A Power Within
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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, X-Men, or any of the things in this story (unless otherwise stated). I am merely a player in the worlds created by the respective owners of Harry Potter, X-Men, etc.
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Chapter Two: Found
Spiro stared dazedly at the textured ceiling of the apartment, blinking several times as he tried to discern why so much light was filtering into his room. He rolled over with a soft groan and turned the heavily taped, black alarm clock towards him.
10:15 AM.
He blinked at the red, flashing numbers, until the fifteen clicked to a sixteen. Than it hit him; he was late for work!
He attempted to bolt out of bed, attempted being the key word here, as he conveniently did not notice that he was very much entangled in the brown bed sheets and ended up in a heap on the floor. It was than that the door to his bedroom swung open, Oriana standing in the doorway with a large, food-filled tray in her hands, dressed in navy sleep shorts and a too-big tee.
Spiro blinked at her from his twisted position on the floor; than he blinked again. The girl giggled and walked slowly into the cramped sleeping area, carefully stepping around dirty clothes, large books, and used sketchpads. She set the tray on the small, rickety, metal desk before crouching beside him and daintily untangling him.
"It's Sunday, isn't it?" he grumbled as he got to his feet, now free of his traitorous sheets.
"Yes, honey," Oriana said gently as she turned back and picked up the tray, "You forgot again didn't you?"
"Yes, well, when you work six out of seven days during the week you tend to forget the day you have off," he muttered, plopping down onto the twin sized, lumpy mattress.
"Oriana took a seat beside him, setting the tray between them, "I made tea, toast, eggs, and warmed up the leftover pizza," she said, gesturing to the large mugs filled with tea, and the plates piled with food.
Spiro smiled at her and set the cheap, plastic plate on his lap and sliding the dark tea closer to him, "Thanks, Ori, I don't know what I'd do without you," he said, taking a bite of the toast, humming at the Nutella Oriana had generously spread over it.
"I thought you might like that," Oriana laughed as she swallowed a mouthful of scrambled eggs.
There was comfortable silence between the two as they ate their breakfast.
"I got paid yesterday," Spiro commented, taking a bite from his meat-covered slice of pizza, "I set aside the proper amount for bills and groceries, but there seems to be a little extra left…"
Oriana turned excited gold-brown eyes on him, "You mean…?" she began, her excitement palpable.
"Yep," he grinned at her.
"Movie night." They declared together, which followed by Oriana squealing and practically attacking Spiro with hugs.
Feeling rather good about the day ahead, the two quickly polished off their breakfast and began to get ready for the day.
Nearly two hours later the two were dressed and ready. Spiro idly twirled the motorcycle keys around one finger as Oriana laced up her trainers. The dark-skinned girl straightened up and grinned at Spiro. Spiro jerked open the door and the two headed out to get movies and (a real treat) junk food.
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Professor Charles Xavier sat at Cerebro. He had he had been there for most of the morning, hoping for the machine to alert him to the discovery of a new mutant.
Monitoring Cerebro was as much a hobby to him, as cooking or sketching might be to another, something that had had Sirius in fits for months. The dog-like man could just not see the joy in looking around the world for other mutants, mutants that he could offer assistance to and give a them a place where they didn't have to hide their abilities.
He sighed as he scanned through Cerebro. It had been months since the machine had discovered a mutant, and though Xavier checked it at least once every day, he was always met with disappointing results.
Sighing, he contented himself to updating the files of the students registered at the school. Maybe in the next few hours something would turn up.
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Oriana screamed shrilly as the demented man with a chainsaw seemingly came out of nowhere. The bowl of popcorn went flying and Spiro leapt away from her, his eyes wide and startled, his mouth twisted in confusion.
How the hell he had gotten her to rent The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was beyond her.
The movie continued to play on their small TV as they stared at each other. A loud explosion came from outside, startling the two and causing them both to whip around just in time to see a large piece of concrete fly up from the sidewalk below.
Cautiously Oriana got to her feet and crept to the small window, peering down at the cracked concrete. Apparently her powers had lashed out in her fright and she had ended up blowing up a block of pavement, scattering concrete and chunks of earth everywhere.
"Oops," she squeaked.
Spiro peered over her shoulder before letting out a loud groan, "Shit," he muttered.
Oriana giggle hysterically, realizing she had broken the 'No Powers' rule that they had agreed on when they had left Britain.
Shit indeed.
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Xavier stared at the screen, his eyes going wide in amazement. Cerebro had found one; after months of silence the machine had finally found a mutant. Not only that but someone who lived right there in Westchester.
He drew up a communication panel and quickly got in touch with Logan. After all, he and Remy were right across the street from the girl.
"Professor?" Logan's concerned voice filled the recent silence.
"Cerebro has found another mutant," Xavier stated bluntly, not one for 'beating around the bush'.
"Oh…" the metal-boned man sounded subdued.
"Ms Oriana Magdalen," Xavier continued, pulling up what Cerebro had found, "Sixteen years old, lives in Westchester, New York, in Complex B, Number 770 of The Westchester Apartments."
"Oh Christ," the man muttered, "You want Remy and I to go get her."
