The entire group was busy sitting around the rec room, inside the Xavier mansion where he trained and schooled the young men and women he could find, born with the unfortunate circumstances of a mutation within their own DNA. Unable to control the fact of their human alteration, they become scapegoats and the unwanted to human society for merely being who they are, without having any choice in the matter. It was only the point of their own birth which declared these people mutants and forced them to a life of suffering from their own human brothers, that look down upon them because of merely one small defect in the own body's chemistry.
All the members living within Professor Xavier's institute had gathered around the television for a night of fun and relaxation, watching a rented movie to try and keep their minds for once off of being whom they are... mutants, completely outcasted by society. However the movie was perhaps the last thing that they were paying attention to as opposed to each other. It all started with a simple scuffle over popcorn between Rogge and Scott that happened to turn into an all out war. When Scott happened to finally rip the popcorn free from Rogue's grip, it didn't take long for Jean to take from his palms, lifting the bowl high into the air through her telekinesis powers. As the bowl lowered to her hands Kitty appeared from the couch behind her and phased through it to snatch the bowl from Jean's hands. "Ha ha! Looks like I'm the winner this time," Kitty laughed triumphantly, displaying the bowl to signify her victory.
"Not so fast zere Kitty," Kurt shouted, "zese game is not over!" Kitty began to turn and run quickly, however in a poof of purple smoke she knew that the German had instantly caught up to him. Thinking the smarter she instantly turned to run the opposite direction only to bump into... Kurt!
"Hey! That's not fair!" Kitty complained as she fell to the ground, "how did you do that!"
"Simple my dear Keety," Kurt spoke with a little sneer as he tossed a piece of popcorn into his mouth, "double teleportation. Just do it velly quick."
Kitty just shook her fist and pouted on the ground, "Just you wait Kurt Wagner, I'll get you for this!" The rest of the group laughed as Kurt just popped another kernel into his mouth with a grin, then tossed another single kernel to Kitty still on the ground. "Always have to be the prankster don't you?" Kitty pouted again, looking at the kernel on the ground as an insult.
Kurt just took a bow and smiled again, "I thank thee for the kind wordz madam, but I'd prefer the term master if you will." This brought out another laugh from the group as Kurt tossed another piece of popcorn into his mouth and returned to glaze at the movie.
They were just like humans, just simply humans, with one small defect that forced them into a life of hardships, to each their own. Even the king prankster, to a life left clinging to a holographic imager, guiesed as a watch, to cover over his blue and furry demonic feature. Even now he wore the watch to hide his traditional appearance even during his own time with the people who knew his secret. They were normal humans with the exception of the simple defect that they were born with.
*****
Days come and days go and so it does with the mutants at the school. Another of the odd mutants at the school was that of Rogue. Her cursed birth, that of not being able to touch anyone, without stealing their thoughts or abilities while leaving the poor victims to lie uncontinous while their energy levels were transferred to Rogue. This was an unfortunate case where she had come into contact by accident with one of the other mutants that inhabited the school. Freddy, or the Blob as he was otherwise known as, had been bugging her and shoved her, thinking himself all large and in control. The rest of the details were blurring to her, but she remembered retaliating, and then next thing she has such strength and power that she never knew before.
Rogue came barging into the mansion with a rage with herself for allowing contact with another, although it was really all she wanted. But she had to control herself, not let her anger get the better of her, even though it was getting her now. She let out a bloodcurdling scream with hate towards her own stupidity and on her way past a nearby tree that stood in the mansion's gates, she punched it with all her might, sending the tree into convulsions quivering from the force of the blow. The last thing Rogue expected to come from that was Kurt screaming "Look out!" as he was falling from the top of the tree that Rogue had just damaged. Rogue jumped out of the way although Kurt, disoriented from the fall, not expecting to be falling think this at all, only had enough time to shout out a warning before he landed on his back from the fall.
"Ouch...." he moaned as he rubbed his back on the ground. The fall had come so quick that he hadn't even had the opportunity to think about teleprompting let alone be able to go through with it. "Thanks Rogue... wasn't expecting that one."
"Oh my... Kurt... I'm sorry. I didn't see you up there... I didn't think...." she looked up at the tree going straight up with no branches until the very top where Kurt had fallen from. "Hey... just why were you up there any ways?"
