Xxx Men Series

Xmen Story Chapter Eighteen -- "Homecoming Queen"

After the fight with Lance my clothes were drenched with sweat and covered with mud. I looked bad enough but smelt even worse. The first thing in order would be a bath. So as soon as I stepped out of the car, I didn't bother to enter the Mansion in the traditional way...I just flew to my room's window. It overlooked the driveway. Upon entering it however...

What the fuck?!

was the only thought resounding in my head. Maybe I had made a mistake and flew into the wrong room. I didn't realise that I had actually spoken it out loud until I heard Paul start repeating it.

"Cut it out Paul!"

The decor had been completely redone. Before, the room was large but ungainly. I later found out that the reason it was so large was because it once belonged to Logan...and he didn't just use it for sleeping, but for training and stuff. And he wasn't the neat type...or into interior decorating either. But now... Well, the expensive Persian rugs and hand painted portraits that adorned the walls...and the Entertainment Centre...with a big screen, plasma television covering the entire wall...rocked! When I checked around I found that the room was rigged for surround sound too. There were several remotes near the bedside. When I went to the CD rack I found it loaded with all my favorite artists. There were DVDs for the player too. A lot of movies and my favorite seasons of "The Simpsons", "The X-Files", "Highlander" and a plethora of other golden oldies. And much to my surprise...loads and loads of straight and lesbian pornos. Well, Ray had gone along with Amara and Bobby and did all of that. The decor must have been Amara, and the Entertainment Centre must have been their suggestion to Amara...with an extra donation made by Ray. Ray who now hated my guts no doubt. I'd have to return his porno somehow, or better yet...just get rid of it.

I wondered how much it all costed. There was even a mini-bar. I felt as if I was back in Nova Roma. Seeing how much they had poked their noses around...I was glad that I was a smart boy. I didn't have any porn whatsoever in my room. Being telepathic...I had a keen imagination. It would suffice. That and I'd never dare to keep any outside of a computer file, zipped, stored in a folder called "System" and password protected...and set under hidden files too! I'd so have to talk with Amara, to thank her. That made me think of something else. She and Jubilee were still my friends openly...and I thought that Jake and Bobby would stay my friends openly...but I couldn't just go and hang with them like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Ray definitely held major sway over them...most of them. I could have sworn that I saw John glance sympathetically at me the night before. But he took a look at Ray and didn't look at me again. I wondered if maybe he suspected something about my being gay. He didn't too look shocked at all. Just sympathetic, before he tore his gaze away from me that is. What if he picked up on something in Nova Roma? I mean, me and Bobby were constantly trying to lose him there...and we did, to the Defenders. What if he thought thought something was going on between us? Or at least with me...I was rather impatient to lose him in Nova Roma.

After the bath, I felt Jean's telepathic presence trying to make contact with me.

{Jean: Rick, could you come downstairs...in the lounge? We have the...papers. We need your signature to finalise it.}

{I'll be right down, Jean.}

I still had to brush the kinks out of my hair. It was a tangled mess. I so needed a haircut. So I went over to my new, shiny, tall mirror. While I was combing my hair, I couldn't help but be reminded of how much I resembled dad. The sight of it made me angry. I was going to do as much in my power to bear as little resemblance to him as possible. In time... but I would make a start. I sorted out my hair and walked down to the lounge. My parents were there...as well as Jean and Professor. I didn't say a word. Jean just motioned me to the desk she was at and I read through the papers. There was a lot of fine print. I wanted to be sure that there were no possible loopholes.

"Rick Mckenzie? I want that changed...my name I mean."

They all looked at me like I had gone insane.

Joshua: "Son, you can't be ser-"

"For the last time don't call me son. You didn't want a gay son...therefore it follows that I shouldn't be carrying your last name."

Julie: "Rick, look at me. I'm your mother...I'm sorry I wasn't there for you yesterday...but I'm here now. I am begging you...Please, don't do this..don't destroy our family..."

I did my best to ignore her. Such a drama queen. Why didn't my begging have any effect the day before? I had everything to lose and it still didn't make any difference. They tried to take advantage of my dependence on them to force me to change something that couldn't be changed. But I had gotten the bead on them...didn't think that I had it in me did they? God bless Jimmy Hansen.

"Look at these clauses...they allow for a name change simultaneously with the transfer of parenting rights."

Julie: "So what will you change it to, Rick Grey?"

I didn't like the tone in which she said it.

"Do you know how much I want to forget yesterday happened? Forget you people?"

Julie: "You can't mean that! We're your parents."

"I do. It's bad enough that I look like a seventeen year old version of HIM. I have to be reminded everytime I look in the mirror. I don't need to be reminded everytime I sign my name. Jean, can I change it to your last name? It'll only be for a year...I can choose one at the end when I'm legally independent."

I didn't see what the problem was. We didn't even know what our last name should be. Mckenzie was just a name that dad chose to go by. He couldn't even remember the people anyway. Hell, he was an infant when he was taken in. And it was just for a few months. Jean glanced at mom, trying to make her see that it wasn't her idea. Mom just nodded to her. My father didn't speak against it after I had silenced him.

Jean: "If that's what you want."

I did want it. I was closing all the doors to my past. My present and future was all that mattered. Hey, maybe I'd fly off to Canada one day, get hitched to Bobby...and we'd have a honeymoon in the Canadian wilderness. I wasn't going to keep dad's last name indefinitely anyway. I took the paper and signed it. Finally I was free of them. Professor Xavier was silent all along. He took the papers from Jean and handed them to my dad. Dad's hands were trembling. And he finally spoke to me again, in a shaky voice.

Joshua: "You can change your name...but you'll always be my son, no matter what. I just want you to know...I may have said a lot of things yesterday. But I didn't mean three-quarters of what I said. I-I wasn't ever planning on disowning you...I just wanted you to change. And I know now that it was wrong for me to want that."

"Of course you were wrong. When did you come to that startling conclusion?"

I used the most poisonous tone I could muster. Didn't mean three quarters of what he said? What was the quarter that he did mean? He choked, mom looked away. I was sure that she never, ever thought that the day would ever come where I'd do something like that.

Joshua: "It seems like I'm just a little too late."

"You think? You're a little late in leaving too. You were just supposed to spend the night. And look it's nearly twelve already, goodbye.", I added sarcastically.

I wanted to make him angry, I wanted him to leave in a rage so that I could maintain my anger at them and not have any room for pity. Because, somewhere, deep inside...a part of me -- the weak, spineless wimp -- wanted to just apologise to both of them, tear up the custody papers, and hug them so tightly until they turned blue from oxygen deprivation. And that wimp fought hard and I couldn't stop myself from dropping a few tears. I could feel my feet moving, almost like they had a will of their own, towards him. He and mom had expectant appearances by then. But I forced myself to be strong and not capitulate. I stopped my walk midstep and turned so I wouldn't have to see the crestfallen looks on their faces.

How could I be sure that it wasn't an elaborate act? Mom was a powerful telepath, what if I was being influenced by her?... I felt as if I didn't know who my parents were anymore. Especially dad...he couldn't have thrown off all that homophobia in one night could he? That sure as hell didn't count as cold turkey. And even if it wasn't a plot...and they merely thought that they could deal with it...and something came up, and I found out that they couldn't? I'd be crushed for sure. Kind of like I was the day before. I thought that they had accepted me...only to find out that they really hadn't accepted my gayness. I couldn't take the chance. I was a sensitive guy...far too sensitive for my own damned good. I needed to grow a thick skin. And this was but the first step on that long journey.

"I have to...go. I'm sleepy..."

Xavier: "Won't you at least see them off?"

"I really rather not, sir."

I turned to my parents, former parents rather.

"Oh, and take your car back with you. I don't need it...I won't be leaving the mansion anytime soon outside of my official capacity as an X-man. Wouldn't want it gathering rust."

Joshua: "But, I bought it for you."

Big deal...so you spent a few bucks. You could have given me acceptance and it wouldn't have costed a cent.

"You'll find some use for it I can imagine. What's another car?"

With that, I left them and went back to my room. Bobby was waiting for me, and he was the only person that I was going to let my real feelings show to. He was my rock. My emotional balance was temporarily weakened and I'd need his love and support. As soon as I walked in he had his arms outstretched and I buried myself in them. He didn't try to stop me from crying...he must have known that I had to vent it somehow.

Bobby: "It's gonna be alright, you'll see...you'll get over this, and maybe you'll be able to patch things up with them."

`I-I don't want to patch things up. P-eople don't just change like that overnight, Bobby...even if they want to."

That statement made him watch me curiously. Probably the part about "overnight".

Bobby: "Where did you go to yesterday, Rick? We searched that Park real good, so you couldn't have been there when we were checking. But you were there this morning."

I filled him in on everything that had happened to me since I ran off. About the punk robber, the whores and their pimps...about my lack of payment for their "services" and what I would have had to do. And about Officer Hansen and his family.

Bobby: "So you spent the night in a stranger's house?"

He was really upset that I had done that. But I sensed no danger from any of them.

"He was a police officer, Bobby...with a wife and family."

He mulled it over for a while and agreed that it was harmless.

Bobby: "Yeah, I guess."

"I'm actually very grateful to him. He was the one who told me that if I could make them sign over custody to someone else...that I'd be free from them."

I then went on the explain about Jimmy Hansen's son Tyler. And what had happened to him. It was how they knew exactly what I was going through.

"They tried to get me to come back home...but I just told them that I'd think about it."

Bobby: "Of course they were right! What would you have done...stayed with them?"

"I don't know, Bobby. Jimmy said if I ever needed a hot plate or a warm bed...to drop by. And Tyler was all hyped about keeping me all warm and toasty at night...and he's cute too."

I sighed a mock sigh of longing.

Bobby: "You slut!"

That led to a minor pillow fight and I welcomed the distraction from my thoughts. We were both so distracted that we hadn't noticed that someone was knocking frantically on my door. I hushed Bobby and told him to get behind the door, so I could open it safely. Without anyone seeing that he was in there with me, that is. I had no idea who was at the door, and with my emotions all screwed up, and me thinking of various people's reactions all the time...I couldn't rely on telepathy to provide me with answers. My mind was too unstable and restless emotionally. I spied through the peephole and saw that it was John. John...?

"Hold on!"

I turned to Bobby.

"Bobby, get in the closet", I frantically whispered.

Thanks to Amara, I had one then that was practically a room unto itself. I would hide Bobby in there until John decided to leave. I didn't think that he'd be staying long anyway. I couldn't run any risk of Bobby being caught. I'd have to have a talk with him about how far he showed his "friendship" in public.

Bobby: "Why? If anything comes up...I'm still your friend. And I'm here in my capacity as a friend."

"No...you have to act like you're shocked...maybe stay away from me for a little while. Everyone else is doing that. You aren't supposed to have known about me, remember? You were -- are my best friend...you're supposed to be hurt the most that I didn't tell you."

He protested but I shut him up and and pushed him into the closet and shut it. I then went back to the door. Before I opened it however, I wanted to have some idea as to why John was there. I wasn't really in the mood for a faceoff or anything. I could have been wrong in what I thought I saw. After all, I wasn't lucid when I glanced at him...and it was a momentary thing.

"What do you want, John?"

His voice was low and secretive when he responded.

John: "I-uh-I just want to talk."

When I glanced at him through the peephole, his eyes were shifting. Like he was making sure that no one saw him outside my door. So I figured I had better open it and let him in before someone did. He came in without being asked. He was that afraid of being seen outside my room it seemed. What was he afraid of? That people would think that he was my boyfriend? He couldn't even make eye contact with me when he walked in. So he pretended to be all taken up with scoping out my redone room.

John: "Whoa...Amara really rocked your crib."

Small talk...

"What do you want to talk to me about, John? Why are you here?"

If he was skittish before, it was nothing compared to then.

John: "Listen, I just want to be sure...about what I heard yesterday. I mean...it's true, right? You're really...into dudes that way?"

That was one way to put it.

"Yes, John. I'm gay, alright? Now is that all you've come for...or maybe you want to do a little snooping on Ray's behalf? Well here's what you can tell him. I saw the way he looked at me yesterday and-"

John: "No one else knows I'm here. And...we're still cool, okay? I mean, it doesn't change that we're friends."

We were still cool? It didn't negate our friendship? I was a bit skeptical.

"Really?"

John: "Yeah, I mean...things might look a little different when we're all together in public. But I'm not like Ray. I'm not homophobic."

I knew I saw him give a supportive glance the night before. So it wasn't wishful thinking...

"So, I take it that you're not hating me...but don't want to be seen with me in public?"

John: "Don't say it like that."

"Well, that's what it sounds like."

He looked slightly annoyed.

"Don't get annoyed, John. I understand where you're coming from. Being friends with me would mean having Ray as your enemy, right? With Ray around, who'd want to be friends with the fag?"

John: "Don't call yourself that. He hasn't said much about it...maybe he won't bitch about it too much in your case."

I found that extremely doubtful. Me and Ray had a few issues before...and we resolved them. And it wasn't easy at all. But it seemed as if there was anything that could catalyse a regression into our former state of affairs...my being gay would be it.

"What makes you so different from him?"

I was curious. Very curious indeed.

John: "I -- don't take this the wrong way -- but I always thought that there was something -- um -- different about you."

"Different, what do you mean different? I hope you're not stereotyping me. Because I am not limp-wristed. I don't talk all highpitched. I don't say ^Oh My God!^, ^Like^ and ^Whatever^ all the time. Oh yeah, and I don't walk like I'm doing a conga dance."

He smiled a little. I wished that I had stuffed my ears. It would have prevented the visual that was to come.

John: "What do you think about a hot, wet, dripping pussy, hmm? All spread out and- "

"John! God, have some decency."

What the hell?! I could feel my face twist in revulsion. He laughed softly.

John: "See...you clam up. And you don't show a whiff of interest in girls."

He then proceeded to remind me of how I always avoided the topic of girls...and whenever they brought it up I was always silent. And when either he or Ray had tried to hook me up...I always avoided it.

"You're a lot more observant than I give you credit for, John."

He explained it to me more fully.

John: "Well, girls are what I mostly think about...so yeah, I noticed it when you didn't show any interest."

He had a point.

"How are the other guys taking this?"

John: "I don't know...they haven't said anything. I think they're all waiting for Ray."

"Are they that under his sway?"

John: "Um...yeah."

"And you aren't?"

John: "If it's one thing that you should know about me by now... is that I do what the hell I feel like."

That was true. He was a very rebellious boy. And he spoke out without reservation. And cut classes without a care. Even at Nova Roma he ran off to the beach...without the fear that he should have felt at the thought of Ororo finding out.

