I woke up in the infirmary, my head throbbing from what happened a while ago. I force myself to sit up and I close my eyes shut from the pain up my left arm. When the pain subsided I scanned my left arm, it has a bandage neatly wrapped around it. I poke my arm and pain shot right up. With my curiosity and high pain tolerance, I take out the bandage and see what is going on. I had a large, deep cut across my arm. It was gushing red and I see the flesh inside. I remember getting this from a mugger who had a knife.
I was walking down the street minding my own business. Though at the back of my mind I know it was illegal for mutants to go out into the normal world of humans. So I was there walking and I saw a lady in a green coat, texting on her phone. All of a sudden a pair of hands knocked me out of the way. I didn't see the face of the one who pushed me (that was the mugger I suppose). I fell on the ground. Then I heard a piercing scream coming out of a lady wearing a green coat I saw earlier. The mugger ran holding a phone and a bag. The lady kept screaming for help. I stood up quickly and ran after the mugger. The mugger didn't get that far for he was a slow runner. With me and my training, I didn't even break a sweat. I was so focused on getting back the things from the mugger that I didn't realize he was holding a knife. I dodged every slash of his knife on me though he was able to cut my arm. I stepped forward and punched him on the face. The mugger slashes again and again till he hit my thigh. I was getting impatient. I knew that it was a risk but I had to. I turned into steel and punched him on his jaw and he flew across the street. People were starting to notice the incident. I took off my coat and walked towards the mugger who was down. People started crowding over him that I had to tear one person at a time before I got to him. He was down but alive. I snatched the phone and bag from him. I went back to the lady wearing green coat and handed her stuff. My hands were bloody from the wound I had on my arm. The lady stared at me with wide eyes that it might fall out off her eye sockets.
"Here." I say handing back her things. She takes with a disgusted look for my hands were smeared with blood that her things were wet with blood to. "I'm sorry about the blood." I say it casually like I didn't feel a stabbing pain on my arm.
"Your arm." She says almost like a whisper.
"I'm fine." I say giving her a reassuring smile. I cross the street there were people looking at me and the lady. I wondered what was happening till I heard someone shout "There's the mutant! The one bleeding!" another said "There's the demon!" I took a last look at the lady and ran for my life, hoping to get by the fence in time. A gun fires and my chest started to tighten. I knew it was such a wrong idea to go out here and grab attention. I debated for a while in my mind. I felt like punching myself for going out the fence but I looked on the bright side, at least I was able to help a person for the first time in my life. A gun fires again and I felt something at the back of my neck. I stop running and touch what hit me. It was a dart. My mind buzzed and my vision started to blur. I hear a voice saying "Stop! She was just trying to help me!" then PANG! Fell on the ground knocked out.
I smile, remembering that I actually help a person. I guessed I looked stupid smiling all alone in the infirmary, who knows they might think that I was a lunatic and starting shipping me inside the mental hospital. I lie down again and look at the ceiling and start thinking. Would they punish me? I shake my head. I'm too injured already, they wouldn't dare touch me.
"Oh my!" a voice shouts and I quickly sat up. I look and it was Michelle, John was standing beside her and my head instructor was there. Michelle ran up to me and hugged me too tight that I yelped.
"I'm so sorry! I forgot!" says Michelle, her face damp from tears "Why aren't you bandaged?!"
"Exactly. Why aren't you bandaged?" my head instructor, Jared asks
"I took them off." I say honestly. I look at John and his face looked funny. John's face was as white as paper, maybe it was from the sight of blood and my wound.
"Why!" Michelle yells at my ear that I jolted away from her
"Because I was fucking curious!" I snap. I wish they would just leave me alone.
John steps in. "Leave her alone. The person is actually hurt so let us just tell her what we should and leave." Thank God for John being there. I mouth the words 'Thank you' to him and he nods with a smile.
"Okay. By tomorrow morning you'll be patched up and go back to the Aspro and continue what you left." Jared puts a hand on my shoulder "Then you will go to the Council and tell them what your intentions are of leaving the Mutant Zone."Jared finishes and leaves Michelle and John behind.
Michelle sits on my bedside and John next to her. They both have concerned looks on their faces. I feel like slapping both of them and tell them I am fine.
"You caused some serious trouble Ordelia." Says Michelle pouting at me
I smirk "Can you not call me that?"
"Why?" Michelle asks "It's your name."
Michelle is starting to get on my nerves. I close my eyes and sigh "Michelle, fetch the nurse for me please. I… I think I have a headache."
"Lie down." Michelle tells me and I do so "I'll go get the nurse."
John leans closer and smiles "I know, she's been really worried about you."
"Why? I'm fine." I say
John swallows and looks at my cut "That is going to leave a scar." Great. I get a scar after helping a lady who just got mugged. "What did you do anyway?"
I told John the story on how I help the lady in a green coat. He was really intrigued by the story and said that I was stupid for using my powers since I did have a lot of training in Aspro. I told John how I got out of the fence. The fence was charged with electricity. With my mutation of adapting to anything I was able to cross it without that much effort plus the fence was not guarded that well.
I stopped talking when John's face suddenly turned into a frown "What was it like?"
I grin. "Which one? Helping someone or getting cut with a knife?"
