Vortigern and Mordred
Vortigern smiled as he listened to his twin moan. They'd been in America for over a month now, and Modred was still complaining about it. "Look, we're here now," Vortigern said softly as they walked down the street, slight trace of a Welsh lilt colouring his voice. "Can't you at least try, for Mum's sake?"
"He's a right bastard," Mordred snarled back. "He uproots us all, the damn Yank, and then expects us to just get along? No bleeding way! And his kids make me sick. They're so spoilt, and he lets them get away with murder while Mary gets yelled at for leaving the table before him. It's not right." Mordred's eyes were fixed on the broken pavement in front of them. "He sells Da's house, uses the money to bring us here, and then Mum's cleaning floors and we all live in a dump of a place while he loafs around on his fat arse!"
"She loves 'im though."
"Da would have a fair fit if he saw how that bastard treats her, and you know it." Vortigern nodded.
"I know. Listen, have you had that dream again? I think we're close."
"You and your dream," Mordred said affectionately. "Yeah, I had it last night."
"I think it's a real place," Vortigern said steadfastly. "The house and the grounds look too detailed not to be real."
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before." They walked down the street in silence for a while. The neighbourhood around them could only be described as ghetto. Buildings scrawled with graffitti tags, dealers lurking, boarded up windows on the houses, and not many open stores.
"Yo, whitey, what'chu doin on our turf?" A black youth called out. Mordred swung his steely eyes on him, but the guy just jeered.
"We live here, idiot," Mordred growled out. "God, Americans can be dense." He turned back to Vortigern, then time seemed to slow down as he heard a gunshot and he was shoved out of the way. Vortigern cried out in pain, and Mordred could see the black guy run, shoving a gun inside his coat. "No!" He didn't know what to do, so he teleported the two of them to the one place they had any sense of safety towards in this country. The dream place. They hit grass, and Mordred started to hyperventilate as he saw the blood welling up from Vortigern's side.
Hurts, make it stop, please, wolf, please Vortigern begged his twin, panting with pain.
Ohgodohgodohgod... Mordred clamped down on his panic and pressed his hands together over the wound. The blood stained his fingers red. You'll be fine, we'll be fine, and guess what? This place does exist after all. I owe you five.
Pounds or dollars?
Pounds, of course. Damn Americans. Mordred raised his head and shouted, "Somebody! Help!" He kept shouting periodically, hands trying to stop the flow of blood while continuing to reassure Vortigern telepathically. Oh god, there was so much blood. So much. And Vortigern hurt, so badly. A keening wail burst from Mordred's lips as Vortigern started to slip into unconsciousness. DON'T LEAVE ME!
Nyx, Logan, Vortigern and Mordred
Nyx's head swung up as she, Logan and Spike were sitting around chatting after their spar session. Spike had his head cocked to the side as well, and his nostrils flared. "Can you hear it?" She almost whispered. "Someone's hurting. Bad." She got to her feet and ran towards the source of the pain, Logan and Spike running along behind her. She burst out of the main school biulding and unerringly headed towards the hoarse shouts she could now hear. She heard Spike growl behind her, and she knew why when the scent of hot blood hit her nose. She saw a guy with black hair dressed in black denims and a ripped black t-shirt huddled over another guy with longish gold hair, white t-shirt slowly turning red with blood. "Get Jean," Nyx snapped to Logan as the black haired teen looked up, desperation in her eyes. Logan took off. "What is it?"
"Oh, god, he was shot. He pushed me out of the way, stubborn bastard that he is. Help him please. It's my fault. All my fault," Mordred moaned. "Don't die, Vort, please."
"Not intending to-AH!" Vortigern screamed suddenly. "Oh god, his *face*!" The bleached blonnd behind the the black haired woman had a weird ridge thing going on with his face! And yellow eyes!
"What in the bloody hell?" Mordred whispered in shock, then shook his head. "I don't care. Help him, please."
"Keep your hands over the wound. Spike, you'll havta carry me in after this." Nyx put her hands on the boy's head and concentrated.
Mordred could feel his twin untensing and the pain flowing away. Vortigern's eyes fluttered open again, and he looked up into the woman's face. "Mam?" His voice was unsteady and weak.
"Our mam has black hair," Mordred explained.
"Cool." Nyx kept pouring power into the boy and she could sense the bullet coming out, the skin and muscle knitting up, blood flow slowing, stopping. She sat back on her heels, feeling drained, then collapsed. Spike swung her up into his arms, face unridging as he sent his demon back under.
"Pick 'im up and follow me," Spike ordered tersely. Mordred nodded and gently lifted his once more fainted twin and set out after the guy in the black leather duster.
"You'll be alright, Scathach," he whispered. How could he live without him? Mordred didn't want to find out.
Storm
Storm saw Logan running and she called after him, but realised he probably wasn't listening, so she ran after him, discovering that he was heading for Jean.
"Logan, she's downstairs!" She called, hoping he'd hear her, so as not to waste time.
She didn't know what was happening, but she did know that it couldn't be good. Storm pushed the elevators button and hopped in, hoping Logan would either beat her down there or join her in there.
Logan, Vortigern and Mordred
"Jean!" Logan burst into the room, panting slightly. Jean looked up startled as he lunged forward, grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the door.
"Logan!" She started to struggle.
"Kid with a gunshot wound! C'mon, Nyx is doing her mojo thing but real medicine would preobably come in handy." Jean stopped struggling and started running. They passed Storm on the way back up, Jean now clutching a medical bag, and Logan nodded at her. "Thanks, Storm!"
~*~*~*~
Spike quickly ran inside, a limp Nyx in his arms, long hair almost sweeping the floor as her head lolled loosely. The kid was trotting at his heels, and Spike could still smell the blood. Everywhere. He shuddered and forced his gameface back down. He didn't want to scare all the students.
"Hang on, Vort. Don't leave me, please. Why did you do it? Why? You're the better one of us both..." Vort's eyes flickered open as his twin's tears splashed onto his forehead.
"Cos I love ya, wolf. Easy enough."
"Don't talk. Where are we going?" Mordred demanded, tone shifting from gentle to harsh. "He's bleeding. Again."
"I know, I can smell it from here," Spike gritted out as he led Mordred into the school, towards the underground bit. He heard Logan adnd Jean run up and sighed. Thank god.
Dawn
Dawn felt Nyx grow weak through their blood bond. Running downstairs, she saw the kid lying on the a table in the medlab.
"Everybody, back up, I can do this, just back away. Anybody got a knife?" She reached into Spike's duster and grabbed his pocketknife, and made a small cut in her hand. Pulling up the boy's shirt she held her hand over him, dripping her own blood into his wound. She then cut her other hand, rubbed her palms together, and held her hands on his torso. Quickly, she began chanting in Sumerian, and then again in Latin. Finally, she tilted her head up.
"Janusz, I implore thee, bend to my will, answer my cry. As the daughter of chaos, my blood is filled with thee. Heal him, parent Janusz, heal him!" Something appeared to go through her, and she fell back onto the floor, limp. But everybody watched as sparks of chaos energy seemed to flow through the boy, and the wound closed itself up. Spike looked down at his 'daughter.' She was lying on the floor, nearly delirious.
"No more death. Please, no more death. I can't handle it."
