Following the others to school was a great deal easier than Kurt thought it would be—all he had to do was teleport into the back of Lance's jeep and wait silently while everyone piled in. By staying low and silent, he remained unnoticed, and was thus able to poke his head out once everyone was inside the large, boxy building he assumed to be the school.

He spotted a semi-hidden spot on the roof of the structure and teleported over, then stayed low so no passersby would see him scurrying around up there. The question was how to get inside without getting caught… he should probably avoid windows, and doors were out of the question…

He felt a draft of air from below him and looked down. A grating! Carrying the scents of chalk, french fries, old sweat, and lots of people. He'd spent enough of his life around carnival creations to understand the need for ventilation. Which meant that this would lead all the way to where the people were.

Kurt tried to detach the grating, but it was screwed on. With a shrug, he checked to make sure there were no obstructions, then teleported into the vent.

He landed inside a steeply angled metal tunnel, which was surprisingly slippery. He slid several yards before he snapped his arms and legs out, bracing himself against the squared sides of the shaft. Then, he carefully lowered himself, allowing himself to slip a couple feet at a time. Eventually, he hit the bottom, where it leveled out. A couple feet ahead, it forked off in three directions. One had the old sweat scent, while the others had the people. Kurt decided to take one of the latter forks.

He continued like that for several minutes, winding his way through a maze of metal tunnels. Then, he whiffed fresh air a moment before he came across his first grating.

Through the thin metal slits, he could see a hallway lined with lockers. An adult in thick glasses wound his way slowly through them, as if looking for stragglers. Kurt peered closer through the vent to take in the dapper suit and the balding patch on the top of his head.

The man stopped right under the vent, and Kurt held his breath. Had he made a noise? Had his tail banged against the vent or something? The man looked around carefully.

Then:

"Principle Kelly!"

The man turned. "Yes, Kendra?"

A woman dressed in a blue blouse and gray skirt came into view, a stack of papers in her hands. "I've got the files you were searching for, sir. This Institute seems legitimate."

"Hmm. Give them to me, and I'll see about that."

The papers traded hands, and both people walked off. Kurt breathed a sigh of relief.

He continued on through the tunnels, until he came upon the next grating. This time, he looked into a classroom, where a middle-aged woman stood at the front while teenagers listened in various stages of wakefulness.

"…which of course means that the fairies represent the dreaming state of Midsummer Night's Dream. Collin, what, then, is Puck doing in his last monologue, if this metaphor is true?"

A blond boy raised his head from his desk and blinked owlishly. "Um, he's waking us up?"

"Ah, yes, but if he is part of the dream, how can he wake us?"

Kurt didn't understand, so he moved on.

It went on like that. Some gratings showed only empty rooms or hallways, but others offered him windows into a different world. He listened, fascinated, as one man read from a scary poem about a raven. He watched jealously as students chased one another around a hardwood floor, bouncing a ball in some sort of game Kurt didn't completely understand. He laughed and cried as he overheard various conversations about who was dating who, what had happened at last week's party, and which musical artist was currently the 'hottest,' with apparently several meanings for that word.

He caught glimpses of both the Brotherhood and the X-men during the day, but they rarely interacted with one another. He overheard Lance trying to flirt with 'Kitty,' which the girl swiftly brushed off, showing signs of anger. He also spotted spike-boy ('Evan') darting away from the adults with a guilty look on his face, the red-head ('Jean') explaining offensive techniques in soccer to a gaggle of hangers-on, and Tabby blowing a vending machine open.

He did, however, discover one particular difficulty while trying to sneak around through the vents: hollow metal was loud. Several times, he tried to travel over a quiet classroom, only to peek inside through a grating and notice heads turned quizzically upward. At the least, it must have sounded like there were rats or some other sort of rodent sneaking around… at worst, it sounded like someone was banging a metal drum repeatedly.

So, when traveling over stretches of vent, Kurt started teleporting. A soft bamf was a lot less distracting than obvious footsteps, and therefore was less likely to get him caught.

There was one thing he wasn't counting on, though, and that was for someone to actually catch a hint of brimstone on the air. He wouldn't have thought any human to have senses that strong… but near noon, he was proven wrong.

He had been sitting over a particular classroom for a while, watching a solidly-built man with glasses talk about atoms and molecules… in a way that even Kurt could understand. The man's voice was compassionate and calming, and he answered every question with infinite patience and good nature. Kurt found himself actually learning, and settled in for a long sit.

To his disappointment, after fifteen minutes of watching the teacher, the bell rang. Kurt had learned to recognize it as something that signaled the end and beginning of each class period, much like a canon or bell at the carnival signalled the beginning of events.

