5: Advisor
"Hello?" Bobby had been waiting for Blood and had wondered what was taking him so long.
"Hello Mr. Drake. Sorry that I'm late." Blood tilted his head down in an obedient sort of way. "I was… held up by some other students."
"Let me guess. Rockslide and Julian wanted to do a little bit more than greet you warmly to our new school?" Bobby grinned. "And judging by the fact that you're unscathed, you kicked their Asses."
Blood was a bit startled to hear a X-man cuss while being a teacher. He already liked Iceman.
"And it's just Bobby, I can't stand being called Mr. Drake. Makes me think of my dad." Bobby paused before speaking again, "So, why did you choose me over all the other possible, more experienced advisors?"
"Because we've met before. And your powers are a lot like mine." Blood explained.
"Are they? What are your powers?" Bobby asked. Blood surprised him. Blood seemed a bit full of himself, but not in a bad way. "And where have we met before?"
"To your ladder question, you rescued me from a fire. You probably don't remember it. And my powers are hard to explain, so I'll just show you, If that is alright." Blood put his hands out where Bobby could see them. The incisions he had made before fighting Julian had already healed. He drew out his knife and recut them.
Bobby made a sudden movement forward, but Orion moved into his path as if to say "wait!" Bobby didn't even see Blood wince from the cut. Blood moved his hands so Bobby could see the blood and let a drop fall to the hard tiled ground. The blood then took the form of Bobby himself, it solidified, and stood like a statue Then the blood statue of Iceman splattered on the floor and disappeared.
"I have complete control over my own blood. I can turn a single drop t a good size, shape it, move it, and freeze it even." Blood let Orion lick his hands.
Thanks. Blood sent to Orion. The wound healed up with the sound of bubbling. Orion's saliva had some curing elements when mixed with Blood's blood. ((readers.. do not say a word))
"Umm. Interesting." Bobby couldn't think to say anything else.
"I know it's a bit gross." Blood blushed a bit. He had always been a bit embarrassed about his power.
"Well, now I know why you requested me." Bobby commented trying to brighten the mood a bit. He paused, then continued, "I'm not sure exactly how to do this, so lets start with the basics. Give me a brief background of yourself, and I'll give you a brief bio over my life so far."
"Ok. I was born near here, Albany. My parents are major figures in a violent anti mutant organization. They didn't have the heart to kill me when I told them about my powers, so they just threw Orion and me out." Blood scratched Orion's neck as he said this.
"My turn now I guess." Bobby sat down in a small wire like chair, Blood did the same. Then Bobby gave a short history of himself. Blood was sure Bobby had left out some things, but he wouldn't dig and try to get what had been left out. If Bobby didn't want to trust Blood yet, Blood would understand.
"Well, we still have a good amount of time. The Danger room is being used by Sage's class. We can go and watch if you like, or if Sage lets us, participate." Bobby got up and took a few steps and opened the door. Blood walked out, and Bobby followed him.
"Which way?" Blood asked.
They worked their way through the maze of halls. Bobby seemed to know the way, but Blood was completely lost. He wasn't sure how Bobby had managed to memorize the large Mansion. Soon they were both in a high-tech looking room. It had tall metallic walls, but in width it was a bit claustrophobic.
The Danger Room began to change and formed a dense jungle around them.
"This must be the wilderness combat sim." Bobby looked around.
"We should find Sage and their group and ambush them." Bobby said with an evil smile. "But, we first need to figure out where they are."
Blood took in a sniff of air, and smelled something oddly familiar. He placed as the perfume wallflower had been wearing. He remember that Wallflower had told him her Advisor was Sage.
"Their this way." Blood pointed into the jungle.
"Really? How do you know?" Bobby asked, doubting what Blood said.
"I can smell them." Blood replied.
I can smell them too. Orion told Bobby.
"Ok then." Bobby encrusted his body in ice and began to head in the direction Blood was pointing. Blood changed into a wolf so he could smell the perfume better. It was growing stronger now.
