Wolfsbane

Chapter 36: New Mutants Reunion

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to Marvel.

Morning had broken at the Xavier Institute For Higher Learning and everybody, students and teachers, were getting ready for another school day. However, one teacher wasn't really up for work. Rahne Sinclair wandered along the corridors of the Institute, not even replying to anybody that greeted her.

The young Scotswoman had been in the same state ever since she had returned from the Raft, where she had assisted the Avengers in foiling a mass breakout of the prisoners. Fortunately, the majority of inmates had been corralled back into their cells. However, one metahuman criminal that had escaped was somebody that Rahne had thought had been locked away forever. That prisoner was Raven Darkholme, otherwise known as the mutant terrorist Mystique. The shape shifter had been incarcerated in the Raft ever since Rahne had defeated her in a pub car park several months ago.

Rahne slowly followed the last few straggling students into the Danger Room and waited for them to quiet down.

'Ms Sinclair, are you okay?' Megan Gwynn, the Welsh fairy-winged mutant known as Pixie asked in worry. 'You're usually so happy when we have a Danger Room session.'

'I'm okay.' Rahne replied solemnly. 'I just had a bad night, is all.'

'Something up with you and Ms Moonstar?' Ben Hammil, otherwise known as Match, snickered. That earned him a glare from Megan.

'Ben! You mind your business!' The Welsh mutant admonished her teammate. 'It doesn't have anything to do with us whether Ms Sinclair is having trouble in her love life.'

'Ms Sinclair isn't having problems with her love life.' The clairvoyant young mutant known as Preview stated. 'It's all because of that business with the Avengers.'

'Why would you be down about that, Ms Sinclair?' A confused Megan asked. 'You did great. You kicked loads of bad guys' butts!'

Rahne rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh. She might as well come out and say it. The Paragons wouldn't leave her alone otherwise.

'If ye really must know why I'm upset, it's because Mystique escaped from the Raft.' Rahne told her squad. That bombshell made all of the Paragons wince. They all knew of the history that Rahne had with Mystique.

'You know, we don't have to take part in this Danger Room session if you're upset.' Megan suggested. 'I'm sure that Mr Summers will understand if you told him what happened.'

'No, I'm not going to tell anybody.' Rahne shook her head. 'Least of all Emma Frost's boy-toy. I reserved the time in here to train you, so that's what I'm going tae do.'

The Paragons' training session in the Danger Room had gone off without a hitch. It was now lunchtime. Rahne had joined the other students in the cafeteria. It was her turn to supervise the students for the lunch period alongside Kitty Pryde and Bobby Drake.

Rahne turned her nose up as a ladle of what looked like some kind of stew was slopped on to her plate.

'Mmm, Mystery Meat.' Bobby forced a grin. 'My favourite!'

'Kitty had the right idea.' Rahne sighed as she looked at the sorry array of food the cafeteria had to offer. 'I knew I should have brought my own lunch in.'

'Hey, Dani wouldn't happen to be planning a party or something, would she?' Bobby looked at the redhead.

'What makes ye say that?' Rahne enquired.

'I just saw her in the corridor talking on her cell phone.' Bobby explained. 'It seemed like she was planning something. Don't ask me what, cuz I didn't hear much of what was going on. She must have seen me snooping.'

Rahne frowned in suspicion. What was Dani up to? Danielle Moonstar wasn't usually the secretive type. The only time that she'd be creeping about making mystery phone calls was if she was planning a surprise party for somebody, but it wasn't anybody's birthday.

The Scotswoman continued to frown as she and Bobby sat down at a table next to Kitty.

'Hey, why the long face?' Kitty asked as she snatched a packet of potato chips away from Lockheed, which the dragon had been poking his nose in to.

'Dani's up tae something.' Rahne responded. 'I cannae think what it is, though.'

'Perhaps she's planning a surprise for you.' Kitty suggested. 'You know, something extra-romantic. Maybe she's reserved you seats at a swanky restaurant.'

'Dani wouldnae do that.' Rahne shook her head. 'She knows I cannae stand those posh places where ye pay stupid prices f'r a plate of scrappy vegetables that ye wouldnae even give yuir pet rabbit.'

'But you're one of the rich set now, Rahne.' Bobby pointed out. 'I saw that picture of you hanging out with Tony Stark in the Bugle the other day.'

