"Cheater!!!" J shrieked.

"No way, Chica. Nowhere in the rules does it say that mutant powers are not allowed. It says right here: 'No sounds are allowed.'" He tossed the rules back into the box and crossed his arms over his chest, smiling smugly at her.

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "But none of us can do 'mummy' with our fingers! Cheater!"

"I agree," Monet said, "I do not believe mutant powers were taken into consideration when this game was designed."

"Don't knit pick!" Everett called from across the couch. "Let's just say...he was 'stretching the rules' a bit, J."

Everyone groaned and Angelo laughed.

"Hmph. Summer, he's your boyfriend--"

"Fiancé."

"Fine, whatever. You straighten him out!"

"I have to agree with Jubilee," I told Ange apologetically. "You are breaking the rules just a wee bit--"

"Hey, whose side are you on, anyway?" he demanded before realizing the answer. "Never mind."

Paige grabbed Jubilee by the arm and whispered something in her ear. A huge grin formed across her face.

"Fine," she said. "We've agreed you can use your powers, Ange. It's fair."

"Why such a change of heart, J?" I asked.

Her blue eyes widened in a look of mock innocence.

"I just want ta move the game along," she explained. "It's all for fun anyway, isn't it?"

"Your turn, Paige," Monet said, bringing us all back to the game.

"It is, isn't it?" she asked a little too excitedly as she drew four cards. "Let's see here...oh, these are good ones!" She placed her cards in the timer.

"Ready?" Mondo asked, his hand poised to start the timer.

"Go," Paige instructed him. She pulled her sweatshirt up a bit and pointed to her stomach.

"Woooo, go girl, go!" Ev shouted.

"Yeah, don't stop now!" Ange added, laughing.

She paused long enough to glare at the two, before gesturing to her stomach again.

"Bellybutton!" Jubilee shouted, giving Everett a dirty look.

Paige nodded and grabbed the card out, tossing it aside. She brought her hands up to her mouth and took an imaginary bite.

"Eating!" J shrieked. Paige shook her head.

"Sandwich!" I called out.

Paige broke into a huge grin and yanked the card away, just as it was about to fall into the timer.

<SHRRRRRRRIIIIPPPPPPPPP!>

She ripped her skin away in motions that over time had become more familiar and less revolting. It was funny to see how much we progressed, no one even complained about it now.

"Frankenstein!" Monet, Jubilee and I chorused.

"Hey!" Ange, Everett, Jono and Mondo exclaimed, in like fashion.

<SHRRRRRRRIIIIPPPPPPPPP!>

"Fairy!"

Paige grabbed the last card out, curtsied to the guys took her seat as we cheered.

Everett took his turn and failed miserably with the word "UFO". Then it was my turn. I jumped up and walked to the box.

"This whole box, and I bet there's not a single 'snowman' card in it," I complained as I drew my cards.

"Just do your best. You can do it," Mondo said cheerfully. Ev and Angelo rolled their eyes behind his back.

Ev hit him on the back of the head with a pillow. "She's on the other team."

"But she is my friend," he remarked casually.

There were times I felt guilty over not liking the guy when he was just so darned...friendly.

Wow, I actually got one I could use my powers for--heyyyy, this'll be interesting... I set my cards up and nodded for Monet to push down the timer. Icing up my hand, I turned it into an ice cream cone and pretended to give it a lick.

"Ice cream!"

My second one-pointer was a bit more difficult. Blushing, I crouched down and started tickling my armpits, then acted like I was peeling a banana.

"It's McCoy!" Ange teased. I gave him a berating look; I rather liked Dr. McCoy.

"Monkey," Monet guessed correctly.

I got up and pointed to her, nodding, indicating she had given the correct answer.

I grinned as I went to the next card. I formed a short pillar of ice beneath me and shut my eyes. I felt my self collapse down and inward as I allowed my body to liquefy. It's hard to think when your body is suddenly gone and replaced with a substance with no definite shape. It took me hours to get back together the first time I tried to liquefy, but I knew what I was doing now. As I crashed down and made contact with the ice, I then surged upward in a spray of water. I vaguely heard someone call "fountain." I solidified and moved to the next card.

After pulling the card, I made a motion as if inserting something and turning a handle. All I got in response was a bunch of blank stares.

Monet leaned over to Jubilee and whispered something in her ear. J nodded.

"Pencil sharpener?" M offered.

