Chapter 1: Training Day
Waking up was a bitch today. I, Illyana Rasputina, did not want to train this new runt for the New Mutants.
"Magik! Wake up! The new recruit is here!" I heard Danielle pound on my bedroom door.
"Ugh, fine, but let me get ready first, Dani!" I called out to the hallway as I quickly lifted the sheets off me.
I got out of my bed swiftly and headed into the adjacent bathroom that was connected to my room. I splashed cold water on my face, trying to shake off the dream that had clung to me like mist. Limbo had bled into it again—twisted landscapes, broken time, the usual. I growled low under my breath. No rest for the wicked, I guess.
My hair was a mess, as always, but I shoved it into a loose braid and threw on my uniform. Not the pristine one. The torn one with scorch marks and a bloodstain that wouldn't wash out. If they were sticking me with some rookie, they were gonna see what they were in for from the jump.
By the time I stepped into the hallway, Dani was waiting, arms crossed, giving me that Look. You know, the one that says, Illyana, please don't traumatize the baby mutant before breakfast.
"Where is this kid?" I asked, dragging my boots along the floor.
"In the Danger Room. Figured you'd want a proper introduction."
I rolled my eyes. "Right. Nothing says 'welcome to the team' like simulated death traps."
Dani didn't laugh. She rarely did when I was like this.
We walked side by side, the hallway buzzing faintly with energy. I could already feel the hum of the Danger Room beneath my feet. My fingers twitched—part habit, part anticipation. If this newbie couldn't handle the pressure, they didn't belong here. And if they could?
Well. Maybe I'd be... mildly impressed.
After forcing down some avocado toast—fine, it was good, shut up—I made my way to the Danger Room with my usual scowl in place. Not because I was mad, necessarily. It's just my face. And mornings suck.
The training room's metal doors hissed open, and inside, the simulation was already running. Rocky terrain, occasional crackles of energy, and someone darting between cover like it was a live-fire war zone. I spotted him instantly: tall-ish, wiry build, black curls, dark eyes full of nerves. The new guy. Reese Flores. Stardust.
And of course, he tripped over his own foot trying to dodge a pillar of flame that shot up from the ground. Graceful.
"Hey, Stardust!" I called, arms folded, voice echoing off the chamber walls.
Big mistake.
He whipped around toward the sound of my voice—me—and his hands sparked like faulty wiring. Crack!
A bolt of lightning laced with icy shards blasted out, crackling and freezing the air mid-flight. It flew way too close to my head, the icy tips grazing my arm as I barely had time to teleport a few inches left.
The explosion behind me left a scorched patch of floor and a rapidly expanding sheet of frost.
"Whoa whoa WHOA!" he yelled, his eyes wide, hands trembling like he'd just dropped the nuclear football. "I—I'm so sorry! That wasn't—I didn't mean to—oh my God, are you okay?!"
I turned slowly, brushing frost off my sleeve like dandruff. My eyebrow twitched. "You tryin' to kill me on day one, Stardust? Or just going for dramatic effect?"
He opened his mouth, closed it, then tried again. "I just—y-you startled me! I didn't know anyone was gonna be—God, you're Magik, right? Dani said you were intense but like, wow, okay, this is—sorry, again."
He babbled. Adorable.
I smirked. Just a little.
"Relax," I said, walking toward him through the haze of cold and static. "If that little burst was meant to kill me, I'd be disappointed. You've got twelve powers in your back pocket and that's what you open with?"
He blinked. "Technically... that was two at once. Lightning and ice. Which, for the record, I didn't know could even combine like that."
"You're welcome for the discovery," I said dryly, circling him like a wolf sniffing out weakness—or maybe just measuring him up.
His cheeks flushed slightly. Cute. He'd better get over the shy thing fast, though.
"You gonna apologize every time you screw up?" I asked, cocking my head. "Or are you planning to start acting like a mutant who belongs here?"
Reese straightened just a little. "Depends. You gonna keep scaring the crap out of me every five minutes?"
Smart mouth. I could work with that. I raised an eyebrow at him, then gestured toward the center of the Danger Room. "Alright, Stardust. Let's see it."
He blinked. "See what?"
"All twelve," I said, leaning on my Soulsword like it was a cane. "Clones. Elements. The whole fireworks show. I didn't skip my beauty sleep for a sparkler."
He looked nervous, but there was something in his eyes—like the shy kid in class who actually knew all the answers and just needed permission to show off.
"Okay," he said, stepping into the middle of the space. "But I've never summoned all twelve at once before. Not... successfully."
