Disclaimers on chapter I
Chapter X
The basketball flew through the air and struck nothing but net as it went in. Catching it as it fell, Scott quickly passed it to Roberto who started to dribble it down field and attempted to get a three pointer only for the ball to bounce off the rim of the hoop and into Kurt's hands.
Kurt began to move forward dribbling the ball skilfully towards the halfway mark before being cut off by the opposing team. Feinting a pass to the right where Bobby was, Kurt manoeuvred the ball so that it went behind him then over his left shoulder, passed Roberto and John's heads and into the hands of his African American teammate who then sunk it into the net for another two points.
"I ain't got my Aunt's powers, but I still fly like the wind" Evan proclaimed as he hi-fived Kurt and Bobby as he jogged past them to their half of the field.
"You're just lucky Kurt's has the skill and flexibility to rival the Harlem Globetrotters" Scott said as he called for a break.
"And that Miss Munroe is your Aunt" John added as he walked off to his room in a sour mood.
Evan scowled but said nothing. Despite his five foot ten height, Evan was only a few months shy of fifteen and had no abilities. Whenever his school was on holidays, he would travel up to the mansion and stay with his Auntie Ororo, or Auntie 'O, for a week. During the time he spent there, he would often hang out with some of the mutants that were keen sports players themselves.
He had almost immediately latched on to Kurt, looking up to him like a brother and best friend after Kurt had pulled off his greeting prank as everyone had dubbed it and was constantly trying to get the blue elf to play a game of basketball with him as he was the only one who seemed able to beat him without use of his powers. Unfortunately, some of the students felt that the school should be for mutants only and no normal folk should be allowed in.
"Most powers emerge around sixteen, give or take" Kurt said sensing the kid's sadness. "For all ve know, you'll be von of us vizhin a couple of years"
"Bet your Aunt will be happy" Bobby said feeling slightly sad that his relatives thought he was just a gifted youngster until Kurt slapped him upside the head.
"Ze only von who should be blue here is me" He said causing the others to laugh at his joke.
"So what's this I hear about you havin a girlfriend K-man" Evan asked changing the subject.
"Vas?" Kurt replied thinking he did not properly hear what was asked.
"You heard me" Evan said. "According to some of the other students, you've been seen hanging out with one of the new students. Katrina or something that reminds you of cats"
"Firstly, her name is Kitty" Kurt said when he realised what was being talked about. "Und secondly, is it not okay to be friends viz frauliens?"
"You've been more friendly with her than you were with your ex-friend Tabitha" Scott put in.
Kurt winced slightly. Tabitha, a nineteen year old English girl with the power to make small bombs the size of table tennis balls earning her the name Boom-Boom, had arrived at the mansion the day after Kurt did and was not at all fazed by Kurt's appearance. Despite getting off to a good start, Tabitha's idea of fun and games was not Kurt's cup of tea to put it lightly so the two of them went their separate ways.
"Considering Tabitha vas more of a vild child, I'm amazed our friendship lasted ze whole of four days" Kurt admitted.
"You saying you're gonna last longer with this Kit girl?" Evan teased digging Kurt lightly in the ribs. "And perhaps, be something more?"
"Mien dear friend Evan" Kurt said as he grinned evilly at him. "Are you asking for punishment from ze heavens?"
Evan took several steps away from the blue elf. Having been on the receiving end of several of Kurt's pranks the last time he was at the mansion, Evan had no intention of giving him the excuse for another one.
"Sorry man, but I just remembered that I'd promised Auntie 'O I'd help her in the greenhouse. Catch ya's later" He said before quickly turning round and walking off at a quick pace.
Kurt and the others waited until he was out of sight before bursting out laughing.
*/#\*
Kurt groaned audibly as he regained consciousness. Rising into a sitting position, he raked a hand through his indigo-black locks as he tried to remember what had happened before he was knocked out. Instantly, it all came back. He had teleported back to the lower levels to see if he could find Kitty only to see her with a doppelganger of himself.
