Charles smoothed his new suit and stepped into the shiny black car that was waiting for him. He was still getting used to the feel of standing on two legs again. It hadn't happened in so long that he barely remembered how it felt. He couldn't believe the body he was in. He was young again, more handsome than he had ever felt, but he still was himself. He had been given a chance at life again, and couldn't have been happier.
"Where to?" the driver said with a friendly air. He spun around in his seat to look at Charles, much more personal than the chauffeurs that he was used to. He smiled a bit, feeling awkward.
"I need you to take me here," Charles said in his thick accent, the dark vowels ringing in the small car. He held out a small sheet of paper. The driver took it, and nodded before turning around in his seat and maneuvering the car away from the entrance.
"I had an aunt stay there once," the driver said easily, glancing in the rear-view mirror. Xavier smiled, no response coming to him. "You got family there?"
Charles chucked. "In a way, I guess you could call him family." He shook his head at himself. "The closest I've had in a long time."
"Ah, a close friend then, I guess," the driver said, not really expecting an answer. They drove in silence for a few minutes before the car stopped in front of the hospital.
"Thank you sir. Can you wait for me?" Charles asked, kindly. The driver grimaced slightly, but agreed. Charles thanked him gratefully and strutted toward the main doors.
His step was smooth, graceful and long, complimenting his body. He had black hair on the long side that shone in the florescent lighting, and his deep brown eyes were large and dreamy. He had small sideburns, and looked to be in his twenties. Nearly every female in the reception area swooned.
"Could I please be directed to the room of Erik Lehnsherr?" he said to the woman at the front desk. She was chewing gum loudly, and looked him up and down before flipping through a log book.
"Numba three-oh-two," she said, chomping away. "Righ' down the left hallway an' on the righ' side." He nodded his thanks and made his way down the hallway.
He reached Erik's room moments later. He peeked in through the small window before making his entrance. Erik was sitting hunched over on his bed, and motioning to the radiator which was rattling with each flick of his fingers. Charles sucked in his breath. Magneto still lived. He shook out his shoulder and gripped the cold handle, sliding it gently downward and entering the room. Erik quickly stopped the flicking motion and straightened his back. He looked at Xavier's new body from head to toe.
"I don't know you and I'm not interested," Erik said cooly, before turning his back on Xavier. Charles chuckled.
"Oh, but I think you do." Erik's brow furrowed. That voice didn't match. There was something wrong, something apart. Charles saw Erik's brain hard at work. He laughed again.
"This is taking much longer than I would expect of you, Erik," Charles shot out, letting his voice hang in the air.
"It's funny..." Erik said slowly. "Your voice reminds me of..."
"Your still as much a fool as ever, Erik," said the man with Xavier's voice and mannerisms.
"Charles. Always egging me on. You're alive," he said, matter-of-factly.
"And your still magnetic," Charles said, raising his eyebrow.
"Get along, fool. You have a school to run," Erik said, meanly. Charles took no notice.
"I do have business matters to attend to. Don't be a fool, Erik. Don't take matters into your own hands. You always fail. I just had to come see you first, make sure you weren't... causing any trouble." Charles looked Erik up and down, noting his bent back, thinning hair and sagging mouth.
"Hmm." Erik shrugged off the last remark and flicked his fingers at the door. "I'm busy. I'll be seeing you very soon, Charles." The metal door slid quietly open. Charles shook his head and smiled.
"Hang in there, Erik. You're looking rather old." Erik sneered at him as Charles walked himself out the door and out of the hospital.
"I hope I don't have to kill you in the process, Charles," Erik said to himself as he closed the door with another flick of his fingers. It would be a long and difficult process this time, killing the humans, but Erik had been supplied with newspapers and knew the latest news. Inventors, as always, were coming up with new invention after new invention. If Erik ever got enough of his powers back, human life would be destroyed. It was only a matter of time.