"So you won't be ashamed to be seen in public with me?"

John: "Well as long as you don't try coming onto me or anything...it's cool. Of course you can look. I mean...come on, it's ME here. Which girl, bi or gay guy would be able to escape at least one glance?"

He was also a very pompous boy.

"Please...I got better!"

I didn't realise how that sounded until,

John: "So...you're with someone?"

I suppressed the impulse I had of looking towards the closet.

"Um...uh huh."

He glanced around uneasily, then got closer and dropped his voice even more.

John: "This...guy-um- is he...like from the school? Or back home at your place?"

I saw the opportunity to sway suspicion away from Bobby. It would be lying...but I'd do a whole lot more than lie for Bobby. I mean, I was relatively new to the mansion. But Bobby had been there for years. It might hurt them much more if it got out that he was gay. Maybe even hurt John. They were practically brothers. And the less everyone knew...the better. I hoped that Bobby had seen sense and called off his deadline date for coming out.

"Yeah, he's back home...but you know long distance relationships...it probably won't last."

His response was out of this world. I never would have thought that he'd be giving me relationship pointers...of a gay nature to boot!

John: "Well...if it doesn't work out...keep your eyes open."

"Huh?"

John: "I mean, if you end up single...you might be able to pick up a guy here."

Okay, it sounded like he knew something else that he wasn't letting on.

"What are you saying exactly...that I place a personal add in the school paper?"

John: "Okay...I'm saying this in a completely heterosexual way...you're yummy."

"Yummy?"

Okay, from a straight guy that was a compliment indeed! He diluted the compliment though.

John: "I am NOT going to call you hot or cute or sexy, okay. What I'm saying is...there might be someone here who's had HIS eyes on you for a while."

Okay...play dumb and get as much information out of him as possible.

"So you think I should keep my eyes open for a guy who wants me...if my long distance relationship goes wrong and I end up single?"

John: "Yes...I've seen the way he looks at you. Like he could just up and eat you or something...ugh...just got a visual...clearing. Yeah, I think he could be gay or at least bi. The way he watches you. And that bracelet you got from an anonymous admirer... who knows, it could be from him. Trying to send a little signal something."

Could he suspect about Bobby? He could be talking about somebody completely different. What did he know about gaydar? Okay, so he had identified me. Well not identified...but had noticed something "different" about me. But I never showed any interest in girls. It would be easier with me. They all did at some point in time, the guys I mean. I was the odd one out in the girl chasing department. And judging by my lack of gaydar...if a gay guy sometimes didn't have it...what hope did a straight have of having the gift? He couldn't know about Bobby. Bobby had played straight and had girlfriends in the past. Like Jubilee for instance.

"John, this guy you're talking about...is he someone I know real well? Or just a passing aquaintance?"

John: "Oh...you know him real well."

"I take it you're not going to give me anymore hints?"

John: "No...then I could run the risk of outting him...if he's gay or bi. Which I think he is by the way."

Before I could say anything else, there was a knock at the door. John jumped a little and then tried to hide it. He said that it wouldn't be an issue for us to be seen together in public. But I could see that it scared him to think that he could lose his friends over it.

"John, I know what you said about the public thing...but it's okay. I'm a big boy...I'll deal with it. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

The knock came again.

Jean: "Rick, open up. I want to talk with you a little bit."

John: "It's Jean...I better go. I'll see you around. It'll all boil down, don't worry."

I didn't think so but nodded a thank you. He opened the door and looked a little nervously at Jean. But when he saw her approving look, he brightened. She came into my room and gasped.

Jean: "Okay...I so need you to do my interior decorating. Nothing beats a gay man's sense of style."

"Jean, I can't even dress properly. This was all Amara, Ray and Bobby."

At them mention of his name, Bobby stumbled out of the closet. His clothes were ruffled from our pillow fight. And the Bed was in a mess from it too. it looked as if we were...well, you know. He took a glance at Jean and blushed.

Jean: "Were you two in the middle of something?"

I got what she was implying. The raised eyebrow told it all.

"No...we were just talking and then John showed up. He's a cool guy, Jean. He said that's nothing's changed between us."

Bobby sensed that Jean wanted to talk to me alone and said that he'd be back later. When he left, Jean shut the door and took a seat on one of my plush new armchairs.

"I should have listened to you, Jean."

Jean: "I thought that if it happened and you were eighteen and independent...it would save you the trauma of living with them for a whole year. You could have stayed here immediately. I didn't think that you could have ever gotten them to transfer custody."

"I know you knew, Jean. I figured it out. You were always telling me to wait. And then when you tried that stunt yesterday with me in the kitchen...I was just too stupid to see it."

Jean: "I'm sorry, Rick. Are you mad at me?"

"I was a little. I did feel a little betrayed. I wished you could have told me. I know you wanted to spare me the pain of knowing what he's like. And you were trying to make me not tell them about it...but I wished you had told me that you knew he was more than just "Ray-ish" while growing up. It would have hurt yes...but not as much as finding out like that."

Jean: "Thing's are a bit more complicated. I...can't tell you why. At least not just yet. But if I had told you that, would you have taken my word for it?"

I had to admit, she had a cogent point.

"Yesterday...probably not."

Jean: "I know. You would have wanted a reason, and an explanation why. And I can't give you one. You'd have asked me how I knew. I'm not at liberty to tell you that yet."

I wondered what the hell she was talking about. But as it was obvious that she wasn't keen on giving me an explanation then...I would just have to wait. But it did sound dark and mysterious.

"It's okay, Jean. I mean...I said I felt betrayed. But not anymore...I should have listened. So what did you come to talk to me about?"

She saddened here and looked at me a little seriously. I then knew exactly what was on her mind.

Jean: "It's about how you dealt with this...with your parents."

"Jean, please don't start."

Jean: "Rick...they were -- are my friends and practically family...it hurts to see them like that. Did you really have to change your name?"

"I changed custody. That should have said something about how far I was willing to go with this."

Jean: "That's different. You're seventeen now...you'll be independent next year. And parents come to accept that most teenagers are independent anyway. But changing your name...it's practically forever. Especially as you're his son...his only son. You know how he is. How he feels about family."

"So what about people who only have daughters, huh? How can they accept that they aren't contributing to the dear old family name's continuity? What did he want a kid for...to carry on a name? I don't think that I'll be having any children either. So it's not like it should matter. Besides, it's not even his name...it's ridiculous. He's not genetically related to whatever people he took it from. He doesn't even know them anymore...he was a baby when they adopted him...and it was only for a few months. He just kept the name."

Jean: "He felt like he had no sense of identity. So he clung to the name, Rick."

"Look, if you don't want me to carry your name, just say so. I'll just ask Ororo or something. But I am not going to keep his."

She softened a little.

Jean: "I'm not saying that. What I don't like is how you've disowned them. I don't think that you're dealing with this the right way."

"I don't want to see them, Jean."

Jean: "I know...it's normal to feel that way in the short term...but indefinitely? I don't think it's a wise course of action."

"I feel as if all the time I've spent with them was all fake. You want to talk about what's psycholgically normal...okay. Tell me if it's normal for a complete homophobe to suddenly change overnight. It doesn't matter if I'm his son or not...well yeah it does. He'll try even harder to change me than a mere stranger. So it should take extra long in his case. But what I'm saying is...he can't have changed so fast. Even if he thinks he has."

Jean: "Won't you give him the benefit of the doubt. He's at least trying."

"People stumble, Jean. They try and fail, and then try, try, try again. But I can't handle another pitfall. If he shows me one more homophobic flash...no matter how small, it is going to hurt. I wish he showed his true colors at first. I was under the impression that he was understanding...but he wasn't. It just made it hurt a whole lot more."

Jean: "So what about your mother? You're going to disown her too?"

"She made her choice, Jean. She didn't try to stop his insane plan. You know that...she'll just go along with whatever he says. I just want an uncomplicated life...holding onto them is going to make things a whole lot more complicated."

Jean: "I can't make your decisions for you...but I want you to know, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm right here for you."

I decided to humor her. I knew perfectly well that I wasn't going to be discussing it if it could be avoided. It would only serve to weaken my resolve.

"Thanks. I'll keep it in mind."

With that, she left me to get some sleep. Everyone involved in the search had been given the day off. And since all the teachers were involved...it meant a school holiday. Even Jean and Hank hadn't gotten any sleep. They were up worrying and guarding the school. I was tired as hell...so I just dropped on the bed and started to pop some z's.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When I woke up I found that things were a bit more complicated than I made them out to be. For example...it would be hard for me to show my face around the school at first. And there would be whispers...whispers that the whisperers would think had gone unnoticed. And even if I didn't hear their comments...I'd be flooded with telepathic signals. And then there would be X-training...how would the guys react to me being in the shower with them? That would be awkward... I had developed the habit of taking showers in my room...but could I keep doing that? It was a long way away from the Danger Room... Anyway, the risk of running late for X-training would be an acceptable price to pay.

But my most immediate concern would be mustering the courage to take the first few steps outside the sanctity of my room. Before, the rest of the school was more or less quiet. People were off enjoying the day and what not. A good bit of them had been having an all night ball with most of the adults away, and they were resting from their exertions too. But now...everyone was up. I could feel it...in terms of sound...it was like a soft buzzing of bees. A background sound. There were people along the hallway right alongside my room. I took a few deep breaths and my hand trembled when I touched the handle. With one more breath I turned it.

There were people there alright. I think about twelve people scattered along the hall.. They were talking and stuff before, but when I entered the hall...dead silence reigned supreme. And the way their eyes followed you around... It was like I had stepped into the twilight zone. I mean...every motion they made was perfectly coordinated. Even the way they blinked. I almost wished that they would tell me something instead of acting like that. Keyword in that sentence...almost. But they didn't though. They just watched me as I made my way to the staircase. They were acting that way and they were nothing more than passing aquaintances to me. How would everyone else react? Especially people I was close to before it all went to hell?

I was hungry but afraid to go to the cafeteria. It would be crowded no doubt. And if I tried to eat there all nervous...I might possibly puke. And that would not be helping things. There was the option of going to one of the mansion's kitchens. It would be more quiet in one of those. The only disadvantage would be having to prepare my own food. But so what? So I went with the kitchen option. Unfortunately, it wasn't as empty as I would have liked. I mean, yes...Logan had asked my forgiveness and I had forgiven him the day before. But right then and there...I didn't want to see anyone. When I walked in...I saw that it wasn't just him in there either. Kurt was there too. I hadn't seen much of him since before I left for Nova Roma, not counting the search effort...but he struck me as a friendly kind.

"Hey, Kurt...Logan."

To my surprise...unpleasant surprise that is...he didn't even bother to respond. But I caught how he grimaced at me. At that moment I decided that it was all good for him not to respond. I don't think that I'd have liked what he might have said. He waved off to Logan and Bamfed!...out of the kitchen. Teleported out that is. Logan looked a little apologetically to me. I was downright confused and showed it too.

Logan: "Hey, Rick. Don't mind him, bub."

"He looked at me like I made him sick or something."

Logan: "Kurt's just way into the religion thing...he always tells me off about my habits...and this is just a bit too much for him."

I thought about it a little. It then made sense. I remembered the first time I met him. With reference to his gift of teleportation...he said that God had truly blessed him. It made me both sad and mad. It was one thing to be treated that way by students...but by seniors too? Whatever happened to all the mutual understanding shit that they preach? I frowned and sighed angrily.

Logan: "I'm not sayin' that it makes it alright..."

"I didn't say nothin', Logan."

Logan: "About yesterday..."

"Forget it...you apologised, and I forgave. You were shocked."

Logan: "No...it was more than that."

I then remembered him telling me that it was indeed more than the initial shock and that he'd have to talk to me about it privately. My curiousity was piqued and I decided to listen up.

"What was it then?"

Logan: "You remember yesterday, when your father...when Joshua asked to speak to me alone?"

"Yeah."

Logan: "He came to apologise. And then I apologised and we forgave each other for fifteen years of hostility. He doesn't know anything about what...about what happened in Canada though. Otherwise I doubt he'd have done it. But I just didn't want to lose him like that again. They're the only family I've ever known, or can remember anyway."

It then made sense when he explained it. He had finally gotten back on acceptable terms with my father and was afraid that if he openly stepped in and took up for me...it would all just crumble.

"I understand now. And it's still okay. Mom did tell me that she would keep trying to break him down."

Logan: "Well...it worked. I was so mad at them, both of them -- because I thought that they'd went along and ruined their lives. No matter how hard I tried to warn `em. They were just so young...fifteen and expecting their first kid. But it all worked out alright. He's very proud of you, Rick."

"I used to be proud of him too."

Logan: "He still is. You can work through this. Don't be so quick to throw away what so many people would kill for."

I didn't want to think about it anymore. I wasn't going to be soft. I had to toughen up. Pressure and heat transform coal to diamond...and it was going to be rough but worth it in the long run.

Logan: "Rick...I heard from Jean what you did this morning. You don't think that maybe you went a little too far?"

I was so not in the mood with everyone asking me that.

"Logan...please don't ask me that. I've had to talk to people about that already. And a day hasn't yet passed since I did it. Just let me breathe."

Logan: "What I'm sayin' is; he may have a head as hard as rock...but eventually, he'll crumble."

"No offense Logan...but it took him fifteen years to crumble and apologise to you."

Logan: "I'm not his son...it took him overnight to do it for you."

"Well I don't believe it's really sincere or permanent. At least in your case you can be sure of those."

Logan: "He asked me to watch out for you, kid. And he did it before AND after your incident."

"Can we please just drop it?"

Logan: "Okay...no pressure. Um...Ororo asked me to tell you that she wants to talk to you. You know where her greenhouse is, right?"

"Yeah."

Logan: "Well, when you're done here...go see her. And by the way, when can we give you those presents we got you?"

I agreed to go see Ororo after I ate. And told him to just leave the presents in my room, after giving him the combination to the electronic lock. I hoped that Ororo wasn't going to preach to me and try to make me change my mind about my decisions.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After I ate I snuck off to the backyard where Ororo kept her greenhouse. It was almost dark but I didn't want to be seen by anyone. The greenhouse was a piece of work. The entire thing was rigged so that you'd think you were in an equatorial rainforest. It even had its own microclimate. And it was a place of solitude for her. Who knows...it might be one for me too pretty soon. I might be in need of some serious solitude if things went badly. I went in and called out.

"Ororo, are you in here?"

Ororo: "Yeah...I'm over by the orchid beds."

I approached the orchid beds. To avoid our conversation starting off all melancholy I decided to start off with an amusing fact.

"You know, orchids are named from the Greek word orkhis...it means testicles. It's cuz the shape of the flower resembles them."

