Chapter 28
First thing the next morning is when Chloe and Lois are saying their farewells...or they would be if Lois was back from her night out.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go look for her?" Clark asks Chloe as the two friends wait next to Lois' car parked outside the mansion front door.
"No. She sent me a text. She's on her way back," Chloe says while waving her phone in Clark's direction to show him the message from Lois.
Clark frowns. He already wasn't in a brilliant mood since the other boys ambushed him and Scott last night to get 'details'. They got zilch from either him or Scott. Neither would ever break that kind of confidence and personal information.
A few minutes pass and sure enough Lois finally makes her appearance still dressed the way she was last night as she walks up the drive.
Chloe holds her wrist up and taps on her watch.
"I know. I know. Don't rub it in couz," Lois accepts she is late.
"Yeah. It's not something to cry over," Clark says with a teasing smirk.
Lois' eyes flash dangerously as she glares at him. Clark whistles innocently. "Can I grab a coffee first?" Lois asks.
"That's probably for the best," Chloe agrees. Lois walks past and into the mansion and Chloe then adds, "As is me driving." Lois stinks of alcohol and surely can't be fit to drive.
Chloe then notices Clark has wrinkled his nose in...disgust? "Ok spill it. What's the problem now?"
"Uh...um...err...I would rather not say. It's personal to Lois," Clark stumbles over his words nervously.
Chloe arches an eyebrow, folds her arms across her chest and taps her foot.
Oh gee Clark's dead. He can't resist that look. "Ok fine. I can smell that she got up to more than a little drinking last night."
"Such as?"
"Don't make me spell it out Chlo," Clark pleads pathetically.
From Clark's horribly embarrassed expression she can make a guess. "Would this involve certain activities performed with a male of the human species?"
Clark nods.
"There's more isn't there," Chloe can assume from Clark's look
Clark nods once more and rubs the back of his neck. "I'm not sure you should mention this to her but I kinda recognise the scent on her."
"Who?"
"Um...Avalanche."
Chloe clamps a hand over her eyes and shakes her head. Only Lois.
At the Boarding House...
Magneto was a very patient man. He had learned throughout his life to be patient. However he draws the line at Avalanche vanishing off to wherever he vanished off to. This lack of leadership and discipline has been a fatal flaw in the Brotherhood. Perhaps it is all for the best they return with him where he can whip some discipline and focus into them before he assigns them another task.
As for this house he would leave Mystique to deal with the loose ends of one of her many identities. He had been informed she was awake. In fact she was here with him after Haze teleported them over.
Puzzler had been teleported to his base where she could receive proper care. He had a few mutant healers amongst his followers now on top of Sinister whom Magneto never wished to overly rely on for various reasons.
The door opens and in walks Avalanche, clothes slightly dishevelled and his pants' zipper open.
"Oh for the love of God," Mystique mutters. It didn't take any kind of telepathy to know what Lance had been up to. The goofy grin gives it away combined with his appearance.
"Avalanche," Magneto instantly reprimands the earth shaker.
Lance jumps. His mind had been on last night and Lois and that motel room and the bed and Lois naked and wow...just wow and he never noticed Magneto. "Uh...hi!" he says with a stupid wave.
"At least zip your pants up!" Mystique snaps at him. As if her mood needs worsened after what happened to her. She seriously dislikes magic.
Lance looks down and sees that they are undone. He quickly corrects that.
"You still with us?" Magneto wants to know.
Last night had been 1 night only. Lance understood that from the start. "I am," he relays what he had decided. For once he will live up to his commitments.
"Good. I had Haze teleport your belongings to your new quarters already. She'll be back momentarily."
Just as he says it the green haze that is Alicia begins to form until she appears and blinks her eyes as she adjusts to her surroundings.
Magneto turns to Mystique. "Wrap this up as swiftly as possible," he instructs her to liquidate what is left here.
"As you wish," Mystique says. She hadn't agreed 100% with Magneto's decision but can see where he is coming from. Apart from her daughter the entire Brotherhood had been exposed as mutants as her identity as a liar. After the incident at the school-board meeting she had continued to claim the girls were human so they could remain in school. That claim had been shown to be false. The situation here was beyond repair. It was over.
The part Mystique dislikes is that this will separate her from Kurt and Rogue. Ok so she didn't have much of a relationship with either of them but now she will be far away and unable to influence them and guide them...and they really need guidance considering both of them are dating humans.
Honestly. Humans!
Someone up there must really hate her.
Although she'll be damned if she can work out how that works when Rogue can't touch anyone. She frowns a little in confusion as if there is something she is not quite remembering as it relates to Rogue's boyfriend. She just feels like she is...missing something.
As Mystique struggles to recall what Alicia takes Magneto and Lance by their hands and teleports them away. A new phase for the Brotherhood was beginning.
At the Institute...
A short time later Lois is coffee fuelled and ready to go so the two girls say their farewells to everyone who is gathered outside to say goodbye.
