Heavy Rain
Posted on Sat Jun 19th, 2021 @ 7:20am by Kai Akana & Sonya Cross & Scott Summers
2,866 words; about a 14 minute read
Mission:
Episode 1: X-Odus
Location: X-Mansion
Timeline: June 26, 1990
The rain beat down on Kai's head, sending trail after trail of running water spiraling down his body in such numbers that it felt almost like a bucket of water bas being dumped on his head once every second. It was windy as well, and the combination made for an unpleasant and unseasonable cold; he found himself eager to reach his goal, having ridden for weeks across the great continent of North America. The engine on his soaking wet black bike roared as he gunned up to higher speeds, shooting across the private road that lead to the mansion like a bullet exiting a chamber.
The happening in the alley bar was still running through his mind, and he found himself questioning who he really was. He had never thought of himself as a mutant before and had avoided that psychology for years, but how would he be able to maintain that identity among others just like him? He didn't know the answer, but at the moment, it beat on him more constantly than the rain.
Then he saw it, the glowing mansion where he was to learn many things; it was fast approaching. He pulled into the courtyard and brought his bike to a stop beside the fountain. What should he do now, knock on the door so late at night? He killed the engine and then sat there on the bike, considering his options in the rain.
Sonya was in the kitchen brewing herself a fresh mug of tea when she heard the engine. Looking through the window, she saw a single light. Considering the pouring rain, it looked like someone was really stupid riding a bike in such weather. Sonya's lips curled in a smile. Whoever that was, she decided to check it up. Picking up the mug with freshly brewed tea, she walked toward the stairs and nimbly came down to the bottom of them. The sound of engine was gone but no one was approaching the door. Most interesting. A shy person, on a bike in the pouring rain. Sounded like an oxymoron.
Unable to contain her curiosity Sonya approached the massive doors and opened them. Lit by the ambient light from the hall, the skinny dark blonde stopped in the door, leaning against them. Long hairs were freely falling on her back. She was dressed in a white spaghetti shirt with a big broken heart, dark blue shorts, visually adding to her long legs. She was barefoot and holding the steaming cup of tea. "Well hello stranger. Have you lost?"
Kai watched as the massive wooden doors swung open and a thin blonde stepped into the doorway just outside of the rain's influence. Glad to see he'd drawn some attention, he sung a watersoaked leg over his bike and stepped out onto the flagstone pavement. Walking toward her, he responded to her question, his eyes scanning the old building with interest.
"Is this Charles Xavier's School?" he asked, not responding to her greeting. His black hair was pinned to the top of his forehead in places and, as he walked up the steps, he trained his dark eyes on the girl.
Sonya didn't move when the man approached her. Her eyes keenly observing him and there was something more about him that she instantly found appealing. Her highly thorough training was allowing her to find details and to read a lot within seconds from how people behaved, moved, and from their mannerisms. She certainly liked what she saw here and not just that he was handsome. Slowly took a sip of her hot fruit tea and kept watching him, until he stopped under the portico extending in front of the main door and providing protection from the rain.
"Yes, it is." She replied slowly nodding, lowering the hand with the mug and her eyes softened playfully.
He cleared his throat, glistening from the light provided through the open door. The cool air from the mansion chilled him and he had to resist a shiver. Underneath his jacket, his grey shirt clung to his body; his nerves were active with the extra sensory information.
"Well, go get him for me. I sent a letter ahead and he knows I'm coming." he said, not hesitating to give an order before he even introduced himself. He reached a hand up and made a futile attempt to dry his face.
Sonya glanced at the big clock in the hall. It was half past midnight. There was still a good chance that the Professor was up, but he might as well be sleeping. "Isn't this a bit rude?" Sonya said softly. "You show up in the middle of the night, you don't even introduce yourself and boss your host around?" Finally her other hand let go the half-opened door and she waved her index finger at the man in playful disapproval, though her body was ready to jump into action at any time. "Tsk, tsk, tsk."
She took another sip of the hot tea. "How about you start by saying who you are and then why would I call the Professor for you?"
Kai rolled his eyes and placed his hands in the pockets of his soaking wet blue jeans, his face defiant. He looked back at her cooly, just trying to get past this unexpected obstacle.
"What are you, his damn bodyguard?" he asked, energetically, his lips parted enough that his white teeth could be seen. "Look, I don't want to be rude or anything, but I just drove across the country and its raining hard as hell out here. So, it would be pretty amazing if you could open the door, and show me a place where I can change out of these clothes, grab the big man in charge."
