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xp_logs2006-03-31 08:54 pm
x-wolverine.livejournal.com) wrote in xp_logs2006-03-31 08:54 pm
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LOG: Ororo/Logan - A Welcoming Back to the Mansion in Three Parts
Part the First: Ororo re-creates Logan's logins and access rights, plus they schedule an exploratory Danger Room run.
Now that Scott was gone, 'Ro found that she had more work than ever. This was not a surprise, of course, and she had plenty of volunteers to help her, so things continued along as smoothly as they always had. Ever the reasonable one, Scott had left her a list of things to look over in his absence. Having just completed a review of all trainee logs from the past two weeks, she looked to see what was next.
"Ah." Of course, Logan needed his access to email and staff privileges restored, and there were a few things that needed discussing. Instead of asking him to come to her office to talk, Ororo decided to stretch her legs and seek him out herself.
Logan was down in the Gym, working with a wooden practice sword. He was dressed in a traditional Japanese gi, unadorned save for the black belt around his waist. He whirled and stepped through the cutting motions of the sword kata, his bokken striking high, then low in multiple fluid strikes. The expression on his face was serene, almost bored. He currently had the Gym to himself.
Arriving at the gym, 'Ro stopped in the doorway to watch. It hadn't taken too long to figure out where to find him, but she didn't want to interrupt. It was nice to just pause for a moment, anyway.
Logan spent the next few minutes finishing up the kata, ending with a rather spectacular flurry of strikes and blocks against a set of imaginary attackers. He bowed to his imaginary foe, rehomed his sword, then bowed again. Finally he broke his strict posture and turned to look at Ororo. "Hey, darlin'. Looking for me?" he asked with an easy smile.
"As a matter of fact... I would like to invite you to my office at a convenient time to discuss certain things," Ororo replied, nodding. "Scott mentioned that you needed an email address set up, and now that you are teaching, you will have staff access around the Mansion."
"Sounds good. Let me go get cleaned up and I'll be right with you." he said, unhooking his sword from his belt, bowing to it, then replacing it on the rack that was designated for such things. He then disappeared into the men's locker room, only to reappear a few minutes later wearing a Xavier T-shirt and a pair of faded, well-broken-in jeans along with cowboy boots. "Lead on, darlin'." he said, still fluffing out his hair to get it to dry faster.
They headed back upstairs towards her office, walking at a leisurely pace through the halls. As they reached the office and Ororo opened the door, a light breeze brushed past them, ruffling Logan's hair, though Ororo was suspiciously blank-faced about it. "Take a seat," she offered, slipping into her own chair behind the desk and drawing up one knee to her chest.
Logan obediently flopped into Ororo's visitor chair, enjoying the breeze through his hair. He suspected it was her doing - there was no natural reason why a breeze should have come along at that point - but he accepted it for the gift it was and let it be. He looked at her desk and grinned at her. "Still grading papers?" he asked her with a wink.
"It is a perpetual thing, like the tides," 'Ro replied with a smirk, pushing aside a stack. "And like the tides, I am always trying to keep afloat. Which leads us to the first order of business..." She looked down, shuffling through some papers before picking up a folder. "Your codes and logins... I did not know what address you wished to have, so that is not created yet."
Logan shrugged at Ororo. "Let's go for something different this time - the old name was pretty dumb. x_wolverine work for you?" he asked. "As for the codes, I'll get Kuk to code the biosensors."
"Very well," she said, pursing her lips. "If you encounter anything that else that needs to be taken care of, please let me know."
Logan nodded to that. "Don't need much, really." he commented. "I live pretty light." And most of his possessions had gone up in smoke when Creed trashed his camper.
"One of the benefits of being staff is that many things are provided for you." 'Ro nodded towards him. "Like that shirt you're wearing."
Logan nodded. "I'm grateful." he said. "Unless you want it back?" he asked with a teasing smile.
"I have too many clothes already, I'm afraid that would only go to waste. Better that you keep it," she suggested with a chuckle.
Logan grinned at her. "Sure thing." he said, relaxing back in his chair just a bit. "You got something else on your mind." he said, not as a question. "Spit it out."
With a nod, 'Ro brought one hand up to place on her knee, then rested her chin on that. "I did not know you were know a telepath," she joked. "But yes, there is something else. I have been authorized to ask you if you would consider re-joining the team. The X-Men."
"The nose knows." he said sagely, tapping his schnozz with his forefinger. "And yeah, was thinkin' that'd be a good idea. Slim needs all the help he can get." he said with a chuckle. "It's ugly out there in places, 'Ro. Real ugly."
"Yes," she said simply in agreement. "I am glad you would like to do so. There will be the necessary clearances, of course... I believe you have already had a physical?"
"It's not like I get sick, 'Ro, but yeah. New doc checked me out. She shares my low opinion of the docs who butchered me." he said with just a hint of growl. "Everything's five by five physically with me."
Ororo nodded, her expression sympathetic. "Good. And have you met with Charles? I do not mean to imply anything, but everyone must also undergo a psych evaluation before they are cleared for the team."
"First stop when I got back." he said with a nod. "All things considered, I'm mentally as sound as I ever get." he said with something of a very fast wince. "No need to worry on that count."
"If you can stand a punch from Scott and all you do is borrow his bike, I do not doubt that," she said, her lips curving into a smile. "I just needed to check."
Logan barked out a laugh at that idea. "Gotta keep him honest _somehow_. Besides, bike that nice shouldn't go to waste sitting in a garage."
"That is true," she agreed. "Well, then most everything is in order, except..." 'Ro glanced up at him, her smile widening.
Logan looked at her, wary of what surprise she still had in store for him. "Except ... ?" he prompted her.
