Disclaimer: Furor Paxx and VulgateOfEarth do not own the X-Men or any affiliates. All are the property of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc and its various affiliates and partners. Phoenix Malcolm, Haiden Malcolm and all irregular characters are the sole property of Furor Paxx and are being used with permission.
~~ Phoenix ~~
Phoenix was mad. Raving mad. Never before had she been so humiliated. 'A MUTANT! A BLOODY GODDAMNED MUTANT!'
After the fight she had stormed off campus and walked the mile-and-a-half back home. Or rather, to Pietro's home. She grimly acknowledged the twinge of sorrow because over the years, she had realized it never went away and to avoid it was futile. But still, she had nothing now, even her clothes were once the property of someone else. All her work, belongings, even her pet turtle were gone and no one knew or cared where they had gone to. 'Where did I go wrong? I don't recall breaking any rules, why did they take everything?' But even as she thought this, she knew. It was the price she paid for being such a loyal friend and sister.
Her concentration was broken by Eric Magnus, Pietro's father, when he dropped a pot in the kitchen. He winced and turned around to pick it up, and then he noticed Phoenix. He appeared genuinely startled to see her so early, but didn't press the issue. He knocked on her door a while later and said he left some food on the hall table for her and that he had to go out again. Then he left.
Phoenix sat in her room and thought for a long time. She thought about Donatello, who had once been her turtle, and she thought about what she remembered of her family. Her parents had gotten divorced, then her mother disappeared. After that, her sister did too, only to turn up a few months later, raped and murdered, the body dumped in a concrete foundation. Then Hans got sick and died. The police came and took Donatello and all her stories and poems. And then she met someone who changed her life.
Phoenix thought about what Evan had said about her serving as his underling. She really didn't want to, but if he knew about Haiden, then he must know how to find him again. 'Of course, he could have just been bluffing again.' Phoenix reminded herself. She heard the door open slowly. It was Pietro, she could tell because he always snuck around, trying to tell if she was nearby. She stopped thinking long enough to follow him by sound, through the kitchen, up the stairs and into his own room, which was right at the top of the flight of stairs. Then she fell back into her depression. Around seven o' clock, the telephone rang. Pietro picked it up. Half an hour later, Magnus came back inside. He paused at her door, probably checking to see if she ate, and then went back downstairs, where his room was.
Phoenix knew their schedules by heart. She listened and followed through their routine with them, never moving, never making a sound. After a while, she ran out of things to think about. Then she just sat there and waited, for what she had no idea, but that's what she did.
Sure enough, at seven minutes after midnight, there was a small knock on her door. She didn't say anything, but he came in anyway.
"You okay?" Evan asked.
How she would have loved to answer him. Of course she wasn't okay. She had nothing, the last wisps of honor and dignity had been stripped away the moment Evan had decided to let her live. Whether he had sincerely meant his offer of peace, or whether he had been mocking her, it didn't matter any more. Phoenix didn't say anything. She wasn't worthy of anything, definitely not his pity, which he would give freely if she made any move to say something.
"Are you still mad- Wait. I know you're still mad, but I wasn't trying to embarrass you." He waited for her response. "Did you put something on those bruises?" There was a rustle, someone else was in the room. Phoenix searched the room without moving but couldn't see anything. "I really wish you would say something." They sat in silence for a while. "Did you even bother to look at your bruises?" he sighed. The closet light came on and Phoenix saw her second guest. It, he, was blue with a tail that swept the ground behind him.
"I've got first aid." He said. It was Kurt's voice, Phoenix realized. Was he a mutant, too?
"C'mon, Phoenix. Let us help you."
"You…are mutants."
"Ja." Kurt answered, getting his German and English mixed up as usual. "Not half bad, doncha' think?" He posed. He looked ridiculous, but that was probably the point. Phoenix maintained her silence and resumed staring at a loose fiber in the woven rug by the bed. The silence dragged on, and Kurt sighed at her lack of appreciation of his joke. 'Oh well,' he thought. 'It probably wasn't funny anyway.'
"Phoenix, look, we aren't trying to hurt you. Why won't you let us help?"
More silence.
