X-Men-First Class: Rise or Fall

Chapter Five

Author's Word: Please enjoy and as always, feedback is much appreciated and a great update motivator.

After his training session ended, Frank happily headed up from the ground floor of the mansion. He went out towards the back, ready to enjoy the glorious Saturday afternoon for all its worth. Before he was even out for a full ten seconds, however, what felt like cannon fire hurled right at his head, sending him down. He groaned painfully, rolling over flat on his back.

Sean along with a guilt-faced Alex came running to him.

"Are you okay?" Sean wanted to know, dropping by Frank's side.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Alex apologized. He gently lifted Frank up by the back of the neck to look him over, careful of his head. "I didn't see you, kid."

Frank's warm honey-brown eyes gazed upward towards the sun, absorbing its rays in comfort. He rubbed his head and looked at Alex. Before he got a word out, he let loose an intense yell.

Fearing that he had hurt the kid worse than he had imagined with the football, Alex demanded, "What? What is it?"

Sean looked to see what had Frank so alarmed and he jumped back with a startle himself. A crystal clear view of the house could be seen directly through Alex's currently transparent body.

XXXXX

Untying and leaving his muddy shoes on the left side of the front door, Lincoln Tolbert headed into the apartment he had been residing in for the last three months. He aimed for the kitchen but stopped off to run a hand through his baby brother's thick hair, eliciting a giggle from the six-year-old.

"Sorry I'm running late, Auntie."

Cecelia Collins looked up in time to see her oldest nephew enter the kitchen. "Oh, dinner just got on the table. Don't worry about that. How was your day?"

"All right," the teenager replied. He went to the refrigerator for a Coke. "Mr. Fields had me on stock room duty for most of the day." Sitting at the table, he turned his gaze downward towards the sink. "Need a hand, Uncle Jed?"

"No, I got it," the gravelly voiced man replied, sliding out. He clean his hands on the nearby dishtowel. "That should do it, honey. We just need to watch dumping grease down this thing."

Cecelia looked to Linny. "You didn't happen to spot your brother outside on your way in did you?"

"If you mean Jeff, he's out there." He pointed a thumb towards the living room. "If you mean the nimrod, haven't seen him."

"You boys don't start that name calling now," Jed reproached lightly, getting up with his toolbox. "Can we eat pretty soon, Cece? I need to head over and take a look at the Garsons' shower nozzle."

His wife nodded then called to the living room, "Jeffy, time to eat."

As the small boy trotted in, the front door burst open. Frank came in hurriedly, closing and locking it after himself. When he went into the kitchen he found four pairs of eyes completely focused on him.

Staring back, he asked, "What?"

"What are you in such a hurry for?" Jed watched him suspiciously.

"I'm starving," Frank replied, going to take his seat. "Smells good, Aunt Cecelia."

The telephone went off and Jed, who was closest to the doorway, left out to answer it.

"Jeffy, not at the table, please," Cecelia requested.

Frank saw the yellow and green plastic ray gun his youngest brother currently had in his possession. "Hey, where'd you get that?"

"Daddy sent it to me," Jeff answered with a grin. "It came today."

Feeling anger build up, Frank shrugged. "The only reason he sends you stuff is because he knows nothin' of yours lasts longer than five minutes."

Linny gave him a sharp look. "You get off his back. You're just jealous."

Before Cecelia had time to simmer down the quickly building argument, Jed came back into the room with an expression of rage that silenced them all.

"What is it, sweetie?" Cecelia wanted to know.

"That was Mrs. Peters on the phone," Jed informed them, his hard gaze locked on Frank. "Were you out bouncing around in the elevator again?" At Frank's stammering, he said fiercely, "If you lie to me, I'll hang you."

"It was just one jump," Frank insisted. "All the kids in the building goof off on the elevator. It didn't even get stopped."

"This time," Jed reminded him. "Do you have any idea what it costs to fix up that elevator when you kids decide to monkey around on it? I've told you about all of this tom foolery of yours. Maybe you got away with it at your mother's but not here. Get up, now."

Cecelia stood instead. "Jed, calm down. You know how boys are."

Holding a hand up to shush her, Jed said, "I don't want to hear it. I've been lenient long enough, Cecelia. Your sister can't get a hold of things and decides to pawn her kids off on us then you want to make a case if I so much as raise my voice to them."