"If you would…" Xavier said.
"Yeah, yeah, we'll go," the man sounded rather petulant, "You owe me a steak."
"Of course," the professor chuckled, "Keep me connected, Logan. Ms Magdalen looks like the sort to ask question and she may want to hear them from the source."
"Ok," Logan said.
There were several moments of silence before:
"Ok, I'm using my earpiece," Logan's voice came back, "We're out of the diner and on our way across the street… holy shit."
"What is it?" Xavier asked, frowning.
"Well, either the military is experimenting with new weapon technology, or Ms Magdalen has less control of her power than you would think," Logan said, "The whole sidewalk outside one of the Complexes has pretty much been blown to bits. Though, it's odd, but the cement is actually raised, like something exploded out from under it…"
"I'm checking your location right now," Xavier said; than, "You and Remy are right outside Complex B."
"Christ, I suppose you want us to go up..." Logan muttered.
"Yes," Xavier confirmed, "Top floor, middle door. The number should be 770."
"Right," the man said, "So what can you tell me about this girl."
"Her full name is Oriana Erinnyes Magdalen," Xavier began, "She is sixteen and works at the diner you were just at as a waitress; full-time. She seems to have never finished high school, and judging from all the previous information she's either an orphan or a runaway. I think it's also safe to assume that she lives alone."
"That's good," Logan commented and Xavier could hear him relaying the information to Remy.
"Right we're on the top floor," Logan informed him, "770, you said?"
"Yes," Xavier said.
"So, she's obviously a girl," Logan said, checking numbers, "Any identifying features?"
"Her eyes," Xavier said, drawing up the digital picture, "They have gold in them. Not tawny, but pure gold streaks. Her skin is quite dark as well, but her hair is much like her eyes, gold and brown."
"Hm…ah-ha," Logan declared suddenly, "Number 770!"
Xavier held his breath as he heard faint knocking.
It was always exciting finding a new mutant…
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Almost immediately after Oriana's outburst of power, the two began packing; collecting food and stowing it into pre-packed knapsacks and overall clearing everything out.
Spiro had sent Oriana ahead, telling her to use their pre-planned escape route to the roof and to take off from there; he would catch up. He had just pulled on his jacket and was preparing to leave when someone knocked loudly on the door. Swallowing heavily, he made sure that his Mark was adequately hidden before cautiously approaching the door.
Slowly he cracked the door open. Two men stood outside, one slightly taller than the other. The taller one had shoulder-length dirty-blonde hair and was wearing dark sunglasses. The other, slightly shorter, had slicked back brown hair and dark sideburns along his stubborn jaw.
He pulled the door open and ducked out, closing the door almost immediately behind him.
"Excuse me, we're looking for Oriana Magdalen," the man with the sideburns said in a low growling voice.
Spiro tilted his chin up slightly, cursing his height, the two seemed to tower over him, "What do you want with Ori?" he snapped, getting ready for the need to run.
"Look, bub," the man seemed irritated, "Just let us in so we can speak with her."
Spiro snarled at them, "Make me," than he vaulted over them, landing cat-like on the railing that went along the outer edge of the hall.
Taking advantage of the two men's momentary shock he began to run along the railing toward the end of the hall. It wasn't long before he heard the two men running after him. He was just about at the end of the hall before he leapt, his hands gaining purchase on the slightly slanted roof of the apartment.
"Shit," he heard the man in sunglasses curse in a Cajun accent as he hoisted himself onto the roof and began to run along the tiling.
He could see Oriana waiting for him at the very top and increased his speed, barely breaking a sweat. Spiro glanced over his shoulder and swore loudly as he saw Sideburns, as he had decided to call the man, running after him.
"Get going!" he shouted at her.
The girl nodded, and yellow-gold light flooded her eyes, obscuring everything from her pupils to the whites of her eyes. She jerked her hands up with a cry and almost immediately a large chunk of earth came flying up from the ground below. It sped towards her and she hesitate, looking at him. He was still several feet away.
"GO!" he shouted, "Don't worry about me, get going!"
Biting her lip, she nodded and leapt, landing in a slight crouch on the large rock.
Spiro glanced over his shoulder and leapt out of the way to avoid the grab that Sideburns made at him. The man made several more grabs, Spiro leaping and turning out of the way. Sideburns made to grab him again and Spiro leapt, grabbing onto the rocks that Oriana had sent to float above them.
He barely even gripped them before he was speeding through the area to where Oriana stood on her rock. They crumbled under his hands the moment he was above the rock and he dropped to his feet behind the dark-skinned girl.
Sideburns stood on the edge of the roof, looking up at them.
"We need to get out of here before his friend gets up here as well," Spiro murmured in ear.
"Wait!" the man called as Oriana prepared to send them rocketing away, "Please, we're not here to hurt you! We want to help!"
Oriana narrowed yellow eyes at him, "You think we haven't heard that one before," she yelled, "You say you want to help us. We don't want your help!"
