4
Alex was irritated. Mostly with the professor. But partly with himself. Charles hadn't woken for a day and a half now and the whole school was feeling it. Wanda hadn't left his room, Alex had tried to get her to come down but she wouldn't leave him. She had come close to the professor and Alex in the short time they had known each other, though not as close as Alex would like. Charles had seen it in his mind but not commented on it. Alex had pushed his feeling to one side, he had only known her a day.
He pushed the door open carefully, backing in to the bedroom to give room to the food tray in his arms. Wanda had missed breakfast again, she was sitting slumped in an armchair beside the motionless form of Charles lying in bed. Her beautiful brown hair was fanned out across the arm, her face was peaceful in sleep. Peaceful and perfect.
Not now Alex, he thought, it's not the time.
He set to food down on the bed side table before grabbing a blanket and draping it over the sleeping girl. She murmured in her sleep, something about pie, then shifted and fell back in to deep sleep, hair falling on to her face. Alex was tempted to brush it off her cheek.
Go for it, She likes you too.
Charles' voice echoed in his head, Alex almost jumped out of his skin. Charles was blinking at him with his piercing blue eyes. I think it would be quite sweet, actually.
No, it wouldn't. Alex thought loudly. Imagine Peter's reaction. Though he had never met the speedster, he had heard the stories, many annoyed stories about the boy.
"If you say so. That would be quite amusing." Charles muttered aloud, voice creaking from disuse. Wanda woke with a start, gazing around with her chocolate brown eyes,
"Charles! You're awake! Are you alright?" she stood up, frowning at the blanket then at Alex. Hank came bursting in to the room, face red from running. Alex knew better then to ask how he had known, Charles was a telepath after all.
"Yes, child." Charles smiled at her kindly, he sat up, "I believe I have some good news."
Wanda's eyes widened, "Have you found him?"
He nodded quickly, "Hank, could you get me to Cerebro please? Soon, I need to remember the exact location." he pulled himself to the side of the bed where his wheelchair sat.
Hank hurried round the other side of the bed, "Wait, are you sure you should be up?"
"I need to get there quick, so please give me a hand?"
Meanwhile,
Peter woke up and was on his feet in an instant, looking round at his surroundings in bewilderment. Almost all the beds around him were empty, a terrier was still asleep in the bed next to him. Ernest. That was right. Then it all came back to him.
"Oh, man!" he cried, waking Ernest who flashed back to human with a yelp. "I thought it was just a dream!"
"Oh, ok. Um, morning Peter." Ernest was still in his grey-green clothes from yesterday, he sat up on his bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "You alright?"
"Yeah, I guess." he lied, avoiding Ernest eye by putting on the clothes that had been cleaned, folded and placed on his trunk. "When's breakfast on at this place? I'm hungry."
"Are you always hungry?" Ernest asked, still looking at him in concern. "You're always asking for food!"
"I need a lot of energy!" Pulling his shoes on, he inspected the souls in despair, "And some new Sneakers." he looked up at Ernest who was still staring at him in exasperation, "I'm hungry, man!"
"Food is served 24/7 in the hall. Some people need more food then you do so they have to keep it up all day." Ernest yawned, "You go ahead, I'm going to stay here for a bit."
"Suit yourself, dude." he sped past the beds to the door and was sitting on an empty table at the back of the room with a huge pile pancakes in front of him in less than a second.
He needed to focus on getting out of here, how to get back to Wanda. Where was she now? Had she gone back home? Or had they got her too and just wasn't telling him?
"Morning." Hannah muttered, from above him, mouth full of omelette. She landed with a soft thump on the concrete floor, plate in hand. "You got your new name yet?"
"No, why would I need one?" After their conversation yesterday, Peter didn't want to talk to the healer. "I have a pretty good one already, thanks."
Hannah slipped down next to him, folding her wings behind her back, "Yeah, Pietro Maximoff. What kind of a name is that? It's so human!"
Peter froze, "How did you know my surname? I never told you."