Vortigern, Mordred, Nyx and Sabre
Mordred was seriously freaking out. "What the hell are you people?! What the bloody hell did she just do?!" Jean stepped closer to Voritgern, and Mordred lifted his lip and literally snarled at her, warning her off.
"Magick, sweetie, magick," Nyx quipped weakly.
"What the hell are you people on? What's with her?" Mordred jerked his head at Dawn, eyes slightly wild.
"Does it matter, wolf? All beter now." Vortigern sat up, eyes nearly crossing with dizziness.
"Scathach, don't you bloody dare. Lie back down."
And what then, twin?
I 'port us the hell out of here. These people are too weird. They don't know how we got here, and we could just skip out. Please say I can just 'port us out. They don't know we're mutants... Mordred's eyes widened and then he glared at Jean. "You know, it's not nice to eavesdrop. Your mam never teach you no manners?"
"I'd say not," Sabre drawled from his position at the door. "She's tried the same thing with Dawn. Is she alright, Nyx?" Nyx had her arms wrapped around Dawn, and Spike had his arms around the two of them.
"She will be. I think. He's not gonna die, sweetie Made him mostly all better now," Nyx said soothingly as she purred simultaneously.
"I really don't plan on dying so young," Vortigern said dryly. "And it was Mordred's fault anyway. Mouthing off."
"Lie down," Mordred snapped, eyes still red. "I *know* it was my fault, alright? It's always my bloody fault. Shoulda let me get hit. I would've been alright."
"And we'd be in the street, nearly the same situation, just without all these helpful people," Vortigern said reasonably.
Don't be reasonable! I am going to go back there and rip his bloody throat out! Gonna make him pay! Track him down and make him pay for every drop of your blood! Vortigern reached up and drew Mordred to sit next to him, one hand running soothingly through Mordred's hair. "Oh, don't you bloody start. I'm angry, and planning to stay that way."
"Well, I really think we should introduce ouselves. I'm Vortigern Lwellyn, and this is my brother, Mordred Lwellyn. And this place is straight out a conspiracy theorist's dream. Where are we, and who are you people?"
Dawn, Theresa, Kitty and Scott
Dawn was shaking as Spike held her, the shock of what she'd just done starting to sink in, slowly. Theresa however, spoke up.
"Hellow Mordred, Vortigern. Aye, but this is a strange place. Welcome to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."
"Otherwise known as Mutant High," Kitty added. She had pulled Theresa through several walls to get down to were the commotion was. Kitty suddenly noticed Dawn.
"Dawnie, what's wrong? Do you want me to go grab Scott?" Dawn nodded, and Kitty ran to fetch him. Meanwhile, she was still scared.
"No more, death, okay? Can't take it. First Alex, then Buffy, three times, then Mom, Tara, and Cassie, now Buffy again. And Vi, and all those Potentials. And Riley ran off, and Angel too. Giles left so many times. Dad's never coming back. Why does everybody have to leave?" It was about then that Dawn broke down again, and just started crying. It had been happening a lot recently. That girl had seen more pain and torture than most people do in a lifetime.
Scott ran in to see his baby cousin being cradled by the souled vampire.
"Shhh, punkin, 's'ok. Everything's going to be all right. I'm here hun, and I'm not going anywhere, I promise." Everyone watched the touching seen between the last two members of the Summers clan.
Vortigern, Mordred, Nyx and Sabre
Vortigern and Mordred watched for a moment, then Mordred straightened his back and glared at Jean. "Stay out of our minds! Or, I'll chase you back into yours!" He said angrily.
"Oh, she's quite the little eavesdropper, is Dr Jean Grey," Nyx said slyly.
"Don't, Nyx," Logan growled.
"Well, she is," Nyx said.
"Don't care. Just stay out," Mordred snapped at Jean. Vortigern nodded and leaned against Mordred's side. "Or I'll 'port the two of us out of here."
"Aw, don't go judging all of us by the one chit who can't keep her hands to herself, lads," Sabre said from the door.
"Irish?" Vortigern asked.
"Pretensions of being so. You?"
"Welsh, then we moved to England, then here after our Da died." Vortigern sat up suddenly. "Mam! We havta ring Mam!"
"She won't care," Mordred said bitterly. "And she's at work anyway, remember? What I'm worried about is the girls. They're at home alone with the prick. I'll skip out and check on them," Mordred said worriedly, then glanced around. You be alright?
Yeah, these people were on the news a while back, remember? Mutants, like us. I think they're ok, really.
Ok, I'll just check back and then I'll return. Mordred closed his eyes, and disappeared.
"He just wanted to check up on our little sisters. He'll be back in a minute." Vortigern laid back down on the bed and closed his eyes tiredly.
Theresa
Theresa sighed. "I miss Eire. Ye ever spend any time there?" she asked the two Welsh boys.
Lwellyns, Nyx and Sabre
"I know what you mean. About missing Ireland. I miss Wales, so much...our family had lived in the same place for hundreds of years. Ad then Da had to move to England and it went downhill from there. We went to Ireland on excursion once. Nice place."
Mordred reappeared, one arm wrapped around the shoulders of a young girl with black hair, and a smaller one with brown hair propped up on his hip. He looked furiously angry, and when Vortigern saw the bruise coming up on Siobhan's cheek, he felt the same way. "He hit Siobhan."
"I didna mean to knock his drink over! I didna!" She wailed, burying her head in Mordred's shoulder.
"I went and hid with her in the bathroom. I did the right thing, didn't I? Cos, Mam says he doesn't mean it when he gets angry, but he was going to hurt Siobhan."
"You done just perfect, Mary. C'mere, love. You're alright?" Vortigern said softly as he opened his arms. Mary ran into them and then pulled back.
"I'm fine, but you don't seem to be. What happened?"
"Bit of a run in with a bullet," Vortigern said, "but thanks to these people, nothing to worry about really." Mary studied him for a moment, then nodded as she sat on the bed next to him.
"Mordred knocked Da-"
"Don't call him that!" Mordred snarled. "Don't ever call him that!" Siobhan sobbed in fright, and he started to rock, running a hand through her hair. "Shh, love, not angry at you. Shh now."
"Mordred knocked him out with one punch."
"Good."
"If I'd had the time he might have hurt a bit more, but you were here, and Siobhan was terrified. Shh, love," Mordred crooned to his sister as her tears finally started to slow. Nyx and Sabre shared a glance, then Nyx got up.
"Hey sweetie. My name's Nyx." Nyx put her hand on Siobhan's cheek and healed it, going a bit more white. Siobhan sniffled, then smiled at her.
"Where are we, Mordred?"
"A safe place." I hope, he added silently to himself. Mary had been studying everyone in the room quite seriously, deep blue eyes intent.
"I recognise her from the news." She pointed at Jean. "You're a mutant. Are you evil?"
"Uh, no," Jean replied, startled.
"But how do I know that?" Mary said. "For all I know, you could be." She crossed one foot behind the other. "I don't believe what the news says though. I think we can give you the benefit of a doubt." She nodded firmly.
"Well, you are a solemn little thing, aint'cha now?" Sabre stepped into the room and crouched down so he could look her in the eye. She looked back at him.
"Maybe. I prefer to think of myself as mature for my age. Your eyes are yellow. Are you a mutant too?"
"No, I'm not a mutant. I'm a cat."