She laughed.

Ororo: "I was aware of that. I didn't think that you were though."

"Hey, I'm gay...orchids are my favorite flowers. With a name originating like that...they have to be macho, right?"

I had a point and she admitted it. But she wasn't drawn in by the false humor. She became all teary and I had to be the one to console her. She was doing far more crying than I did.

Ororo: "Please don't blame me, Rick. I didn't know."

"Blame you?"

Ororo: "I told you that it was a good idea to tell them...and look at what happened. I didn't know that Joshua was that way."

"It's okay, Ororo. Really, I would have probably done it myself eventually."

Ororo: "But it might not have happened like that...and on your birthday too."

I was right when I told her not to blame herself for suggesting the idea to me. I would have probably done it of my own volition eventually. When my incident first happened...I contemplated confessing what it was really about. I thought that maybe after a traumatic event like that they'd be most willing to accept me. But I chickened out. Thank heavens I did. Then I may not have had the opportunity to escape my father's plans. But I grew so homesick at the mansion...I would have probably cracked eventually anyway.

"Come on, Ororo. Please don't cry...you don't have to feel sorry for me. I'm coping."

Ororo: "But you're going about this the wrong way."

"Please, let's just drop it for now."

Ororo: "But you have to-"

"Just for now..."

She acquiesced and I stayed a while to help her out. She was a very motherly person and it showed in her favorite hobby, gardening. The way she took care of those plants...it was as if she thought them sentient. She didn't even like me saying negative comments about them in the room either.

"What's the matter, Ororo? Afraid that they'll hear it?"

Ororo: "Excuse you for your ignorance...but scientists are beginning to realise that plants have emotions."

I changed the topic.

"So...how's that fling with Logan going?"

Ororo: "Fling?! It's not a fling...we're just -- getting to know each other."

"Did anything happen in Nova Roma? Or was it all a trick on us?"

Ororo: "I don't kiss and tell. I'm not that kind of girl."

We carried on like that for a while and we eventually started talking about my excursion the night before. She began to lecture me about how irresponsible and reckless, not to mention dangerous it was for me to run off.

Ororo: "It's a good thing that you had that policeman there when the prostitution thing came up. And you were lucky that Scott was able to blast way Lance's golems from you."

That reminded me of something important that I had to ask her. All the drama had made it drop from my memory.

"Lance used to be a student of this school, right?"

Ororo: "Why, yes. He was...well for one thing, I have never come across an Earth elemental of his power...phenomenal. If he were on our side and completed his training...we'd be all the better for it. Oh well, now we have you to remedy that. There will be no escape for you, you will complete your training. Pity that your father left whe-I'm sorry...I just-"

"It's fine."

I thanked her for the compliment. But I was nowhere near Lance's level. And he hadn't even completed his training.

"So he didn't complete his training...and he's still that tough? Lance that is."

Ororo: "Oh yes, definitely not one to be trifled with."

So he was a student and a good one. With an extremely promising future ahead of him.

"Any idea why he left? Did it have anything to do with him being gay?"

Ororo: "It was so sudden. He just got all rebellious. For no apparent reason he refused to be a part of Professor Xavier's philosophy any longer. He found Magneto's way much more practical."

I remembered something else then.

"Ororo, who is...Mystique? Or maybe I heard wrong...it could have been Mystic. But it sounded like Mystique."

There was a sudden shift in her emotions. Something like hatred, disgust and slight fear.

Ororo: "Where did you hear that name?!"

I was a little spooked by her sudden change in mood. And I was aware of the room becoming suddenly colder too. I trembled slightly and she seemed to sense the subconscious effect that she was having on the micro-climate.

Ororo: "I'm sorry. I don't like to think about her. Where did you hear that name?"

So it was a really bad person after all.

"From Lance. This morning he wanted me to join them...to take me to their hideout to be brainwashed."

Ororo: "But what does that have to do with her?"

"He said that Mystique had her eye on me...and that she sure knew talent. He said that if he brought me back to be converted to their way of thinking...he'd get a big promotion. He said that I could make other Elementals obsolete when my powers fully develop."

Her tone became very urgent.

Ororo: "Come on, we have to go to the Professor and the others with this."

"I don't understand."

Ororo: "Mystique is supposed to be dead. But the fact that Lance brought her up obviously means that she may not be."

"Wait I remember something...it slipped out of him and he was real quick to change the subject afterwards."

Ororo: "Mystique is an extremely powerful and gifted shapeshifter. She can become anyone or anything she wishes. All along we thought that she was deceased. But if she is alive and active...and she has her eye on you...for all we know, she could be disguised as someone or something here. She could be spying on us and reporting to the Brotherhood."

"But wouldn't the Professor be able to sense her?"

Ororo: "Mystique is so powerful and has assumed so many diverse identities...even she is not aware of who she was originally. Since she has no accurate sense of self...she is immune from telepathic scans. She doesn't even need psionically shielded armor."

"Oh...she's pretty dangerous huh?"

Ororo: "Yes...she's also trained in martial arts and conventional weaponry. Remember when we told you about the attack in the past, when students were kidnapped and taken by Magneto? How they were converted to his philosophy?"

"Yeah."

Ororo: "Well, Lance said that she had her eye on you. What if she has her eyes on others too? What if they're planning something similar?"

I then caught her drift and reciprocated her concern.

"Let's get this news to the Professor."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ororo had contacted the Professor via intercom and arranged a meeting with him, Scott, Jean, Logan and a few of the other senior X-men. I was exceptionally grateful that the junior team was not invited to it. I still had friends on it of course...but then Ray would have to be there as official leader of the junior team. I was comfortable enough when I entered the room. The only person there who I was a little wary of at first was Warren...Betsy's fiance. But apparently Betsy had worked her charm over on him, and he smiled a little by way of greeting. But things suddenly became a trifle distressing. There was a flash and Kurt appeared out of nowhere in front of the Professor. His back was facing me. He was blissfully unaware of my presence.

Kurt: "What is it Professor? Why call such a sudden meeting?"

The Professor motioned in my direction and he turned. He twisted his face and backed away from me mighty fast. I had ceased being saddened by his reaction to me. In fact all I felt towards him was anger at his bigotry. I tried not to let it show though. I just took care to keep my distance from him and not make direct eye contact. The Professor looked apologetically at me and I nodded to show that it was alright. Ororo had her arm around my shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze.

Professor Xavier: "We have some potentially disturbing news."

Since Professor Xavier had indicated that the meeting was in some way tied to me, Kurt came to his own fucked up conclusion.

Kurt: "What, are the students uncomfortable with having one such as he in their midst? I must say that I don't blame them at all."

I was beginning to hate his German accent. I had to bite my tongue to keep from retaliating. I didn't even realise then that my hands were closed in a fist. I couldn't risk losing control in a confined area with other people present. Someone could get hurt.

Logan: "That's enough o' that, Kurt."

Professor Xavier: "Perhaps you better let me explain it all...before you jump to your own conclusions?"

Kurt glanced at me as if it was somehow my fault that he had been reprimanded. He did nod to Xavier though. The Professor had been informed by Ororo beforehand and was relaying the information to the rest of them. They all seemed surprised and found it hard to believe. Especially Kurt...he was annoying the way he felt that he knew it all. It seemed that not even my words could be given any credit.

"Listen I'm just saying what I heard, okay?"

Apparently as a gay guy...my words held no honesty in them and couldn't (and in his case-shouldn't) be trusted.

Kurt: "Mystique is dead. We all saw her plane explode. When people die, they do not come back from death until the Day of Reckoning. It's one of God's laws."

He added underbreath,

Kurt: "Not that I'd expect you to agree. Who knows how many of God's laws you've broken."

Professor Xavier: "Kurt...enough. You are welcome to your beliefs. But you shall not express them here if they do harm to another. Freedom of speech does not work as such."

I had enough of it. Ever since the day before I noticed that I had grown a pair. It shocked even me...but I was learning to deal with my issues. And I was putting up with no shit from anyone. Equal or superior. Wait, what was I saying?! He was neither...he was my inferior!

"Just where the hell do you come off attacking me?! If I wanted to, I could have attacked your fucked up beliefs and you wouldn't have been able to defend against it. I'm a big fan of religious debate. You think I'm hell spawn? You're much more of a candidate for Son Of Satan than I am. You take a look in the mirror lately?"

It was true. He had a truthfully demonic appearance. He was dark blue and covered in fur from head to toe. He had a long, serpentine tail that was at least one and a half times his body length. It was disgusting how it constantly flicked. Like he was trying to keep invisible flies off himself. He didn't even have proper toes and fingers. He had two elongated claws on either foot, and three pliant claws on each hand. He looked fresh out of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". It was a little surprising to me that Hank had never -- since our initial meeting -- produced such an effect on me. But then again, Hank was a nice guy. Hank was no prince charming in the looks department either...but my blossoming hatred of Kurt was adding to the repulsion. I had hit home and he knew it. The extreme rage on his face just gave me more inspiration.

"You know how they say that the devil can quote scripture for his own uses? I think they may have had a vision of you when they wrote that one...or maybe of your great great great grand-daddy!"

I had pushed him too far with that one.

Kurt: "You blaspheming sodomite!"

Scott: "Kurt, stop being such an ignorant asshole. If you've got a problem with being here just leave."

Sodomite...as in Sodom and Gomorrah. Fuel for the fire...

"Uh huh. We sodomites have been around for thousands of years...and in all those dark, ignorant millennia...you still haven't gotten rid of us. We're going to be in an age of understanding soon...and all your false dogma won't do a damned bit of good. Hell, in some places I can be as openly gay as I want to and walk the streets in the light of day. And people won't mind it at all. I'd like to see you try walking the streets, on a day other than Halloween that is...see how much you'd enjoy it."

I could tell from the way he reacted that appearance was a big issue with him. He looked at me so menacingly...I would have been scared if I didn't know how to defend myself. The Professor was getting angry and impatient.

Professor: "Kurt...Rick, do not make me have to resort to disciplinary action. Kurt, I've warned you about the opinions you voice. Rick, he is a teacher of this school and as such, you owe him your respect."

Neither of us said anything to that just then. We just glared at each other and let it be known how much we hated each other's guts. I owed him respect?

"So I'm supposed to show him respect while he shows me anything but? Hell no!"

He just didn't take a hint. And he brought up the one thing that I just didn't want to hear.

Kurt: "I can see why your father reacted the way he did. You have no respect for your own soul, far less for God or others. Your earthly father has rejected you. And you can be sure that the Heavenly Father has done so as well."

I lost it then. I could vaguely hear the others urging me to stop. But I didn't pay any heed. He had the nerve to bring up my father's attiude? My father who hadn't even left for more than a day? I felt the rage rise within me and the next thing I knew, he was sent hurtling across the room. My telekinesis had slammed him straight against the wall and I could "feel" him struggle to breathe. I could see Warren approaching me, no doubt thinking that I was under the control of my alter ego, and intending to stop me. But I saw Betsy motion him back. Ororo looked upset, but I could sense that at least some part of her was supporting me. He had started the entire confrontation. He was a senior...he was supposed to set the examples for others to follow.

Xavier: "Rick, stop this at once!"

Jean: "Rick, don't do this...remember how much control you've gained."

"I'm in control. Why do you always think that it's Eric whenever I use a little more juice than normal?!"

I turned to Kurt and was about to make him retract the statement. But he vanished and escaped from my grasp. The next thing I knew, I was hit by a punch from nowhere that sent me flying through the door, shattering it. I could hear screams.

Xavier: "I've had enough of this nonsense."

Logan: "Hold it Chuck...let em settle it. You won't be around them forever to keep the peace. If it has to come out...let it come out now while we can at least supervise em."

I got back up and saw Kurt standing in from of me.

Kurt: "Relying on telekinesis? What's the matter...you won't fight me hand to hand like a real man...Oh wait, that's right. You aren't exactly a real man now are you?"

Unbelievable...pot is calling the kettle black!

"That coming from you?! You look like Satan had sex with an ape and the result was you! You think I relish the thought of touching something like you?"

With that I levitated a few chairs and hurled them at him. He didn't teleport away, but he possessed an amazing agility. He leapt and swung with his tail all over the place and avoided them. I chuckled a little dryly.

"See, you use that tail even better than your monkey relatives."

That mad him even madder. I knew that he'd have to get close to attack me, and that was what I was counting on. The moment I saw him vanish, I spun around and electrified the entire area behind me. I saw Jean put up a telekinetic shield to protect them. I was so focussed on Kurt I had forgotten about them. I heard some shouts though. Kurt was screaming in pain.

"Dude, you even screech like a monkey! You sure you were an acrobat at a circus and not the star attraction at a zoo?"

He was on his knees, breathing laboriously. I figured that I wasn't going to let him just dis me and get away with it. I remembered how he had transported me across the quad. If I held onto him...then no matter where he teleported...I'd be there with him. Before he could recover from the electric shock I flew towards him and pinned him down using the extra strength that the Earth element afforded me.

Kurt: "Get your filthy hands off me!"

He had the nerve to call me filthy.

"Take it back!"

Kurt: "It's true...whether I said it or not doesn't change the fact!"

I punched him straight on the side of his cheek. He tried to block it but I held him fast.

"Come on, man. Don't you believe in turning the other cheek?! Never mind I'll turn it for you! From blue to black!"

I punched him on the other cheek, as hard as I could. If he didn't retract his statement I was going to make him even uglier...as hard as that sounded to believe. He screamed then and tried to teleport. We ended up outside the office in the common room. One second we were on the floor of Xavier's office, the next -- in midair in the common room. While we were falling he took advantage of my shock and twisted so that he could use me to break the force of the fall. I was ready though and transformed my body so that I was rock hard. We crashed onto the long table and shattered it to splinters. When I glanced around I saw shocked students running around and yelling. Pretty soon an all out crowd had gathered. Xavier and the rest among them. They must have scanned the Mansion for our presence and followed us.

"You gonna take it back?!"

Kurt: "I'm no hippocrite. I'm not going to lie and say what I do not mean."

I used the Earth strength and flung him towards a bookcase. He didn't receive any real damage though. He latched his tail onto the ceiling fan and avoided the impact. I had figured by then that he wasn't going to run from me. He had a crowd watching. A crowd of cheering students. You know whose side they were on...hint; not mine. Apparently they must have thought that I'd gone insane. I remembered what he had said when we first met. That he so loved the spotlight... He was going to fight it out for his fans...and it looked as if it would have to be inside. He was smart...I couldn't risk using the maximum Elemental power I had indoors...too risky with people about. I almost fried Xavier's office with electricity.

