Archive of Our Own ^beta

Hisako sits in the rental car and stares at the imposing building. It's too large to be a house and smaller than any school she's ever seen. It's only when her father turns around and calls her name that she gets out, slings her backpack straps over her shoulders and walks towards the front doors. They swing open before she is halfway there. Her parents step inside without waiting for her. When she finally reaches the threshold, a woman with brown skin and shockingly white hair greets her; she introduces herself as Ororo Munro.

Hisako stands off to the side, a little behind her parents, and lets them do the talking.

"I thought we would be meeting with Charles Xavier." Her mother's voice is crisp and even and inquiring.

Ms. Munro's smile falters. "I'm afraid he passed away recently." There is the slightest tremor in her voice.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," says her mom. Her father murmurs his condolences as well.

A door swings open and two heads peek out of the room down the hall. She smiles at them tentatively, though they're probably too far away to see her. A tall white man strides past them and shoos them back into the room. He continues walking until he reaches their little group.

Storm introduces him as Logan, no last name. Or maybe Logan is his last name and he doesn't have a first name. He doesn't look like he shaves very much and his hair points up at funny, symmetric angles. They reassure her parents that despite the death of Charles Xavier, the school continues to function as a safe haven and educational institute for gifted youngsters. Hisako recalls Janet-with-the-pink-sweaters from her old school who was gifted in Math; she never went to class and only showed up for the tests, which she always aced, but she probably wasn't a mutant.

There's some confusion over shaking hands or bowing. In the end, everyone does an awkward sort of head bob. She hugs her parents when they leave and promises to call and write and keep up with her Japanese lessons.

"Who teaches Japanese?" Hisako asks her new teachers. She half hopes it's not an offered course because she's really only studying the language to please her parents and grandparents, even though everyone tells her it's such a good thing to know more than one language.

"I do. We can work out the details later, unless you know more than me," says Logan. She thinks that is a bit of humour in his voice. He picks up one of her bags and escorts her to the girls' side of the mansion.

He knocks at the door, even though it is open. "Jubilee, you in there?"

"Wolvie! Come in!" is the reply. Hisako finds herself being greeted exuberantly by "Jubilation Lee, but call me Jubilee, everyone else does." Her hair is short and spiked, and Hisako wonders fleetingly if there's some sort of initiation process that involves outlandish hairstyles at this school. Her hair has always been straight and long and boring. Jubilee is still talking, gesturing with her hands animatedly. "Are you Japanese? Yeah? Cool. I'm Chinese. Your bed is on that side of the window, I hope you don't mind. You're the first roommate I've had here because the girls are uneven. Uneven numbers, you know what I mean. Do you need help unpacking?"

Wordlessly, Hisako smiles and lets herself get caught up in Jubilee's excitement. Hisako doesn't even notice when Logan drops off her bags and slips away.

*

There's something about being in a sticky situation is that it tends to loosen the vocal cords.

"MOVE!"

Hisako is yelling at Rogue, but Rogue's not fast enough to get clear of Jubilee's fireworks. Hisako leaps to cover her, the crash of fire and light warm against her armor. It doesn't hurt, but there's enough energy behind it that she slips sideways, bumping into Bobby, which makes him lose hold of his concentration. The ice holding in place a giant robot breaks into pieces. Kitty hasn't phased through it yet when it starts to move. She looks around in surprise and alarm, hanging on to a giant arm. The giant robot head floods the room with its red eye beams and they're all dead. Half of Kitty phases through the ground to break her fall as the hologram flickers out to reveal the grey panels of their training room.

Jubilee sighs. "Well, that was a catastrophe. When are we ever going to fight giant robots in real life?"

"We lasted 2 seconds longer than the last time," says Bobby, trying for enthusiasm.

"That's what she said!" mock-whispers Kitty. Jubilee giggles and Hisako bites back her own smile. Bobby looks at them uncertainly.

Rogue pats his hand. "We're not talking about you."

"You better not be." Bobby tilts his head. "Wait. Who are you talking about?"

"Why do I have to be the hostage?" grumps Warren, still in the air above them. He almost crash lands when a shrill tone blasts through speakers. As it is, he barely finds his footing. Both Bobby and Jubilee reach out to steady him. "What the--?"

The six of them look up at the control room. Logan has forgotten how to use the intercom again.

"He's hopeless." Kitty has her hands on her hips, shaking her head at him. He makes a stay-put motion and leaves the room. "I even wrote down the directions for him."

Instead of Logan, though, Storm enters through the main training room doors. Hisako didn't know she was monitoring this session too. Storm turns to her first. "Hisako, this is a team effort. I realize you are new, but you must learn to watch your space and where everyone else is in relation to you." She critiques the rest of the team, but Hisako's ears are ringing and she doesn't hear anything else Storm says.