"Well that was a party we soon won't forget," Tabby says with a grin as she bids farewell to Lois whom she really, really liked.
"Uh huh. Talked to him yet?" Lois asks, nodding her head at Sam.
"Ah...no."
"You should," Lois advises.
"I'm...kinda nervous," Tabby admits in a whisper. Usually she isn't but for some reason this time she is.
"Don't be. That boy's crazy for you. Auntie Lois knows these things," Lois assures Tabby to just go for it.
"You owe me a new set of clothes Lois!" Domino complains. "I'm never getting the bean smell out!"
Lois grins unapologetically. "Well some people should know when to refuse a bet!"
"You ever going to take that advice yourself one day Lo?" Chloe asks her cousin who never refuses a bet.
"Hey I have never taken a bet on I wasn't prepared to see through!" Lois protests.
"Yeah I bet there was a lot of seeing through," Chloe mutters in relation to what Clark told her about Lois and Avalanche.
"What was that?"
"Nothing! We should get going. It's a hell of a long drive." Chloe turns to the group. "If I hear anything on Lana I'll let you know," she promises them because Chloe will be doing everything in her power to find her friend.
Chloe and Lois walk to the car. Chloe looks back and spots Bobby. He was really cute and funny now she can remember it all. She thinks she might actually like him a little. "Lo you said I should live a little because it was my 18th right?"
"Yeah," Lois says warily, not sure what Chloe is thinking.
"Ok. Then I'm living a little," Chloe says as she turns round, marches right up to Bobby, grabs him by his shirt and kisses him firmly on the lips. Bobby's eyes widen in surprise as there are a few cat calls and wolf whistles from the other students at the sight.
Kiss done Chloe turns round and marches back to the car leaving a stunned Bobby wearing a goofy grin on his face.
"That's my girl," Lois compliments Chloe with a grin.
Bayville High...
Another Monday and for the students of the Xavier Institute another week of being stared at and having disparaging remarks whispered at them when it is thought they can't hear them or in the case of certain people, like Duncan Matthews, make these remarks when they can't be missed.
Clark is just getting his books from his locker. He still can't believe Chloe kissed Bobby. The prankster will be unbearable now. If it wasn't bad enough he was sort of dating Cat. That whole situation Clark was keeping out of as best he could. He likes Cat but doesn't really understand what she is doing seeing both Bobby and Roberto.
"You know I go away for one weekend and I miss out on a great big story. Why is that?"
Clark turns to his left to find, the just thought of, Cat Grant standing there, hands on hips, trying to look miffed. "Uh...karma?" he suggests.
Cat just breaks into a sudden snort of laughter at Clark's goofy expression. She wipes a tear from her eye. Was true though. She goes to visit her relatives and a huge mutant fight breaks out in Bayville and it involved Superman and Spider-Man. Boy when she misses out on something she really misses out on something. "So anyway we really need to get cracking...what's this?" Cat asks as Clark sticks a few pages of printed paper in front of her nose.
"A report on the fight in Bayville and by tomorrow I'll have a follow-up piece exploring the view of it from those left behind at the mansion," Clark tells her.
"Y-you already wrote an article?" she asks him totally surprised. She was about to say they should get cracking on that. She can't believe Clark has written it already.
"Yep."
"Don't you sleep?"
"I don't need a lot of sleep. I grew up on a farm. Long hours and early mornings are normal for me," Clark tells a truth if not the absolute truth.
"Mutie lover," someone mumbles at Clark as they pass him by.
"Get bent!" Cat lambastes them.
"Make me!"
"Any time pal! Name the place!" Cat dares the jackass who doesn't have the courage to follow up and walks away. "Honestly how do you live with that?" Cat asks Clark because she has seen him take it for weeks without complaint.
Clark shrugs. "You just do. Their opinions aren't important. I know who my friends are."
"You're one of a kind Clark," Cat compliments him.
At the Institute...
The Professor had waited until after the students left for school before he called a meeting of the instructors to go over everything that has occurred, including Magneto coming and taking Puzzler...which Martha was not happy about and had let Charles know in no uncertain terms. It had saved Logan the chewing out he was planning to give Chuck and added to that secret admiration he has for Martha.
"I understand your points Martha. I do," Charles says, agreeing with most of Martha's argument about how Magneto was not fit to be responsible for taking care of any child. "The issue is that as far as we can tell Erik is the girl's legal guardian and unlike Wanda she chose to leave. We cannot and will never make people stay here."
Martha frowns. She isn't happy at all.
"So are the goon squad really gone?" Logan asks in relation to the Brotherhood.
"Since Cerebro is needing even more repair than it was before I was going to ask if you could stop by the Boarding House sometime today, Logan, and investigate and confirm that."
"Sure," Logan agrees surprisingly quickly for the reason he wants to avoid Storm and the 'issue' between them and this is an excuse to get out of the mansion. So far he had done a good job of avoiding it and her.
"Now another issue is Wanda," Charles brings the topic round to.