"Well, I believe it would only be wise if I put you through the paces in the Danger Room. To assure that you are in top form."
Logan grinned at that. "Sounds like a date to me." he said with a wink. "You want me in the leathers or just as-is?" he asked sweetly.
"Decisions, decisions..." Ororo smirked, unfolding her legs from the chair. "Your leathers are ready for you."
Logan grinned. "All right then. Go get the Big Round Room set up, I'll get changed." he said, standing up and putting his knuckles down on her desk. "You're gonna like it."
"I am wary of accepting promises like that," 'Ro said, glancing up at him. "They are never as good as the real thing." She grinned then, leaning back in her chair.
Logan quirked his eyebrow at her. "You sayin' I'm gonna disappoint you, not live up to your lofty expectations?" He then laughed and turned to go change into his leathers.
"We shall soon see," she replied, chuckling as he walked away.
In Part the Second, Ororo puts Logan through a Danger Room run to see if he's let his skills accumulate any rust.
Not too long after, Logan saw the doors of the Danger Room slide open for him.
Logan walked in, adjusting his leathers slightly. "All right." he said with a waved salute towards the control booth. "Hit me."
"Simulation starting in 3... 2... 1...," was Ororo's reply. The doors shut smoothly, and four drones approached Logan from four different directions. It seemed to be a fairly standard sim, but then, things never stayed standard for long in the Danger Room.
Logan didn't wait for the drones to come to him - instead, he went to the drones. The claws stayed in for the time being, but Logan was far from helpless even with the claws sheathed. He ducked under the grasp of one, picking it up and throwing it at another.
The two exploded, and immediately one of the remaining drones swooped in while the other lurked in the smoke and debris left by its destroyed brethren.
The one that got aggressive ate an adamantium-reinforced punch to its torso followed by another to its "head". Still the claws stayed sheathed for now, Logan relying solely on his fighting skill to keep himself as a viable threat.
That left only one drone, and this one didn't seem too interested in getting close. Instead it stayed back, moving around Logan and monitoring his movements. After a few seconds, it seemed to come to a decision, and a hatch slid open on its chest. A moment later it began to shoot a thin stream of sticky goo at Logan, the substance seeming to expand to many times its original size the moment it hit air.
Logan dove out of the way, but his quickness wasn't _quite_ up to the task. His left shin and foot got coated in the goo while the rest of him got clear. Seizing what time he had left before the stuff glued him to the floor, he finally popped his claws and charged the fourth drone, a snarl crossing his face.
Ororo couldn't help but smile a tiny bit as Logan's foot lodged to the floor. Of course, it was perfectly penetrable by his claws, but it would require a certain dexterity. One that would be difficult to wield while also defending oneself against the four new drones that were heading straight for him, each with an open hatch in its chest.
Logan cut the goo off his foot - taking a goodly chunk of his own flesh with it, but that didn't bother him much. He'd heal, and pain never was much of a penalty to him. He used his mobility to spiral around the drones, making them cross their own lines of fire and keeping them from ganging up on him completely. When he got close to one, he slashed at it with his claws then immediately kept moving to keep him goop-free. Or, at least, that was the plan.
Unfortunately, what he didn't count on was the drone exploding in a mess of foam and shrapnel. Each piece that struck him started to grow almost immediately, and somehow it seemed to get heavier and more cumbersome as well. One drone, half-mired in goop and struggling to move at all, rotated and sprayed the floor in front of him.
Logan struggled away from the bot that was spraying the floor in the quick-hardening goop, and as he backed away he used his claws to scrape swaths of the stuff off his body - occasionally taking a layer of flesh with it. The flesh exposed by his claws didn't stay bloody for long, but he was having the problem of his claws being coated in the stuff.
There wasn't much open floor left, and Logan was quickly backing himself into a corner. A few of the drones were still mobile enough to move towards him, and it seemed that his claws were more likely to stick to them than to cut through them now.
Logan would have retracted them, but he doubted that they'd go back in with all the crap all over them. Instead, he started getting creative - using the sticky crap to scale his way up the wall and over to a cleaner, less fenced-in area. Make them roll through their own goop to get to him.
The drones fumbled over each other as they tried to get to him, though they were soon flailing about rather helplessly. Ororo smirked and thumbed a button. "I think you've done well so far, Logan. Have you had enough?"
"Depends. Is that all you got?" he said with a grin and a wave to the booth. "I'm still game if you are." The majority of his self-inflicted wounds had closed up if not completely healed by now, and he looked almost as good as new.
"You know there's plenty more where that came from," came the reply. All of a sudden, a cool drizzle began to fall from above, dissolving the goo that now coated a good portion of the room, and Logan.
Logan made sure to hold his claws out to let the rains rinse the crud off of him completely. "Come on, 'Ro, I thought you said this was gonna be difficult or something."
"Be careful, I might have to expand the program to make room for that ego..."
The room shifted and shimmered around him, resolving itself into a cityscape. Sirens blared in the background, and Logan found himself in a dark alleyway. "No causalities," Ororo instructed as three humanoid drones advanced on him.
Logan sheathed his claws and then leaped into action. "No casualties" left him a broad amount of leeway, after all. One bot got fist to his solar plexus, while another one got Logan's backfist to his nose. The third was going to eat boot if Logan could possibly manage it.
The drones all fell without much resistance, lying inert on the ground. After a few seconds, however, they began to vibrate, then slide across the floor towards one end of the room. Logan felt a pull on him, emanating from that same direction.
He popped his claws again and dug them into the stonework (metal walls) of the buildings around him to give himself leverage. He'd felt pulls like this before - someone was operating a very large magnet somewhere just out of sight.
The drones slid with a loud screech across the floor as the pull increased, and the various other objects around him began to shudder and slide as well. One large chunk of metal fashioned into a trashcan slid straight into Logan, knocking his feet out from under him.