I grinned. "Good. That means there's a solid chance something explodes."
He inhaled, steadied his hands, and then—boom. In a shimmer of glowing light, twelve versions of him stepped forward from the same space, each one glowing faintly with a different energy. Fire crackled off one's shoulders. Another's hands pulsed with swirling water. Ice shimmered in another's eyes. One of them literally had galaxies rotating in his irises. Real "Avengers, but make it a personality crisis" energy.
I walked slowly around them, nodding like a strict dance instructor at a final rehearsal. "Alright, Stardusts. Roll call."
He pointed to each one, quickly: "Fire. Water. Air. Earth. Lightning. Ice. Plant. Metal. Light. Dark. Energy. Cosmic."
I clapped once, sharply. "Cute. Now make them do something."
One by one, they powered up, showing off like kids at a school talent show. Lightning zapped a training bot out of existence. Fire threw up a blazing wall. Cosmic made gravity bend weirdly around him, which made me nauseous, but hey- points for effort.
Then one of them—the Earth clone, I think—flinched when I smirked at him. The real Reese turned toward me to say something, but at the same time, the Earth one lost focus and yanked a whole chunk of the Danger Room floor into the air like a rug being flipped. The slab launched straight toward me.
I teleported out of the way again with a casual sigh, appearing behind Reese as the chunk smashed harmlessly against a force field.
"You know," I said, smirking as I leaned in close, "if you wanted to get my attention, there are less violent ways."
He jumped so hard I thought he was gonna vaporize himself. Again.
"Wh-what?!" he said, turning red as he stumbled backward. "No—I mean—I didn't—I don't swing that way!"
I blinked. Then cracked a laugh. "Relax, Stardust. I'm just messing with you. You're way too flustered to handle me anyway."
He rubbed the back of his neck, muttering something in Spanish I chose not to translate.
"You're not terrible," I said, nodding at the still-active clones. "But you've got control issues. Focus. Balance. You let one of them freak out, you all go down."
"Yeah," he said, more serious now. "That's the hardest part. I feel what they feel when they're split off. It's like being twelve people at once but still me."
"Then you better start acting like a king with twelve generals," I told him. "Command them. Own them. Or they'll own you."
His expression shifted, thoughtful. Still nervous, but now there was fire in there. And not just from his clone.
I stepped back and gave him space. "Again. All of them. And this time? Don't aim anything near me unless you want to meet the sharp end of the Soulsword."
"Got it," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Twelve angry mes, round two."
Two hours later, I had twelve sweaty clones, one exhausted Stardust, and zero new holes in my uniform. Progress.
Reese was actually... not bad. The kid could switch between elemental powers more fluidly now, and he stopped nearly killing me every time he sneezed with cosmic energy. We'd even managed to get him to mix light and plant manipulation into this blinding burst of blooming vines. I might've clapped. Once. Quietly.
Between drills, we bickered like siblings. He told me my sword looked compensatory. I told him his hair looked like a storm cloud had an identity crisis. Fair trade.
Eventually, both our stomachs betrayed us with a double-rumble loud enough to make the metal walls vibrate.
"Food," I declared, tossing my Soulsword over my shoulder where it blinked back into Limbo. "Before you fucking pass out and I have to explain it to Dani."
He wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "Pretty sure she already thinks I'm one bad lunch break from collapsing."
We left the Danger Room, both of us too tired to pretend we weren't starving. The hallway was quieter now—midday lull. I let Reese ramble about how his clones could maybe start syncing their attacks like a symphony or something nerdy like that, and I half-listened, half-planned what kind of sandwich I was going to destroy.
Then it fucking happened.
We rounded a corner, and bam, Reese bumped right into someone. Both of them stumbled back a step.
"Oh! God, I'm—I'm so sorry!" Reese stammered immediately, practically bowing in apology.
I rolled my eyes so hard I could see my own soul. "You didn't knock over a damn baby, Stardust. Chill."
The guy he ran into blinked once, then smiled in that lizardy-charming way only he could. Green scales, one arm a little shinier than the other, spiked head carapace, tail swaying lazily. Victor Borkowski. Anole. One of the good ones, unfortunately for me and my appetite.
"You okay, little star?" Victor asked, clearly amused. "Don't worry—you just accidentally bumped into a cute guy. No harm done." He winked.
Reese turned crimson instantly. "I—um—uh—hi—I mean I'm Reese! Or, uh, Stardust. That's me. Yep."