"Umm... just planning my next heist?" Kurt smiled innocently. Even as much of a lie as it sounded, with Kurt it could just as well be real. He was so good at his slyness and not allowing anyone to know when his next prank was to fall, he could lie through his teeth, or pretend he was so bad at it. Acting would be most definitely in his future if he weren't born with the horror of his mutation.
"Umm... Kurt... you're starting to go on the fritz I think." Rogue looked at him, fuzzing in and out like an old worn down television set trying to pick up long range stations. Kurt looked down at his wrist, watching not only his arm buzz in and out of colors between a peachy fleshiness and furry blueness, but at the watch on his wrist, which sparks flew out of and finally gave a last sigh before completely breaking down. Kurt cursed aloud in German finally seeing his blue form appear solidly and stay with the destruction of the holographic imager. "Kurt, I'm sorry... I didn't mean too..." Rogue tried to get out but she wasn't fast enough.
Kurt gave out a long and loud sigh, "I hope the professor has another one, I can't be seen like this!" With that he disappeared into a cloud of purple smoke, which a dull wind began to carry away into the sky.
Rogue herself gave a sigh, angry with herself at only causing others trouble. It's what she was good at, and she hated herself for it. She slammed her fist into the tree again, shaking it as violently as before, still with the Blob's forces behind her. One of the front windows on the second story opened and Kitty's young face peered out from it, looking down at Rogue in the front yard. "Is everything alright? I heard someone upset out here, but I only see you."
Rogue gave a casual flip of her hair, trying to surpress her anger and not allow it to control her again. "I just let things get out of hand stupidly. I busted up Kurt's holography-thingie by accident too... I didn't even see him there. He got upset himself and busted out of here somewhere. Probably back into the mansion somewhere."
"That's not usually like Kurt to do that," Kitty replied, "don't let it bother you though, things will be alright." Rogue just shook her head and walked in through the front doors. Kitty... what a complete ditz. Always so optimistic, always so quick to show why the glass is half full and the sky is partly sunny. She didn't know what the world was really like, how to go through such a harsh life. She was perhaps the most human of all the people at the Xavier complex, the most able to fit into society, the most able to keep her unwanted mutation a secret. But Kitty was right. That really wasn't like Kurt. Kurt was almost always like her, so perky, so optimistic, always with the lovable sly grin on his face and a joke to brighten up the day. This was perhaps the first time she'd seen him storm off like that since she had come to the institute. Maybe Kitty was right, maybe he just had a bad day and everything will be forgotten come later when everything has blown over.
Rogue continued her trek through the mansion, eventually hearing a noise from a near by room, she decided to wait by the doorway and eavesdrop on the situation. A favorite hobby of her's. She had found where Kurt went off to, hearing his voice, however still in that same upset tone, only this time debating with Xavier.
"I'm sorry Kurt, but we don't have any more of the holographs at this moment. I'll make you one as soon as possible, but that won't be at least till sometime tomorrow."
"I can't vait zat long professor..."
"And why so urgent? What's the rush?"
"I can't be see like zis! I just can't!" Kurt sighed in disgust at his situation. "And vhat about school? I can't go looking like zis?"
"Then you'll just have to stay home tomorrow. I know you aren't happy with this, but there is nothing I can do." Xavier tried to continue with his protests but they fell upon deaf ears. Kurt stormed out of the room in anger, disappearing into another purple cloud of smoke. The professor gave a similar sigh to that of Rogue's from out in the front lawn. This wasn't like Kurt at all, it honestly wasn't. He had never shown this side of him before, he had never even hinted that this side of him was there all together. Perhaps it was just something at school troubling him, he would get over it. Come tomorrow he'd be fine thinking up a new prank during the day, if not even come dinner time tonight.
However come dinner time, Kurt failed to show as he was the lone absentee for the only meal that was completely shared by the entire group. "Should I go up and try to speak with him?" Scott questioned, looking to the empty chair beside him.
"No," Xavier shook his head, "I think it's best that we leave him be and just allow him time to regroup himself. If you want, you can bring some food up to him once we are done. Might as well start ourselves before the food gets cold."
