Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2015 07:42:11 +0000 (UTC)
From: DJ <dj_nifty@yahoo.com>
Subject: Changing Darkness - 2

This story is a work of fiction containing homosexual (male on male)
situations. If you are too young to read this or are offended by such
actions (if the latter I doubt you would have accidentally found this site,
but anywho) then please press the back button now. Also (DISCLAIMER), the
characters in this story do not belong to me. The X-Men and all Marvel
characters associated are rightfully under the ownership of Marvel Comics
(besides Thomas).  Bla Bla Bla. Other than that, enjoy!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 2

	Thomas sat in the backyard of the mansion in peace. It was late
afternoon and the sun was on its last stretch of the day. The land was
basked in the soft blues and reds which hinted at the coming evening.

	The grounds behind the mansion were expansive and full of space for
the students to roam. Once one stepped out of the mansion he would witness
the pool area, which was large enough to accommodate the 100 student
body. All around the pool stood lawn chairs and tables with umbrellas for
the students and staff to enjoy themselves poolside. The floor was made of
a beautiful marble made up of greys, blues and blacks.

	Beyond the pool was the beginning of the green space that took over
the rest of the backyard, and the pool section stood on a hill above it
all. If one wanted to go to the rest he'd have to either take one of the
symmetrical stairs on either side, which were decorated with flowers and
bushes next to them, or he'd have to roll down the hill itself.


Here and there stood athletic courts for the students to play in. There was
a baseball diamond to the left, a few tennis courts to the right and all
the way in the back stood a large basketball court. The basketball court
itself looked like it could support two professional basketball games going
at the same time.


As he looked at all this, Thomas sat at the edge of the hill separating the
pool area from the rest of the backyard. He sat on the grass and watched as
many of the students ran around, laid around like him or played different
games while under the last light of day.


From behind him he could hear people running in his direction. He looked
behind himself just in time to see Rahne, the girl he had met earlier
today, running toward him with someone else running after her.


 "Rahne wait," called a boy's voice. When Thomas looked at him he saw the
body of a wolf and human mixed together running on two legs. The boy was
short at about five and a half feet. He looked disparate as he ran after
the woman, "Give my book back," he yelled after her.


"You'll have to come and get it, Nicky," Rahne yelled behind her before
jumping off the top of the hill. While in midair Thomas saw her body start
to change. She began to grow hair all over like a monster in a black and
white movie. Her body convulsed as muscles and claws began to forcefully
shake their way out. She hunched over onto her four legs and caught the
ground on her paws. Without a second of hesitation she trotted away with
the book now in her mouth.


"Nicky" saw his older friend transform and sped after her on all his legs
as well. He didn't need a transformation and so he saved time by just
rushing after the wolf woman. The two ran in circles and eventually off
into the distance in a happy frenzy.

	Thomas decided to walk through the grounds and take a better look
around the place. He walked down the hill and walked along the side of a
tall bush. As he rounded the corner of it he began to hear voices.


 "We fail to see your point," a female voice said.


 "My point is leave me alone," yelled a boy's voice.

 "We see nothing wrong with being gay. It's just a mutation, just like
ours," another voice said.

 Thomas turned the corner and watched as a set of triplet girls stood in
front of a single boy. The girls looked like a clich? clique down to their
straight blonde hair and plaid uniforms.  The real eye catcher was the
boy. He stood at around the same height as the wolf boy Thomas had just
seen, but this boy had the appearance of a lizard. His skin was green and
scaly and his head was bald, but with green spikes pointed out of it.


 "Stay out of my head," he yelled at them.


 "Why do you fight it? It's pointless and exhausting," the other girl
asked.


 Thomas could tell that there was something odd about these girls. They
stood still and never blinked. As strange as the boy's outer appearance
was, the girls gave off the appearance that there was something stranger
going one within them.


"Leave him alone," Thomas finally said as he walked out from the corner,
"he wants to be left alone. Respect that."


 "Who are you?" One of the girls asked, "We don't know you," Another one
added.


 "Doesn't matter. Just leave him alone," Thomas repeated.

 Before they could answer the voice of a man came booming toward them,
"Hey, something wrong?"


 The three girls all turned their heads in unison to look at the
approaching man and said at once, "Colossus."


