Ragnarok: New X-Men

"NO!"

"Well too bad. Professor Xavier said that we had to and if you don't like it, then you can take it up with him, Cheyenne."

The argument started to get heated on one side as the other raised just raised his eyebrow at the girl. A tic started to form on the former's temple as she started to get frustrated with the guy in front of her.

"Fine then, Marco. I guess I'm paying a visit to Professor freaking X." The girl frowned deeply and tossed her red hair back out of her face.

"Better you than me. I'll be waiting right here on you."

Cheyenne narrowed her eyes at the stoic Marco, who just stood there, waiting for her to return. She whirled around on her heel and marched off to Professor Xavier's office to try and get out of the mission she didn't want to be a part of.

It was taking all her concentration to block out all the voices and emotions that she was getting from all of the people around her. Cheyenne was mostly irritated at the fact that her plan on not being there failed miserably.

Cheyenne had reached the door of Professor Xavier's office and had knocked several times. She waited until he had called for her to come in but as soon as she stepped foot into the room and locked eyes with Professor Xavier, she felt her mind being invaded by the Professor's psychic powers.

Before she could even open her mouth, she felt her inner rage and turmoil being calmed which made her try and resist even more but her powers were no match for the elder man.

"Cheyenne, go with Marco and complete the mission you were given." The professor went back to looking at some of the papers that he had in front of him while Cheyenne obediently turned around and headed back out but not before slamming the door. She could do that much.

"Would you like to go get lunch? Professor Xavier said that Piotr would be performing on the street at 3 and its 1 o' clock now. Do you have anything in mind that you would like to eat?"

Cheyenne pulled out a cigarette and lit it up in response. After inhaling the smoky goodness that allowed her to relax a bit, Cheyenne exhaled the smoke through her nose and tried not to blow it in Marco's direction. "I honestly don't care where we go to eat. As long as we can get this over with as soon as possible."

"You're not very optimistic, are you Cheyenne?" Marco replied with a sigh. Cheyenne raised an eyebrow at Marco as she went for another drag on the cigarette that was now firmly held between her slim fingers.

"I don't much care that I'm out here among all these minds, testing my telepathy and shit, but I don't like shopping!" Cheyenne mumbled as she stuck the cigarette in between her lips, moving her lip ring around so she could do that.

"Cheyenne, this trip isn't just about shopping. Professor Xavier needs you to challenge your powers and to make them grow so you can use them to your full advantage. Also we're looking for another mutant, who's probably scared and lonely or confused. Just like we all were and still are."

"I don't need the lecture, ok? We're going for tacos," Cheyenne said, cigarette still in her mouth. She started to walk on over to where the tacos were as she dug through her purse for some money.

"I wasn't trying to lecture you, Cheyenne. I was just trying to help you understand why Professor Xavier sent us out here today," Marco calmly explained as he caught up to the red headed female.

"Sounds like you were lecturing me and I do understand why we're out here. I just don't like it very much," she growled as she took the last drag on the cigarette and stubbed it out on her heel.

"I'll make a deal with you, Cheyenne. If you can be optimistic through lunch and as we find Piotr, we will not go shopping at all today." Marco crossed his arms over his chest as he compromised with partner.

Cheyenne narrowed her green eyes at Marco. Part of her wanted to open up her mind and reach out to see if he would really keep to his part but the other part of her screamed defiance. She smirked at him and held out her hand for him to shake.

"This might be an interesting day…"

Marco opened the door to the coffee shop, Cheyenne didn't say thank you as she walked right past him. She walked directly to a booth in the back and laid down on it with her back against the wall. Marco sighed as he sat down on the other side and looked at her.

"Do you like coffee?" asked Marco curiously. Cheyenne eyed him.

"Doesn't everyone?" asked Cheyenne as Marco thought about this for a moment.

"Actually, I was reading an article about how most people prefer hot tea over coffee. Interesting isn't it?"

"Very," said Cheyenne in a sarcastic tone.

Marco was about to reply to her snippy remark when suddenly the gentle bell over the door chimed. He noticed Cheyenne's aura turn pink with red melted into it. He had seen this aura so many times since Cheyenne had come to the school; he knew exactly who had just entered the shop which made him a little upset. Only Gambit would think Marco couldn't handle a simple mission like finding a mutant.

"Ah, look who it is," said Gambit as he sidled into the booth beside Cheyenne, making her sit upright.

"What are you doing here, Gumbo?" asked Cheyenne in an annoyed tone.

Gambit laughed. "I do love it when you call me that, Chérie," said the Cajun with a smile. "I came to check up on the two of you. Have you found him yet?"

"We aren't supposed to go to the college campus until three, Gambit. Did Professor Xavier send you here?" The annoyance was clear in Marco's tone.

"No, I came on my own free will. Just thought I could help out some," said Gambit simply.

Marco just sighed and pulled his hand away from the table where it left a sticky, clear substance. Cheyenne eyed the substance with a disgusted look on her face. "Eww," was all she was able to spout - for a lack of better word.

Gambit laughed. "Still haven't gotten used to that part yet have you? Maybe you should be more careful who you absorb powers from next time."

The comment was made and, predictably, the knowing smirk remained. Marco just looked at him, a slight glare of warning in his eyes. He was about to say something when Cheyenne moved to leave the booth, making Gambit stand up.

"Bye," stated the telepath simply before making her way toward the door. The bell sounded as a soft click of the door followed suit.

"I swear that girl. I am going to have a serious talk with Professor Xavier about…" started Marco when a loud crash happened outside. Both men turned to look out the window of the booth, serious expressions now on their faces. "Looks like she has blown up something."

