Subject: [OTL]: School Days, School Days, Tra La La La La p6
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2000 17:54:36 -0800
From: Trumpetlee@aol.com

Sorry I'm not around that much anymore. I'll try and put out more stuff when
my time opens up.

Disclaimer: The kids are mine. The X-Men and related Marvel characters are
Marvel's. Any DC characters you see are DC's. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and
Angel belong to Joss Whedon. No money made in the making. Please don't sue.

School Days, School Days, Tra, La, La, La, La  Part 6
:Lee Tybird

      Rachel stopped screaming. Oh, hell. Oh, god, oh hell. She stopped. Was
she dead? I didn't smell death. She better not be dead. The question is if
she is dead, what got her. I looked around, and saw only trees. This place
made home look like a walk in a field of daisies.
      By the way, I'm Sander. Sander Liam O'Bryan. It's true. I come from
Los Angeles. Lovely place. You hear about it sometimes. There's a lot more
to it then you see on TV or hear about in the newspaper. If you don't live
there, you don't see the real action. The heavy stuff.
      So, yeah, I'm talking like I'm a lot older than 16, but I have seen a
lot of shit. Okay, maybe not shit, but I have seen demons. And vampires, and
god knows what else.
      It's not true, I'm not a vampire slayer. I'm something else.
Something that I don't think is classified. It's true that my Dad used to be
a vampire. That's how I wound up with the extra senses and reflexes, I guess.
I also wound up with fangs. Not to mention a pulse.
      Yeah, it doesn't make any sense to me, either. I just know that ever
since I can remember, I've been alive, I can walk into the day, and I have
fangs. And that thing that my nose does every time I shift faces.
      Do I feel like explaining my parents? Not really. Let's just say that
they divorced about eight years ago on awful terms. I've lived with my Dad,
and my two sisters have lived with my Mother.
      I received an invitation to this school from Emma Frost and Charles
Xavier. God knows why. I'm not even a mutant! At least... I don't think I 
am... Wouldn't that be weird? It would explain a few things, that's for sure.
      I looked around, and took a whiff of the air. It wasn't what I was
expecting to smell. In fact, it was gross.
      It was demon stink.
       "Oh, hell." I ran through the Grotto. "Rachel?!"
       That was when I saw her. She was being held up by a huge, black demon.
It was ugly, and smelled like my Aunt Cordelia's cooking... which sucks. I
rammed it, and Rachel went flying.
       "Come on, Beautiful," I muttered. "Why don't you pick on somebody
your own size?"
       The demon growled. "Slayer..."
       I shrugged at it. "Something like that, yeah."
       It sneered, and took a swing at me. I ducked, and its fist hit a tree.
       "Oh, come on! You can't tell me you're this weak!"
      I think I made a little mistake.
       It swung again, and the next thing I knew, I was in a tree, and my
game face was on. The one with the fangs. I shook my head, and tried to
focus, cause this thing was going right for Rachel, who was just coming to.
I jumped out of the tree- Okay! I fell out of the tree! Either way,I got out
of the tree!     
       I got to my feet, and rammed the thing. Okay, it was more like
checking it, but I hit it, and it went flying into a tree, knocking it over.
The demon didn't get up. I walked over, and held a wrist out. I touched a
button and a blade popped out of the band I had around it, killing the
demon.
       I turned back to Rachel, who looked dazed, and very confused. She got
to her feet, and almost fell, but she snatched at a tree. I walked over, and 
put an arm around her.
      She blinked, and looked at me oddly. I still hadn't taken off my game
face.
      "What, you've never seen a demon before?"

      Meanwhile, up in the control booth, the smoke began to seep through
the door. I guess before the demon came to terrorize us, it set a fire at
the door of the control room.
      "We're dead," Joey nodded.
      "What was your first clue?!" Charlie asked.
      "This is all your fault," Marc said calmly. "You and your stupid
mutie-super-hero-complexes. What is wrong with you people? Why can't you
just be normal?!"
     The rest of the group stared at him for a few moments.
     Ellery clenched his fists. "Get him."
     The members of Maximum-X began to senselessly beat Marc Creed to a
bloody pulp. Normally, I wouldn't condone such merciless violence to a normal
guy, but truth is, he's an asshole. Plain and simple. I should know, he lives
right next to me.
       Well, on the way up to the control room, Rachel and I met up with
James and Teresa Proudstar. I think they're Joey's family, or something.
With them were Scott and Jean Summers, Rachel's parents. They helped us get
the door open, and the flames out. Well, they were still kicking the crap out
of Marc when we got the door open.
     James, Scott and Jean broke it up, but Rachel and I stood there
laughing, and Teresa stood there looking sternly at us.