"Phoenix?" Evan shifted positions, now he was kneeling and staring into her eyes. "Who is Haiden Malcolm? Where'd he come from?"
Phoenix tried not to let it show, but the question startled her. Did he really not know, or was he trying to trick her? But how did he find out about Haiden in the first place?
"I know you know who I'm talking about, your eyebrows did that weird thing again. 'Fess up, who is he?"
"Why should I tell you?" she returned.
"Because I could always ask him myself."
"He's here?"
"He's somewhere." Evan retorted.
"How do I know you aren't trying to pull my leg?"
"If you trust me a little, I can prove to you I'm not."
"What you mean is that I have to trust you not to pull my leg to prove that you aren't pulling my leg…" at his confused stare, she sighed. 'He's good, but I'm better, let him think I'm going with his little plan. Then I can hit him when he least expects it.' Inwardly, Phoenix smiled, she took her thrills when and where she could, and this was going to be quite a hayride.
~~ The Next Morning ~~
~Thursday~
Evan dragged himself out of bed and to the shower. Every bone in his body hurt from the fight yesterday, and his mind was fuzzy from staying up so late at Phoenix's house. "Technically, it's still Magneto's house, Evan. You better not forget what'll happen if anyone finds ou-' Evan gasped. He'd forgotten about his meeting with the professor. 'Aw, man, he and Auntie 'Roro are gonna kill me.'
Sure enough, as soon as he put his foot on the stairs, Logan was on him.
"Hey, bub, you got some explainin' to do the Professor and yer Aunt. And, look if there's anyth-"
"Yeah Logan, Kurt told me at lunch yesterday. And its not what you think it is either…" Evan didn't wait to see if Logan belived him. If he could just make it outside without anyone else noticing…
"Evan. Where are you sneaking off to now?" Ororo's voice was as stern as it ever got, and Evan knew he was in for some trouble.
"I was just going to school, Auntie."
"Don't 'Auntie' me, young man. Get in here."
With a miserable sigh, Evan turned around and headed for the lounge. As he crossed the threshold, he saw that everyone was there, Scott, Kitty, Jean, Kurt, Ororo, the Professor and Rogue. 'Terrific, public humiliation.' Logan pushed him further in the room and took up his usual position behind Xavier and to the side.
"Now that we're all assembled, the meeting can begin." The Professor began. Evan walked to the couch and flopped down. "As you know by now, a new student has arrived at Bayville High. He goes by the name of Phoenix Malcolm."
"Yeah, the guy who Evan beat to a pulp yesterday." Scott muttered with disapproval.
The professor continued as though he hadn't heard. "He is extremely dangerous and even more confused, so I advise avoiding any confrontation with him."
"Too late." Scott said with a shake of his head. Jean elbowed him slightly and he stopped.
"Because he is here, in Bayville, I'm going to have to keep track of you all to ensure your safety. Phoenix is violent when provoked and often times, doesn't let you know that you've upset him. On this note, I'd like to address our curfew policy. Since some of you have trouble telling time, we've changed it to nightfall. If you aren't back at the mansion by then, you should either be at a school related activity or accompanied by an adult. There are no exceptions." He stressed the last sentence through the moaning and groaning.
"But professor, that's, like, eight o' clock." Kitty whined
"You wanna make it seven, half-pint?" Logan growled.
"Never mind."
"Kurt, Evan, you've broken curfew two nights in a row, this is unusual behavior for both of you, and I believe you owe us an explanation."
Kurt looked at Evan, who looked at the ground.
"Professor, this isn't the kinda thing-" Logan started to say.
"I can't tell you, but it's cool now. We won't sneak out again."
"I know you won't sneak out anymore, but I don't know what would compel both of you leave in the middle of the night. You went through obvious pains to disguise your absences and if something important enough to get Kurt out of bed at night is going on then we need to know about it." Professor Xavier spoke in his no-more-nonsense voice and his gaze burned right through Evan.
"C'mon Evan, just tell him. We'll leave if you want." Kitty whispered.
"I'm not telling. It's not my place." Evan stood and glared right back at the professor. "I'd rather join the Brotherhood than tell you and if you push me I will." With that, Evan walked out the door, picking up his bookbag and instinctively patting the compartment with the disks in it. They were still there. As long as he had those documents, he was ready to leave. And so, without the slightest hesitation, he walked out of the Xavier Institute.