"Yeah. I guess when we call her the Scarlet Witch we're being literal now," Dom says in a half-joke.
"There is that. As some of you may know Magneto was not the only guest we had last night. The friend I was attempting to contact also dropped by."
"I heard about that," Storm admits. "Who is this man?"
"His name is Dr Stephen Strange and he is Earth's Sorcerer Supreme."
"What is a Sorcerer Supreme?" Beast asks, still reeling from the fact that magic is real. As a scientist he didn't like the concept.
"He is Earth's supreme defender against mystical threats as well as the protector and teacher of those blessed with the gift of magic."
"Will he be able to find Lana?" Martha wonders. It upset her greatly to know that Lana was out there somewhere possessed. She knew Clark too was upset and kicking himself about it.
"He was not able to give a definite answer last night. I will talk to him more today about it. We will also need to talk to Wanda. She has a gift and like a mutant power she will need to learn how to control that gift. Stephen said he would consider teaching her."
"Only consider?" Ororo asks, puzzled.
Charles rubs his temple in a little nervous twitch. "He has concerns about the nature of her powers," he confesses and then goes onto explain what Stephen said last night about the threat Wanda may pose. "I disagreed with him about his concerns," he points out. "To me there is no difference than what we teach here. It is how power is used that defines it as good or evil."
"Well I agree with that," Hank says.
"As do I," Ororo adds her view.
"Yeah," Domino says in agreement. "If Dr Peculiar has a problem with Hexy tell him to take it up with me," she says in a protective streak she has developed for her students.
"I will let him know when he chooses to arrive," Charles assures Domino.
"In the meantime Wanda expressed a wish to get her hair cut this morning," Martha informs them. It had come a bit out of the blue Wanda mentioning it over breakfast. "Since Dr Strange is not here I see no reason why I won't just take her now," Martha reasons.
"I have no objection. I was planning a light day study wise for Wanda anyway," Charles replies.
Later that morning Wanda had returned from getting her hair cut. She had had her reasons but honestly she just prefers it short. She had let it grow out over the summer a little too much. She is just now finishing adding the red dye to the tips once again.
Wanda looks at herself in the mirror and gets a flashback of Madeleine looking into a mirror as she did that awful make-up. Wanda recoils from the mirror a few steps and covers her eyes.
'It's only a memory and Madeleine is gone,' she tells herself in her head over and over. She has worse memories than this and she copes so she'll cope with these ones as well. She takes a moment or 5 to repress. She's good at that. It'll help that she cut her hair and it is no longer physically possible to have it as Madeleine had it curled atop her head.
"Wanda. May I see you in my office," the Professor speaks telepathically to her.
Wanda didn't entirely like when the Professor did that. "I'll be right there," she says in reply.
Wanda takes a breath and heads off. She soon reaches the Professor's door, knocks and gets beckoned inside. There she spots the Professor is not alone. He is the company of another man with slightly greying hair and a beard.
"Wanda. Come," the Professor asks her to come inside the room. "There is someone I want you to meet. This is Stephen Strange. He is a sorcerer. He has come to help us with Isobel," is all Charles chooses to say right now. He's building up to the many issues surrounding Wanda.
"Hi," Wanda says warily and rather curtly which is her normal around new people.
"Hello Wanda," Stephen greets her with a charming smile. He had been here awhile as Charles gave him a fuller story than last night and was now eager to meet Wanda in person and make a better judgement on his next course of action.
"Please sit Wanda," the Professor requests holding his arm out at the empty chair prepared for her.
Wanda does so, rather confused about what is going on. "Why am I here?"
Charles cups his hands together on his desk. "Wanda what do you remember about the spell Madeleine cast in regards to Clark?"
Wanda looks uncertain and then turns her gaze to Stephen as if asking does the Professor really wish to talk about this.
Charles picks up Wanda's surface thoughts. "It's alright Wanda. I trust Stephen and we will inevitably have to discuss Clark at some point. I have already discussed this with Clark and his parents first thing this morning and to help you they all permitted us to discuss him freely."
Wanda relaxes a fraction and is deeply touched that Clark will let his secret be revealed if it helps her. He's always helping her. She never feels like she repays him enough. "I don't remember all of it," she says first off about the state of her memories. "I know she wanted to erase Clark's memory from everyone and I remember trying hard to alter the intent because it required to be consciously controlled but I don't know what happened or if I succeeded or what."
"You seemed to have done so to a degree. Lex has seemed to have forgotten who Clark is," Charles mentions but he will not mention Magneto. The last thing he needs is Wanda's temper flaring up. "Wanda what I wish to do is to take Stephen and I inside your memories and allow him to examine them. He can do so on a level I alone can't."
Wanda instantly tenses and her hands squeeze into fists. She hates the idea of people in her head.
Charles tries to mediate her concerns. "It will only be that memory, Wanda, and that memory alone. We shall see nothing else. We need to understand what has been done to help Clark."