"Stop!" Blood hissed. He could now hear a clutter of whispers. He recognized Wallflower's and Sofia's from the group. There were, by his judgment, six or seven of them. He told this to Bobby.
"We can take them if we organize our attack.." Bobby said, almost sounding as if he had experience in stealth combat.
"Ok, If we can get Sage alone the others should fall fairly easily." Blood joked. He knew that they weren't really going to attack the group. It was just wistful thinking on their part. But him and Bobby did reveal themselves after spying on the group for several minutes. Blood noticed that Wallflower hadn't said a thing. She must really be an outcast. Elixir wasn't joking.
But, all the stealth combat talk was a joke anyway, so, a few minutes later, Blood and Bobby revealed themselves. Bobby left to talk to sage, an Blood went to sit on the ground next to Wallflower, a little ways from the group.
"So, what sim is this?" Blood could hear Bobby ask.
"Jungle movement. No enemies, we are just training on getting through densely foliated areas." Sage answered mechanically a thick Russian accent, "We are trying to get to the river that borders the edge of the sim."
"The river is to our west." Blood spoke to sage from his spot next to Wallflower.
"How can you tell?" Sage asked
"I can smell fish." He wrinkled his nose.
Blood got up, and then helped wallflower up. The group began to walk slowly through the forest. Bobby and Sage were in front, leading the group, and Blood and Wallflower stayed few meters behind the last person.
"So… what training squad did you choose?" Wallflower asked five-minutes into their hike.
"I didn't choose one." Blood answered, moving the sleeve of his T-shirt out of a tree branch.
"Really? You're the first to do that." Wallflower informed
"I remember Mr. Summers saying that you don't have a squad." Blood said, after dodging a large bush.
Blood began to jog slowly, and Wallflower met his pace nicely. He then quickened his jog to a slow run, and Wallflower sped up to. She was a good runner, Blood could tell. He began to really run, and she went a bit faster then him, getting in front.
"That's because I left mine. I don't even participate in the competitions." Wallflower shouted over her shoulder.
Blood was having trouble keeping up now. He was half sprinting as they passed Bobby and Sage, who were only walking.
"Slowpokes!" Blood shouted at them as they passed.
"So, why did you get banned from your squad?" Blood asked, ducking yet another branch.
"Every time a member tried to get near me They'd jump in fear." Wallflower ran towards a small clutter and they all jumped in fear. "A bit like that!" Wallflower laughed. Now Blood was running at his full speed, working up a good sweat, but Wallflower seemed to be perfectly normal, no sweat or blood.
Blood Wolf stopped and spat on the fake jungle floor, than changed into a wolf, something he hadn't done yet at the school. He surged forward and began to run alongside Wallflower
"Blood? Is that you?" Wallflower asked, not scared, but there was a bit of edge in her voice.
Blood then realized that he hadn't told her about his powers. Blood was unable to say anything to Wallflower as a wolf, but he purposely moved out of the shade of the trees, to let eh light shine on his dark red fur, that matched his human hair. He then moved back into the shade.
Blood and wallflower made it to the river. Blood morphed back into his human form and collapsed onto the grass. He looked at Wallflower, who was now jogging in place, like she was crazy. Blood, in fact, suspected she was. Blood fell to sleep in the warm sun and soft grass.
"Blood, I think Iceman and sage are here." Wallflower shook him awake.
Blood got to his feat. He legs wobbled a bit, and felt extremely raw.
"Really. Good for them." Blood watched Sage and Bobby approach.
"How long have you been here?" Sage asked.
Blood looked at his watch, and waited a moment for wallflower to respond, it was clear that she was not going to talk, so he answered, "Two hours or so. Wallflower gave me quite a run." Blood smiled over at Wallflower, who looked away.
"Did she?" Sage asked. "She could out run Northstar if she tried."
Wallflower spoke up, but there was a still shyness in her voice. "Northsatar can run faster than light. I just have a high stamina." Wallflower then blushed and turned away.