Victor chuckled warmly and offered a clawed hand. "Nice to meet you, Reese. Victor. Or Anole. Either works."
Reese took his hand like he was handling glass and shook it gently. "It's—uh—nice to meet you too…"
Victor tilted his head. "Stardust, huh? Like the candy? Reese's Pieces?"
Reese gave the smallest polite laugh I've ever heard and scratched the back of his neck. "I get that a lot…"
I stood there like I was watching a bad rom-com play out in real time and finally let out a loud sigh.
"Are you guys done talking?" I snapped. "I'm really hungry. Like, murder-level hungry."
Victor just grinned. "Wow. Charming as ever, Magik."
I fake-smiled. "It's one of my worst qualities."
Reese, still blushing, shuffled closer to me like he needed an escape plan. I didn't comment. Mostly because if I said anything, he might implode into a black hole of awkward.
Victor gave a little wave as we walked past. "Catch you around, Stardust!"
Reese mumbled something incoherent that sounded like "definitely maybe" and nearly tripped over his own foot.
I didn't laugh. But only because I was too busy dragging him toward the cafeteria before we both collapsed from low blood sugar.
The cafeteria was blessedly half-empty. A few other students lounged around, but for once, it was quiet enough that I didn't feel like teleporting into Limbo just to get some peace.
Reese and I loaded up on food—sandwiches, chips, a couple of sad-looking apples that I took just to look responsible—and plopped down at a table near the back. Reese picked at his sandwich like it might bite him first, still clearly replaying the Victor run-in on loop inside his head.
I stuffed half my sandwich into my mouth and talked around it. "You know, Stardust," I said, smirking, "for a guy who can conjure twelve versions of himself, you're weirdly useless when one actual cute guy says hello."
He nearly dropped his sandwich. "I—I wasn't useless! I was just—caught off guard! It's different!"
I snorted. "Sure it is. Bet if Victor had sprouted a second head, you'd still be stuttering."
He covered his face with both hands and groaned into them. "I hate you."
"Get in line, sparkleboy."
I was about to bite into my second sandwich when the chair next to Reese scraped across the floor, and someone sat down like they owned the place.
"Is that any way to treat the new guy?" a smooth, familiar voice teased.
I blinked. Did a double-take. "Carl?"
Carl Valentino—Somnus himself—grinned like a cat who'd just broken into a creamery. Black hair perfect as always, casual outfit looking like it belonged on a magazine cover instead of in this drab cafeteria. His very presence seemed to make the air smell nicer. Typical.
"Illyana," Carl said, reaching over to bump my shoulder lightly. "It's been too long."
I grinned for real this time. Carl was one of the few people around here I actually liked without reservations. "You know me. Stuck babysitting newbies."
Carl's gaze shifted smoothly to Reese, who looked like someone had just hit him with a spotlight.
"And speaking of newbies…" Carl said, voice all silk and sunshine, "Who's this?"
I rolled my eyes, but humored the introductions. "Reese Flores. Codename Stardust. He's the one who almost took my head off this morning."
Reese, looking ready to sink into the floor, wiped his hands quickly on his jeans and offered Carl a handshake. "Uh—hi. I'm Reese. Or, Stardust. Y-yeah. It's nice to meet you."
Carl shook his hand, holding it a second longer than normal, and smiled with just enough warmth to make Reese visibly short-circuit.
"Well, Stardust," Carl said, voice dropping into that smooth, dreamy register he used when he wanted someone to melt, "you're just as adorable as your codename."
Reese made a tiny noise like a boiling tea kettle and ducked his head, mumbling something about "thank you" and "not used to compliments."
I just shook my head, chewing loudly on my chip to cover my laugh. Carl caught my expression and winked at me like we were in on some cosmic joke.
"I can see why you're looking after him," Carl said to me, teasing. "Too much power, not enough confidence. Very 'puppy with fireworks' vibes."
"He's getting better," I said, mock-grudgingly. "I only almost died twice today."
"Progress!" Carl beamed.
Reese looked like he was trying to figure out how to evaporate into stardust for real.
"Don't worry, Stardust," Carl said, leaning in just slightly. "If Magik gets tired of you, you can always come find me. I have... other methods of training."
Reese turned so red I thought he might spontaneously combust.
I just groaned and shoved another chip in my mouth. "This is why I don't bring you to lunch, Carl."
He just laughed, all easy charm, and Reese looked between the two of us like he wasn't sure if he was about to be hazed, flirted with, or adopted.