~~ Phoenix ~~
Phoenix was mad. Raving mad. Never before had she been so humiliated. 'A MUTANT! A BLOODY GODDAMNED MUTANT!'
After the fight she had stormed off campus and walked the mile-and-a-half back home. Or rather, to Pietro's home. She grimly acknowledged the twinge of sorrow because over the years, she had realized it never went away and to avoid it was futile. But still, she had nothing now, even her clothes were once the property of someone else. All her work, belongings, even her pet turtle were gone and no one knew or cared where they had gone to. 'Where did I go wrong? I don't recall breaking any rules, why did they take everything?' But even as she thought this, she knew. It was the price she paid for being such a loyal friend and sister.
Her concentration was broken by Eric Magnus, Pietro's father, when he dropped a pot in the kitchen. He winced and turned around to pick it up, and then he noticed Phoenix. He appeared genuinely startled to see her so early, but didn't press the issue. He knocked on her door a while later and said he left some food on the hall table for her and that he had to go out again. Then he left.
Phoenix sat in her room and thought for a long time. She thought about Donatello, who had once been her turtle, and she thought about what she remembered of her family. Her parents had gotten divorced, then her mother disappeared. After that, her sister did too, only to turn up a few months later, raped and murdered, the body dumped in a concrete foundation. Then Hans got sick and died. The police came and took Donatello and all her stories and poems. And then she met someone who changed her life.
Phoenix thought about what Evan had said about her serving as his underling. She really didn't want to, but if he knew about Haiden, then he must know how to find him again. 'Of course, he could have just been bluffing again.' Phoenix reminded herself. She heard the door open slowly. It was Pietro, she could tell because he always snuck around, trying to tell if she was nearby. She stopped thinking long enough to follow him by sound, through the kitchen, up the stairs and into his own room, which was right at the top of the flight of stairs. Then she fell back into her depression. Around seven o' clock, the telephone rang. Pietro picked it up. Half an hour later, Magnus came back inside. He paused at her door, probably checking to see if she ate, and then went back downstairs, where his room was.
Phoenix knew their schedules by heart. She listened and followed through their routine with them, never moving, never making a sound. After a while, she ran out of things to think about. Then she just sat there and waited, for what she had no idea, but that's what she did.
Sure enough, at seven minutes after midnight, there was a small knock on her door. She didn't say anything, but he came in anyway.
"You okay?" Evan asked.
How she would have loved to answer him. Of course she wasn't okay. She had nothing, the last wisps of honor and dignity had been stripped away the moment Evan had decided to let her live. Whether he had sincerely meant his offer of peace, or whether he had been mocking her, it didn't matter any more. Phoenix didn't say anything. She wasn't worthy of anything, definitely not his pity, which he would give freely if she made any move to say something.
"Are you still mad- Wait. I know you're still mad, but I wasn't trying to embarrass you." He waited for her response. "Did you put something on those bruises?" There was a rustle, someone else was in the room. Phoenix searched the room without moving but couldn't see anything. "I really wish you would say something." They sat in silence for a while. "Did you even bother to look at your bruises?" he sighed. The closet light came on and Phoenix saw her second guest. It, he, was blue with a tail that swept the ground behind him.
"I've got first aid." He said. It was Kurt's voice, Phoenix realized. Was he a mutant, too?
"C'mon, Phoenix. Let us help you."
"You…are mutants."
"Ja." Kurt answered, getting his German and English mixed up as usual. "Not half bad, doncha' think?" He posed. He looked ridiculous, but that was probably the point. Phoenix maintained her silence and resumed staring at a loose fiber in the woven rug by the bed. The silence dragged on, and Kurt sighed at her lack of appreciation of his joke. 'Oh well,' he thought. 'It probably wasn't funny anyway.'
"Phoenix, look, we aren't trying to hurt you. Why won't you let us help?"
More silence.
"Phoenix?" Evan shifted positions, now he was kneeling and staring into her eyes. "Who is Haiden Malcolm? Where'd he come from?"