Logan swore explosively and struggled to get his feet back under him, to brace himself with all his extremities. On the other hand, he did have another option ... he retracted his claws and let himself fly towards the source of the magnetic pull, but he re-extended the claws and set himself into a "dive" formation, claws-first, aimed right for the source of the pull.
The magnetic pull seemed to be centered around a bubble-shaped protrusion in the wall at about chest-height. The drones and other pieces of metals were gathered about it in various states of disarray. Ororo leaned in, watching with interest as Logan dove towards the bubble. It was a one-shot deal, it seemed, and she was curious to see if he would be able to disable the magnet before it got to him.
Logan, as soon as he got close enough, started carving with his claws. He had to disable the magnet _soon_ before he was completely unable to move. That had happened to him before and it _always_ sucked.
What sucked even more than the magnet's pull was the sudden appearance of several more drones, these ones seemingly unaffected by the magnet.
Logan didn't have time to worry about them right at that moment - his first priority was to take down the magnet. With luck, his claws would sever something important before the drones stunned him into unconsciousness.
His claws carved into the metal, sinking into it easily. Still the magnet pulled, and the drones struck, and it seemed that if he was not overwhelmed, he was at least well-matched. Instead of striking, one of the drones crowded closer, trying to push Logan further against the magnet.
Logan ignored it, instead continuing to slash and cut the magnet, hoping to cut its power or make it _stop sucking_.
Finally he reached his goal, delving into it far enough to sever its power. The debris clanked against the floor as the pull stopped, and Logan felt the pressure on his frame disappear.
Logan fell to the ground heavily, but quickly got his balance back and whirled to deal with the remaining drones. Mindful of the no-casualties rule, he resheathed his claws and relied on punches and kicks to subdue the drones.
When they lay once more still and quiet on the floor, Ororo spoke. "Very good, Logan. I think that is plenty for today."
Logan nodded and exhaled sharply. "Good workout. So, did I pass?" he said, whistling something to himself softly.
"You did very well."
Logan grinned. "Good deal. I'm gonna go get cleaned up. Want to go to Harry's for my celebratory drink?" he asked her with a grin.
There was a slight hesitation, and Ororo suprised herself as she leaned in to reply, "Very well. But only if you get all the goop out of your hair."
"For you, darlin', I'll manage." he laughed, then headed for the men's lockers.
And in the final part, Ororo and Logan go out to Harry's to celebrate his triumphant return.
Ororo was waiting for him as he emerged from the locker room, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She had changed to her own pair of jeans, shrugging on a close-fitting leather jacket before heading back downstairs.
Logan came out wearing his Xavier T-shirt and jeans from earlier, but tellingly his hair was entirely goop-free. "So, do I pass?" he asked her with a grin. "And you're lookin' good, 'Ro."
Ororo raised herself to her tiptoes again to peer at his hair, finally nodding approvingly. "Yes, you pass. It seems being back at the school has made you a bit obsessed with grades."
Logan snorted in a friendly way at that idea. "X-Men's a good thing. Don't want to fuck up by not qualifying." he admitted. "Now come on, I think I can hear a cold one callin' my name. You want to walk or take the bike?"
"Bike," 'Ro decided, leading the way through the halls once more. "I feel like flying tonight."
Logan gave her a thumb's up on that count. "Knew you were my kinda girl." he said affectionately as they headed for the garage and Scott's bike.
"Well, it would not be getting any use otherwise," she reasoned with a grin.
"That's be a damned shame." he agreed as they finally reached the garage. He didn't bother to sign the bike out of anything - he just dug the keys out of his pocket. "You ever been on this thing before?" he asked with a wink.
"I have," 'Ro said with a nod, pausing beside the bike. "Scott trusts me to drive it, though I don't think he likes it very much. He gets a look on his face like I have stolen his firstborn child away."
"There's a thought I didn't need." he said with an exaggerated shudder. "For poetic justice if Scotty ever did knock some poor girl up I think the kid'd be like Nate writ small." he said with a laugh. He got on the bike and kicked it into life, then nodded at 'Ro. "Climb on."
She grinned and slid on behind him, feeling a small thrill at leaving the Mansion and her paperwork behind. And on a school night... dear Goddess, have I truly become so old so quickly? "Let's go," she said, leaning forward and slipping her arms around Logan's waist.
Logan goosed the throttle and tore out of the Mansion's garage with a squeal of tire. It didn't take them long to get down to Harry's - not at the speeds they were travelling at.
The crowd at the bar was fairly sparse - it was, after all, a work night.
Taking a seat at the bar, Ororo flashed two fingers at the bartender before settling more comfortably on the stool. "As this is a celebration, it is only fair that I buy the first round."
Logan grinned. "Won't hear me complain." he said, settling easily onto his own stool. "So what's the African Goddess's preferred poison?" he asked curiously.
"Right now, a beer will work just fine," 'Ro replied, dragging her fingers through her wind-tangled hair. I really should just cut it.
"Suit yerself." he said, and got himself a boilermaker in addition to her beer. "And quit futzing with your hair. It looks good the way it is."
'Ro snorted and dropped her hand, looking over at Logan thoughtfully. "I have heard the green slime in the Danger Room is an excellent conditioner. Perhaps I will have to make use of it after my flights."
Logan shrugged. "Suit yerself." he said. "I like the wild, tangled look. Suits you more than the uptight thing does." he commented, downing his shot and chasing it with his beer.
"Only you could say something like that and leave me wondering if it was a compliment or an insult," Ororo remarked, picking up her beer.
Logan laughed at that. "My insults usually come in threes." he said, massaging his hand briefly.
"I shall be sure to keep count," she said with a smirk, taking a long swig.