"Well, I guess that's all we have time for today," said the teacher. "We'll pick up with the noble gases tomorrow." He started stacking his papers, before finishing with a good-natured smile. "And please, do use up all your 'noble gas' jokes before then. I'd like to actually get something done."

Various students chuckled as everyone packed up and headed out the door. It was only after most of them were gone that the teacher began frowning thoughtfully and checking over the equipment around the lab.

"Something wrong, Mr. McCoy?" asked a familiar voice, and for the first time, Kurt realized that one of the X-men had been in the class the entire time.

"Nothing much, Evan. I just thought I caught an odd scent during class. As a chemistry teacher, it pays to be vigilant about out-of-place odors."

"You mean all those stink bombs didn't completely kill your sense of smell?" Spike-boy joked, stuffing the last of his things in his bag.

Mr. McCoy smiled at him. "No, I'm afraid not, although your class certainly did try." He ended his search and headed back to the front. "By the way, Evan, that essay you turned in last week about the chemical composition of calcium was most intriguing. You really have a talent for exploring the practical amongst the theoretical."

The boy laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I have no idea what you just said… but I have kind of a special interest in calcium, y'know? It's important in my everyday life.

"Oh, no doubt. It and most other vitamins and minerals all join together to form the intricacies of the human body. It's quite fascinating, really."

"If you say so, Mr. McCoy." Evan smiled fondly at the teacher, and Kurt could understand why. Kurt wished he had a relationship with an adult like that.

Mr. McCoy returned the smile. "Well, you'd better be off. I can't have you missing lunch on my account."

"You sure you don't need help with the funny smell? I've got a wicked sharp nose."

"Oh, no need to worry. I'm sure I simply imagined it." He turned to his desk, packing his papers into a manila folder. "After all, I can hardly imagine a source of brimstone in a high school."

Evan nodded and started away, then whirled and did a double-take. "Did you say 'brimstone?'"

Scheisse.

Mr. McCoy looked up curiously. "Indeed I did. Does that mean anything to you, perchance?"

"N-no! No! Um, I gotta go. Later, Mr. McCoy!" Evan sped out the door, leaving Mr. McCoy looking after him, perplexed.

Kurt, for his part, felt fear run through him for the first time in a week. He'd almost forgotten what constant terror felt like, but it all came rushing back in that instant.

Not wanting to set off that scent of brimstone again, he scurried away, no doubt making an awful racket. It didn't really matter: an X-man knew he was here, and would no doubt tell the other X-men. And then they'd hunt him down, and hurt him.

Once Kurt was sufficiently far from the teacher with the oddly-sharp nose, he finally started porting… albeit slightly hysterically.

He ported back through the vents that he'd already been through. After that, he started porting through unfamiliar shafts that had a strong scent of grease and fish, much like carnival food.

Then, he ported on top of a grating that wasn't attached properly, and it gave way under his weight, sending him falling with a crash into the room below.

He was in a room surrounded by what he recognized as industrial cooking equipment: ovens and freezers and sinks and counters all over the place.

However, cooking equipment meant cooks. Kurt scurried toward the nearest shelter behind a counter, even as running footsteps approached, drawn by the noise.

"Oh my god, what was that?"

"It looked like some sort of giant rat!"

"Shit! Catch it, before it gets loose and the health inspector finds out!"

Cue a half dozen people armed with pans and rolling pins trying to come after him. He scurried from hiding spot to hiding spot (under the sink, behind the fridge, between the tray racks, under, around, behind…), never allowing them more than a glimpse of dark fur or a long tail. He could hear the sounds of many young voices through one door, and knew he couldn't afford to exit that way. He'd be seen by them for sure.

Then again, he couldn't exactly dodge these cooks forever.

He couldn't see any direct exit other than through the hundreds of kids… no, wait! There was a service door off to one side, with a big red "Exit" sign above it. But he couldn't go through it without entering a well-lit area where one cook stood, ready to cut him off. But the others were getting increasingly close… one thrown pudding cup splattered all over him.

So, he did something that he knew was stupid, but could see no other option. He ported… blind.

He closed his eyes, had that brief tugging feeling, and when he opened them, he was on the other side of the door. Luckily for him, he hadn't appeared in the middle of a car or something, but instead was at the side of the school, near a dumpster. On the plus side: he was away from the kitchen. On the minus: he was out in the open.

He heard shouts coming from inside, and backed away from the service door. How long until someone poked their head outside? He needed to be gone by then… but where? Hiding inside a car would only be a temporary solution… he needed to get away. But the only safe place he knew was the boarding house… and he wasn't entirely sure how to get there without a jeep to hide in.

