(Eight)
In spite of Fallen's efforts to entertain him, Kimble was good for only a couple of days. Fallen couldn't help the inevitable neglect that followed, her mind was elsewhere. Trouble found Kimble early one morning, stone cold bored and lonely. Gambit was slightly overdue from his search and discover mission and wasn't around. Kimble didn't know why Remy had disappeared but no one else seemed especially worried about it for the moment so he just put up with it, anxious for his friend's return. The Siskan was drawing again in his new room, wistful and dreamy. He was making a graphic picture of a sexual encounter between himself and Gambit, only one sexual fantasy of many he had in mind. He looked at it and smiled, lightly aroused and content for the moment. He was a little more optimistic now about his chances, misinterpreting Remy's attention and loving concern as a promise of things to come. He could be patient with a goal in mind.
Oh, shure. That's gonna happen! Zander piped in. He had become Kimble's new constant companion in his loneliness.
"I kin hopes if I wants to," Kimble replied, no longer put off by Zander's chatter. At least someone was paying attention to him, even if was only a figment of his own imagination.
How 'bouts we turn that hope inta some kind of reality, huh? Let's just go!
"It ain't safe. Evrabody says it's too dangerous. Lotsa bad folks around."
That's just an excuse ta hold ya down. You kin fights!
"No, I cain't. I got my ass kicked by Logan."
That wuz before. Now ya gots me. Now ya gots Valentin's sword.
Kimble saw a shimmery image in front of him of Valentin's sword. Like Zander's voice, Kimble believed it wasn't real. It was just an image of an idea inside of him. The sword represented his telekinetic power. So far he had done little to explore the limits of it.
Let's do some of that explorin' these folks keep hintin' at. Let's go play!
Kimble scowled and brushed his fingers over the outline of Remy's face.
Ya gots better things ta do with yer time, kid. Just as well that pretty boy's gone fer a while. Time ta gits ta work an' you don't be needin' no distractions.
Kimble didn't argue but gathered his papers up and put them away. He had made a long wooden box he now kept under his bed. He had installed a lock on it for privacy, still upset over his room having been invaded. He never did find out who it was that had left him the rubber sex doll. The wooden box had all of his personal things, plus a few items he had acquired.
In his loneliness, Kimble had become a closet kleptomaniac, stealing small things that belonged to the people here. Kimble had been ordered to stay down in the lower levels, but he was one to push the boundaries of things. Late at night when the house was quiet, he would phase up through the floor and prowl the hallways, being careful not to be seen. It was helpful that telepaths couldn't sense him and Logan couldn't easily sniff him out. He found most of the things he had taken just laying around, he wasn't so bold as to invade another person's room besides Remy's. He felt Remy was close enough to him that he could get away with that, but wasn't about to go into the rooms of any of the others.
In the box, he still had Remy's shirt, but had since added one of Henry's medical smocks and some photographs of the alphas that were just hanging around. He had also stolen some of Wolverine's old and crinkled porno magazines - he had taken those from Logan's locker in the gym and they still smelled slightly of cigars and booze. He had one of Jean's bras he had taken from the laundry and a pair of Bobby's shorts. He would take these objects out late at night and pretend that these things represented real friends who wanted to be with him. Zander would tease him about it, but Kimble didn't care.
Kimble placed his drawings inside the box and locked it up. The drawings were his most prized possession. They represented his desire for Remy, but also his wish for some kind of happiness. He had a feeble belief that if he could please Gambit in this way, he would have true acceptance and belong here.
Along with the pictures he had made, Kimble had also begun a small journal. He wanted to try and capture the things Sheyman had said to him when he almost died back on the ship. He was afraid that if he waited too long he would forget not the words, but the emotion and the importance behind them. It also helped him to pass the time and vent some of his frustration and disappointment at how difficult things had become for him.