John nudges me by the shoulder lightly. "I mean being out. How does the city look like?"
I think for a while formulating the right words to John "I haven't been out that long but I can tell that a lot has changed. On the streets there aren't much cars, they are up in the air. People are starting to dress weird, the wear colorful make up; even the men do it. There are still some that look human though. I remember that the Empire State building was the highest skyscraper but after eight years away from that world, I must say we have a lot of skyscrapers now." I finish waiting for John's expression.
"How many years was it for you?" John asks. I knew what he meant. He meant how long since I was taken away from my family.
"Eight years." I say my voice hoarse
John touches my shoulder and smile. "Don't do that again. Okay?"
"Okay."
John leaves and I was alone in the infirmary. As John walks his back towards me, I imagined that my brother looks exactly like that. Whitish skin, brown locks, stocky and tall. It's hard to picture my brother like that for all I can remember is how we looked like when we were nine years old. Oliver is my twin brother. We were born as soon as the world declared that the war with mutants and humans were over. My mother used to tell me and my brother we were such lucky babies though I wouldn't call myself lucky. When we were five they made a law of separating mutants from humans in the world thus created the Mutant Zone. Mutants like me are trained to be solders or peacekeepers for the human's expense. It is unfair that we who have power surrender to those who just use us, but it looks like there isn't much that I can do.
I remember running around with Oliver in Central Park. I was about nine but I haven't fully matured yet. I was smaller than Oliver, so I ended up trying to keep up with him. I look over to my parents who were sitting down a bench. My mother had a baby bump for we were expecting to have another. My father would tell me that I may have a new sister but I never saw if it was a sister or a brother. Oliver and I continued running when something went wrong. A mutant was running away from the guards. The mutant kept blasting of fire, burning Central Park with his hands. He ran so fast maybe not noticing me and Oliver. All of a sudden he blasted a fire on its way to Oliver and I ran. I ran towards Oliver, knocking him off; I stood between Oliver and the fire. I closed my eyes and braced myself. The fire ball spread across my body though I didn't burn. I turned into stone. That was the first time my mutation showed. I am able to adapt to harmful things. The result was a police started dragging me away from my family and locked me here in the Mutant Zone. I didn't even get to say a proper goodbye to my family.
The next morning a nurse injected me a blue serum, something that made my wounds heal fast. I check the cut from my thigh, no scar. I look over my left arm and there was a thick scar across it.
"Apply this every night before you sleep." Says the nurse as she hands me a container filled with blue gel
"Is this for the scar?" I ask
The nurse nods "Yes."
"Thank you."
"You're Welcome."
Outside the infirmary I see John leaning against the wall waiting for me. John was wearing our usual kind of clothes, sweat pants and rubber shoes. We wear color coded clothes for the officials to keep track on what class we are. John and I are from the Fourth Class so we wear blue. Michelle is from the Third class so she wears yellow. The Fourth class is one of the respected classes for most us continue to evolve, some even go up to class five, though the Fifth Class mutants are isolated by the Council, keeping tabs on them. John and I used to be in the Second Class, when we turned sixteen last year; we evolved and jumping to the Fourth Class.
At the corner of John's mouth a smile appears when he sees me. John is my best friend almost like a brother to me. He doesn't talk much with other people around but when it's just the two of us, you get to see the real him.
"Hey!" I wave my hand to John
"Morning Lia." John's voice was so low; maybe it's still heavy from sleep.
"Ready for biology?" I ask him
John hates biology. "Ugh… Can I die now?"
"Just sleep through it. Don't worry I'll join you." I say teasingly
John nudges my right shoulder. "Don't! You need biology."
It's true. Biology is essential to me because of my powers. My powers allow me to adapt to any kind of harm, example was the fireball. My body could at times I change into different substances. In training they would throw several of harmful things on me and I should be fast to adapt to it. One time in training, a mutant named Carlos blasted a beam of pure energy on me. I couldn't think of anything, I couldn't think what to adapt to. I turned myself into metal. Then I ended up blasted off layers of walls. That is why Biology or Science itself is important to me. The simple things like turning into water or rock could save me from any harm.
"Is Jared still mad?" I ask as we head into the busiest hallways of Aspro.
John nods. "Yeah. He panicked when he realized that you weren't in his class anymore?"
I laugh and so does John. "Really? What'd he say?"
"He turned so red and started lashing out in the training room. One of the council members threw a fit on him." John laughs "On the spot."
I couldn't imagine that snooty little man getting his ass whipped. "Did you guys still continue training after that?" I ask, John puts his hands in his pockets. He only does this when he is nervous or he is keeping something from me.
"Nah." John shrugs and we enter our biology class.
As much as I need this, I cannot stay awake any longer. I keep pinching myself, trying to stay awake. For me to stay awake, I let my mind drift off to little things or think whatever there is to think about. Our classroom in Aspro is all in white. It is also brightly lit. Almost impossible to sleep but on my right, John is happily sleeping. I envy John for his powers aren't that complicated. John has super strength and he turns into pure metal at times. John also has multiple talents, he can fly and I couldn't. The reason that made him jump to Fourth Class is his multiple talents. John's talents continue to multiply as we grow older but an average mutant stops evolving at the age of sixteen, John turned seventeen last week and he still continues to have a lot of talents. When I was twelve I had three talents already. While John on the other hand already had seven. Now that John is older than me by a week, he could have about twenty talents or more and I have five. Scientists in school had to study John. They studied his brain and they learned that John has the strength of a hundred people at the same time his mutation could carry up a thousand talents. Another thing is that John is very smart, maybe that is why he is bored from this class.
