CH 8

Kurt had been showing Dylan around the institution for a little over a half an hour now. They had seen nearly every room in the house. Ever room except the danger room. Dylan was getting a little nervous about it. I mean, it obviously has something special, or dangerous about it, or else they wouldn't call it the danger room.

"Vell, you von't REALLY be going to the actual danger room today." Dylan let out a sigh of relief. "Ve're going to the control room. This way I can point out every one from a birds eye view! Ha!

"What's the control room?" Dylan asked getting nervous again.

"You'll just have to vait and zee!" Kurt said. They went through a metal door that opened on its own, only to wind up in a room made nearly entirely of glass. Dylan realized the glass served a purpose when he looked down about twenty feet to see a whole city under him. He gasped and took a step back, nearly tripping over Professor Xavier who had silently wheeled behind him.

"Amazing isn't it?" Professor X said to Dylan.

"Wh.. what is it?" Dylan stuttered.

"A hologram. Its all a mind trick really. It's a training course for our youngsters here. They must use their abilities to avoid obstacles that could pop up in real life." Xavier smiled at his own achievement.

"Whoa." That was all Dylan could say.

"Amazing iznt it?" Kurt said smiling. "So, vant to 'meet' the gang?" They walked over to a large computer with Xavier, as he put in a password and put on a weird hat thingy. Suddenly a large picture of Scott Summers popped up.

"You know him already I believe." Xavier said. "But this is Scott Summers, our group appointed leader of the others. His name is Cyclops on the battle field." A new picture popped up of a girl with long red hair. "This is Jean Gray. She used to use the name Marvel Girl, but that got out-dated (note to readers. this was truly her name in the first comic books.. I have them don't argue ;) ) so now she just goes by Jean in battle.

After about an hour they had gone through every one from Shadow Cat to Spike. Then they came across her. Dylan looked up at the screen board when a new picture came up. A girl with short dark hair except for two white streaks. She had a dark mysterious look to her, but some how Dylan saw something more. Even from the picture he knew there was something that separated her from every one but similar between them.

"Last but not leazt." Kurt started to say

"Is an angel." Dylan muttered without meaning to. "Umm, I meant. Oh hell."

Kurt let out a chuckle. "You had better not let the Prof.' hear you say that. Its two weeks power probation." Dylan looked around the room and noticed the professor had gone. "Zo any how. This is Rouge. Shes kind of a loner. For obvious reasons. She can't touch any one. The first person she touched after discovering her power she sent into a coma. That's why she wears the gloves."

"Wow, I don't know why. But I knew we had something in common." Dylan said.

"And vhat is zat mine frund?" Kurt said smiling childishly again.

"Well, last time I touched someone I blew up their face." Dylan said with a laugh. "That's also why my bed caught fire this morning when you popped into my, well ceiling fan unexpectedly."

"Well Dylan I don't think that will be a problem any more." Professor X said wheeling himself into the room, carrying two boxes. He handed them to Dylan with a smile. "Kurt you might have to open them for him. We know how you can get."

Kurt opened a box and held up what was inside. They were a pair of black gloves.

"Yeow! There cold!" Kurt screamed and jumped.

Dylan picked up the gloves Kurt had dropped. They felt good on his skin. His hands no longer burned.

"Wow, thank you professor." Dylan said with gratitude.

"Go ahead pick up the other box. You can feel now, you have the freedom to hold things with out them bursting into flames." Xavier said, again proud of his work.

Dylan opened the next box. Another pair of gloves like these were in it, except for one difference. The fingertips had been cut off. "I don't get it Prof.' why did you do this for me."

"It's a gift from all of my Xmen. In hopes that you may join us. What do you say, HEAT? Are you willing to become an Xman?"