Kimble left his room and walked out of the ship. Fallen had just given him a Ristle charge so he should be good for awhile. Kimble snuck quietly out of the hanger and walked down the hall of the lower level. No one was around. He paced his steps carefully, moving steadily until he knew he was directly under the main hall of the house. He concentrated and jumped, phasing up through the ceiling and up to the hall. He was completely silent and he didn't think anyone saw him. He ran quickly and phased through the side of the house and out into the yard. He was getting quite good at this, sneaking out and about. He wasn't going to go far, he just wanted some private time away. He wanted to be outside where he could breathe. He flew with a strong burst of speed into the woods nearby. He was free.
Kimble ran and scampered through the trees, careful to avoid any white striped cats. He touched all the trees and bushes as he passed, experiencing them with his hands. His mood lifted quickly the further away from the house he went and he cursed himself for not having done this sooner. He saw some blackberries and ate a handful. They were tart and sweet at the same time, thrilling him. He loved it out here -the smells and the lack of walls, the springtime air was so sweet.
Kimble went deeper into the forest until he found the path that led to the obstacle course. It was large and complicated and had many wooden structures and ropes. He had noticed it when they had gone walking earlier and couldn't wait to try it out. Zander's constant pestering for him to explore was now too strong to be denied. He took the path and went up to the first obstacle, a tall climbing wall. He could jump it easily using his telekinesis, but that would eliminate the challenge.
He ran and leapt for the top. He fell short and landed on his ass with a thump. He laughed, easily amused at himself. He dusted off and tried again. His fingers reached the ledge, but he still fell in spite of some desperate scrambling. He got up and shook himself like a dog, loosening up. He stepped back and gave his goal a good hard look, trying to calculate the distance. He rubbed his hands, gave a good run and leapt for the top. He got a good grip this time, using his toe claws, and pulled himself up. He was thrilled and wanted to yell, but didn't want anyone to hear him.
He looked down at his feet and saw that the edge was about eight inches or so wide, it reminded him of a balance beam. Just out of curiosity, he turned sideways and looked again, measuring the distance. He stood straight, took a deep breath and did a perfect back spring. He was very flexible, like a gymnast, his inorganic body never stiffening with age. He did a back flip next and it was flawless, filling him with pride. It had been a long time, but he could still do his old tricks. He always loved tumbling and dancing. He did a couple more flips and used a somersault to vault off the ledge. He landed on his feet, but bobbled the landing and fell on his ass again. He laughed and wiped his chin. This was fun.
A light breeze had come up, tickling his arms. He closed his eyes, feeling it. He loved anything that touched his skin. Except Logan's fists of course. The thought of his old tormentor cooled him a little. He wished he could kick Logan's ass and put him in his place once and for all. Logan hadn't been around much, but Kimble still thought of him as his chief peer and rival. Kimble looked up and saw the trees ripple gently from the breeze. An idea flashed in his mind. Filled with inspiration, he looked around and saw he was still alone. He stood and relaxed, concentrating.
He concentrated and visualized a sword in front of him, hoping to make the idea become a real thing. He had made other things happen just by wishing for it, why not this? He felt a tingling in his hands, but couldn't quite make it happen. He decided to try something easier and attempted to create a shield instead. He was pleasantly surprised when he felt the pinching sensation in his head and the air changed in front of him. The particles had become dense and formed a clear, floating barrier in front of him. It wasn't perfectly round, just a ragged piece of hardened air hovering expectantly. It was tinged slightly blue and rippled liquidly as if it were alive.
He smiled, pleased with himself, but now didn't know quite what to do with it. Maybe if he broke it up, he could play with it. He concentrated and broke it into pieces, like blunted shards. They dangled in front of him like a string of pale icicles and he wondered if he could throw them like darts. He concentrated again and swept his arm out in front of him, using his telekinesis to send the shards out and away from him. They slid through the air away from him obediently and hit the trees. Even blunted, some of the lower branches snapped off from the force of them. He stepped back in shock. He had no idea his awkward new power could cause that kind of damage.
