It was just after 9:30 that morning by the time the teachers and students of Mutant High had piled on the coach for their tour of Genovia. Pierre, their driver from the day before, was also their driver today.
"Up ahead," Pierre was saying, "is the Palais de Genovia, home of our leader, Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo."
"She used to go to our school," Queenie whispered excitedly. "She went by Mia though."
"The Palais de Genovia is a castle built in the 1600's, but has since been update with more modern facilities. A brief tour of the palace shall be our first stop this morning, but bear in mind that not all parts of the palace are open to the public."
"In other words," Micah said, "don't get separated from your tour group, or we'll kill you."
Geri giggled.
Pierre pulled up the coach on the side of the street outside of the gates of the palace. Everyone piled out of the bus and lined up to get in. While Pierre left to park the bus in a more appropriate spot, a tour guide for the palace arrived.
"Xavier Insitute?" she inquired.
"That's us," Rogue confirmed.
"Great. This way please."
She led them through a gate, and they began the fairly long walk through the garden to the large doors. On the way, the tour guide gave them a brief history of the palace and the garden.
Once they made it through the front doors, and were suitably awed by the intrically decorated foyer, the tour guide gave them a firm recount of the rules for touring the palace. She also reinforced that strays were not tolerated. And on that, the tour began.
There were actually very few rooms in the palace that the group was allowed to visit. Still, the rooms they did see were worth it, all well kept and fill of history. It was as the tour was nearing completion that they got a surprised.
"Rogue! Shannon!" a voice called from the top of the stairs.
They looked up to see Princess Mia waving at them. She raced down the stairs (very unPrincesslike), and gave them both hugs.
"It's so wonderful to see you again!"
Tina
Micah waved at Mia. He remembered that she was always hanging out with that Tina girl, and wondered if she would be around. Almost on cue, Tina appeared behind Mia.
"Rogue! Shannon! Hey!" she said excitedly. She spotted that boy, Micah, with the cute little bat-wings. She also recognized Geri and Queenie. She ran down the stairs after Mia and hugged her friends.
Rogue, Mia and Shannon
"Tina!" Rogue and Shannon said.
Mia grinned and waved back to Micah.
"Enjoyed the tour?"
"It has been good. It is a wonderful home you have here," Shannon said.
Tina
Tina hugged Rogue and Shannon, looked over at Micah, and blushed. He sure was cute.
"So, should we entertain our friends, Mia, or do you have work to do?"
Mia and Rogue
"Bah, work," Mia replied, waving a hand dismissingly. "Anyone want to go bowling?"
At the enthusiatic response, Mia gustured for everyone to follow her.
"Don't tell me you have your own bowling alley?" Rogue asked.
"Oh yeah."
Tina
Everyone followed Mia, chattering on. Micah ran his hand through his hair, hoping it looked okay. Tina had lost some weight, and was looking really pretty. Not that she'd ever been fat or ugly, but she seemed to have more confidence now, and he liked that.
"I have to admit," Micah said, "I'm a damn good bowler."
"Really now," Tina asked. "I'm pretty good myself. It's the one 'sport' I'm decent at."
Mia
"Just as long as no one expects me to wear bowling shoes," Geri said, looking down at her horse-like hooves.
"I think you'll be fine," Mia grinned, with a sidelong glace to Micah and Tina.
Tina
There were, however, some very nice--very clean-- bowling shoes for everyone else, and Tina slipped on a pair. She also went and picked out a bright pink bowling ball.
Micah tied his shoes, and went over the the bowling balls. He lifted a few, and picked out a black one that was the right weight for him.
Mia and Shannon
"Okay," said Mia. "I think we should split into teams."
"Students against everyone else?" suggested Arthur.
"Cool people verses dorks?" Queenie countered, raising an eyebrow.
"How about an even split?" Shannon asked. "There are two teachers, two... nobles, and half a dozen students."
"Sounds good to me," said Geri.
Tina
"Okay," Tina said. Her team was comprised of her, Micah, Queenie, Rogue and Arthur.
"Let's do this thing."
Mark
"All right!" Arthur said.
He picked up his bowling ball and sailed it towards the pins. Meanwhile, Mark did the same, only while Arthur's ball knocked a couple of pins down, Mark got a gutter ball.
Micah went next for his team, and knocked down half the pins, but got the spare. Geri was surprisingly good for her team, and got a strike.
Rogue and Mia
Rogue, by virtue of Ms Marvels strength, used the heaviest bowling ball they had, and was rather effective at getting strikes. More than halfway through the game, and she hadn't missed a strike yet.
"Wow, you're well on your way to a perfect score. I don't think I've ever seen someone do that," Mia observed.
"I'm rather surprised I'm doing so well," Rogue said. "I haven't played for some time."
Tina
Tina noticed the ring on Rogue's finger. "Wow, that's one hell of a ring. It's beautiful," she said, looking at it closely. Queenie went up to bowl next for their team, and Tina was last.
Rogue
Rogue looked down at her finger, and smiled.
"It's an engagement ring. Remy proposed just before we left."
Tina
Tina squealed a little. "Oh, that's so exciting! Do you want a big wedding or a small wedding? Any idea where you want to hold it?" She asked Rogue.
Rogue
"I don't know, haven't decided yet," Rogue giggled. "Remy does have a bit of a position to maintain now, though, so unless he decides it's a security risk or something, we'll probably have a big wedding. Haven't even begun to make plans yet."
Tina
"You could always hold the wedding here in Genovia," Tina suggested. "And I'm great at planning weddings, if you want any suggestions. Of course, I'm also a big sappy romantic," she giggled.
Rogue
"Really? I hadn't noticed," Rogue teased. "Actually it's a beautiful country here. I'm sorely tempted to."
She seemed to mull this over before it was called to her attention that it was her turn to bowl.
Tina
Tina watched Rogue bowl, and before long it was her turn.