She smirked, taking another bit of her breakfast, "A newbie arrives in a group of teenagers. It's a gossips heaven. You need to-"
"Leave me alone, Hannah." Peter turned his attention back to his breakfast which disappeared a moment later. "I don't want to talk to anyone just now."
"Good luck with that." Hannah nodded towards something over his shoulder.
He looked round to see a group of people heading straight for him, one of them was the fiery dude he had dumped water on yesterday, next to him was a boy who had to be his brother. They had the same face but when one was almost on fire the other was frozen. His hair was as white as snow, same as his eyes. They looked like the leaders of the gang behind them, all of which looked at them as if they had created the sun itself.
"You're the new one, ain't ya?" said Icesheet, stopping offensively close to Peter.
He stood up, looking round to see that Hannah had flown way. Great, Peter thought, I'm screwed.
Solarflare shoved him roughly in the shoulder, "My brother asked you a question, squirt."
"What's your name?" Icesheet sneered, coming closer, making Peter back up until his back hit the table.
"Why should I tell you?" Peter put on his most confident cocky grin. Bad choice.
The air turned icy cold then baking hot, sweat dripped from Peter's brow, sticking his silver hair to his forehead.
"You don't talk to us like that." Solarflare spat, "Now tell us who you are and what you can do."
"I know his name!" came a shout from the crowd, "He's that Maximoff boy!"
"Ha, a Russian!" Pyromaniac crowed, "What can you do then, squirt?"
"Oh, you saw me yesterday, hot stuff." Peter looked up it to the fiery face and smiled, "You seemed to have dried off though."
Solarflare grabbed a handful of Peter t-shirt, "That was you? You're going to regret that, boy."
Peter laughed in his face. Using his speed, he removed the hand holding his t-shirt, twisted the fingers in to a fist and pushing it in the owners brothers face. Jogging to the other side of the room, he slipped next to Ernest who had just entered the hall as a huskie, recognisable only by his lava coloured eyes.
"I think we should go." he whispered to the dog as the first yells of bloody murder could be heard from behind him, "Like now."
With a pop, Ernest appeared next to him as a human, "I just got here. What the hell did you do?"
"Just let's go," Peter flickered slightly, a stake of bread suddenly in his hand, "Breakfast."
Ernest followed the speedster back to the Bunk House only grudgingly. Peter kept flicking back and forth between the far door and the shapeshifter in an attempt to make him go faster. "I've known you for one day and you've already got me in to more than enough trouble to last me a lifetime."
"SorryIdidn'tmeanto." Peter paused, "Wait,yeahIdid,sorryaboutthat."
"Peter slow down. I can't understand you when you do that." Ernest held his hand out in the silver streak that was Peter, and caught the stake of bread that had been toasted in the heat of the kleptomaniac. "Woah, you're hot."
"Why, thank you." Peter's voice drifted from where he was settled on his bed.
"How do you stop your clothes from burning up?" Ernest asked, collapsing on his own bed and taking a bite of toast.
Peter lent back, hand behind his head, "I dunno, man. I just kinda happens." something shiny caught his eye. He poked at the bands round his wrists, "What are these things? What are they for?"
"I don't know, no one does. They don't have anything in them, Electro checked, their just pure metal, everyone's is a different type." Ernest tugged at his own bands, nervously.
"Well, Magneto is a metal bender. Maybe they are to control us."
"Maybe but-"
"MAXIMOFF!" came a yell from the doorway. The brothers were striding towards them, a bruise swelling on Icesheet's cheek. "Where is he?"
"You messed with the brothers? You idiot!" Ernest turned back to Peter. Or where Peter had been a second before. "Where have you gone now?"
"Where am I?" Peter muttered as he sped down corridor after corridor. He had been running for at least a minute and he still couldn't find anywhere familiar. Everywhere looked the same, like the inside of a metal tube with random doors reaching off at different points. "You have got to be kidding me!"
He slumped down against the curved wall, head in hands. What was he going to do? He hadn't seen true daylight in two days, and he desperately needed a good long run. Wanda would know what to do. Where was she?
She's safe.
Peter was on his feet and running before he could think about it. Someone was in his head, he could tell, he needed to keep moving then the telepath won't be able to keep up with him.