"Fuzzy?"

Kurt whirled on that wonderful, familiar voice. There, standing on the edge of a parking lot, picking a box elder bug out of his teeth, was Todd.

"You nuts, foo'? What're you doin' here?"

Kurt didn't answer, but instead cast a worried glance back at the kitchen door. "I zhink I'm kind of busted…"

"I'll say. Lance is gonna maim you for leavin' the house, yo."

"Ja, ja, ve can talk about it later!" Kurt heard something hit the door and automatically darted around the corner of the school. Todd gave a funny yelp and hopped after.

Both hunkered out of sight and peered around the corner as the service door burst open, and five cooks poured out.

"Maybe it got out!" one cried.

"Dammit, we have to catch it!" said another. "We don't need anyone hearing about this!"

The cooks split up in different directions, bearing their utensils like weapons.

Todd and Kurt spun and sped away along the wall of the school.

"Damn, dawg… what'd you do?"

"Apparently, I vas born looking like a giant rat."

"Aw, that sucks."

"No kidding."

They sped away, reaching something that looked like a storm cellar, complete with a staircase that led down into the building. They flitted down inside to find an old storage room. There, they found a stack of boxes to hide behind and caught their breath.

"See now…" Todd said between pants. "This is why we don't let ya leave the house, Fuzzbutt."

"I know…" Kurt sighed dejectedly, wilting. "I just vanted to see vhat it vas like, zhat vas all."

"You wanted to see school? Why?" Todd looked at him like he was insane. "Foo', I'd kill to get to lay around the house all day. Well okay… not kill. But I'd probably let someone die. If, y'know, they was already gonna die."

Kurt let out a weak laugh at the morbid joke.

And then, footsteps started down the stairs above their hiding place, and they froze.

Todd's head whipped around. "There!"

'There' was a door (furnished with a big 'keep out' sign) on the other side of the storage room. Both boys ran over and tried to open it, but it was locked and stuck.

"Aw man… If you get busted, I get busted. An' I'm pretty sure we ain't s'posed to be down here."

Kurt looked behind them. A pair of silhouettes were in the doorway, coming in. No time to think.

He'd never tried teleporting someone with him before… no better time to try.

Kurt veritably tackled Todd, wrapping his arms and tail around the skinny boy's torso (and eliciting a yelp from the pale boy in the process). Then, he concentrated. For a moment, he felt resistance, and feared it wouldn't work. Then…

Bamf.

They reappeared on the other side of the door, and stumbled apart. Todd caught himself against the wall, groaning and clutching his stomach, while Kurt dropped to the floor and swayed dizzily, fighting vertigo.

"Jeez, Fuzzy… that's one nasty ride. I don' think I wanna go again."

"It's not usually zhat bad." Kurt picked himself up as his energy and balance returned. "I probably just need to get used to passengers."

"Well, ya ain't practicin' on me, yo."

Kurt smiled impishly at his friend. "Ve'll just see if you can stop me."

Todd looked at him for a moment, then cracked a crooked smile of his own, his hand dropping from his stomach.

They could hear the cooks rifling around in the room behind them, but the threat had dissipated immediately… now a world away. The two shared muffled laughter at the futile search behind them. As the sounds faded away and the searchers left, the boys allowed themselves to laugh out loud.

"Man, that was awesome, yo! They were like 'grr, get the rat!' and we were like 'not today, foo!' Poof!"

Kurt laughed as much at Todd's impressions as at the actual situation. "It's handy, being able to teleport around, ja?"

"Hell yeah!" Todd bounced around excitedly.

Todd landed on some sort of computer console, and Kurt noticed his surroundings for the first time.

They had ended up in some sort of dusty old lab. Boxy computers lined the walls, and odd gadgets were set out in random places around the room.

Todd seemed to notice their surroundings at the same time Kurt did. He hopped down onto the keyboard, experimentally pushing several buttons. "Hey, I wonder what this is about, yo."

Kurt, on the other hand, wasn't as bold. "I don't think ve should touch anyzhing."

"What ya talkin' about, foo'? Ain't nothin' gonna happen."

As if to prove him wrong, Todd pressed a particular button, and the various screens suddenly blinked to life.

"January 22nd 1978," began a boy on the screens. "Hi there."

Todd squawked and jumped off, hopping over to hide behind Kurt.

Kurt laughed, "Nozhing going to happen, huh?"

The face was still talking, though, and all Kurt's amusement soon fled.