Dinner continued uneventfully and as promised, Scott brought up a plate of reheated food up the stairs to Kurt's room. Knocking on the door before entering. Scott heard a quiet "Enter," before he opened the door. The room was almost entirely pitch black for the exception of a single dull light over in the corner of a desk to which Kurt was huddled over, writing speedily in a notebook.
"I brought some food for you if you wish it," Scott continued placing the plate next to where Kurt was writing on the desk. Scott couldn't help but glance over at what words were going into the notebook of his friend's. "What are you writing?" he asked inquisitively.
"Homework," was Kurt's quick and uneasy response.
"In German?" Scott was only answered by a harsh glance from the bright yellow eyes that turned to gaze at him, almost penetrating his ruby lenses and entering his soul. "Geez... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, you know that's the last thing I would do. We're all just worried a bit for you. If you ever need to, just come to any of us and we'll help you out as best as possible." Scott gave one last look to his friend who had returned to his writings before he closed the door shut.
*****
It was around noontime the follow morning that found Xavier sitting at the long dinning room table with a cup of tea, although occupied only by his dear friend Ororo, one of the adult watchers and fellow mutant of the Xavier Institute. "Did Kurt have anything to say?" Xavier inquired about Ororo's earlier meeting with the blue mutant whom had failed to exit his room since yesterday.
"No, I'm afraid not. He pretty much just answered in half-hearted one word answers, not really paying attention. More like just parroting our conversation. Spent all of his time gazing out the window at the day on the other side. I found that dinner plate from last night, still in perfect condition, untouched."
"Hmmm..." Xavier pondered, "still again unlike him. He is usually one of the first to clear his plate without even blinking. Still however, his holographic imager should be ready within a few hours, perhaps that will spark some life into him."
"But why does this mean so much to him?" Ororo just couldn't put the two together.
"I don't understand it quite myself my friend, but you must remember that we are not these that we look after. We are dealing with the minds of teenagers going through the toughest times in their lives, with the oddity of mutation. Besides, these are times and things for they themselves to figure out. I'm sure that the others have been doing all they can, perhaps it's best that we let them do this all on their own without our intervention."
"Perhaps you are right Charles, but I still just don't feel very right about this."
*****
Scott was the first to arrive back to the mansion from school and was immediately spoken to by Xavier about their situation with Kurt. He had refused to come from his room, not taken any food or drink in the process. Xavier armed Scott however with the new holographic imager that was recently finished. Scott traveled up the stairs and knocked on Kurt's door, much like the same scene from the night before. A very light "Enter," was spoken from inside the room, telling Scott it was alright to come into the room. Kurt was in a chair he'd pulled up to the window, still gazing out it and the bright sunlight that came bustling through it unto the blue mutant's features.
"Professor told me that you've had a bit of a rough day." He was only answered by Kurt's silence, still gazing out the window. "Here, he wanted me to give you this, said he just finished it, all nice and ready." Kurt finally looked up, seeing Scott's hand extended with the holographic imager in it. Kurt took it reluctantly and placed it around his wrist slowly.
"Danke." With a push of a button, the machine turned on, and in a flash the blue furry demon that sat infront of Scott had turned into your normal and average teenage boy. Pale-peachy skin, floppy black hair, just like he was before. Kurt however turned back to the window and continued to gaze out at his, a light glare of his own reflection still in the glass.
Scott still felt uneasy about seeing his friend and comrade feeling so down on something, and could just stand around not doing anything. "Hey, whenever the others come back, we're probably going out for some food, care to join us?" Kurt just shook his head slightly, still looking out the window. From the window, Kitty, Jean, and Evan could be seen coming down the sidewalk towards the manor, returning home from their own activities after school. "Come on Kurt, you haven't eaten anything in at least a day. It'll be fun and get you out of your room for once. Now that you've got your disguise you'll be fine, come on."
Although it was still against his will, Kurt found himself in the back of Scott's car along side Evan and Kitty with Scott at the wheel traveling through the city streets. Evan had his other compatriots laughing in riots from a scene in school earlier in the day. Kurt just sighed heavily again as he looked out the window, although this time it was from the car and not his room, just a haze and glare. His mind had stayed just the complete blank it had been throughout the day. He hazed out listening to Evan's stories of the day, Kurt not wanting to listen to them since he wasn't there today to experience them first hand.