Peter, calm down.
He kept running, turning sharply at the first opportunity.
Peter, it's me! It's Charles Xavier. Your sister asked me to help.
Prof? Peter slowed down to a stop. Wanda'sthere? Whereareyou? Isshealright? CanItalktoher?
Peter felt Charles smile, Please, calm your thoughts. You're giving me a nose bleed.
Sorry, Prof. Peter said, a little sheepish.
Yes she is here, we are at my manor. She is fine, though very worried about you. I'm sorry but I am only just hanging on to you, I can relay a message if you want.
Can you tell her I'm alright? And not to worry? Peter thought desperately,
Of course. Now if I may, can I read your memories? So we can find you.
Sure, but I can't give you much. I haven't been outside at all.
Charles nodded, It's enough. Please could you calm your thoughts, you're like a whirlwind.
Sorry, Peter breathed deeply, relaxing his whole body in an attempt to pause his mind slightly. He could feel something in his head, like a tingling itch in the base of his skull. Shuddering, he rolled his neck instinctively to rid himself of the feeling. In the corridor next to him, he heard a rustle as someone walked up next to him.
"There you are, Peter. I've been looking for-" Ernest was cut off as Peter raised a warning finger.
"Sh."
Who is that? Charles said in his head.
A friend.
Charles mentally cleared his throat, Ok I think I've got all I need. Thank you, Peter and look after yourself. We will be there soon just don't get in contact with Erik if you could.
Why?
It just wouldn't be the best idea. Good luck, we will be there soon. Charles pulled away from his mind.
Peter blinked and stood up, rubbing his eyes, "Ow, sorry about that."
"What were you doing? Is something wrong?" Ernest peered at him.
"Telepathic communication." said a sneering from above them. Dove had sneaked up on them and was smirking down on them as her wings beat steadily on her back. "It's against the rules to communicate with someone outside. Why do you think there's a tele-damper on the Bunk House? You could get in to a lot of trouble for that."
"If someone told on me." Peter eyed her suspiciously.
She smiled, showing way too much, "I suppose so."
There was a tense silence.
Ernest looked between the two mutants, eyes flicking back and forth as if he was watching a tennis rally.
The sound of an old fashioned school bell rang down the corridor, cutting through the tension. Ernest glanced at his watch.
"Oh, we need to get back! Or we'll be late for morning Gathering!" he cried, starting in the direction of the bell at a fast walk.
"Morning Gathering? What is this, Girl Scouts?" Peter said as he zipped to his side.
Dove fluttered above them, arms cross and a smug expression on her face, "We have a meeting each morning with the staff and, Magneto." she sighed his name.
Peter mimed throwing up for Ernest benefit who laughed quietly. Dove scowled, "If we don't hurry up, we'll get in trouble."
"Not a problem," Peter grabbed Ernest around the shoulders, in a second they were outside the doors to the dinner hall, "We're already here."
Ernest lent against the doorframe, blinking in an attempt to counteract the dizziness. "I wish you wouldn't do that." he groaned, pushing the doors open.
Inside all the mutants were sitting at their tables in almost silence, looking up at the walk way above them. Peter sped to the table at the very back so no one could see him come in late, Ernest followed more slowly still looking grumpy with the speedster.
"What do we do now?" Peter hissed at him.
"Be quiet." he whispered back as a man in a classy grey suit with shoulder-length dark hair strutted to the centre of the walkway. A vivid scar traced from his right eye to his jawline.
"Who's that?" Peter asked, unable to keep quiet for more than a second.
Ernest rolled his eyes, "That is Magneto's right-hand man, known as Riptide. Some say he was captured by a mutant hater hence the scar but no one really knows. He doesn't talk much really."
"Oh,"
Behind Riptide came a lady Peter recognised, Mesme, her greying hair tied up in a ponytail. She stopped in the middle of the room, gazing down at the sea of teenagers in front of her for a moment before clearing her throat a starting to speak.