"How can you be a cat? You're very obviously human shaped." Vortigern couldn't suppress a grin at Mary's attitude.
"Magick, that's how."
"I don't believe in magic."
"Well, that can be a bit dangerous, cos magick believes in you."
"Magic is the name men give to what they can't understand."
"Doesn't mean it doesn't exist." Sabre liked this little kid. She was very intruiging.
"That's a fallacious argument."
Theresa
Theresa looked the young girl in the eye. "You don't belive in magick? Well, how about faery people and Will O' The Wisps?"
Lwellyns and Nyx
Mary tilted her head to the side and stared at the girl thoughtfully. "They're different. I used to see them when I was little, and Siobhan did too. They just...are. But I don't whether to label them magic. I miss them, they don't like the cities much so we don't see them anymore."
"I liked Mab! She was pretty," Siobhan piped up.
"What, you're saying those things were real?" Mordred's eyes widened. "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, if we ever were."
"You'd look real cute in a pair of red slippers," Vortigern teased. Mordred glared.
"Shut up."
"And that little blue checked dress."
"Shut up, or I'll tell them about when about you and Gwen." Vortigern's posture went from relaxed to indignant.
"You wouldn't dare."
"Oh, wouldn't I?" Mordred grinned evilly.
"You're evil, you know that?"
"And damn proud of it. Here, Siobhan, down now, you're getting heavy." He lowered Siobhan to the floor, and she clung to his leg. Nyx knelt beside her and started to purr.
"Kitty!" Siobhan exclaimed.
"You betcha, sweetie pie. Mew, mew, meeeeeoooowww!" Siobhan giggled as Nyx meowed loudly. Siobhan put her hand out and Nyx butted her head against it. Siobhan squealed in delight and abandoned Mordred for Nyx. "Mew, mrowr, cutie."
"Hurt her, and I'll kill you," Mordred said softly. Nyx's eyes flicked up to his.
"I like kids. Really not planning on hurting her. So, ya know Mab then?"
"Oh yes! Da used ta say that the Gentle Folk weren't real, but me and Mary knew they really was real, cos they used to come and play in the orchard, and they lived in the Faery Hill," the little girl babbled happily.
Theresa
Theresa sang a few bars of a Celtic tune and her Wisps came to her. Swarming about, they smiled at the two new girls, and waved.
"Magick is real, though," she said, "Dawn can do magick," she guestured to thye girl who was lying across Spike & Scott's laps, slightly dozing. Chaos Magick, that intense, wore her out, very quickly.
Lwellyns, Nyx and Sabre
Mordred's and Vortigern's eyes bugged out as they saw the Wisps. Nyx looked up and giggled. "What, you think your bro there got healed through some freaky mutant thing? Uhuh, sweeties. That was magick through and through."
"Niss has quite the Gift on her," Sabre drawled.
"This may require more data," Mary observed thoughtfully. "Perhaps my earlier premise was lacking, due to the lack of information I could possibly trust."
"Well, yeah..." Mordred said, eyes glancing around quickly.
"Isn't this just more then interesting?" Nyx said cheerfully, and she patted his leg. "And you two are just so cute too."
"Cute? I'm *cute*?" Mordred sounded rather shocked.
"She thinks everyone's cute," Logan said with a wry smile.
"But so many good looking people just keep turning up! And they're twins! How can I resist?" Nyx bounced a little and Siobhan laughed.
Scott and Dawn
Scott spoke up. "Dawn's blood is made from chaos magick, green energy. SHe can do many things with her blood, which is why she offered it to your brother. If Dawn offers you her blood it's a great sacrifice. She nearly died the first time. Somebody tried to destroy the universe by tearing down the fabric between all dimensions by sacrificing Dawn." He cradled his sleeping cousin, "She's been through more than yo'll ever imagine, and it was her magick that has save several souls. I never believed in magick, I thought it was a crock, but when my cousin, her sister, was raised from the dead twice, I began to believe." Dawn began to stir.
"IS he going to be okay?" she asked, sleepily.
"Shhhhh, nibblet, he'll be fine, you just rest."
Lwellyns, Nyx and Sabre
"Raised from the dead?" Vortigern said.
"Yep. She's dead for real now. Uncle was soooo pissed cos she kept coming back, but now her mission is fulfilled, yada, yada, PTB finally got off their sweet asses and let the poor girl get the R'n'R she deserved." Nyx rolled her eyes. "I am so very glad I don't havta be a Warrior for the Light, cos, *damn*."
"Much better to be one of the Middle Path," Sabre agreed. "The Light can be just as harsh and cruel as the Dark, except supposedly for a higher aim."
"Don't see that much difference between the two." Nyx stood up, Siobhan cuddled into her arms. "So, sweetie, do you like soda? I'm sure we have soda."
"Yes. What's your name, kitty?"
"Nyx, and that's my brother Sabre, and that's Dawn, she's real nice, you'll like her, and that's Jean, and that guy's Spike, he's pretty cool as well, and Scott, and Theresa and more nice kids and Logan, who I think is pretty all round cool."
"He looks scary," Siobhan whispered loudly.
"Nah, he's pretty nice, underneath the I'm so tortured and bad ass exterior." Nyx winked at Logan. "So. Mordred, can I take your lil sis to get a drink?"
"Look after her, or I will find a way to kill you," Mordred growled.
"Death threats make me feel so much at home," Nyx quipped as she left the room.
"Wolf, you really need to tone down on the hostility there," Vortigern laughed.
"Shut up."
"Oh, someone needs a girlfriend badly."
"I said, shut the hell up, or despite your injury, I will do it for you."
"Mordred. Vortigern. Mam would *not* be pleased," Mary said firmly. Vortigern shrugged and got to his feet, making his way over to Dawn. Spike grolwed at him, and Vortigern held one hand up.
"Hold, mate. I'm the good half of us twins. Mordred's got pyschopathic hostility down so well, I get to be the saint. So. I'm told I have you to thank for the lack of bulletholes in my attractive body. Thanks, Dawn, wasn't it?"
Dawn
"Yeah," Dawn said, not completely awake yet. "I just kind of freaked out. I'm sorry, I should have asked before I put my blood in you, but I promise I don't have any diseases."
Vortigern and Mordred
Vortigern grinned. "Well, kinda glad to hear that too. You know, the thought hadn't even crossed my mind..."
"Vort, stop flirting," Mordred said in bored tones, "she isn't even awake enough for your usual, I'm just such a decent, artistic guy act to work on her."
"I'm not flirting, I'm thanking her for helping me."
"Yeah, gotta give the chit that much credit." Don't know what I would have done if you died...
Gone on a rampage, killing half of America?
Yeah, just about. Stupid bloody Yanks.
Dawn
Dawn smiled weakly. "Yeah, better not flirt too much, Clark'll kick your asses all the way to Pylea. Hey Nyx, think they'd make decent cows?"
Lwellyns and Nyx
Nyx pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Not really. Mordred would be dead in half a day. I give the blond one, maybe two. Three at the most."
"And what makes you so sure he could?" Vortigern asked. "He'd havta catch me first. I'm not called Scathach for nothing, you know." He smiled impishly, standing up and drawing away from her as he gradually disappeared. "It's a question of bending the light so it doesn't reach you," his voice came eerily from the air. "It's dark, and I can see you, but you can't see me. And then again, I can always get Wolf to kick his arse."