He didn't seem threated by her, but had thought better of being a complete douche so early on in his arrival. He would try to be nice, for now, but honestly he didn't care very much about that in the long run.
"Maybe I am his lover?" Sonya suggested keeping her playful tone but she shrugged, sighed and continued with a more matter-of-fact voice. This was getting nowhere. "I told you... you are rude. There is no one here at the moment, so again who are you and what are you here for? It is you want something here, not me. So play nice."
Sonya had nothing against the man, he was likely a mutant, judging by his behavior but she couldn't be sure yet. She understood his irritation, as she would likely be as well driving a bike in the rain. However, her sympathy was ending fast. "I won't let you in without answer to this simple question. Alternative, you can try to force yourself in." The last sentence was clearly taunting.
That last comment got a smile from him, broad and cocky. He could tell that some part of her wanted him to do just that, but it certainly wouldn't do for right now. He was wet and tired and he wasn't in the mood for playing games. As direct and alpha as he could be, he wasn't normally a bully and he didn't want to upset her unless she became truly obnoxious.
"Jeez.." he said, shaking his hair like a dog and purposefully tossing water in her direction. "I'm Kai Akana, you know, of the Hawaii Akanas; hot guy, super smart, beautiful bike, great between the sheets, future freakin legend" he answered, clearly joking as displayed some of his hype-man like energy. He seemed almost completely devoid of the self-consciousness that plagued most healthy people. "I came all this way because I'm going to be the best at what I do someday soon and I want this Xavier guy to teach me."
He shifted smoothly on his feet, his thumbs still pointing out of his pockets. He gave her his nicest smile, an act and a last ditch effort to stop himself from actually forcing his way in. Slowly, he came down from his ego display and continued more genuinely.
"I don't bring any trouble...at least, unless trouble is what you're after..."
"Tempting... very tempting... especially to test your 'between sheet' boast." She giggled coquettishly, opened the door wider, and stepped back allowing him to enter. "Pick your stuff, I'll show you men's showers so you can wash the road off and change. The Professor is busy or he is sleeping. If the former, he will find you by the time we find you a place for the night. If the latter, he will find you in the morning. I wouldn't fret about it."
"I am Sonya. Sonya Cross." She introduced herself with the cutest smile she could muster, more to play to his ego and reward him for his coming down.
Kai gave her a wink, but didn't say anything more, even in response to her greeting as he turned and returned to the rain and his bike. He grabbed two large duffle bags which were loaded on the back and tossed them on each shoulder, his large arms cradling them securely. He returned to her newly wetted and stepped past her into the mansion.
"I learned how important rain-proof bags are back in Omaha. I had to do some crazy stuff to get these babies." he remarked with a slight smile, remembering his long journey. He'd seen more of his country in the last few weeks than most people got to see in their entire lives. He'd made plenty of detours of course, and met plenty of people too. He'd used charm to pay for his meals and, some nights, to find a place to sleep. But now, it seemed his journey was over. "Now you can show me the shower."
Sonya waited for Kai to come back with bags and enter the mansion before she shut the door behind him. "Follow me." She said and moved ahead, gently swaying her hips in a tasteful way, so well learned and practiced in the past. "I've never been to Omaha but I can't argue with the need of good waterproof duffel bags." She turned at the top of the stairs right toward male wing. "In general, this wing is for men students, the other..." She pointed over her shoulder. "For women. In case... you'd lost." She winked at him. "Everyone gets own room though showers are common." She gave Kai a toothy smile before adding. "Separate for men and women."
"So, you are a mutant?" Sonya asked casually. "What's your specialty?"
"Specialties? I've got a few," he answered, putting his bags on the ground outside the showers and removing his leather jacket. Underneath, his brown shirt clung to his muscular form. "I can control gravity. I'm also really fast, and tough....and strong." he regarded her, almost for the first time, taking in her full appearance. "How about you?"
"Badass martial arts, enhanced reflexes, agility and strength." Sonya said proudly with a playful wave of her hands in front of her own face parodying Kung-Fu moves. Her eyes dropped from keeping the eye contact and regarded wet-shirt covered muscles with a very sexual glint in her eyes. Then she nodded, not hiding she was impressed, before looking back into Kai’s eyes. It was a bit over-the-top, aimed to brush on his ego but wasn't all that far off from the effect he achieved. "Oh, and I also recently started to play with electromagnetism."