"Good morning, fellow mutants. I will be taking this Gathering as I am afraid our leader Magneto is away on a quest of his own for the moment." As she started speaking, Peter noticed that everyone relaxed slightly, gazing up at her slightly sleepily. Even he was finding it hard not to stare at her. "But he has sent me a message though telepath that he would like me to say to you:" she cleared her throat, closed her eyes as though she was reading from the back of her eyelids, and said loudly:
"Brother mutants, though I am away don't forget the main lesson of our race: We are the future, the future of mankind. Humans fear us, and rightly so. They try to oppress us but we fight back. We will someday, someday soon, take over the world. We are mutants and proud of it. We are destined to rule. So, here you are fighting for a noble cause, the noblest of causes. Freedom for our people. We are the future!"
Everyone repeated the last line in a creepy monotone: "We are the future."
"We also need to recognise a new member to our cause." She held out a hand towards the back of the hall, Peter felt himself growing very hot with embarrassment, "Please welcome, Pietro Maximoff." Mesme glared at him until he stood up awkwardly, fidgeting as he heard Ernest snickering behind him. "Or as he will now be known as: Quicksilver."
There was soft, almost robotic, applause as he sat down in a daze. Mesme continued with her speech but Peter wasn't listening. It wasn't that he didn't like the name, it suited him pretty well. He was quick and he was silver. But it stopped him being associated with Wanda, and his mother, the only two people he love in his life. He was proud to be a mutant and would rather that to being human, yet he still didn't agree with Erik's ideas. In his mind he will always be Pietro Maximoff.
"Lucky." Ernest's mutter cut through his thoughts.
"Sorrywhat?" Peter blinked, realising Mesme had stopped talking and everyone was standing up.
"Your name. It's awesome!" he whined, standing with the rest as wondering to the door.
Peter hurried after him, "What? I...yes I suppose."
"Better than mine, I mean at least yours matches you."
"I didn't pick it, man!" Peter suddenly realised that he didn't know where he was going, "What do we do now? Where are we going to?"
Ernest shrugged, fiddling with his bronze bands, "Well, its the weekend so there is no lessons," he cracked a smile at the disgusted expression Peter pulled at the thought of lessons, "We can do what ever we want, there is a games room. It has a pool table, a few arcade games even bowling pins."
Peter huffed, "The arcade games all far too slow for me, I reprogrammed my own to run at my speed. Pool is just boring."
"You have your own Arcade game?!" Ernest stopped walking, Peter looked back at him, "How much did that cost?"
Peter shifted awkwardly, a grin spreading on his face, "It didn't really cost anything."
"You didn't." Ernest gasped when Peter didn't answer, "You did?! You stole it? Well,I suppose with your speed, its pretty easy. Is that all you took? I wish my mutation was something useful like that."
"I didn't steal it! I just, kinda, borrowed without permission with no intent to return!" Peter looked at his watch and groaned. It was only 11 o'clock, ages till lunch. "I'm just going to go for a run, I need to stretch my legs. Might as well find out what I can about this place."
"There isn't a way out." Ernest shot a knowing look over at the speedster, "I've looked everywhere."
Peter reached up to his forehead, then realised that he had left his goggles behind in the park. Trying to cover his action, he pushed his silver hair back, "I know, man. Just I want to look round, ok?"
Ernest nodded sympathetically, "Ok, see you later."
Once Peter had sped off in a flash of silver, Ernest turned back towards the games room.
"Although, I will probably see him in less then a minute, knowing him." he said as an afterthought.
Sup.
You guys are soo cool.
I mean the responses! *Mind blown*
To answer those some responses:
Yes, I just realised Star Wars wasn't out then...but I'm not going to change it now...because I'm a lazy so-and-so
Don't worry, DADNETO WILL STRIKE FEAR IN TO THE HEARTS OF ANYONE WHO TRIES TO COME NEAR HIS MUTANTS... (Wanda may conntribute.. who knows...)
More recongnisable characters are on their way, including Gambit, Riptide, Bombom and maybe everyones favourite mutant-hater (yayy(!)) because I am a nasty writer, and love hurting my characters :)
(P.S: To that random amazing person who reviewed: You just keep hitting Erik with that news paper, he deserves it)