Maybe all three.
We finished eating—finally—and Carl, because he's a terrible influence, suggested we hit the mall. There was a new one just a few towns over, all shiny glass and overpriced everything. Normally, I'd have laughed in his face, but after training Reese for hours, the idea of not swinging a sword for a few hours sounded... nice.
The only problem was, Reese looked like he'd been hit by a natural disaster and left out in the sun to dry.
"I, uh, need to shower and change first," Reese said, tugging at his sweat-soaked T-shirt awkwardly. "I—I don't wanna go out looking like... this."
Carl, ever the drama queen, put a hand to his chest like Reese had wounded him. "You mean you're not going to bless the mall with your post-training glow?"
Reese turned a new shade of tomato and practically sprinted away toward the dorms, muttering, "Gimme like, fifteen minutes!"
Carl and I wandered down the hall at a slower pace, finally stopping outside Reese's room. I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, while Carl lazily inspected his nails like he had all the time in the world.
"So," Carl said casually, "what's the new kid's powers?"
I shrugged. "Self-multiplication. Up to twelve copies. Each one gets a different elemental power—fire, ice, plant, cosmic, whatever. He can use them himself without splitting too."
Carl whistled low. "Twelve at once? That's some serious coordination."
"He's not terrible at it," I admitted. "A little nervous. A little clumsy. But he's smart. And he's trying."
Carl raised an eyebrow. "Where's he from?"
I hesitated. "No idea."
Carl blinked at me. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," I said, drumming my fingers on the wall. "He showed up. Dani vouched for him. That's all I know."
Before Carl could poke further, Reese's door creaked open.
We both turned—and I actually blinked, surprised.
Reese stepped out looking... completely different. Confident, almost, except for the way he immediately rubbed the back of his neck like he regretted existing.
He wore olive-green cargo pants that actually fit him, a striped crochet polo in deep navy-blue, brown, green, cream, rose, and maroon, and a pair of fresh white sneakers. A small black necklace with a rainbow butterfly charm glinted around his neck, catching the hallway light.
Carl immediately wolf-whistled. "Well, well, well. Look at you, Stardust. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to steal hearts."
Reese flushed pink again, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "I'm just... trying to step out of my comfort zone a little."
I raised an eyebrow, but smiled. "Nice outfit, rainbow."
He chuckled shyly, fiddling with the butterfly charm around his neck. "Thanks. I wasn't sure if it was too much."
"It's just enough," Carl said, nudging him lightly with his elbow. "Perfect amount of 'accidentally fashionable.'"
Reese laughed a little more genuinely that time, and I saw some of the nervous tension ease off his shoulders.
I jerked my thumb toward the door. "C'mon, before Carl talks you into modeling for him."
Carl gasped, mock-offended. "I would never—unless you wanted to, of course."
Reese looked like he was torn between laughing and fleeing again, but he followed us anyway, a small smile tugging at his lips.
The three of us headed out toward the mall, ready to cause mild, fashionable chaos.
The mall was ridiculous.
Three stories of shiny floors, fake plants in gold pots, fountains that probably cost more than the entire mutant housing budget, and stores selling things that screamed I have more money than sense.
Exactly Carl's kind of place.
We wandered through the air-conditioned maze of overpriced dreams. Reese walked between us, trying very hard not to look like he'd never been anywhere this fancy before—which, based on the way he kept staring at everything like a tourist, was a losing battle.
Carl hooked his arm through Reese's like they were old besties and dragged him toward one of those trendy fashion boutiques where all the mannequins looked like they hadn't eaten since 2003.
"We're upgrading you, Stardust," Carl announced.
Reese sputtered, clearly panicking. "But—but—I already changed clothes!"
Carl ignored him completely and started plucking things off racks: bright colors, dramatic cuts, shiny accessories. Reese looked like a deer caught in headlights.
I leaned against a display of hideous glitter boots and grinned. "Better just give in now, rainbow. He's like a stylish hurricane. No point fighting it."
"I'm doomed," Reese muttered under his breath as Carl shoved an armful of clothes at him and herded him toward the dressing rooms.
Fifteen minutes later, we had a fashion show.
The first outfit was a crime against humanity—neon green pants and a silver mesh shirt. I booed loudly.
The second was worse somehow—bright red skinny jeans and a tank top with giant sparkly letters that said CHAOS BABY.
Carl clapped like a proud mom at every outfit, while I heckled mercilessly from the sidelines.
"Carl, he looks like a traffic cone and a disco ball had a kid," I said, deadpan.
