Disclaimer : The X-men are property of Marvel and this is a work of fiction.
Fire and Ice
Chapter 2
It had been a week since I'd first arrived at the mansion. I'd spent the time trying to acquaint myself with the workings of the school. The place was much busier than I had initially thought. Students walked around in large groups, laughing and chatting and shuffling between classes just like students do. They appeared to be normal adolescents enjoying their lives, except for the one important distinction : they were all mutants. It was easy to forget that fact until a small girl ran through a wall, a boy arced lightning between his fingers or another one lifted another student with one hand. At first he thought his gift was a tough burden, until he'd come across students who couldn't touch anyone, who permanently had gloved hands or special sunglasses covering their eyes, or grotesqueries like green skin or sharp spines growing out of their backs. Shivering, he remembered to be appreciative of his current situation - that he could blend in if he wanted to. Some students did not have that choice.
Kevin had stayed in his room for hours at a time. He wasn't a student, and was free to do whatever he wished with his free time. At night he would sit on his bed and try to enhance and focus his own powers. It was a difficult and tiring exercise, and not always without consequences. On the second day he'd destroyed his bed, and unlike the mirror, he couldn't repair it with his gift. It had been too late to rectify the situation, so he'd been forced to sleep on the wooden floor under the blanket which had thankfully survived his massacre. During the day he would wander the immense school grounds and sit under a tree, and meditate with his powers. He could feel himself becoming stronger through his own puny interventions, but he was afraid to test the limits of his strength. Sure, he knew he could lift a chair with his mind, but he wasn't prepared to try and lift a tree and draw the school's attention upon himself.
Only one issue managed to distract him during his meditations : Bobby. He'd come across his name while chatting to a girl named Rogue a few days previously, and he'd linked her description of him to his own description of the guy. So... his name was Bobby Drake. Even the name was sexy. Shaking his head, he continued dressing himself for breakfast. He was hungry and breakfast was inflexible and always between 7 and 8 in the morning. This was no time for a distraction! It was so irresponsible! He'd done his best to avoid the guy over the last few days, but to be honest he'd seen him only on the rarest of occasions and usually at a distance. He just couldn't shake the feeling that if he turned a corner and Bobby was staring at him the eyes, he would pass out from fright. Or worse - panic and tear the house down - either with his powers or the power of him making a fool out of himself. Both were equally strong, and as destructive around hot guys. Then again, maybe he could disintegrate himself and spare himself the torment of actually speaking to the guy.
Sighing, he pulled on his last sneaker and tied the laces. "If there is a god, please let me never confront Bobby Drake," he murmured apathetically.
Standing he walked out of his room, and half expected Bobby to be standing there just as a divine joke. Angrily he closed the door and walked to the breakfast room. Entering apprehensively, he looked around to make sure his territory was clear of all insurgent forces. Most students ate earlier than this, and he discovered that at 7:45 most of the people were already on their way to class, even the teachers. Dishing up some bacon and eggs, he casually walked over to the jug and poured himself some orange juice. Mrr... he had his plate in his left hand and his knife and fork in the right hand. Maybe... he focused on the glass and it floated up and accompanied him to the table he chose to sit at. He sat down and tried to make the glass settle down in front of him, and next to his plate. It wobbled in midair as if trying to defy him.
"If you explode and cover me in orange juice, I actually will tear this house down," he said with feigned anger. He heard footsteps behind him, and the glass dropped the last inch and spilled a little onto the table. Concentrate you fool! Gah! He was afraid to turn around but the footsteps he heard sounded like a woman's shoes. Good - not Bobby, and if Bobby then a big enough turn off to stop him from ever thinking about him again. It was a win-win situation.
"May I join you?" the beautiful woman said, sitting opposite him without waiting for an answer.
"Sure Storm," Kevin said warmly. "Late night?"
"Yeah," she said. "Spent hours marking chemistry papers which the students wrote yesterday. I wish I could say I was out clubbing all night with Wolverine, but that would make me a liar and a clown."
Kevin laughed. "I've been meaning to ask you. What is with the weird names? Storm.. Wolverine? Shit, those aren't your birth names are they?" He ended with a small laugh, but was half-afraid they were, and had just passed off a not so vague insult.
She smiled. "The senior members of the school belong to a group of mutants called the X-men. Xavier's men, as I'm sure you figured out. They are code names we use, but because we use our powers so frequently to enhance mutant-human relationships, we use our code names more frequently than we do our real names. My real name is Auroro, but I chose the name Storm - for obvious reasons."
"Don't tell me... you can level cities with your fiery personality," Kevin said mischievously. Storm laughed. "Nah, I get it. Very cool."