Standing furiously, Frank snapped, "Don't talk bad about my mom!" He shoved at his uncle, surprising his brothers. "Don't you ever talk bad about her, you hear me?"

Yanking him by the arm, Jed pulled him out of the kitchen and towards the bedroom the three boys were sharing. He flung Frank inside and shut the door after them both.

"If your father wasn't off fighting for this country I would tell him every detail of the hell you've been raising," Jed said strongly then started unlooping the belt holding up his jeans.

The pre-teen took several steps back. "If you touch me, he'll pop a cap in you. He hates you and so do I," Frank retorted.

"Well, that's going to multiply in about two seconds," Jed said dismissively, folding his belt in half.

Losing a great deal of his faux bravado, Frank felt the terror increase within him. He released a strong breath and experienced a heat radiating behind his pupils. When his uncle grabbed him again, Frank glared fiercely, emitting a blazing yellow light. Jed shouted, dropping his hold on the boy as well as the belt and instead used his hands to cover his eyes.

Opening them again after a second, Jed saw absolutely nothing. "What did you do to me?" he demanded, "What the hell did you do to me, boy?"

Unable to answer that question or even speak, Frank took off out of the room. He ran right by where his concerned family had gathered. He stopped for only a split second to grab his basketball from in front of the coat rack before dashing right out the front door faster than he had previously entered.

X

Walking down the long orange carpeted hallway, the pair stopped their movements once they reached the door labeled 4C.

"Now remember to let me handle this," Charles cautioned.

"Right," Raven remarked. "You know, since you minored in door knocking and all."

"That is not what I mean." Mild annoyance shined evidently in Charles voice. "You've never done this before and this type of unique situation requires a certain level of delicacy."

"Too bad Erik couldn't come," Raven said wryly. "As we know, he's the king of all things delicate."
Though he did not voice it out loud, Charles felt just a tad of truth from the very sarcastic statement. Raven had accompanied him into the city after Erik opted to stay behind and keep a lid on things back at the mansion. Of course, Charles knew the real reason, something his friend would never admit come day's light, was because Becky had grown quite fond of him and wanted him to stay behind with her. Considering the trauma the little girl had been through three weeks prior, Charles could not find it in himself to argue.

Raising his fist, Charles gave a strong rap to the hard wooden door.

In a few seconds they were greeted by a lovely redheaded woman who looked to be in her late thirties. "Can I help you?" she asked the strangers.

"Yes, Mrs.—" Charles took a quick reading. "Collins. I am Professor Charles Xavier and this is my sister, Raven."

Raven put on a smile and shook the woman's hand. "Hello."

"Hello," Cecelia returned. "What can I do for you?"

"We're sorry to disturb your evening," Charles apologized, "but we wanted to speak with you about your nephew, Franklin." He paused before going on. "Might we continue this inside?"

"Of course," the woman responded, stepping aside to allow them access. "Have a seat." Charles and Raven took up space on the couch in front of the coffee table. "My husband's lying down. My oldest nephew is out scanning the neighborhood. Frank took off like the devil was after him about an hour ago. Have you seen him?"

Charles frowned slightly. "I'm afraid not. What on earth would make him leave in such a huff?"

Cecelia waved her hand dismissively. "He got into some mischief earlier and his uncle was ready to take his belt to him. I don't know what happened but the next thing I know my husband is claiming he can't see and Frank is just gone."

"He couldn't see? Has Mr. Collins ever suffered vision problems prior to today?" Charles asked.

Shaking her head, Cecelia said, "No, never. I think it was the stress. He's our building superintendent and now we have my three nephews staying here. Their father is in the service and my sister- she is away dealing with personal matters."

At the detection of information being withheld, Charles immediately entered the woman's mind and received a much more detailed explanation.

All he said however was, "I see."

"I don't know what it is," Cecelia went on. "Frank did exceptionally well in school this last semester; same as he always does. But at home, he comes in late, pulls these little pranks of his, and barely has regard for anyone. All I've done is try to be patient."

Raven chimed in with, "Have you tried talking to him?"

"Oh, a boy that age?" Cecelia replied. "He's like a locked box."