"Yes!" I yelled triumphantly. "Wow, great job, girls!" I sat back down on a big overstuffed armchair. "Your turn, guys."

Jono got up and drew four cards from the box. J hopped up from her chair and peered over his shoulder. A huge grin formed on her face as she read the cards.

"We're already like, whippin' 'em! These cards are great--"

"Quiet, J. No cheating," Angelo told her.

"Oh, look who's talking, Mr. I-never-cheat..."

"J."

"Yeah, yeah yeah." She flopped back down on the chair.

Jono rolled his eyes at her theatrics then inserted them into the timer and pushed it down. J had been right--his cards were hard--and the guys only got half of them.

("Don't worry, we'll get yer when it's Mondo's turn,") Jono assured us. ("Don't ferget he can morph into anything.")

"So what?" Jubilee said casually, jumping up and drawing four cards. "We're still kickin' yer butts." She turned them around a couple times then inserted them in the timer.

"Go!"

Grabbing the ends of her hair, she made a downward motion with her other hand.

"Brushing?" Paige suggested. J shook her head and continued with the motion.

"She's combing her hair. Comb," I said.

J nodded and pulled the card. Grinning, she unbuckled her belt, pulled it off and snapped it in the air.

"Emma!" Ange shouted. "We're doin' all the x-people today!"

"Ooooooooh!" we all chorused.

"Better be glad she isn't in here, sweetheart," I told him, grinning hugely.

"Whip," Monet said, before the card could drop.

J closed her hands, index fingers up and curved, and put them at the sides of her head.

"Cow?" Paige suggested.

"Devil," I said. J shook her head.

"Antlers?" Monet ventured. The card dropped and J sighed impatiently.

"It was 'horn'." Glancing at the next card, she grinned and popped off a few fireworks.

"Light show?"

"Fireworks!"

"Celebration!"

"Don't tell me it's 'Jubilation,' is it?"

"Fourth of July?"

"Mondo, she's on the other team. That's twice now!"

"Sorry."

Desperate, Jubilee ran over to Angelo and grabbed his lighter out of his shirt pocket.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, startled.

She motioned holding an object and flicked the lighter underneath her hand. Tossing her imaginary object down, she turned and covered her ears.

"Explosives!"

"Dynamite!"

"Road flare?"

Jubilee popped off the fireworks again in exasperation. Then several short bursts, the pops and cracks getting louder and sharper.

"Oh, firecracker!" Paige exclaimed.

"Yes!" Jubilee shouted, running over to the timer to pull the last card. It fell down just before she could grab it.

"I don't believe you guys!" she shrieked. "That one was perfect for me, and you couldn't get it?!?"

"Sorry," Paige and Monet offered. I shrugged apologetically.

"Ah guess it was just too obvious," Paige explained.

"I knew we should have played Pictionary," J grumbled. "C'mon, let's play. Guys vs. girls again, I'm telling you we'd whip 'em!"

"Yeah yeah yeah," Ev intoned, pulling her to him and giving her a hug. "Let's play with even teams? You, me, and Romeo and Juliet over there vs. M, Mondo, Paige and Jono?"

"I'm not suicidal," I reminded him, "and he's not poetic."

Angelo sat up and turned his head as if looking at something in the distance. "I never saw a lady more enticin' than the fairest maid, Summer Ison."

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes and scooted away, pretending I didn't know him. "Well, he's not poetic in the usual sense."

"Well..." J began, pretending to contemplate this idea.

"I've got a bag of Skittles," Ev offered, pulling said bag out of his pocket.

"Sold!" she shouted, grabbing it. "Sorry, team."

"Hmph," Paige snorted. "Who needs ya? C'mon, Mondo. You're with us now."

("Oh, joy. Good trade,") Jono sent me privately, his eyes twinkling. I coughed, trying not to laugh.

"Too bad, Mondo," I told him. "We never got to see what kind of things you would have morphed into." I grinned at Jono. "Maybe next time."

"I'm getting hungry," Mondo complained. "Let's play in the kitchen so we can get something to eat."

"You know, that's actually a good idea," M agreed. "Jubilee, why don't you go find the game while we make a snack?"

"O.K.," she agreed.

The rest of us headed off to the kitchen.

"What do you guys want?" Paige asked, going to the pantry and looking inside.

"Any more of that Chex Party Mix left, chica?" Ange asked.

"Sure," she said, pulling it out and setting it on the counter. "That O.K. with you guys?"