"Mystique" He muttered under his breath before getting off the floor.
Hearing a soft moan, Kurt looked towards the entrance of Cerebro to see Kitty slowly waking up herself. Lifting her head off the floor to look around, Kitty gave a weak grin when she saw Kurt just getting up himself.
"Guess it's a little late to warn you that there's an intruder about, huh?" She asked as she so that she was sitting with her back to the wall.
"Just a little" Kurt answered holding his finger and thumb half a centimetre apart.
Kitty laughed slightly before going into depression for failing her task. Kurt would rarely ask someone, including her, to do something for him. So naturally, she was happy to oblige when he asked her to cut classes and keep an eye on Rogue after what had happened last night in case she tried to run off. She followed her orders to the letter until she saw Bobby talk to Rogue and force her to leave.
Having known Bobby for a while, Kitty became suspicious and made the decision to follow him instead in case he was going to do any more damage. She knew she should have at least mentally told Jean or the Professor what was happening but thought that she should wait until she had some concrete evidence about the person she thought was Bobby. That and she was still angry with Jean over what she did to Kurt yesterday when they were looking for Rogue after she teleported away.
"The good thing about mistakes" Kurt said as he kneeled down beside her and placed a hand on her head. "Is that you know how not to repeat them next time around"
Kitty smiled appreciatively as she shoved Kurt's hand off her head and stood up before hugging the elf in thanks when he stood up himself.
"What would I do without you?" She asked.
"I do not think I vant to answer that von" Kurt joked before gently pulling himself free from the girl's grasp before she decided to retaliate. "Let's get upstairs und see vhat's happened vhilst ve vere sleeping"
The pair made their way to the lift that lead to the ground floor of the mansion only to come out to hear Ororo talking to Logan about something. Staying in the shadows, the pair listened in on the conversation.
"Logan, you can't do this alone" Ororo argued as she followed the man down the stairs.
"Who'll help me? You?" Logan shot back as he continued towards the main doors. "So far, you've done a bang-up job"
"Then help us. Fight with us"
Logan stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the weather manipulator.
"Fight with you? Join the team? Become an X-man? Who the hell do you think you are? You're a mutant" Logan said as he tried to reign in his temper. "There's a whole world out there who hate you and you're wasting your time trying to protect them? I got better things to do"
With that he walked off again before stopping and turning round to add to his previous speech. "You know, Magneto's right. There's a war coming. "Are you sure you're on the right side?"
"At least I've chosen a side" Ororo answered as she stood up to him barely leaving a metre between the two of them causing Logan to take a step back.
"Vhilst I vould like to scold Logan for taking a step in the wrong direction" Kurt said making himself known to the arguing pair. "Vould somevon mind filling us in on vhat's happened since ve last met?"
At that moment the main doors opened to allow an exhausted and profusely sweating Senator Kelly collapse onto the floor.
*/#\*
"The machine emits radiation that triggers mutation in ordinary human beings" Xavier explained to the team, Kitty and Logan after looking into the Senator's mind who at this moment was currently down in the med-bay being looked after by Ororo.
"But the mutation is unnatural" Jean added. "Kelly's body is rejecting it. His cells are already breaking down"
"Vhich means he does not have much time left in this vorld" Kurt said quietly. Despite non-mutants fearing and hating him, Kurt was like the Professor and saw them only as people not ready to move on to a new beginning.
"What effects does it have on mutants?" Scott asked curiously.
"There appears to be none" Xavier answered. "But I fear it will harm any normal person exposed to it"
"So what does Magneto want with Rogue?" Logan asked who was currently leaning against the wall with a satchel slung over one shoulder.