Phoenix tried not to let it show, but the question startled her. Did he really not know, or was he trying to trick her? But how did he find out about Haiden in the first place?
"I know you know who I'm talking about, your eyebrows did that weird thing again. 'Fess up, who is he?"
"Why should I tell you?" she returned.
"Because I could always ask him myself."
"He's here?"
"He's somewhere." Evan retorted.
"How do I know you aren't trying to pull my leg?"
"If you trust me a little, I can prove to you I'm not."
"What you mean is that I have to trust you not to pull my leg to prove that you aren't pulling my leg…" at his confused stare, she sighed. 'He's good, but I'm better, let him think I'm going with his little plan. Then I can hit him when he least expects it.' Inwardly, Phoenix smiled, she took her thrills when and where she could, and this was going to be quite a hayride.
~~ The Next Morning ~~
~Thursday~
Evan dragged himself out of bed and to the shower. Every bone in his body hurt from the fight yesterday, and his mind was fuzzy from staying up so late at Phoenix's house. "Technically, it's still Magneto's house, Evan. You better not forget what'll happen if anyone finds ou-' Evan gasped. He'd forgotten about his meeting with the professor. 'Aw, man, he and Auntie 'Roro are gonna kill me.'
Sure enough, as soon as he put his foot on the stairs, Logan was on him.
"Hey, bub, you got some explainin' to do the Professor and yer Aunt. And, look if there's anyth-"
"Yeah Logan, Kurt told me at lunch yesterday. And its not what you think it is either…" Evan didn't wait to see if Logan belived him. If he could just make it outside without anyone else noticing…
"Evan. Where are you sneaking off to now?" Ororo's voice was as stern as it ever got, and Evan knew he was in for some trouble.
"I was just going to school, Auntie."
"Don't 'Auntie' me, young man. Get in here."
With a miserable sigh, Evan turned around and headed for the lounge. As he crossed the threshold, he saw that everyone was there, Scott, Kitty, Jean, Kurt, Ororo, the Professor and Rogue. 'Terrific, public humiliation.' Logan pushed him further in the room and took up his usual position behind Xavier and to the side.
"Now that we're all assembled, the meeting can begin." The Professor began. Evan walked to the couch and flopped down. "As you know by now, a new student has arrived at Bayville High. He goes by the name of Phoenix Malcolm."
"Yeah, the guy who Evan beat to a pulp yesterday." Scott muttered with disapproval.
The professor continued as though he hadn't heard. "He is extremely dangerous and even more confused, so I advise avoiding any confrontation with him."
"Too late." Scott said with a shake of his head. Jean elbowed him slightly and he stopped.
"Because he is here, in Bayville, I'm going to have to keep track of you all to ensure your safety. Phoenix is violent when provoked and often times, doesn't let you know that you've upset him. On this note, I'd like to address our curfew policy. Since some of you have trouble telling time, we've changed it to nightfall. If you aren't back at the mansion by then, you should either be at a school related activity or accompanied by an adult. There are no exceptions." He stressed the last sentence through the moaning and groaning.
"But professor, that's, like, eight o' clock." Kitty whined
"You wanna make it seven, half-pint?" Logan growled.
"Never mind."
"Kurt, Evan, you've broken curfew two nights in a row, this is unusual behavior for both of you, and I believe you owe us an explanation."
Kurt looked at Evan, who looked at the ground.
"Professor, this isn't the kinda thing-" Logan started to say.
"I can't tell you, but it's cool now. We won't sneak out again."
"I know you won't sneak out anymore, but I don't know what would compel both of you leave in the middle of the night. You went through obvious pains to disguise your absences and if something important enough to get Kurt out of bed at night is going on then we need to know about it." Professor Xavier spoke in his no-more-nonsense voice and his gaze burned right through Evan.
"C'mon Evan, just tell him. We'll leave if you want." Kitty whispered.
"I'm not telling. It's not my place." Evan stood and glared right back at the professor. "I'd rather join the Brotherhood than tell you and if you push me I will." With that, Evan walked out the door, picking up his bookbag and instinctively patting the compartment with the disks in it. They were still there. As long as he had those documents, he was ready to leave. And so, without the slightest hesitation, he walked out of the Xavier Institute.