Carne Vale

CARNE VALE CHAPTER TWENTY SIX (NC-17)
Disclaimers Apply

A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, I am sending Billy and Joaquin over with green tea and cookies. Go nap! InterNutter, TC and Maxwell Pink make me all sparkled because they archive. :) Readers/Reviewers: Mille, mille grazie! The Killer Kitties (tm) are unphased by the Panzers...they're building some sort of assault vehicle using the parts from a Hummer, an ironing board and an assortment of cutlery. Guard your sporks, people...

"I am unprepared at this time to convert the Institute into a fully functioning school and I'm afraid that it is going to be questionable, at best, to get permission from all the parents and the state itself to home school this many students..." Professor Xavier wondered the the tenth time in an hour how his charged managed to get into so much trouble on such a regular basis. "I will say that while I do not approve of Lance and Amara's activities but Principal Kelly's actions were deplorable in such a setting as a high school. It was handled entirely disproportionate to the situation and I would like to deal with that first, before we decide on an appropriate punishment for Lance and Amara."
Storm was feeling lost at sea. It seemed that the Institute residents were becoming far obvious of targets for the administration of Bayville High School, not to mention easy pickings for certain student elements. "I'm most concerned about this action proposed by Kelly. Regardless of the fact we came into this knowledge through...not specifically legal means...we are still recipients of it and must act accordingly."
In his short remembered life, Logan had learned many ways of channeling his temper but none of them seemed appropriate for Charles Xavier's private study, laden with antiques and priceless books, some of them first editions that were irreplaceable. "The one thing that's keepin' me from tearin' Kelly a new one is that Kitty was involved this time," he managed from between gritted teeth.
Professor Xavier pressed his fingers to his temples and moved them in firm circles. It was never a good thing when he got a headache. "I understand Mystique is still about."
"Allegedly," Storm said, a bit thrown but the sudden change in topic. "She made a brief appearance at Tabby's old place but hasn't been seen since. Not knowingly, anyway..."
"And Pietro?" The Professor closed his eyes and turned his face towards the window, the late-evening sun bathing his face in dying warmth.
"Kurt says he wasn't at school today or yesterday but Blob was in attendance. Charles, I know it's unusual, but I think someone should check on him." Storm knew that Logan's snort was not meant kindly, or even in amusement, but rather derogatory given the situation.
The Professor nodded. "In this case, I agree. Pietro may be immoral at best but he is still barely out of childhood and really should not be there alone..."
"Chuck, if you even suggest that that kid come here, I'll pack my bags and Kitty up so fast your head's gonna spin!" Logan was already on his feet, glowering in a manner that had made stronger men weep.
"As much as my conscious is telling me we should take him in, I feel that would indeed be a grave error. Pietro is not to be persuaded to the error of his ways as Rogue was. Or even Remy, Lance and Todd...I am sorely tempted to find Magneto and tell him to come for his son before I turn the boy over to the child welfare authorities."
Logan let out a harsh sigh. "Do you honestly think Maggot would care? If he'd wanted his kids, really wanted 'em, he never would've left 'em in the first place..."
"I know Eric very well, despite all that has happened, and I feel quite strongly that he thinks he did what was best, to make them stronger, to make them hate the world as much as he does and come to his side of the battle." Professor Xavier took a slow breath, considering his options. "Storm, if you'd like to check on Pietro tomorrow, that would be fine. I suggest taking Todd or Lance or even Remy with you. In fact, if I had to choose, I'd choose Remy. He's older, a bit more intimidating, and formerly Magneto's chief of local operations...Pietro is less likely to give you a hard time then."
Storm looked imperious. "What makes you think I'd allow him to give me a hard time?"
Logan spoke up. " 'Ro, I know you. You could no more zap him than you could a kitten if he were not well...."
Storm rolled her eyes. "I could. What? I really could..." She cleared her throat and averted her eyes from Logan's slightly amused gaze. "I'll take Remy when his morning lessons are finished. We won't linger. I just would rest easier knowing that Pietro was not in need of medical attention or something similar..."
Professor Xavier nodded. "Fine then...meantime, I have a few phone calls to make. We cannot make it known that we have this information," he said, indicating Jubilee's stolen paperwork, "but we can be prepared for when it's put into motion. Last resort, I'll do a little mental work but I'd rather deal with this through more...acceptable channels first."
Logan nodded. "All that mind-wiping can't be good for anyone, anyway." He shrugged. "When do you think Kelly's going to pull this shit on us?"
"The next board meeting, most likely. It's set for the Thursday before Easter break. Until then, we're going to have to keep a tight reign on the students here."
Logan grinned. "Goody."