Hoo haw, boy! Zander shouted inside Kimble's head. Now what do ya know about that!
(break)
Logan stood a short distance off, watching. It had been nice and quiet while Kimble had been hiding out, but he knew it wouldn't last. He was pissed at Gambit for being gone so long - not too much because he knew the thief was probably working – but was even more upset with Fallen for not keeping her promise to keep Kimble occupied. Now here Kimble was, back out and back into trouble. Other than breaking his probation by being unsupervised, he had no problem with Kimble using the obstacle course, exercise was healthy after all. What he didn't like was Kimble exploring his powers, not on his own instead of in a class and supervised. Wolverine was especially displeased with how strong Kimble's telekinesis was turning out to be. The strongest of telekinetics made the shields, the elite or omega telekinetics made the weapons out of thin air. Now, Kimble had just displayed the ability that chilled Logan the most. This guy couldn't be trusted and now he was out here learning how to cut things up. Not good. How long before he tried this on something that could bleed?
Logan loped up to the practice area and came up behind Kimble. "What are ya doin' out here...Skunk Boy."
Kimble turned around with a snarl. He was furious that Logan had caught him outside in spite of his efforts to sneak out unnoticed. On top of that, he really didn't stink too much any more. He had spent quite a bit of time in the shower scrubbing himself raw and smearing Fallen's scented soaps all over. His voice was tight with anger as he hissed, "Don' calls me that!"
"Yeah? What are you gonna do about it?"
Kimble raised his fists.
Logan just laughed. "I thought you were smart. That didn't work out so well for you the last time."
"What's yer problem? Why're you followin' me around? I ain't done nuthin!"
Logan pointed to the damaged foliage. "What do ya call that?"
"I wuz just figgerin' things out, is all."
"Sneaking out of the house to 'figger things out' ain't a good way ta build trust, buddy."
"I learns better by myself. Don' want nobody watchin' me screw up."
Logan grunted. "Kinda hard, ain't it? I mean, you screw up all the time."
Kimble put his head down. "Why're you so mean ta me?"
"I ain't mean. I just call like it is. You can't handle that, too bad. I do know one thing. I ain't comfortable with you out here alone doin' things you got no control over. You wanna learn something, learn how to be a good little boy and keep out of trouble - back at the house!"
"You gots no right!"
Logan stepped up to him quickly and shoved him viciously. "I got every right! This is my home! My people! I ain't gonna stand by and watch you screw up and hurt somebody cause you wanted ta 'figger it out' on yer own. You understandin' me, boy?"
Kimble staggered back, rubbing his chest where Logan had struck him. He glared at Wolverine angrily. "The only thing I understand is ya got some kinda bug up yer ass about me. Maybe ya gots a crush on me an jus' don' wanna admits it!" he snarled, pissy now and eager for a fight.
He got it. Kimble ducked quickly as Logan swung at him. Kimble stepped aside, his face breaking out in a sly grin. "Kinda sensitive ain'tcha? Maybe I ain't so far off, huh?"
"Yer not even close!"
Wolverine lunged and Kimble danced away, laughing. Kimble knew he was going to get in trouble for this, but just couldn't help himself. This was just too much fun and he had been cooped up for too long. He was so starved for attention, he unconsciously took whatever he could get, including this.
Logan continued to try and grab or hit Kimble but he was just too fast. Logan's fury grew when he saw what a kick Kimble was getting out of this. He also immediately recognized Kimble's evasive techniques and knew where he had gotten them from. Kimble had played back his memory files and learned from Zander just as he had feared. Kimble dodged quickly and used his telekinesis to fly just out of Logan's reach. He never tried to retaliate, just stayed out of harm's way while Logan exhausted himself. Kimble's responsive teasing laughter brought out the deepest rage in Logan, making him snarl and growl in frustration.
"You want me so bad? Ya gots ta catch me first!" Kimble teased, making kissing sounds. "Hoo, boy! You an me're gonna have some fun. I got some real nice files fer ya!" He began to describe in graphic sexual detail just how many ways he could get Logan off, just to antagonize the man.
