*Disclaimer: Almika and Reuben belong to me! Ask if ya wanna use 'em. Any other's belong to Marvel... great characters too....
Chapter 13 - A night on the town
Kurt and Almika, having left the school grounds approximately an hour ago, arrived at the city centre, lights buzzing, people everywhere. It was safer to be in the crowds then to come out when no one was around. Most of the bars and clubs were open and raging by the time they arrived in town, but still a lot of people were on the streets, talking and meeting up with their friends.
Almika looked to Kurt and asked, "Anywhere in particular ya wanna go?"
"Not really, let's jus' pick a bar an' go in... maybe vee vill find a nice place along zee vay?" Kurt shrugged, smiling to her.
It had been a long time since Almika had gone out for drinks with her friends, but it brought back memories of fun times and waking up the next morning with huge hangovers.
They walked across the road to what looked like a small bar. There were a lot of people inside, almost too many, but they entered it anyway, taking seats at a small table to the left of the bar.
"First round is on me, vhat vould you like to drink mein fruend?" Kurt asked, standing from his seat.
"Vodka Sunrise thanks Kurt." Almika smiled to him, her hands fumbling in her lap nervously.
Kurt just nodded slowly, walking to the bar. Almika looked around, there seemed to only be humans here, but then, who could tell whom mutants were these days, everyone seemed the same. A few thoughts floated her way, mostly things like, *Damn she's good looking... * and *I wonder who her friend is?*. Almika ignored the thoughts, trying to have a good time out of the prying eyes, where she could blend in with the 'normal' people. Her eyes drifted to Kurt, who lent on the bar, waiting for the drinks he had ordered. He wore normal clothes, a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt under a denim-coloured shirt. His hair was still indigo and his eyes still yellow, but no one seemed to notice them. Almika smiled softly to him as he brought the drinks over, sitting opposite her as he sipped his drink.
"Ya know, tonight was a good night to come out... I think if I'd stayed there much longer I would have gone mad." Almika smiled.
"I know vhat you mean, the school can start to make your blood boil after avhile. I'm just 'appy zat someone else likes to go out at night too, uzervise I vould be 'ere alon' and zat's not very exciting at zee best of times." Kurt agreed.
Almika looked to her drink, the red and pinks mixed with yellows, making it look very tempting. A small black straw sat in her drink, leaning to one side of the glass. Almika played mindlessly with the straw, occasionally taking a sip from it as she and Kurt spoke about their pasts.
"And zat is 'ow I got to be 'ere." Kurt smiled.
"Mystique is your mother? But you can't be much older than me, and I mean, if she's been pretending to be Oriola since I was about 5, then she's been a very busy lady." Almika said.
"I'm tventy-one, you?" Kurt asked.
"Nineteen, I turn twenty next week, although I don't think anyone knows that, except maybe Charles." Almika sighed.
"So zere is not much of an age difference betveen uz... " Kurt smiled, "Vee seem to 'ave a bit in common too... zat iz strange, I 'ave never met another person vith a similar background, although, you did not know 'bout yours until zee uver day."
Almika sculled what was left of the drink before her and stood, "Wanna keep moving?" she asked Kurt.
"Sure, I don't see vhy not. Zere is zo much to drink an' zo little time." Kurt smiled rebelliously.
Almika squeezed through the crowds, one of her hands being pulled backwards by the people around her. Suddenly someone grabbed her hand, but she thought maybe it was Kurt, just trying not to lose her in the mob. When she got out of the bar and onto the lined street, she looked behind her and smiled, it was Kurt, but there was someone behind him, someone familiar, someone she knew too well.
"Kurt, let's go, now." Almika said to him, worried that the person saw her.
"Vhat's wrong? Did you see somesing?" Kurt asked her.
"I think I saw someone I know... if they see me, we're gona have to run." Almika said, moving away quickly.
"Did zay see you?" Kurt asked, following her hurriedly.
"I don't know. I hope not, we'll know soon enough though." Almika said, looking up to him.
At the end of the block were traffic lights, and they had to wait for the lights to change before crossing the road. Almika's eyes started to dart around, as if she knew something was wrong.
"Kurt, we have to find somewhere crowded, now... " Almika urged, taking his hand as she wasn't watching him.
Kurt took her to another small yet crowded bar, it was a little bigger than the last, yet this time, there weren't as many people, it was still very crowded though. Sitting her down near the bar, Kurt looked to her worried and asked, "Vhat 'as you all scared mein fruend? Iz zere somevon zat iz following uz?"
"A... A friend of mine that came to the school with me, I think I saw him, he was supposed to have gone back home a few weeks ago, and as far as I know, he was staying there." Almika said.
"Vhat is zo bad viz zat? Another perzon for our group?" Kurt asked, a little confused.
"He knew about the lie that your mother told me while she was pretending to be my sister. ALL about it. I don't want him to see me, incase he's working with her." Almika said, digging some notes out of her bag, "Here, my round, get yourself whatever you want, I'll have a double scotch on the rocks... actually, make it two."
"Are you sure? Two of zem?" Kurt looked to her.
"Nah, better keep it at one..." Almika sighed.