I am seated at the farthest seat in class, on my left is John who is dreaming away and on the right is Kelly who is happily taking down notes. I look over to Kelly's table and she has noted down everything Professor Gale is saying. Kelly is able to write everything down for her ability is to control ink. Her ink at times has electricity. I am so lazy to write and she writes using her brain.
"Psst. Kelly." I whisper. I noticed Kelly wasn't in her usual hair do. She sometimes ties her red ponytail up so high but now it's just hanging by her shoulders.
Kelly drifts her green eyes towards mine "What?"
I was about to ask but something distracts me. Even though she is looking at me now, her notebook magically still takes notes. "Uh… I… Uh…"
Kelly gets irritated. "What do you want Lia!?"
"Keehpf ift down wills youuu." John murmurs as he repositions himself in his seat.
"I just wondered if I could have a copy of your notes." I finally ask
Kelly nods. "Yeah sure."
"Thank you."
The bell rang and my next class is training. I stood from my seat, organizing my bag. "Here." Kelly hands me a three paged-back-to-back notes. I smile showing her my gratitude. People are starting to walk out of the room and I feel Professor Gale's eyes on me and John. I hate being scolded or yelled at. I shake John's arm gently at first. When he still doesn't respond, I hit him with my bag.
"AAH!" John rubs his eyes "What the hell woman?"
Did he just call me woman? "Don't act like it hurts John." John stands up, fixing his bag. I forgot how tall he actually is. I mean everyone looks practically like a child around him for he is 6'4. There was a time that I was taller than him back when we were ten, but puberty seemed to complement him well.
"Good! Mr. Lyle is awake." Professor Gale walks towards us and I am starting to panic. "A word Mr. Lyle."
I was about to leave but then John grabbed me by the left arm where my cut is. It's fully healed but it is a little sore. "Whatever you have to say to me Professor Gale, say it to Lia too." John's voice sounded tense.
"Well then. I hate to tell you this Mr. Lyle but I will really fail you if you sleep in my class one more time." Says Professor Gale, Professor Gale is brutal but she actually gives her students a second chance all the time. One time I failed her exam. She believed that I can do better so she let me take a re-take exam. Sometimes I debate to be that kind or not. People tend to abuse people like Professor Gale and I don't want to be used.
"Look, I only sleep because I feel bored." John lets out a heavy sigh "Not because you are boring Ms. Gale but I feel like I can answer any question without actually listening from you."
I forgot at times that John is smart. His appearance could be very deceiving. "It just means that he is really smart." I say trying to make it as a joke. Instead John grips my left arm tighter that I wince.
Professor Gale takes out her cat-eye glasses. "Have you ever considered taking up advance lessons John?" Professor Gale suggests.
I look up at John's face. "No." John says
"I bet you try it rather than wasting your time here." Says Professor Gale
John starts dragging me away. "Thanks for the tip Ms. Gale. I'll keep that in mind." John yells and we plunge to the busy hallway.
John walks fasts for his strides are longer compared to mine. In the hallway, people are staring at me, whispering to each other. I guess that rumor spreads fast about me escaping the highly secured fence. John is still grabbing my left arm which quite aches from his grip. I twist my arm trying to free from his grip which I know is impossible. "I have these things called legs and I can use them by walking on my own." I say for John was literally dragging me.
John abruptly stops that my face smacks on his right arm. "Ow."
"Sorry about that." John apologizes
"Why are you so eager to get out of that class?" I ask
"Because." John's eyes scan my face and I scan his. John is handsome. His eyes are so soft from his strong facial structure. "It's true what you said. I'm bored cause I know what she's talking about already."
"Why didn't you just say so?"
John grins "I don't want to go to an advance class because I barely know anyone there. Plus I wanna be around my best bud all the time."
I smile, touched with the fact that I'm his best bud. "Really?"
"Yeah really." John smiles and opens his arms.
I go into them easily. Like it was no big deal at all for people seeing us this way. "Quit it love birds." Says a voice that sounded familiar, I turn to look who it was but John pulls me in tighter.
"Keep walking Michelle." John snaps. I giggle. I feel John's muscular body against mine. John is so huge that every time I put my arms around him, my hands don't meet. It was either I'm small, (which I am not, I'm practically 5'5) or he is just really big. I peal myself away from him. "Let's get to class." He says. John laces his hands on mine and we walk like that till we reach the training room.
John and I separate for boys and girls are trained separately. I stand in the corner of the room observing what we are supposed to do. Our task today was to stand over a pedestal; another mutant across you also stands in a pedestal too. We have to really knock them off the pedestal, using our powers. It's a tough one for me but I'll manage. We will be doing this task for two whole weeks. The training is actually helpful. When we face real life, I might end up using this.
Kelly sees me and stands next to me.
"Do you think you can take Lisa on?" Kelly asks me
A smirk forms on my face. "I think I can." I say confidently
Kelly nudges me by the shoulder "You're bluffing."