At the mentioning of helping Clark Wanda's initial resistance lessens. After all Clark has done for her she figures she does owe him and this is one way to repay a little of her debt. "Just that memory?" she asks the Professor to confirm.
"Just that memory," Charles assures her.
"Ok," she concedes in a small voice.
"Thank you," Charles says gratefully. "Now close your eyes and concentrate on that moment Wanda."
Wanda does so.
Charles closes his eyes and reaches out to both Stephen and Wanda's mind. Since Stephen is practised in projecting himself onto the astral plane it isn't very hard to pull Stephen's mind into Wanda's head.
Charles and Stephen find their mental projections standing in the warehouse with Madeleine hovering above the arcane symbols she had drawn, her body glowing with scarlet red energy. Charles in a sense pauses the image.
Stephen walks over to the symbols on the floor so he may decipher it. He strokes his beard as he thinks. He can see what she was trying to do. He looks up at Wanda/Madeleine and is amazed at the power of the swirling mass of chaotic magical energy before him. He pulls out the Eye of Agamotto from his pocket. As a mystical object it exists simultaneously as both a physical object and as an astral one. Hence why it exists here as well. Stephen uses its power to see what was done.
Charles concentrates and pulls Wanda's mental image here so she appears next to him.
"Uh...where are we?" Wanda asks.
"Inside your memories," the Professor explains. "Does this seem correct?"
Wanda looks around. It was weird to see it from this perspective. "I think so."
"What were you trying to do Wanda?" Charles asks her in reference to the image in front of them. "Try and remember every detail."
Wanda's face becomes a mask of deep concentration. "She...Madeleine was trying to erase the memory of Clark and I knew if she succeeded we would both be doomed so I focussed all my effort on altering the spell so it wouldn't affect us...you know our friends...people we trust...you," she tries to explain.
Stephen turns to look at Wanda and cocks his head slightly. "What about people you don't like who knew about Clark? People who can't be trusted?"
"I never gave them much thought," Wanda admits.
"You have a theory," Charles guesses about Stephen.
"I can see a little of the spell starting to form. Can we move forward slowly?" Stephen requests so he may study the swirling energy. Even if Wanda never saw it, her mind recorded it in a way. The mind records everything even if we can't recall every detail. Combined with the Eye's power it is as good as being there.
Charles allows the memory to progress like a video going in slow motion. Stephen walks around studying the spell from every angle.
"Is that really me?" Wanda asks in disbelief as this being glowing with shimmering scarlet red energy.
Charles hadn't considered how Wanda might react to seeing herself. "It is you Wanda...but it is nothing to fear. As strange as this may sound Madeleine has helped reveal a part of yourself you never knew existed and in a way helped you on your journey."
"Helped isn't the word I would use," Wanda says in a dangerously low tone.
"You have every right to be angry Wanda," Charles can see the justification. "You were used in a way that was appalling. Let us see what was done first. Remember we are doing this for Clark as well as you."
Again the mention of Clark has Wanda forcibly reign in her temper.
The memory moves on as Madeleine builds up to the crescendo.
"I can see the spell altering here," Stephen says as he continues his close scrutiny of everything.
"You can?" Wanda queries.
Stephen smiles at her gently. "Yes. Come here. I'll show you," he offers and it might be a good way to begin for her to learn of magic.
Wanda looks to the Professor who nods for her to go ahead. Wanda walks over next to Stephen who points at the swirling energy. "Don't look at it. Look past it at the patterns that lie beneath and within."
Wanda looks into the swirling mass of energy but isn't sure what she is looking for.
"I'll make it a little easier for you," Stephen offers and waves his hand and chants a small spell.
Wanda continues to look and sees glowing lines of swirling patterns appear.
"There. That is the spell. As the written word, as music, have their own unique languages so does magic. If you know how to read the language it is as if reading a book. I'll demonstrate by translating what you see into something you can understand."
Wanda looks as the swirling lines reorder themselves into lines of intricate cursively written words like you see in some really old book.
"Now watch carefully," Stephen asks Wanda.
Wanda does so and the words and letters change before her eyes.
"That change there. That was you Wanda."
Wanda looks up at Stephen not quite believing what he is saying.
"It is you altering the intent of the spell. I think I can see what has happened now. You wanted to protect your friend above all else and the spell changed to meet your demand. Your wish to protect him made sure people you trusted kept their memories while people you didn't trust forgot his secrets, which is what Charles tells me happened with Lex Luthor. If I read this correctly the spell will have applied that to everyone who ever knew who Clark truly was and that you didn't want to know."
"My father? My brother?" Wanda queries as in does that apply to them because she would almost have a party in that case.
"I believe so. I...interesting," Stephen suddenly says as he spots something amongst the spell words.
"What is?"
"You care for Clark a great deal don't you?"
"Not like that!" Wanda snaps defensively. She can remember what Madeleine said about her desiring Clark which is so not true.
"I meant no offence. I only meant as a friend."
"Oh. Yes. I do care for him like that," Wanda agrees.