To avoid more students coming into the room, I shut the door telekinetically and levitated bookcases which I used to barricade the place. That left the elevator as the only means of escape by foot.

"Anyone who wants to leave better leave now. This ain't gonna be pretty!"

They backed away but didn't leave the room. They wanted a fight after all and so took cover behind the furniture. Kurt took advantage of my momentary distraction and used his tail to grab a chair. He flung it at me and I sent it hurtling to the right. With my attention focussed elsewhere I didn't see the thick book he threw at me. It caught me on the head and yes, it did hurt. With a flip he was overhead and landed with a drop kick to the chest. I was sent sliding backwards gasping. I heard the crowd cheer. He landed skilfully on the table and bowed. Two could play at that nasty game. Whilst his head was facing the ground in the bow, I took the time to switch from the Earth Elemental form to normal. I needed to use Wind. He wasn't going anywhere. After all...he was a teacher and an X-man. It would look bad if he ran from a mere student. I decided to just cut loose and throw all caution to the wind.

I formed a shield around myself for protection and focussed on calling up the closest thing to an indoor tornado that I could.

"Anyone up for a game of twister?"

I was aware of the fact that with a full on windstorm going on inside that the students were in danger.

{Jean, you better make sure that the wind doesn't snatch those idiots.}

She held them down telekinetically and formed a dome shaped shield over them for protection. The chairs and books were being swept around and around the room by the vortex's pummeling winds. I could see Kurt leaping, trying his best to avoid the flying furniture. He was about to grab onto the chandelier for support, but I focussed mentally and it shattered. It's crystal ornaments falling and being swept around the room by the wind before they even had a chance to fall onto the ground. With nothing to grab onto, so did Kurt. He became a blue blur orbiting the room.

"Take it the fuck back!"

Kurt: "Never!"

He tried to teleport. Not to escape out of the room of course. But to escape the windstorm to some safe part of the room. The only place he could go to was inside the telekinetic shield that Jean had over the students. When he appeared inside there, there was a round of applause.

"Running away...won't fight me man to man? I thought you wanted to settle this? Take back what you said about my father!"

Kurt: "Don't hold your breath!"

"If you don't stop this shit you'll have to hold yours for a while!"

I then had an idea. I could simultaneously control two Elements at once quite easily. I used the force of Earth to shatter the ground he was standing on and he fell through. Then I made a hole through the floor beneath my feet. I could see him trying to re-enter the protection of the shield through the hole he fell through. I used telekinesis to drag him straight through it...then under the floor, then back into the windstorm throught the hole beneath me. Then I relinquished the hold on Earth and surrounded him in a bubble of water. The bubble was touching him...wherever he teleported -- it would teleport around him, all the time suffocating him, he wouldn't be able to avoid it. How long could he hold his breath?

I could sense Xavier's restlessness. But I felt silent joy when I saw Logan calming him down. At least someone had my back. I was practically a man and I had the right to respect. Finally after five futile attempts to teleport out of the bubble, Kurt motioned that he was ready to take it back. I ceased the wind and water assault. He fell onto the floor gasping for breath.

Kurt: "I -- cough -- take it back."

He bore a look of deepest malice at me. Jean collapsed the shield and we all surveyed the damage that we'd caused. Well, mostly me anyway. I could see that the students were not impressed or pleased. I had after all, wrecked the common room. That and the shock that I had defeated a trained teacher in single combat made me realise that Kurt was a source of awe to them before I trounced his bigoted ass. I realised that I was still suspended in mid-air and lowered myself to the ground. I shifted the bookcases that barricaded the doors and the students lost no time in leaving. I supposed it would soon be all over the school.

Kurt teleported away and I turned to see everyone staring at me. Professor Xavier didn't look pleased at all, and that was putting it mildly. Jean looked a little angry and ashamed. I then realised that she wasn't just a friend anymore. She was my guardian and my actions would reflect upon her. Ororo and Logan were understanding in their looks, not pleased, sure as Hell not pleased. But they understood why I had to do it. Betsy and Warren looked sympathetic. I hoped that I wouldn't be punished too severely. I knew that I would have to be reprimanded somehow. No escaping it.

"I'm sorry...I just couldn't deal with his shi -- um, with him saying those things and treating me that way."

Scott: "He had it comin' to him."

The rest of them looked at him oddly. So did I for that matter. He was one of the leaders. Wasn't it his job to tell me how wrong I had been? Not that I was complaining about it mind you. I was just a little confused. The Professor was not going to have it however.

Professor Xavier: "Rick, people are going to have a lot to say from now on. You cannot deal with your problems in such a fashion."

"He had no right to bring up my father."

Professor Xavier: "Do you think assaulting him has done anything to improve his perception of you?"

It surely did nothing but aggravate him, but it felt damned good! Of course I could not say that though.

"No, sir."

Professor Xavier: "I admit...he was in the wrong as well. I will have to decide how you both are to be punished."

"Yes, Professor Xavier."

Both are to be punished?! It wasn't that I was thrilled at the idea of punishment, I'm not that kinky...but Kurt wouldn't be escaping it either! He'd have to pay too. At least Professor Xavier was being fair in his disciplinary action. I heard Warren whistle then at the sight of the common room. It was plain and simply put...totalled. The furniture was shattered to matchwood and scrap metal. The paintjob was ruined and scratched by the flying furniture. All the books from the shelves were scattered helter skelter. And I know Ororo was not pleased at the sight of her houseplants strewn across the ground.

"I'm sorry about the damage", I added weakly.

Scott: "Well, at least you didn't do anything that Jean couldn't shield the students from."

I was glad that he at least was sticking up for me directly. And Logan for convincing the Professor to let me and Kurt "settle" it. I began to wonder if I would instil something close to fear in the rest of the student body. Surely word would get around by the next day. When I had wrecked the danger room it got out. And Bobby, Scott, Ororo and Xavier were supposed to haven been the only ones to have been there. When I was involved in the fight with Jake and friends in the hall, I thought that fear would be a natural response. But I guess that since everyone saw that we had made up shortly after...it was negated. At least people would see that I wasn't a fag to be messed with. I would have enough to deal with on my plate without student confrontations.

Professor Xavier: "Now that we are alone, perhaps we can continue our discussion? Kurt's not here. Perhaps that is for the best. I thought it would be wise to involve him in any discussion concerning Mystique. But I guess he has not reached the level where he can deal with it."

I got the feeling that there was more going on than I knew of.

"What are you talking about, sir? I mean, isn't Kurt an X-man? And isn't Mystique a bad bitch...villain? What's the problem?"

Professor Xavier: "Kurt and Mystique are...well they have personal issues that need resolving."

Oh...boyfriend/girlfriend thing maybe. I didn't know for sure.

"Oh personal issues...Like Boyfriend / Girlfriend? Hmpf! He has a face that only a mother could love."

They all started gawking at me then. It took a little while before I realised why.

"Wait...this Mystique is Kurt's...mother?"

Professor Xavier: "Well...we didn't want to reveal that originally...but since you figured it out. Albeit accidentally...yes. That is why he refuses to believe that she is alive. They have a lot of painful issues to deal with."

No wonder he was so adamant that she couldn't have returned from the dead. He was probably in some sort of weird denial. I began to wonder what this Mystique could look like...I mean to have given birth to something as...unique as Kurt. Ororo told me that she was a very gifted shapeshifter.

"But she's bad, right? I mean not misguided or something?"

Logan: "Yeah, the bitch is bad to the bone."

"And she's supposed to be dead?"

Professor Xavier: "It was years ago. She barely escaped our grasp. She tried to elude capture by comandeering a jet. It exploded with her inside. The crash site was such a mess...we couldn't fully examine it. That and the law enforcers forced us to retreat."

I was a little confused. Weren't they supposed to be hotshots at logistics? I got that they were now under the impression that she could have faked her death. So that she could continue her operations more effectively with everyone else thinking that she was dead. Now that Lance had revealed that she could be alive. But come on, they should have figured that out a long time ago...a plane doesn't just up and explode. And what were the odds of it conveniently exploding as they all watched her make her getaway. I told them what I thought too.

"So the plane just mysteriously exploded?"

There was some silence afterwards. Then Scott answered.

Scott: "Actually...I tried to stop her. I fired a beam towards the left wing, just to slow her down so that we could take her jet down. It missed and hit the engine. That's how the plane exploded. Kurt -- I think he still hasn't forgiven me for it."

That would explain a lot. I saw how annoying he could be for myself. He was a self-righteous asshole. Maybe he had issues with Scott "killing" his mother and they were at odds or something. It would explain why Scott wasn't mad at me for dealing with him the way I had.

Jean: "But now, considering what you've heard...she could be alive after all."

Professor Xavier: "This does not bode well. She has been a thorn in our side since the Brotherhood's inception."

"That bad huh?"

Betsy: "Uh huh. Once when the Professor wasn't here...she infiltrated and split the team up. She took our forms and created divisiveness...pitted us all against each other."

Professor Xavier: "What concerns me most is that you said that she has her eye on you. She is one of Magneto's main recruiters. As a matter of fact...some of the most powerful mutants in the Brotherhood have been recruited by her."

"Lance told me some things. I mean they know that I'm multi-elemental. You have a lot of mutants in your database, right? A lot of different mutant powers and abilities catalogued?"

Professor Xavier: "Indeed. Those files are highly confidential...they're called the Xavier Protocol."

"How many mutants do you know with access to all five Elements?"

Professor Xavier: "Only a handful. I can count them using my fingers."

Lance had seen me use my elemental powers. He knew that I was powerful. But I was nowhere near as creative with them as he was. And to date I had only really jacked up my telekinetic powers. He had not been there when I had really cut lose with telekinesis. I had used powerful elemental attacks when we fought the Brotherhood in the park and at the mansion. But so had Ray and Amara and Bobby...John too. Why would he say that I could make all other Elementals obsolete? Just because I could control all the Elements didn't mean that my power levels would exceed all others. It could just be that I was versatile. There were other powerful Elementals around. Take Lance for example. He was able to hold all of California hostage by threatening the state with an earthquake. He said that it would happen when my powers were fully developed. How would he know anything about my mutant development? Or the limits of my powers? I explained these thoughts to the Professor.

Professor Xavier: "He seems very certain that your power will increase phenomenally."

"He mentioned that he'd get a big promotion if he got someone like me in for re-educating."

Professor Xavier: "Perhaps they are targeting powerful mutants, in order to seize control of their power, before they become too potent to manipulate. I know if I was Magneto...I'd try that. Before they run the threat of turning on me. I'd rather have them working for me than having to fight them."

"Lance did mention Mastermind and his conversion. But if it's true and they want to seize control of powerful mutants...what are you going to do about it?"

Cerebro was currently disabled and only partially repaired. And the Brotherhood had access to Psionic Armor. Plus, they had Wanda. She screwed around with people's powers, could hex and generated fields that blinded telepaths. As if that weren't enough, Mystique -- a powerful shapeshifter, immune to telepathy, could be out there somewhere, spying and reporting mutants who she deemed worthy of the Brotherhood to Magneto. Like some twisted kind of talent scout. The last we had heard of the Brotherhood, was their attack on the Russian nuclear power plant in Boshnoi. It had been synchronised with an attack on the mansion, as well as a crime spree. They were remarkably quiet after that.

Professor Xavier: "That will have to wait until Cerebro is reactivated. We'll have to assume that Lance was telling the truth and that Mystique is indeed alive. I'll have to enforce proper safety precautions and increase mansion security. But I'm afraid that in the meantime until the Brotherhood tips their hand...we'll be of limited help to their possible victims."

That reminded of something I had been meaning to ask.

"Professor, this Magneto...does he have a base or something? Why don't the X-men just attack his ass and put him out of commission instead of waiting around?"

Professor Xavier: "He had a base of operations. It was located in Antarctica. But it's been destroyed. Since then we have had to assume that he's been mobile."

Mobile...so he could be anywhere. I realised then how truly little I knew about Magneto. I knew that they'd never want any of us in the junior team to even think about a confrontation with him and his arch-henchmen. Perhaps that was why they never provided much information. We knew a lot about the junior Brotherhood members and their powers...but not the bigboys. All I knew about Magneto was that he was...magnetic.

"What exactly can Magneto do?"

Jean: "Magneto is an extremely powerful mutant. He can control all forms of electro-magnetism. It's a lot more than moving metal I assure you. He's very versatile. Thoughts for example are electro-magnetic in nature...the brainwaves. He can sense when people are about without telepathy. He can even knock you out of consciousness. It even allows him to suppress telepathy...or strengthen it by affecting electro-magnetic brainwaves, suppressing or amplifying them as needed."

Professor Xavier: "As a matter of fact...it's a principle that Cerebro is based on. We weren't always at odds. He was once my closest friend. He even helped me build Cerebro. The super-electromagnet at the core of Cerebro allows the telepathy of anyone using it to be increased manifold. He helped me design it...it's how he knows to hide from its scans."

It just kept getting better and better.

Ororo: "He can even affect the metal in a person's blood. He can use the iron in a person's blood to create a magnetic flux...disabling or killing his opponent."

Logan: "I tried to take him on a few times on my own...big mistake. With my adamatium laced skeleton...I was chewed up and spit out."

Warren: "Well we did warn you repeatedly, Logan. You should have known better. But you always lose your temper."

Logan: "Hey bub...don't talk to your elders that way."

Jean: "He can also create electromagnetic shields that are almost impenetrable. He's perfectly balanced both offensively and defensively."

"But...Professor, you said that you were once closest friends...how old is this guy?"

Professor Xavier: "Around my age or thereabouts."

"Which is?"

He didn't answer the question promptly and I was getting impatient. I shrugged to let him see that I wasn't getting any younger. And neither was he.

Professor Xavier: "Past fifty."

Fine then, be that way!

"So he can affect telepaths...what about telekinetics?"

Jean: "Telekinetics lift objects and affect physical processes with their thoughts...so yes. He can weaken or strengthen telekinetics as well. Wow! You really are getting good at deducing this stuff."

I smiled at the compliment.

"I take it he can't affect the powers of Elementals beyond Earth and Electricity?"

Warren: "Right. Metal is of the Earth and he can feed off Electricity and use it to strengthen his electromagentism."

Magneto sounded like everyone's worst nightmare. I could see why Xavier was adamant that we juniors not face him. Ray being pure Electrokinetic would easily fall to him. If we had to use Earth to attack him, it would have to be without metal. Other than that, only Water, Fire and Wind could harm him in the Elemental department. And he had an Electromagnetic shield to help guard against those. And he could weaken psychics if he chose to. Mother nature outdid herself when she created him.

Betsy: "Magneto is one of the few mutants who can single-handedly fight the senior X-men down to a draw."