Mordred grinned and flexed his hands. "For some reason, all the guys round here pack guns and knives. Unfair, that what it is. None of you Americans are man enough to fight without weapons to back up your fists."
"Too right, mate," Spike said. "They have a thing for big weapons, do the Yanks. Makes them feel all...manly."
"That is quite clearly seen in the proportion of the American budget spent on defence," Mary said thoughtfully.
"Damn Yanks," Mordred spat.
"Hey, we're all not that bad," Jean defended her countrymen. Mordred raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, really?"
"Mordred, quit being a smart arse," Vortigern snapped as he rematerialised. "We will most like need their help, unless you want to send the girls straight back to the bastard?"
"No. I'm not going to. I'll kill him if he touches them again. I'd like to help Mam, but she's made her bed and she wouldn't come anyway," Mordred said, eyebrows drawing together in frustration and sullen anger. "She won't believe him when he says I appeared out of nowhere in the family room, that's one thing. Secret's still safe."
"Thank God for small mercies," Vortigern sighed.
"Mam has been most unobservant," Mary said disapprovingly. "I figured it out when I was seven."
"Well, you always have been the smart one." Vortigern reached down and ruffled her hair. She smiled, pleased at the comment.
"You mean, the smart one as in the one with the cheeky mouth," Mordred corrected.
"No, that would be you, mister 'bite me! On the arse, copper!'," Mary said snippily.
"You heard that?" Mordred gaped. She nodded, grin curling the corner of her mouth.
"Oh yeah, brother mine. And the fight was funny as anything too."
"Oh, now this sounds like a story worth hearing," Spike said in amusement. Mordred glared at the vampire.
"And what the hell are you? Mutant?"
"Vampire," Spike said succintly.
"Well, that's just fanbloodytastic, innit? Sodding dream place, place of safety my ARSE it is!" Mordred said angrily.
"It always was a gamble. We couldn't be sure of the sender," Vortigern soothed. He looked around consideringly. "But I think it is. Despite the vampire."
"He's got a soul, so he's safe. Well, mostly safe," Sabre amended after Spike's dirty look.
"Ta, mate," Spike said. "I'm the bloody Big Bad, even with a soul, and-"
"None of us better forget it!" Nyx said gleefully, clapping her hands. Siobhan had been attached to the cat's leg, eyes wide as she looked around.
"When are we goin' home, Vort?" She asked fearfully. "I want my Mam, I do!"
"Soon, love, soon. At least for a visit." Vortigern caught her up as she ran to him blindly. "Me and Mordred don't want to leave you with Roy."
"I don't like him," the little girl said firmly.
"We don't much like the-" Mordred caught Vortigern's look and amended what he was going to say, "git either, love. But there's problems."
"Isn't there always?" Vortigern asked wearily. I say we take them and skip out. Leave Mam.
And then what do we do? We haven't got jobs or anything. And we can't take two little girls into a life like that.
Enrique
Hearing the comotiona, the Alvarezes finally left the room they'd mostly shut themselves into and went outside. Though he'd never admit it, because they were girls, Enrique was delighted to see other kids.
"Hola, I'm Enrique, who're you?' he asked the two young girls.
Mary and Siobhan
Mary blinked thoughtfully, but Siobhan's eyes and mouth went wide. "He looks like a watersprite, Mary. I'm Siobhan, and this is my sister, Mary, and my brothers Mordred and Vort, and what's your name?" Siobhan said eagerly.
"Oh, that's right, Enrique, you said. Did I say it right?" She inquired anxiously. "Cos, a lot of people get my name wrong so I know how annoying it can be. And how come you're blue? Cos that's pretty neat."
Enrique
"Por favor, speak . . slowly?" he looked at his sister to make sure he had gotten his English right, Estrella nodded, so he continued.
"My English not very good. My mamá was a mutant, and my papá was half Brakken. These are my sister, Claudia y Estrella, y mi hermano, brother, Miguel. We have," He searched for the words, "Different fathers. I have eight years, how many years you have?"
Siobhan
"Six!" Siobhan held her hands out with six fingers outspread. "My Mam's still at home, and my Da died so we had to come to America cos Roy said, and you said to speak slowly. Sorry." She drew on the ground with the toe of her sneaker and looked down. "Wanna be my friend? Cos the kids at the school make fun of my voice, and they're not very nice." She looked up again shyly.
Enrique
"Be your friend?" Enrique repeated. "I never have a friend. Yes, i like that, please! Voice sounds fine to me. Kids no like my skin. Or my other face." The sun tickled his nose, and before long he sneezed, his Brakken face emmerging.
Lwellyns
"Eeee!" Siobhan clapped her hands. "That's so cool! I wish I could do something like that. I just see the Gentle Folk. Da had the Sight though, so maybe I'll get it when I'm older."
"Fascinating," Mary mumured. "I wish I had my laptop."
"And I wish I had my full sketchpad, but there ya are, Mary love," Vortigern said cheerfully as he sketched quickly in a small black book, hand flying as he looked up and down to get the picture right. "You all have such interesting lines..."
"Bloody hell." Mordred rolled his eyes. "Here we go."
"What?"
"You and your drawing..."
"Painting too, though I haven't been able to get any new canvases for a while. I need to get a job," Vortigern sighed and then pulled a page out of his book and handed it to Spike. "Voila."
The vampire looked it over. A small pencil drawing of him, Scott and Dawn, the girl cradled in their arms. The sense of protective care coming from the two of them over Dawn...he looked up at Vortigern. "You're good," he admitted grudgingly.
"He's good alright, but you'll never hear the end of it now. He'll want you to pose for him, or lurk. He'll lurk so he can draw you."
"I ask first."
"Uh huh." Mordred rolled his eyes again.
Enrique and Estrella
Enrique took Siobhan's hand. "Let's go play!" and the two of them ran off to play like children do. Though he was two years older than her, he had had a tough childhood, and never really had friends, so the chance to play with anybody, especially somebody who wasn't afraid of him, just made him feel safe, and special.
"I think this is good," Estrella said. "Enrique needs a playmate. He's only ever had us, and the 9-year difference can make it difficult," she said, laughing a bit.
Mary and Vortigern
"Siobhan misses our friends from Wales," Mary said seriously. "They don't speak Gaelic here, and she always liked that better then English, cos that's what Mab spoke. I'll go make sure she doesn't get into trouble." Mary followed her sister out of the room. Vortigern had been sketching idly and Nyx grabbed the book out of his ahnds.
"Hey, I like it." She grinned at him. It was an comicbook style Nyx with cat's ears and a tail with a devil on her shoulder. "It's me all over. Do one of Spike." Vortigern quickly drew a few more, and they shared them round. "You're good." Spike growled over the stereotypical one of him as a vampire.
"Why, thank you." Vortigern smiled shyly.
Theresa
Theresa stepped forward to walk along with Mary, speaking to her in Gaelic, basically asking if Siobhan was fluent. Theresa had been aching for somebody to speak Gaelic, who wouldn't try to get in her pants.
Dawn
Dawn stretched as she stood up. "Yep, sure did. Just don't get shot again soon. Little wounds I can heal easy, but the big one, like bringing you back from the edge there? Those take so much, and with too many big healings like that, Janusz requires something in return, and sacrifing virgins is so not my style." Dawn grinned. "Nyx? Leet's go to Starbucks, I need a caffeine boost."