Logan looked thoughtful for a second, but threw it off in favor of another grin. "I saw Jean in the city yesterday." he said quietly.
"Did you?" 'Ro asked, looking over at him quickly. "I see. Is that why you went there?" she guessed, raising her eyebrows.
Logan nodded. "Had to see it for myself. Shit, 'Ro, I don't know what to think. She's different, yeah, but given all the shit she's been through..."
"Even all that she has been through does not explain the... suddenness of it," 'Ro said, shaking her head. "It is hard to believe she would just snap like that. And then spend her time trying to hurt Scott... that is not the Jean I know.'
Logan nodded. "Yeah - some of it doesn't add up, but I can't _prove_ anything!" he said, thumping his hand on the bar in frustration. "Part of me wants to put her down before anyone else gets hurt. But part of me thinks that folks change."
"I do not think it is for us to decide," 'Ro said softly. "Her actions are her own... and we may never know the full explaination. I only wish I could keep them from hurting the students. And Scott."
Logan snorted in frustration, then downed his next shot and beer with two easy swallows. "I hate not knowing." he said sullenly.
Ororo sipped her beer more slowly, her expression pensive. "I saw her too, in the city. I wanted to see her, to understand why. But after I was only more confused."
"I could hear her heart beat. Smell her sweat, what she had for lunch. An I couldn't tell if it was _her_ or someone else." he growled.
"I know you wish to help, Logan, but perhaps... this is best left alone, at least for now," 'Ro suggested gently. "If she is not in danger, then maybe we should leave her be. It seems to be what she wants."
Logan thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah." he said, relaxing himself just fractionally. "So - what's gone down with you while I was away?" he asked with a smile.
"Very little," was the immediate answer, and it was hard to tell from her tone what 'Ro thought of that. "I have been trying to keep out of trouble, mostly. When there is not mission and team activities, there is schoolwork... and training, of course."
"You need to have more fun in your life." he said flatly. "Sounds to me like you're burying yourself in being Storm and co-headmistress. What for Ororo, then?"
She flashed him a look, raising her bottle to her lips before replying. "I am not in danger of breaking, Logan. Besides, watching you get covered in goop was more than enough fun for me," she added with a grin.
Logan just quirked an eyebrow at her and downed his third shot-and-beer.
"Besides, I came here with you," 'Ro pointed out a bit defensively. "Is this not fun?"
Logan cracked a smile at that. "We'll get you letting your hair down yet." he said with a laugh, taking an errant lock of hers and wrapping it around his finger before letting it go.
With a 'hmph' she finished the rest of her beer and ordered another, as if determined to show him that she was still plenty capable of having fun. A few of the men in the bar glanced over at her, though she didn't seem to notice. After all, a black woman with pure-white hair was bound to draw her share of looks, and she had grown mostly immune to it over the years.
Logan kept up with her drink for drink, keeping the conversation light and with lots of laughter. Luckily for him, his healing factor burned off the alcohol almost as soon as it entered his body.
Unfortunately for 'Ro, her powers did not involve either a healing factor or a sped-up metabolism, and she was soon feeling the effects of the alcohol. She waved off the fresh drink the bartender brought over, sitting up straight on the stool with some effort. "I think that is enough for now," she declared with a smile.
Logan just grinned at Ororo. "Lightweight." he said, downing his latest shot and beer. "Come on, I think it's time to take teacher to bed." he said, somehow managing to keep a straight face.
"You're a cheater, Mr. Logan... no mutant powers allowed," Ororo said with a laugh.
"It's not _cheating_ per se as it is evolution in action." he said with a grin. "Come on, 'Ro, let's get you back home." he said, getting up off his stool and allowing her to use him as a brace to steady herself.
She slid off her stool and started for the door, her steps mostly steady. It seemed the effects of the alcohol were mostly a slight slur to her speech and a tendency to giggle at anything he said. "I really hope I am able to continue working when we get back. It's too early for bed, anyway."
Logan quirked an eyebrow at that. "I'm sure you'll find something to do before bed." he said with a grin. He led her out to the parking lot and kicked Scott's bike into gear.
"Climb on." he said with a waggled eyebrow.
"You're a bad influence," 'Ro decided as she straddled the bike behind him. "Drinking on a school night..."
"It's what I do, darlin'." he said modestly, then launched the bike onto the street. The ride back to Xavier's didn't take too long, and before they knew it they were back in the garage.
"And you do it so well, too," she said with another giggle. She leaned against him for the ride back, resting her cheek on her back and closing her eyes. Far from being nauseating, the feel of the bike beneath her and the wind whipping past her cheeks was soothing.
Once they had arrived she stood, one hand hand the still-warm seat of the bike. "Well. Congratulations, Logan," she said, looking at him. "And welcome back to the team."
"Thanks, darlin'." he said with a grin, looking into her eyes for a moment. Then, perhaps suicidally, he leaned forward to kiss her goodnight. Hopefully them being indoors would prevent bolts from On High.
If there was lightning, it was of a much different kind than he had been expecting. 'Ro returned the kiss, her lips curving against his in a slight smile. Her hand moved to his shoulder, though it rested there only briefly before she pulled back.
Logan looked into Ororo's eyes again, his every look a question. "Hear it told there's a pile of paperwork on your desk. Papers that need grading." he said with an easy smile.
Ororo blinked and then nodded, a faint pinkness suffusing her cheeks. "It's true. As
always..." Once again she reached up to fiddle with her hair, tugging at a knot as she considered her options.
"Your call, darlin'." he told her softly. "However you want it is fine with me." he promised her. He could tell she was tempted - mightily so - by a certain set of very familiar smells upon the air. "Upstairs together or upstairs apart, it's yours if you want it."
