Perfectly Normal

PERFECTLY NORMAL CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Disclaimers Apply

A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, BUSIEST WOMAN ALIVE™, Prophetic Muse, Hamster Witch and Uberbeta… I think it’s time for a vacation from stress. InterNutter, TC, Maxwell Pink, Dracena and Greywolf are loverly and wondermous for archiving/hosting. J ProPhile: I have no idea what I was going to put here but it almost made sense… Morgan: *GLOMP* because of the icon and just you. Readers/Reviewers: The computer issues may soon be resolved so cross your fingers! Thanks for reading/reviewing as you can!

“Todd, what’re you doing?” Rogue peered over the edge of her desk at her boyfriend’s feet, clad in sneakers that had seen better days, kicking at the metal bar under his chair. “It’s REALLY annoying.”

“I’m stressin’,” he said in a low voice, almost a whisper. Class had not yet begun, the documentary crew setting up minimal equipment to take some footage of the older students in World Literature class. “This ain’t gonna go well, babe.”

“Don’t,” she said through gritted teeth, lips curled into a pained smile as he looked over his shoulder at her, “call me babe. I don’t like it.” She poked him with the tip of her pencil, not hard but enough for him to notice. “It’s not a safe day either so don’t do anything silly like try to love up on me on camera!” She glanced at Amara, sitting beside her and glaring balefully at a copy of Oedipus Rex. “And tell Lance not to go grabby on her!” She leaned forward, across the narrow span of her desk and added sotto voce “This is gonna be over soon so try and act normal!”

Todd narrowed his eyes ever so slightly but did not get the chance to respond as Storm started the class, calling for their attention. He shifted around and faced the front, sliding down in his desk until his head rested on the back of the uncomfortable plastic chair brought in to make the recently added classroom space seem more real to them. They had tried holding classes in the regular rooms of the mansion but it was too difficult to make everyone cooperate. It was hard, Todd thought, to pay attention to Chaucer when the sofa was so damned comfortable. Storm began taking role, calling out names alphabetically in her cool, well modulated voice. That was something she never did during class, Todd thought with a faint smirk crossing his lips. She was just as nervous as they were; she was going to play at being a norm, too. “I am normal,” he whispered loud enough for Rogue to hear him. “I’m just as normal as you.”

She did not reply aloud, instead, kicking the back of his chair with her booted foot. Storm glanced up at them and paused, but they remained silent, staring up at her as the camera swiveled slightly to take them in. After a few seconds’ hesitation, role call resumed. Rogue licked her lips, itching to say something but hesitant. She knew that sound equipment was sensitive but she was not sure just how sensitive. She could feel the apprehension rising off of her classmates, thanks to the remnants of someone in her system, ghosting through her mind, mingling with the boredom and curiosity of the camera crew. She only had the vaguest notion of what they had heard about the Institute, but she could guess it was not complimentary. Especially, she added with a twist of bitterness, since the Morlocks came up. She barely registered as Storm called her name, grunting “here” to Marie, said in Storm’s teacherish tone. She had to get used to it, she was told, being called Marie would be par for the course in front of the cameras. Rogue would be too difficult a nickname to explain. No amount of complaint on her part would sway the older mutants. Rogue slid down in her seat as a few of the class members who only knew her marginally glanced over, eyebrows raising at the sound of her real name. “What?” she hissed to the girl next to her. “I wasn’t BORN Rogue!”

Storm let out a long sigh under her breath. Class was half over and so far, so good. No one had done anything that would beg explanation. No powers had been used visibly or audibly, no one had snapped and gone off on the crew or each other. She smiled and glanced at her notes. “Now, who would like to give their analysis of Oedipus’s character? Amara?”

Amara pressed her lips tightly shut for a moment as if she were going to refuse to answer, then stood, her face set in lines of calm certainty. “Oedipus is typical of the Greeks. He more than exemplifies the stories I was told growing up.”

Lance stiffened. “What the Hell does that mean?” he said archly, shifting in his seat.

“Just that Greeks,” she paused, giving him a look of cool appraisal, almost visibly daring him to contradict her in front of people, “are strange beasts. Everyone knows they lacked the true cultural superiority of the Romans!”

“Oh, Bright Lady,” Storm groaned softly. “That’s enough, Amara.”

Lance frowned, his brows drawing together. “I’m part Greek.”

“That. Is. Enough.” She heard the murmurs between the camera crew members and knew what was coming. “Amara, I’m afraid your cultural bias is coloring your perception of literature. We’re going to have to have a talk after class about bias and diversity.”

“So the students aren’t allowed to think for themselves?” one of the crew members said sharply. “They can’t allow their own pasts and prejudices to be part of their educational process?”

Storm inhaled deeply, folding her arms over her chest as she turned to address the college student. “This is not an interactive period. Refer to your contract.”

“I think,” the student began, then froze, his eyes going wide. “What the HELL is that?”

All eyes turned to the doorway in the rear of the classroom, standing open to reveal a short, pale figure, his own eyes wide with sudden fear. “Artie,” Storm said flatly. “You’re late.”


A/N: Next chapter, some smut and someone is going to be caught doing something… Gee, can I be more vague lol?