Mary
"Yes, we both are, miss," Mary said politely in Gaelic. "It's kind of a requirement for speaking to Mab. She doesn't like the English much, but I think you speak a different dialect. And Irish, rather then a Welsh but it's good to speak Gaelic again."
Theresa
"Yes, I know her well. She used to come to me as a child. She gave me the Wisps when I left Eire to come here. me Da' sent me away when the bombings got bad, i was just a little girl. We live in Belfast, just me da' 'n I. Sometimes I miss him so terribly. He never finished teaching me to fly." Theresa sighed. "Have you ever met the Merlin? He said a blessing over me before I left."
Mary
"No. Mab always said she would take us to meet him, and then Da died, and Mam met Roy," Mary fair spat the name out with disgust, "and we came here. America's too loud for me. When I can, I'm going home."
Vortigern, Nyx and Sabre
"I didn't exactly plan on getting shot in the first place," Vortigern said.
"Ooh, coffee!" Nyx bounced excitedly. "Coffee!"
"You have to look after her then," Sabre warned Dawn. "I will not be responsible for her when she drinks coffee."
Theresa
"You should come to Eire with me and me Da'. We'd like tp have you there." Theresa thought for a bit. "Do you think you're going to be a mutant someday?"
Dawn
Dawn pouted. "I won't make her drink, but I REALLY need some coffe. Actually, what I need is a grande cafe mocha with whipped cream & cinnamon sprinkles. Mmmmmm. Let's go Nyx. Oh, Nyxie? I miss my kitty, sleep on my bed tonight? You've been ignoring me lately." Dawn pouted again.
Mary
"That would be nice," Mary said consideringly. "Maybe I would get to meet the Merlin. That would be very nice." She shrugged. "I don't know. The chance goes up if there's a sibling who becomes one, doesn't it?"
Nyx, Voritgern and Mordred
"OKies dokies, sweetie pie," Nyx said agreeably. "But if the twins stay here, you might have competition. How could I resist one named after the son of my witch?"
Vortigern started to laugh as Mordred's eyes widened in shock. "Oh, now this is too rich. What is it with you and birds, man?"
"Same thing with you and guys, packmate." Mordred smirked.
"Granted." Vortigern shrugged. He noticed a few eyes on him, and said quickly, "I'm bi, he's straight but somehow when I go out, I come home with guys not girls."
"It's just too funny sometimes," Mordred laughed and then Vortigern glared at him. "Shutting up now. Coffee sounds good. Let's go have coffee."
Theresa
"I don't rightly know, but I know that if either of your parents had the gene, you'll be one. I was born a mutant, have the same powers as me Da' they surfaced when I was baby, which is why it's it's only been me and him." She grimaced. "You see, i screem in sonics, and I octrol sonic waves & impulses, and sonar, stuff like that, but imagine a baby who could sxream supersonic, but had no control over it."
Dawn
"Okay, there's a Starbucks about 4 blocks that way, let's walk." And so they set off on their walk, laughing and joking most of the way. It took a while longer than it should have, however, because Dawn really was very tired, and kept making them slow down. Finally, after a lot of pouting, she convinced Nyx to give her a piggy-back ride.
Mary
"How interesting," Mary said softly, then grinned. "Well, interesting for me, a pain for you. My Da had the Sight...but I don't think that's a mutant thing."
Nyx and Sabre
"C'mon then, sweetie," Nyx sighed and bent down so Dawn could get on her back. Dawn grinned and got on as they started to walk again. "I deserve coffee after this."
"No, no coffee for you, Niss," Sabre said firmly. She pouted. "Ye are still not getting any coffee."
"Aw, you're no fun," Nyx grumbled.
"I'm sane, that's what it is."
Theresa
"The Sight? As in visons of the future? because that can sometimes be a mutant thing. How old was he when he developed it?"
Mary
Mary shrugged. "I don't know..." She looked sad. "You know, there's so much stuff I wanna know, but Mam always cries and my brothers have their own problems. And now, Da's dead and I can't ask him either." She blinked back tears.
Dawn
"Nyx, why don't you get a créme Frappuchino? Tastes just as good, no caffeine. Or hot cocoa, if you want something warm." Dawn suggested politely. "Anyways, thanks for the lift Nyxie." Dawn grinned.
Theresa
Theresa wrapped her arms around the younger girl. "My Ma' died too. I know it hurts. I can barely remember her face anymore. But it does get easier, lovey."
Nyx, Mordred and Vortigern
"Sounds good, and you're welcome sweetie." Nyx smiled herself.
"Double espresso, shot of vanilla, black," Mordred sighed. "I havta say the one thing I like about America is the coffee shops."
"And I'll make sure Nyx has something not caffeine loaded, and keep her company," Vortigern said with a grin.
"Aw, thanks, sweet," Nyx said, grinning back. "Nice to see you won't let a girl drink alone."
"Let a lady drink alone? Never!" Vortigern gasped dramatically. Logan growled under his breath. Nyx perked up at this, and fluttered her eyelashes at Vortigern.
"You're such a gentleman. Good to see they aren't an extinct breed."
"My Mam would never let me be anything less."
"And she gave me up as a lost cause, thank God." Mordred glanced over at his twin. Check the alpha vibes from that guy.
Like I have never done this before. It's her choice, not his. And I don't think they've actually taken it anywhere. Vortigern grinned back at his twin. Wanna come play?
Why not? Mordred and Vortigern stepped up to Nyx's side and started flirting with Dawn and Nyx. The cat flirted right back as Logan's growls started to become audible.
Mary
"I know it will, but it hurts now. Siobhan can barely remember him, and that's good and bad in its own way. Thanks, but we better find Siobhan before she convinces the other kid that whatever she thinks would be fun is actually a good idea." Mary grinned at the older girl. "We've learnt not to let her stay unsupervised long."
Dawn
From Nyx's back, Dawn tilted her her head dow n to Nyx's face & whispered in her ear. "Nyx, I'm not so good at this, is Mordred hitting on me?"
Nyx, Vortigern and Mordred
Nyx giggled. "They both are, sweetie. Isn't it just fun?"
"I mustn't be doing very well iffin ya have to ask," Mordred sighed and rolled his eyes.
Vortiger slapped his brother across the back of the head. "Idiot."
"Hey!" Mordred mock-bit at Vortigern, teeth coming together with an loud click. Vortigern just laughed as Mordred tilted his head to the side and gazed at Dawn with a flirtatious look. "So, is that a no for the movies then?"
"Moving a bit fast, aren't you?" Vortigern said in an amused voice.
"Nah." Mordred threw a grin back at Vortigern.
"Yes," Spike growled. Mordred ignored the vampire.
"Oh, now this is fun! Can't you just smell the testorone, Dawnie?"
Dawn
Dawn sighed. "I just can't wait until this weekend. Clark's gonna fly here. Well, depending on the weather. if they skies are too clear, and he might be spotted, he's gonna run. God, I miss him so much." Dawn sighed again, wistfully. Being apart from Clark so soon after they first got together was not helping to disprove her theory that everybdy she cares for leaves.
Vortigern, Mordred, Nyx and Logan
"Damn," Mordred growled, and then grinned at Nyx. "You're not taken, are you?"