 Thomas also looked and saw a tall and muscular man walking over to the
group. He seemed menacing as he stomped toward them. He wore a tank top and
shorts which showed off every muscles the guy had, and he had many.

 "Three-in-One, bothering someone again?" he said with some sort of
European accent.


 "No, we were leaving," the girls said in unison before walking off.

 The three boys stood in silence as they watched the girls walk away.


 "Glad that's over," Thomas said and began to walk in the other direction.


"Hey," called out the boy causing Thomas to turn to look at him, "Thanks,"
the boy said with a smile, which Thomas returned before turning around and
walking off.

 As he strolled along Thomas came across the outer edge of the baseball
diamond and watched a group of students played.

	"Come on beautiful, throw it," yelled a young man with black
hair. He smiled triumphantly as we awaited the ball. With a strong force he
swung a wooden bat around which accented the fine muscles around his
body. The obvious flexing helped too.

	Thomas watched as a slim girl with long brown hair tied in a pony
tailed stood at the pitcher's mound. She seemed wiry as she swayed from
side to side. Her hair looked to defy gravity as it floated in the air
behind her. Where the boy seemed solid and blocky she came off as light and
fluid as she wound up her shot.

	In a flash the ball zoomed toward the batter who looked unfazed. He
steadied himself as it came toward him and with a loud crack he sent it
flying. Once the ball hit in the air the boy threw his bat behind him and
started to run toward first base.


 Thomas looked over at the pitcher who seemed angry as she started to yell
at the running batter, "No powers Jules. I saw that green light on the
ball." Thomas agreed with the girl as he too saw a flash of green create a
trail that tracked the ball's upward ascent.


 The wind around the diamond field began to pick up and soon the girl had
lifted off the ground. Her hair moved wildly around her as she chased the
baseball. Her gloved arm reached out to it as they both soared through the
air. With little trouble the girl caught the white ball and swiftly
descended back down to the pitcher's mound.


 "No more cheating Jules," Thomas heard her state before he walked away.


Thomas chose to head toward the garden area which was placed beyond the
baseball field and to the side of the other courts. As he walked he looked
around to see more of the students enjoying themselves. A black man with
tribal tattoos all over his body and a native American women were
meditating on the right, while a few of the younger kids ran around. The
place seemed happy.

 Eventually, Thomas found himself entering the garden. He felt at home as
he was surrounded by green life. The garden was full of flowers, bushes,
trees, fruits and vegetables.  The entrance was a large cement arch which
then opened up to a stone pathway in between the green life. The perimeter
of the garden was marked by thick bushes which were filled with flowers and
thorns. A vast assortment of plant life lived within the garden and
sectioned off into groups with a sign to mark off the name of each
plant. It looked like the garden was well taken care off and made to be
another beautiful part of the extravagant mansion.

	Thomas decided to lay down on a grey cement bench placed behind a
bush full of red berries. While laying down Thomas looked up at the sky and
watched the clouds move across the darkening blue surface. He laid on the
bench with his left arm over his forehead and his right arm dangling over
the edge with his hand touching the grass below. In this position Thomas
closed his eyes and relaxed.

	As time went by Thomas heard footsteps and rustling grass come from
behind him. He sat up into a sitting position and looked around to see a
young girl standing behind him. The girl looked to be about 14 years or so
old. She stood at about 5 feet tall and looked frail. The funny thing was
her skin had a pinkish tint to it and her ears were pointed.

	"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she said looking scared.

	"I wasn't asleep." Thomas replied.

	"Ok, well, don't mind me," she told him before turning around to
start water the plants with a pail in her hand, "here you go," she told
them.

	"You're the gardener?" Thomas asked.

	"Yes�cno�cI'm a student," she replied.

	"I can see that."

	"Sometimes I come to water them if they're too loud," she
responded.

	"Too loud?" Thomas inquired.

	"I can hear them. That's my power. I can hear the plants, and if
they're thirsty they call out for water. I give it to them," she explained.

	Thomas stood out of his seat and walked toward the girl who was
squatting down to water some bushes, "And what are they saying now?"

	"They're quiet now that they're not thirsty," she responded before
adding, "It's your seeds that are being loud now."

	Thomas was startled by this statement before reaching in his pocket
to pull out a single seed which he held between his right index finger and
thumb, "This? You could hear it?"

