Lyrissa's Sparkles

A few days later the mansion turned into a madhouse. Lyrissa knew about the party, thanks to Scott slipping up, but wasn’t allowed to join in the setup of anything. Instead, the kids locked her in her room with Logan, a bag of jacks, a game of checkers, and two balloons.
“Well, at least they gave us something to entertain ourselves.” Logan sighed, setting up their seventh game of checkers. “Yeah.” She muttered, making the first move. She was better at the game than he was, and was even more bored with the game. They had popped both balloons; one with his claws, the other with a pen while she was drawing a face on it, and neither of them had fun with the jacks.

“Hey Logan,” she smirked. As soon as he looked up, she flipped one of the checker pieces at him, and hit him right between the eyes. “What was that for?” he demanded. “Nothin’.” She giggled. He grunted and flicked it back, hitting her in the shoulder. “Owe, Logan that hurt.” She whined.

“No it didn’t.”

“Yeah it did.”

“Quit whinin’ yer actin like Allie.”

“Am not.”

“Ya are to.”

“I am not!” her hair was sparkling incredibly bright as they continued their mock argument, and sparkled brighter when their arguing turned to wrestling over checker pieces.
They rolled into her desk, and knocked down a half eaten box of chocolates, and a glass of hot tea, both of which spilled all over them. Logan hissed at the sudden scolding sensation, and Lyrissa screamed into his chest, gripping his shirt until the entire backs of her hands were white. “Ya okay?” he asked, gently rubbing his thumb over the reddening skin on her arm and shoulder where the tea had hit. “Yeah.” She gasped; his rough thumbs really didn’t feel too nice on the burn. “C’mon, let’s put some ice on that.” He sighed, helping her up and guiding her out of the room.

“Hey, you guys aren’t supposed to be out here!” Jubilee said as they walked into the kitchen with her. “Relax, we’re just here fer a cold rag to put on her arm, and then we’ll be gone.” He dismissed, running a hand towel under the faucet. “What happened?” she asked, noticing Lyrissa’s arm. “We were goofing around, and knocked the tea off my desk, and it landed on us. Of course he’s fine, but I don’t have a healing power, so I have to take the pain like a big girl.” Lyrissa answered, rolling her eyes. “Owe!” she whined with a gasp as Logan put the dripping rag around her arm. “Yeah, takin’ it like a big girl.” He smirked, and led her out. “Bye Jubilee.” She waved just before they turned the corner to go back up. “Bye.” Jubilee laughed, and went back to whatever she was doing.

“Think ya’ll live?” he asked playfully once they got back to her room. “I’m sure I will… the redness is already going down, see?” she smiled happily, putting the towel back around her arm once he checked her out. “Can’t you go out there and convince them to let me wait in the garage? I mean, my new bike’s almost running! I wanna hear that baby roar!” she shouted, throwing her fist in the air before flopping back down on her bed. “Sorry darlin’, can’t do that.” He shrugged, lying down next to her and pulling her close to him. “Well darlin’ I’m bored.” She huffed, blowing some stray sparkling hair off of her face. “Well I can help with that.” He whispered, his lips rubbing her ear as he spoke before kissing her neck right under it. She moaned as the kisses trailed down her neck, and back up, tracing her jaw line, before he attached himself to her lips. She welcomed his actions, and gave in entirely.

“Gambit, Cyclops, have you gotten Lyrissa’s gifts from her mother yet?” Storm asked as they passed in the hallway. “One of dem yes. De other ain’t one dat can be moved.” Gambit answered. “Yeah, it’s kind of… big.” Cyclops laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Then where is it?” she asked. “It be all de way in Arizona.” Gambit smiled. “Arizona?” she questioned. “Yeah.” Cyclops smiled, and continued with what he and Gambit were doing; trying to win the bet against the girls on who does the most for parties.

“Jean! How does this thing work?” Jazz groaned as she, Rogue, Jean, and Jubilee were in the kitchen icing the cake; she was currently trying to use a detailer to make roses, but had never used one before. “Well, you just squeeze it, like this.” She explained, taking her hands and guiding her in a few before letting go. “Thanks. This cake’s probably the prettiest one I’ve ever seen.” She beamed. “Me too sweet-pea.” Rogue agreed, admiring the white iced cake, with red leafless roses, and yellow lilies, and “Happy Twentieth Birthday Lyrissa” written in black icing. “I hope she likes it.” Jean sighed. “Oh she will, trust me.” Jubilee grinned.