"You're a very bad influence," 'Ro murmured, not for the first time that night. "But if I'm not going to get any more work done tonight..."
Logan just grinned and waited for her to make her decision.
Now that Scott was gone, 'Ro found that she had more work than ever. This was not a surprise, of course, and she had plenty of volunteers to help her, so things continued along as smoothly as they always had. Ever the reasonable one, Scott had left her a list of things to look over in his absence. Having just completed a review of all trainee logs from the past two weeks, she looked to see what was next.
"Ah." Of course, Logan needed his access to email and staff privileges restored, and there were a few things that needed discussing. Instead of asking him to come to her office to talk, Ororo decided to stretch her legs and seek him out herself.
Logan was down in the Gym, working with a wooden practice sword. He was dressed in a traditional Japanese gi, unadorned save for the black belt around his waist. He whirled and stepped through the cutting motions of the sword kata, his bokken striking high, then low in multiple fluid strikes. The expression on his face was serene, almost bored. He currently had the Gym to himself.
Arriving at the gym, 'Ro stopped in the doorway to watch. It hadn't taken too long to figure out where to find him, but she didn't want to interrupt. It was nice to just pause for a moment, anyway.
Logan spent the next few minutes finishing up the kata, ending with a rather spectacular flurry of strikes and blocks against a set of imaginary attackers. He bowed to his imaginary foe, rehomed his sword, then bowed again. Finally he broke his strict posture and turned to look at Ororo. "Hey, darlin'. Looking for me?" he asked with an easy smile.
"As a matter of fact... I would like to invite you to my office at a convenient time to discuss certain things," Ororo replied, nodding. "Scott mentioned that you needed an email address set up, and now that you are teaching, you will have staff access around the Mansion."
"Sounds good. Let me go get cleaned up and I'll be right with you." he said, unhooking his sword from his belt, bowing to it, then replacing it on the rack that was designated for such things. He then disappeared into the men's locker room, only to reappear a few minutes later wearing a Xavier T-shirt and a pair of faded, well-broken-in jeans along with cowboy boots. "Lead on, darlin'." he said, still fluffing out his hair to get it to dry faster.
They headed back upstairs towards her office, walking at a leisurely pace through the halls. As they reached the office and Ororo opened the door, a light breeze brushed past them, ruffling Logan's hair, though Ororo was suspiciously blank-faced about it. "Take a seat," she offered, slipping into her own chair behind the desk and drawing up one knee to her chest.
Logan obediently flopped into Ororo's visitor chair, enjoying the breeze through his hair. He suspected it was her doing - there was no natural reason why a breeze should have come along at that point - but he accepted it for the gift it was and let it be. He looked at her desk and grinned at her. "Still grading papers?" he asked her with a wink.
"It is a perpetual thing, like the tides," 'Ro replied with a smirk, pushing aside a stack. "And like the tides, I am always trying to keep afloat. Which leads us to the first order of business..." She looked down, shuffling through some papers before picking up a folder. "Your codes and logins... I did not know what address you wished to have, so that is not created yet."
Logan shrugged at Ororo. "Let's go for something different this time - the old name was pretty dumb. x_wolverine work for you?" he asked. "As for the codes, I'll get Kuk to code the biosensors."
"Very well," she said, pursing her lips. "If you encounter anything that else that needs to be taken care of, please let me know."
Logan nodded to that. "Don't need much, really." he commented. "I live pretty light." And most of his possessions had gone up in smoke when Creed trashed his camper.
"One of the benefits of being staff is that many things are provided for you." 'Ro nodded towards him. "Like that shirt you're wearing."
Logan nodded. "I'm grateful." he said. "Unless you want it back?" he asked with a teasing smile.
"I have too many clothes already, I'm afraid that would only go to waste. Better that you keep it," she suggested with a chuckle.
Logan grinned at her. "Sure thing." he said, relaxing back in his chair just a bit. "You got something else on your mind." he said, not as a question. "Spit it out."
With a nod, 'Ro brought one hand up to place on her knee, then rested her chin on that. "I did not know you were know a telepath," she joked. "But yes, there is something else. I have been authorized to ask you if you would consider re-joining the team. The X-Men."
"The nose knows." he said sagely, tapping his schnozz with his forefinger. "And yeah, was thinkin' that'd be a good idea. Slim needs all the help he can get." he said with a chuckle. "It's ugly out there in places, 'Ro. Real ugly."
"Yes," she said simply in agreement. "I am glad you would like to do so. There will be the necessary clearances, of course... I believe you have already had a physical?"
"It's not like I get sick, 'Ro, but yeah. New doc checked me out. She shares my low opinion of the docs who butchered me." he said with just a hint of growl. "Everything's five by five physically with me."
Ororo nodded, her expression sympathetic. "Good. And have you met with Charles? I do not mean to imply anything, but everyone must also undergo a psych evaluation before they are cleared for the team."
"First stop when I got back." he said with a nod. "All things considered, I'm mentally as sound as I ever get." he said with something of a very fast wince. "No need to worry on that count."
"If you can stand a punch from Scott and all you do is borrow his bike, I do not doubt that," she said, her lips curving into a smile. "I just needed to check."
Logan barked out a laugh at that idea. "Gotta keep him honest _somehow_. Besides, bike that nice shouldn't go to waste sitting in a garage."
"That is true," she agreed. "Well, then most everything is in order, except..." 'Ro glanced up at him, her smile widening.
Logan looked at her, wary of what surprise she still had in store for him. "Except ... ?" he prompted her.
"Well, I believe it would only be wise if I put you through the paces in the Danger Room. To assure that you are in top form."
Logan grinned at that. "Sounds like a date to me." he said with a wink. "You want me in the leathers or just as-is?" he asked sweetly.
