Morning Waffles

Ororo walked down the stairs of the Xaviar Institute slowly, her long nightgown brushing against each step as she redid her hair in a pony tail at the base of her neck. She paid no heed to where she was going, knowing her feet would guide her true.

If anyone had seen her, they would think she was quite the sight. A girl with a beautiful chocolate brown tan and snow white hair walking around in the dark wearing a silverish purple night gown.

Her chocolate skin came from her time spent in Aferica. Almost nine full years she spent there in her childhood, only to come to the Xaviar Institute. Now she went back to her small village every summer and winter hollidays. She had returned from her summer visit just a week prior, and with only a week left until school started, she was already bored out of her mind.

She suddenly stepped on something altogether painful on her foot. It was spiky, with a cubic shape, and worst of all had wheels. The little contraption sent her arms flailing out as she fell to the ground with a groan. She sat there rubbing her now aching back for a few moments, before a low rumble of a laugh informed her of someone elses presence.

"Who's there?" she snapped, not in the best of moods. It was too early in the morning for this... the Professor really needed to get the younger kids to clean up after themselves!

"It's me," 'me' stepped out of the shadows of a door frame, reaching a hand out to help her. At first glance he was a tall and willowy boy, his baggy clothes and wire glasses making him look almost nerdy, but after spending years training with the boy Ororo knew that he had enough muscle to take on anyone from the football teams, and thats even if his 'alter ego' didn't take over. "You gonna let me help you up, or are you going to lay there admiring me all day?"

Ororo rolled her eyes but took his hand. Several times she found herself staring off at her companians... it was the only way to really get to know them.

"Sorry Hank," she yawned a little. "How 'bout I make it up to you with some breakfast?"

"Sure," he smiled at her. "That would be terrific... expecially since I would probably poison myself if I tried."

"Your not that bad," Ororo giggled.

"No," Hank agreed. "But I'm pretty close. Can I have waffles?"

"You?" Ororo laughed as she headed to the kitchen. Hank fell instep beside her. "Don't you have some competition or another tomorrow?" Hank smiled. Besides being able to beat the football players, he also played football and several team sports, not to mention was one of the smartest kids in any and all of the sciences the school had to offer.

"No," Hank shook his head. "All the summer programs ended... you haven't told me how Africa was yet." They entered the kitchen, Hank pulling a stood up to the bar-like island as Ororo pulled out what was needed to make waffles from the fridge.

"Fine, fine..." Ororo said absently. "My family taught me a bunch of stuff... all the kids are split between whorshipping the ground I walk on and fearing me to death... Sefu still hates me... the Elders are still trying to deside between casting me out forever and getting me to protect them all..."

"Same ol' same ol'?" Hank raised an eyebrow amusidly. Ororo nodded with a small shrug. For the first few years talking about her homeland and everything that had happened was a pain to her... she couldn't speak a word of it to anyone, but eventually she opened up. She could even joke about it now and then, as long as the joke was respectful of course. "Well... we have a little news."

"Oh really?" Ororo asked, her intrest perked. "Has the Professor decided to get rid of the youngsters?" The 'youngsters' being the five other children at the institute, all of whom were too young for Ororo and Hank to hang around with too much, even if they looked up to them like idols.

"No," Hank laughed. "And being the oldest isn't that bad."

"Says you," Ororo snarled. "You were here before I was, not to mention that you'll be able to leave in, what, two years?"

"One," she could almost see Hank's smile. "While you have to wait another three... but no, thats still not the news."

"Spill it already," Ororo threatened. She turned to look at him, raising a hand over the batter she was mixing. "Or this mix will either become fried or water logged; your choice."

"I surrender!" Hank said pathetically, raising his hands above his head. Ororo laughed, making a small rain cloud by accident. She waved it away quickly before any damage could be done, grinning at Hank sheepishly.

"So I need a little more practice... doesn't mean I won't ruin your waffles!"

"I'm sure you would," Hank nodded. "Ah... but here's the news... the Professor says theres going to be a new recruit coming, this afternoon infact. You might like him."

"Let me guess," Ororo sighed as she slowly finished with the batter. "A baby? A two year old? Someone else that I have to look after and-"

"It wasn't your fault Kristi got pnemonia last year," Hank said sternly. She could feel him glare into her back. "You know the professor wouldn't of liked you playing with the weather all the time, it disturbs the balance of things."

"But I could of-"

"But nothing," Hank's voice was much closer, causing her to jump. She turned around to see Hank glaring at her, his brown eyes flashing yellow. "He didn't want to risk you loosing control... now finish my waffles please?" Ororo nodded. She waiting until Hank vaulted himself back over the small counter into his stool before she turned around.

Neither spoke until well after Ororo had waffles for both of them made. She didn't stop, just put out their plates and then continued to make more. She would put them in the fridge for the youngsters to heat up when they were hungry.

"So..." Hank said as she filled up the third plate of waffles. His knife, plate and fork sat in the sink patiently. "Do we want to talk about the new recruit, or how much your cooking hasn't improved?"

"Are you implying that my cooking isn't good?"

"No," Hank chuckled nervously. "It's just hard to improve on perfection."

"Hmm... if I didn't know better," Ororo said absently. She finally gave up on making waffles and started to put the supplies away. Hank took over, pushing her towards her food. "I would say that you had a crush on me."

"If I didn't know better," Hank winked teasingly. "I would agree."

"Good thing we know better," Ororo winked back as she took Hank's evacuated chair. He took some strawberries out of the fridge and the sugar from the counter, putting them infront of her. "Thank you Hank, you know me so well."

"I've had to wake up at the crack of dawn to be up in time for a hot breakfast many, many times," Hank countered as he started on the dishes. "After three or four years the little things start to jump out at you, like if someone likes unhealthy amounts of sugar on their waffles."

"Be careful young man," Ororo hissed venomously. "Or else you might wake up one night with wet sheets..."

"That can be taken so many ways 'Ro'," Hank barely even blinked. "But you've spent a good hour or so on breakfast... finish up yours and then get back to bed before the professor desides that it's time to test the danger room."

"Danger Room?"

"Remember the idea you thought up about a high tech training facility?"

"Um... yeah...?"

"He got that techno genius kid who doesn't live at the institute -- you know, Forge? -- to help him with all the technical stuff... and then you thrown in danger, and that just about sums up... a quarter of it."

"Right..." she woolfed down the rest of her food and grabbed a few strawberries as she stood up. "Nife tyo 'ave brekfest-"

"Swallow Ororo," Hank said in a fatherly tone he reserved for the kids. Ororo glared at him but complied.

"Nice to have breakfast with you," she repeated correctly. "And I was going to suggest candles next time, but consider that date cancelled," she pouted in mock hurt as she stuck her nose in the air and left. Hank's laughter followed her, and she barely made it to where she had tripped before she started laughing as well.

Walking up the stairs slowly, she couldn't help but want nothing to change right now. She had her best friend Hank, the Institute, and her visits to her family every now and then. The only thing that could ever be better would be to take away her 'powers' entirely, but that wasn't about to happen.

Remembering the news about the new recruit, she sighed.

Things were about to change... and not how she had imagined.