"Not at the moment, darling boy," Nyx laughed. Logan growled.
"Yes. She is."
"Why, Logan, I didn't know you cared." She turned her head slightly to look at him.
"Mordred..." Vortigern said warily, recognising the glint in his twin's eye for the warning signal it was. Mordred shrugged his shoulders and cracked his knucles.
"Well, that would be up to her, wouldn't it, mate?" He grinned nastily at Logan, whose back stiffened.
"Watch it, kid."
"Bite me," Mordred tossed back with a flick of his head, eyes glowing in anticipation. Logan's eyes narrowed. Vortigern sighed and tugged Nyx out of the way gently.
"He's about to get his arse kicked. Again."
"Hey, I do win, ya know," Mordred said haughtily.
"Not with him, you ain't gonna."
"Oh, ye of little faith," Mordred sighed and shook his head. "They know I can 'port. That lets me do my thing." He stretched his arms above his head.
"Fine. Far be it from me to keep you from getting killed, you idjit."
"Back down now, kid," Logan warned softly.
Mordred growled at that. "I'm not a kid. Why don't you come over and make me back down...if you think you can." Nyx hastily put Dawn down and stepped between Mordred and Logan.
"Whoa, now while I appreciate the interest, I don't like having blood spilled on my behalf. And Logan? I don't belong to you." She turned and put her arm through Mordred's. "Let's go have that coffee, sweetie." Mordred looked surprised but nodded.
"As m'lady wishes." They walked off. Ha! I didn't get my arse kicked! Mordred thought gleefully.
I wouldn't bet on that still not happening. Vortigern sent back as he watched the older mutant bare his teeth in a snarl. "So, Dawn, who's Clark? And what exactly is he, seeing as how you hang around with vampires."
Dawn
Dawn grinned. "He's my boyfriend. He made me this," she said, holding out the pendant he made her. "It means beloved in his language. He's an alien. Kryptonian, the last surviving member of his race. He's super strong & fast, with super-enhanced senses, and heat vision. He can also fly."
Vortigern, Mordred, Nyx and Logan
"That's pretty cool," Vortigern said, nodding, then he did a double take. "Alien?"
"This world is stranger then you would believe, sweetie," Nyx called back, her head leaning against Mordred's shoulder and one of his arms around her waist. Vortigern didn't have to be a telepath to pick up on the jealousy emaneting from Logan. He just hoped his twin could get out of mostly unhurt. "There's more aliens then electric boy too. There's the others, from the Roswell crash. Some of them are pretty sweet too."
"So, why don't you tell us all about it?" Mordred said in a husky voice to Nyx. Logan's back straightened even more. Oh boy, Vortigern *really* hoped Mordred would be alive after this.
Dawn
"Um, well, oh, fork it. Listen, it started as a jok, but you guys are really making me feel uncomfortable, and considering I just saved your life, could you please back off a bit? Nyx, I thought the glamour the monks made was supposed to make everyone wanna protect me, not hit on me," Dawn whined.
Vortigern, Mordred, Nyx and Logan
"I never hit on a person once I know they're going out with someone," Vortigern said, slightly offended. "I can back off more, if you like."
"And Mordred's all mine now, sweetie," Nyx purred.
"Hey, once she said she was going out with someone, she was hands off. I prefer to hunt where I have chance to actually catch." Mordred laughed. Logan snarled at that.
"Twins are too downright delicious," Nyx giggled.
"Ya think?" Mordred said, eyebrow quirking. She kissed him, and then leaned back up licking her lips. He looked a bit dazed.
"Mmm. Know so." Logan stepped forward and dragged Nyx away from Mordred. "Hey! My yummy boy!" Mordred's hands clenched into fists.
"Hey, back off, mate!" He said menacingly. Nyx slapped at Logan's hands and stormed off.
"Logan, kiss my ass! None of your damn business, seeing as how you're all gooey eyed over the sneaking path!" Logan attempted to follow her, and flew backwards as she fling her hand up. "Don't you even!" She disappeared into the streets, back stiff with anger.
"Well, someone blew it big time," Mordred drawled. Logan growled deep in his throat and leapt at Mordred. He just 'ported out and then appeared behind Logan and punched him, then grabbed Dawn and Vortigern's hands. "See ya when you're less homicidal, mate!" Mordred blinked out and landed them inside the coffee shop as he and Vortigern mentally told all the people there they hadn't seen anything out of the usual. They all agreed with the twins, not wanting to have seen anything out of the usual. "You alright, Dawn?" He asked her worriedly. "I didn't espicailly want to be flattened, so I just skipped."
"You had to start something, didn't you?" Vortigern sighed.
"Well, yeah." Mordred grinned as he pulled a chair out for Dawn to sit down at. "What does everybody want to drink?"
Dawn
"Thanks. Um, I want a grande cafe mocha with whipped cream, chocolate sprnkles & cinnamon sprinckles, and a chocolate biscotti, please," She made eyes at Nyx, who had more money than anyone she knew.
Nyx, Vortigern and Mordred
Nyx rolled her eyes. "I'll grab the tab for everybody but Logan, if he ever shows up, beacuse grrr, I'm mad at him."
"I picked up on that, yes," Vortigern drawled. "I'd just like a hot chocolate thanks."
"Double espresso grande, vanilla and chocolate shot."
"You are feeling drained, aren't you?" Vortigern looked at his twin with worry.
"Coffee fixes all, Scathach." Mordred grinned and flicked his hair off his face with a quick jerk of his head.
"This boy knows what's what! I'm keeping you two." Nyx got up and sauntered over to the counter to place their order.
"Does she make a habit of this? Just randomly adopting people?" Vortigern asked Dawn.
Dawn
Dawn grinnned. "Actually, yes. She adopted me, and Amanda, though Amanda's back in Tulsa with her Watcher. She adopted Mouse, after her mother claimed her, and, let's see, oh! She's also adopted Drusilla, Spike, and, I think Logan," Dawn giggled.
Mordred, Vortigern, Nyx and Logan
"She adopted the insanely jealous guy?" Mordred shook his head. "I thiught she had better taste..."
"What, you didn't get the alpha vibes from that guy? Trust me brother, you are so better backing off on this one. I'm sure we can find some nice, slightly normal girl who doesn't have a psychotic guy around her." Vortigern looked his twin in the eyes. "Or the deathwish is way stringer then I can feel."
"Sod off..." Mordred growled, then looked up as Nyx came up to the table, carefully holdinga tray of drinks. "Ta, Nyx."
"You're welcome," she said cheerfully as she slid into Mordred's lap. Logan stepped in the door, and Nyx;s eyes narrowed. She parcelled out the drinks and leant back into Mordred's arms. "So, where in Wales do you two come from?"
Vortigern's fingers sped up their nervous tapping as Logan stalked up to their table and glared at Mordred. If looks could kill, Mordred would be in several pieces by now. Oh, damn. "You wouldn't have heard of it...it was just a little place."
"Try me," Nyx purred.
"Ah, don't think you would've, really," Vortigern gambled desperatly on freaking Logan out and sending him running so Mordred would stay in one piece. He smiled up at Logan through his long lashes, and mentally vowed to kick Mordred's arse six ways to Sunday as he purred, "so, where do you come from?"
"Different places," Logan snapped, eyes still boring into Mordred's skull as he whispered something into Nyx's ear and she laughed.