"Yoo-hoo, earth to the Fuzzy Elf," Kitty waved a hand infront of his eyes that finally caught Kurt's attention and snapped him out of his trance. "For the fourth time, wakie wakie.... jeez, it's almost like someone put blinds over your brain or something."
"Uh? Oh.... sorry," Kurt mumbled as he finally realized that they were parked out infront of Katrina's Diner, the local greasy spoon spot, but food so good that you could die for it. Mostly a local teen hang out, it was a good wholesome place where everyone sort of knew the workers by first name bases, and the cook could tell everyone in town dating back to a decade or so. The group of four X-Men got out of Scott's car and into the diner where they sat themselves, looking over the menu. Kurt sat in the seat of the both closed to the wall and placed his head down on the table top with a sigh.
"Everything alright man?" Evan asked, looking at the blue figure (no pun intended) sitting next to him.
"Yeah..." Kurt mumbled again, taking in a deep breath and straightening himself out. He couldn't be seen like this, Kurt Wagner, the king of all pranksters, the one always so upminded and enjoying life. He had so much here than he did back in German, he should be so happy. He should greet everyone with a giant smile, how great it was to actually have people look at him and they not run off in fear and terror screaming demon. Then why did he feel so horribly about himself? But now was not the time to be sulking over himself. He put a slight grin on his face, "I'll be alright, just been... bored today. That's all. Only so many times you can listen to the same CD's before you get bored with them."
"Well I stopped by your teachers today and picked up some work for you to keep on track with everything. Didn't know how long you would be out so I didn't know what to pick up, but I guess you'll be back in tomorrow," Evan continued while ordering to the waitress.
"Thanks," Kurt laughed, "not like I am going to do very good at any of it any ways, especially now since I don't know how to do any of it!" The other three laughed, Scott especially to see that Kurt appeared to be back in a good mood. It was just a slight phase that Kurt was going through, that's all. We've all gone through those bad days where you just want to lock yourself away from the world and let it pass in time. The Kurt they all knew was back, evident in his smile and his plotting mind for jokes and pranks all with the real intention to make his friends laugh. When you're a mutant and outcasts like the X-Men are, smiles and laughs are rare to come by, however not with Kurt in the group. Things will return back to normal.
The rest of the meal went on in the same formation, laughs being pasted between the friends as quickly as the stories were being exchanged. Jokes about Kitty's choice of vegetables over meat ("don't you think that potatoes scream when you pull them out of the ground?"), over Kurt's always listening to the Beatles ("Hate to tell you Kurt, but don't expect any tour coming in this area soon by them"), and many other things. When the meal was finished, the sky turned even darker shades of gray than before and when the heavens opened, the group had to run to the car in a hustle to avoid getting as wet as possible. By the time they had finally reached the mansion, the rain was coming down at a blistering pace, leaving visibility to a minimum, forcing the car to drive home at a crawling pace. Eventually they got home being greeted by the rest of the troupe that awaited them at the institute.
"Rain's really coming down hard out there," Evan mentioned, walking in soaking wet from having to run into the house."
"Really? I couldn't tell," Kitty said with a smirk, having been able to allow all the water droplets to phase through her, keeping her perfectly dry.
"Ja," Kurt replied, "vhy not just rub it in a little more Keety," he squeezing his clothes free of all the excess water that it picked up outdoors. The three of them continued up the stairs to their respective rooms to attempt to dry themselves off, with the exception of Kitty of course who followed the boys, laughing at their soaked selves. That is until Evan and Kurt both turned to her and shook like wet dogs, tossing the water from themselves onto Kitty. "EWW!!!" She screamed running into her room, trailed by laughs of the other two.
Professor Xavier wheeled himself from one of the near by doorways to where Scott remained infront of the stairs, watching the trio disappear in water and laughter. "Scott," Xavier spoke, bringing the teen's attention to his mentor, "how did the meal go with Kurt?"
"It went well, he's back to himself."
"I could tell that from the noise I've just recently hurt." As if on cue, Kitty's voice could be heard making various threatening attempts, followed by a mixed laughter of the two boys.