"Decisions, decisions..." Ororo smirked, unfolding her legs from the chair. "Your leathers are ready for you."
Logan grinned. "All right then. Go get the Big Round Room set up, I'll get changed." he said, standing up and putting his knuckles down on her desk. "You're gonna like it."
"I am wary of accepting promises like that," 'Ro said, glancing up at him. "They are never as good as the real thing." She grinned then, leaning back in her chair.
Logan quirked his eyebrow at her. "You sayin' I'm gonna disappoint you, not live up to your lofty expectations?" He then laughed and turned to go change into his leathers.
"We shall soon see," she replied, chuckling as he walked away.
In Part the Second, Ororo puts Logan through a Danger Room run to see if he's let his skills accumulate any rust.
Not too long after, Logan saw the doors of the Danger Room slide open for him.
Logan walked in, adjusting his leathers slightly. "All right." he said with a waved salute towards the control booth. "Hit me."
"Simulation starting in 3... 2... 1...," was Ororo's reply. The doors shut smoothly, and four drones approached Logan from four different directions. It seemed to be a fairly standard sim, but then, things never stayed standard for long in the Danger Room.
Logan didn't wait for the drones to come to him - instead, he went to the drones. The claws stayed in for the time being, but Logan was far from helpless even with the claws sheathed. He ducked under the grasp of one, picking it up and throwing it at another.
The two exploded, and immediately one of the remaining drones swooped in while the other lurked in the smoke and debris left by its destroyed brethren.
The one that got aggressive ate an adamantium-reinforced punch to its torso followed by another to its "head". Still the claws stayed sheathed for now, Logan relying solely on his fighting skill to keep himself as a viable threat.
That left only one drone, and this one didn't seem too interested in getting close. Instead it stayed back, moving around Logan and monitoring his movements. After a few seconds, it seemed to come to a decision, and a hatch slid open on its chest. A moment later it began to shoot a thin stream of sticky goo at Logan, the substance seeming to expand to many times its original size the moment it hit air.
Logan dove out of the way, but his quickness wasn't _quite_ up to the task. His left shin and foot got coated in the goo while the rest of him got clear. Seizing what time he had left before the stuff glued him to the floor, he finally popped his claws and charged the fourth drone, a snarl crossing his face.
Ororo couldn't help but smile a tiny bit as Logan's foot lodged to the floor. Of course, it was perfectly penetrable by his claws, but it would require a certain dexterity. One that would be difficult to wield while also defending oneself against the four new drones that were heading straight for him, each with an open hatch in its chest.
Logan cut the goo off his foot - taking a goodly chunk of his own flesh with it, but that didn't bother him much. He'd heal, and pain never was much of a penalty to him. He used his mobility to spiral around the drones, making them cross their own lines of fire and keeping them from ganging up on him completely. When he got close to one, he slashed at it with his claws then immediately kept moving to keep him goop-free. Or, at least, that was the plan.
Unfortunately, what he didn't count on was the drone exploding in a mess of foam and shrapnel. Each piece that struck him started to grow almost immediately, and somehow it seemed to get heavier and more cumbersome as well. One drone, half-mired in goop and struggling to move at all, rotated and sprayed the floor in front of him.
Logan struggled away from the bot that was spraying the floor in the quick-hardening goop, and as he backed away he used his claws to scrape swaths of the stuff off his body - occasionally taking a layer of flesh with it. The flesh exposed by his claws didn't stay bloody for long, but he was having the problem of his claws being coated in the stuff.
There wasn't much open floor left, and Logan was quickly backing himself into a corner. A few of the drones were still mobile enough to move towards him, and it seemed that his claws were more likely to stick to them than to cut through them now.
Logan would have retracted them, but he doubted that they'd go back in with all the crap all over them. Instead, he started getting creative - using the sticky crap to scale his way up the wall and over to a cleaner, less fenced-in area. Make them roll through their own goop to get to him.
The drones fumbled over each other as they tried to get to him, though they were soon flailing about rather helplessly. Ororo smirked and thumbed a button. "I think you've done well so far, Logan. Have you had enough?"
"Depends. Is that all you got?" he said with a grin and a wave to the booth. "I'm still game if you are." The majority of his self-inflicted wounds had closed up if not completely healed by now, and he looked almost as good as new.
"You know there's plenty more where that came from," came the reply. All of a sudden, a cool drizzle began to fall from above, dissolving the goo that now coated a good portion of the room, and Logan.
Logan made sure to hold his claws out to let the rains rinse the crud off of him completely. "Come on, 'Ro, I thought you said this was gonna be difficult or something."
"Be careful, I might have to expand the program to make room for that ego..."
The room shifted and shimmered around him, resolving itself into a cityscape. Sirens blared in the background, and Logan found himself in a dark alleyway. "No causalities," Ororo instructed as three humanoid drones advanced on him.
Logan sheathed his claws and then leaped into action. "No casualties" left him a broad amount of leeway, after all. One bot got fist to his solar plexus, while another one got Logan's backfist to his nose. The third was going to eat boot if Logan could possibly manage it.
The drones all fell without much resistance, lying inert on the ground. After a few seconds, however, they began to vibrate, then slide across the floor towards one end of the room. Logan felt a pull on him, emanating from that same direction.
He popped his claws again and dug them into the stonework (metal walls) of the buildings around him to give himself leverage. He'd felt pulls like this before - someone was operating a very large magnet somewhere just out of sight.
The drones slid with a loud screech across the floor as the pull increased, and the various other objects around him began to shudder and slide as well. One large chunk of metal fashioned into a trashcan slid straight into Logan, knocking his feet out from under him.