I was flabbergasted.

"But, he's gotta be like a zillion years old!"

Professor Xavier looked a bit offended. He had said that they were roughly the same age. I apologised for my outburst. But I was right...he had to be a rather...mature dude. How could he manage such exertions over and over? Against young people too.

Logan: "Actually..."

Professor Xavier: "He once used a device that reversed the aging process. His physical age is approximately thirty-six."

"What?! Okay...so it's like a fountain of youth thing? Where is it?"

Forever young, I wanna be forever young. Do you really wanna live forever?...I couldn't help singing the song mentally.

Professor Xavier: "He didn't create it. It was a chamber...called the Lazarus Chamber. It nearly killed him... it wasn't designed for mutants. In Magneto's case...it didn't just have the burden of restoring his body...but his powers as well. It destroyed the machine in the process. Magneto felt that his time had not yet come to retire. He had much more to do."

"Okay, so what does he look like?"

Professor Xavier: "Perhaps I should let you view the files that Cerebro has in its database. The ones fit for viewing of course."

"Cool."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

{Jean: Rick, it's late. You have classes tomorrow. Go get some sleep.}

{In a few, Jean. I just want to read some more first.}

I was in the subbasement. The War-Room to be exact. Professor Xavier had given me basic access codes to access the Xavier Protocol. They wouldn't show me all the bells and whistles...but I'd still be able to research a lot of information on the Brotherhood and even on the X-men. It was some pretty interesting stuff. And as ashamed as I am to admit it...I was getting hooked. I didn't get to see personal information...but stuff about a person's mutant powers and Danger-Room performance videos. I eventually came across a file labelled,

"Dominic Petros"

Who the hell was Dominic Petros? And what a dorky sounding name too. Moreover, why was he listed under the ex-Junior team files? I didn't recognize the name and was about to skip the file. But then I saw the photo attached to the document. It was Lance! He looked a little younger, but it was definitely him alright. It must be his real name. Lance was his nickname. A corruption of Avalanche...the codename he went by... I was curious as hell to find out more about him. Ororo had said that he was the most powerful terrakinetic that she had ever come across. And his training was incomplete too. I was reading through the biography bit. He was all the way from Greece. A Greek immigrant who was naturalised as an American citizen. There were a few photos of him with a surfboard. And then I came across one of him in the Danger Room. I was only too eager to see how he did.

It was the same starting exercise that I did. He similarly destroyed the Danger Room. He created a seismic shockwave of some description and it shattered the surroundings, robots and all. It was silent video and I could see Scott waving his hands around exasperatedly. Xavier came out then and calmed Scott down. Lance was looking around a little nervously. And then I had a mild shock. Ray appeared on the scene. I remembered Bobby telling me that Ray was orignally supposed to accompany me on my trial, but he had opted to do so instead. I thought that Ray would at least show some of his abrasive personality. But instead he was cheering! As a matter of fact, it looked like he and Lance were close. They were anything but now. I wondered if that was due to Ray finding out that he was gay. As a matter of fact...it made me a whole lot more nervous. As Jean had said, I had classes the next day. How would he treat me?

He had never acted all buddy-buddy with me the way it looked like with Lance. And look how that turned out. I closed the file and decided not to brood. There were other files to read. They were arranged by name as well as date of entry. I figured, what the hell? Let's see what's on here about the older members. I was browsing through and came across some old Danger Room videos. And so I decided to look at them. I saw one with Jean, Scott, Dad and Betsy. They were sparring off against simulated soldiers of some kind. And they did pretty good. There were high fives and crowing afterwards. And to my surprise...dad and Scott seemed to be getting along. No, scratch that. They seemed just as buddy buddy as Ray and Lance had been. I was under the impression that they were lifelong rivals or something. Everyone told me that they never really got along. But there I was, looking at proof that they did get along well at one time. What could have changed all of that?

I stopped myself from wondering about that. I didn't want to know anything else about him. It would only bring back memories and then I'd start getting homesick. And then I might pick up the phone and maybe even call them. I closed the file. I was sleepy and had classes the next day. I decided to turn in for the night and headed towards the elevator.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Back in the main area, I decided to do some sneaking around to my room. It was past curfew but I wasn't taking any chances. I admit...as much as I kept telling myself that I was a new person and brave. I was really shaking inside. I didn't like people staring at me. I didn't like it when they did it as a compliment even, so far less than as an insult. I didn't like the whispers or the emotions they radiated either. And I could hear movements. People could be about, and it could be students. So I levitated to the ceiling and decided to wait until whoever it was left through the doorway, and then fly through to my room immediately. I didn't expect to see Ray walking out with Jubilee after him. They were heading to the exit. Ray didn't look too happy. And neither did Jubilee. I know that I shouldn't have been eavesdropping, but I couldn't help it. I was curious to learn what it was about and if it had anything to do with me. I had after all hugged his girlfriend earlier. Maybe he didn't want any of me rubbing off on him. So I followed them out into the courtyard. I took up perch behind one of the numerous statues where I could easily hear them without being seen. I was right...it was about me.

Ray: "I can't just pretend that nothin's changed, Jubilee!"

Jubilee: "What does it matter if he's gay or straight?"

Ray: "Hmm...how'd you like to be in the shower with him?"

I knew it could be a problem.

Jubilee: "You were in the showers with him before. Did you notice anything then?"

He ignored her pertinent question.

Ray: "No wonder he didn't want to test his game with those girls when we went out. Fuck, I wonder what he thought about Lance? Lance seemed a little taken with him."

Jubilee: "You couldn't even tell that he was gay. You had to find out. It shouldn't matter."

Ray: "It doesn't matter with you girls. You get to be his official fag hags. For some fucked up reason, it's cool for you to have a pet fag in your group."

PET FAG!?! Where in the Hell did he get these ideas?

Jubilee: "So...you can be his fag stag."

Ray gave her a withering look. He was about to respond, but Jubilee pulled a fast one. She got all teary-eyed and emotional. She was a natural actress. She eventually had Ray eating out of her hands. I remembered that Bobby and the others told me that Ray would do almost anything if Jubilee asked him to. It was obvious how much he loved her. It was right after I had my falling out with him over our failed Danger-Room exercise. And Jubilee was working her magic there as well.

Jubilee: "Ray, he's been through a lot of shit. And he's been victimised by his parents. He can't even forgive them yet. He doesn't need to feel victimised here too."

He sighed.

Ray: "Fine...I won't say anything. I'll try...there, you happy now?"

Jubilee: "As long as you try. I don't like it when you say those things about people. You become someone that I just don't recognise."

Ray: "I'll try. For you...but if he tries mackin' on me in the shower -- it's off."

She smiled. Yeah, like I'd ever do that.

Jubilee: "Okay...as long as you try hard. And give it your best shot...you just might profit from it."

Try hard? Give it your best shot? Oh my God! She was even baiting him with sex as a bargaining chip!

Ray: "Oh, I'll try alright. Real hard..."

I quickly backed away and flew back to the mansion before I witnessed anything that might have left me scarred afterwards. It made me feel a little more comfortable with showing my face in public the next day. I was tired and so I just turned in for the night.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I woke up the next day and checked my schedule. It was around seven-thirty. Classes began at nine in the morning. The first class I had was a mutant one. Psionics, with Jean. But immediately after I had Biology with Hank. What made it worse was the topic we were due to start. Most of the class was anxiously awaiting the chapter dealing with Sexual Reproduction. And we were due to start it that very day. Why does my luck suck like this?! To say that it would be awkward and embarassing, would be to say that fire is hot or that water is wet. I just shut the thought out and decided to deal with it when the time came.

After Biology we'd have recess. Then a double period of Elementals with Ororo. I didn't think that I'd be in too much trouble there. After all, Ororo was Senior Fag Hag number two. That and I was something of her pet project. They wouldn't dare to disobey her and start something up in her class either. I hoped...

Then I'd have Danger Room training for the following three periods. I was dreading those periods the most. I'd do everything that I possibly could to avoid the showers. I wouldn't have anyone thinking that I was "mackin' on them" as Ray put it. I was beginning to wish that our group consisted of more girls. Sure, the guys were hot...but that was wherein the problem lay. If I had to use the shower...then I better make sure that I was never horny enough to throw wood in there. Maybe with constant jackoffs during the day I'd be foolproofed against it. I wondered how Bobby did it all along. Go through the shower ordeal on a regular basis I mean. He must have had some serious self control. I knew Jake was learning to master his body and mind. He was all into metaphysics. Everything from Yoga and T'ai Chi Chuan -- to Karate, Kung-Fu and Kickboxing. He would be safe from hardening against his will. Again, I figured that I would just have to deal with the situation when it came up.

I was spending a lot of time analysing my schedule. I have to admit I was doing it so that I would feel to myself that I was doing something constructive about the situation. You know planning classes. Figuring who I'd have to be around during the day. Figuring what I'd say and do if anything came up. I even made plans to eat by myself at lunchtime...in the Mansion, not the cafeteria. I know that John told me he was still cool. Bobby and Jake would no doubt still be my friends in public. And I had overheard Ray talking with Jubilee and he said he'd try. And with him trying...the spineless weaklings would try too. But it would be awkward. At least in the beginning. I thought that maybe I'd avoid them at lunch and recess for the day. It shouldn't look too weird. After all, I had mutant classes and Biology, not to mention X-training. They'd see me there. And then when I was ready...I'd go back into the fold. If they didn't consider me a wrinkle that needed to be ironed out that is.

I was walking out when I caught a glance at three boxes in the corner behind my door. I had plain forgot that Logan and Ororo's gifts were there. Logan must have dropped them off and I was too busy spying on Ray and Jubilee to even notice them. I had come back into my room pretty late. I knew what Logan had gotten me. And I picked up a long, slender box that bore a note from Ororo. I tore off the paper and gazed in awe. Logan was right when he said that it was long, beautiful and pointed. And it could definitely kill somebody. It was a spear of an intricately ornate design. It was wooden yes. But metal was melded onto it and there was a stone that looked to be some sort of Emerald. A golden serpent coiled itself around the shaft, almost up to the blade.

I spent a good ten minutes playing around with it, spearing invisible enemies around the room. Fancy her giving me a weapon for my birthday. But ironically fitting. I had a fight after all...and I still didn't think that I had won it. I put it down on top of the bed and saw that there was one more box. There was no note attached to it. I didn't have much time to spare so I just put it into my closet with the other gifts that I had gotten. Jean got me an Ipod. Professor Xavier had bought a ton of Encyclopedias that I knew had to have costed a fortune. Which was cool with me. I read a lot...and it gave the room a rather nice, scholarly air. I felt smarter just by having them on my shelf. I still was going to hold Scott to his promise of taking me on the Blackbird. Just for a chance to be behind the wheel. Hank did promise me a computer...but I had yet to speak to him personally since my outting. He didn't sound upset when I called on the phone the night I ran away...

When I came back the next day...the presents that were left on the designated table...were gone. Well, they could keep their lame-ass presents. I didn't want to be reminded of that day anyway. I was about to leave when I noticed that I had forgotten to wear my watch. The act of putting something on my wrist made me remember the bracelet. I wondered if it would be wise to wear it in public. After all...I might be a laughing stock if people started talking about the "girl" who wasted her time buying it for a gay guy. I decided against and left the room, locking it after me.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

{Student: Oh my God! Look, here he comes.}

What was I? A celebrity?

{ Student: I can't believe he's gay.}

Believe it girl. I saw the way you were always scoping me out...like I'd ever get with you.

{ Student: He doesn't look gay.}

There was a definitve gay look that I wasn't aware of?

{ Student: What do you mean he doesn't look gay? How do you know what to look for in a guy that makes him gay?}

I wish I knew what to look for. If I did I would have been able to tell about Bobby ages ago.

{ Student: Hey, I was just sayin'...}

{ Student: I know what you were saying. You think you can tell if a guy's gay or not by looking. So...you can't be all that straight if you got gaydar. Hahaha!}

{ Student: Shut the fuck up!}

{ Student: I heard he kicked Mr. Wagner's ass yesterday.}

{ Student: What, no way! They'd have expelled him.}

{ Student: I thought he was gone for good when he ran off.}

{ Student: Looks like we got ourselves our very own Homecoming Queen.}

It was an annoying start to the day. My very first class too. Like I said, it was a Psionics class with Jean. And a lot of people seemed to have forgotten that I was also telepathic in addition to being telekinetic. Granted...my telekinesis put my telepathy in the shade. So maybe that was why they all thought I wasn't aware of what they were saying about me.

{And good-morning everyone.}

They all shut up and looked away from me mighty fast. Jean saw me and greeted me with a welcoming smile. The only free seat was one right up in the front. I usually sat all the way down in the back with Jake. But there was some other guy there now. So I'd have to survive the period with them all staring at the back of my head. The thoughts would just not stop. They all knew that Jean was aware of my being gay all along by then. I had shouted the fact out to my parents in our argument and a good few students saw and heard. And naturally they told their friends. There was this irritating boy, Alfred. He was particularly vocal with his thoughts. And remarkably right too.

{Alfred: Now I get why Grey was so comfortable kissing him...she's his fag hag! They're more like...home-girls or somethin'!}

{Jake: Alfred, shut the fuck up. I don't blame her at being disgusted at the thought of kissing you. Your face looks like it's been deep fried. Haha, what's the matter...upset that a gay guy gets more feminine attention than you?}

I glanced back at Jake quickly. It was comforting to know that I could still count on him even though we were no longer a couple. I tried to settle down and hoped that the rest of the day would go a little better.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Which was a hope in vain. I had started chickening out the minute that I stepped out of the Psionics room. I had a session of Biology next...a double session too! And we were due to start just about everyone's favorite topic. None other than sexual reproduction. Our textbook had some very descriptive diagrams. Okay, I confess that I have jacked off on a few of them. They were that anatomically correct. I always did wonder how it escaped censorship. There was even a section that talked about statistics. I'm quoting now:

"Statistics must be carefully analysed as they are comparable to bikinis. What they reveal is merely suggestive...but what they conceal is vital."

That had the entire class in uproarious laughter. Hank looked real red in the face when he had to read that passage out to us. I get the feeling that he was regretting his choice of textbooks. It was a very useful book I admit. It was just that the authors were a bit jovial when they wrote it. I had read through the chapter on sexual reproduction before. They didn't just decribe in words how copulation took place. They also portrayed it diagrammatically. The thing looked like it could pass for the Kama Sutra. I wasn't looking forward to going through that textbook in class now that everyone knew about me. But I had no choice. I couldn't skip class...could I? I was actually considering it. Until I saw that Hank was walking down the corridor towards me. He was the teacher and I was so trapped then. Couldn't skip class after all.