"So what're you going to do about it?" Amara asked, holding the batteries just out of Kitty's reach.
"About what?" Kitty did not bother reaching for the item she had asked for-she knew Amara would only move them again.
"About Kurt not putting out. He's got to give in if you push it, you know." Amara waved the pack of D-cells in front of Kitty ,trying to make her grab for them.
"I'm not going to make him do anything he doesn't want to do..." Kitty folded her arms in a bored fashion and waited for Amara to tire of her pseudo-game. "That'd be like Lance asking you to not celebrate some Roman holiday or something."
"Nova Roman, thank you very much!" Amara said coolly, tossing the batteries and making Kitty catch them before leading the girl into her room, shutting the door behind them. "Now listen, Kitty, it's all fine well and good that you want to do this for Kurt, but having a nightly session with your vibrator isn't going to cut it."
"Amara! I'm not hearing this!" Kitty turned to leave but was stopped by Amara pulling hard on her ponytail.
"You borrow my batteries, you get the talk. You're not hearing this from me, but regular orgasms aren't going to replace human contact. Trust me. How much longer is left in this thing Kurt is doing?"
"Twenty-seven," Kitty said dejectedly, knowing Amara was right. "I mark the days on my calendar..."
Amara smirked. "Long time, isn't it? Even subtracting the days you're on your period and won't have sex..."
"Er...sure..." Kitty had not even looked to see if Easter would be one of her "on" days and had a sudden panic as she tried to do period-math in her head.1
Amara was already breezing onto her next point. "You need to either get him to get off his celibacy kick or find yourself a fuck buddy until this is all over!"
"Oh, my God! No way!" Kitty was more irritated than embarrassed.
"All I'm saying is that it's cruel to leave you hanging likes," s," Amara said dismissively.
Kitty scowled. "It's not cruel! It's what he has to do to feel things are right for him and I'm not going to begrudge him that!" Unable to resist, she snapped, "Maybe you and Lance could do with a break yourselves, since that's all you seem to do anyway!"
Amara rose to the bait. "Maybe...but between you and me, which one of us is going to sleep well tonight?"
Kitty could only growl before turning sharply and stomping towards the door. "Good night, Amara!"
"Kitty, wait," the Nova Roman sighed. "I'm sorry, I think. Look, the reason I really wanted you in here was to ask you something. Has anyone told you about the papers Jubilee found?"
"Yeah...what do you need me to hack into?" Kitty said with some irritation still evident in her voice.
"Nothing...nothing yet, anyway. I-we-some of us-want you to represent us at the school board meeting. Jean said she and Scott would do it but you have that innocent vibe going. You're our first choice."
"Run that one by me again..." Kitty felt her brows draw together. "I haven't heard anything about the school board meeting..."
"There's going to be a school board meeting the day before we get off for Easter break. Jean knows about it because she and Scott are on student council. If this motion is going to be brought up, it's going to be brought up then. That's the only legal way to do it, at least that's what Scott said. We want one of us there to represent the Institute so that we aren't royally screwed."
"Whose idea was this originally?" Kitty asked, mind already whirling away from thoughts of her now- nonexistent sex life and towards a meeting with scary adult type people. "Jean's?"
"Well, sort of," Amara sighed. "We all talked about it today on the way home from school and your name came up...Actually, Rahne said we needed someone who looked totally innocent and sweet but was really smart and would knock the board off their high horse and Kurt just sort of sighed and said your name...it snowballed from there."
"I've gotten in trouble with Kelly before," Kitty frowned. "I don't think it's such a good idea..."
"You may have gotten into trouble with him before, but you're still fast on your feet and you're smart enough to know when they're lying to you. The Professor is probably going to be there since he's on the board, but none of us are going to. You'd be the only student from the Institute..." Amara looked bored, but the light in her eyes belied her mien.
"Why are you the one asking?"
"It would've been Kurt but he said he had acrobatics to practice tonight and didn't want to wake you when hnishnished late. I was the last choice since I had no homework due until Thursday and no...activities...planned for this evening."
"Color me surprised..."
"We're on lock down...I'm sure you're familiar with that particular punishment," Amara added with a note of bitterness in her voice. "Lance punched a hole in the wall about it."
"Geez...you two are way more into sex than is possibly healthy."
"It's not just sex!" Amara snapped before stopping her flow of words. How could she tell Kitty that most nights lately, Lance came to her late and just lay with her, holding her and kissing her if she were awake, whispering to her if he thought she was asleep. _Kitty wouldn't understand something profound as that, just laying there and being together... _
Kitty gave her friend a long, considering look and nodded once. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then. Thanks..." she waved the batteries, blushing slightly.
"Will you do it?" Amara asked suddenly.
"Ask me in the morning." _I'll be in a much better mood then... _ Kitty trudged back to her room and tossed the batteries on her nightstand, suddenly not in the mood to do much of anything. She knew that school was going to be Hell now, even more than usual. Now that Kelly seemed to want their blood, she thought. _ What the Hell is wrong with that man? I mean, it's one thing not to like someone but to want us all gone from there? Can he even do that?_ She toed off her bunny slippers and lay down on her bed, not even bothering to push back her covers. _The one up shot of the day was talking with Doctor Reyes. I'm sorry I ever thought she was bad... _ Kitty curled into the fetal position and felt sleep start to claim her. _Maybe I'll be a doctor when I get old. Biology or something. _ Images of DNA strands dancing in her head, Kitty dozed off, blissfully unaware of being watched.







1 Every single woman out there knows this game. "When was my last one? Okay, twenty eight...minus three...wait, was it three or five? Oh my god, did I miss one?" LOL. It's all variations on a theme... "If I finished on the third, that means I'll start on...lessee...carry the two and...damn it!"