Logan swore explosively and struggled to get his feet back under him, to brace himself with all his extremities. On the other hand, he did have another option ... he retracted his claws and let himself fly towards the source of the magnetic pull, but he re-extended the claws and set himself into a "dive" formation, claws-first, aimed right for the source of the pull.
The magnetic pull seemed to be centered around a bubble-shaped protrusion in the wall at about chest-height. The drones and other pieces of metals were gathered about it in various states of disarray. Ororo leaned in, watching with interest as Logan dove towards the bubble. It was a one-shot deal, it seemed, and she was curious to see if he would be able to disable the magnet before it got to him.
Logan, as soon as he got close enough, started carving with his claws. He had to disable the magnet _soon_ before he was completely unable to move. That had happened to him before and it _always_ sucked.
What sucked even more than the magnet's pull was the sudden appearance of several more drones, these ones seemingly unaffected by the magnet.
Logan didn't have time to worry about them right at that moment - his first priority was to take down the magnet. With luck, his claws would sever something important before the drones stunned him into unconsciousness.
His claws carved into the metal, sinking into it easily. Still the magnet pulled, and the drones struck, and it seemed that if he was not overwhelmed, he was at least well-matched. Instead of striking, one of the drones crowded closer, trying to push Logan further against the magnet.
Logan ignored it, instead continuing to slash and cut the magnet, hoping to cut its power or make it _stop sucking_.
Finally he reached his goal, delving into it far enough to sever its power. The debris clanked against the floor as the pull stopped, and Logan felt the pressure on his frame disappear.
Logan fell to the ground heavily, but quickly got his balance back and whirled to deal with the remaining drones. Mindful of the no-casualties rule, he resheathed his claws and relied on punches and kicks to subdue the drones.
When they lay once more still and quiet on the floor, Ororo spoke. "Very good, Logan. I think that is plenty for today."
Logan nodded and exhaled sharply. "Good workout. So, did I pass?" he said, whistling something to himself softly.
"You did very well."
Logan grinned. "Good deal. I'm gonna go get cleaned up. Want to go to Harry's for my celebratory drink?" he asked her with a grin.
There was a slight hesitation, and Ororo suprised herself as she leaned in to reply, "Very well. But only if you get all the goop out of your hair."
"For you, darlin', I'll manage." he laughed, then headed for the men's lockers.
And in the final part, Ororo and Logan go out to Harry's to celebrate his triumphant return.
Ororo was waiting for him as he emerged from the locker room, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She had changed to her own pair of jeans, shrugging on a close-fitting leather jacket before heading back downstairs.
Logan came out wearing his Xavier T-shirt and jeans from earlier, but tellingly his hair was entirely goop-free. "So, do I pass?" he asked her with a grin. "And you're lookin' good, 'Ro."
Ororo raised herself to her tiptoes again to peer at his hair, finally nodding approvingly. "Yes, you pass. It seems being back at the school has made you a bit obsessed with grades."
Logan snorted in a friendly way at that idea. "X-Men's a good thing. Don't want to fuck up by not qualifying." he admitted. "Now come on, I think I can hear a cold one callin' my name. You want to walk or take the bike?"
"Bike," 'Ro decided, leading the way through the halls once more. "I feel like flying tonight."
Logan gave her a thumb's up on that count. "Knew you were my kinda girl." he said affectionately as they headed for the garage and Scott's bike.
"Well, it would not be getting any use otherwise," she reasoned with a grin.
"That's be a damned shame." he agreed as they finally reached the garage. He didn't bother to sign the bike out of anything - he just dug the keys out of his pocket. "You ever been on this thing before?" he asked with a wink.
"I have," 'Ro said with a nod, pausing beside the bike. "Scott trusts me to drive it, though I don't think he likes it very much. He gets a look on his face like I have stolen his firstborn child away."
"There's a thought I didn't need." he said with an exaggerated shudder. "For poetic justice if Scotty ever did knock some poor girl up I think the kid'd be like Nate writ small." he said with a laugh. He got on the bike and kicked it into life, then nodded at 'Ro. "Climb on."
She grinned and slid on behind him, feeling a small thrill at leaving the Mansion and her paperwork behind. And on a school night... dear Goddess, have I truly become so old so quickly? "Let's go," she said, leaning forward and slipping her arms around Logan's waist.
Logan goosed the throttle and tore out of the Mansion's garage with a squeal of tire. It didn't take them long to get down to Harry's - not at the speeds they were travelling at.
The crowd at the bar was fairly sparse - it was, after all, a work night.
Taking a seat at the bar, Ororo flashed two fingers at the bartender before settling more comfortably on the stool. "As this is a celebration, it is only fair that I buy the first round."
Logan grinned. "Won't hear me complain." he said, settling easily onto his own stool. "So what's the African Goddess's preferred poison?" he asked curiously.
"Right now, a beer will work just fine," 'Ro replied, dragging her fingers through her wind-tangled hair. I really should just cut it.
"Suit yerself." he said, and got himself a boilermaker in addition to her beer. "And quit futzing with your hair. It looks good the way it is."
'Ro snorted and dropped her hand, looking over at Logan thoughtfully. "I have heard the green slime in the Danger Room is an excellent conditioner. Perhaps I will have to make use of it after my flights."
Logan shrugged. "Suit yerself." he said. "I like the wild, tangled look. Suits you more than the uptight thing does." he commented, downing his shot and chasing it with his beer.
"Only you could say something like that and leave me wondering if it was a compliment or an insult," Ororo remarked, picking up her beer.
Logan laughed at that. "My insults usually come in threes." he said, massaging his hand briefly.
"I shall be sure to keep count," she said with a smirk, taking a long swig.
Logan looked thoughtful for a second, but threw it off in favor of another grin. "I saw Jean in the city yesterday." he said quietly.