Charles clicked his tongue then began to stand. "Well, Mrs. Collins, we thank you for your time. Come along, Raven."

"Hold on," Cecelia said, confusion on her face. "Professor Xavier, what exactly is your interest in Frank?"

"His unique gifts," Charles responded then added, "Academically speaking. But first, we must tend to the matter of finding him."
Still frazzled, Cecelia said, "Well, thank you."

"Think nothing of it." When they made it back out into the hall, Charles said, "Well, it seems we have a bit of a troublemaker on our hands. He should fit in nicely."

"Look at it from his side of things," Raven pointed out. "His father is serving miles and miles away but it's his mother who is M.I.A? And on top of that, his uncle apparently beats him. Yeah, I think a little trouble is to be expected."

"Oh, Raven, trust me. The child is hardly beaten," Charles informed her. "He's gotten away with quite a bit honestly."

"Happen to pick that up in his aunt's head?"

"Naturally."

"Naturally," the girl mimicked, wrapping arms with him as they stepped into the elevator.

X

After the basketball swooshed through the netted lining of the hoop for the fifth time, Frank just watched as it hit the pavement below and bounced lowly several times. He had walked up and down the familiar streets for over half an hour before making it to the playground not far from his school. Worry and fear had been his only company for the last ninety minutes.

Sure, maybe he had seen the whole thing coming. A few months back he felt himself changing but he could not explain it. Phone calls from his father were few and in-between and his mother had already gone by the time Frank knew there was an issue. Could he have talked to Linny? Never. Maybe his aunt or uncle? Impossible; she would not begin to know what to do and he would overreact big time. Besides, it wasn't like any of them ever cared to pay the slightest bit of attention to him, anyway, especially with Jeff around.

Mom would understand. Mom would care.,,

Frank walked under the hoop to retrieve his ball. Instead of picking it up, though, he sat on it, staring down at the concrete. He felt his eyes glisten and immediately blinked it away but could not help the sob that hitched in his throat next.

"Hey." He shot his head up in time to see a beautiful girl with golden blonde hair headed his way. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Frank answered, quickly getting to his feet.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" Nothing but concern showed in her voice and features.

"Just messing around," Frank told her, putting on a smile. "Who are you?"

"I'm Raven," she answered, holding a hand out to him. "And you would be…?"

Entranced by the feeling of shaking her hand, he replied robotically, "Franklin… I mean Frank. I mean- you can call me whatever you want."

Smiling, she said, "Okay, Frankie. Now that we both have names, do you want to tell me the real reason you're out here at almost nine o'clock by yourself?"

Frank shook his head. "Trust me. You wouldn't understand."

"I understand a lot more than you think," Raven said to the contrary. "I understand that you feel depressed and upset and you feel like there's no one out there who could possibly get that. No one who could possibly get that you're changing."

Staring at her closely, Frank asked, "How do you know all that?" He nearly jumped out of his own skin as the girl before him shrunk and melted down until she became a mirrored image of himself. "Whoa!"

Copying Frank's voice, Raven said, "Because I know exactly what you're going through, man," then returned to her blonde form.

Unable to speak for nearly a full minute, Frank finally uttered, "Are- are you some kind of angel? Were you sent here to talk to me?"

"Yes, I was sent here to talk to you," Raven replied. "The jury's still out on the angel status, though."

There are others like you, Frank.

Frank looked around nervously. "Did you just hear that?"

Raven feigned cluelessness. "Hear what?"

It's all right, Frank. We mean you no harm.

"Who is that?" Frank demanded. He received an answer as a young man with dark hair stepped up from out of the shadows.

"Hello, Frank," Charles greeted warmly.

Frank looked to Raven who explained, "This is my brother, Charles."

Regarding the new arrival up and down, Frank commented impertinently, "Your little brother?"

Raven managed to refrain from laughing while Charles cleared his throat pointedly.

"Are you two some kind of magic act or what?"

"No, but you'd be surprised how often we get that," Charles said with a bit of a smile. "No, Frank, my sister and I are mutants. Like you."

Frank gave him a glower. "What'd you just call me?"
Taking a pair of fingers to his temple, Charles replied, A mutant.

Frank let loose a sharp breath. "How are you doing that?"