"Out of that care you sought to protect him by...this Clark is the hero called Superman isn't he?"
"H-How do you know that?"
"Because I read it," Stephen says pointing at a line of words.
Wanda looks and can see the words Clark and Superman mixed in. "What did I do?" she is almost afraid to ask.
"Some kind of perception alteration. In essence if anyone suspects Clark is Superman the spell will make them disregard that thought as folly. It is not that they can't see him. If he was to tell them it would break through the spell. It is just unless he does that they will just see Clark and Superman as two different people however illogical that might sound. No-one will look at Clark closely enough to see the truth. They'll see what I suspect is the image he tries to portray."
Wanda has to say that doesn't sound so bad. In fact it sounds like she did Clark a huge favour...well ok maybe repay the favours he had done for her. Anyway if this Strange guy is right she has done the best thing possible in her mind and wiped her father's knowledge about Clark out. She can't help having warm feelings at ruining her father's day.
The memory plays out until the spell wave spreads out across the world. The power again catches Stephen by surprise. No wonder he felt it even where he was.
With this trip over the 2 men and Wanda return to the office where they all take a minute to reacquaint themselves with their surroundings.
Charles has to say that was informative about Clark. He had always felt it necessary to hide and protect Clark's true nature as long as he could. Now it seemed to be even more secure than it was. That can be dealt with when Clark returns from school. Right now there is still the issue of Wanda's newly awakened magical abilities. "Wanda. We must discuss what to do, now we know you can perform magic," he raises with her as gently as possible.
"Yeah. I kinda figured," Wanda says sullenly. Wasn't hard to work out that something would need to be done.
"One of a sorcerer's most important tasks is passing on his knowledge and skills to the next generation," Stephen says in a grandiose style as this is important. "I meditated long and hard upon this last night Wanda and I decided, if you are willing to learn, I am willing to teach you."
In an ideal world Stephen would have liked a few days to think upon it. However Wanda's status as a nexus being made it imperative he made a quick decision so he went with his gut on the matter. He would disregard the set down convention for Wanda's existence and train her. In the end it boiled down to that while it may sound easy on paper to kill how could he, in all conscience, do so to a girl who had done nothing but exist. Now he thinks on it he, perhaps, should have raised stronger objections with the Ancient One about that particular policy. Seeing the memory and seeing Wanda's protective instincts...her desire to do good, to help her friend in anyway she could, has banished any lingering doubts he had about whether to take her on.
Wanda is a little put off. She's still not use to people being kind to her. "You are?"
"Yes. I am. However the initial training is quite intense and would require you to come stay with myself," Stephen has to inform her.
"I-I have to leave!" Wanda cries.
"No Wanda. You do not have to leave," Charles assures her, feeling the rising panic from her and it is panic. "No-one will force you to do anything but I ask you to take time to think on this long and hard. It is important to your future."
"D-do you want me to leave?" Wanda asks the Professor, anguish in her eyes at the idea of leaving her home.
"No. I told you Wanda that you may stay as long as you wish. I still hold to that and if you decide to stay we will try and help you with your new powers to the best of our ability."
"But nothing has happened," Wanda points out. "I haven't done any magic."
"You will," Stephen says in a deeply serious tone. "The power is awake now. Magic is more emotion than thought. Speech, speaking spells, is a tool to help us focus that energy to achieve what we desire but it can happen instinctively."
"So?" Wanda says with some hostility. "My powers have always been linked to my emotions but I have it under control."
Charles raises a sceptical eyebrow at that.
"Mostly," Wanda adds at the Professor's expression although there were many of the New Mutants who would argue with even that assertion after a DR session.
"What I offer Wanda is exactly that; an offer," Stephen says. He would never think of forcing her. It would never work unless she chooses to come learn from him under her own free will. "It is for you to refuse or accept as you desire. My preference is that you accept," he expresses his very strong desire. Wanda is exceptionally powerful and the longer she is left without guidance the greater chance she will cast a spell without meaning to and who knows what will happen then.
"All either of us ask is that you think about it," Charles says.
Conflicting thoughts run rampant through Wanda's mind. She needs some place to clear her head and think. "Can I go now?" she asks.
Charles nods his consent and Wanda gets up and departs. He sighs a little. "I wish I had had more time with her before this happened," he expresses a desire. He had tried to help Wanda work through her anger but she was very stubborn about not talking about her father which is a problem when it is obviously the root of her anger.
"The universe rarely gives us what we desire Charles," Stephen points out a fact of life.
Charles concedes that is true.
"Now may we speak about young Mr Kent?" Stephen moves the subject on with Wanda off thinking.
"I thought you might want to," Charles says as his way of saying he agrees to talk about it.
"He's a boy of remarkable power. I sensed that when I was in his presence last night."
"Clark is a remarkable person," Charles rounds out the description more.
"What he is not is a mutant."
"No. He is not. He is not of this world."
Confusion puckers Stephen's brow. "I had not sensed any dimensional breaches."
