~~ After School ~~
"You know, zat vusn't so bad, vus it?"
Evan didn't answer Kurt, he was thinking hard and couldn't afford to be distracted. He'd gotten a pass from his sixth period teacher and had gone to the library to do research. Oh, and the things he had found. He now knew Phoenix's coveted secret, and with that was the realization of just how twisted the guy was. At the moment, though, he was digging deeper. He knew all he needed to know about him, or her, but needed to decide if she would really pose enough of a threat to the X-men for him to use that knowledge. It was hard. He didn't want to scare her away, but could he risk keeping her so close to everything that meant anything to him? 'Kurt was right, she is looking for a way out, but he just didn't have it in him to find out what she did to stand out in that crowd, he couldn't live with himself if he was wrong. So he didn't let himself ask the question… Is there anything left of her to save, is it worth it?' Evan sighed. His fear was gone, he understood Phoenix better than she did, and he couldn't blame her for looking for help. If he thought about it, he could almost forgive her. But forgiving and placing blame didn't answer the question, it didn't help. With another gusty sigh, Evan tore his attention from within and looked at his Econ homework. Another impossible question invaded his thoughts. How was he supposed to get his homework done without a book? Once again he berated himself for being so absentminded as to forget it. He moaned. "This is impossible."
"Vell, I can only zink of one person who has a book and who you just happen to know…"
"No. I absolutely refuse to so don't even bother saying it, Kurt."
"Okay, I'll see you in Econ next zemester."
With a sigh, Evan picked up the phone.
~~ Pietro's Room ~~
Pietro hung up the phone, shaking with laughter. Daniels forgot his book? And now he wanted, no, needed help. What a trip. He must have been really desperate to even think about asking. Well, Pietro had no problem with proving his superiority to Evan. He had already finished all his homework, and had nothing to occupy his time. This was the perfect excuse to escape her. Pietro grabbed his book and peeked out of the door. He was still nervous about lunch, he had an awful feeling that if Kurt and Evan hadn't shown up when they did something bad might have happened to him. Come to think of it, maybe sacrificing a little pride and playing stupid might not be such a bad idea. He could just hang around until his dad got back and then it would be okay. Pietro took a deep breath and grabbed another school book and some paper. All he'd have to do is run outside and then he'd be okay. Pietro opened the door and raced down the hall.
And ran straight into her. She looked rough, and angry, but not at him. Her eyes swirled and sparkled and Pietro could feel the worst coming, not to him, no, but it was there. Maybe she would leave after she got her revenge on whoever it was. She glared at him, or to be more precise, through him, at her new enemy. Pietro dodged to the side as she stalked past him. Without a backward glance, he ran out of the house, to Evan, his enemy, and to the X-men.
~~ Phoenix's Room ~~
The humiliation, he had looked right past their carefully designed disguise and seen what no one should have. He was a threat and needed to be removed. But while he had grown stronger, she had grown weaker. She felt her fear now. The fear, it had always been there, so had pain and anguish, all of it, but only now did it make itself known. All her defenses, years of work on the aura that the Masters had given her, gone, and not because of any physical or mental attack, no, he looked at her, that was it. Somehow he had shaken the fear and turned it on her. And it hurt, knowing that she wasn't invincible. It meant that she could be beaten, by a mutant, a stinking mutant. Not even a full grown mutant, like Charles Xavier or Magneto. Magneto, what a trip, he didn't even see her for what she was. Phoenix straightened up. Did that mean that the two men she feared most were not worthy of her fear? Was this…boy, the only one who could truly hurt her? Evan Daniels… was this the person she was looking for? No, she remembered, in the beginning she was looking for help, for respect, not fear. But now, she had to protect herself, should she keep looking for the person who drove her to this torture? What if they couldn't help, couldn't break the hold that the Masters had over her? Should she risk everything on this mutant, the only one who could disturb the Masters' grip?
Phoenix breathed into her cupped hands, they were cold again. They were always cold for some reason. She thought about Evan Daniels again. It was too soon to act, she decided. He would make his motives clear in time. With that last thought, she walked to the wall and removed a picture. Then she sat down underneath the scorch mark and began to drift in the sacred place of the Masters. There was no fear in this place, only strength and wisdom. As the Masters began reciting her lessons, she put the day behind her. Here was what she was looking for, the voices said, there is nothing else, nothing better. Your duty is to protect it at all costs, destroy those who interfere with your duty. Destroy those who interfere with our duty. On and on the voices chanted. We give you power, you give us safety. Hone your talents, do not let our gift go to waste. Stay in practice. These are your duties.