"I swear. I think I can." I say "Really, all she does is blast you with shockwaves. Do you really think I can't adapt to that?"
"I think you can adapt, but can you push her off the pedestal?" Kelly asks which is actually tough.
I think for a moment. "You never know it might bounce off towards her."
"Yeah, like that would happen." Kelly laughs and I laugh too.
I watch twelve more people get knocked off the pedestal. Some were careless not minding their surroundings and some are just naturally that powerful. I was paired up with a girl who turns into magma. Great. This will be tough.
"Lia and Jane, please get on the pedestal." Says Jared
I get on the pedestal quite scared. My palms are starting to produce sweat so I wipe them off my sweat pants. I look at Jane and she seems harmless. Jane looks like a twelve year old in blond with red lipstick. One of the things they first taught us here in Aspro, is that never let the looks of one person deceive you. I shake my head. This girl is dangerous; she could melt me right away. A horn sounds and the timer starts. Jane quickly throws magma to me but I instantly turn into coal. I plant my feet on the pedestal. "C'mon. C'mon. Go crazy. You'll have to do better than that." I mutter to myself. Jane throws another ball of magma but I dodge it easily to the right. Jane screams in frustration. What is wrong with her? Why is she acting like this task is such a big deal. I brace myself. "This is it. This is it." I mutter. Jane blows off at least four magma balls on me, the first two I was able to evade it, on third it was headed towards my face so I quickly turned into stone and blocked it with my right arm. I felt the heat stinging against my skin. The last magma ball went over my head so I just ducked. Jane takes a breath glaring at me. I feel like she was burning me with her eyes. I took a minute to catch my breath and think straight. I close my eyes and I feel my body heating up. It wasn't my imaginations it was really me. I open my eyes. My clothes were burning for I, myself is turning into magma. I don't feel any pain nor anything that would make me scream. I felt like the magma is part of me now. I never absorbed something before. I thought of it but I never thought it was possible. I focus. Lifting my hands towards Jane, I blast magma. Jane yelps but blocks it. I keep throwing magma balls on her until Jane finally falls off the pedestal. I shout in victory and everyone else does. I look at the timer and that was just five minutes. It felt like hours for me.
I look over to Jared whose face was contorted. I wonder why he was looking at me like that but I felt like something was wrong. I stepped of the pedestal and something sizzled. I look over to my feet and I am melting the ground. I looked around my body and I am covered in magma. What is happening to me? I touch my face, it is also in magma. Everyone, even the boys across the room was looking at me now. Jared walks over to me. I hated the feeling of Jared's eyes on my body. I knew the magma burned the clothes but no parts are showing. For my whole body is magma.
"Can you turn it off?" Kelly asks me
I shake my head. "I don't know. This is new to me."
"Relax. You must be evolving again." Says Jared. He walks over me, looking at my eyes. Even he himself is afraid. "Take a deep breath."
I breathe and close my eyes. The heat slowly fades and I feel sweat in my palms again.
"Somebody get a blanket!" Jared yells, everyone scrambles even the boys. John runs towards me and takes off his sweater. John's sweater was so huge that it covers my body up to my knees. I gently whisk my long brown hair away from my sweaty neck.
"You okay Lia?" John asks me
I nod. I had goose bumps all over me.
"I think she should see Professor Aro." John suggests to Jared.
"Yes she should. Immediately." Jared agrees.
"C'mon." says John as he takes my hand.
The hallway is empty at this hour for most of us are in training and class. Some skip class and rest in their dorms while some go out to town and hang-out. We are given at least a day to get to Grex. Grex is a city where mutants get to hangout, eat at restaurants, watch a movie, shop and be like a normal teenager. Hand in hand, John and I walk towards Professor Aro's lab. I can see the lab but John stops walking.
"Why? What's wrong?" I ask
John has a mischievous smile on his face. "What's wrong?"
"Yeah. What is wrong John?"
John laughs. "What's wrong is that I am taking you Aro with wearing my sweatshirt."
Damn he was right. I am completely nude underneath. I bit my lip. I need to get back the dorms and change. "John?"
"Yeah?"
"You wouldn't mind going in the girl's dorms, won't you?" I ask putting on a smile.
We retreat from the hallway. The girl's dorm is at the 17th floor, so we have to take the elevator. There are atleast twenty elevators in the Aspro building and one of those elevators doesn't have instructors guarding it. I lead John outside Aspro building and take the glass elevator. John stops at the sight of the glass elevator.
"What….No."
"C'mon it isn't that bad." I say
John shakes his head and slightly laugh. "There is no way, I am getting on that."
I grab John's arm. "C'mon!"
"No!" John yells "Lia! No!"
I half drag him towards it "C'mon! It's not that high, it's just until the 17th floor."
"I appreciate the fact that the elevators inside the building are actually covered in metal." Says John as he pulls his arm from my weak grip. "I even get scared if I am just at the balcony of my room."
I put my arms on my waist, mimicking Professor Gale when she gets mad. "Aww… little John is afraid of heights." I put on a playful pout "Wait… you can fly but you are still afraid of heights."
"Yeah. Flying is one of the talents I don't use." John scoffs "I feel like if I fly, I'll piss myself in the air."
