Reunited and It Feels So Good

Posted on Fri Nov 3rd, 2023 @ 8:02am by Charles Xavier & Scott Summers & Connor Bruin & Iris Walker & Cameron Hood & Elias Buckley & Tammy Thompson & Bliss Hawkins & Ethan Hale

1,953 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 3: X-Tra Ecclesiam
Location: X-Mansion Campus Grounds & Breakstone Lake
Timeline: August 13th, 1990

Breakstone Lake

Dusk was encroaching as the seaplane bounced on its floats before coasting up to the dock in Breakstone Lake. The setting sun reflected off the rippling waters, casting a golden orange hue across the hilly terrain.

Having left Aurora to rest in the infirmary for her overexposure to Cerebro and... and... No, Cyclops couldn't yet bring himself to think about the ramifications of Jean somehow speaking through Aurora's mouth. That would wait for private reflection... after he informed the Professor.

Speaking of the man, the side door of the seaplane popped open, allowing the debarkation ramp to descend onto the dock. The familiar form of Professor Xavier in his chair descended the ramp and made an approach. What surprised Scott, however, was that Professor Xavier was not alone.

"Good evening, Professor," Scott had started to say. "I need to... whoa!"

Stepping from the plane right behind the Professor was a tall blonde dressed in a pale blue and white dress. She took her sunglasses and perched them on top of her wavy locks. She closed her eyes for a long moment as she took a deep breath and held it for a long beat. She finally spoke to herself with a new smile.

"There's no place like home."

She noted Scott standing at the foot of the ramp with a look of shock at her sight. She used but a hint of her power to ensure the Professor's safe egress down the ramp. She strolled by the speechless man with a wry grin.

"A man of your position and experience should always guard against the unexpected." She gave Scott a playful wink as she passed him, taking the professor's chair grips. She seemed exceptionally careful of the safety of the man in the chair.

"It's good to see you, too."

"You're not wrong," Scott said to Bliss.

Connor came bounding down the dock, loping on all fours and hooting all the way. He somersaulted over them all and gave Bliss a hard squeeze. After releasing her, he typed furiously on his device. "I AM GLAD YOU GOT YOUR MIND BACK."

"Took the words right out of my mouth, Connor..." Scott let out a chuckle.

"NO." Connor frowned at his device while typing. "MY WORDS ARE MY OWN AND WERE NEVER IN YOUR MOUTH."

"Right... my bad." Scott bit back more chuckling and tried to look serious.

Bliss gave Connor a warm hug in return with a big grin. "Me too, buddy, me too." She looked back to Scott. She didn't have to be a telepath to see that Scott was wound up about something. He typically was but this seemed something extra troubling. "What's up, chicken butt?"

"We, uh, had a mission while you were gone, Professor," said Scott as directly as he could, "and it didn't go according to plan."

"Does it ever?" quipped the Professor. He was in high spirits. "I'm sure you can tell me about it once you have taken my luggage indoors and we've had a proper pot of tea set to boil."

Scott wanted to get everything off his chest far more than the Professor needed to hear it. Rather than argue, he slouched his shoulders. "Alright, Professor..."

"AURORA USED CEREBRO WITHOUT PERMISSION AND NOW SHE IS UNCONSCIOUS." It wasn't tattling. It was just a statement of fact. And Connor had no regrets.

"She did what?!" gasped the Professor.

"He's not wrong," Scott said regarding Connor as he had Bliss. "Aurora is unconscious but stable. Like I was saying before, I needed to tell you something."

The Professor closed his eyes and began searching the grounds for Aurora and any other surprises that lay in store for him.

Bliss didn't have the skills to assist in this situation or the abilities. But she stood by prepared to assist, even if it was just to get the professor safely where he needed to go. Xavier knew she was ready to help, so she didn't bother verbalizing her preparation. She looked down at herself and her pretty dress. She really was hoping she could change into something more formidable before they were attacked or something else typically x men-centric, the dress was nice.

"MOIRA WORE THAT DRESS AT MY BIRTHDAY. TODAY IS NOT MY BIRTHDAY," Connor typed on his speech-generating device. "YOU CAN STILL WEAR IT. YOU SHOULD WEAR DRESSES MORE OFTEN."

"All right, Connor, that's enough dress talk," Scott cut in. "Don't be rude."

"NOT RUDE," Connor retorted through his device. "YOU WERE RUDE FOR NOT NOTICING."

Scott snorted wind through his nose and tried not to laugh. "Whatever you say, Connor."

In response, Connor thumped his chest twice in victory.

Bliss gave Scott a helpless shrug. "It's good advice to say nice things about the women around you, Scott. You never know when that's going to pay off." She looked back to Connor with a warm smile. "Thank you, I will take your advice, Connor. I'll try to wear dresses more often. I do like this one, I got it from Moira. Who knew a Nobel prize money science nerd could have such fantastic fashion sense?"

"It seems several of the others have just arrived en masse in the courtyard," said Professor Xavier, coming out of his concentration. "Let's go and see them."

Scott gave a nod. "Yes, Professor."

"And away we go." Using a fraction of her tactile telekinesis, Bliss made it easy for the professor and the rest of the group to get back safely and quickly to the main house.

Connor was already bounding off and away ahead of them.