Suddenly the front door opened again revealing a very wet and soggy Rogue, just coming home from staying late after school. The metal riffs of a blazing guitar in her ears, although her hair so wet and frizzled from the rain that he fell infront of her face, covering her eyes, probably for the better to hide the rage she had of the weather. "Just don't even talk to me, and don't even say what I know you're thinking," she warned as she walked by a laughing Scott and Xavier.
***** ***** *****
All the members living within Professor Xavier's institute had gathered around the television for a night of fun and relaxation, watching a rented movie to try and keep their minds for once off of being whom they are... mutants, completely outcasted by society. However the movie was perhaps the last thing that they were paying attention to as opposed to each other. It all started with a simple scuffle over popcorn between Rogge and Scott that happened to turn into an all out war. When Scott happened to finally rip the popcorn free from Rogue's grip, it didn't take long for Jean to take from his palms, lifting the bowl high into the air through her telekinesis powers. As the bowl lowered to her hands Kitty appeared from the couch behind her and phased through it to snatch the bowl from Jean's hands. "Ha ha! Looks like I'm the winner this time," Kitty laughed triumphantly, displaying the bowl to signify her victory.
"Not so fast zere Kitty," Kurt shouted, "zese game is not over!" Kitty began to turn and run quickly, however in a poof of purple smoke she knew that the German had instantly caught up to him. Thinking the smarter she instantly turned to run the opposite direction only to bump into... Kurt!
"Hey! That's not fair!" Kitty complained as she fell to the ground, "how did you do that!"
"Simple my dear Keety," Kurt spoke with a little sneer as he tossed a piece of popcorn into his mouth, "double teleportation. Just do it velly quick."
Kitty just shook her fist and pouted on the ground, "Just you wait Kurt Wagner, I'll get you for this!" The rest of the group laughed as Kurt just popped another kernel into his mouth with a grin, then tossed another single kernel to Kitty still on the ground. "Always have to be the prankster don't you?" Kitty pouted again, looking at the kernel on the ground as an insult.
Kurt just took a bow and smiled again, "I thank thee for the kind wordz madam, but I'd prefer the term master if you will." This brought out another laugh from the group as Kurt tossed another piece of popcorn into his mouth and returned to glaze at the movie.
They were just like humans, just simply humans, with one small defect that forced them into a life of hardships, to each their own. Even the king prankster, to a life left clinging to a holographic imager, guiesed as a watch, to cover over his blue and furry demonic feature. Even now he wore the watch to hide his traditional appearance even during his own time with the people who knew his secret. They were normal humans with the exception of the simple defect that they were born with.
*****
Days come and days go and so it does with the mutants at the school. Another of the odd mutants at the school was that of Rogue. Her cursed birth, that of not being able to touch anyone, without stealing their thoughts or abilities while leaving the poor victims to lie uncontinous while their energy levels were transferred to Rogue. This was an unfortunate case where she had come into contact by accident with one of the other mutants that inhabited the school. Freddy, or the Blob as he was otherwise known as, had been bugging her and shoved her, thinking himself all large and in control. The rest of the details were blurring to her, but she remembered retaliating, and then next thing she has such strength and power that she never knew before.
Rogue came barging into the mansion with a rage with herself for allowing contact with another, although it was really all she wanted. But she had to control herself, not let her anger get the better of her, even though it was getting her now. She let out a bloodcurdling scream with hate towards her own stupidity and on her way past a nearby tree that stood in the mansion's gates, she punched it with all her might, sending the tree into convulsions quivering from the force of the blow. The last thing Rogue expected to come from that was Kurt screaming "Look out!" as he was falling from the top of the tree that Rogue had just damaged. Rogue jumped out of the way although Kurt, disoriented from the fall, not expecting to be falling think this at all, only had enough time to shout out a warning before he landed on his back from the fall.
"Ouch...." he moaned as he rubbed his back on the ground. The fall had come so quick that he hadn't even had the opportunity to think about teleprompting let alone be able to go through with it. "Thanks Rogue... wasn't expecting that one."
"Oh my... Kurt... I'm sorry. I didn't see you up there... I didn't think...." she looked up at the tree going straight up with no branches until the very top where Kurt had fallen from. "Hey... just why were you up there any ways?"
"Umm... just planning my next heist?" Kurt smiled innocently. Even as much of a lie as it sounded, with Kurt it could just as well be real. He was so good at his slyness and not allowing anyone to know when his next prank was to fall, he could lie through his teeth, or pretend he was so bad at it. Acting would be most definitely in his future if he weren't born with the horror of his mutation.