Kurt looked tenderly to her, and headed to the bar. This place wasn't much different from the last, and hopefully they hadn't been followed, if they had, Almika was in big trouble. She'd calmed down about 3 drinks later, and was back to her normal self, although the thoughts still hung in her head.
"Vhat now?" Kurt asked.
"We stay here? I like it here; there are less people now, so there's moving room." Almika suggested.
"Alright, but a few more drinks an' I'll 'ave to go for a vonder in zee park... jus' to valk ov some of zis alcohol." Kurt smiled, it was obvious there were other things on his mind, although for some reason Almika trusted him. It wasn't the drink that trusted him either, Almika truly trusted him, only the second person in her life she ever had, and he had to be an elfish mutant.
Almika nodded, smiling happily as she finished her drink.
"Almika, do you still sink about Logan?" Kurt asked suddenly, throwing her off guard.
Almika just nodded, unsure of what to say.
"'ow much?" he added, his expression becoming one of curiosity.
"Depends on how I feel. If I'm really depressed I think about him a lot, if I'm busy I don't get much of a chance to think about him..." Almika replied.
"Is zere anyvon else you 'ave thoze sorts of feelings for? Maybe even close to?" Kurt asked.
"That would be opening a bag of trouble Kurt, you don't want to do that." Almika said.
"Oh, and vhy vouldn't I vant to?" Kurt asked, his eyebrows slightly raised.
"Every man I have ever given my heart has either run away, died or been in league with the baddies." Almika sighed.
"And you're afraid iv you tell me zat I vould tell and zee next one might run too?" Kurt asked.
"No, I'm, oh, just forget it Kurt... you're a really great friend, I don't want anything to wreck that." Almika shook her head.
"C'mon, let uz go for a valk, it vill clear both our minds." Kurt said, standing and offering his arm to her, very gentlemanly.
Almika smiled, taking his arm as she stood and they walked out. The park was only a block away, so they walked slowly arm in arm along the footpath. The crowds started to thin out as they came to the park, which made it easier for them to talk.
"I always loved walking in parks, they're very quiet sorts of places." Almika smiled.
Kurt looked around as they sat on a bench to one side of the park, watching the night sky that peeked through the treetops.
"Zay are alvays very quiet places. Zat is vhy you like zem. It gives you time to sink, about all sorts of sings." Kurt added, a smile wide upon his face.
"Almika, or is it Al still? It has been a few weeks since I last saw you... who's the new man?" a male voice asked, coming out from behind the trees.
"Reuben..." Almika gasped, sending a message to Kurt's mind, *That is the person I was talking about.*
"Who is zis?" Kurt asked Almika.
"Reuben, this is Kurt, Kurt, Reuben." Almika introduced them sourly, "This is one of my friends from back home."
"Vhat do you mean, friend?" Kurt asked.
"He left the mansion without saying goodbye, and he's a vampire." Almika replied, *Be careful of him Kurt, he's not someone to be toyed with.*
"Ah, hello Reuben." Kurt smiled to him.
"Kurt... you seem somehow... familiar... " Reuben smiled a fangy grin.
"You 'ave met mein mother, Mystique, maybe zat is vhy?" Kurt suggested.
"Ah yes, that would be it. Such a lovely lady your mother, that is why I am here too. Mystique and Magneto have sent me to bring back Al, hopefully without a fight?" Reuben smiled, standing about 5 metres from them.
"Over my dead body Reuben... I'm not going with you... " Almika snarled.
"I'll second zat, Magneto can find somevon else to play viz Reuben, and you can say zat from me." Kurt added.
"I don't want to have to do this the hard way Al, just come with me... " Reuben said.
"Tell Magneto from me that he can go shove his plans up his arse, cause I ain't going with ya." Almika spat, as a ball of energy left her hand, hitting him straight in the chest and pushing him to the ground, *Kurt, run... * Almika said to his mind.
Instantly they were off, Almika running like crazy along side Kurt. It seemed like they ran for ages, headed towards the school, but when they reached it, something seemed very wrong.
"I don't like the look of this Kurt... "Almika whispered as they walked towards the gates to the school, which were still open.
"Me neither mein fruend. Somezing iz very wrong 'ere." Kurt replied in a whisper.
Atop the main building, Almika made out 2 figures, familiar ones, but she couldn't tell whom. Her mind sent out a search to find out, although she wasn't close enough to tell.
*Xavier wake up... * Almika called to him.
*What is wrong child?* came his reply.
*Kurt and I are coming to the school gates now... Reuben came up to us tonight, he tried to take me for Magneto... we ran from him... there are two people on the roof of the main building and I can't get a fix on them... do you know who they are?* Almika asked.
*Ah, one is Rogue, the other... I cannot tell, the signal is mixed... * Xavier replied.
Almika turned to Nightcrawler, whispering, "Rogue is on the roof with someone... I'm going to fly up and have a look."
Kurt nodded to her and took her hand in his, kissing it gently as he smiled to her, "Be careful Almika."
Almika blushed slightly as she started to fly, slowly and silently coming towards the main building. As she got closer, she gasped, seeing something she thought she'd never have to watch....
*Who is there with Rogue and what the hell is going on?!?!!?!?