Storm continued. "Jean, who used to have similar powers to you was known as the Phoenix. Pete's known as Collosus. Marie is Rogue. Who else is there? Kitty is Shadowcat. Bobby is Iceman."
Iceman. The smile vanished from his face as soon as the words left her mouth, but she was looking at her hands counting the members of the X-men and didn't notice. Maybe the guy could freeze things. Hmmm....
"Kevin?" Storm said curiously. "Are you still on this planet, or are you busy inciting a revolt in China?"
"Venezuela," Kevin said impishly. "I was just distracted that's all. Nothing major. Just thinking of a name for myself." Two lies in two seconds.
Storm chuckled. "You need to become an X-man first. That means you need to not only know how to control your powers, but use them with mastery."
Kevin's eyes fell disappointedly, but he tried to cheer himself up. "Okay then, well I'll try. But I'll be an X-man one day, I promise you." He winked at her, but was deadly serious.
"I have no doubt," she said, and she didn't smile. "See you later my friend" With a brief smile she rose and walked gracefully from the room, still chewing on a piece of toast. He liked her.
Kevin finished his breakfast at his leisure, all the while staring out the window at the gardens but not really seeing them. Already he was thinking of possible names to give himself, and how great it would be to work alongside Iceman. He shook his head angrily and looked despairingly at a piece of bacon. He was dreaming of being a track athlete and couldn't even walk yet. It was so typically impulsive of him. As he walked out the room he was confronted by Professor Xavier who walked towards him cheerfully.
"Good morning, Professor," he said politely, and continued to walk past him.
"Ah Kevin, Storm said you were here," he said, and Kevin stopped in his tracks. "Let's go to my office. I want to see how you are progressing."
He didn't wait for a response, and turned on his heel and strode briskly down the long passage. Kevin followed, of course. He wasn't about to defy this man, even if he didn't feel like another heavy lecture. He walked ahead of him the whole time, and he followed him into his office. Kevin sat down in response to his courteous gesture, and waited expectantly. He sat down opposite him in his heavy wooden chair.
"So Kevin," he began. "Inform me as to what progress you've made with your powers over the past week."
Kevin coughed nervously. "Well Professor. I'm walking in the dark. I don't really know what I'm doing, but I spend hours every day trying to gain control over my mind. I figure that because my mind is the source and control of my powers, if I manage to control that, then control of my powers will come with it."
"Clever man," he said with an wide smile. "You are correct, of course. I suspect though, that you have found it easier said than done. The mind is fiercely independent and it hates being controlled far more than it hates being out of control."
"I noticed," Kevin said with a weary sigh. "When I think I've managed to gain some rough control, it takes a small distraction to shatter my concentration and bring me to my knees. It's so frustrating!"
"Maybe you need to address what distracts you, and control it so that it no longer has any power over you," he said thoughtfully.
"Now THAT is easier said than done," Kevin said, and brushed his hand through his hair angrily. "Every time I think I've stepped forward and can lift my bed with my mind, I step two steps back and destroy half my room. I can't do this," he said and suddenly his shoulders slumped and he looked very tired, and worse, only a few hours past dawn.
"Yes you can!" the Professor said reassuringly. He was serious, but supportive at the same time. "No one ever said it would be easy. All these other mutants needed to master their minds before they could wield their powers. Do you really think Storm can control the forces of nature with an undisciplined mind?"
Kevin shook his head, but wasn't committed to the answer. It seemed so easy for the others. The Professor leaned back and sighed. "It's only been a week. It takes most mutants many years to gain any level of control on their involuntary abilities. I think you've done well."
Kevin's eyes shot up in surprise. Done well? The compliment stung more than a severe scolding due to ineptitude. He decided to hold his mouth. Saying anything might ruin this situation, which had turned out better than he'd expected. The silence stretched.
"Don't worry, my friend," Professor X said. "You've done well. I can only sense your psychic abilities, and they are already twice as strong as when we last spoke. Though I doubt you've even practiced with them."
Kevin confirmed the Professor's theory with a slight shake of his head, still silent. "I'm trying, sir," he said sheepishly.
"I know," he said simply. "I apologize for placing this much strain on you. Whereas other mutants are citizens armed with knives in their hands who need to learn to wield the blade, you are a citizen covered with hand grenades and explosives. Control is of greater priority for you, and them."
Kevin nodded. "I need a favor," Professor X said, as an afterthought. "I need to speak to Marie - Rogue as you know her - but I sense that she is on the far side of the grounds, and eager as I am to walk, I don't feel up to a half mile walk. Could you fetch her for me? I have to discuss some issues with her."
