Chapter 2: Easy Does It

            "Um… maybe we'd better switch racquets." Kitty suggested.  "That one looks like a spoon in your hands."

            Peter conceded the smaller, old-fashioned racquet he had brought.  "Whatever you think is best, Katia.  I know nothing about tennis."

            She replaced the wooden racquet with her purple one, all but batting her eyes at her teammate known as Colossus.  He glanced at the color of the racquet suspiciously, but didn't complain.

            "That's a little better." Kitty decided.  "And these newer titanium racquets are easier to handle, right Ororo?"

            Before Storm could answer, Hank launched into an exhaustive report of titanium's properties and how all this somehow applied to tennis.  "Ah!  Titanium graphite!  A solid, yet lightweight compound metal consisting of…"

            Shadowcat started tuning out the lecture right away.  Beast had arrived with Colossus and hadn't really stopped talking about the science of tennis since.  "Well anyway, I think it's easier to hit the ball with a wider tennis head."

            Peter nodded ponderously, obviously unsure about this whole tennis business.

            "Oh, don't look so worried, Peter!" Kitty found herself raising her voice to be heard over the brainy speech Beast was making to nobody in particular.  "Ororo's gonna give you lessons just like she gave me!  I had tons of fun, and I know you will too!"

            "Tons of fun." Storm repeated blandly.  "Indeed Kitten, I seem to recall you having quite an amusing time thinking of all the things you'd rather be doing."

            Kitty clenched her teeth, reddening noticeably.

            "What should I do first?" Colossus interjected, hoping to end Kitty's embarrassment.

            "Well, I think he should practice his forehand first!" Kitty recovered from her blush quickly, rubbing her chin as if in strained thought.  "That's the most straightforward way to get a feel for the racquet, don't you think?"

            "So you were paying some attention to me after all." Storm motioned for Beast to join her side of the court for the lessons.  "But I believe it is myself and Beast that are instructing here.  As you pointed out earlier, you are still learning."

            Shadowcat looked prepared to launch into an argument, but seemed to think better of it.  "Fine!  Then we can both learn together, Peter!"

            Storm and Beast exchanged weary glances, then began to instruct in the proper way to swing a racquet forehand.  Kitty returned a few successful volleys to demonstrate.

            "That doesn't look too hard." Peter said, somewhat hopefully.

            "Focus on meeting the ball with a perfectly straight racquet face to begin with." Beast reminded him before lobbing a slow ball to Colossus' side of the court.

            Kitty smiled 'prydefully' (Hee hee) at first, impressed that Peter had already caught on.  He was so clever!

            Colossus swung the racquet like an axe, meeting the ball just as Beast had instructed… straight on!  If the ball exploded on impact, nobody could tell, because it sailed off into the horizon unceremoniously before anybody could get a proper look at it.

            "Er… good try!" Ororo fanned her eyes in a vain attempt to see the ball touch down.  "But in tennis, you must get the ball to land within these lines or it is out… really out…"

            "That is so out." Beast concluded, clearly awed by Colossus' display of strength.  "I am not retrieving that one."

            Peter hung his head.  "Maybe this is not my game."

            "No!" Shadowcat interjected.  "That was actually pretty cool!  Just ease up a little."

            "Another," Ororo announced, tapping another ball over the net.

            This time, Kitty cringed, waiting for the inevitable.  Peter was so clever… but kinda scary sometimes!

            Peter's clenched fists, and narrowed eyes would have looked at home on the face of someone preparing to smash the next ball into outer space, even though his effort was directed at hitting lightly.  The effort paid off regardless.  The ball did not hurl into the horizon like a kite with a mission.  It hurled into the fence surrounding the court, embedding itself between a few slats.

            "Better!" Kitty said quickly, sweeping hair that had blown across her eyes with the force of the swing.  "You're improving!"

            Storm approached the fence, calling encouragement to her new student.  She tried to pry the ball out of the slats but it wouldn't budge.

            "Allow me," Beast insisted, trying his huge hand at removing the wedged ball.  His efforts shook the whole fence, but the ball stayed put.

            Storm joined Beast in staring at the lodged ball in disbelief.  It was stuck so perfectly in the middle, the slats created a gulf all around the circumference of the ball.  It was a wonder it hadn't popped under such pressure.

            Ororo leaned in closer to inspect this unlikely occurrence, reaching to feel the ball with two fingers.  She suddenly leapt backwards several feet in shock, nearly falling over.