learned not to 'port inside the car (6).
The four kids quickly unbuckled their seatbelts and hopped out, thankful to be finally there. They ran out to greet the waiting teens, though one of them just waved and hobbled cross-legged into the house.
Jean gave a warm hug to TJ and Simon, who rightly responded with an embarrassed grin. Scott settled for an uncomfortable handshake. He cleared his throat and grunted out "Is your mother here?"
Simon pushed the bangs out of his eyes and shyly grinned. "Nah, she left ages ago. Got some big meeting for her company. Sorry."
"Nevermind. Why don't you help us get all this luggage up to their rooms."
The boy shugged and phased through the car to grab the bags in the back seat. Scott raised an eyebrow questioningly and began to unload the suitcases from the boot.
Jean smiled at the two guys. It was nice to see Scott getting on with an Alvers, and Kitty didn't count. Of course, it wasn't Lance Alvers, but she thought it was a step closer to stopping the rivalry between them.
Behind her, two women walked round the corner. One had bright orange hair and was in her mid-thirties and the other looked like she was in her early twenties, but they laughed as if they'd been schoolgirls together.
The one with the orange hair turned to the other and said "I told you someone was here!"
The other gave a wistful smile, "And I didn't doubt you. All I said was: it isn't Brian."
They looked back to everyone and smiled. The newcomer teens grinned and ran towards the women.
Gracie reached them first and wrapped both arms around the orange-haired woman. The other daughter smiled "Hi, Aunt Sophie. Hi, Aunt Laura."
Sophie managed to disassemble herself from the grasp of Gracie and hugged the other girl, "Hello Rachel. Hi Nathaniel. Ugh. Yes, hello Grace."
"Geeze, it's like a family reunion," Laura rolled her eyes. "Where's the other one?"
"Jonathon had to rush off," Jean walked up beside them, "Although I still maintain he should have gone when we stopped at the restrooms."
"Eew. Did you see that place? I didn't even want to touch the doorknob to go in."
"Yes, thank you, Gracie, for your contribution," Jean winced.
Jonathon, now relieved, walked over and gave a shy smile "Where is everybody?"
"'S just us at the moment. Oh, but Logan's in the Danger Room if you want to go see him."
"But I don't think you should," Laura advised. "He's gotten embarrassed now." Everyone but TJ and Sophie turned and gave her a quizzical look. She waved her hand around in a gesture of explanation.
"You know... Healing factor... Replenishing cells... Never getting any younger... How I manage to stay looking so young..." Seeing the blank look on some of their faces, she changed her tactic. "Don't worry, you'll understand when you see him. Just let it be on his terms, and don't stare."
The now worried people were interrupted in their thoughts when Scott called out that since he and Simon had done the unpacking of the car, it was their responsibility to take it up to their rooms.
Grumbling and complaining, the kids relucantly took their bags and headed inside, while Scott and Simon headed for the kitchen.
(1) All mothers can do this. Its a instinctive skill that comes with motherhood, though women will deny it and no man will admit it because it might make them look like an idiot (2).
(2) Which is a given
(3) At least, Kurt always used that excuse when he knocks an expensive item off the shelf.
(4) Actually, she could cook, but it wasn't edible. He had often heard rumers that Logan had bent his indestructable adamantium claws on her muffins(5). All Simon knew was from observing his parents in a fight, Kitty just had to threaten to bake some bread and Lance would burst into tears and beg for forgiveness.
(5) No one but Logan could prove this was true, and he wasn't talking.
(6) It was such a shock last time when a blue demon-looking girl suddenly appeared in the minivan holding a lot of bored telepathic teens without warning. Scott had nearly driven off the road.
Well, there you have it. More chapters will be added as time goes by, but for now PLEASE tell me how I did for my first fic.
One thing – I do not own any characters seen in this fic. Not one. Nil. Not even the kids. They're cut-and-paste characters from the comics, but you'll find out who later. Some you can probably guess.
P.S. Please don't flame.