Xavier sighed heavily before explaining. "Yesterday, Kurt theorised that Magneto is going to use Rogue for something that would kill her in the process. After seeing him power the machine and the toll it took on him for just emitting the radiation to just fifty feet, I fear Kurt's theory may be correct"
Kurt cursed and stood up so abruptly at that moment that Kitty, who had been sitting on the arm of the chair he was in, gave a startled yelp before falling off landing painfully on the floor.
"Und Mystique probably sabotaged Cerebro somehow after knocking me und Kitty out to prevent us from finding her until it's too late" He said as he paced about both furiously at himself for being right and worriedly for Rogue.
Before Logan could ask about whom this Mystique person was, Storm burst through the doors to Xavier's study.
"Senator Kelly's dead!" She gasped having run all the way from the med-bay.
"The Summit!" Kitty exclaimed causing everyone to look at her making her fidget. "There's a Summit meeting on Ellis Island tonight"
"But how's Magneto going to broadcast the radiation wave over them without revealing it?" Scott argued.
"By hiding it in the Statue of Liberty" Xavier whispered, more to himself than the others, remembering the size of it looked similar to the torch Lady Liberty held. "The new flame for a new world, trust Eric to make something symbolic into a deadly weapon of mass panic"
The rest of the people in the room waited patiently for Xavier's orders.
"Cyclops, you and the team suit up and head for Liberty Island as soon as possible. Nightcrawler, get Logan a uniform"
"Wait a minute; he's not coming with us, is he?" Scott interjected.
"Yes" Xavier answered curtly.
Scott obviously disagreed with the Professor's orders. "He'll endanger the mission and-"
"I wasn't the one who gave the station a new sunroof, pal" Logan interrupted growling slightly.
"No, you were the one who stabbed Rogue in the chest and stated all this" Scott retorted.
"Dammit Scott!" Kurt exclaimed angrily as he teleported right in front of the man and grabbed him by the shirt. "The longer ve vait, the less time Rogue has. Now either shut up und suit up or stay here und I'll lead the team!"
To say that Scott was surprised was putting it lightly, he was actually scared of Kurt at the moment and it was all due to the demonic look that adorned his face not his words. Logan looked at Ororo to quietly ask if Kurt could lead the team properly only for the woman to confirm his unasked question.
"Okay, okay I'll let it slide" Scott replied apparently saying the right thing as Kurt seemed to calm down and let go of his shirt.
"I'll go get Logan his uniform then prep the jet for launch" Kurt said before grabbing Logan and teleporting to the locker rooms for the X-men before anyone else could say anything.
"Um, Professor?" Kitty asked nervously as the rest of the team left the room leaving only herself and Xavier. "Should I just-"
"Kitty, you shall accompany me to the Cerebro chamber and help me discover what Mystique has done to it" Xavier replied to the girl. "I highly doubt you will be able to sleep until they return with Rogue, so you'll just have to be kept busy until then"
Kitty smiled broadly. "Yes sir"
*/#\*
Logan grumbled quietly as he stepped out of the locker room in his new uniform. The all black X-suit clung to him making it hard to move at times.
"You actually go out in these things" He asked as he unsheathed his claws to allow them the chance to unsheathe properly in later fights.
"What would you prefer?" Scott asked as he walked out after him in his own uniform. "Yellow spandex?"
"You do realise, you've given me and Jean something pleasant to dream saying that, don't you?" Ororo asked as she and Jean walked beside them towards the hanger to the X-jet.
Logan chuckled; apparently the elf had an effect on more than just the students. Glancing at Ororo he noticed that she looked a bit upset about something.
"You okay?" He asked her quietly as he walked closer to her.
Ororo looked at him and tried to answer his question but did not know how to proceed.
"First time you've seen someone die, right?" Logan asked and was rewarded with a nod from the weather witch. "I may not be as good as the elf when it comes to consoling people, but I can tell you that it'll get easier every time it happens"
Ororo smiled appreciatively. "Thanks"
Logan smiled back. He was actually starting to think that staying here might be a good idea.
*\#~#/*
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