turaab

“We’re aiming for a job in which people will come to be when they have problems. Sort of like an… RA for the school. But, less concerned with the rules of the rules of dorming. We are ironing out the details.” Sooraya explained. “For now, I’m showing you our school and avoiding conflict, apparently.”

“You’re doing a wonderful job at avoiding conflict. If I gotta fill out a performance report or anything like that I’ll definitely put that in your ‘Pros’ box.” Deadpool hadn’t been inside the school for a few months, it was still an impressive looking building and not much had changed, but the absence of Logan was felt.  “I didn’t think I was ever gonna make it, the whole Avenger thing, it’s kinda funny how life works out. Now here i am, pretty much accepted walkin’ through the halls of this pretty prestigious school. I’m pretty great at starting up conflicts but you must be adept at resolvin’ them if you wanna be someone the students can go to with their teen angst issues.”

“Starting conflicts is easy. We’re teenagers. We’re hormonal and we’re emotional. And on top of that, we’re blessed with these gifts that some view as curses. If I can make one person believe that they are in fact a blessing... then perhaps I can take away teen angst issues as their super power.”

“Thank you very much for this. You do not know how much it means.” She said, very sincerely, giving one finger gun in return. “Mister Collins… Rusty, mentioned something of a special class, and we were discussing that, once. So… but I’m sorry, what has happened to Jubilee?”

“Oh, y’know, typical X-Men stuff. Possession by some all-powerful asshole, followed by a few months of brooding. She’ll be okay.” That’s what they were all telling themselves, anyway. “Y’know, Rusty might like some help with his class, if you’re interested.”

“The first Special Class was exile. At least, that’s what it felt like. Dean and Mike... ah, Dummy and Basilisk. They didn’t make it to the end of their school careers. If Rusty can change how that class is, then I would be more than happy if he would have me.”

She shrugged. “I don’t see why not. You helped us when Hope came back. Many of us saw you fighting. And if we weren’t afraid of you due to your reputation, we realized that you indeed had an excellent fighting spirit.” Sooraya reassured. “Many people call me Dust. But you may call me Sooraya. And, no, I’m a graduate of this school. Ms. Pryde and I are working on a ‘job’ for me in the school.”

“Sooraya, okay. Cool.” Wade didn’t know how much of his involvement with Logan’s X-Force Sooraya was aware of, he had no idea if she knew he’d been there when Evan had been brought back to the school with the amnesiac Angel. He didn’t know if Sooraya knew he’d been there when they died. Deadpool didn’t mention it, either. “What kind of job are you lookin’ for? Teaching? Administration? I bet you teachers who are also full-time X-Men are kept re-eal busy.”

“We’re aiming for a job in which people will come to be when they have problems. Sort of like an... RA for the school. But, less concerned with the rules of the rules of dorming. We are ironing out the details.” Sooraya explained. “For now, I’m showing you our school and avoiding conflict, apparently.”

X-Men #207: Messiah Complex

“I think the ship for me being a math professor has passed.” Sooraya smiled lightly, shifting in her seat. “Why… thank you. I hope everyone shares that sentiment in current times. And… thank you. I think.”

“We got the job, now we just gotta work out how to get you there,” Kitty decided, triumphant finger guns punctuating her words, “I could set you up with Jubes. When she, um, is back to being Jubes. She’ll know the best place  for you to start.”

“Thank you very much for this. You do not know how much it means.” She said, very sincerely, giving one finger gun in return. “Mister Collins... Rusty, mentioned something of a special class, and we were discussing that, once. So... but I’m sorry, what has happened to Jubilee?”

Sooraya’s eyes took a long look at the Avenger, trying to think of what to say. “I don’t know if the Danger Room is open, but I’m not sure if fighting my peers is how you wish to spend your afternoon. If it is, then… I wish you’d reconsider violence as the best teaching tool. And I don’t think respect for you lacks here, Mister… Deadpool.”