I laugh so hard clutching my stomach. "Just try it John please!" I beg.
John makes face at me. I laugh. "Alright. Just this once." Says John
I pressed the open button and I hear John draw air.
"Do me a favor will you?" says John "Don't press all the buttons for I will kill you."
I offer my hand for John to hold and he takes it. We both step inside the elevator. John is watching me carefully as I press the button for the 17th floor. We slowly lift up the ground and there it is. Up from the ground we can see the border fences of the Mutant Zone. I remember getting pass that yesterday. I point my index finger towards the skyscrapers of the humans.
"That's nice." Says John. I feel his hand loosen its grip on my. I bet he's relaxing
Inside the elevator you can see everything. On my right is another mutant school, on my left is the Grex and the building of the Council, The Macht. Macht is all made of glass and steel. I've been inside the Macht before, for a fieldtrip. Later as the day ends I'll have to go in there. Letting twelve council members simultaneously ask questions. Ding! The elevator stops and John runs out of the elevator, fast. I walk towards him.
"See it isn't so bad." I say
"Yeah yeah… whatever Lia." John shrugs
The dorm floor's hallways are really confusing for everything looks identical. Same white doors with a peep-hole and the walls are just painted light pink. My room is the easiest to remember for I painted my door black. We turn left twice then right then left then two turns on the right. My room is at the end of the hallway. One of the best things I ever had in Aspro is that, I don't have a roommate. Yes it lonely but I rather have privacy. I reach the door knob and it's locked. I remember that I put my keys in my sweatpants that burned. The key melted away I guess. I turn my hand into metal and force the knob to turn. The knob breaks and the door open. I darted for the dresser.
"How do you keep your room clean Lia?." Says John but I ignore him. John sits at the edge of the bed and look around my room. When I got the room there was two beds. I waited for a roommate but none came. I joined both beds together and now I have a huge bed all to myself. I grab my usual clothes; jeans and a violet sweatshirt. I crawl to the floor, under the bed to reach my white boots.
"You keep your shoes under the bed?" asks John
"Yeah, why?"
"Nothing. Just asking." Says John.
I hate this boots. It takes so much time to tie all the shoelaces. If I hadn't turn into magma, I'd still be wear my rubber shoes and still have my keys. I grow frustrated with the shoe laces.
"Let me do that." John suggests
"No. I'm good." I lie
John chuckles "Really?"
"No!" I yell. I pull the laces and just shove it in the boots.
John laughs. He gets out of the bed and kneels in front of me and starts tying the shoe laces. I sigh. "Weren't you ever thought how to tie your shoe laces?"
"Nope."
John holds up the shoe laces up to my face. "When I was younger my mother had a story how to tie my shoes."
I smile, whishing I had a memory like that. "That's nice. Show it to me."
John looks embarrassed but I know he'll show me anyway. "What I remember is you create two bunny ears, let the bunny go back to his home… and … uhh…" John scratched the back of his neck. "The hell, I can't remember."
"I can't imagine you being like that." I say, laughing
"Very funny Rossi." Says John "C'mon let's go to Aro."
"Wait!" I say "I'll just go to the bathroom."
I close the bathroom door and wash my face. I washed my face because I feel like there is still magma on it though I know there is none. I tie my long brown hair into a pony tail and stare at the mirror. I have a long snooty nose, pale lips and grey eyes. I wonder if I look like my brother or my brother looks like me. All I knew that Oliver always had a better nose than mine. I go out of the bathroom. John wasn't in there anymore. I guess he's waiting outside.
"Ahhhh….I see." Says Professor Aro as he looks at my blood in his microscope. John had been pacing back and forth inside the lad for we've been here for hours.
I scratch my head. "What do you see?" I ask
"Your blood." Says John, tapping his foot on the ground
"Look you don't have to wait for me." I say
"I'm waiting not for you, I wait cause I am curious." John snaps. He's such an impatient guy which really irritates me. John stops walking and looks at his watch. "It's 6pm. I'll get some food for us."
"Get me some lasagna!." Aro shouts and John just rolls his eyes then slams the door as he leaves. "What's his problem?"
"I don't know." I say "Can you tell me what you are seeing?"
Aro pulls his eyes away from the microscope and looks into mine. "You are evolving."
I stay silent quite shock from that. I thought I have stopped evolving when I turned sixteen, for most mutants stop evolving at that age. I shake my head. Maybe I was just a late bloomer.
"Maybe I am just a late bloomer." I say
Aro shakes his head. "No." says Aro "You see there has been a slight change in your talents. I remember that you have five talents; first is your ability to move soundlessly, second is your deflection of harmful things which is natural because you are adaptation, third is your counterbalance, fourth is your ability to identify other mutant's class but that is dormant." Aro pauses and crosses his arms. "Your fifth talent is now different."
"What do you mean?"
"You used to have fast healing. But now you have Coruscate." Says Aro
I stand from the chair looking at my hands. "Does that mean, I can turn into light?"
Aro nods "Yes."
"Does that explain why I am evolving?" I ask
"Practically, Yes. It does show why. Your ability to adapt into things gives you the talent for deflection and counterbalance but now that you have evolved to absorption it gives you the Coruscate."