"There are no tricks to it," Charles assured. "While Raven is a shape-shifter, I have the ability to read minds- among other things."

"Oh, sure," Frank said, rolling his head back in disbelief. "Okay, pal. What's on my mind then?"

"A great many things," Charles replied casually. "For starters, you're afraid to go home because you think you harmed your uncle when your ability that you've managed to keep secret for so long finally manifested. He's fine, Frank. The blindness was only temporary." Frank's mouth dropped several inches.

"Show it to us," Raven requested encouragingly. "Please?"

Glancing back and forth between them, Frank bit his lip uncertainly. "Just don't look me in the eye, okay?"

Charles gently took Raven by the wrist, stepping them both back.

Summoning up what had lived inside him for so long, Frank opened his eyes wide, letting loose a brilliant glow that lit up the entire playground.

"It's beautiful," Raven reacted while Charles grinned and commented, "Smashing."

Frank turned it off before facing them again. "It started a while back. I didn't know what it was and I didn't want to tell anybody."

Charles and Raven looked at each other. That sounded so familiar.

"Frank, if you will allow, I can help you understand this genetic mutation," Charles told him. "I can help you control it and ultimately master it. I have a house filled with other young people just like yourself. I know how sudden all of this is but if you trust us, we will not let you down."

Glancing down in thought for a long time, Frank finally faced them again. "Think we could leave now? Because my uncle's gonna tear me a new one when I get home."
Letting out a chuckle, Charles said, 'Leave your family to me. I have very successful persuasion methods."

Frank asked Raven, "You'll be there, too, won't you?"

"You know it," the young woman said with a smile. "Oh, I am so happy."

When she reached out to give him a little hug, Frank found himself feeling a great deal of that same emotion.

X

Raven and Charles did not return with Frank in tow until late and found the household absolutely silent. The siblings helped carry the new arrival's bags upstairs then Raven led him into a guest room. She pointed out all of the second floor bathrooms along the way.

When Raven turned on the light, Frank looked around in awe. The so-called bedroom could easily swallow his aunt and uncle's entire living area. Frank spied a closet, two humongous Maplewood dressers with a twin sized bed that matched, elegant lighting fixtures that looked like something out of The Four Seasons hotel back in New York, and even a pair of chairs on either corner at the far back of the room.

Trying to gouge his reaction, Raven asked, "Do you like it?"

Frank started to say he loved it but decided to go with a cool, "I think I can live with this."

"That's good," Raven said, although she could honestly guess how he really felt. "If you want to change anything, Charles is willing to let you fix it up any way you want. He's great about things like that."

"Thanks a lot, Raven." Frank faced her with earnestness. "Thank your brother, too. This is incredible."

"We're really glad you came with us," Raven replied. She looked uncertain for a moment. "Listen, Frank, there's something I want you to know, just so I don't put you on edge later."

Frank grinned secretively. "What is it?"

Raven explained carefully, "I don't always look like this."

"Ah, that's no big deal," Frank waved off. "My aunt wakes up with those mother honking hair rollers every day."

She smiled but shook her head. "No, I wish it was that simple. You already know how I can change appearances but this isn't my true form." Frank watched her expectantly. Sighing, Raven reverted to her natural blue skin. "This is."

Although his mouth opened, nothing but incoherent chirps came out. Since they had met hours before, Frank had been unable to take his eyes off of her but now they were perma-glued. He then wanted to reach back and kick his own behind as Raven turned back to the blonde she had been before; dejection yet no appearance of surprise on her features.

"Now you know," she said flatly. "I'll see you in the morning."

When she walked out into the hall, Frank immediately ran after her. "Raven!" She glanced back. "Blue's like my second favorite color… and my mom has red hair, too."

Overcome by the simple statement from the child, Raven smiled warmly at him. "You know something? You're pretty terrific." With that, she continued on down the hall to her own quarters.

Grinning, Frank went back into his new bedroom, completely blown away with how the day had ended. He was something terrific; something his brothers knew absolutely nothing about. He fell back against the incredibly comfortable mattress blissfully.

When the next morning arrived, Frank went downstairs and got to meet everyone. Erik Lensherr had regarded him with few words but Frank could tell the tall man had an eye on him. Alex Summers reminded him a lot of guys he knew back in the city, mainly Linny so Frank put a guard up around him. He had instantly taken a liking to Becky Douglas, the closest to his age in the entire house. He thought Hank McCoy seemed nice enough, though he did not care for how chummy he seemed around Raven.