We all answered in the affirmative. Paige reached up in the cabinet above the counter and got out a large bowl, pouring the remainder of the box inside. She brought it over to the table and sat down.

Jubilee came back with the game. "Here's the game," she declared, setting it on the table. "Here, set up. I'm getting a drink." She opened the fridge and began rooting through it. "Anybody want something?"

"I'll take a Kick," I told her.

"Diet Pepsi." Paige put in her order.

"Hawaiian Punch," Mondo requested.

"Lemonade, please," Monet said.

"I'll take a rum and Coke," Ev teased. "On the rocks, shweethaat." Everyone laughed.

("Oh, yeah right, Ev, a rum and Coke,") Jono said, rolling his eyes.

J set our drinks on the table and headed for the door.

"Where are you going, chica?" Angelo said, confused. "Don't you want to play?"

"Sure, I'm just gonna take a bathroom break," she told us. "And I need to get something real quick. I'll only be a minute."

We finished setting up and sat waiting for her. She came back in after a few minutes.

"O.K., let's play," I told her. "You're here, next to Ev."

"Just a sec," she said. It was then that I realized she had a glass in her hand. And that it wasn't empty. She set the glass on the counter and turned back to the fridge.

"Is that--" Monet began.

"Yep." She opened a Coke and mixed it with the liquid already in the glass. She set the drink down in front of Ev. "Enjoy."

"It was a joke, J," he objected. "I didn't really want it."

"You'd better drink every last drop, 'cuz I had to sneak it out of Banshee's study without him or Miss Frost noticing!" Jubilee declared, hands on hips.

"Oh, forget it, Jubilee," Ange said. "Por favor, I've been drinking stuff like this since I was six." He grinned at Jubilee and reached for the glass. He put it to his lips and tossed his head back, to our amazement, and drank the entire thing.

His eyes grew wide. "Caramba, chica! How much did you put in here, anyway?" He sounded a little more disturbed than someone who'd been drinkin' it since "he was six".

J shrugged. "He wanted a 'rum and coke', so I mixed it half and half. I've never made a drink before, I don't know how much goes in."

"Half?" he said. "You're nuts! This much, maybe!" He indicated a small amount with his fingers. "Not that I'm complaining or anything. Me? I woulda put more in." He picked the glass up again, contemplated it a moment, shrugged and tipped the glass back to get the last drops out.

"Ange!" I objected, grabbing the glass away from him. "Take it easy!"

"Ahhhhhhh!" he said, smacking his lips. "Good stuff."

"Give him something to eat, before he gets sick," Paige said.

"You would know, hayseed," Jubilee said. "When you drank that beer--"

"Country mouse," Ange began, "I can hold some rum and coke." He eyed J suspiciously. "That was just regular rum, right?"

"I guess so," Jubilee said, shrugging. "It said 'Puerto Rican rum' on the bottle."

"What was the proof?"

She looked confused. "Huh?"

"The number on the label?"

"Oh, that! 75%," she told him.

He gaped at her. "You gave me 150 proof rum?"

M and Paige covered their mouths with their hands and started giggling.

Angelo smacked his forehead. "I'm gonna feel this in the maņana." He walked up behind my chair. "Well, on the up side, I'm not responsible for my actions now." He put his arms around me and kissed me on the neck.

"Oh get out," I teased, pushing him back. "You're not drunk yet. But Paige is right." I got up and went over to the fridge. "You need something to eat--"

At that moment, Emma came in the room. "What's up, guys?" she asked in an all too friendly manner.

("Uh, we were going ter play Pictionary,") Jono told her.

Angelo coughed. "Gee, my throat has a tickle," he said, grabbing his glass and rinsing it out in the sink. Filling the glass with water, he gulped it down.

He's trying to cover the smell... "Here, eat something," I offered, holding out a sandwich I'd just made.

"Gracias." He took the sandwich. "Just like mom used to make," he said around a mouthful of sandwich.

"I just came in to say Sean and I agreed to buy you pizza and pop for lunch," Emma told us. "But plain Coke for you, Espinosa, if you please."

Angelo choked on a bite of his sandwich. "What?"

"Oh, come now," she said, shaking her head. "I'm not stupid, I can tell. Besides, you can't lie to a telepath." She turned to Jubilee. "Stay out of the study, young lady, or you'll all be required to write detailed reports on the dangers excessive alcohol consumption can cause."

"It was my fault, Miss Frost, don't blame Ange or J," Ev spoke up.