"You know, zat vusn't so bad, vus it?"
Evan didn't answer Kurt, he was thinking hard and couldn't afford to be distracted. He'd gotten a pass from his sixth period teacher and had gone to the library to do research. Oh, and the things he had found. He now knew Phoenix's coveted secret, and with that was the realization of just how twisted the guy was. At the moment, though, he was digging deeper. He knew all he needed to know about him, or her, but needed to decide if she would really pose enough of a threat to the X-men for him to use that knowledge. It was hard. He didn't want to scare her away, but could he risk keeping her so close to everything that meant anything to him? 'Kurt was right, she is looking for a way out, but he just didn't have it in him to find out what she did to stand out in that crowd, he couldn't live with himself if he was wrong. So he didn't let himself ask the question… Is there anything left of her to save, is it worth it?' Evan sighed. His fear was gone, he understood Phoenix better than she did, and he couldn't blame her for looking for help. If he thought about it, he could almost forgive her. But forgiving and placing blame didn't answer the question, it didn't help. With another gusty sigh, Evan tore his attention from within and looked at his Econ homework. Another impossible question invaded his thoughts. How was he supposed to get his homework done without a book? Once again he berated himself for being so absentminded as to forget it. He moaned. "This is impossible."
"Vell, I can only zink of one person who has a book and who you just happen to know…"
"No. I absolutely refuse to so don't even bother saying it, Kurt."
"Okay, I'll see you in Econ next zemester."
With a sigh, Evan picked up the phone.
~~ Pietro's Room ~~
Pietro hung up the phone, shaking with laughter. Daniels forgot his book? And now he wanted, no, needed help. What a trip. He must have been really desperate to even think about asking. Well, Pietro had no problem with proving his superiority to Evan. He had already finished all his homework, and had nothing to occupy his time. This was the perfect excuse to escape her. Pietro grabbed his book and peeked out of the door. He was still nervous about lunch, he had an awful feeling that if Kurt and Evan hadn't shown up when they did something bad might have happened to him. Come to think of it, maybe sacrificing a little pride and playing stupid might not be such a bad idea. He could just hang around until his dad got back and then it would be okay. Pietro took a deep breath and grabbed another school book and some paper. All he'd have to do is run outside and then he'd be okay. Pietro opened the door and raced down the hall.
And ran straight into her. She looked rough, and angry, but not at him. Her eyes swirled and sparkled and Pietro could feel the worst coming, not to him, no, but it was there. Maybe she would leave after she got her revenge on whoever it was. She glared at him, or to be more precise, through him, at her new enemy. Pietro dodged to the side as she stalked past him. Without a backward glance, he ran out of the house, to Evan, his enemy, and to the X-men.
~~ Phoenix's Room ~~
The humiliation, he had looked right past their carefully designed disguise and seen what no one should have. He was a threat and needed to be removed. But while he had grown stronger, she had grown weaker. She felt her fear now. The fear, it had always been there, so had pain and anguish, all of it, but only now did it make itself known. All her defenses, years of work on the aura that the Masters had given her, gone, and not because of any physical or mental attack, no, he looked at her, that was it. Somehow he had shaken the fear and turned it on her. And it hurt, knowing that she wasn't invincible. It meant that she could be beaten, by a mutant, a stinking mutant. Not even a full grown mutant, like Charles Xavier or Magneto. Magneto, what a trip, he didn't even see her for what she was. Phoenix straightened up. Did that mean that the two men she feared most were not worthy of her fear? Was this…boy, the only one who could truly hurt her? Evan Daniels… was this the person she was looking for? No, she remembered, in the beginning she was looking for help, for respect, not fear. But now, she had to protect herself, should she keep looking for the person who drove her to this torture? What if they couldn't help, couldn't break the hold that the Masters had over her? Should she risk everything on this mutant, the only one who could disturb the Masters' grip?
Phoenix breathed into her cupped hands, they were cold again. They were always cold for some reason. She thought about Evan Daniels again. It was too soon to act, she decided. He would make his motives clear in time. With that last thought, she walked to the wall and removed a picture. Then she sat down underneath the scorch mark and began to drift in the sacred place of the Masters. There was no fear in this place, only strength and wisdom. As the Masters began reciting her lessons, she put the day behind her. Here was what she was looking for, the voices said, there is nothing else, nothing better. Your duty is to protect it at all costs, destroy those who interfere with your duty. Destroy those who interfere with our duty. On and on the voices chanted. We give you power, you give us safety. Hone your talents, do not let our gift go to waste. Stay in practice. These are your duties.