Kimble got results. Logan bellowed in fury, and popped his claws. He was almost blind with rage now and getting closer to his target. Kimble was becoming sloppy and reckless as he laughed harder and harder. Kimble continued to torment Logan, his language becoming more foul and graphic. He backed up and tripped over one of the tree branches he had cut. He forgot to catch himself and flailed with his arms as he fell. Logan pounced, claws out.
He never landed. A sudden strong wind blew him back, denying him his prey. He tumbled expertly though, and jumped back to his feet. He tried to renew his attack, but the wind still restrained him. Storm landed gracefully just in front Kimble, blocking him from view. She had been sent by the Professor who wasn't always so blind to the happenings on the grounds. She was here to intervene and was controlling the winds to keep Logan in check. "Kimble, the Professor would like to see you now in his office," she said sternly.
Kimble got up and dusted off. "I didn' starts it!" he complained, whining like a child.
"Do I look like I am interested in your excuses? Go back to the house and do as you were told," she barked, demanding his obedience.
"Yes, ma'am," Kimble replied with a pout, respecting her authority, and walked off towards the house.
Storm looked at her teammate with the same measure of disapproval she had for Kimble. Logan should have known better than to let a newcomer like Kimble get the best of him like that. "Are you done?"
Logan stood panting, with his claws still out, and didn't answer. He wasn't fighting her anymore and she let her winds die down, leaving him rumpled and windblown.
"What is it about him that brings out the worst in you, Logan?" she asked, lowering her voice as a way of asking for him to listen and think about what had just happened.
Logan wiped his chin and calmed down. He snapped his claws back in and sat down on the grass, taking deep breaths and smoothing out his hair. He had his reasons, but he wasn't about to talk about them. He knew Ororo well, they had known each other for many years, but he wasn't one to talk about his feelings, even to her. "I dunno. The little punk just pisses me off!"
"You've worked so hard to control your temper, don't let Kimble wreck all that."
He nodded at her, at her endless sensibility. Her presence was calming and he knew she was right. She was showing him why she was sometimes called upon for backup team leader instead of himself, she wasn't one to give in to anger, at least not as easily as he did. "Yer right, 'Ro. Maybe I outta take off fer a few days."
Storm smiled at him, running a hand through her own bright white hair, so shocking against her dark ebony skin. Unlike Logan, the winds only made her look even more beautiful. "Don't even think about it, Logan. We need you here to help figure out what Jael is up to. Why don't you just concentrate on that and leave Kimble to us? You aren't the only one who can look after him."
"He's dangerous," he grumbled petulantly, not backing down on that at least.
"So are you when you're like this. You need to back off."
"Right. Whatever you say."
She sat down next to him. "We've handled some of the worst super villains on those times you weren't here. Believe me, Fallen's little hologram won't be a problem."
"I'll try ta stay out of his way, okay?" Logan offered, bowing down to her persuasions. "But if he starts something, I'm gonna be there to put him down." This was the closest she was going to get to a concession.
She smiled, happy to take what she could get. "All right. Don't worry. The Professor will take care of this."
(break)
Kimble walked into the house and made his way to the Professor's study. He almost groaned out loud when he saw Fallen and Henry waiting there for him. He acted casually, but was quaking inside. He was so busted. "Ya wants ta see me?" he said to the Professor.
"Yes, Kimble. Please sit." Charles gestured towards a sofa.
Kimble sat and waited. He wouldn't look up at Fallen but he could feel her fury. He smiled as one of the Professor's cats, Trixie, jumped up into his lap and offered him some distraction. Henry had taken the time to explain to him the difference between cats and skunks and that the Professor had a cat upstairs. This was the first time Kimble had seen her and was pleased when she was so friendly. She rubbed herself against him and purred, sending him a gentle vibration of love and acceptance. He petted her gratefully, seeking comfort from her soft fur and finding it. He flinched when the Professor cleared his throat to regain Kimble's attention.