"Umm... Kurt... you're starting to go on the fritz I think." Rogue looked at him, fuzzing in and out like an old worn down television set trying to pick up long range stations. Kurt looked down at his wrist, watching not only his arm buzz in and out of colors between a peachy fleshiness and furry blueness, but at the watch on his wrist, which sparks flew out of and finally gave a last sigh before completely breaking down. Kurt cursed aloud in German finally seeing his blue form appear solidly and stay with the destruction of the holographic imager. "Kurt, I'm sorry... I didn't mean too..." Rogue tried to get out but she wasn't fast enough.
Kurt gave out a long and loud sigh, "I hope the professor has another one, I can't be seen like this!" With that he disappeared into a cloud of purple smoke, which a dull wind began to carry away into the sky.
Rogue herself gave a sigh, angry with herself at only causing others trouble. It's what she was good at, and she hated herself for it. She slammed her fist into the tree again, shaking it as violently as before, still with the Blob's forces behind her. One of the front windows on the second story opened and Kitty's young face peered out from it, looking down at Rogue in the front yard. "Is everything alright? I heard someone upset out here, but I only see you."
Rogue gave a casual flip of her hair, trying to surpress her anger and not allow it to control her again. "I just let things get out of hand stupidly. I busted up Kurt's holography-thingie by accident too... I didn't even see him there. He got upset himself and busted out of here somewhere. Probably back into the mansion somewhere."
"That's not usually like Kurt to do that," Kitty replied, "don't let it bother you though, things will be alright." Rogue just shook her head and walked in through the front doors. Kitty... what a complete ditz. Always so optimistic, always so quick to show why the glass is half full and the sky is partly sunny. She didn't know what the world was really like, how to go through such a harsh life. She was perhaps the most human of all the people at the Xavier complex, the most able to fit into society, the most able to keep her unwanted mutation a secret. But Kitty was right. That really wasn't like Kurt. Kurt was almost always like her, so perky, so optimistic, always with the lovable sly grin on his face and a joke to brighten up the day. This was perhaps the first time she'd seen him storm off like that since she had come to the institute. Maybe Kitty was right, maybe he just had a bad day and everything will be forgotten come later when everything has blown over.
Rogue continued her trek through the mansion, eventually hearing a noise from a near by room, she decided to wait by the doorway and eavesdrop on the situation. A favorite hobby of her's. She had found where Kurt went off to, hearing his voice, however still in that same upset tone, only this time debating with Xavier.
"I'm sorry Kurt, but we don't have any more of the holographs at this moment. I'll make you one as soon as possible, but that won't be at least till sometime tomorrow."
"I can't vait zat long professor..."
"And why so urgent? What's the rush?"
"I can't be see like zis! I just can't!" Kurt sighed in disgust at his situation. "And vhat about school? I can't go looking like zis?"
"Then you'll just have to stay home tomorrow. I know you aren't happy with this, but there is nothing I can do." Xavier tried to continue with his protests but they fell upon deaf ears. Kurt stormed out of the room in anger, disappearing into another purple cloud of smoke. The professor gave a similar sigh to that of Rogue's from out in the front lawn. This wasn't like Kurt at all, it honestly wasn't. He had never shown this side of him before, he had never even hinted that this side of him was there all together. Perhaps it was just something at school troubling him, he would get over it. Come tomorrow he'd be fine thinking up a new prank during the day, if not even come dinner time tonight.
However come dinner time, Kurt failed to show as he was the lone absentee for the only meal that was completely shared by the entire group. "Should I go up and try to speak with him?" Scott questioned, looking to the empty chair beside him.
"No," Xavier shook his head, "I think it's best that we leave him be and just allow him time to regroup himself. If you want, you can bring some food up to him once we are done. Might as well start ourselves before the food gets cold."
Dinner continued uneventfully and as promised, Scott brought up a plate of reheated food up the stairs to Kurt's room. Knocking on the door before entering. Scott heard a quiet "Enter," before he opened the door. The room was almost entirely pitch black for the exception of a single dull light over in the corner of a desk to which Kurt was huddled over, writing speedily in a notebook.