Kevin nodded. "Sure Professor. Anything to help around here," he said with relief. At least the moment was over. Anything to escape the eyes of this room. With a brief greeting Kevin leaped up from his seat and out the office in more than a hurry. He was sure the Professor had noted his expedited exit, but he couldn't give a damn. He felt like he was being choked in that room. It was like an interrogation.
He exited the mansion at a brisk walk. Breathing in deeply, he felt as if he hadn't breathed fresh air for years. The Professor's knowledge was too intimidating. It was starting to piss him off. He doubted anything could unsettle the wretched man. As he passed the pond a small globe of water bounced across the surface and he rolled his eyes. Damn these powers of his to hell! He doubted Superman had to put up with this shit.
He found himself cursing and muttering about his abominable gifts, and ten minutes later when his temper had cooled, he discovered that he was in the middle of a huge open plain of green grass, and in the middle of fucking nowhere! I need to find Marie. He felt angry and desperate. Suddenly he felt himself being drawn to the west, and he walked in that direction. He knew she was close. He didn't know how, well he did - it was his gift showing another benefit. He could feel the heat of her body nearing him, could hear the beat of her heart sending ripples through the air, ripples only he could detect. He climbed one final small hill, and saw her sitting in the far distance under a tree with two other people. He walked hurriedly to deliver the message to her. He'd taken so long, Professor X must wonder if he'd crawled here. As he approached the large green tree, he saw her sitting on a patchwork blanket with two guys. One was blonde and laughing, the other was more serious ... and... and... shit! ... was Bobby. He staggered as he approached, but Marie had already spotted him from the corner of her eye, so running away was out of the question. His heart started beating, and a bead of sweat ran down his back. Control! He had to learn to control himself, or what use would he be to the X-men!? He approached the tree as he would a firing squad.
"Uh - hi guys," Kevin said nervously. He voice was close to cracking.
The three turned to look at him from their sitting positions, but he skillfully avoided Bobby's gaze. He could feel it on him, and it had nothing to do with either of their powers. This was a nightmare. He thought Professor X's office sounded like a perfectly reasonable sanctuary right now. "Hi Kevin," Marie said jumping up and hugging him as if he was a long-lost friend. She was a nice girl, but she always wore long clothes and gloves. Perhaps she was deformed in some way like some of those other mutants. The blonde guy stood up and approached with a friendly smile.
"Hi, I'm Angel," he said kindly, and he shook Kevin's hand. He was good looking, but Kevin was already owned by the sight of another guy, so sorry for him.
Kevin's eyes widened. "Holy fucking shit... you have ... wings!" he said before he could stop himself. Silence. Angel's eyes fell. "Oh I'm sorry," Kevin said quickly. "It's just that I think it's the coolest thing ever!" Angel recovered well and smiled widely. It seriously was amazing. Without further ado, Kevin told Marie that the Professor requested her presence, and she looked to Bobby nervously who nodded supportively. She smiled weakly.
She turned to Angel. "Could you get me there quick, hon?" she said kindly. Angel nodded, and his wings spread from behind him, until they covered a vast area. Kevin's mouth dropped like some foolish schoolboy. They greeted him, and with a gust of wind Angel was propelled into the air with Marie in his arms. He flew away in the direction of what Kevin assumed was the mansion. Flying like a bird!
"Woah," Kevin said foolishly, almost exhaling as he did.
He heard shuffling behind him and the catastrophe of the altered situation hit home. He was alone with Bobby. He turned slowly, as if he was about to gaze upon the most grotesque thing ever seen, but ironically, the total opposite. Instead of the medusa, he was greeted by Bobby looking at him openly, his blue eyes boring into his soul. Those eyes.
"Hi, my name's Bobby," he said lightly and stuck out his hand. As soon as Kevin shook it he felt waves of cold enter him and a light frosting appear on his skin. The guy really could freeze things.
"You're cold," Kevin said in awe.
"Then you don't know me very well," Bobby said with a wide smile, and for the first time ever Kevin's heart was in danger of stopping instead of going faster. This guy was so awesome he couldn't concentrate. Maybe the Professor was trying to pierce his mind again. Don't be ridiculous. You know exactly why you are feeling like this. "So... uh... is your name Kevin? I heard Marie say your name was Kevin so I just want to make sure."
Kevin realized that he'd let the silence stretch to discomfort. This is exactly why he wanted to avoid the guy - for this very reason! He was confused, a blithering idiot from the outset. It doesn't have to be this way. He could still salvage this calamity.
"Yeah, that's my name," he said, but could feel himself blushing. "Sorry - I'm just distracted today."
"No problem," Bobby said smirking sexily. "Let's sit a little. We can walk back to the mansion in a few minutes. The damn bird brought me here, but he deserts me at the first sign of a smile from a pretty girl."