Charles chuckles. "Wrong type of other world. Try looking at the stars at night."
Understanding and astonishment forms on Stephen's face. "He is..."
"An alien," Charles fills in.
"Incredible," Stephen remarks.
"He is the last survivor of a world called Krypton."
"The last?"
Charles nods to confirm that.
'That poor boy,' Stephen sympathises. How terribly lonely he must be.
"He came to Earth 14 years ago in the meteor shower that rained fire down upon Smallville."
Stephen stops and stares at Charles. The words he just said stir a memory.
"Oh no," Charles says at Stephen's expression. It is almost identical to the one from last night when he discovered what Wanda was. "What is it now?"
"One moment," Stephen says as he once more fishes out the Eye of Agamotto from his pocket. Normally it goes around his neck but that's a bit flashy for every day wear. "Show me Clark Kent," he commands the eye which opens and shows Clark sitting in class.
"Charles you never cease to amaze me," Stephen says as he examines Clark.
"How so?" Charles asks in a light tone.
"To have one nexus being under your roof is a miracle. To have two is fate."
"Clark? What do you see Stephen?"
"Reality twists around Wanda. Around young Mr Kent I can see the lines of destiny twist."
"Don't we make our own destiny?"
"Think of life as a road," Stephen starts to explain. "Fate are the different paths, destiny is the end result of those paths. Your choices can determine what destiny you have but sooner or later you reach a point where there is no turn off the path you are on...unless you happen to bump into young Mr Kent here. Somehow, for some reason, he has the ability to alter the destiny of anyone he touches. I would have thought it impossible but the Eye does not lie."
"That doesn't explain your initial look," Charles returns to that.
"Your words. They remind me of a prophesy I know. 'A rain of fire will signal the descent of the Star Child. He will be as a God though not born as one and his light will sweep away the darkness that troubles our world.'"
Charles is well aware of the power of prophecies. He and Magneto once, long ago, raced each other to find the mutant Irene Adler, to try and foresee the future. Magneto wanted it, of course, to assist him in his quest for a world of mutant domination. Irene got the last laugh on both of them because she saw them coming and had made sure to not be there but leave behind one of her infuriating cryptic messages about the future that could be interpreted in many ways.
"You said Star Child," Charles repeats those 2 words.
"Yes," Stephen confirms.
"Clark's Kryptonian name is Kal-El which he informed me once literally translates to Star Child."
"Then it is him," Stephen can conclude the prophecy refers to.
"You still have that look like the world is about to end," Charles points out.
"I don't believe it is any time soon," Stephen jokes lightly. "However that prophecy is known by many who inhabit the darkness and they fear it," he begins to explain his expression.
"Why?"
"They take the meaning to say that the Star Child will sweep them away with the darkness. If they knew he was here they would do all in their power to destroy him for they believe he will bring about their destruction," Stephen has to inform Charles of the potential threat to Clark.
"Then they really don't know him. Clark would not destroy beings even such as those. He believes anyone is capable of doing good if given a chance."
"A good belief to have. As for those residents of dark places they obviously don't realise that Superman is the Star Child or they would have already acted. I will do what I can to keep them off the scent but if he continues to publicly use his powers one day one of them will figure out who he is."
"Then they will find Clark has many good friends," Charles points out in that he and the X-Men would defend Clark.
"And I would assist," Stephen offers his services.
"Thank you," Charles says gratefully. "Now about Isobel?" he queries upon that issue.
"Yes. I had Wong do a search for any record we have of her. They're sketchy but there is enough information there abut her for me to attempt to locate her. I intend to go to the last place you saw her and try and pick up her trail."
"You must be wary of the caves in Smallville. They are an outpost of Clark's race and the place we last saw her is sealed by a field even you may not be able to penetrate. It is to protect it and keep it hidden."
Stephen looks at Charles. "I get the impression there is much about Clark Kent you haven't revealed."
Charles smiles. "Perhaps a little but perhaps you can be of assistance. We are on the same quest as Isobel and I wonder if you have any information on what she seeks."
"I can certainly have a look through our records," Stephen offers to help. "What is it precisely you are seeking?"
"Have you ever heard of the 3 Stones of Power?" Charles asks, using the term Isobel did for the stones.
In search of a place to think Wanda had ended up on the roof on the central section of the mansion. It's flat and far away from any distraction. The view over the ocean was...nice.
More importantly it's peaceful. No-one ever really comes up here unless the roof needs fixed or the satellite dish needs realigned...and it was so not her fault last time that happened. It was a pure coincidence that it happened immediately after her temper had snapped.
Wanda sits herself down, cross-legged, and closes her eyes. She lets the breeze wash over her face.
The choice on the face of it is simple. She stays here or she goes with this Dr Strange.
If she goes...IF, what would that mean? It would mean leaving the place she has come to call her home. It would mean leaving the people that are her friends. It would mean being away from Rogue...ok that's one for the pro leaving column she thinks to herself with a small laugh.