In the front room, Hank, Andrew, Box, Xavier, Max, and Kiera were trying to set up for the party. They already had the furniture moved, and were now putting up decorations. “You guys, it’s like a formal event, with funk!” Box beamed, taking in the mix of grown up, formal decorations, and brightly colored punkish accents. “Then it is exactly what Lyrissa would like.” Xavier smiled. “And we are done!” Hank announced as he and Andrew put up the last touch, a homemade Happy Birthday banner, everyone worked on together. Even Xavier took a marker or two to it. “Cake’s done, decorations are up, Gambit and Mr. Summers are back with Lyrissa’s present, all of our presents are wrapped and put out… what else needs done?” Kiera asked. “Bringing Lyrissa down, and starting the party.” Hank answered.

Xavier telepathically sent the message to Lyrissa and Logan, and they appeared in the living room shortly after. “Oh my god you guys,” she gasped, seeing the transformation that had been made for her birthday. “Like it?” Jean smirked. “Oh my god you guys!” she repeated, taking everything in, and then noticing the amazing cake. “She likes it.” Andrew laughed, hugging his friend. “Happy birthday!” Allie squealed, jumping off of Gambit’s shoulders and onto her back. “Thanks Al!” she yelled as they both crashed into Hank, who helped keep them upright, instead of landing on the floor. “I can’t believe you did all this… it’s amazing. I love it.” She smiled, answering the question that was still on everyone’s minds.

“Great! But before the party begins, girls can I see your list?” Andrew announced. Rogue smiled wide and handed over a pink piece of paper. “Here ya go sugar.” She winked. Scott compared it to their blue list and sighed. “What?” Jazz asked quickly. “It’s a tie.” He answered grimly. “What did you guys bet on?” Lyrissa asked curiously. “Who does most for the party, losers wear pink maid aprons and hats, and clean the whole mansion, and make dinner. If the guys won, we also had to wash their socks and underwear by hand.” Kiera explained sadly. “But it was a tie.” Jubilee pointed out, not knowing what to do. “In the event of a tie, no one wins, and no one loses, so either everyone becomes maids, or no one does.” Xavier explained, knowing the kids’ rules of betting. “No maids.” Andrew said quickly, everyone agreed and laughed off the bet, and the party began.

Two and a half hours of music, games, food, jokes, pranks, and a balloon fight later; Xavier stopped everyone for an announcement. “Lyrissa’s mother, Karma, left a videotape for her on her twentieth birthday. I believe now is the time for her to see it.” He smiled, holding up a tape. Everyone grouped around the television as he put it in.

“Lyrissa, I am so, so sorry I can’t be there next to you right now, but even death can’t stop me from celebrating your first day as a grown woman with you.” Karma smiled from the screen, the video was taped in the garage of the mansion, in front of a banner that read “Happy Twentieth Lyrissa!”

“Happy birthday baby! This is the sixth time we have tried to film this, so let’s hope Hank and I can get it right this time, shall we?

“The keys you have, that someone either has already given you, or is trying to hand them to you right now because he forgot, Remy, are the keys to my two gifts to you.” Gambit cleared his throat, and handed the keys to Lyrissa with a smile as her mother spoke, “The one with the sparkling blue top, is to this car right here. My grandmother got a car for her twentieth, my mother got one on hers, I got one, and now you get one. My mother always said ‘a woman isn’t a woman until she has her own set of wheels’ so here you are.” The camera panned to a light blue classic Corvette, with black interior, and a light blue fuzzy steering wheel cover. “Since you’ll be spending time at the mansion, Remy and Scott are going to hide it for me. Don’t worry; it’ll be clean when you get it. Or I’ll come back to haunt that muddy Cajun.”

Everyone laughed at her comment, and they could hear Hank chuckling from behind the camera on the video as well.

“Now, the second key has a white cap. That is a house key, my house key. No, it’s not the key to your and your father’s house; it’s the key to my family’s house in Arizona. It’s more of a vacation spot, where we hold family reunions, and things like that, and everyone has a key. Since I can’t be there anymore, I want you to have mine. There is a map to it in the glove compartment of the car.

