Mutant High: Part Two

Chapter 1

Summer passed with few interruptions from the outside world. I'd gotten to know Rogue a little bit better. Chris spent a lot of time with her, talking, playing video games. Bobby didn't seem to be jealous and Rogue wasn't in danger of falling for him so, despite Chris' ulterior motives, peace remained between all of us.

Chris told me about why Rogue's so secretive of her powers. Whenever she touches someone, human or mutant, she retains their memory. If she has skin contact with a mutant she can absorb their powers. She had apparently done this to Logan, at some point. The claws, it seems, aren't his power, healing, however, was.

Chris explained the incident which had caused Rogue to run from home. A boy she'd been dating had leaned in for a kiss, her powers triggered, and the boy went into a coma. Rogue and Logan were close because there had been some power struggle between Charles Xavier and Magneto. Magneto had kidnapped Rogue, was going to use her in some plot to make every human a mutant. The X-Men intervened and Rogue absorbed Logan's healing abilities in order to survive Magneto's attack.

They- Logan, Jean, Cyclops, Storm, and Xavier- had saved the world. The Professor doesn't see Magneto as an enemy, they had once been friends, or so the rumor carries. The two of them, the Professor and Magneto, founded Xavier's School. Both of them want to protect mutants from unfair governmental laws, but Magneto's way has more to do with eradication.

Jean Gray, even now, was addressing several members of Congress to try and persuade them to forgo Mutant Registration. One other bit of information that I'd learned... Magneto has a partner and ally. Several, in fact, though the one I'm referencing is his right-hand. Her name is Mystique. I haven't seen either of them in person, nor would I relish meeting them.

Chris and I have talked about Magneto's views of humanity and we both agree that he has a point. Should one of us ever come face to face with them, it wouldn't be to join his cause. Rogue, alone, convinced us that he'd use us as pawns and throw us aside when our usefulness ran its course.

We aren't in danger from him, very much, that is, but Logan would be. Magneto can command, alter, and manipulate all kinds of metal. With the adamantium, Rogue explained that Logan's entire skeletal system is enforced with that metal, he'd be easy prey for Magneto's talents.

I don't know very much about Mystique, either aside from knowing she's a shape-shifter. She is lately masquerading as the Senator. Senator Kelly died last year, also having been kidnapped by Magneto. He died in one of the first experiements done, the Senator's body hadn't been able to take whatever process Magneto used to make him a mutant.

Mystique uses the Senator's political ties to further their cause. Where the Senator had once been fighting for Mutant Registration, his views, lately, have changed to support the mutants. No one seems to think this is very strange.

I've learned so much this summer about mutants, the School, what our true purpose is. All of it is a little overwhelming, we're, essentially, an army created by the Professor. I forgot one other bit of news.

Magneto, the metal manipulator, is locked in a plastic prison. The Professor has no doubt that Mystique is trying to free him. While most people think he's contained, shut away for good, Xavier thinks otherwise. The Professor visits him every now and then. He takes Jean, Scott, Storm, or Logan with him. Logan hasn't been back yet, he's still in Canada.

Logan borrowed Scott's motorcycle and, as you can imagine, Scott was not at all pleased. We heard about how uncivilized and 'wild' Wolverine was for the next couple of weeks. Even now, when he goes past the garage he mutters under his breath and shakes his head.

Chris and Scott aren't exactly on the best of terms, either. They speak to one another when they have to, but other than that they don't acknowledge the others presence. After what Scott said last year I don't blame Chris one bit. Chris bought us leather knife sheaths that can either be stored in a pocket or else hooked onto a belt-loop and now we carry the knives wherever we go.

We'd gotten pretty good with them, too, but we are much more careful now then when we were then. We also wear protective clothing when we spar. The first time we'd fought I had been wearing shorts and a t-shirt, like the old days. Chris blocked one of my attacks and then slashed my arm. When the gash opened on my arm, as cool as it was, we decided to take certain safety precautions. I have the healing powers, but he doesn't and the knives are sharp.

Scott hates when we fight, but Chris and I had been sparring long before we came to the Mansion. Granted, it was mostly physical fights, we hadn't really branched into weapons back then, hence our sense of caution now. We knew one another well enough not to cross the limits.

The worst that had happened was a black eye here or there, a few bruises, nothing really harmful. Neither of us used the dirty fighting moves we'd learned from high-school. I didn't go for his knees and Chris refrained from cracking my collar-bone. We used those moves in the Danger Room, I'll never be able to thank Logan enough for his permission to use it.

My powers stablized, I have a degree of control that I hadn't thought possible a few months ago. Chris, on the other hand, had developed another type of power. While I can produce and vanquish my flames he can throw a line of fire that can melt any substance.

He can't get the fire to hurt humans, yes, I'd nervously acted as his guinea pig. If he concentrates he can change the temperature of his fire. The Professor warned against going above a certain degree mark for fear he'd internally combust or damage the earth. The furthest he'd gone was to melt steel We found that out the hard way and, needless to say, Xavier had to buy a few new sets of silverware.

Everyone's excited because there's a field trip scheduled for the Museum of Natural History. Jean, Storm, and Scott are to be the chaperones. The Professor is coming, too, in case of trouble. Mutant Registration was a major conflict now and people all over the world were in favor of it.

I've been documenting my life for awhile now, I might as well add Chris to it because he's been such a big part of my life. Ah, well, its almost one in the morning, time for a cigarette before bed. I don't want to be tired for tomorrow, the Museum is going to be a lot of fun.

It was morning before I knew it. And, no, I'd gotten side-tracked by the empty rec. room, I hadn't gotten much sleep. I was too busy finishing a game that, literally, has a wait list. It's addictive, what can I say?