      Well, after a severe yelling at from Emma and Sean, we were settling
back down. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that I was who I said I was,
and there was a non-verbal agreement that I was a reserve member of Max-X,
along with Ellery, Pam and Alix.
      That night, I walked into the kitchen to get myself some water.
Standing there, yelling at each other were Rachel and Jacen. I hadn't
witnessed one of their fights before, but this was huge. I could literally
see the fire rising in Rachel's eyes, as she yelled.
       I tell you, it was pretty scary. For a minute, I thought Jacen was
gonna take a swing at the girl. In which case I would have bitch slapped 
him, and then probably gotten my ass kicked half way around the world,
super-strength or not.
      "You've turned into such a slut!" Jacen cried. "The eyebrow ring, the
tattoo, the personality, the clothes, everything!"
      "I've never cheated on you, Jacen! How can you say I'm a slut?!"
      "Well... you've changed!"
      Rachel rolled her eyes. "And you've stayed exactly the same? Your
violent tendencies get really creepy, Jacen. You're not exactly the sanest
person, either."
      "So?! It's not like I'm a slut like you!"
      Rachel glared. "I... have not been a slut. If I wanted to be a slut, 
I'd do this!"
      The next thing I knew, I had a redhead kissing me. My eyes widened, and
I made an effort to let go, but Rachel is strong. Real strong, she is the
damn Phoenix. So for about a minute, I stood there getting kissed. Rachel is
not a bad kisser. I mean, I don't have a lot to compare to,I've only had one
girlfriend before. But she's not a bad kisser.
     Jacen stood there and fumed. Right before Rachel ended the kiss, Jacen
stormed out of the kitchen. I stood there, blinking, trying to gain some of
my sane thoughts back, and get a hold of myself.
      She sighed, and gave me a smile. "You're good." She walked out of the
room, leaving me rather disoriented. I turned and looked out the window at
the dark night sky.
       Marc walked in, and looked at me incredulously. "That was gross. You
let a mutie kiss you."
       "How do you know I'm not a mutant?" I asked. This guy was starting to
get on my nerves.
       "Dude, I just thought you were some guy with a whole bunch of archaic
weapons," Marc replied, getting a soda can from the fridge.
       I didn't turn to him at first. I shifted to my gameface, letting my
teeth protrude from my mouth a little. "How little you know," I muttered,
and turned around.
      He turned pale, gave out a little squeak and rushed from the kitchen.
I snickered, and shifted back to my human face. It felt weird when I shifted.
It kinda hurt, and took a lot of concentration to hold my gameface in place.

      "So, what are you, again?" asked a voice behind me.
      I turned from the doorway to see Frost. She'd kept her maiden name
from what I understood. She was slightly tall, with white blonde hair, and a
calm, somewhat cold expression. She was wearing a pair of white leather pants
(Make note: Mention white leather to Aunt Faith), and a white top. "I'm not
really sure what I am," I told her. "I have fangs, strength, and a little
healing. I know I'm not a full-blown vampire. I can walk in day, I don't
drink blood, and I have a pulse."
       "Sander, I'd like to have one of our doctors run some tests on you,"
Frost told me. "You could quite possibly be a mutant. That's why you were
offered a place at this school."
       "You sure you're ready to take me on?" I asked. She had no idea what
kind of trouble I'd caused at my old high school. You're talking to the guy
who went to visit his mom at Sunnydale High, where she works, and wound up
riding a hellhound through the halls.
      "I think we can handle you," Emma said. "Your father said that you
could also use some guidance. He thought that maybe getting away from home
would be better for you."
      I sighed. "My father and his chivalry. One begins to wonder how he's
lived this long. But, yeah. If you wanna check me for mutancy,then be my
guest."
       "Sander, what was it that we found in the Danger Grotto? Frost asked.
       "A demon," I replied. "I killed it," I said. "That's what I do. I kill 
demons and vampires."
       "Why haven't we every had demon problems before?"
       I shrugged. "Guess they followed me."

