Raising Questions You Didn't Even Know Needed to be Asked

[wild_child]

It had been a very frustrating time for the Xaiver Institute. There had been the initial outing of the school itself. There had been the injuries to her friends, including Brianna's lengthy coma. There had been the threats of Child Services actions to Em and to Misha's boys. Whatever mess was going on with the Summers.

And the dang near constant presence of the media and protestors on their front lawn. Getting so a girl couldn't even go out for a smoke or sneak out for some beers.

Which, all together, meant everything was getting on Rose's last nerve.

So today, she was in the solarium, sitting on the floor, legs crossed, eyes closed.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Lousy muties!

Rose's eyes snapped open. Dad-blasted super-hearing.

She cast a death glare out the window. Still a flippin' circus on their front lawn.

Comments

[wild_child]

It was a long, pregnant pause before Rose spoke, shaking ever so slightly and trying to dampen the rage she felt building.

"...Yer lyin'."

[frostfurlady]

Danielle had been an instant from saying she must have made a mistake. After all, being adopted is surely something that would have come up in conversation between Rose and her Da before this point. Mr. Logan was not a man like her own blood-grandfather, who would go around withholding information about whose Da he was or wasn't. So if Rose said she wasn't adopted, it was very confusing, but logically she wouldn't be. There must have been something strange affecting the scent or Danielle's estimation thereof. Danielle was certainly willing to admit when she must be wrong.

But Rose didn't say 'wrong.'

She said 'lying.'

Hrimhari of the Wolves was renowned for his honesty -- impressive, really, in a grandson of Loki. Even trolls could expect the truth from that particular principality, and even trolls acknowledged it.

So while it was neither's intention, both girls now feel they stand accused of not being their father's daughter.

"I... do not lie. I might make mistakes, but I do not lie!"

[wild_child]

Suicide or not, Rose would take on an Asgardian wolf-girl with one hand tied behind her back for the sheer fun of it. And that was when she wasn't fighting down red hot rage.

Right now, she really, really wanted to hit something.

She clenched her hands into fists.

"Then one o' us is very, very wrong," she said.

An' I'm wonderin' if it's me.

[frostfurlady]

Danielle, contrary to her usual demeanor, is still bristling, but since Rose has switched to 'wrong' she manages to control herself.

"Maybe there's some kind of... medical reason for the difference."

[wild_child]

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. You're not the beast. The beast doesn't control you.

"Okay, yeah. Maybe. That kinda makes sense."

[frostfurlady]

"...We'll ask Aunt Dani then."

[wild_child]

Rose sucked in a breath, held it, then nodded. Because this was a much better option than interrogating Pops.

"Good idea," she said. Ms. Moonstar was pretty on the ball.

[demonbearslayer]

Dani was in the stables, brushing Brightwind's coat. The stables were a peaceful refuge from the chaos just outside the gates.

She reached into the pocket of the jacket she'd hung over one of the stall railings, pulled out an apple, and fed it to him.

[wild_child]

Which was where Rose and Danielle found her.

"Yo, Prof!"

[frostfurlady]

"Aunt Dani, we have some important scientific questions."

[demonbearslayer]

"Hello Rose, hello Dani."

Dani patted Brightwind on his flank, then turned and smiled at the girls.

"Scientific, hm? You'd be better off asking Hank or Kitty about that. Science was never my favorite subject, but I'll try my best."

[wild_child]

"So... Danielle was sayin' I don't smell nothin' like the rest of my family," Rose explained. "And, well, it ain't no secret I take after Dad. So we we wonderin' what the flamin' heck is goin' on with that. Ya know, if it's somethin' medical or sciency or somethin'."

[frostfurlady]

"There's some physiological scent-notes, but none of the usual markers that run in families," Danielle explains.

[demonbearslayer]

That... was not the question Dani was expecting. She tried not to let the girls see her reaction.

"That's right, Rose. You are so Logan's daughter. In every way that matters."

Logan, who really should have anticipated this, given all the students with enhanced senses around the school. Logan, who really should be handling this one, but wasn't around at the moment.

"Genetics are a funny thing. Who knows that better than mutants, right? They make us what we are, but not who we are."

[wild_child]

Something funny was going on hear. Rose frowned. Something... something definitely wasn't right. She wasn't as practiced using her senses to tell when people were lying, and she wasn't sure Moonstar was...

"Uh... huh," she said, after a moment.

[frostfurlady]

"Well, aye, obviously tisn' the most important thing," Danielle readily agrees.

She's starting to think maybe Rose should talk to her Da about this.

[demonbearslayer]

Dani pinched the bridge of her nose. She probably wasn't handling this as well as she could.

"You should talk to your dad about this, Rose."

[wild_child]

Okay, this was getting seriously screwed up.

"I'm startin' to think that."

[frostfurlady]

"Och, aye, then."