She made step back and pointed with her thumb over her shoulder. "I'll be in the kitchen, first door on the right if you go that way, pass the stairs. Do you want coffee? Tea?"
He let the facts about herself she'd just shared roll over him. He offered a nod and seemed, for a brief few seconds, to be distracted by something else. He reached a hand up and wiped some water out of his eyebrows.
"Cool." was all he said in return, and he gave a confident and slightly smoldering grin. "I've got everything I need."
And with that, he grabbed his bags in both hands, picked open the door with little effort, and stepped inside.
Sonya grinned and turned around on the spot heading to the kitchen.
Kai came moving quickly down the steps wearing a short-sleeve red shirt and a pair of cargo shorts. He'd taken time to style his hair in the mirror quickly and was looking much more himself. He followed some of the posted signs to the kitchen where he expected to find Sonya.
Waiting for Kai, and since he didn't want anything, Sonya got on the counter, resting in the corner of the kitchen against some cupboards - her favorite spot in the kitchen. From her position, she had good view of things outside through the window. Her bare feet were on the counter, next to the sink and she was holding her half-empty by now cup of fruity tea. She took this position on purpose of course to show off her slender legs, for when Kai to come in.
Turning her head at him and away from the window, Sonya grin broke into a wide smile. He was handsome, no doubt about that. Confident and a bit arrogant, he had the vibe of bad boy. Sonya liked bad boys. "So..." She pointed at the kettle. "If you want something warm..." Her finger turned to point the fridge. "...if you want something cold to drink. If you are hungry, you can do yourself a sandwich. The professor didn't come, so we might as well put you to bed and you can meet him in the morning. He is probably sleeping already." She explained. "Driving across the whole country, you must be tired."
"How hospitable of you."
Standing in the corner was none other than Cyclops, though he was out of uniform. Polo shirt, khaki pants, ever-present ruby red sunglasses. He leaned against the wall on one shoulder with his arms crossed over his chest and a mirthless smirk on his face. This guy was already getting comfortable, but he had kindly waited until he was properly invited before coming inside. Scott was unsure of what to make of him just yet, but this was Xavier's house and so Scott had to follow his rules.
"Professor Xavier was indeed expecting you, but he is... indisposed..." Scott hated sounding so pretentious, but that was the word Xavier had used and he couldn't think of a better one. "I can show you to your room while Sonya finds her way back to hers." The pointed look he gave the girl who was only a few years his junior was plain to see despite the sunglasses that hid his eyes. "Of course, you might wanna' stow your motorcycle in the parking garage first," he said to Kai.
Kai observed the new arrival and failed to recognize him for several seconds before it finally hit him who he was. Cyclops. Kai immediately made his approach, his hand out and a slick smile on his face.
"My bike has been rained on a dozen times in the last few weeks; one more night won't hurt too much. But all that can wait. Meeting you is freakin amazing, man. Kai Akana." he said, waiting for Scott to grab his hand.
Raising his eyebrows clear above his ruby quartz sunglasses, Scott hesitated before shaking the guy's hand. "Welcome to the Mansion, Kai," he said at length. "Your room is this way." He cast a glance at Sonya, wondering what her parting thoughts were and whether she would express them, before he led Kai out of the kitchen.
Sonya rolled her eyes. Mainly because Cyclops ruining the fun. She took a sip of the tea, put the mug down on the counter, then gracefully and acrobatically jumped on the ground landing noiselessly.
"I guess that concludes the evening." She said walking toward the exit and deliberately squeezing between Kai and Cyclops forcing them to make way for her. "You know where to find me Kai... if you want a company." Not looking around she just pointed over her head in the direction she was marching - women's dormitory. "Good night, gents."
"Good night, Sonya," Scott said in the indifferent tone of a camp counselor who is pretending not to know what campers are planning. It wasn't so long ago that he was a student. He knew what it was like. Of course, it took him years to get up the courage to tell Jean how he felt. By then, she'd already known. He sighed, pushing back the memories and led Kai up the stairs. "Boys' rooms are this way," he said, "and girls' are that way. There's an empty room at the end of the hall. See you in the morning."
"Thanks." Kai said simply, carrying his bags up the stairs. Once he was out of sight, his mind raced in the direction of Sonya, mulling over whether he should take her up on her offer. As soon as he thought it, he decided not to. If he ever was going to make his way into her dorm, it wasn't going to be tonight.
RSS Feed