I shake my head. "I don't know how Coruscate explains my ability to absorb substances."
"You see, Lia. Coruscate doesn't just mean giving of light or turning into light. Light itself can actually absorb that is why my dear you have it." Aro explains but I still couldn't understand it.
"What about John's talents?" I ask
Aro scratches his head. "John has super strength, so he has a lot of strength to control such talents."
I grow curious but I know understand it. "Does this also mean that my mind would just adapt automatically without me actually knowing it?"
"I'm not that sure but we can try."
"Okay, throw something at me." I suggest.
"I have something better in mind. I have a talent of knowing the emotions of people and at times I can control their emotions." Aro says "If I try to read your mind, your talent of deflection and adaptability will turn on automatically."
"Oh… So tha—" I didn't finish for I felt my body turning into metal. The metal wasn't the normal kind that I use but its Adamantium. "Did you start reading my mind already? Is this the reaction?" I ask
Aro's mouth was slightly ajar and his eyes are wide open. "Amazing."Slowly I feel that my body is returning to its normal self. "You just turned to Adamantium." He adds
"Yeah. I know." I say
"You see what I am telling you Lia? It's now automatic."
"What about my Coruscate?" I ask
Aro frowns. "That my dear I do not know."
"Oh." I was quite disappointed. I wanted to know how my light would look like. "Well, Thanks for the help Professor Aro."
"Anytime my dear." Aro's hands joined together "If you need help in understanding what you have just come to me. Okay?"
I nod then I leave the lab.
At some point while I am walking in the busiest hallways in Aspro, it feels like everyone else is in slow motion. My powers are evolving. I have Coruscate. How can I turn it on. Can I chose what to absorb? This is cool no one can read my mind. My mind continues to ramble. I keep walking not knowing where to go. Suddenly I hear someone shouting my name but I don't look to see who it is. "LIA!" it screams my name again. "ORDELIA ROSSI!" My head lifts up and I keep turning around, looking for the sound. "LIA!" My mind buzzes. I keep looking at random faces, trying to look for the person calling me. Suddenly a hand slumps on my shoulder. I turn on my heels and see Carlos.
"Carlos?"
"Hey! Uhm…John asked me to tell you that he's in Grex." Says Carlos
I remember John getting out of the lab to get food. "Oh… Did he want me to follow?" I ask Carlos
Both of Carlos' shoulders go up and down. "I don't know. All he said to me was to tell you he's down at Grex."
"Oh." I say "Are you hungry?"
"Yeah… Wh-"
I didn't let him finish. "C'mon let's go to the cafeteria."
DINNER:
CHICKEN SOUP
CESAR SALAD
BEEFY BURGER WITH FRIES (NO PICKLES)
CHOCOLATE CAKE
"The menu sucks!" Carlos exclaims
I nod. "Yeah."
"Wanna go out?" asks Carlos. I look at him. He was smiling at me so I smile back. I feel weird. Why was he smiling like that at me. Carlos is cute and he's younger than me. If I was the same age as him, I'd have a crush on him. What was wrong with me? Since when did age matter?
"Go out where?" I ask knowing there's only one place we could go.
"Grex." Says Carlos "We'll eat at my favorite diner. My treat."
I think about it for a moment. "Okay."
I never stop loving the Grex's look during the night. The perfect buildings all lighted up, especially the Macht that looks like a glowing building. The Grex looks quite sketchy to some who aren't used to it but it's grunge look, is home to me. Carlos leads me to the diner called MOJO. I find the name funny but I guess the food's great here because there are plenty of people. After a minute or so, Carlos and I are seated in the far corner of the room. Carlos actually grew up in the Mutant Zone. He tells me that his parents are both mutants. I envy him. Envy the fact that he didn't leave his family because of his gift. Carlos is living a normal life. Even though I have been here for eight years, something still separates me from here; my family.
"How about you? Where does your family live?" asks Carlos
I try to compose myself and start formulating words. "They…uhh… Live in New York…I think."
"You mean…"
"Yes. I'm not a born mutant. Well I am it's just that… my mutation came in when I was nine." I say
Carlos doesn't give me that look; like they pity me. Instead he smiles. "Got siblings?"
My chest ached from that question. "Yeah. I do." I force a smile "I have a twin brother and a supposed sister or brother."
Carlos' smile widens. "I always wanted to have a sibling. I never had at all."
"Only child get's everything." I say
"No." Carlos shakes his head "I didn't have friends."
"You do now." I say then the smile on his face fades.
"Yeah, I guess." Carlos looks away and I stare at my plate.
Did I say something off? Did I hurt his feelings? I guess I did. I scan in my mind the things I said in my mind. Maybe the fact that he had friends now, brought out something bad from the past? I couldn't help it. I hate cliff hangers. "Did I say something off?" I ask Carlos.
"No." Carlos is still not looking at me.
"I think I did." I say reaching for his hands across the table. He flinched but he held my hand.
"I was socially awkward back then." Says Carlos "Some students back in Surgon made fun of me; for every time a teacher gives out a problem for us to answer, my hands go hay-wire." Carlos hold my hand tighter now, I feel my cheeks getting warm. No other boy has held my hand other than John.
