Sorry for the lack of updates. The excuse this time... hmmm... can't think of one prior to this month. I have been writing on my novel alot more, but I had this one almost finished at the beginning of this month then I went to LTUE. For those of you who aren't sure what that is it is Life, The Universe, and Everything. No, not the books, but a convention that's held locally every year so I went this year. It was great, classes all about writing and art, can't wait to put them into practice! Hopefully you'll reap the benefits of my learnings.

Shout outs!

Dontgottaclue88: Oh you will find out, and then you will like him even less! Yay for plotlines.

Chapter 58

Summer was growing hotter with everyday. The last of the birthday cake had finally disappeared out of the fridge nearly a week after the party, but Naomi still had a stash of chocolate strawberries in her room. She and Cat would have one when ever the little girl came back to visit; Cat was spending most of the summer with her parents. Rael and Naomi would go see their parents on weekends, one of which was scheduled for her to go get her driver's license. While she was nervous about it she would spend a few hours in the danger room practicing on a simulation that Beast set up for the kids when they were getting to that age of license getting.

But it wasn't the only simulation that she was driving. The jet was more complicated than the car, and she wasn't the only one learning to fly. Prism was also a lucky contestant to learn all there was to know about flying the X-Jet, as everyone had told her it was called. The danger room had lately been getting warmer, Circuit was looking into any issues with the air conditioning but as of yet he hadn't found any reason for the change in temperature.

Naomi took a long swig out of the water bottle that had begun to be as constant a companion as her shadow. She shifted uncomfortably in the seat of the simulated jet. The fabric was sticking to her skin, she wished she'd worn some longer shorts, but at the same time the heat was making it far too uncomfortable to consider wearing anything longer than mid-thigh or with sleeves. Along with the clothes she wore as of late she'd started to not don the shadow making her skin look natural. The fewer layers made her less hot, but if she went outside she made sure her true appearance was hidden. The back hatch of the jet opened and Prism came in. "Sorry I'm late, had to confiscate ice cream or I was going to die."

Laughing she motioned to the seat next to her. "I'm sure the fake jet feels very disappointed that you're late, pilot."

"God it keeps getting hotter in here, I don't know how you stand it to wait in here." Prism buckled himself in and began flicking the switches to activate the engines.

She rolled her eyes, and flicked up one of her shadows, it morphed into the semblance of an electrical fan giving a nice amount of air circulation, "Methods that don't do much good but move hot air around."

Prism nodded in agreement. "We ready for my test flight, co-pilot?" He grinned and winked.

Hank and Circuit had put their minds together to create simulations for all conditions in the air from smooth skies and slightly cloudy to El Ninos to meteor showers. Thankfully the two of them were only up to the tropical storms, and only on occasion. Naomi wasn't sure why they had such a wide variety of tests, but then again she'd heard rumors of Storm putting out tornadoes mid-flight to avoid missiles, and the shadow mutant wasn't sure if she liked the idea of missiles.

Prism's test flight was pretty average, he put the jet into stealth and took an aerial tour of New York, though he did nearly collide with several building when flying low. He landed in a large clearing in the middle of central park and they switched seat. Naomi's shadows immediately began to flick about turning all the switches and preparing for take off.

"I still don't think you doing that should be legal." Prism said with a little annoyance in his voice. "I don't think anyone could do that, unless they have like, a thousand hands."

Naomi smirked, her stomach was in knots, it always was when she started flying. "Did you think maybe that's why Beast and Storm wanted me to learn to fly?" She took hold of the steering and they lifted into the air.

The two of them walked out of the danger room, Naomi's flight had been equally uneventful, except for avoiding in coming air traffic, with Prism's help they'd managed to keep from being seen and avoid a collision. As usual Hank met them outside the door with their scores for the day. It was in their best interest that the scores kept getting better, but they were scored on many different points of the flying, and at the rate they were going they'd be flying the real jet in maybe ten years. But Naomi was just glad they were improving the more practice.

Prism's phone went off, he was meeting his dad and sister at the front door for an outing so he took off quickly, his hair quickly changing from a disappointed shade of blue at his grade to a platinum blonde that he usually wore when he went out.

Naomi drained the last of the water bottle and headed up to the kitchen to refill it. When she came in Midas was at the sink his back to her, "Hey, how's it going?"

Midas smiled over his shoulder at her, "Well enough, I haven't turned anymore lous to somethin they t'aint suppose to be."

She managed to keep herself from snorting at the memory of the flood of bubbles when the toilet turned to soap. She slid in and turned the water cold to fill up her water bottle. "Listen can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything for you luv." He replied.

She rolled her eyes, "Really, you have to stop calling me that."

He grinned, "If you insist, darlin." Midas finished cleaning the dishes in the sink and started putting them away. "What do ya need? It isn't somethin to do with Prod again is it?"

"Its for Rune actually. I don't know what to get him, according to Hart his birthday is next month and he informed me that usually the girlfriend gets her boyfriend something special."

Midas raised an eyebrow, "Then why are ya askin me? Why not ask someone who knows him better. I'm sure someone knows what he'd like most."

Naomi shuffled her feet, "I kind of know what I want to get him, but I need your help to make it."

"Oh." Midas replied understanding what she wanted from him. "Alright then, well, give me the gist of it and I'll see what I can do. But I'm not makin any promises that it won't blow up in mine or your good intentions."

She grinned, "Thanks."

"Well, anything to build up brownie points."

"What are those?"