“Really? You think they respect me? ‘Cause, honestly, that’s all I’ve ever wanted. It’s been a recurrin’ theme in the past that the X-Men shun an’ punch me, I guess fame and piles upon piles of cash really do bring good fortune.” Whether Deadpool’s words were spoken with tongue firmly in cheek or in total sincerity he refused to make clear. “Okay this is gonna be a little awkward, ‘cause we’ve already been hanging around for a good fifteen minutes, but I never caught your name. Or what you do. Do you teach?”

She shrugged. “I don’t see why not. You helped us when Hope came back. Many of us saw you fighting. And if we weren’t afraid of you due to your reputation, we realized that you indeed had an excellent fighting spirit.” Sooraya reassured. “Many people call me Dust. But you may call me Sooraya. And, no, I’m a graduate of this school. Ms. Pryde and I are working on a ‘job’ for me in the school.”

“You’re expecting a fire or someone to get into a fight? Those only happen on Thursdays.” She waited for some sort of recognition of her joke. She cleared her throat. “What would you like to see if not a tour? You weren’t exactly a regular here.”

Deadpool offered a polite laugh, it was the right thing to do, and he shrugged. “The tour is fine, I guess, but I was hopin’ I’d get some of the rowdy kids in a combat session ask to fight me, then you’d be all ‘no, that’s not how this works’ and I’d already be rollin’ up my proverbial sleeves… then I’d show those punks how it’s done and they’d have a new-found respect for me.” Deadpool shrugged again. “The tour is fine.”

Sooraya’s eyes took a long look at the Avenger, trying to think of what to say. “I don’t know if the Danger Room is open, but I’m not sure if fighting my peers is how you wish to spend your afternoon. If it is, then... I wish you’d reconsider violence as the best teaching tool. And I don’t think respect for you lacks here, Mister... Deadpool.”

“I’m doing well. What of yourself?”

“Oh, y’know, the usual mutant problems.”

“What of Alex Summers, not our race?”

“Y’know, I kinda hoped that my time visiting the school as a Unity Squad liaison would be more exciting than this. You got anythin’ else goin’ on besides the guided tour?”

“You’re expecting a fire or someone to get into a fight? Those only happen on Thursdays.” She waited for some sort of recognition of her joke. She cleared her throat. “What would you like to see if not a tour? You weren’t exactly a regular here.”

“That… sounds annoying, I suppose.”

“Eheh… so how are you?”

“I’m doing well. What of yourself?”

“Are you alright, Mister Summers?”

“I’m fine, Sooraya. Just sick of having to fix my hair so much.”

“That... sounds annoying, I suppose.”

That sounded like something Sooraya could do. “That’s a therapist.” She pointed out, before realizing she missed the joke by thinking to much. So she let out a small, slightly forced chuckle. “Sorry.” She said after clearing her throat. “I actually believe that would suit me better. Can you really see me in a scenario like that?” 

“Absolutely. And not only because I think you could excel at anything you set your mind to.” It was so corny it hurt to say, but that didn’t make it any less true. “You’re a good listener, Sooraya. And you’re easy to talk to. That’s a great combo for any profession. I already like you better than my own therapist.”

“I think the ship for me being a math professor has passed.” Sooraya smiled lightly, shifting in her seat. “Why... thank you. I hope everyone shares that sentiment in current times. And... thank you. I think.”

    “That’s it, no more mask.”

“Are you alright, Mister Summers?”

Sooraya nodded. “I still live here. It’s all I’ve known for quite a while. Despite the… changes.” Or perhaps it was the X-men she stayed with. “Do you live near here? Because I’d hate for your visit just to be consumed to being stuck talking to the girl who made tea.”

“New York isn’t that far, you don’t need  to worry about me.” She smiled. “I really don’t mind. It’s actually kind of nice. It’s been a while since I just sat down and had a talk with someone.”

“I’m afraid that’s my secondary mutation.” She mused, before going on. “Well, I do hope I’m not a boring conversational partner. After everything, I’m afraid I may be rusty. I hope you’ll let me try my hand at it.”