“Once again, happy birthday baby. I love you with all my heart, and now it’s time for something very important. I’m guessing Jean took cake duties, but if I’m wrong, then Remy probably did it. Whoever did, could you please light the candles so I can sing happy birthday to my daughter?” there was a small silence, “Thank you!” she smiled, and began to sing.
Everyone joined in with Karma’s video as she sang, and Lyrissa couldn’t keep herself from crying. It wasn’t just her either, Karma was crying while singing to her daughter over the tape, Jean was crying, Rogue was trying not to cry but failing, Jubilee was tearing up, Kiera was crying quietly, Allie was almost bawling… every girl in the room, and a few guys as well were shedding tears.

“Make a wish sweetheart! And don’t wish to know more about my side of the family, or where I’m buried, or any of that. It’s all in Arizona, where I was born and raised, where my entire family lives, and where that map will take you if you decide to go. Don’t cry for me, because I am with you. I’ve always been with you, and I always will be. I can’t say I love you enough, I love you, I love you, and I love you! Happy birthday Lyrissa, my beautiful grown woman.” With that, Karma blew a kiss through the screen, and the tape ended.
Lyrissa was shaking, and staring blankly at the screen before teleporting away. “Where’d she go?” Gambit asked. “Her room, she’ll be back down when she has recovered her composure.” Xavier answered simply.

Upstairs, Lyrissa was holding the picture of her, and her parents that she found in the chest, sobbing as hard as ever. She didn’t bother locking the door; she just sat on her bed and cried. A few minutes passed before someone opened it, closed it back, and lay down next to her. “It’s okay.” Logan soothed, rubbing her back gently. She flipped over and buried her face in his chest and cried even harder. He stayed with her in silence until she recovered, and fixed her makeup twenty minutes later, and teleported them both back down.

Applause and party poppers met them. “Now, we sang Happy Birthday, you made your wish, it’s time to cut the cake, and open presents!” Jean announced, handing her the first piece.
Scott’s gift was first. She opened the glittery silver paper, and stuck the matching bow to his forehead, and pulled out a set of hanging dice for her new car. “It’s for luck.” He smiled. She laughed and put them around her neck. “Thanks Scotty!” she giggled, hugging him and taking the next gift.

“Me next! Me next!” Allie shouted, thrusting a large purple and black wrapped gift into her lap. “Oh wow, what is it?” she asked enthusiastically. “Open it silly!” she giggled, bouncing with excitement. Lyrissa pulled off the many ribbons, and stuck the bow to Scott, since he gave the silver one to Allie, and pulled out a large black toolbox, with metallic purple accents, and her name across the top. “Allie, did you pick this out?” she asked. “Yeah, but Jean and Gambie helped!” she beamed. “I love it! Thank you!” she smiled, hugging Allie tightly, as Logan took the toolbox and set it aside so Kiera and Max could give her theirs.
“Max wrapped it.” Kiera sighed as she handed the mess of paper and tape to Lyrissa. “It’s better than what I can do. Jean wrapped my gift to Allie.” She laughed honestly, and tried to unwrap the gift, but the tape refused her. “Help?” she laughed, handing it to Logan who clawed a small opening for her. “Thanks.” She smiled, kissing him on the cheek before pulling the rest of the paper off. “You guys, they’re awesome!” she gasped, pulling out a brand new set of mirrors for her Shovelhead. “You’re welcome.” They said in unison and watched her open the rest of her gifts.

An hour later they were all standing in the garage as she examined her new car, which was far better than the truck Jack had given her, which she sold shortly before the party. “The next family gathering is scheduled in three days, if you want to go.” Xavier commented as she sat in the driver’s seat, and put the dice Scott had gotten her over the mirror. She sat quietly, mentally arguing with herself for a while before getting out of the car and facing everyone. “Is it okay with everyone, if I went?” she asked quietly. The room’s atmosphere seemed to fall as everyone looked back at her. “Its… it’s fine with me Sparkles. You should go, I mean, they’ve been waiting twenty years for this, ya know? And Professor Xavier said that there’s more there than your family. Your mom’s whole life is out there. ”Andrew choked, trying to hide the fact he was ready to cry. “Which means the answers to all your questions about her.” Jean smiled, walking over to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. “Spawkles… if you go, will you come back?” Allie asked while tears ran freely down her face as Hank held her. “Of course I will. I promise.” She smiled, quickly wiping a few of her own. “All… all in favor of Sparkles going t-to Arizona?” Kiera sniffled. All hands rose into the air, even Allie’s. “All opposed?” Box asked, but no one voted. “I’ll help ya pack.” Logan volunteered as everyone walked her up to her room.