Carl, completely unbothered, waved his hand. "It's about confidence, darling."
Reese peeked out of the dressing room again, now wearing a simple, well-fitted black button-down and dark jeans. It was actually a good look. Clean, sharp, not screaming for attention.
I gave a single, approving nod. "There. You don't look like a fucking safety hazard anymore."
Carl pressed a hand dramatically to his heart. "My work here is done."
Reese, still blushing, ducked back into the dressing room to change back into his own outfit. "I think I'm gonna stick with my comfort zone today."
"Smart," I said, smirking. "Your eyes deserve better."
Carl just laughed and ruffled Reese's hair the second he came out again, much to Reese's quiet horror.
We left the store with nothing but a few new accessories, Carl guilt-tripped Reese into buying—bracelets, a cool jacket, and a belt that I grudgingly admitted looked pretty good.
As we strolled deeper into the mall, Carl slung an arm casually over Reese's shoulders, grinning like he owned the world.
"You know," Carl said, playful and easy, "if you ever want a full makeover, Stardust, you have my number."
Reese mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "help me" under his breath. I laughed so hard I almost walked into a potted plant.
Yeah. This was actually turning into a pretty good day.
After surviving Carl's impromptu fashion show, we ended up at some trendy little coffee shop tucked between two designer stores. Of course, Carl ordered the most obnoxious drink he could find—a triple-layered, glitter-dusted frappuccino that looked like it was personally crafted by a unicorn. Reese, bless him, stuck to a basic vanilla latte, looking overwhelmed just by the menu.
As we waited for our drinks, I leaned my elbows on the tiny table and smirked at him. "Y'know, you're gonna end up with a full-blown fan club if you keep blushing every time someone looks at you."
Reese turned redder than the brick walls of the café. "I'm not used to... attention."
Carl, sipping his glitter monstrosity, winked at him over the rim of his cup. "Get used to it, Stardust. You're adorable and powerful. Dangerous combo."
Reese nearly choked on his latte, and I had to look away just to keep from dying of secondhand embarrassment. The poor guy was a magnet for chaotic people, and Carl was weaponized chaos.
By the time we finished our coffee and wandered the mall some more, the sky outside had shifted to deep blue, and city lights flickered like stars. None of us felt like ending the night yet, so we splurged and went to a fancy restaurant on the top floor of the mall. The kind with real candles, waiters in bow ties, and portion sizes so small I could have eaten three of them without blinking.
Still, the food was actually good—and it felt... normal. Weirdly normal. Like we were just three regular people hanging out, not mutants constantly one disaster away from chaos.
After dinner, we finally decided to head back to the mansion.
The car ride was quiet, everyone full and content. Reese leaned his head against the window, watching the trees blur past. Carl hummed some old pop song under his breath. I just stared out into the night, letting the rare peace settle in my bones.
When we got back, we piled out of the car, laughing softly at some dumb joke Carl made. As Reese unlocked the door to his room, I caught something out of the corner of my eye.
Carl leaned in—quick, smooth—and planted a soft kiss on Reese's cheek.
Reese froze like he'd just been tasered. Carl winked, grinning like a devil, and pretended nothing happened.
I shook my head in disbelief, pretending not to notice. Unbelievable.
"Goodnight, Rainbow," I said, teasing as Reese fumbled with his keys.
But before I could turn to leave, Reese spoke up, voice quieter, almost hesitant.
"Hey, Magik...?" he said.
I paused. "Yeah?"
He shifted awkwardly, hands stuffed into his pockets. "I... I've got this... feeling. Like... something bad's gonna happen tomorrow. I don't know what. It's just... been nagging at me all night."
The humor from earlier melted off his face, and for a second, he just looked young. Vulnerable. Like the weight of everything was already starting to dig into him.
I stepped closer, my voice low but firm. "Listen. Whatever happens, you're not alone. Got it?"
He nodded slowly, but he still looked uneasy.
"Try to get some sleep, Reese," I said. "Worry about tomorrow when it comes."
He gave a small, almost tired smile. "Thanks, Illyana. Really."
I ruffled his hair, ignoring his quiet protest, and turned away down the hall.
Once I got to my room, I didn't bother changing out of my damn clothes. I just flopped onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Something about tonight lingered in my chest—something not quite right. Reese wasn't the only one feeling it.
Still, there was nothing we could do tonight.
So I closed my eyes, letting sleep drag me down, the uneasy feeling curling in the back of my mind like a shadow waiting for morning.