It would mean...would it mean less chance of finding her father? She hasn't forgotten about him...she'll never forget about him or what he did to her. It is just...well her need for vengeance hasn't seemed as urgent lately. Sooner or later they'll come across him. It is only a matter of time before he embarks on another of his crazy take over the world attempts and Wands swears she will be there to confront him.
It seems to her there is a better chance of meeting her father if she stays. That's one for the pro staying column.
It is not like she can't see the obvious fact that it would be helpful to learn about her new powers with Dr Strange. Wanda isn't stupid...despite what Rogue may have said once upon a time. Annoying southern cow!
'Ok Wanda. Breathe. Relax. No need to blow up the mansion. She isn't worth it,' Wanda tells herself. She tolerates Rogue for Clark's sake.
Back on subject. Leave or stay? Leave or stay?
Wanda debates it around and around in her head for awhile.
Eventually Wanda concludes that in the end it is about what she wants. For much of her life what she wanted didn't matter. She didn't want to go to the...place and be abandoned but it happened anyway. In the...place her wants were dismissed as the symptoms of an ill mind.
Her hands clench into fists at the memory. She was not crazy. She is not crazy!
What does Wanda want?
As she thinks of answer to that memories of her friends and the good times she has had here come to the surface.
What does Wanda want?
If she goes with her first instinct what she wants is to stay.
Yes. She wants to stay.
She won't tell the Professor yet. She'll let it chew over in her mind for a day or two. She owes the Professor that much of a courtesy but she doesn't believe her mind will change.
"You alright Wanda?"
Wanda's brow quirks in confusion. That sounds like Clark but surely it's too early for him to be home...unless she fast forwarded through time or something?
Wanda laughs at herself...a rare thing. That's just silly.
Wanda opens her eyes. "I'm...whoa!" she yells as she finds herself floating high above the roof...above Clark's height above the roof. In fact she is looking down at him.
Next thing Wanda knows she is falling. Clark catches her and her hands automatically link themselves around his neck.
He looks at her with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. "And I thought my flying sucked," he jokes.
Wanda rolls her eyes and slaps him. "You are not funny," she tells him off.
Clark chuckles as he puts Wanda down. He was just coming home from school when he spotted Wanda floating high above the roof and leapt up to check on her since last he checked defying gravity was not one of her abilities. "So did you meet with Dr Strange?" he asks her.
"Yeah. I was just up here thinking about it. We...um, we sort of figured out what happened with Madeleine's spell."
Clark looks at her expectantly and Wanda does her best to explain it, how people will just not really put it together that Clark is Superman and how, they believe, that people like her father who did know probably don't now. "The Professor can probably explain it better," she points out, feeling she probably can't explain it all that well.
"I'll talk to him...but thank you Wanda."
"For?" she asks, clearly confused.
"For everything. You protected my secret from Madeleine and I never really thanked you properly."
"It was nothing. You saved me from my father. It was the least I could do."
"No. It wasn't. This is why you're better than him."
Clark has said that to her before and she didn't really agree with him but it's nice to hear and it makes her smile.
"You need to do that more often," Clark says, pointing at her face.
"What?"
"Smile."
"Don't count on it. I have a lot of repressed anger so the Professor tells me."
"Everyone has a temper," Clark dismisses that.
"Even you?"
"Even me," Clark can confirm. His temper in the caves almost gave her a concussion after all. "So the floating?"
"Um...yeah. Don't know how that happened," Wanda confesses.
"You'll figure it out," he assures her before he looks Wanda over. "You look different," he comments.
"In what way?"
Clark snaps his fingers and points at her head. "You did something new with your hair."
"Really. Wow you noticed I had half a foot cut off. No wonder you're a reporter with observation skills like that," she says sarcastically.
"I don't have to stand here and be mocked," he pouts.
"Why? Do you usually get mocked sitting down?" Wanda quips.
"Oh look who finally found her sense of humour."
"I'm amazed you recognise what one is."
Clark bursts into a fit of laughter and Wanda joins him. "Do you need a lift down?" he asks her.
Wanda shakes her head. "Thanks but no. I'll just use the roof access."
"Suit yourself," Clark accepts her choice. He turns and walks to the edge. "If you need to talk I'm here," he offers.
"I know," she says softly, her expression deeply appreciative of that fact.
Clark then jumps off the roof and drops to the ground.
"So what's the story with the floating?"
Wanda is starting to think she should have stayed on the roof. She came back down to her room...her room she shares with Tabby who can't help but nose her way into everyone's business. See last night for example which Wanda had totally washed her hands of. Why on earth would she wish to hear anything of Jean's and Rogue's sex lives. "Shouldn't you be making out with a blond farmboy by now?" Wanda retorts in relation to Tabby's obvious and widely known fondness for Sam and as a way to avoid talking about something she doesn't understand as of yet.
"Shouldn't you be making out with a dark haired one?" Tabby asks back with that infuriating grin of hers.