       The next morning, Serena and Justin went with me down to the medical
lab, where a huge guy with tons of blue fur was waiting. I blinked. "A little
cold?" I asked him.
       He smirked. "Quite warm, actually. You must be Sander O'Bryan."
       I nodded. "You must be the doctor who's gonna see if I'm a mutant."
       He nodded back. "I am Doctor Henry McCoy. Let's get right down to the
gritty-knitty, shall we?"
       "Shoot."
      "Have you had a history of anything unusual in your family?"
       God. What a stupid question. I nodded. "My father is an ex-vampire,
who's around 270 years old, and he used to be known as the Scourge of Europe.
My mother is a vampire slayer who is supposedly the strongest one yet, and my
sisters also have some special purposes to be warriors for the Powers That Be
in the future, but we're not sure what yet."
      "Stars and garters," McCoy muttered. "Ah... um... well..."
       Serena and Justin started snickering. See, we figured out we have sort
of a bond with each other. Serena's the witch mutant. I'm the Vampyric guy,
and Justin's the mage mutant. We're all heavily delved in magic, either by
choice, or by family, and so we can get along very well, and we understand
things that the rest of the team can't.
       "Y' got 'im tongue-tied, mate," Justin said through snickers.
       McCoy turned to Sean, who was there making sure nothing weird
happened. "Are you certain he isn't of mystical origin?"
       Sean smirked. "Just run yere tests, Hank."
       So, that's what he did. I'm not exactly sure what he did, but he took
blood samples and a few other things, and by that afternoon, he'd confirmed
it. Guess what, world?! I'm a mutant!! That's right. Wait till I tell Mom!
      "Welcome to the club," Serena said with a sarcastic smile.
       So, to celebrate my new found mutancy, we went out for ice cream.
       "So, Sander," said Serena. "We know why you were accepted to come to
the Mass Academy, but why did you come?"
      I sighed. "My father convinced me. Said I should get away from the
madness of the hellmouth."
     "Well, this place isn't exactly sane," Serena replied.
     I nodded. "I'm getting that."
              
      The next day at school went on normally. I walked through the halls,
and passed the members of Warped, which is the band that a few of Max-X had
formed. Except Jacen was nowhere to be seen. Rachel, Justin, Charlie and
Connie were standing there talking near a group of lockers. Rachel saw me,
smiled, and waved.
      I gave her a subtle smile. As I walked with my coffee, I knocked into
Marc Creed. He landed on the floor, and my coffee spilled on him. Oops. ;)
      "Dude," I said. "I am so sorry." I tried to help him up, but spilled
more coffee on him. "Whoops!"
      Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rachel, Connie, Justin and Charlie
start laughing at Marc.
      Marc looked at me with a bitter expression. "What's your problem,
man?!"
      I blinked, and smirked. "I don't have a problem. If I had a problem
with you, I'd do something really mean. Like this." I took the rest of my
coffee, and poured it over his head. "See, then I'd have a problem with
you." I thought for a moment. "Y'know, maybe I do have a problem with you.
Oh well. I need more coffee." I walked off.
       Justin walked up to Marc, who was still sitting on the ground, looking
bitterly after me. "Bit o' an accident, aye Creed?"
       A minute later, I came back with more coffee, to find him still on the
floor.
       Serena came up behind me. "You didn't pee on him, did you?"
       I raised an eyebrow at her. "You think I'd waste my bodily fluids on
him?"
       "You're gonna pay for that, O'Bryan," Marc snapped, glaring at me.
       I laughed. "Whatcha gonna do? Tell my mommy on me?" I mocked. I
sipped my coffee, and smirked. "She'd probably try and scold me but burst
into laughter in the middle of it." I walked off. I walked into first period
chorus, and sat down on one of the risers, and sipped some more coffee.
Sander pre-coffee is not a fun person to be around, as evidence of my retort
to Marc. Normally, I wouldn't have done any of the things I had, but it was
early, and I'd barely had two sips of caffeine.
      That's when Dave and Joey came and sat next to me.
       "What's up, Sander?" Dave asked.
       I sighed. "Nothing much. Just drinking my coffee."
       "That's cool," he replied. "Hey, uh... there's a little problem... in
the... uh... girl's locker room."
      I raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
       Joey sighed. "Just... come on!"
       Joey and Dave dragged me over to the gym, in-between the two locker
rooms. From inside the girls' locker room, we heard screams.
      Dave opened up the door, to reveal a guy that I later found out was
Blockbuster, cornering a group of girls who had been in the midst of changing.
      "Okay... why did you call me for this?"
       Dave shrugged. "You were the closest person!"
       "And you couldn't find any girls to do this job?!" I cried. Ever the
decent one, I am. Or, at least, I try.
       "What fun would that be?" Joey asked. "We get to venture into the
unknown, without getting in trouble! Now, come on!" Joey grabbed Dave's arm,
and then mine, and dragged us into the girls' locker room. "Hey, Blocky,"
Joey taunted. "Over here!"
      The big brute turned to glare at us. He looked like he was a bull that
had just seen red.
      I was genuinely scared. In fact, I was acting like my uncle Xander.
"Okay. Joey, you pissed him off. He's about to head-butt us. What now?"
      Joey turned paler than any vampire I'd ever seen. Blockbuster began
to charge us. "RUN!"
      The three of us bolted out the door, and into the hall.
      "That's it!" I cried. "I'm keeping weapons in my locker from now
on!!"
       "Stupid Marauders!" Dave growled. "Every time we turn around, one of
them is back from the dead." Then, he began to mock Blockbuster as we ran.
"Oh, look at me! I'm a big ugly, half-witted, no-brained, dick who has to
pick on teenagers, or Sinny won't make love to me!"
      Joey and I stopped for a moment, and looked at Dave.
      "McCoy!" I cried. "What the fuck are you talking about?!"
      Dave blinked. "You think I know?! Keep running!!" 
      I scowled. "'This will be a very good experience for you, Sander,'" 
I muttered, trying my best to imitate my father. "'You'll get to meet new
people, and you'll be able to get away from crazy Hellmouths, and vampires,
and demons... You'll get to be at least a little normal.' Dad, I really
respect you, and all, but you're an idiot!!!"
      We finally ran him outside, where I rammed into James Proudstar, and
landed promptly on my ass. I looked up, and he was staring at me like I was
crazy. He helped me to my feet. "Are you alright?"
      "Who, me?" I asked. "Oh, I'm fine." I looked over my shoulder to see
Blockbuster, still running, looking really pissed. "But I won't be if that
guy catches me." I saw Dave and Joey come running back to us.
      Scott Summers came to stand next to James. If you hadn't noticed, I'm
really new here, so I don't know a lot about these people. Scott pulled up his
red shades, and blasted these red beams out of his eyes, hitting Blockbuster
in the chest. He went down with a groan.
      I sighed in relief.
              
