Angel sat in silence; letting the sounds of running water, and the warmth
of a hundred candles, wash over her.
"Meditating?"
Angel opened her eyes, and smiled at Adam. "Sort of," she replied. "I'm not very good at it."
Adam sat down beside Angel and chuckled. "Me either. My brain won't be quiet."
"Too much information in there," Angel teased.
"Probably." Adam watched the water for a moment. "So, what have you been doing since we last met?"
"What, you want my whole life story?"
Adam nodded. "I'm curious."
Angel thought for a moment. "Okay."
"After you saved me, I was placed with the Emersons. They were a very nice family – until I accidentally used one of my powers. I phased out, and walked right through a wall. I was four years old. The Emersons gave me to Social Services, who placed me with the Andersons. That's where I met Michelle. I knew from the moment we met that the two of us were going to be the best of friends. I don't know when I realized Michelle was a mutant, or when she realized I was one. It was just something we knew.
Anyway, the Andersons seemed really nice – for the first couple of weeks. Then their true selves began to show."
Angel shuddered.
"The Andersons were total monsters. They beat Michelle and I so badly, we both ended up in the hospital. One day, when I was six, I just – snapped. I used my newfound Elemental Electrical powers to shock the Andersons. They weren't killed, but they were terrified of me, and sent me to Francis Weller. Once again, I accidentally used my powers, this time telekinetically catching a vase of flowers. Francis didn't give me away, though. She used me to earn money, by offering my powers for hire.
On my seventh birthday, Francis announced that she was sending me to Genomex. I might only have been a child, but I knew what Genomex would do. I discovered two new powers that day – Feral Feline, and Elemental Thermal. I never meant to kill her, but I had no control over my powers. By the time Genomex arrived, Francis was ashes.
I ran, lived on the streets, until I was seventeen. I spent those years alone, isolated, afraid of hurting anyone. Then Michelle came. She had run away from home, two years after I had left, and had also lived on the streets. We formed a pro-mutant group we called 'X-Factor'. Our mission was to destroy Genomex, and help other mutants to live normal lives. Soon after, we met Andrea and Nick. Like Michelle and I, they each had multiple powers. Andrea was a feral feline with molecular replication. Nick was a feral reptus with elemental sonic powers. We worked together, until I met you."
Angel smiled. "And you know the rest."
Adam sat in silence for a long time.
"Adam? Are you okay?" Angel asked, concerned.
Adam nodded slowly. "I was just thinking – being part of a group again must be hard for you."
Angel shrugged. "Mutant X is not a problem. I feel – like I belong here."
Adam smiled. "That was quite a story. You should write it down."
He pulled a small book out of his pocket.
"What is this?" Angel asked. "A diary?"
Adam nodded. "For you to record your thoughts and feelings in. You've been through quite a lot, and this might help you to keep track of it."
Angel grinned. "You're going parental on me, Adam."
Adam flushed slightly, then smiled. "Maybe I am. Is that bad?"
Angel's grin widened. "Nope. Can I call you Dad, then?"
"Not on your life."
"Meditating?"
Angel opened her eyes, and smiled at Adam. "Sort of," she replied. "I'm not very good at it."
Adam sat down beside Angel and chuckled. "Me either. My brain won't be quiet."
"Too much information in there," Angel teased.
"Probably." Adam watched the water for a moment. "So, what have you been doing since we last met?"
"What, you want my whole life story?"
Adam nodded. "I'm curious."
Angel thought for a moment. "Okay."
"After you saved me, I was placed with the Emersons. They were a very nice family – until I accidentally used one of my powers. I phased out, and walked right through a wall. I was four years old. The Emersons gave me to Social Services, who placed me with the Andersons. That's where I met Michelle. I knew from the moment we met that the two of us were going to be the best of friends. I don't know when I realized Michelle was a mutant, or when she realized I was one. It was just something we knew.
Anyway, the Andersons seemed really nice – for the first couple of weeks. Then their true selves began to show."
Angel shuddered.
"The Andersons were total monsters. They beat Michelle and I so badly, we both ended up in the hospital. One day, when I was six, I just – snapped. I used my newfound Elemental Electrical powers to shock the Andersons. They weren't killed, but they were terrified of me, and sent me to Francis Weller. Once again, I accidentally used my powers, this time telekinetically catching a vase of flowers. Francis didn't give me away, though. She used me to earn money, by offering my powers for hire.
On my seventh birthday, Francis announced that she was sending me to Genomex. I might only have been a child, but I knew what Genomex would do. I discovered two new powers that day – Feral Feline, and Elemental Thermal. I never meant to kill her, but I had no control over my powers. By the time Genomex arrived, Francis was ashes.
I ran, lived on the streets, until I was seventeen. I spent those years alone, isolated, afraid of hurting anyone. Then Michelle came. She had run away from home, two years after I had left, and had also lived on the streets. We formed a pro-mutant group we called 'X-Factor'. Our mission was to destroy Genomex, and help other mutants to live normal lives. Soon after, we met Andrea and Nick. Like Michelle and I, they each had multiple powers. Andrea was a feral feline with molecular replication. Nick was a feral reptus with elemental sonic powers. We worked together, until I met you."
Angel smiled. "And you know the rest."
Adam sat in silence for a long time.
"Adam? Are you okay?" Angel asked, concerned.
Adam nodded slowly. "I was just thinking – being part of a group again must be hard for you."
Angel shrugged. "Mutant X is not a problem. I feel – like I belong here."
Adam smiled. "That was quite a story. You should write it down."
He pulled a small book out of his pocket.
"What is this?" Angel asked. "A diary?"
Adam nodded. "For you to record your thoughts and feelings in. You've been through quite a lot, and this might help you to keep track of it."
Angel grinned. "You're going parental on me, Adam."
Adam flushed slightly, then smiled. "Maybe I am. Is that bad?"
Angel's grin widened. "Nope. Can I call you Dad, then?"
"Not on your life."