"We shall have to check then," said Gambit as he vacated his seat and led the way outside. Not even ten feet away, they found Cheyenne standing there and staring off at something.

"What have you done, Cheyenne?" asked Marco angrily.

"What have I done?" came the dumbfounded reply. "I just walked outside when that happened!" She pointed straight ahead of her to further defend her statement.

"What happened?" Marco followed where Cheyenne was pointing. He saw a Sentinel standing there and looking down at something.

"Looks like I came for a good reason," stated Gambit as he started running towards the Sentinel with Marco and Cheyenne bringing up the rear.

When they reached the spot, the three mutants saw one Sentinel on the ground in six pieces while the whole one was staring at a petite Asian looking girl on a suitcase reading a book. The Sentinel turned towards them, his red, robotic eyes staring at them; no doubt scanning them.

"Humans, this does not concern you. Leave now," commanded the Sentinel in his robotic voice.

Gambit smirked. "Oh, but I think it does." The Cajun pulled out cards from his coat and ignited them. He threw what looked like a three of clubs at the robot's arm, cutting it clean off and an explosion subsequently followed. Gambit smiled at this task.

"Repairs must be done," said the Sentinel as it lit its jets and flew away.

The three of them looked at the girl on the suitcase who was still reading a book. She didn't bother to acknowledge them. In fact, she seemed to not have taken notice to anything that the three of them had done. The only indication that the previous scenario even did anything to grasp her attention was the nonchalant way she brushed off some of the debris from her trench coat.

Cheyenne made her way forward as the girl turned a page in the book that seemed to hold her interest. "C'mon! We gotta get out of here!"

The girl didn't look up from her book. "And go where, might I ask?"

"More of the tin cans might show up so it's best to leave!"

"And go where?" The question was given in a clearly bored tone. It was almost unbelievable in and of itself.

The telepath was getting both flustered and frantic. "To a safer place than this…are you a mutant?"

At this question did the girl lift her head up from the book, a dark brow rising slowly above one of her eyes. "A what, now?"

"Do you have special powers like we do?"

"We don't have time for this!" It was Gambit's turn to get frustrated with the situation. "Chérie, come with us. You'll be safe."

Her eyes moved to look at Gambit, the green orbs narrowing slightly in a challenging manner. "I don't recall—"

"Trust me just this once, hm? Alley 'oop!" And before the girl could voice any protests, Gambit had already hoisted both the young lady and her luggage at once. A grunt issued from his throat as he shouldered her body, stomach-first, and tried to lift up her suitcase with the other half of his strength. "Geez, what have you got in here, Chérie? Bricks?"

"My heart and soul. Now put me down!"

Gambit purposefully ignored her, as well as her attempts to wriggle free from his grasp, and turned his attention to both Cheyenne and Marco. "I leave the rest to you, Mon Ami!"

Both Marco and Cheyenne stared wide-eyed as they witnessed Gambit's form disappearing through the crowd of screaming pedestrians. A few more seconds passed before Cheyenne cleared her throat loudly, tugging at Marco's arm and doing her best to ignore all the chaos around them. "Well, let's get the hell on before the Sentinels come back!"

"Fine, come on," Marco said dejectedly as he started walking, ducking into a nearby alley and rounding the next corner to a less populated part of the city. "We need to go to the Quad. That's where he usually performs at."

"Okay," was Cheyenne's simple response. After a few seconds of silence passed, but Marco knew that the telepath wouldn't be able to keep quiet for much longer. "So, who do you think that girl was?"

Mentally he rolled his eyes. He knew it. "I don't know. All I saw was blue."

"What does blue mean? Sad?"

Marco cut his eyes at her. "It means calm?" He honestly didn't know how to respond to that.

Cheyenne blinked. "Oh, you were being serious."

"Aren't I always?"

She responded with her own look. He could see the curiosity nagging at her, practically written all over her. She may as well have screamed the questions out loud, but instead she simply opted to ask – for which he was grateful. "What do you do, exactly?"

Marco couldn't stop the slightly mischievous glint from appearing in his eyes. "You mean my mutant abilities?"

Cheyenne pushed down a growl into the deeper recesses of her throat. "No, sexual orientation – yes, your mutant powers!"

They continued to walk and talk, wary of those around them and making sure not to speak too loudly in case eavesdroppers were listening in. "To answer your first question, I prefer the company of men…"

"…okay…" Sarcasm practically dripped from Cheyenne's words.

He ignored it. "Secondly, I absorb other mutants' powers."

"Cool," she said a little too quickly for Marco's liking. Couldn't she have shown just a little concern? "Now that we've gotten that out of the way…" Her voice trailed off slowly and Marco slowed his steps as Cheyenne all but halted her own. There was an inner battle going on inside of her to which he wasn't quite aware of – but it was clear that she was putting things together in her mind, piece by piece. Realization soon dawned on her features. "…your power from earlier…it's like Professor Anole's! …you didn't!"

Marco blinked once before looking away. "Didn't what?"

"Should I even ask how you get these powers? Wait, on second thought, I don't even wanna know." With that decided, she continued walking ahead but Marco quickly caught up with her.

"You have to promise me you won't tell anyone!"

She waved her hand back and forth, clearly bored with this conversation. That or Cheyenne just didn't care anymore. "Yeah, yeah I know. I get it. Oh look! There's an ice cream stand!" Before Marco could reaffirm that she would, in fact, keep what she'd pieced together a secret, the telepath had already dashed forward to close the distance between her and the item in which she pursued.

The young man sighed, placing a hand on his forehead and resigning himself to his current situation. "We're never going to get this done."

To Be Continued...