Hank: "Rick, how are you doing?"

"Good Mr. McCoy."

There was an awkward pause.

Hank: "So...I haven't been seeing much of you since-"

"I was busy, sir."

Hank: "Goodness, enough with the Mister and Sir. Nothing's changed. Hank will do just fine."

I was only too thrilled to hear that. I already had one blue guy on my case and didn't need another one.

Hank: "Everyone is different. And that's the way Mother Nature keeps it. Life is diversity."

"Good, so if nothing's changed...where is that computer you promised me?"

Hank: "I thought it best to give you time before I talked to you...time to adjust to this. I didn't want you to feel that I was pressuring you. But when I saw that you weren't going to come to me, I took the plunge."

"I'd have come. It's just hard to know how everyone will react. Even people who should know better."

Hank: "I heard about your fracas with Kurt. He's very upset."

Oh great. So now he's probably spreading lies about me behind my back.

"Look, I don't know what he told you, but-"

Hank: "Not to worry. Jean filled me in on what really happened afterwards."

See, the self-righteous asshole was spreading lies about me. And if he did tell Hank a bunch of untruths...wait, wasn't he supposed to be goody-goody and not lie? Anyhow, if he was telling untruths, what if he told a lot more people than Hank. Like other members of the teams or students and such. Annoying fuzball. Maybe I'd have to have a talk with him about what he said about me behind my back.

Hank: "About that computer...why don't you pass by my lab later on hmm?"

"I have training later...maybe tomorrow?"

He nodded. It seemed as if he could sense my unease.

Hank: "Rick, I know I'm supposed to commence teaching sexual reproduction today...but if it will make you uncomfortable...we could do Ecology instead and leave that for later on in the term. When you've come to grips with all of this."

It was very thoughtful of him. But I wouldn't have it. The Professor was right. People were going to have a lot to say and I would have to be strong and learn to deal with it. And it would be a small start, but a start none the less.

"It's fine, Hank."

Hank: "You're sure?"

I assured him that I was. We continued walking. I would be seeing the rest of guys face to face again in the classroom. When they had found me in the park we only glanced uneasily at each other. No words were spoken except by Jubilee. Amara did smile at me slightly...so she was cool too. And so was Bobby, John and Jake. But the rest of them... When we reached the room Hank went in and I told him to just give me a minute. I used that minute to gather my thoughts together and prepare mentally. When I went in I saw that the only available seat was next to Bobby. My usual seat. I hoped that he didn't save it for me. I told him that he would have to pretend to be upset for a little while... nevertheless I had no choice but to sit down next to him. He smiled at me and I had to remind him of what we talked about the day before. Telepathically of course.

{Bobby, don't smile. Just ignore me and pay attention to Hank.}

{Bobby: Oh come on! Stop being so paranoid.}

{A good dose of paranoia is never a bad idea. I learned that the hard way. I don't want you to go through the same thing.}

{Bobby: So what am I supposed to do? Let you go through this alone?}

{I know that you're with me all the way. But this is public domain, Bobby.}

{Bobby: Right, and I'm being your best friend.}

{You're supposed to be my upset best friend.}

{Bobby: It won't look too weird. Ray hasn't said a single bad thing about you.}

{I sorta...overheard him and Jubilee talking last night. He promised Jubilee that he'd try.}

{Bobby: Jubilee...gotta love her.}

{Yeah...still, just don't be so openly friendly with me. Okay...you heard John last night. He thinks that there's someone after me. And what if it's you. What if someone picks up on your "friendly" gestures?}

He finally agreed to lessen his enthusiasm at having me around and we focussed on the lesson. It was not an easy thing to go through. There were grins and giggles all around. With a topic like Sexual Reproduction...it was to be expected. But I couldn't help but feel that some of those giggles were directed at me. The textbook we were reading from was very graphic and descriptive.

Hank: "I have to start screening the textbooks more carefully in future. The things authors can get away with nowadays..."

Boy: "What...the textbook is way cool!"

There was a general murmur of approval. I just looked at the desk and avoided everyone else's gaze. I could tell that they were staring me down. They were probably wondering what my opinion of the textbook was. I risked a sideways glance to my left and saw Bobby silently reassuring me. I had purposely avoided looking towards the extreme back row. That was where Ray and the others usually sat. I didn't think that I wanted to start off the period seeing them. After all, I would need to reserve some willpower to deal with the lesson itself.

Hank: "Well, now that we have dealt with the mechanism in mammalian organisms, let's deal with the advantages of sexual reproduction."

That was a relief. We'd deal with the complex theory rather than the diagrams that showed various sexual acts and human anatomy.

Hank: "Can anyone tell me what the real advantage of sexual reproduction is? Why Nature bothered to evolve it?"

Boy: "Duh! Can anyone say orgasm?"

That set everyone present into scandalous laughter. Hank sighed and shook his head, not impressed. He went around the class asking various students. I took it that none of them bothered to read the chapter. They probably thought that the diagrams and pictures would explain it all. Eventually he reached my row. As Bobby was in the extreme left, he started there first. Needless to say (Bobby is way cute, but no intellectual) he botched it. Which meant that I was next.

Hank: "Rick...do you know the answer?"

I almost felt like I was cornered. If I lied and said No, then they might laugh. Ooh look at the gay guy...what could he know about the real advantages of straight sex? So I felt compelled to answer. It just wouldn't do to run from my problems. If it tried to use that as a means of dealing with them...I might be running forever.

I stood to answer and heard a giggle that was quickly suppressed.

"It results in the formation of genetically different gametes, that increase the variation of offspring in a population, and boosts adaptability and survival chances. It also makes evolution much more effective, as new genetic combinations can arise without rare and random mutation occuring."

There was a general silence afterwards and then some jerk asked,

Boy/Jerk: "Whoa...sexual reproduction is responsible for alla that?"

I didn't like his tone one bit. Nevertheless, I had to be polite.

"Yes, alla that."

Boy/Jerk: "Well I guess Mother Nature went and wasted her time on you then, eh?"

Then the rest of the class started laughing like...well -- you know on televised comedy shows? Where the audience laughs and it sounds pre-recorded? It was like that. I just started wishing that I had a shell to crawl into. Hank eventually settled the class, but the damage was done. I guess I was more fragile than I wanted myself to believe. When Kurt was an ass to me, I rose to the occasion and trounced his bigoted blue butt. I guess maybe I used up whatever testosterone I had then and needed a recharge before I could do it again. I sat back down in my seat. I saw Bobby just itching to get up and say something.

{Keep still...don't dare say anything.}

{Bobby: But he-}

{I said no. It's fine...really. Sticks and stones...}

Just then,

Jubilee: "I dunno, Dusty. I think Mother Nature wasted her time on you. She could have done a better job though. It's almost like she was preoccupied when she made you. I mean...okay, girls show of hands. How many of you would willingly do it with Dusty? Who'd like to be the mother of his children, eh?"

Not one hand went up. There were even some disgusted girly grunts. Which was understandable. Dusty was...well his name said it all. He wasn't exactly a prize catch.Then there was more laughter. From the girls and the guys. Hell I even joined in. Dusty looked pissed that his little joke had backfired. I was beginning to see that Jubilee held quite a lot of sway. Maybe being Ray's consort had something to do with it. I dunno. I was sure to link to her mind and thank her though.

{Thanks Jubes.}

{Jubilee: Hey, that's what a fag hag is for. Don't let them get ya down.}

Hank: "Yes, well...can we please recommence the lesson, hmm?"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As soon as the Biology lesson was over I got up to leave. I didn't pay any heed to Bobby's requests. He wanted me to meet the rest of guys then and there. But I wasn't ready for it just then. And that whole incident with Dusty still had me a little shaken in the willpower department. It was recess and I had a double of Elementals afterwards. I'd need to compose myself. It was there that I'd need my strength. Roberto and Ray would be sharing the class with Bobby, John and I. And Ororo's classes weren't exactly like Hanks. They were participatory in nature, with a lot of inter-personal contact. So I decided to go somewhere secluded to sort my thoughts out.

The grounds were crawling with students. And I was beginning to realise that I just was not as invisible as I was before. Before, all I had to do was keep my mouth shut and it was like no one knew I was there. Now, there were whispers whenever I was around. And I even caught people snatching glances at me from around corners. What a pity that Xavier wouldn't wipe their minds clean of the entire fiasco. I had just bolted into Ororo's greenhouse and didn't realise that anyone was in there. I was getting ready to leave but then the person stepped out from behind the Hydroponics cluster. It was Jake.

"What are you doing here?"

Jake: "I wanted to talk to you."

"How did you know that I'd be coming in here? What, you can see into the future too?", I joked.

He smiled weakly.

Jake: "No...it's more like I saw you skulking around out here. I knew you were probably looking for some place to hide. And this is the only place that's empty period. I just happened to be closer to it is all."

"So what do you want to talk about?"

As if it wasn't obvious.

Jake: "How are you holding up?"

"You know me. I'm a survivor. Thanks for telling off Alfred though."

He nodded.

Jake: "Yeah, he's an asshole...wait, that's an insult to assholes. I don't have a problem with assholes at all."

I grinned.

"So what is he then? A...pussy?"

We both cracked up at that one.

Jake: "What I wanted to talk to you about was the way you're treating your parents. I think tha-"

So not what I wanted to hear.

"Oh not you too, Jake! I thought that if there was one person I could be sure understood what I'm going through...it'd be you."

Jake: "Maybe you should call them. Talk to them..."

I was getting a little testy. And I regretted what I said next.

"Why don't you call your parents and talk to them? You did a whole lot more than disown them. What was it? Oh, that's right...you made the Professor mind wipe them so that they no longer even know you exist."

When you're frustrated you say things that you don't mean. Kinda like what Dad said...no forget what he said! Jake tensed a little and I could feel his emotions blur into a mix of sadness, rage and disappointment.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that...it's all just new for me. Dealing with this. I was always pretty much invisible before. But that's no excuse."

He relaxed a little.

Jake: "It's fine. It was different with them, Rick. They were never going to change. Your parents did."

I expressed all my fears to him. Explained that their change was a little too quick to be very convincing for me.

Jake: "I still think that you should call them."

He paused a second and touched my hair lightly. It was so sudden that I jumped and misinterpreted what he was doing.

"Don't..."

He withdrew his hand quickly.

Jake: "Your hair...you're wearing it spiked now."

That was true. I felt that I wanted a change. It was a little longish, and it couldn't really be considered to be truly "spiked". More like it poked out a little. But hey, I thought it looked good. I mean, I'm no stereotypical gay guy who's a whiz when it comes to hairstyles. But it looked damned class if I do say so myself.

Jake: "Why are you wearing it different?"

"Because I wanted a change. I like it this way."

He eyed me slightly. I didn't really understand what his deal was. What was wrong with a guy getting a new do?

Jake: "You don't have to try and make yourself different from your father. You are different from him. You are your own person."

He had me there a little. I just didn't want to be reminded every morning when I looked in the mirror. So I changed the way I wore my hair. Big deal...I was a gay guy. And forgive the stereotyping...but flights of fancy and fashion blitzs are in our blood.

"It has nothing to do with that. Besides...Bobby, likes it this way too."

He raised his eyebrows. I shifted my gaze. It was a little callous I know. But I just wanted him to drop it. I couldn't think of any other way to make him stop talking about it either. He tended to avoid talking about topics that Bobby was involved in.

Jake: "I still sense things from you...weak, but it's there."

"It's fine."

He finally took the hint and shifted the topic. Apparently he wanted me to come with him, back into the fold. To join them all in the recreation room and have a good time.

"I don't know..."

Jake: "Come on, you can't hide forever."

"Have you been sensing anything from them.."

Jake: "Um...well, they're shocked. But I don't think that it anything that they won't be able to get over."

"What about Ray?"

I had him there.

Jake: "He...oh fuck, he's just one guy."

I figured, what the hell? Ray had promised Jubilee that he'd be good. And if Jake had said that the others' shock would wear off...maybe I could go and try to make things right with them all.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

They were in the recreation room alright. But oddly, they weren't doing anything recreational at all. They were just lounging around. The room was fairly empty. Just a few faces here and there. When I walked in with Jake, all eyes...as usual since that morning...were on me. Once they all realised that I was prepared to stare right back, they cut it out and went back to their games and conversations. I took the time to study the situation. Ray and Jubilee were wrapped up together. I guess she was reminding him of his promise. John was nodding slightly to me as I walked slowly towards them. Bobby looked happy that I had decided to come join them after all. But when he saw that it was Jake who had brought me along, he frowned. He quickly checked himself however. I was a little glad that the frown had escaped him. If they had seen it, they'd think that he was upset that I was gay and didn't tell them...and it could be used to sway suspicion away from him if a situation came up. Roberto and David didn't look upset...as a matter of fact, they looked almost glad to see me. Jamie looked a little nervous, but then again, he was the youngest and even though he acted like he was all grown up...he wasn't. But eventually he got over it and waved me out. Amara smiled warmly and I decided to go through with it after all.

"Um...hey guys."

John: "Hey, man! Where the hell have you been?"

"Here and there..."

Roberto: "Dude, I could have sworn that you were hiding from us or somthin'."

Swear away cuz that was exactly what I was doing.

David: "Didn't you see us waving you over in the hall? After Hank's Biology class?"

They were waving me over? I must have been too scared to look.

"No, I was...I didn't see. I had to -- I needed to get something to eat."

Jamie: "Good to have you back. Right, Ray?"

Ray was silent all along. And I guess that they were really under his sway. And with Jamie thinking of him like a big brother...he'd surely want Ray's opinion.

Ray: "Yeah, it's good."

There was a slightly awkward moment after that. It didn't sound too convincing or friendly. But since he wasn't all out exiling me from the group...they took it that it was okay to talk to me. Which they did.

Jamie: "So how did you run into Lance?"

I explained it to them.

Roberto: "Hmm...Lance is gay. And he did seem to have a thing for you when we fought him in the park that time. Kept callin' you hotstuff. Must have damned good gaydar."

I couldn't help but smile a little. And pretty soon, they were all laughing. Well except for Ray that is.

David: "So just what was Lance up to?"

"Oh, something about dragging me along to join the Brotherhood by force."

Jake: "Yeah, like you'd ever lose to him."

"Actually...I kinda was before you guys came along."

Jamie: "And you actually tied that thug to the tree in the park? The guy pissed himself!"

"Hey, he was trying to cut me with a knife."

Then they all started badgering me for details of my excursion. Since they were all being so nice, I decided to talk to them after all.

Jamie: "Whoa! Okay, so two hookers approached you for sex? Were the hot? What did you do?"

Hot?! Hell no!