She didn’t have anything to pack her things into, so she used the chest her mother had left her. The wedding dress hung in her closet, and everything else had been put away safely. “Logan,” she whispered tearfully, sitting on her knees and leaning over the half packed chest. “What’s wrong?” he answered, kneeling next to her. “Will you come with me?” she asked, refusing to look up at him. “If ya want me to.” He smiled; pulling her into the familiar warm hug that always was so comforting to her. “Thank you, so much Logan.” She smiled, hugging him tightly before they went back to packing.

“What about these?” he asked, holding up the keys to Bad Boy, and her new bike, that was still unnamed. “I’m leaving them here. I’m taking my new car, that my mom gave me.” She smiled. “Alright.” He nodded, putting them back on her dresser. “What else should I bring? I have pants, shirt, shoes, underwear, bras, swim suit, Binkie, tooth brush, hair brush, razors, soap, shampoo, socks, makeup, and art stuff.” She asked. “How long’re ya packin’ for?” he asked. “Three weeks, at least.” She answered. “I think yer good. I’ll take this down, and ya can wait with the others while I pack my stuff.” He smiled. She nodded as he closed and locked her chest, handing her back the key and carried it down to her car.

“I’m gonna miss you so much!” Jazz sniffled, attacking her in a hug as soon as she appeared in the front room. “I’ll be back.” She smiled weakly, returning the embrace and joining the birthday turned going away party. “We will all miss you Lyrissa, but our doors will be open when you return.” Storm smiled. “Thanks.” She sighed, she promised herself not to cry until they were passed the gates to the mansion. She wouldn’t cry in front of everyone now, they were upset enough as it was. “Hey, dis card bring Gambit luck, maybe she help you too, eh?” Gambit smiled, handing her a worn Ace of Hearts. “Thanks Gambit.” She whimpered, holding back her tears and hugging him tightly. “Spawkles, I love you.” Allie sniffled, hugging her legs, since it was the highest she could reach. “I love you too babe.” She answered, dropping down to her level to return the hug before seeing Logan walk in, bag over his shoulder, signaling he was ready to go. She nodded and everyone walked them back to the garage.

“One more thing, it’s kind of last minute, but here.” Scott said handing her another card, on top of the cards that everyone had already given her. It was hand drawn, and weighted. She opened the card and saw everyone’s signatures in it, with their own goodbye messages written in it. Also inside was a beaded necklace taped to the paper. Every other bead was black, but the others were as different as the people standing around her car. “We each picked a bead that reflected ourselves, so you could take us with you. It was Andrew’s idea.” Xavier smiled. “Oh that did it.” She whimpered as she started to cry, there was no holding back now as she smiled and laughed with everyone. “Now go have fun, and meet your family, and find your mom okay?” Andrew yelled from the back. “Hey Sparkles! ROAD TRIP!” Box laughed. Lyrissa put on the necklace on, and said her final goodbyes before pulling out and driving to the gates. Everyone followed her out, and watched until her car was no longer in view.

“Ya okay?” Logan asked after a while of silence.

“Yeah. I’ll be back, I know that. This is my home, and my family, I can’t leave them. I’m just worried is all.”

“About?”
“What if they don’t like me? What if they don’t want me around, or turn me away and we drive all this way for nothing?”

“That ain’t gonna happen. The Professor called ‘em up last night; he knew ya’d go. They can’t wait.” He laughed, rubbing her knee.

“You sure?”

“Do I look sure?” he smirked.
She laughed and turned on the radio. He was always so good at calming her down, and getting her to relax. She turned it up and sang with the music, and laughed with Logan when she messed up the words, or lost the pitch.

Her hair sparkled the entire trip. She was with the man she loved, going to meet the family she never knew, and solve the mystery that was Karma Elizabeth Jennings, And open a new chapter in hers as well.