Kevin laughed. "What are you guys doing here so early in the morning? Don't you teach the students?"
"Nah," Bobby said coyly. "We're too young to teach. Occasionally we are allowed to help students learn to discipline their minds so that they can wield their powers. That's one aspect common to all mutants. Other than that, I don't know any subject well enough to teach it. Storm and others are teachers because they know things, and I'm 21 - what do I know?" He smiled at his own self-mockery, and Kevin smiled at his smile. God, I'm useless.
"Seems fair," Kevin said diplomatically. "So you can freeze things, right?"
Bobby didn't respond, just looked at him. His eyes lowered slowly to the blanket and Kevin's eyes followed to see where they were going. He was leaning on his left hand but stuck out his index finger casually. A small jet of ice shot from the tip of his finger, and he twisted his finger with a randomness which hinted at precision. Seconds later he was looking at a small ice figure about three inches high - a smiling stick man with a hat and a cane who was posing as if he'd just finished a professional stage dance.
Kevin laughed gleefully. "That's great! That's so awesome," he said.
Bobby smiled and looked at Kevin for a while, but Kevin was transfixed on the small figure. It was unbelievable what he'd just done. What could Bobby do if he was trying?
"What can you do?" he said and Kevin jerked around to look at him anxiously. Maybe he could pull off something which would pass off as a decent trick. Something that with luck wouldn't devastate the land for miles. No. The Professor said he was the most powerful mutant in the world. He better grow up and act like it.
With a cheeky smile, he focused on Bobby, and a frown creased his pretty face. A small cracking sound came from the blanket and Bobby looked down and laughed. The little figurine had become animated, and had started to dance around the blanket. Swinging his cane, and his hat in his hand, he did a dance which would have made Broadway proud.
"Cool," Bobby said simply, but the smile on his face was boyish and amused, and to die for. He stuck out his hand and the floor of the blanket was coated with smooth ice to form a stage.
Kevin applied his powers to impress this great guy. The little ice cane the stick man was dancing with glowed and seconds later was revealed to now be made of a fine wood. The hat flashed and was suddenly made from a glittering red stone - a ruby perhaps. The little man really was an impressive sight as he performed backflips, summersaults, cartwheels and splits. Suddenly he started whistling and the sound was that off a diminutive little mouse singing New York, New York. Bobby laughed loudly and fell on his back breathless from amusement. This was great. The performance eventually ended but Kevin was so proud of himself, and so happy for the moment.
Bobby rolled on to his side, and propped his head up with his hand. "Damn, you're talented, Kevin. I'm jealous."
Kevin blushed at the comment. "I'm not a patch on you, buddy," he said honestly. It was pure luck that he hadn't vaporized the tree above them by accident. Or was it? Could something have stabilized his powers?
Bobby snorted derisively, but then looked at Kevin curiously. "Did you know that at one stage, just before you made his hat turn red, your eyes became darker - much darker?"
Weird, of course - that wasn't what bothered him, and he was about to tell Bobby so. "You were supposed to focus on my stage show for you, not my eyes," Kevin said with a grin, and as a joke. Bobby turned away and his cheeks colored, but the corner of his mouth tried to smile.
"Should we go?" Bobby said, and Kevin admired the expert deflection of the awkward moment.
Kevin nodded, and they both stood. With the smallest flick of his mind the complete performance of Little Ice Man and his Red Hat disappeared forever.
"Hey! We could have sold that hat!" Bobby said with mock anger.
Kevin smiled. "I don't even know what the hell it was. It could have been glass, or plutonium for all I know."
Bobby looked naughty. "But... it could also have been a precious stone. A red diamond or something undiscovered. And then we could have become rich and used our fortune to take over the world!"
Kevin laughed loudly. "All in good time, my young apprentice." They both laughed, and started walking back to the mansion. It was a long walk, and they talked extensively about shallow topics, but topics which put them on the path to friendship. For the first time in his life he really hated his gift. He stared at the approaching mansion, but his powers could detect when another person was looking at him, and he felt Bobby look at him whenever his gaze turned towards the mansion. The temptation to read Bobby's thoughts was almost overwhelming, but he managed to hold it off. He would have given anything to know, and he gave almost everything he had to stop himself from knowing. He was scared at what he would find. It was the treasure chest which everyone knew would be opened, but which no one wanted to touch first. Who would risk the specter inside on the off chance of finding a stash of gold? Should he take the chance... should he?
End of Chapter 2 - thanks for all the comments I received. They were inspiring and I appreciate anyone who took time to write :). I'll update when I can, but I have a busy career and it's tough finding time to write. Kevin (All comments can be sent to rahvin747@yahoo.com)