Only seconds after Storm leaves, Logan strolls through the entrance, blocking their path.

Jubilee scowls. "Are you here to give us a pep talk?"

"That was the pep talk, bub." Logan's fists go snikt.

*

Hisako spells out A-R-M-O-R on a scrap piece of paper. When Logan is not looking, she passes it back to Jubilee.

There's a sound suspiciously like a snort.

Logan glances over in their direction and then resumes his conversation with Peter. Hisako pretends to need more paint. Jubilee gets the hint and meets her over by the cerulean blue.

"'Armor'? Really?" she says.

Hisako squirts some more paint onto her already full palette. "You think I should call myself Hischiki?"

"Are you making fun of my name?" Jubilee points a paintbrush at her like it's a magic wand and she's going to cast a spell or curse.

"I would never. Besides, what's wrong with being--"

"Literal?" says Logan from behind them. They both jump. A glob of blue paint lands on the ceiling. "I know I've been wantin' to change my name to 'Claws'."

"Hi, Logan!" she and Jubilee say in unison and smile at him.

He shakes his head. "See me after class, Armor. You too, Jubilee." He stalks off; Hisako overhears him muttering to himself: "...I can't believe I just said that."

On the way back to their desks, Jubilee says in a low tone, "You're a bad influence on me, Ichiki. First it's passing notes, then it's skipping class."

"Really?" Hisako keeps a straight face, but only just. "I've never skipped class before."

Jubilee grins.

*

"Well?" Jubilee twirls in front of Hisako and the mirrors, displaying a multi-coloured dress pulled on over top of her yellow shirt and black leggings. None of the colours on her body matches the shade of blue of her headband. The effect is quite amazing, really.

Hisako tries for, "If you like it?" which apparently is all the encouragement Jubilee needs. She rushes back into the changing room and throws something over the door. Hisako catches it and turns it over in her hands. "Do you want me to get you a different size?"

"No, it's for you! Try it on!"

Hisako looks at the material dubiously. It has straps instead of sleeves, bold patterns instead of a solid colour, and despite being smaller than Jubilee, Hisako does not think this top will fit her at all. "Um. It's not really my style."

"Oh, come on, be more adventurous!" Jubilee emerges wearing a fluffy pink skirt with white polka dots; the pink doesn't really go with her yellow shirt. Maybe if they were more pastel coloured. . . Hisako doesn't even remember seeing these items on the sales racks she knows they both went through.

"I think being part of the X-Men is very adventurous," Hisako remarks -- quietly, so only Jubilee can hear.

Jubilee looks disappointed. "That's what you always say."

"It's what I always mean."

"You're no fun."

"I have my own fun. Don't push it, Jubes." Hisako has learned to be firm about these things, or she ends up with outfits that in theory look good on her - well, according to Jubilee - but in practice, never make it beyond the closet door.

"Fine, fine," Jubilee huffs. "Are you sure--"

"I'm sure!"

Jubilee re-enters the dressing room to change and Hisako shakes her head. No matter how many times she's explained that she likes her plain, long-sleeved tops that go all the way down to her pants, Jubilee does not seem to be able to remember that.

*

It's movie night, but they are waiting for the team to get back from fighting some sort of swamp monster. Hisako is quite all right with not being picked to go on this one. She, Warren and Kitty are in the living room in their pajamas.

"Man," says Warren, "I remember when you first arrived, you didn't speak to anyone for like a month."

Kitty, hoarding the popcorn, replies, "She didn't have to! Jubilee does all the talking for her!"

"That's not true. . . I said hello and stuff," protests Hisako. She's a little bit distracted because Warren is not wearing a shirt -- because of his wings, though if Warren were a girl, he'd probably have to keep his shirt on. Hisako resolutely keeps her eyes above chin level. Most of the time. It must be nice, Hisako thinks, to have such confidence to go around bare-chested. Not that she was planning on any such exhibitions. . . Warren catches her staring. Hisako blushes to the tip of her bangs and wants to dive under the sofa.

Warren resumes the conversation as if nothing happened. "You never talked about yourself or started any conversations. I thought you didn't like me at first."

"How do you know I like you now?" Hisako practices her deadpan, though it's not quite as strong as she'd like because she's still embarrassed. She remembers feeling a bit awed by Warren. She saw him on TV, when he defied his father and flew through a window instead of taking the cure. "Angel" fits him very well.

Even her parents were impressed. It was a change from earlier reports of mutant mayhem - though certain news stations tried to spin it like Warren was out of control and in need of rehabilitation and the cure - as if all they were capable of was destruction.