Tammy materialized into Human form. "Scott, what's going on? Professor! You're back! Great! It was bad out there. I may have nightmares about that aircraft carrier being dropped on all those people! Yeeek! That is brutal!"

Everyone took pause at Tammy's sudden appearance and subsequent info dump.

"Magneto?" Professor Xavier looked at Scott.

"Yeah..." Scott didn't know what else to say.

"IT WAS A BATTLESHIP!" Connor's device rang out before he was completely out of earshot.

The Professor looked at Tammy who had just appeared from nowhere as she was wont to do. "It seems many of us are returning at the same time. I'm glad you were unharmed on your latest outing."

"Yeah well we all made it back in one piece but might have nightmares about him dropping that ship on all those people!" she shook her head. "Still good to be back. Bliss? Is that really you? Wow! it is so awesome to see you again! You had us worried there for a while! Glad you are alright!"

Bliss gave Tammy a quick smile and a nod. The farm girl was all country, while Bliss was all rock and roll, but Bliss thought the big blonde was all right.
"I'm better than ever, didn't mean to make you worry. We'll catch up later when we're not talking about going to war with Magneto."

"Very good idea." Tammy said.

---

Mansion Courtyard

One of the benefits of the experiments performed on Ethan was that his body could quickly repair itself. Rapidly, but not immediately. So, he was slower to arrive and was limping once he landed and was walking through the courtyard.

As soon as the team was back home, Cameron pulled his right boot off. Fine beach sand dropped out, forming an impressive pile. He then pulled his boot back on. The other followed, adding to the sizable pile of Hawaii before the wind took it away. "I'm still annoyed that the kid can teleport, and he didn't get his own arse out of jail."

Iris, who had been wearing simple canvas shoes, was doing the same. “Maybe he didn’t realize he can teleport,” she suggested, shaking bits of Hawaii onto the New York pavement. “I mean, I’m not even aware of the full scope of my powers yet, either.”

Watching the others quietly Elias noted Ethan's limping walk, the sandy deposits from Cameron and Iris and the quiet presence of Jace. Home safe, he supposed, but without the one person they'd gone to retrieve. Another teleporter, apparently, and that made things interesting. Why did he sit there, in jail, and wait to see what would happen? Why did he leave of his own accord just as the rescue party turned up? Mysterious, but intriguing. He didn't feel a need to add to the musings right now, but he'd definitely be doing some quieter investigating.

Once everyone arrived, Connor had made it up the trail. "THE PROFESSOR IS BACK!" announced his device which dangled from his neck as he ran. "THE PROFESSOR IS BACK! THE PROFESSOR IS BACK! THE PROFESSOR IS BACK! THE PROFESSOR IS BACK! THE PROFESSOR IS BACK!" When he finally came to a stop before the group, he changed a few words in the output. "EVERYONE IS BACK!"

“Yes we are, Connor,” replied Iris with a grin. “It’s good to see you.”

"Everyone?" Elias asked Connor. "And are they all okay?"

Connor was too busy smiling at Iris to respond to Elias.

"See for yourself," Scott said, trotting ahead of Tammy, Bliss, and the Professor Xavier who lagged just behind him.

Elias shot Connor and Iris a moody look, then let a smile slip as Scott addressed him and took off in the lead of the group. "Alive and well then, I'm guessing," the teen noted, quietly to himself, then slowed his walk to stay at the same pace as Bliss and Tammy.

"All is well that ends well," the Professor quipped. "Which is to say that I don't know whether to chide or congratulate you all. You acted on your training and your convictions and nobody got hurt. I think we can call that a win for tonight." His face scrunched to one side in a proud smirk. "I am pleased that Bliss has returned with me. Her recovery hastened under Moira's watch from weeks into days." Looking around, from face to face to face, Xavier couldn't hold back any longer. "Come. Let's go inside while you regale me with the finer points of your latest adventure."

Scott cleared his throat. "Professor, there is also the matter of Aurora..."

"Ah, yes..." The Professor stifled some light embarrassment at having forgotten that matter. "Yes, I will look in on her presently while you return my luggage to my room, Scott. I also imagine everyone else could stand to eat. Perhaps someone could look to the kitchen and prepare a light meal. A little celebrating would be appropriate before I retire early for the evening."

"I can always eat," Ethan volunteered. "What are we going to have?"

"I CAN BOIL HAGGIS IF WE HAVE ANY OFFAL," Connor's device sang out.

Ethan wasn't sure what haggis was, but he knew what offal was. Being an adventurous guy, he said. "I'd eat that, How does it taste?"

"Perhaps another night, Connor," said the Professor diplomatically. "I've had my fill of Scottish cuisine of late." He let out a chuckle. "Perhaps some tea and cake if nothing else."

"That sounds much better," Scott agreed. He suppressed an internal shudder at the thought of haggis and all it contained.

"FINE." Connor turned petulant and typed nothing more.

Bliss made an expression of open disgust at The mention of haggis.
"Yes I think I've had all the haggis that I'm ever going to want. Moira definitely needs to have a Whataburger franchise move into the lab complex or something over there. Maybe a Taco Bell. Anything that doesn't involve boiling the innards of some poor cow. "

"Tea it is," Scott said. "I'll put water on to boil before taking your things to your room, Professor."

 

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