The one Frank felt himself really clicked with was the soft spoken Sean Cassidy. After breakfast, the two found their way upstairs to the older one's bedroom. They sat on the soft carpeted floor facing each other.

"So New York?" Sean surmised. "That's what's happening. It must blow your mind to be here in Nowheresville."

"I have never seen so much grass in my life," Frank replied. "But, hey, it's all good." He then noticed the copy of King James sitting on Sean's chair. "Are you Catholic?"

"Yeah," Sean answered. "It's just me and my little brother at home but we come from a huge, huge Catholic family."

"Me, too," Frank said. "Just Mom's side, though. They're all Irish. My dad is English but we don't see his side much because they made a huge deal out of it when he married a non-Lutheran."

Sean nodded understandingly. "We're full blown Irish. We even have an ancestral home back in Ireland."

Frank looked greatly impressed. "Are you serious? Now, that's what's happening." He went into thought for a moment. "Hey, Sean, what are people around here really like?"

"Hm." Sean adjusted his legs as he considered the question. "Charles is great but Hank and Raven are probably the most easy-going people in the entire house. Alex is one of those guys that annoys you but you'd rather be his friend than his enemy. Becky's a pretty nice kid."

"What about Erik?"

"He shoved me off that huge satellite dish out back." Frank's eyes grew enormously so Sean decided he very much needed to add on to that story. "Well, he was trying to teach me to fly. Just be sure to stay off his bad side."

"This place is ten kinds of weird," Frank commented.

"Yep," Sean agreed, "home sweet home."

XXXXX

Taking in the warm comforting sensation that pumped through his system every time he did this, Frank opened his eyes wide. From them a pair of immensely bright lights radiated against the back wall of the lab in the upper level of the mansion. Charles and Hank along with Sean and Alex stood together in pairs off to either sides of the twin glow. They observed but remained careful not to stare directly into the younger mutant's eyes.

"Absolutely incredible," Charles reacted when the exterior of the house came into view, as if changing the wall into a window. "He has achieved an entirely new level with his illumination abilities."

"He's been outside playing a lot more," Hank rationalized. "The sun's rays combined with the impact of the football clearly caused a trigger."

"Could this hinder his ability at temporary blindness?" Charles ventured.

Hank replied, "I doubt that. It's like volume levels on a TV. He should be able to differentiate between his usual blinding light and this new transparency capability."

"Uh, guys?" Frank spoke, regaining the attention of the two possibly overly intelligent individuals. "Could somebody tell me what's going on?"

Charles chuckled lightly. "Our apologies, Frank. I must congratulate you, though." Frank turned off his power as Charles stepped up to shake his hand. "You have just developed an amazing new ability."

Frank made a 'Yes!' motion with his arm. "All right!"

Sean chimed in, "Yeah, he's more than just an overrated flashlight now." Charles sent a look his way. "I mean a far out overrated flashlight."

A smile tugged at the corners of Frank's mouth. "Unbelievable." He turned around and promptly began using his eyes to send transparent rays throughout every inch of the lab. "Look, I can see that and that." He turned his gaze on a file cabinet. "Oh, what's in here? Bet I know and I don't even have to touch it!"

"Stay out of there," Hank admonished.

"Frank, though I must share your enthusiasm," Charles said, "you're going to have to contain yourself. I want you to use this ability, not abuse it."

"Yeah, because if I catch you sneak peaking in my room or at any of my stuff, I won't need a football to knock you off your feet," Alex told him.

"Oh yeah, Alex," Frank retorted. "Because I'm just dying to look in your room. Your dirty underwear piles are so groovy, man." He abruptly turned around and charged towards the double doors of the lab. "I have to tell Rae!"

"Hurry along back," Charles instructed.

"I will!" the eager pre-teen tossed back.

Hank watched him leave then touched the wall Frank had just been demonstrating on. The scientist could only imagine what it felt like to hold such excitement over a growing mutation; himself having experienced more dread than anything in that area. However, one thing that certainly had him excited was the special evening that lay ahead for him and a certain shape changer.