"Did you?" 'Ro asked, looking over at him quickly. "I see. Is that why you went there?" she guessed, raising her eyebrows.
Logan nodded. "Had to see it for myself. Shit, 'Ro, I don't know what to think. She's different, yeah, but given all the shit she's been through..."
"Even all that she has been through does not explain the... suddenness of it," 'Ro said, shaking her head. "It is hard to believe she would just snap like that. And then spend her time trying to hurt Scott... that is not the Jean I know.'
Logan nodded. "Yeah - some of it doesn't add up, but I can't _prove_ anything!" he said, thumping his hand on the bar in frustration. "Part of me wants to put her down before anyone else gets hurt. But part of me thinks that folks change."
"I do not think it is for us to decide," 'Ro said softly. "Her actions are her own... and we may never know the full explaination. I only wish I could keep them from hurting the students. And Scott."
Logan snorted in frustration, then downed his next shot and beer with two easy swallows. "I hate not knowing." he said sullenly.
Ororo sipped her beer more slowly, her expression pensive. "I saw her too, in the city. I wanted to see her, to understand why. But after I was only more confused."
"I could hear her heart beat. Smell her sweat, what she had for lunch. An I couldn't tell if it was _her_ or someone else." he growled.
"I know you wish to help, Logan, but perhaps... this is best left alone, at least for now," 'Ro suggested gently. "If she is not in danger, then maybe we should leave her be. It seems to be what she wants."
Logan thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah." he said, relaxing himself just fractionally. "So - what's gone down with you while I was away?" he asked with a smile.
"Very little," was the immediate answer, and it was hard to tell from her tone what 'Ro thought of that. "I have been trying to keep out of trouble, mostly. When there is not mission and team activities, there is schoolwork... and training, of course."
"You need to have more fun in your life." he said flatly. "Sounds to me like you're burying yourself in being Storm and co-headmistress. What for Ororo, then?"
She flashed him a look, raising her bottle to her lips before replying. "I am not in danger of breaking, Logan. Besides, watching you get covered in goop was more than enough fun for me," she added with a grin.
Logan just quirked an eyebrow at her and downed his third shot-and-beer.
"Besides, I came here with you," 'Ro pointed out a bit defensively. "Is this not fun?"
Logan cracked a smile at that. "We'll get you letting your hair down yet." he said with a laugh, taking an errant lock of hers and wrapping it around his finger before letting it go.
With a 'hmph' she finished the rest of her beer and ordered another, as if determined to show him that she was still plenty capable of having fun. A few of the men in the bar glanced over at her, though she didn't seem to notice. After all, a black woman with pure-white hair was bound to draw her share of looks, and she had grown mostly immune to it over the years.
Logan kept up with her drink for drink, keeping the conversation light and with lots of laughter. Luckily for him, his healing factor burned off the alcohol almost as soon as it entered his body.
Unfortunately for 'Ro, her powers did not involve either a healing factor or a sped-up metabolism, and she was soon feeling the effects of the alcohol. She waved off the fresh drink the bartender brought over, sitting up straight on the stool with some effort. "I think that is enough for now," she declared with a smile.
Logan just grinned at Ororo. "Lightweight." he said, downing his latest shot and beer. "Come on, I think it's time to take teacher to bed." he said, somehow managing to keep a straight face.
"You're a cheater, Mr. Logan... no mutant powers allowed," Ororo said with a laugh.
"It's not _cheating_ per se as it is evolution in action." he said with a grin. "Come on, 'Ro, let's get you back home." he said, getting up off his stool and allowing her to use him as a brace to steady herself.
She slid off her stool and started for the door, her steps mostly steady. It seemed the effects of the alcohol were mostly a slight slur to her speech and a tendency to giggle at anything he said. "I really hope I am able to continue working when we get back. It's too early for bed, anyway."
Logan quirked an eyebrow at that. "I'm sure you'll find something to do before bed." he said with a grin. He led her out to the parking lot and kicked Scott's bike into gear.
"Climb on." he said with a waggled eyebrow.
"You're a bad influence," 'Ro decided as she straddled the bike behind him. "Drinking on a school night..."
"It's what I do, darlin'." he said modestly, then launched the bike onto the street. The ride back to Xavier's didn't take too long, and before they knew it they were back in the garage.
"And you do it so well, too," she said with another giggle. She leaned against him for the ride back, resting her cheek on her back and closing her eyes. Far from being nauseating, the feel of the bike beneath her and the wind whipping past her cheeks was soothing.
Once they had arrived she stood, one hand hand the still-warm seat of the bike. "Well. Congratulations, Logan," she said, looking at him. "And welcome back to the team."
"Thanks, darlin'." he said with a grin, looking into her eyes for a moment. Then, perhaps suicidally, he leaned forward to kiss her goodnight. Hopefully them being indoors would prevent bolts from On High.
If there was lightning, it was of a much different kind than he had been expecting. 'Ro returned the kiss, her lips curving against his in a slight smile. Her hand moved to his shoulder, though it rested there only briefly before she pulled back.
Logan looked into Ororo's eyes again, his every look a question. "Hear it told there's a pile of paperwork on your desk. Papers that need grading." he said with an easy smile.
Ororo blinked and then nodded, a faint pinkness suffusing her cheeks. "It's true. As
always..." Once again she reached up to fiddle with her hair, tugging at a knot as she considered her options.
"Your call, darlin'." he told her softly. "However you want it is fine with me." he promised her. He could tell she was tempted - mightily so - by a certain set of very familiar smells upon the air. "Upstairs together or upstairs apart, it's yours if you want it."
"You're a very bad influence," 'Ro murmured, not for the first time that night. "But if I'm not going to get any more work done tonight..."
Logan just grinned and waited for her to make her decision.