"I'm disappointed to be having this kind of conversation with you again, Kimble, especially in such a short period of time. We don't have a lot of rules here," the Professor began. "But we do have to make an effort to get along with each other -"
"He wuz followin' me around!" Kimble interrupted, but stopped short when Fallen sucked in a sharp breath, silencing him. He put his head down and kept quiet as the Professor continued to lecture.
"I understand Logan pretty well. He's just being protective of us and that's fine. I will speak to him about his methods of doing so. It doesn't hide the fact that you've slipped out of your boundaries. That transgression aside, your activities out there could put someone at risk. You have powers you wish to explore, that's fine. It is good that you wish to learn more about yourself. What is not acceptable is that you try and do this on your own. We have many resources here. Use them. Let us teach you under more controlled circumstances, all right?"
"All right," Kimble mumbled. He had no intention of taking the Professor up on his offer, he just wanted out of here. Kimble was becoming less and less convinced of his ability to fit in here at all.
"Very good, then. If there's anything else you need, I'm always right here."
"Yes, sir," Kimble said, getting up. He carefully placed the cat where he had been sitting, bowed politely, and left.
Fallen was right behind him. Once out in the hall, she grabbed his arm and spun him around. "Don't you blow this for me!" she hissed at him in Siskan. "This is my only chance to get Seth out and I won't let you screw this up, understand!"
"Aye, Fallen," he said, squirming.
"I want you to go down to the ship and stay there. You don't go anywhere without telling me. You leave on your own again and there will be hell to pay!"
"I ain't gonna do nuthin', Fallen. I promise."
"Yeah, well. I've heard that one before," she snarled.
She released him and he fled. He obeyed his Mistress and immediately went back to the ship. He hid down in the Storage Room again, wanting only to be left alone, and quietly fumed. This was really starting to suck big time. He couldn't go anywhere, do anything without getting yelled at for something.
He couldn't stand it how Fallen didn't stand up for him, at least Remy seemed to care how he felt. Fallen just didn't seem to notice what was going on. He was miserable now and lonely all the time and she was just too busy doing her own thing to see it. It was as though he didn't belong to her anymore and he was just in the way.
We did good, kid! Zander chirped, surprisingly happy. It was an unusual mood for him.
"What makes ya say that? I got my ass chewed out again."
Ya showed that asshole Logan good. He couldn't keep up with ya. Ya knows what ya kin make now. Them shields kin keep ya safe. These stupid alphas cain't hold ya back now!
"I reckon so," Kimble agreed, his spirits soaring again when he thought of how easily he had evaded Logan. Of course he had conveniently forgotten how Storm had flown in and saved his ass. Kimble smiled and used a small amount of his power to make a ball of hardened air. He tossed it up and down, liking the feel of it in his hand. It was just like making a shield, only smaller. It was a new trick, he had never seen Fallen use her power this way. She made shields and stuff, but not to be used as weapons. Not to be thrown. He fancied the idea of a long range defense. It would be handy when confronted by small hairy men with nine inch claws.
So when we bustin' outta here? Zander piped in, still cheerful.
"Huh?"
When we goin' out?
"I promised Remy. If I'm good, he'll takes me out."
Why wait fer him when ya kin do it yerself? Didn't he say how it's up ta ya ta take care of yerself? Let's prove it. You wants ta fuck, wants ta feel that red hot love, huh? Take it! Use that human skin you gots and find someone out there who'll do fer you.
"City's too far away."
Zander snorted. I'll just bet this small town gots a bar or a dancin' place. That's good fer a start.
Kimble considered his options. He wanted to be good, but his need for companionship was being stoked by Zander's desire. He couldn't help but be a little afraid of the big outside world. It was so big and he still felt very tiny in it. Maybe he could find that companionship in a different place. Someplace a little closer to home.
To be continued in Steppin' Out.