"Um...as a gay guy, I can't say that they were hot...and I told `em no."

I heard Ray give a slight snort, but Jubilee suppressed it with a stern glance.

Jamie: "Oh, right."

"But then their muscled up pimps came along. Cuz the bitches were all screaming that I'd fucked them and didn't want to pay. And then they wanted me to pay and I didn't have any money. And then they said that I'd have to work out my debt by-"

I stopped short when I realised that they were riveted to my words and I'd almost brought up some seriously gay stuff.

"Guys...the rest of it is a bit, Gay. And I just don't want you feeling uncomfortable and-"

John: "What, dude...we ain't fragile. Hands up anyone who doesn't know what Gay means?"

"But...you're sure that you guys are okay with this?"

Jubilee nudged Ray slightly.

Ray: "Yeah, it's okay. So you like guys. Big deal."

I knew that in his case it was a big deal. But at least he was suppressing his true feelings. Granted it was for Jubilee's sake, not mine. But it was better than him railing at me. At their insistance I continued the story. We had a lot to catch up on. It was almost like I was meeting them again...for the first time. And in a way it was. They were now meeting the real me. Not the facade I put up as a mask. And aside from Ray, everyone else was perfectly understanding. On with the story...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After the brief break in the rec-room, it was time for classes once again. I had to share Elementals class with Bobby, Ray, John, Amara and Roberto. Word had definitely spread around the school about me by then. If there were some people who didn't know that I was gay...they surely knew about my fight with Kurt. I was under the impression that maybe the guys didn't know. But they did. Jamie let it slip. Apparently Kurt had been warning all the X-men, both senior and junior about me. That I was dangerous, deviant and should be watched at all times. I was shocked when they said that they knew me better than that. That there had to be some reason for me to go "Ballistic" and "Out of Control" and attack him with "Deadly Force".

Amara: "So what happened with you and Kurt?"

"Well, you know how religious he is."

I wanted to evade that question. Let them draw their own conclusions. Since they had to ask me what exactly happened, they must have only heard some vague rendition.

Roberto: "Oh...so he was being all ignorant and bigoted and shit."

"Yeah, you could say that. See, I went to talk to the Professor about something that Lance said. And he thought I was coming there to complain about how people were treating me. He said a lot of bad things to me, and then he mentioned my father."

They were all surprised at that. Apparently Kurt was not know to be so callous.

Ray: "That doesn't sound like Kurt."

I caught the strong hint of skepticism in his voice. Jubilee was not an Elemental and as such was not accompanying us on our walk to Ororo's class.

Bobby: "So what are you saying, Ray? That he's lying?"

Ray: "I'm saying that Kurt may be a lot of things, but an asshole ain't one of them."

Bobby: "So you're taking his word over Rick's? You forgot how much he preaches to us...about promiscuity and shit."

Oh lord, here we go again.

{Bobby, calm down.}

{Bobby: Sorry...}

Ray looked a little offended. Thankfully Amara shifted them back to our main conversation.

Amara: "The nerve of him! I believe you, Rick. You wouldn't believe the stuff he used to tell me when I used to...um...when I used to be-"

John: "A slut?"

That earned him a stinging bitch slap. He looked at us exasperatedly.

Roberto: "What? Oh come on, Amara. You know it's true. But that's in the past. What really matters is how you are NOW."

Amara: "I guess...He used to say that if I didn't watch my ways, I'd roast in the sulphurous flames of Hell for eternity!"

Bobby: "So, what did Lance tell you?"

I had conveniently left that out of the story I told them. I didn't want to worry or scare them. I hadn't even told Bobby. I didn't want him worrying either. That and the fact that I was so worked up with my parents that I didn't remember until I went out to see Ororo the day before. I still remembered Ray telling them that I could end up killing them all with my lack of self-control. And they were scared...most of them. Scott told me that I had a lot of power and that it would scare some people. And now learning what Lance had told me didn't seem to be a good thing. So I didn't answer because I didn't know what to say.

John: "Well...what did he say that was so important that you had to go to Xavier with it?"

"Does the name Mystique mean anything to you?"

Apparently it did. They all went on in their own tangents...about what a Bitch she was. About how dangerous she was. About how ugly she was. About her freakish sense of fashion. About her gallows brand of humor. And that they were thankful that she was dead and out of everyone's hair.

"Well here's the thing...she might be alive. Based on what Lance said."

That was met with quite a degree of shock. At that I went into an explanation.

Bobby: "Why didn't they tell us?"

"They didn't want to raise a panic I guess. I don't know why. But it was just yesterday. I'm sure they know what they're doing. I only told you guys this cuz...well we're all Elementals and what Lance mentioned to me was of an Elemental nature."

Amara: "But how would he know enough about you to make a statement like that?"

"I don't know. He said that the word was going around...so if he knows something, he overheard it somehwere. He might have misinterpreted whatever he heard in the Brotherhood Underground. Which is just as weird considering that I haven't run into any of their other representatives."

Ray: "The only time he saw you in action was in the park that night. And when they attacked the Mansion, right? You're...powerful, yes. But developing into a sort of uber-Elemental capable of making the rest of us outdated? That's a bit farfetched."

John: "I don't know. I haven't heard or met anyone in here who can control all five Elements...aside from Ororo that is."

"No, he said in the pure form. Not subtly like her."

Bobby: "And he said that Mystique has her eye on you?"

"Uh huh. And I may not be the only one. Professor Xavier thinks that they may be out to tip the sclaes of power by ^converting^ powerful mutants to their cause. Maybe even a spy on the grounds or something."

Roberto: "Hmm...well we will all just have to be prepared for anything."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ororo: "Okay, now on the count of three...begin."

Ororo had switched back into her former combative style of teaching. It would have been fine by me but for a few things. Firstly, there were some seriously homophobic asses in the class who looked like they wanted nothing to do with me. Aside from trying to literally hit on me that is. Other than that they avoided me like I had some sort of contagious "gay" germs or something. They were going to be problematic. As if that were not enough...there were people there who had seen me deal with Kurt or had heard, and wanted their shot at me. To see if they could take me down no doubt. So I was basically a target on both accounts. And the fact that Ororo always seemed to treat me as her pet project openly...didn't do anything to help the situation.

She had paired everyone up with a sparring partner. Everyone except me. She decided that it would be too easy to just match me up with someone from the class. That I'd gain nothing out of it.

"So, do I get a free period?"

Ororo: "Of course not. Your sparring partner will be me."

What?!

"You? But...um, you're a teacher, and a lady and...I'll get my ass kicked in front of the entire class."

Ororo: "If I match you up with one of them, you'll just prey on their Elemental weakness and you won't learn technique and flexibility. Don't worry about me...my body instantly adapts to a limited degree of heat or cold. So I do have some protection. I'm just as cool in midwinter as I am in the hottest summer sun. I can't change forms to an Elemental version, but it's almost like a passive armor."

Everyone else was sparring and I suppose a little part of me wanted to see if I could at least last five minutes with Ororo.

Ororo: "Now remember, no Psionics. Only Elemental."

Before giving me a chance to say "yes" she was already in the air and lunging a thunderbolt at me. We were outside and she was making the most out of it. I didn't have time to focus any of my powers and had to jump out of the way.

Ororo: "Swiftness, Rick! You have to be faster. Come on, show me some of what you gave Kurt yesterday!"

I heard some people gasp at the fact that she'd bring that up. Bobby's sparring partner was shocked.

Boy: "What? So you mean that shit going around the school is real? He tried to kill Kurt?!"

Kill Kurt?! Just what else were people saying about me?! Bobby took advantage of his indecision and blasted him with a freezing bolt. He yelped in surprise. Served him right. I watched Ororo hovering in the air.

Ororo: "Well, come on up here and let's get started."

I couldn't use telekinesis to fly, but there was nothing stopping me from using wind like her. Soon we were level in the air watching each other closely. It went on like that for five minutes and I cracked. I just got so impatient. She had no qualms about flinging bolts at me. So I charged up an electrical spark and flung it in her direction. Turns out she wasn't as fast as she would have liked me to be. It hit her and I felt a surge of pride. It faded quickly I assure you. She was grinning. It had some effect on her...but only a little. Like she said, she could adapt to Elemental attacks.

And she didn't have a problem with creating freaky local weather phenomena either. The Xavier Institute was in a secluded locale with a lot of open space. The next thing I knew, it was beginning to get really cold and snow. I could only control two elements at a time and with my using wind to fly, I was down to one more. She was forming some sort of icy wind and sending it in my direction. It was cold and started chilling me to the bone. I had a problem then. See, I was floating on the wind. Not in a Wind elemental form. The thing is...whenever I change form, I can't use any other elemental power that's not of the elemental form that I'm in. So if I'm in a Fire form, I can only use Fire moves. I also am a lot more powerful when I am in an altered form. But now that damned icy wind was slowing me down. Not to mention hurting. I couldn't just summon up fire to warm the area cuz then the wind would blow it towards me and then I'd burn too. If I tried to shift into Water form, I'd fall as I wouldn't be able to use the Wind to fly. Sure I could switch to Fire and fly, Fire is lighter than air...but then the Icy Wind would extinguish me instantly. Fire is weak against Water, and that includes ice.

It was a pity that I couldn't use telekinetic shields there. I had no choice...I had to fly around the icy blast of wind and evade it until I could come up with a plan to take her down. I switched to the Wind form and it afforded me greater speed and agility. Then I started summoning a blast of air to counter the one she was sending me. The day was hot and the air is hottest near the ground. The updraft I created was strong enough to dispel her icy wind and she gave it up.

Ororo: "Good, you've learned how to adapt that Geographical knowledge of yours to aid elemental combat."

I knew that as soon as I wasted the time to reply, she'd hit me with something else. So I switched out of Wind form quickly and lowered myself until I was standing on the ground.

Ororo: "What are you doing?"

"This is a fight, right Or- Miss Munro?"

Ororo: "Well, yes."

"Then you want to win?"

Ororo: "Of course."

"Then if you want to win against me, you'll have to fight me and defeat me. We're going to do that on my terms. You'll have to come to me."

I was right. If this was all simulated combat...then as an enemy, she wouldn't run away. She'd chase after me in battle. I couldn't match her in the air with only a maximum of two Elements and no Psionics. Let her come closer to the ground. I had a theory too. Her body was shock-resistant and could withstand heat and cold to some extent. But what about the physical force of Earth?

As soon as she was close enough, I tapped into the Earth element and sent earth and rock erupting into the air. It was as I suspected. She wasn't anymore protected from physical attacks than an ordinary person. She was flying around and evading them though. She primed up another thunderbolt and launched it at me. I shifted into Earth form and with the insulation it gave me, avoided harm. She started up her icy-wind thing again. I was forced to shift out of my Earth form to avoid being knocked out due to Elemental weakness. Ice weathering of rock is brutal! So I switched into Water form to defend against her assault. By then I was aware that everyone was watching us.

To my surprise a lot of them were under the impression that Ororo was actually picking on me. They heard her yell at me to see "some of what I gave Kurt yesterday" and thought that she was pissed and taking it out on me! And using our sparring as an excuse to do so.

Boy: "Kick his ass Miss Munro!"

Irritating fuck!

Ororo: "Language...mind your mouth."

She kept it up with the icy wind and added fog to the mix, to blind me. I couldn't use wind to blow the fog away either. If I gave up the Water form I'd succumb to the freezing. She called off the icy wind and instantly launched an electrical bolt at me. I couldn't see where or what it was at first, and only realised when she hit me with it. I then found out that it was actually several bolts. One of which had hit me. Water is weak against Electricity. It's a conductor and I was shocked. But thankfully just shaken up. Ororo was pulling her punches. Testing me...

I shifted out of the Water form so that I could use other Elemental attacks. I was going on the theory that she didn't have X-ray vision and could see through the fog. For all she knew I was still in the Water form. I was right, because when she launched another salvo of bolts, I was ready. I shifted to my Electrical form and absorbed it. The fog was still in position. She definitely couldn't see my exact location, she must have been pelting multiple bolts so that the odds of my getting hit would be pretty good. So I decided to use some trickery. I yelled in mock surprise and pain. She must have thought that I was still in the Water form and at a disadvantage. The next thing I knew the entire area was electrified. It didn't even tickle. I kept perfectly quiet then.

Ororo: "Rick...Rick, are you there?"

That's right...come closer. When I heard her voice and figured that she was close enough, I switched out of Electrical form and blew the fog away with wind. As soon as I saw where she was I encased her in a cage of stone. I stood waiting... Nothing happened.

Everyone was hushed, wanting to know what had went on. I had trapped her in a stone cage...I had won, right?

"I...guess I win."

Girl: "What, you didn't win. You just trapped her in a cage."

Which was a helluva lot better than what any of them could have done.

"It's damned good for a first try!"

Most of the class looked pissed that I didn't get my ass well whooped by Ororo. I was about to gloat when I started sensing panicking emanations coming from within the stone cage. It was from Ororo.

{Ororo: Rick, let me out! Now, release this cage! Let me out now!}

Apparently she had been screaming all the while and since the stone cage was soundproof...none of us were hearing her. I had completely forgotten about her claustrophobia! And the cage was a solid dome. Not so much as a crack that light could seep through. I moved closer to the cage and raised my hands, preparing to lower it back into the ground. I didn't get a chance though. Her panic just sky-rocketed and then the cage just exploded. The force of it threw me backwards into the crowd of students. Quite a few of them pulled away in disgust. I figured that she was so panicked that she blew the cage apart from within.

Bobby and the others ran up to me, concerned.

Bobby: "Rick! Are you okay?"

I was fine. It was just that I wasn't expecting her to get herself out like that. She blasted me away with the force that she used to crack the cage.

"Yeah, let's go see if Ororo's okay."

I pointed to the pile of smoking rubble that was the stone cage. We approached it about to help her out of it when we heard an,

"AARGH!"

And she blew it all away with a gale and hovered over the ground.

Amara: "Ororo, thank goodness you're okay."

Ororo: "Speak only to Windrider!"

Okay...something freaky was happening.

Ray: "Windrider? Ororo...um...what's going on?"

Ororo: "Ororo no longer exists! At long last I am free of her insipid restraint. Free to revel in the power of the Elements!"

She let out a demented laugh and then the sky started turning dark and the temperature dropped to a biting cold. We could hear thunder in the distance.

Roberto: "Okay...this ain't good. I'm going to get the Professor, Mr. Summers, hell anyone!"

With that he took off, heading for the mansion as fast as he could go.

Girl: "You've really done it now. First you try to kill Kurt...and now you make Miss Munro all crazy."

"Shut up! I didn't try to kill Kurt, and Ororo's not crazy."