"Do not be like those American mutants," her mom would say.

"Mom! I'm American! Remember?" Hisako hisses under her breath.

"Look at that," her mother went on, as if Hisako hadn't said anything. "Terrible." They watched on TV, like the crowd gathered around them in front of the electronics store, as policemen surrounded three men exiting a train station. Someone murmured their agreement with Hisako's mother, probably not realizing the emphasis was on "American" - white people - rather than "mutant."

"Wasn't planning on hijacking a train, mom," muttered Hisako. It wasn't like she had laser eyes or telekinetic abilities. All she could do was shield herself. Maybe she should try out for the football team; it was about the only thing for which her power was useful.

But that was before Charles Xavier contacted them, several months before her parents made the decision to move to Japan. . .

". . .Earth to Hisako." Kitty is waving the bowl of popcorn under Hisako's nose. "You spaced out."

Hisako blinks. "Oh, sorry."

"Did you hear that?" Warren flies toward the windows. They can't hear the Blackbird yet, but the basketball court creaks when it opens. Hisako thinks even the littlest kid at the school knows what that means and the whole house breathes a sigh of relief.

*

Jubilee looks her up and down and shakes her head. "I can't believe you'll wear a skin tight leather suit, but not a tank top."

"Well, god forbid I show a clavicle." Her deadpan is getting better. Hisako holds her hair out of the way as Jubilee zips her up. Her costume is snug, but not restrictive. She's been training with it on for a while now, to break in the new leather.

Next to her, Rogue pulls on her gloves; they're wearing through - some of her fingertips and knuckles are showing - but she hasn't replaced them. Rogue looks at Hisako. "Do you have a--?"

"Right here." Hisako drops a hair tie into Rogue's palm. It's kind of a ritual they go through now. Rogue never has any hair ties on her and Hisako always has extras.

Hisako ties back her own hair and snags a lock on the elastic. Not for the first time, she contemplates cutting it off. Short hair like Jubilee's or Storm's is much easier to manage, especially in a fight, but she can't imagine herself with short hair any more than she imagines herself wearing Jubilee's outfits.

"The suit's functional. It's not like. . ." I'm putting myself on display. ". . .It's just different," she explains to Jubilee. It's different when she's fighting, when she's doing something she knows she can do. If she spent the same number of hours training for social events and small talk as she did how to defend herself, she might brave parading around in a revealing outfit among other people. . . She keeps those thoughts to herself, so Jubilee doesn't get any more makeover ideas. She's still recovering from the last time.

"Let's go!" Bobby's voice rings out through the changing rooms. "That's not part of our uniforms," he says to Jubilee when he catches sight of her. She is hard to miss.

Jubilee is wearing a jacket over her suit. "It's cold!" she says, wrapping a rather demure-for-Jubilee black and white stripped scarf around her neck. "Don't worry, I won't let myself get choked on my own scarf."

Warren emerges from the boys' changing room wearing a jacket as well, but his isn't bright canary yellow like Jubilee's is. She has the rain boots to match - Hisako's seen them - though she has enough sense of self-preservation not to wear those on a mission.

"Californians," says Logan like it's a dirty word. Storm rolls her eyes at him.

On their way to the Blackbird, Hisako catches Jubilee's eye and nods. She hopes she looks more confident than she feels because the butterflies in her stomach are churning up a storm. Everyone else looks calm and collected, like they know what they're doing. Jubilee reaches out and squeezes her hand for a moment as they file past Logan standing by the back of the plane where they climb aboard one by one.

*

Her parents call the school in the middle of the night. Hisako panics for a bit, until her dad reassures her that it was just a miscalculation of time zones on their part. They've also called her on her cell phone instead of the emergency school line.

Hisako tries to be quiet as she gets out of bed and steps out in the hallway to continue talking to her parents. Everything is great, Japan is the same, work is busy, did she get the slippers they sent, her grandparents are doing well and they'd like her to visit soon. Hisako tells them she misses them and they'll work out future vacation plans later.

When she goes back into her room, Jubilee is awake and yawning. "What time is it?"

Hisako checks her cell phone. "2:47. Go back to sleep."

"Is everything all right?" Sleepiness threads through Jubilee's voice.

"Yeah. My parents forgot I was in a different time zone." Hisako climbs back into bed and feels sleep settle over her again. "Hey, Jubilee?" she whispers.

"What?"

"I. . .ah. Never mind." Jubilee doesn't reply and Hisako can tell by the sound of her breathing that she's sound asleep already.

I've never had a friend like you before. One day, she'll say it out loud, though she thinks - hopes - Jubilee knows.