Vortigern flashed a glance at Dawn, that screamed, 'help me, please, before my brother gets carted out of here on a stretcher!' He tried the thing again. "What types of places?" Mordred so owed him for this, and Vortigern intended to be paid in blood by this point.
Dawn
Dawn decided that butting in might help. "I'm from Cali. LA originally, or, at least, that's what my fake memories say, dumb monks. Used to live in Sunnydale until the town turned into a crater. Living on a Hellmouth sure was interesting," Dawn grinned.
Mordred, Logan, Nyx and Vortigern
"Hellmouth?" Mordred asked.
"The Mouth of Hell, with all that implies. Demons, vampires, apocalypses, oh my!" Nyx giggled, and then flipped Logan off. "Go elsewhere, grumpy guy. I'm having fun."
"Fine. I'll tell Spike and Scott where you four are then." Logan turned on his heel and stormed out. People automatically got out of the way for him and the door slammed behind him.
"Oh, dear. Wolf, we're supposed to get along with these people!" Vortigern hissed, slapping his twin's arm where he could see it from behind Nyx. Mordred smirked.
"I am. Getting along, very well indeed."
"You owe me, big time. He is very much not my type."
"Aw, poor Vort. He had to flirt to keep his twin from getting pounded on. I could've handled him." Vortigern made a disbelieving noise. "So, was there anyone there when you woke up that you could actually consider?"
"Do you think with what's between your legs constantly?" Vortigern snapped.
"That's a bit crude for you, isn't it?" Mordred raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you meant to be the artisitc one of us two? The golden boy?"
"Don't you even dare, Mordred. I have been shot today, and I am really not in the mood." Vortigern looked away and sipped from his cup of hot chocolate. "Thanks for that, ladies."
"No probs, sweetie." Nyx smiled at him. "Couldn't let such a handsome body go around with a hole in it for the rest of its life."
Theresa
Theresa grinned. "I've only known Enrique for a couple of days, but he seems pretty grounded. Except, you, hide and seek would be interesting, since he can go invisible," Terry laughed. "And on that note, that's find them soon."
Dawn
"Well, if you really wanna see a Hellmouth, there's another in Cleveland, Ohio." Dawn sipped her mocha slowly, feeling her energy return. SHe was a lot like Nyx, caffeine had a strong reaction to chaos.
"So, boys, tell me about yourselves, I was kinda sleeping during your introductions before, I believe."
Mary and Siobhan
"So, what's it like living at the school?" Mry asked Theresa as she tracked the sounds of her sister's giggles through the school. "Cos, I think Mordred and Vortigern are *really* gonna have to stay here. Mordred decked our step-da out, but he hit Siobhan first. I really don't like him," Mary said with a frown, then smiled as Siobhan ran into her arms squealing with laughter.
"Mary! Mary! Save me! Eeeeeeeee! Enrique's gonna tickle me!" Siobhan let go of Mary and ran away again. "Aahhhhh!"
"She's not a problem, is she?" Mary asked Theresa. "Cos, I can tell her to quiet down iffin it's a problem."
Mordred and Vortigern
"We're from Wales, originally. Moved to Britain for a bit when our Da got a new job, then he died." Vortigern shook his head and laughed bitterly for a moment. "Hit by a car. By a kid who had stolen said car. The kid went to a correctional facility for like a month."
"Yeah, the justice system screwed us over. And then the Fates screwed us over more. Mam met Roy and we moved to America. Aw, dammit." Mordred looked around and spotted the no-smoking sign. "Can we leave Roy at he's a cowardly bastard who hits women and little girls, and leave it at that? He hasn't got the stones to do it when we're there, or to take us in. But I got him today," Mordred said triumphantly. "Knocked him down onto his big fat arse."
"I wish I'd been there to see it," Vortigern sighed and then sat up abruptly. "Shit! My paintings! He'll take a knife to them, I know it."
"That just gives me another excuse to hit him, doesn't it?"
"Oh, damn damn and triple damn. At least the little one I did of Da is hidden under my matress after he threatened it the last time." Vortigern rubbed his eyes wearily. "I don't know about you three, but I could really fall asleep about now. Can we head back before I do?"
Theresa
"Dude, no way, welcome to mutant school, where we're all crazxy." Theresa giggled. "I think she's about on the emotinal maturity level of Bobby & St. John."
Mary and Siobhan
"And I'm guessing they're older and should know better?" Mary grinned. Siobhan ran back through, still giggling for all she was worth.
"Maaarrryyyyyyy!"
"Should I rescue her?" Mary looked after her sister when she disappered around a corner, but was still plainly audible.
Dawn
"I'm feeling a bit better, but I could use a rest. I need to meditate, or Janusz will be mad at me. Janusz is the god of chaos, by the way," Dawn told Mordred & Vortigern.
Nyx
"Coolio, Dawnie sweetie. I have enough energy now to zap us back." Nyx closed her eyes and lifted all the people in the booth, with drinks if they hadn't finished and deposited them all gently in empty seats in the loungeroom of the mansion. "You better go meditate and get all that out of your system. Janusz can be quite nasty. Don't wanna get on his bad side, especially when you rely on him for your magick." Nyx looked over at the twins who were falling asleep on each others shoulders, and sighed. Awww. They were just *too* cute. She tagged Xavier in her mind. Proffessor?
Yes, Nyx?
Bedroom for these two?
Of course. They can sleep here. A plan of the mansion entered her head, a room with two beds in it flashing.
Thanks. Nyx lifted the two teens softly out of their seats, placing the empty containers they had managed to hold onto into the bin. "Ok. And for my next trick..." Her eyes rolled back as she placed them in seperate beds and took their shoes off (combat boots for Mordred...why wasn't she surprised?) and tucked them in gently. "Twins all put to bed. Alone, dammit." She grinned at Dawn. "I wanna just snuggle up to them and purr."
Enrique
Enrique made himself invisible, and then snuck up on her, and grabbed her, making her invisible as well.
"Hola, Siobhan, welcome to the world of the invisible. THey can't see you!" He giggled. You can do whatever you want, just don't let go of me, or they'll see you.
Soibhan
"Hehehe!" She giggled with him. "Let's tickle Mary, but we havta be extra quiet, shhh." She put a finger to her lips, hugging him back with her free hand. "Quiet, like mice." She giggled again.
Dawn and Dru
"Nyx, you're such a cutie. I think I can walk to my room from here," Dawn grinned. She went into her room, and saw Drusilla dancing in the corner.
"Dru, can you do me a favour? I either need you to be as quiet as death, or go for a bit, 'cause I need to meditate."
"The stars saw someone new is come, can I go visit?"
"Yes, Mummy, but be kind, and no biting, okay?" Dru pouted, and then smiled when she heard Dawn call her 'Mummy'. Dawn had been doing that lately, when the two of them were alone, which Spike didn't let happen often. Dru went out to look for the little girls, while Dawn sat cross-legged on her bed, trying to center herself and talk to Janusz, the maker of the Key.
Making sure her ring was on tight, Dru danced outside, looking for children. She saw the red-haired Irish girl and the blue people, as well as someone new.
"Oh somebody new to play with!" Dru said, gleefully. "Do you like dolls?"
