THE WRAITH CHRONICLES

A Talk With The Crawler

Soon the only people left at the institute were Mr McCoy, Rogue, the Professor, Nightcrawler and Wraith herself. Wolverine was off who knows where doing who knows what and would be back in his own good time. Scott was visiting his brother and would be back in a week, whereas everyone else was coming back in two.

" So why arn't you with your adopted parents having a holiday yourself?" Wraith asked Nightcrawler, as she sharpened her drawing pencils.

They were in one of the nearest common rooms. It had an open fire place and light rose coloured wallpaper. There were three huge leather sofas, two against opposite walls and one in front of the fire. In the middle of winter it was a very comforting place to lounge about, doing nothing in particular. Wraith was hunched over her pad of refill, which would have looked slightly odd to anyone not used to strange occurances because it appeared to be resting on nothing about a foot above the ground.

"How do you do that?" he replied, answering question with query. Nightcrawler aka Kurt was lying on the couch by the fire with his head resting on his hands, on the armrest. His tail was lazily flicking back and forth and he was looking over Wraith's shoulder at her sketches.

Wraith realized that she hadn't yet actually told him what she could do. "Of all the stupid things to forget about telling him." she thought chiding herself.

"Vell fraulein are you going to yeild your secret power or not?" he asked again waking her from her thoughts.

"Yes, sorry I was just thinking."

"You seem to do that a lot. It would make my head hurt." he said laughing.

"Hey!" she exclaimed going to give him a shove but falling onto the couch when he dissappeared.

BAMF..' and he appeared in front of the fire.

"Nice try ,but are you going to answer my question or not?" Kurt asked putting his hands on his hips.

" Mmm...hmm...," she said going back to her drawngs and rubbing out with her eraser violently. "Although it's kinda hard to explain.You know how water has three states and how ice is solid water. Well, I can manipulate air molecules and solidify it for limited periods of time. This means I can do all sorts of things."

Wraith got up to demonstate and walked up on shimmery, translucent steps until she could touch the ceiling. Looking down she decided it would be a better idea to float to the ground. She wasn't exactly scared of heights but she was still slightly new to her powers and walking on what looked like nothing, from a great height is disconcerting to anyone.

"I can't really fly," she said as she floated to light on the couch by the wall, " but by constantly changing the molecules I can make a mobile cushion."

"Interesting......." Kurt replied. He sat down on the couch by the fire again to think and Wraith went back to her random doodles. The room was silent for a while and Wraith stopped drawing to stretch and yawn. Kurt teleported to the kitchen and back returning with some tasty looking sandwitches.

"Scrummy and full of fatty goodness, great for a supper snack." he said with a smile as he offered her one.

"Mmmm....hith isth good!" she mumbled with her mouth full, "what'th in it?"

" Oh, just my secret recipe. Bacon, french fries and gerkin with some other special ingrediants." Kurt said grinning.

There was silence for a while more, interupted only by the quiet munching of the sandwitches. Wraith's head felt fuzzy and she knew she should probably be going to bed soon. Her eyelids felt heavy but she wanted to ask Kurt something before she dozed off. Working up her courage, she began slowly.

" Kurt, I was thinking....... what are we going to do for the rest of the holidays. I mean, there's next to no one around and I still don't know what there is to do outside the mansion. I was wondering if we could go to town and you could show me around? And could we ask Rogue to come too?"

Except because she still wasn't sure if it would be okay and wanted badly to get to know both Kurt and Rogue better so she would have at least one definate friend to talk with ,the last bit came out more like this:

"Iwaswonderingifwecouldgototownandyoucouldshowmearound?AndcouldweaskRoguetocometoo?"

"Wooe, hey slow down, repeat that last bit again" Kurt said then shoved the last bit of his third sandwitch in his mouth.

"I've heard there's a mall in Bayville and I was wondering if you and Rogue would come with me into town."

"Sure, I spose it would be good to get out of the mansion for a bit. I'll ask Rogue in the morning. Is that all 'cause I'm going to yawn go to bed."

"Yeah, that's it....big yawn , hey! Now you've got me doin it!"

Wraith packed up her things and watched Kurt dissappear with a good night, leaving behind his usual faint sulfurous smoke. She thought nervously ,on the way to her room, that she still didn't really know anyone that well. What if when they got to know her they didn't like what they found. She still felt so alone. In bed she hugged her bear tight and whispered a prayer to keep her safe and others safe from her. She rolled over, drawing the sheets up to her neck and listened to the sounds of the night. It was a long time before she finally closed her eyes in weary sleep.