"Damn it, would you just listen to me?" the man snarled, "My name is Logan, the man with me is called Remy LeBeau. We are part of a group of people called the X-Men, all of us possess the mutant x-gene. Our organizer, Professor Charles Xavier runs an Institute especially for young mutants just coming into their powers. At Xavier Institute for Higher Learning we not only teach you the basic course subjects of regular high school, but we also teach young mutants how to control their powers," Sideburns, or Logan as he could now be called explained, panting slightly.
"How did you find us?" Oriana asked, warily lowering the rock so that they were almost at eye level with the man.
"The professor is in possession of a special machine, Cerebro," the man in the sunglasses said, walking up from behind Logan, "When a mutant uses his or her powers, Cerebro picks up the power signature and identifies just who the mutant is, where they live, and any other important facts."
Oriana looked behind her at Spiro and he nodded, sensing the truth in their words. He edged from behind the girl and leapt from the rock, landing in a slight crouch right beside Logan. He remained still for a moment before nodding and turning to face Oriana.
"It's safe Oriana, come on," he called her over. She gently floated the rock to the edge of the roof before falling into Spiro's arms, letting the rock crumble and fall.
They hugged each other tightly, feeling vaguely relieved. Spiro pulled back first.
"Take us to this Institute of yours," he said, "Quickly, if you will, we do not have much time."
Logan raised an eyebrow at the boy, "Look, bub, the Institute is for mutants," he explained slowly, "She has been offered a place."
"Oh for Christ's sake," the boy snarled, his eyes flashing beneath the glamour he constantly kept over his face, "Just take us to your bloody Institute."
The man in sunglasses, who the two assumed was named Remy, laid a hand on Logan's shoulder, "Just let him come, Logan," he said in his distinct accent. "It can do no harm, no?"
The man just grumbled. Spiro narrowed his eyes on the earpiece in the man's left ear, which now buzzed with a new voice.
"The Professor says that it's fine for you to come, kid," Logan snapped, looking rather petulant.
Spiro glared at being called a kid, but said nothing.
"Perhaps you'd like to give us a lift, cheri?" Remy suggested, looking mildly at Oriana.
She looked a little startled, but than she smiled brightly, and called her powers to the surface, her eyes, which had returned to normal, glowing an intense yellow as a slightly larger chunk of earth shot up from below, hovering beside the edge of the roof.
She and Spiro hopped on, Remy following closely behind. Logan got on last, carefully putting his wait on the rock. Oriana smiled brightly at Spiro before shooting them off at a high velocity. Logan yelped and threw himself down, gripping the edges of the rock.
Spiro fought the urge to smirk at him as he sat down calmly next to Remy.
"So, what's your power?" he asked brightly.
The man looked slightly surprised, but nodded all the same and removed his glasses, revealing red irises, surrounded by black, "I can tap into the potential energy contained within an object and transform it into kinetic energy upon touching it," he explained.
"So you can basically make things explode," Spiro said.
The man nodded and Spiro laughed, "That's amazing!" he declared, "Will you show me?"
Remy laughed at the teen's enthusiasm, "Perhaps when we reach the Institute," he said.
"I hold you to that," he said.
The man frowned suddenly, "Your accent…" he started.
"Eh, yeah," Spiro scratched the side of his neck, feeling the slightly raised skin of the Mark, "Maybe when we reach the Institute."
Remy's frown deepened but he nodded, "Turn right, here," he said to Oriana; than, to Spiro, "What is your relationship with Ms Magdalen?"
"Ori?" Spiro asked, "She's my honorary sister. We're like two peas in a pod; been through a lot together… why?"
"Logan and I both assumed that…eh, well, you were in a more intimate relationship," the Cajun said awkwardly.
Spiro's face contorted into a look of disgust, "Eugh!" he declared, "She…she's a girl! Not to mention she's like a sister to me!"
Oriana laughed from the front of the rock, "Spiro's gay," she said laughingly, "The very mention of having sex with a girl could send him into an epileptic fit!"
"That's an exaggeration," Spiro declared, "I might have to bash my head into a wall a few times, but I would not have an epileptic fit!"
"What's the difference?" Oriana joked and Spiro scowled at her.
"I can see it now," Remy commented, "You act quite a lot like siblings…"
Spiro continued to glare at Oriana, who just shot a grin at Remy before turning back to look at the scenery below. Her eyes widened as they caught site of a large manor bursting up from the array of trees.
"There it is," Remy declared, "Xavier Institute for Higher Learning."
Slowly, the rock began to descend, until it was hovering just outside the wrought-iron gates of the school.
Spiro slowly got to his feet and stared at the towering mansion. He spared a glance at Logan, who had jumped off the rock the moment they were close enough to the ground and was looking rather relieved to be off the rock. Spiro laid a gentle, comforting hand on Oriana's shoulder before he jumped off the rock.
The girl allowed the rock to crumble to the ground and landed in a slight crouch next to Spiro.
"Shall we?" Spiro asked as Remy and Logan made their way to the gates.
"It's now or never," Oriana declared.
With that, they followed the two men through the gates and up to the school.
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Author's Note
Sorry it took so long to post; but, hey, here's a chapter! I hope you all enjoyed.
Thanks for all the reviews; keep it up!
Your semi-devoted author,
Drew