      "Yeah, Mom. I'm okay with it. Are you okay with it?" I sighed in 
relief when she told me she was okay with my being a mutant. She didn't seem
all that shocked. Of course, not much shocks Mom these days. Not even Uncle
Xander.
      On the other side of the bedroom, Marc sat reading. When I got off the
phone with my mother, I sighed. "Whatcha reading?" I asked. Might as well be
a little nice to him. He is my roommate, after all.
      "A book," he replied bitterly. Probably still pissed about what I'd
done to him in school.
      I blinked, and stared at him in curiosity. "Marc, can I ask you 
something?"
       He looked over from his book.
       "Why do you hate mutants?"
       Okay, I guess some explanation is needed for this question. Deep down,
I feel sorry for Marc. He was raised to hate mutants, from what I understand.
I guess I wanted to try and help him... Ugh... I've been spending too much
time around my soul-saving father...
      "They're dangerous," Marc replied. "You saw first hand what that
huge mutie did to the girl's locker room. They're trying to wipe normal
humanity out of existence. It's scary."
      "It's a two-way street," I replied. "They might be more scared of
you  than you are of them. Humans have been trying to wipe out mutants for
years. More humans hate mutants than vice versa."
      "Why?" Marc asked. "They have the powers. Some of them could wipe
humanity out in a nanosecond."
      "There are worse things in this world than mutants, Marc," I told
him. "Scarier things. Things you only think you dream about. If it weren't
for the creation of people like the X-Men, this world might not exist
anymore. Some people were meant to be different, because they have a higher
purpose. Like, y'know, saving the world and stuff."
      "I don't believe in destiny, Sander," Marc told me.
      "You're lucky," I replied with a sigh. "I wish I didn't."     

***

Okay. I think I can handle being here. After all, what's a dorm full of
mutants and a bunch of random attacks on them compared to dealing with
certain death every other month back home, near the Hellmouth. What I don't
think I can take is Marc. Not for the fact that he disbelieves, but for his
fear. Hey, y'know what Yoda said: "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate,
hate leads to suffering." I think that's what he said. Oh, well.

Sander