'That doesnae mean that I've forgotten who to eat properly.' Rahne answered back. 'I'd prefer a nice rare steak to any of that namby-pamby shite any day. Who do ye think I am, Emma Frost?'

'Oh, I have no idea why I was a total bitch to you guys back in the day.' Kitty snickered. 'You've got such a wicked sense of humour.'

'I guess ye were just jealous of how better we were than you.' Rahne teased.

'Oh! She's got you there, Pryde!' Bobby laughed out loud. Kitty shot the ice-wielding mutant a glare.

'Shut up, Drake!' Bobby hung his shoulders, suitably admonished.

'Yes, ma'am.'

Dani Moonstar carefully led a blindfolded Rahne in through the doors of Harry's Hideaway, the X-Men's drinking establishment of choice. The Cheyenne mutant had gone to a lot of trouble to organize this little shindig in an effort to cheer her lover up, so she hoped that it worked.

'Dani, what the hell are ye doing?' Rahne asked as she allowed herself to be led onwards. 'Why is everything so quiet? This isn't some kind of joke, is it?'

'Just stand still and let me take your blindfold off.' Dani responded as she untied the silk scarf from around her partner's eyes.

'SURPRISE!'

Rahne jumped back in surprise at the sound of the sudden exclamation. Dani had been planning a surprise party after all, and she had gathered all of the surviving former New Mutants together as well! It was easy to find Sam Guthrie, because he was a part of the X-Men, Rictor was working with Jamie Madrox's X-Factor detective agency, and Shan as a teacher at the Institute, but the others were a little more difficult to find. Roberto DaCosta was the new Black King of the Hellfire Club. His time was mostly spent trying to turn the club into a legitimate business. Goodness knows where Dani was able to find Warlock. Rahne hadn't seen him since the days he used to call himself Douglock. Tabitha refused to talk about where she had been, as if she was embarrassed by it.

'It's always a pleasure to see your pretty face, Rahne.' Roberto smiled as he kissed Rahne's hand.

'Oh, 'Berto…' Rahne blushed. 'Ye always were such a charmer.

'Geez, gimmie a break.' Tabitha rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. 'Can we get on to the beer already?'

'Not until I've heard all about what ye've been up to.' Rahne told the blonde as she took a seat with her old friends. 'Especially you, Tabby. What have ye been up to? Ye kind of disappeared off the map for a while there.'

'I really don't want to talk about it, Furtop.' Tabitha grimaced, shaking her head. 'I'm kind of hoping that I dreamt the whole thing, actually.'

'Okay, be cryptic then.' Rahne shrugged before she turned to the others. 'I hope you guys arenae going to just disappear once this party's finished. It would be great if ye were all here f'r the duration.'

'Uh-oh…' Sam winced. 'Ah think ah know where you're going with this…'

A great big grin slowly spread across Rahne's face, proving Sam's suspicions right.

'Let's reform the New Mutants!'

'Well, you do have the money to finance a new team, I guess.' Warlock shrugged. 'But wouldn't you be kind of busy with all your work at the Institute?'

'Not to mention what would happen if the Avengers needed you.' Shan chipped in.

'Rahne is an Avenger?' Amara blinked in confusion. 'When did this happen?'

'Oh, it's a long story, 'Mara.' Dani told the Nova Roman. 'But long story short, Rahne's gone mainstream now.'

'You haven't gone and sold us out have you, Red?' Rictor teased.

'Och, no.' Rahne shook her head, chuckling slightly. 'I'm still the same old Rahne Sinclair that ye used to know.'

'Oh, I wouldn't say that…' Roberto snickered lecherously, earning himself a glare from the assembled ladies.

'Open mouth, insert foot.' Rictor snickered.

'What?' The mutant millionaire asked innocently. 'I meant that she's grown up a lot. Really.'

'Berto, ah suggest that yah keep it buttoned, or else the ladies might decide not ta let yah leave Harry's alive.' Sam winced.

'I think somebody had better get the drinks in before Roberto makes an even bigger ass out of himself.' Dani suggested.

'About time too.' Tabitha grinned, rubbing her hands together. 'Best plan I heard in ages.'

'Even better than the plans you guys used to have in Nextwave?' Rahne snickered. Tabitha shrunk down into her seat.

'Please, just kill me now.'

TBC…

Next: Rumble in the Jungle

The newly-reformed Old-New Mutants team up with Ms Marvel, She-Hulk, and Tigra in the Savage Land. Plus: Some friends of Tabitha's drop by to say hello.