A waiter clears his throat and automatically I pull my hand back but Carlos just held it tighter. I hope he doesn't see me blush. I look away from Carlos and to the waiter. The waiter had a smug look. He had blue skin and red hair.
"May I take your order?" the waiter asks
"What would you like?" Carlos asks me as he flips the menu.
"Anything." I say
Carlos raises his left eyebrow. "Anything? You sure?"
I nod.
Carlos orders steak for him and lasagna for me. At the back of my mind this thing that we are doing is like a date. I've never been on a date before. I have seen some in the movie that plays in the TV from the Game Room. But now my heart beats faster than usual, my mind cannot focus on what Aro told me earlier and I seem to just look at Carlos. Carlos has a long angular face, black curly hair and grey eyes like mine. In the dim light inside the diner, his eyes seem to glow.
"Lia?" says a voice that sounds familiar. I peal my eyes away from Carlos and see Michelle in a short silver dress with really high heels. With that dress, it really shows off how Michelle's dark skin is beautiful. I can never wear something like that.
"Wow." I say looking at Michelle from head to toe. "You look nice?"
Michelle frowns. "Nice? Really?"
I roll my eyes. "Okay! You look Hot!"
Michelle wrinkles her face then smiles. "Some of the students in Aspro are going to the Phoenix Club. You guys wanna come?"
I look at Carlos who looks like he's drooling at Michelle. I pull my hands away from him and wipe the sweat on my jeans. "Uh…Sure."
"We'll go. After we have dinner." Says Carlos
Michelle leans over to Carlos and squints her eyes. "Is this a date with my bestfriend Carlos?"
"I… uhh… It's actually a—"
"It's a date!" I yell over to Michelle almost too loudly that people are looking at us.
Carlos' eye widens and nods. "Yeah. It's a date."
Michelle looks over to me then at Carlos. Michelle's mouth widens into a smile and clasps her hands together. "Isn't cute!"
"She's cute." Says Carlos
I put my head down and bite my lip. Do not blush! Don't blush!
Michelle pats her hand on my head. "Alright. I'll leave two of you love birds alone."
Michelle leaves. Carlos and I relax a bit. I burry my face into my hands and laugh, laugh so hard that Carlos laughs too. Carlos pulls my hands off my face and looks at me intently.
"Did you really mean that?" I ask quite shyly
"That you're cute?" Carlos rubs his thumb on my chin. "Definitely."
I giggle and roll my eyes.
The waiter serves us our meals. I dig in, conscious of how I look while I eat. Normally I eat like a caveman with Kelly, Michelle and John. But with Carlos, I was composed. All of a sudden I feel like an actual teenage girl. We kept talking and talking about random things that I do not remember. After the meal we took a walk. We went window shopping, pointing out clothes to each other; imagining what it would look like. Carlos keeps pointing at dresses to me and I wrinkle my face. "I'd give anything to see you wearing a dress." Says Carlos poking my right arm.
"Please." I roll my eyes.
We stop right at the front of the Macht building. You could just see, floor after floor mutants working.
"Oh no." I mutter.
Carlos looks at me. "What is it?"
"I have to go to the Council." I say
"Oh." Says Carlos "Is this about you crossing the Fence?"
I nod.
"C'mon I'll walk you inside." Says Carlos as he offers his hand. I gladly take it.
Once we enter the Macht my eyes started to hurt. It was so bright inside. I have to close my eyes a few times before my eyes could totally adjust. Carlos drags me towards a lady with purple hair who was seated in a high glass table.
"Hi. The Council is looking for Lia?" says Carlos towards the lady
The lady looked confused. "Who again?"
"Me. Ordelia Rossi." I say
The lady nods. "Please follow me Ordelia."
I was about to follow the lady but Carlos pulled me back. Carlos cups my face. He's going to kiss me.
"I'll wait for you outside Phoenix Club." He says
I nod. Carlos let's go of my face. I watch him walk away.
"Ms. Rossi?"
I turn and I see the lady waiting for me. "Oh right."
It's only been a few minutes but I feel like it's already been an hour. I don't want to keep Carlos waiting for me outside. There was only six council member seated on the round glass table. I wonder where the others are. They have asked about five questions already and my answers seem applicable to them.
"Well Ms. Rossi your answers seem adequate." Says Martha a council member who has grey skin and silver hair her look makes me shiver. Especially the voice she has as she talks. It's so high-pitch and cold. "It's normal for young mutants to be curious about the human world but let me tell you. It is not that nice."
"I came from that world. I had a family back there. At some point would you be missing them after being away for fucking eight years!" I snap
"Now, now Ordelia; we use proper language here." Martha replies.
I ball my hands into fists and look down on the floor.
A man wearing a yellow suit came inside the room. His face looked familiar like I've seen him somewhere. The man in a yellow suit sits down in the middle and whispers to Martha. Martha sits down.
"I'm sorry if I came in late. I had to visit my daughter in the infirmary for she had a huge burn on her thigh." Says the yellow suited guy "I am Marcus Sole. Head of the Council."
The last name Sole ring a bell in my head. Shit. He's Jane's father. "You are Jane's father." I say
Marcus nods "Yes. I am. I take it that you are the one who burned her?"
"Yes. I did. Got a problem with that?" I ask folding my arms
"No, not at all Ms. Rossi." Marcus' face looked grim. Martha clears her throat. "Ahh! Yes, let us talk about the incident."