"I brought some food for you if you wish it," Scott continued placing the plate next to where Kurt was writing on the desk. Scott couldn't help but glance over at what words were going into the notebook of his friend's. "What are you writing?" he asked inquisitively.
"Homework," was Kurt's quick and uneasy response.
"In German?" Scott was only answered by a harsh glance from the bright yellow eyes that turned to gaze at him, almost penetrating his ruby lenses and entering his soul. "Geez... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, you know that's the last thing I would do. We're all just worried a bit for you. If you ever need to, just come to any of us and we'll help you out as best as possible." Scott gave one last look to his friend who had returned to his writings before he closed the door shut.
*****
It was around noontime the follow morning that found Xavier sitting at the long dinning room table with a cup of tea, although occupied only by his dear friend Ororo, one of the adult watchers and fellow mutant of the Xavier Institute. "Did Kurt have anything to say?" Xavier inquired about Ororo's earlier meeting with the blue mutant whom had failed to exit his room since yesterday.
"No, I'm afraid not. He pretty much just answered in half-hearted one word answers, not really paying attention. More like just parroting our conversation. Spent all of his time gazing out the window at the day on the other side. I found that dinner plate from last night, still in perfect condition, untouched."
"Hmmm..." Xavier pondered, "still again unlike him. He is usually one of the first to clear his plate without even blinking. Still however, his holographic imager should be ready within a few hours, perhaps that will spark some life into him."
"But why does this mean so much to him?" Ororo just couldn't put the two together.
"I don't understand it quite myself my friend, but you must remember that we are not these that we look after. We are dealing with the minds of teenagers going through the toughest times in their lives, with the oddity of mutation. Besides, these are times and things for they themselves to figure out. I'm sure that the others have been doing all they can, perhaps it's best that we let them do this all on their own without our intervention."
"Perhaps you are right Charles, but I still just don't feel very right about this."
*****
Scott was the first to arrive back to the mansion from school and was immediately spoken to by Xavier about their situation with Kurt. He had refused to come from his room, not taken any food or drink in the process. Xavier armed Scott however with the new holographic imager that was recently finished. Scott traveled up the stairs and knocked on Kurt's door, much like the same scene from the night before. A very light "Enter," was spoken from inside the room, telling Scott it was alright to come into the room. Kurt was in a chair he'd pulled up to the window, still gazing out it and the bright sunlight that came bustling through it unto the blue mutant's features.
"Professor told me that you've had a bit of a rough day." He was only answered by Kurt's silence, still gazing out the window. "Here, he wanted me to give you this, said he just finished it, all nice and ready." Kurt finally looked up, seeing Scott's hand extended with the holographic imager in it. Kurt took it reluctantly and placed it around his wrist slowly.
"Danke." With a push of a button, the machine turned on, and in a flash the blue furry demon that sat infront of Scott had turned into your normal and average teenage boy. Pale-peachy skin, floppy black hair, just like he was before. Kurt however turned back to the window and continued to gaze out at his, a light glare of his own reflection still in the glass.
Scott still felt uneasy about seeing his friend and comrade feeling so down on something, and could just stand around not doing anything. "Hey, whenever the others come back, we're probably going out for some food, care to join us?" Kurt just shook his head slightly, still looking out the window. From the window, Kitty, Jean, and Evan could be seen coming down the sidewalk towards the manor, returning home from their own activities after school. "Come on Kurt, you haven't eaten anything in at least a day. It'll be fun and get you out of your room for once. Now that you've got your disguise you'll be fine, come on."
Although it was still against his will, Kurt found himself in the back of Scott's car along side Evan and Kitty with Scott at the wheel traveling through the city streets. Evan had his other compatriots laughing in riots from a scene in school earlier in the day. Kurt just sighed heavily again as he looked out the window, although this time it was from the car and not his room, just a haze and glare. His mind had stayed just the complete blank it had been throughout the day. He hazed out listening to Evan's stories of the day, Kurt not wanting to listen to them since he wasn't there today to experience them first hand.
"Yoo-hoo, earth to the Fuzzy Elf," Kitty waved a hand infront of his eyes that finally caught Kurt's attention and snapped him out of his trance. "For the fourth time, wakie wakie.... jeez, it's almost like someone put blinds over your brain or something."