It's basically about a warrior-like character that ages. Everyone around him ages, as well, as the storyline progresses. Time goes relatively quickly in the game-universe, I'm near the end of the game and if I want to finish it, I'll have to sneak downstairs and play around 2am. There's no way I'll get a chance during day-time hours.

"What's up," Chris asked walking down the stairs.

I couldn't help glaring at him. He's able to stay up all night, get an hour of sleep, and look amazing. I had to cover the dark circles under my eyes with black eyeshadow. I'm used to it, I love night-time too much to let it pass by sleeping. It rankles that Chris is a guy and manages to put me to shame.

He was wearing a shirt Cyclops would have hated. It was black with a white dagger piercing a tribal heart. I had tried to tone my outfits down, but he wasn't pleased with the results. I'd stopped trying shortly thereafter.

I knew he had at least two knives with him, I had three on me. We'd managed to perfect the timing, when going through a metal detector, if we heat the metal the alarms don't go off. We not only have th process down, but our clothes don't catch fire anymore, either. We don't know why the metal detector's don't register them, something with the cellular makeup of the steel changing? I'm not going to question it, I'm just glad that we figured it out.

"Not much. What about you." I asked. I smiled at his approving look. I was wearing a low-cut pair of black jeans, three-inch, buckled boots, and a solid black, fishnet armed black t-shirt. We weren't trying to be the poster children for the goth movement, our clothes suited our personalities. With the hostility aimed at mutants, it was better to look intimidating rather than peaceful.

I'd long since realized that a glare and threatning attitude went further than a smile and submissive behavior. People were more likely to leave us, and our friends, alone if they thought we were dangerous.

"Eh, same as always," he grinned.

Storm came striding into the room herding a bunch of the younger students with her. We boarded the chartered buses outside of the gates. Chris, Bobby, Rogue, Jon, and I all grabbed seats in the back. We planned to hang out at the museum together, too. Jubilee and Kitty had taken the class already and been to the Museum before. They weren't overly upset, both of them preferred a trip to the mall.

I listened to my CD-player and talked to the various people that spoke to me. Chris was arguing with another boy in front of him about a game they both played. I watched them go back and forth about topics on the games effects, sounds, visual graphics, violence, and ratings. Chris defended it while the other guy called it a crappy waste of time. I rolled my eyes, guys, it could never just be 'a good game.' They had to dissect everything. Chris, having studied game design, was above the threshold for geekdom.

"When we get there," Jean interrupted, standing and talking loudly to be heard over all the noise, "I want you to stay with Storm, Scott, or me. For the older students, stay with a friend at all times. Pay attention to the times and don't be late. I want you to have fun, but keep this a commotion free trip."

"No, and I mean no, use of powers. Do I make myself clear?" Scott asked sternly. "The older students, you are the role-models. Use this privilege wisely. If you follow the rules, the younger students will follow your example."

" Good luck to the future generation," someone shouted from the middle of the bus. Scott scowled but he sat down without saying anything. I heard Chris laugh at that as well. We'd be breaking the rules as soon as we stepped through those doors.

We got through the metal detectors fine and ironically the person in back of us got caught for having a nail file. Chris and I shared a look before we went to catch up with the others. Less than three hours went by before Chris started sighing and shh'ing me.

He didn't want to hear anymore of my jabbering about ancient wars, clans- I like history. I love museums, I'm pretty sure he's glad Xavier didn't pick the Metropolitan Museum. I'd have dragged him through all of the ancient wars, armor, art.

I know he doesn't share the same passion for the subject. He subtly maneuvered me to the food-court. We didn't really want to eat or drink anything, having a place to relax and talk seemed like a good idea. The rest of our group was there. A group of boys a table started trying to get us to talk to them.

Rogue smiled a little at what they were saying, and I couldn't help but laugh at how immature they were. They kept bragging about how tough they were, drinking on weekends and partying all the time. Then they pulled out cigarettes to appear cool, it made Jon crack up when they didn't have lighters. He had his out and was unconsciously flicking it open and then closed like he always does. The boys noticed and asked him for alight. Jon just looked amused and didn't answer. I tensed, ready for there to be a confrontation. Chris put a hand on Jon's shoulder already knowing it was too late.

"C'mon, man," Bobby said staring at Jon and the guys, a worried expression on his face.

"Hey," Pyro exclaimed when one of the boys lept forward and l took the lighter from his hand.

The second guy pushed Jon back into his chair. Chris managed to get a good hit on the guy who'd pushed Jon back.

"Wait," I grabbed Pyro's arm as the first kid lit his cigarette with the lighter. Jon focused on the end of the cigarette a split second before the whole thing blew up and caught the boy's clothing on fire. Bobby shot him a glare before he glazed the boy in ice.

"Bobby, what did you do," Rogue asked horrified. The kid had space to breathe, but Bobby's control wasn't at his best. His body was encased in ice, the boy couldn't move.

We all looked around and noticed that everything had froze. It was like pushing the pause button on a movie except for a few minor exceptions. Someone was speaking on the opposite end of a cell phone and the voices inside the museum speaker boxes still were droning on. Professor Xavier came up with the other teachers and looked grimly at us.

"The next time you feel like showing off, don't," he said quietly.

Rogue jumped when a television monitor clicked on and reported about an attack on the President. When we heard that it had something to do with mutants, we left quickly and quietly. Jon laughed almost the entire way back imagining what the guys would think when Xavier unfroze them. When Rogue told him it wasn't funny that he had hurt the boy, he laughed even harder.

Chris and I shared a look, what Pyro had done was inexcusable. We would have fought them, sure, but not with powers. The Professor would definitely be having a talk with Jon when we got back. I just hoped he wouldn't include us in whatever punishment he'd devise.