"I'll let it go this once, but don't let it happen again," she warned us. Jono shot Paige a sideways look.

"Yes, ma'am," we chorused.

"Now, what did you want on your pizza?" she inquired.

"Just pepperoni," Monet said.

"How boring," Jubilee complained.

"Fine, what would you like, Jubilation?" Emma asked.

"How about a pizza with everything?" Mondo suggested.

"Gross!" Paige wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah, nix the anchovies, onions, olives and hot peppers and it would be perfect," I said. "Mmmmm!"

"You like your pizza with all that crap on it?" Ev said, making a face.

"Yeah, it's great! Love it," I assured him.

"Well, you and Mondo can split one, chica," Ange said.

"Split?" Mondo said. "But--"

"Fine, we'll get two of them," Emma said, exasperated. "What--"

"Two??" Mondo objected. "But--"

Emma sighed. "Just how many pizzas do you think you'll personally eat, Mondo?"

"That depends," he said contemplatively. "What size are you ordering?"

Emma's jaw dropped. "Large," she answered.

"Oh, three or four. Three. I'm not all that hungry tonight."

"O.K.," Emma said, writing it down. "Three larges with everything for Mondo, and one for Summer."

"Hope you're hungry, Sums," J told me.

"I'll help you eat it, Summer," Angelo said, putting his arm around me. "I'll just pick off what I don't like."

"Now there's a man in love," Ev said. "I'm sorry, I don't care what J orders. If I don't like it, I won't eat it!" Jubilee snorted.

"Either that, or he's drunk," she said, poking fun.

"Yeah, right, whatever!" Ange objected loudly. "I can drink a whole lot--" He got up from his chair, stumbled a bit and sat down again.

M and Paige startled giggling again.

"Ahem! That's fine, Angelo," Emma interrupted. "Now, what else do you want?"

After squabbling for a few minutes more they finally decided on what to order and Emma left to call it in.

("Are we going ter play or not?") Jono complained.

"Yeah, let's roll to see who goes first." Jubes grabbed the die and tossed it.

"A one. Great roll, chica," Angelo droned sarcastically.

"Well, excuse me, ya drunk--"

"Guys..." I began. "Who cares who goes first?"

Paige rolled the die. "A four. We draw first. Pick a card, Monet."

My face fell. "Oh. Good point..."

Monet drew a card. "It's an All Play," she informed us. "Who's drawing for you?"

"Go ahead, Ev," J said, handing him a notepad and pencil. Monet handed him the card.

"Go," he said. I grabbed the timer and flipped it over. Both artists began sketching furiously.

("Rabbit,") Jono said. I looked at Monet's paper. The drawing was perfect, despite the fact that barely any sand had fallen down the timer.

"That's a rabbit?!?" Jubilee screeched. "It looks like a blob!" She grabbed Ev's notepad and held it up for the others to see. "Would you get 'rabbit' from this mess?"

("Uhmmm...")

"Weellllll..."

"Oh, give me that," Ev said, exasperated. "I'd like to see you draw better, especially trying to outdo Ms. Perfect over there."

Monet shrugged and rolled the die. "Five," she said, moving her piece. "Another yellow."

"Is it an All Play?" I asked.

"No," she said, handing me the card.

"Good, it's impossible," I whispered to Angelo, showing him the card, which read 'arcade'. He looked at it and snickered.

"Go," he said, flipping the timer over.

Monet began to sketch, but it was something entirely different from what I'd expected. It looked like a man...but dressed really strange.

"Where have Ah seen that guy before--" Paige began. Suddenly she brightened and snapped her fingers. "Arcade!"

"Correct," Monet confirmed, stopping the timer. She rolled again and got a two.

"Ha, ha! Actions are impossible!" Jubilee said, sticking out her tongue. "I don't care how good she is, you'll never get it." She grabbed the card and showed it to us.

In reply, Monet flipped the timer and began to draw.

"It's a pool table," Paige said.

Monet drew an arrow to a portion of the picture.

"What do they call that stick you play with?" Mondo asked, trying to remember.

("A 'cue',") Jono answered.

Monet had done it again. Setting down her pencil, she smiled triumphantly at Jubilee. "Impossible, Miss Lee?"

"That's an action?" J said. "Did you draw the right one?"

"Yes, it's an action," Ev said. "Like in acting."