"What?" Wanda demands to know, her expression stern and her hands on her hips.
"Oh please. The way your face lights up around Clark it is so obvious you have a crush on him."
"I do not!" Wanda yells angrily. She can remember Madeleine making a similar remark and Wanda will not take that when it's not true. "And besides he has a girlfriend remember?"
"Hard to forget when your best friend tried to kill her a few months back."
"Now you're exaggerating."
"Am I?" Tabby challenges.
"Yes because..." Wanda trails off. "Oh I see what you're trying. Forget it. I am not talking about it," she repeats her assertion. "And the floating thing..." Wanda rubs her hands unsure what to say. "I don't know how to explain that...and I do not have a crush on Clark!" she insists.
Tabby groans. Neither Rogue nor Wanda would talk about it and it's been months now and it is driving Tabby nuts not knowing what caused it. She decides to let the floating thing pass for now and as for Clark...Tabby is pretty certain Wanda is in fact crushing on him without realising it which is entirely possible. Wanda was locked up for a long time. Her emotions in relation to guys are behind where they should be for someone her age...and yes Tabby can be very philosophical when she chooses. Tabby changes topic seeing that she is getting nowhere with any of those 3. "Did ya hear? The Brotherhood's gone."
"They are?" Wanda says with some surprise.
Tabby nods. "Badger went to check on them after the Prof asked him and 'poof' they're no more. I think he only found Mystique. I know Logan won't admit it but I think they got into a punch-up," she can guess from the foul mood she has seen him in. Tabby laughs. "Man I would have loved to have seen that."
"How did you hear about it?"
"I overheard Mr and Mrs K talking. They took that Puzzler girl away with them as well."
"When?" Wanda asks because surely she would have noticed that...unless it was when she was up on the roof. She did lose track of time.
"Don't know," Tabby admits because Mr and Mrs Kent spotted her trying to eavesdrop and clammed up.
"Why would the Professor just let her leave?"
"Because she wanted to according to Mrs K," Tabby reiterates a part of it she did hear. "The Prof won't keep people here against their will. You know that."
Wanda does know that better than most. "So they're just gone?"
"Yeah but I'm sure we'll meet them again. No doubt due to one of your father's crazy schemes."
Wanda can agree with that.
"Sorry that your brother's gone?"
Wanda snorts derisively. "Only in Pietro's twisted little head would the answer to that be yes. Good riddance. He can't be far enough away," she says with close to hatred for her conniving no-good twin.
There is a sudden knock on the door that interrupts this conversation. Tabby bounds over to it, opens it and her eyes widen. "S-Sammy?" she squeaks.
Wanda can't help but take joy from Tabby's awkward moment. "I'll leave you two alone," she says, all the while smiling gleefully as she walks past.
Tabby swallows. She has been avoiding Sam because...for once even her wild-child, impulsive, attitude has been squashed by fear. "D-do you want to come in?"
Sam nods and walks inside. He's nervous about this. He wasn't sure what to do about what he now remembered...and he badly regrets asking the others for advice on that subject...especially Bobby. Just because he gets one lucky kiss out of Chloe does not make him God's gift to women no matter how much Bobby claims it to be so. Anyway Sam had decided, after much pestering from his so-called friends, that he and Tabby needed to talk about her wanting to be his girlfriend and the kiss they shared...and good god what a kiss that was. Sam can still feel the heat of it all the way to his toes.
"Look Sammy/Look Tabby..." they both say at the same time.
"Sorry," they says in stereo.
Sam gestures for her to go first. It's the southern gent in him.
"Ok I'll just say it," Tabby decides. "I really, really like you and I want to give you the pleasure of dating yours truly."
"Give ya tha pleasure huh?" Sam says with a wry smile.
A cocky grin comes to Tabby's face. "Are you implying it wouldn't be a pleasure?" she challenges him.
"No. Ah'm sure it would be."
"Then it's settled. You can take me out tonight!"
"Ah...what?" Sam asks, wondering how they suddenly got to this juncture.
"Date. Tonight. Short notice I know but life is all about living. Just ask Chloe." That, by the way, was freakin brilliant this morning. Tabby has to admire her fellow blond for just going for it.
"Ah...what?" Sam repeats, still lost.
Tabby grabs Sam's hand and leads him back to the door. "Now you go get dressed into something nice," she advises him.
"Ah...what?"
Tabby is trying real hard not to laugh. Oh if she knew it would be this easy she wouldn't have fretted half as much. Tabby leans forward and kisses Sam on the lips. "A little taster for what's later," she promises him in sultry tones. "Now I have to get dressed. Be back here at 7 sharp!" she orders before she closes the door on him.
"Ah...what?" Sam repeats having no idea what just happened to him. One day in the future he'll just refer to moments like this as what happens when Hurricane Tabby hits you.
Author's Note: So a question anyone asks is how does no-one see Clark is Superman? Answer; Wanda's unintentional spell casting making it so no-one does. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Wanda's control over her magical powers leaves a lot to be desired.