She was just hovering in the air. With her eyes closed and an...okay, Insane smile playing upon her lips.

I walked a little closer. I wondered if maybe it had something to do with her claustrophobia.

"Um...Ororo?"

Ororo: "It's Windrider."

Until the others got there...I decided to play along.

"Um...Okay, Windrider...what are you doing?"

She proceeded to answer my questions with questions. I hated when people did that.

Windrider: "Do you know what it feels like? To be chained and never let out? Like some kind of animal? To have all the Power you could ever want and not be able to use it to the fullest...all because of outdated morals and sentimental feelings towards lesser beings?"

Okay, something was definitely wrong. And I knew what. I remembered the talk I had with Jean when I first came to the Mansion. I asked her if there were other people with alter egos to worry about...and Ororo was one of the people she informed me of! Windrider must be Ororo's alter ego. The emotional roller coaster caused by her claustrophobia must have unleashed her! Oh shit! I decided to alert the others telepathically of what I had learnt.

{Guys...this is Ororo's alter-ego. Like how I have Eric! Have you guys ever had to deal with her?}

It turned out that none of them even knew that Ororo had a darkside like that. They all thought that she was a sweet and loving mother figure.

Windrider: "You know, I thought that after that episode in Canada, I would have gotten out for sure. An entire hillside came down on us and my pitiful Ororo was scared out of her mind. But she managed to cope. And then in Nova Roma underground in the Defenders' base...she managed again. But it weakened her and just now...haha, she slipped! And now I'm out and never going back."

The other students heard her talking like that and started spazzing. Soon they were running for dear life towards the Mansion. Just as Xavier, Scott, Jean and Logan came running out with Roberto. Well, Xavier was hovering in his hoverchair, but you get the idea. Windrider continued addressing me.

Windrider: "I suppose I should be thanking you, dear. Who knows how long I would have had to wait before she had another claustrophobic episode."

Oh no...I had caused it.

"I didn't mean it."

Windrider: "What, no don't get upset dear. I'm glad you did it. Now I can be free."

Amara: "But what about Ororo?"

Windrider: "She's been in control for a lifetime! Aren't I to have a fair shot at life?!"

Just then the others arrived and they were standing in defensive stance.

Windrider: "Ah, the X-men. I can't say that I've missed you lot. That last time you trapped me, it was a fluke. Come now Xavier, you know what can happen if you try and mind meld with me when I'm all charged up."

I wondered what she was talking about. I telepathically questioned Jean.

{Jean, why can't the Professor knock her out and into the Astral Plane like he did with me when I tried to kill Bobby?}

{Jean: She's not telepathic. Remember when I told you about your father? How a lot of the time the power was to focussed on him for us to establish a mental link?}

I remembered. It was in our first conversation. She said that because I was telepathic...they wouldn't have a problem mind-linking to me. And Ororo wasn't telepathic.

{Jean: You remember what happened when you tried to knock out Juggernaut? You lost control because he had too much power at the time. Same thing here...it could very well drive the Professor insane or into a coma. Even if he manages to establish a link there's nothing we can do until we weaken her first.}

Logan: "Ororo...darlin', I know you can hear me...put this bitch back in box she belongs in!"

Ororo...Windrider started laughing scandalously then.

Windrider: "Hmm...okay, I so don't appreciate you calling me a bitch...but you do have your uses. And you are a beast in bed...sexy in the sack...what do you say you forget Ororo and take a ride with moi? There's nothing that's too kinky for me. Remember that thing that Ororo said no to...I'd give it a shot. What do you say?"

Logan started blushing profusely but then got irate. Nothing too kinky? What the hell? We were all glancing at him a little curiously then.

Logan: "I'll pass."

Time for fearless leader to assume responsibility.

Scott: "Juniors...inside, now."

Windrider: "Oh yes...it's won't be nice for the children to see their elders and role models having their asses handed to them will it?"

The others didn't make a move. I wasn't planning to leave either. I had helped bring her out. And I was going to help put her back where she belonged.

Jean: "That's an order!"

Windrider: "I think maybe you should go join them, Grey. After all, we wouldn't want anything to happen to that loaf you've got baking in the oven. Ororo mightn't forgive me if anything were to happen to her godchild."

Jean got the most pissed look I ever saw her pull. Talking to her that way about her baby was not wise. I responded to Jean's last statement.

"I'm not going...I helped do this. I'm sure Roberto told you about the cage...I forgot about her claustrophobia. You're going to need help."

Logan: "We'll deal with her kid. Now get your asses inside, alla you runts!"

I was about to protest but thankfully Xavier came in.

Xavier: "Everyone except Rick, go inside. He's right...we will need help. He can access all Elements... perfect for defence against her attacks."

The others didn't take that lightly. But Scott made them go inside. I caught Bobby's thoughts, warning me to be careful. I told him not to worry and we focussed our attention on Windrider.

Xavier: "Windrider...we're giving you one last chance to return control to Ororo. Or else..."

She giggled like a little girl.

Windrider: "Or else what...real scary coming from a bald, old and disabled guy."

Xavier: "Restrain and weaken her...when the time is right I will suppress her and return Ororo to active control."

Windrider: "You're going to have to catch me first!"

With that she went streaking skywards. Up, up and away from the Mansion. Jean and I were the only ones there who could fly so we took off after her.

Jean: "Rick, I'll try and hold her down telekinetically. When I do, hit her with everything you've got that won't kill her. We can take her to Jake to be healed afterwards!"

I nodded. As soon as I noticed Windrider's pace slow down, due to Jean's telekinesis, I summoned Wind and started blowing her downwards. Windrider was surprised only for a moment and retaliated with an electric bolt aimed at Jean. She stopped pulling at Windrider telekinetically and started shielding instead. Whilst she was distracted with Jean, I got hold of her with my mind and flung her back towards the Mansion's direction with all my strength. Then Jean and I rushed her and kicked her simultaneously in the air. She sank to an even lower altitude. We were then back in the mansion's backyard. I could see Xavier and the others approaching.

Windrider: "Okay...I'm going to really have to pull out all the stops, and stop trying to be nice. Ororo's had her turn and now I want mine. It's only fair!"

With that she raised her hands and sent forth a frigid gale against us. It blew us straight back and into a tree and froze us into place. Jean expanded a shield and shattered her bonds whilst I melted my way out with fire.

"Jean, you said anything I had that wouldn't kill her right?"

Jean: "Right."

With that I levitated several lawn statues into the air and flung them towards Windrider. She formed a spiralling whirlwind that caught them and hurled them straight back. I blocked two with a telekinetic shield and Jean shattered the others with her mind. At that time the others had arrived and whilst Windrider was approaching us, Scott blasted her away with a powerful optic beam. She screamed and we figured that it had to have hurt her. She went crashing into a wall.

Logan: "Aw fuck, Scott! Learn to pull your punches!"

He didn't have anything to be worried about though. The next thing we knew bolts from the sky rained down upon us. Jean rushed over to the Professer and shielded him. I morphed into my Electrical form and absorbed the ones heading for Scott. Logan dove hither and thither, using his feral instincts to avoid being hit.

Windrider stepped back into sight and again raised her hands. A bolt of lightning fell from the sky and struck her. It wasn't long before I realised that she was using it to charge herself up. Like a lightning conductor. As soon as she was all charged up, she released the energy in a radiating pulse. It travelled over the ground. Scott and Logan had to jump to dodge it, whilst Jean lifted the Professor's hoverchair higher up to avoid being hit.

Xavier: "Weaken her...don't hold back. She mustn't get the chance to attune to Ororo's powers completely!"

Scott primed up another beam and shot at her. She launched another bolt and blocked it. Jean took the opportunity to rip some chains off a few pickets and wrap them around her, like I had done to Lance. She started struggling. Jean tightened the chains. Windrider's eyes turned white and with a gesture, a fresh gale blew Jean backwards and into the Professor. They both fell unto the ground. Windrider then used the chance to break free of the chains and cloak the area in fog.

Windrider: "You think that because I've only just broken free that I'm going to be weak? Even at my weakest I'm more than a match for you."

She sounded like she was gasping for breath. She must have been getting tired. Jean must have really squeezed the air out of her with that chain. I returned to normal form and summoned a vortex that swept away the fog. She was on her knees. As soon as she saw me I had to shield myself from myriad lightning bolts.

Windrider: "You're just like her! You suppress your true nature until it has to take a life of its own...and then you deny it and lock it away! Like it has no rights at all!"

"You're not her true nature!"

Windrider: "Go ahead...keep treating your alter-ego like shit, and see what happens when he decides to break free."

"Shut up!"

Windrider: "Truth stings, doesn't it?"

Jean had recovered by this time and had joined me. Scott and Logan also came running up. The Windrider alter-ego seemed weakened enough by then and I was aware of Professor Xavier infiltrating her mind. She started struggling and was soon unconscious. She slumped down unto the ground and Logan went to pick her up. The Professor had joined us on his hoverchair by then.

"Is she going to be alright?"

Professor Xavier: "I think so. I have repaired the psychic bond that was holding her alter-ego captive. When she wakes up, Ororo will be the dominant personality."

Scott: "Thank God she only just broke free and wasn't at full strength."

"I'm sorry. We were sparring and I forgot about her claustrophobia. I just got so caught up in the match. You think she'll get mad?"

Xavier: "I don't think she will. It was an accident. She will understand."

"You think so?"

Scott: "Yeah. Remember back when I was being an ass to you? In the Professor's office? She got all mad at me and whipped me around in the air like a crazy woman. I got under her skin...it happens."

Logan: "I'll get her to Med-Bay and get Jake to deal with these bruises."

He left us and carried Ororo with him to the Mansion.

"Of course now everyone in class thinks that I went and drove Ororo crazy. Like to spite her or something."

Jean: "What?"

So naive...

"Yeah. Do you guys know what Kurt has been saying about me? That I'm dangerous, deviant, should never be trusted and shit. Oh and that I tried to kill him with deadly force. And then Ororo was teasing me when we were sparring, to show her some of what I gave Kurt...and they thought that she was picking on me. And now they'll all think that I did it on purpose."

And that wasn't all. I told them. Kurt had been talking to both senior and junior X-men about me. In addition to students from the regular classes.

Scott: "That two-faced fuck! I'm going to have a talk with him, settle this shit."

Professor Xavier: "Calm down Scott. I'll deal with him myself. So that we can avoid conflict that might arise on the team because of this. You're a leader...you must not place yourself in such a compromising situation where he may lose respect for your authority."

"I can just imagine what everyone will be saying now. Any chance you could mindwipe the school populace, Professor?"

Professor Xavier: "No."

Short and simple response. I didn't think so.

Jean: "Don't bother with them and what they say. Give it a week or so and it'll all blow over."

I didn't believe her, and I knew that she didn't believe it either. But I was glad to know that she cared enough to lie to me about it. Pity that I couldn't just turn invisible at will. The period was over anyway and it was technically supposed to be my lunch break then. So I left them and figured that I'd go down to the Med-Bay and see if Logan had gotten Jake to restore Ororo to full consciousness. The Elemental students were the first ones I bumped into when I walked inside. They were all staring at me like I was public enemy number one.

"What, any of you want a piece of me?"

It was nice to see them trying to cover up their scared expressions. They left and Bobby, Roberto, Ray and Amara ran up to me, asking me if I was okay and whatnot...you know, the stuff that would be asked in such situations.

Bobby: "Well, no one got hurt. That's the important thing."

Apparently, without Jubilee around Ray felt free to vent.

Ray: "What do you mean no one got hurt, Rob? Ororo is in the Med-Bay unconscious."

Amara: "Jake'll have her up and about, as good as new."

I glanced thankfully at Amara. It was just so hard for me to believe that I used to think such mean thoughts about her. The real her was just... Hmm, if I were straight... she could have been my dream girl. Ray continued his venting.

Ray: "How could you forget that she was claustrophobic? Didn't you see how she reacted when that hillside came down on her in Canada? How could you forget something like that about a team-mate?"

"It was an accident."

Such a jerk. I knew that he was only trying to contain himself for Jubilee's sake. He hadn't mentioned one homophobic comment until then. And he must have been itching to have some reason to rail at me. And my little incident with Ororo must have been like an Easter egg.

Ray: "How many of these accidents are you going to have? Everytime you have an accident, it's always someone else who gets hurt."

Amara: "Ray, come on. Accidents happen, it's not like he meant it on purpose. What is your deal?"

Bobby was about to join her in my defence, but I was quick enough to warn him with a glance. There was no way that I would allow another rift between him and Ray. Now that it was public knowledge that I was gay...God knew how weird it might look. I'd have to stand up for myself.

"I forgot okay? You try sparring with someone like her in front af an entire class. Knowing that if you don't give it your all...she's gonna whoop your ass and then the entire class gets to have a token laugh at the gay guy who got trounced by a girl!"

I was wasting time sticking around there. I started walking off towards the elevator.

Amara: "Where are you going?"

"Down to Med-Bay. To see Ororo."

Amara: "Hey, I'll go with you."

Ordinarily, I wouldn't have liked that at all. But now, hell I needed all the friends I could keep.

Bobby: "Yeah, I'll go see her too."

We just left Ray standing in the hall and entered the elevator to the subbasement.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Phoenix here. Um...so, so sorry about the delay. But chapter eighteen is FINALLY done. Hope you like. As always, comments are always welcome at

phoenix_587@yahoo.com

or

birdofflame_587@yahoo.com

Also, feel free to post something on my group if you're in the mood.

Address:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phoenix_587

Thank you so much for the support you guys have been giving me. There was the guy who sent me a pick for the new year and I haven't thanked you. Thank you!

Mitsaso...thanks a lot for the kind sentiments! I wish the same to you bro!

And chadH, that goes for you too. Who knows, if circumstances warrant, I may just may hit you up on that offer.

Spencer-you were so right, and you can quote me. But maybe now things will calm down a bit...hopefully.

And Ryan Rillera - Wow, what a speech. I'm honored to know that I warrant "Avid Fans". Dang...I feel motivated already! More Power!

joeeeyd- Thanks for the support and offer. Wow, I'm glad it makes people happy. I only started because I wanted a venting ground, but what the hay! Lol.

To kandi-Bauer, right. I got emails from you b4 and know that you're in the group. As always thanks to you for the support. I know it sounds like a stuck record. But I honestly don't know what to say but thanks! But know this, I mean it from the bottom of my heart!

Bigbatmatt-Matt K- I hope this update cures you of your syndrome. Or at least counts as positive treatment!

As a special shout out to fora Llexx

-Get going on that story! I'd like to read something too. I love reading and I'm actually honored that you thought my opinion counted!