"I've been telling the story a thousand times." I say stomping my feet.
"Then tell us again." Says Marcus. He's really testy, like Jane. Jane looked nothing like her father. Marcus had black hair neatly combed; he has a huge forehead and bushy eye brows.
I tell them the story using the exact same words I used the first time I told them so that they won't say I am lying.
"Ms. Rossi do you know tha—"
"Yes I know what I did is wrong!." I exclaimed. I stand from my chair and pace back and forth.
"Ms. Rossi do you know that your actions show an act of rebellion?" says Marcus
I stop walking. My back unto them. "Rebellion?"
"Yes. Rebellion."
My arms raise up in the air. I cannot take more of this. "The hell! I was just curious okay!"
"Curiosity can lead you to your death Ms. Rossi. I advise you to step down from it."
I chuckle and turn to face them. They were all looking at me with cold stares. "You'll be doing me a favor of putting a bullet in my head. Right then and there when I was in that street, helping a lady who got mugged."
"You broke the Law." Says Martha "You know the consequences that you'll face."
I sigh heavily. "What will I face then?" I ask
Marcus brings out a paper. "This is your Disciplinary Order, Ms. Rossi will be given a serum that clears out any mutation. She will be given this every after her Training Class. The serum will last for at least eight hours. Ms. Rossi will be inside the Aspro building right after 9:00pm. This will last for about a week."
Now that I have evolving powers I need to use them all the time. I need to discover it as much as I want. I have to keep Aro posted if anything changes. I sit down and stare at my hands. I suddenly turn to Adamatium again. Someone's reading my mind.
I stand up and walk over to their table. "You know reading someone's mind is very rude." The person standing next to Martha was the one who looked so nervous. I bet he's the one reading my mind. I lean in front of him. "Isn't there a Law against reading someone else thoughts?" I ask the Council. All of them are staring at me ashen and open mouths.
"Well is there!" I ask loudly making sure they can hear me.
"I… am… sorry." He says. I look at his name tag. GEORGE WELLINTON COUNCIL MEMBER
I glare at him. "Did they tell you to do that? Or you just wanted too?" I ask him. My voice sounded fierce. It was foreign to me.
"I… I wan—"
"Enough of this!" Marcus interrupts. "Ms. Rossi please take your seat."
I sit back down and cross my legs. I feel like my head is going to blow because I am so angry.
"Now. Back to the discussion." Marcus clears his throat "Ms. Rossi your Disciplinary Order will last for a week. Do I make myself clear?"
I nod. Not looking at him.
"You may leave if you wish Ms. Rossi bu—"
I stand from my seat and half sprint towards the door. I go inside the elevator and punch the button going down. Someone gasps and when I look behind there was a person. "Sorry if I startled you." My voice sounded strained.
"Rough day?" he asks.
I lean on the left side of the elevator and fold my arms together. "Yeah."
"Wait!" he yells which caught me off guard. "Is this elevator going down?"
I nod.
"Oh no!" he scratches his head. "Do you know what floor, where the Council is staying?"
"Yeah." I say "Highest floor here."
"Oh okay." He leans his back on the elevator. "I'm Gideon."
I stay silent. I have no mood for making friends right now.
"Are you a mutant?" Gideon asks
I look at him with confused expression. What kind of question was that? "Yes I am. Everyone here is a mutant."
"Oh." Gideon puts his hands in his pockets. Gideon was wearing something humans do. Bright colors and prints.
"Are you human?" I ask
"Yes." Gideon replies. The elevator door opens. I step out and take a last look at him. He seems so familiar.
When I arrived in Phoenix Club, Carlos had a drink in his hand and talking with the bouncers outside.
"Hey." I say
Carlos spins on his heels. "Hey sweetheart, what took you so long?"
Did Carlos just call me sweetheart? "I… fought with one of the members." I say
Carlos frowns and walks towards me. "You okay?"
"I'm fine." I lie. I am furious. I want to kill all of them, especially the one who wanted to read my mind.
"No you're not." Says Carlos with a smile.
I smile and roll my eyes. "I'm fine okay?"
Carlos puts an arm around me. I blush. "Let's go party then."
It's hard to actually see inside the club for it was dark. Strobe lights are your only light in here. I bounce my head with the beat. The music inside Phoenix Club is so loud that my ear drums hurt. I can see Carlos dancing on the dance floor; he's dancing with a girl who has purple hair. I laugh by myself for Carlos dances like a stick. He's so stiff and nerdy. I take small sips from the drink Carlos ordered for me. It's a strong one so I take it slow. I usually don't go out with friends but I guess this is something for a change. I am seated alone on the counter with the friendly bartender and watched mutants dance, scream and occasionally kiss right in front of me. Michelle keeps inviting me in the dance floor but I can't dance. I feel embarrassed at the thought of me dancing. All of a sudden I see a huge figure dancing. My eye squints to get a better look. I was shocked from what I saw that my mouth hangs open. It was John. John was jumping up and down crazily on the dance floor. I bet he's drunk, really drunk. I wave over to John, hoping my best but could see me. I bet he couldn't even see me. I didn't realize that Carlos was already sitting down next to me