"Uh? Oh.... sorry," Kurt mumbled as he finally realized that they were parked out infront of Katrina's Diner, the local greasy spoon spot, but food so good that you could die for it. Mostly a local teen hang out, it was a good wholesome place where everyone sort of knew the workers by first name bases, and the cook could tell everyone in town dating back to a decade or so. The group of four X-Men got out of Scott's car and into the diner where they sat themselves, looking over the menu. Kurt sat in the seat of the both closed to the wall and placed his head down on the table top with a sigh.
"Everything alright man?" Evan asked, looking at the blue figure (no pun intended) sitting next to him.
"Yeah..." Kurt mumbled again, taking in a deep breath and straightening himself out. He couldn't be seen like this, Kurt Wagner, the king of all pranksters, the one always so upminded and enjoying life. He had so much here than he did back in German, he should be so happy. He should greet everyone with a giant smile, how great it was to actually have people look at him and they not run off in fear and terror screaming demon. Then why did he feel so horribly about himself? But now was not the time to be sulking over himself. He put a slight grin on his face, "I'll be alright, just been... bored today. That's all. Only so many times you can listen to the same CD's before you get bored with them."
"Well I stopped by your teachers today and picked up some work for you to keep on track with everything. Didn't know how long you would be out so I didn't know what to pick up, but I guess you'll be back in tomorrow," Evan continued while ordering to the waitress.
"Thanks," Kurt laughed, "not like I am going to do very good at any of it any ways, especially now since I don't know how to do any of it!" The other three laughed, Scott especially to see that Kurt appeared to be back in a good mood. It was just a slight phase that Kurt was going through, that's all. We've all gone through those bad days where you just want to lock yourself away from the world and let it pass in time. The Kurt they all knew was back, evident in his smile and his plotting mind for jokes and pranks all with the real intention to make his friends laugh. When you're a mutant and outcasts like the X-Men are, smiles and laughs are rare to come by, however not with Kurt in the group. Things will return back to normal.
The rest of the meal went on in the same formation, laughs being pasted between the friends as quickly as the stories were being exchanged. Jokes about Kitty's choice of vegetables over meat ("don't you think that potatoes scream when you pull them out of the ground?"), over Kurt's always listening to the Beatles ("Hate to tell you Kurt, but don't expect any tour coming in this area soon by them"), and many other things. When the meal was finished, the sky turned even darker shades of gray than before and when the heavens opened, the group had to run to the car in a hustle to avoid getting as wet as possible. By the time they had finally reached the mansion, the rain was coming down at a blistering pace, leaving visibility to a minimum, forcing the car to drive home at a crawling pace. Eventually they got home being greeted by the rest of the troupe that awaited them at the institute.
"Rain's really coming down hard out there," Evan mentioned, walking in soaking wet from having to run into the house."
"Really? I couldn't tell," Kitty said with a smirk, having been able to allow all the water droplets to phase through her, keeping her perfectly dry.
"Ja," Kurt replied, "vhy not just rub it in a little more Keety," he squeezing his clothes free of all the excess water that it picked up outdoors. The three of them continued up the stairs to their respective rooms to attempt to dry themselves off, with the exception of Kitty of course who followed the boys, laughing at their soaked selves. That is until Evan and Kurt both turned to her and shook like wet dogs, tossing the water from themselves onto Kitty. "EWW!!!" She screamed running into her room, trailed by laughs of the other two.
Professor Xavier wheeled himself from one of the near by doorways to where Scott remained infront of the stairs, watching the trio disappear in water and laughter. "Scott," Xavier spoke, bringing the teen's attention to his mentor, "how did the meal go with Kurt?"
"It went well, he's back to himself."
"I could tell that from the noise I've just recently hurt." As if on cue, Kitty's voice could be heard making various threatening attempts, followed by a mixed laughter of the two boys.
Suddenly the front door opened again revealing a very wet and soggy Rogue, just coming home from staying late after school. The metal riffs of a blazing guitar in her ears, although her hair so wet and frizzled from the rain that he fell infront of her face, covering her eyes, probably for the better to hide the rage she had of the weather. "Just don't even talk to me, and don't even say what I know you're thinking," she warned as she walked by a laughing Scott and Xavier.
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