"… hearing this message, you got ten seconds before this lab self destructs."

There was an upsetting whirring sound around them, and Kurt felt Todd press hard into his back.

"Have a nice day… what's left of it," the face finished smugly, then disappeared to reveal a count-down.

10…

"Oh man, oh man!" Todd said.

9…

"Poof us outta here, Fuzzy!"

8…

7…

"You said you didn't vant-"

"Forget what I said!"

6….

5…

4…

"KURT!"

3…

Kurt whirled around and wrapped his arms around Todd. For the briefest second, he felt the other boy's trembling breath against his collarbone.

2…

1…

Bamf.

KABOOM.

They appeared back in the storage room a moment before the door was thrown open by the blast. Both of them were tossed back into the piles of boxes by the force.

After a while of sitting in a shaking huddle of limbs, the two of them slowly registered that the trouble had passed.

Todd was the first to move, releasing a trembling sigh against Kurt's throat that ruffled his fur. "That was close, yo," he mumbled into Kurt's shirt.

"Ja."

Kurt had somehow ended up pretty much wrapped around Todd… arms, legs, tail, and all. Todd, in the meantime, was huddled up into a protective ball, except for the arms that had found their way around Kurt's back. Kurt could feel on big hand touching a bit of fur poking out between the hem of his shirt and the tops of his pants, and figured it must be accidental. Very few people ever willingly touched him.

Reluctantly, Kurt pulled away, surprised at the feeling of lost intimacy that fled with it. It hadn't been that intimate, had it? Nothing like any of the touches Kurt had endured… under a leash and collar.

But then he met Todd's eyes, and saw the startlement on the pale face. He'd felt it too.

Both boys jumped back as if burned.

Kurt stood and cleared his throat, feeling his face go hot. He didn't look at Todd, but did hear the other boy brushing himself off.

"I wonder if there's anythin' left in there," Todd said after an awkward moment, and Kurt risked a glance. Todd was wandering back through the exploded door.

Kurt followed hesitantly. "You really vant to risk zhat happening a second time?"

"It self-destructed, foo'. That shit ain't gonna happen a second time."

Both boys headed back in, looking around. It was completely different… upended dust was still settling in a cloud amongst the ruined computer equipment. The floor was littered with bent metal, and anything left standing was cracked and broken.

Todd knocked experimentally against a standing console. It promptly fell apart into dozens of pieces. "Aw, man. Not gonna salvage any of these parts. This tech is ancient, yo."

"Und destroyed," Kurt added, stifling a chuckle.

"Pfft, details." Todd tossed a grin back at him, then looked away quickly. Kurt felt his face go hot again.

Kurt looked away too, then noticed something set out on a pedestal. "Hey, zhis seems to be in vun piece."

"Yeh?" Kurt and Todd both homed in on an odd device that looked a bit like the handlebars from a kitchy, high-tech bike or something.

Todd picked it up and examined it, even going so far as to stick out his tongue and lick it. "A little banged up, but I bet it still works… whatever it does."

"How do ve find out vhat it does?"

"How else, foo?" Kurt watched as Todd fiddled around with the buttons.

"You just blew up a lab by doing zhat!"

"Yep. That's how you learn what not to touch."

Kurt's tail twitched uncertainly. "Maybe you shouldn't…"

Then, the device in Todd's hands made a soft whirring sound, followed by a high pitched ringing. Suddenly, Kurt was enveloped in a pink bubble of bright light.

He stumbled back, shielding his eyes. "Vas?" A buzzing sound filled his ear, and he felt a sensation of movement, just like teleporting.

When he opened his eyes, the light was gone… but so was the lab. And Todd.

Instead, he was standing in the middle of an empty hallway that he'd only seen through gratings. He was in the school, exposed.

And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was even more wrong then that. There was a nagging feeling in the back of his head… displacement, like he'd teleported wrong or something. Like he'd overjumped reality altogether.

The question was: where had he landed?

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Todd stood motionless for a very long time, a shocked expression frozen on his face. Finally, a cracked "…Fuzzy?" escaped his throat.

Oh god, he'd killed Kurt. The one person who'd ever treated him like an equal, and he'd gone and killed him. Oh god, oh god.

Okay, no… maybe he wasn't dead. Even though it looked like this thing had vaporized the blue furball.

Wait, it had vaporized someone… and he was still holding it!

Todd gave a shriek and threw the machine across the room. It smashed into the opposite wall, its casing coming apart and the innards scattering amongst the rest of the debris in the lab.

Panic overriding all sense he might have had, Todd streaked out of the room. He never wanted to see that damned place again.