"Oh, yeah." She sighed. "Uhm, who wants to finish our Guesstures game--"

"Forget it!" everyone yelled.

"Poker?"

"No!"

"Not unless it's two-player strip, you and me, babe," Angelo whispered in my ear. "And I always win when I play poker..."

"Ange!" I giggled and blushed fiercely. "You're incorrigible."

"I know. But tell me you don't like it and I'll believe you." He kissed my cheek.

We heard Sean come in the front door. "Honey, I'm home!" he yelled.

"Pizza!" Mondo shouted, hurrying to open the kitchen door. "I'll help you, Mr. Cassidy!"

"That's a lad," Sean said, propping the door open. "I should have had it delivered. Sakes, who ordered three pizzas with everything?"

"Mondo," we chorused.

Sean looked ill. "In that case, ye're definetly helping." He turned and went back out to the garage. "Three with everything?" he mumbled.

I opened the box with my pizza and took out a slice for myself and Angelo. "Here ya go," I told him, handing him a plate.

"Thanks." He immediately started picking toppings off. Ev snorted.

"Don't start, dear," Jubilee said in a warning tone.

"Yes, ma'am!" He saluted her.

"Ah appreciate a man what knows his place in society," Paige observed, winking at Jubilee.

"Hey!" Ev objected. Jubilee grinned at him.

As we ate, the buzzer for the front gate sounded.

"Computer, open the gate," Emma instructed. "It's a delivery man," she told us.

I leaped up from my chair. "My dress!" I shrieked excitedly. "It's here!" I headed for the door.

Monet stood up, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "I'll help carry your things in," she offered. "We did buy a lot of items."

"Thanks!" We made our way to the front door and opened it just as the man was about to knock. He jumped a bit, startled.

"Good afternoon," he began, glancing down at his clipboard. "I've got a delivery for a Miss Summer Ison--"

"That's me," I exclaimed. "It's my wedding dress!" I felt a little silly for blurting that out, but berated myself for even worrying about it.

"Well, congratulations," he said, smiling. He handed me the clipboard. "Sign on line 17, please."

I signed my name and handed it back to him.

"Thank you," he said, sticking the pen in his shirt pocket. "It's in the delivery truck, just a moment."

"No problem, we'll get it," Monet informed him, making her way out to the truck. "Which one is it?"

"This one, but it's heavy," he said, getting a dolly out. "You'd need one of...these?" He stopped, astounded, as Monet easily hefted the rather large box and carried it effortlessly into the house. "How did she--"

"Uhm, she's been working out," I offered. "She's going to be a bridesmaid and wants to look her best."

"I guess so," he agreed. "Well, have a good one," he said, tipping his hat.

I hurried indoors, where Paige and Jubilee were milling excitedly around the box.

"Ooooh, Sums, ya gotta try it on so Emma can see it!" Jubilee squealed.

"She looks wonderful in it, Emma," Paige breathed. "Just wait 'till ya see it."

"Bring the box in the study. We'll open it in there, and make sure everything you bought is inside," Emma directed.

M picked up the box again and carried it toward the study. Paige quickly opened the door for her. As they were doing this, the guys emerged from the kitchen.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Ev said, his mouth full of pizza. "It's just a dress."

("It's her wedding dress, Ev,") Jono corrected him.

"And from what I hear, it looks great." Ange smiled and winked at me.

I bit my lip, blushing, and ducked into the study, closing the door behind me. The others had already opened the box and removed the dress.

"Summer, it's beautiful," Emma commented, draping it across a chair. "Try it on."

With a bit of help I got the dress on and buttoned. The girls all sighed admiringly.

"I like it," Emma agreed. "It's pretty and it fits you perfectly. Did they alter it for you?"

"No, they didn't have to," I told her. "That's strange."

"What size?" she asked.

"A six. I thought I'd need an eight, but the six was perfect."

"A perfect size six, no fair," Paige mumbled to herself. "Ah wish!"

"Well, me an' Sums are about the same size," Jubilee began, a dreamy look on her face. "When it's my turn--"

"No sense jumping to conclusions," Monet interrupted, amused. "Who are you going to marry, anyway?" She grinned as Jubilee blushed.

"Who knows, maybe he'll come to his senses," I told her, winking.

"You guys are cruel," Jubilee objected, but her eyes were twinkling.

"Shades of Gray" 14/? By Me, monet@uky.campus.mci.net and my secret-psychic-sister Krista kjscjs@ix.netcom.com.

The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was.