When the Fizzle Goes Out of the Firecracker Who: Bobby Drake and Jubilation Lee What: Jubilee ditches his tutoring session, so Bobby goes to find her. Where: Xavier's School, Westchester, NY When: Monday, April 22nd, afternoon Rating: PG
It had been a quiet remedial math class. This in itself was unusual. Jubilee was usually a presence that refused to be ignored. She offered plenty of amusing distractions from the schoolwork, issuing commentary about pretty much anything under the sun except mathematics. And normally, Bobby didn't mind so much. He enjoyed verbally sparring with her and finding creative ways to steer her back on topic.
But today, she seemed a thousand miles away. She didn't say a word during class, even when asked a direct question. When the bell rang and class let out, she was vapor, despite Bobby's request to see her after class.
When the time rolled around for their tutoring session, she wasn't there. Usually he could count on her to show up for it, if for no other reason than they tended to derail into movie marathons and other such ways for two friends to spend time. She was like a little sister to him; he was really getting worried.
Venturing outside the sprawling complex, he looked around, trying to figure out where Jubilee could have gone. As spry as she was, she could have been anywhere. The first place he checked was the swimming pool. Then the hedge maze. No sign of her so far.
Then he happened to glance up at the Observation Tower on the roof of the mansion. Sure enough, there she was, with a view of the entire estate. He should have known; any mututant with a flight or acrobatics gift tended to venture up there.
Freezing the moisture and ambient gases in the air, he steadily created a rising column of ice that carried him up to the roof. Within a minute or two he was making his way over to the Observation Tower. "So. I think I'll skip the 'we should be in a tutoring session right now', and go straight to 'wanna talk about it?'"