Mary and Siobhan
"Ummm...." Mary stared at the dark haired woman, more then slightly confused. "Did you just ask me if I liked dolls? Sure, I guess...it's more Siobhan's thing then mine though."
Siobhan snickered as she crept up on Mary, still holding onto Enrique's arm. "She's gonna be so s'prised!"
Enrique
Together, Enrique and Siobhan snuck up on Mary and tickled her sides wth their free hands.
Mary and Siobhan
"Ahhhhh!" Mary shrieked in surprise as they started to tickle her. Huh? Why couldn't she see them? She could hear them and feel them alright, but not see them. "SIOBHAN!" She squirmed and tried to get away but not too hard.
"Gotcha! Hehehehe!" Siobhan giggled happily. "C'mon, Enrique! Let's tickle her s'more!"
Enrique
Enrique kept tickling, but at some point they accidentaly let go of each other, and Siobhan became visible. "Run Siobhan!" He shouted, laughing gleefully as he ran about tickling his own sisters & brother.
Mary and Siobhan
"Ahhhhhhh!" Siobhan screamed in delight as Mary chased after her. "Someone save meeeeeeeeeee! Hahaha!" Mary caught Siobhan and started tickling her. "Mary, Mary, Mary, stooopp!"
"Why? You little brat, getting your friend to make you all invisible. You know that's Vort trick. Say sorry, say you're sorry!"
"Hehehehe! Never! Nonononono! Ahhhh!" Siobhan shrieked as Mary tickled her unmercifully. "Helllllpppp! Hahahaha!"
"No one can save you now, mwahahaha!"
Enrique, Dru and Miguel
Meanwhile, Enrique was running about tickling all of his sibs, and then he decided to tickle Dru. Using a vampire's reflexes, she grabbed him and held him upside dow by his feet.
"I've found a pretty toy to play with!" Dru sang, spinning around. Suddenly, Enrique became visible.
"No!" he squealed "Put me down! Put me down!" Laying his hand on Dru's shoulder, Miguel spoke up.
"Please put him down. Mr. Spike said for you to be nice." Dru pouted.
"Oh, must I?"
"Yes please, ma'am." Sulking, Dru let him go, and he ran around and hid behind his brother.
Mary and Siobhan
Mary and Siobhan lay on the ground, catching their breath. Siobhan opened her eyes, leant up on her elbow and poked Mary in the side. She giggled as Mary mock growled at her. "Grrrr." Siobhan leapt to her feet and ran back the other way.
"Mary's gonna kill me! Help!" Then she stopped and smiled up at Drusilla. "Hi. My name's Siobhan. What's yours?" Mary sneaked up behind Siobhan and leapt on her.
"Rawr!"
"Ah, it's the Mary monster! Save me, save meeeeee!" Siobhan's voice went off the high end of the vocal scale as Mary tickled her unmercifully.
"Brat! Little, annoying brat!"
"Yep! Hehehehe!"
Dru
Drusilla scooped Siobhan up and swung her around. "Oh, you're so pretty! Wanna be mine?" Drusilla asked. "I can be your mummy! My mummy used to sing to me! 'Run and catch, the lamb is caught in the blackberry patch. I can sing you to sleep, and you can play tea party with me and Miss Edith, she's my dolly!"
Mary and Siobhan
"You saved me! I love you!" Siobhan declared and flung her arms around Dru's neck. She turned her head slightly and stuck her tongue out at Mary. "So, ner!" Siobhan giggled again. "I have a dolly, but she's at home. Sleeping nice and quiet, shhh. I'll send my brother to get her, and Miss Edith can play with my Lucy doll."
"Ok, then," Mary said slowly, then shrugged, a little disconcerted by the vampiress's child like behaviour.
"I like tea parties. Mary's all grown up now, so she won't play, but you sound like fun!" Siobhan giggled again.
Dru
"Oh, I'm over 200 years old, but I like to be a little girl. Sometimes I think that all my hair will fall out, and I'll be bald. But my dollies like to have their tea and cakes. When Miss Dawn is done meditating, we can go to our room, and play!" Dru giggled, as she sat dsown on the ground with the little girl and began to play patty-cake with her as everyone else watched.
Mary
"Ok, that is more then slightly weird." Mary blinked as her sister sang and chattered to the dark haired woman as they played children's games. "Just out of curiousity, what excatly is she?"
Miguel
Miguel stepped up. "She's a vampire. She's not dead because she has some sort of magick charm that keeps her unkillable, and she's insane. She's also a seeress, has visions and all. From what I understand she's both evil and innocent, but she's under strict orders not to hurt anyone who lives here. I think that as long as we don't leave the two of them alone, your sister should be fine."
Mary and Siobhan
Mary breathed deeply for a moment. "Siobhan, sweetie?"
"Yes, Mary, Mary quite contrary?"
"Stay where I can see you please."
"Okey dokey!" Siobhan nodded happily. "So, do you know Mab? Cos, she knows vampires too, but she didn't like them very much," Siobhan whispered loudly.
"You knew about vampires?!"
"Uh huh. All grrrrrrr," Siobhan tried to growl and failed miserably. "But I always stayed inside at night, and never ever ever invited one in! Cos, that's a bad thing. Sorry, Dru, but it is. Cos, grrrrrr." Siobhan bared her teeth in what was meant to be a fierce snarl. "All snap snap snap! And no more Siobhan, which would be sad."
Dru
Dru smiled. "Pretty girl, and smart, too. Used to talk to faeries as a girl, but mummy said they were bad, so I stopped. Mab is quite the trickster, she is, but yes, I do know her." Just for effect, Dru morphed into her game face for a moment, and then switched back.
"I would so like to make you mine for eternity, but then I might get in trouble with my Dawnie, and her kitties, and that is not a good thing!" Dru pouted.
Siobhan and Mary
"Kitty lady! Nyxie!" Siobhan clapped her hands. "She's all purry. She likes my brothers, they're twins and opposite in every way! Vort has blond hair and brown eyes, and Mordred has black hair and blue eyes. And Mordred growls, grrrr, so we call him wolf, and he growls more. He gets annoyed really easily," Siobhan whispered to Dru. "Dawn was nice, but I think she was sick cos she was all tired looking when Mordred brought us here. Did you know he could do that thing?" Siobhan twisted to look at Mary, who nodded.
"Figured it out after a while. I spotted Vort going invisible at times, and then there's him changing the colour of his paints so they're exactly the right shade."
"You didn't tell me!" Siobhan pouted.
Mary shrugged. "Wasn't my secret to tell."
"Secrets aren't nice. They make people all sad and growly inside."
Dru
"Secrets all come out eventually!" Dru sang, "They always do!" She picked Siobhan up, "Wanna come play dollies with me?"
Siobhan and Mary
"Yes!" Siobhan clapped her hands and snuggled up to the female vampire. "I like to play dollies, and I don't think Enrique would really like to, cos he's a boy."
"You won't, uh, bite her or anything, will you?" Maary asked hesitantly.
Dru
"I cannot do anything that my Dawnie would not like. If it would make her sad, I will not do it, and death makes her cry, so I will not bite." Dru smiled and scooped the girl up, swinging her gently onto her back, and then pggy-backed her. "Mary can come too, if she likes!"
Siobhan and Mary
Siobhan giggled into Dru's ear. "I like her, Mary! And I wanna play."
"OK. I'll come with." Mary acquiseced gracefully.