	"Yeah, that and the others. They're saying they want to be
planted. Why do you have it anyway?"

	Thomas walked closer to the girl as he said, "I always keep a few
on me, just in case," he stared at it before sighing and crouching down on
his knees, "Here" he said before he dug up a tiny hole and placed the seed
within. Thomas filled up the hole and then placed his right hand over the
mound of dirt. Slowly he moved his hand up and with it rose a green
line. As he moved his hand up the plant grew until a rose bud took
shape. Thomas placed both his hands together and then separated them which
made the red rose bud open up into full blossom.

	The girl looked at the flower and Thomas in awe. He smiled at her
before opening his hand for a shake, "It looks like our powers are
similar. Name's Thomas."

	The girl took his hand with her own and they shook, "Callie."

	"Nice to meet you Callie," Thomas said with a genuine smile on his
face.

	"Callie," called a woman from behind. The two both stood to see the
woman standing behind them. She stood tall and wore a long, dark summer
dress. Her hair was also long as it reached past her shoulders and was as
white as a winter sky, "Were you watering the plants again? I told you you
didn't have to go through all that trouble."

	"I know, but they were thirsty, and I was nearby," Callie
responded.

	"Alright," the woman said with an African accent and a smile, "Well
did you finish them all?"

	"No, I only got to this area," Callie said before looking at Thomas
as if to say she didn't finish because of him.

	"I see, well you go have fun. I can do the rest," the woman urged,
to which Callie agreed.  She said her goodbyes and Thomas waved back as she
ran away. Thomas and the woman looked on as Callie ran up the hill.

	"I was watching you earlier. You're very good with the younger
ones," the woman noted.

	"I used to be homeless. You'd be surprised how many kids are like
that. I try to take care of them when I can," Thomas confessed.

	"You're the new student correct? Xavier told me about you," she
stated.

	"Thomas," he confessed.

	"It's a pleasure to meet you Thomas. My name is Ororo, though some
prefer to call me by the name Storm."

	"Why's that?" Thomas asked.

	Storm looked at the man for a second in thought before smiling,
"Perhaps a little demonstration. I find that showing is often better than
telling," she said as she placed a hand on Thomas's shoulder. Then, she
slowly walked backwards away from him. Once she stood a few feet away from
him she raised her arms up with her hands facing upwards. As she did this
she raised her head and Thomas was shocked to see her pupils blur until her
eyes went as white as her hair.

	The wind began to pick up like during the baseball game, and soon
the sky had darkened.  Thomas looked up to see an ominous set of dark
clouds placed above him. When he looked down he saw Storm ascending into
the sky. Soon she was floating several feet in the sky as one of the clouds
started to erupt with thunder. Within the cloud were bright flashes of
lightening that shot all around. Following instantly was an onslaught of
rain which fell down onto the garden.

	Thomas looked up with amazement and smiled as the rain washed over
him. He raised his hands up and felt the rain pour down. He looked around
himself noticed that the clouds only surrounded the garden. The edge of the
garden marked the edge of the clouds and the rain stopped just outside its
perimeter.

	Quickly Thomas used a seed that was hidden inside his shirt
sleeve. He used his power to force the seed to grow. A green vine slithered
its way up Thomas's shirt sleeve and along his right arm. As it moved its
way along it grew in size. By the time it had reached his hand the vine was
as thick as half Thomas's arm. Thomas moved his right arm upward and
wrapped his hand around the vine as it continued to grow. Then the plant
began to fan out and soon Thomas was protected by the rain by standing
under a large leaf umbrella.

	The two stayed in the moment of bliss for several minutes. The air
felt fresh with the rain bringing each oxygen molecule alive and the area
was cooled by the spring rain. The dark clouds made the garden dark except
for the bright white flashes of lightening and the vibrant colors of the
plants. Surrounding Thomas were beautiful greens, reds and yellows, all of
which shined brighter under each lightening flash.

	Thomas tried to fight off the feeling of joy, but failed under its
massive power. The force around him made him feel at peace. His skin
prickled and then calmed leaving him feeling more relaxed than he ever
had. In that moment Thomas forgot about his stress and the reason he had
come to the institute. All he knew was the moment he was in. He felt a part
of it, a piece of the puzzle. In that moment, Thomas felt more alive than
he ever hoped he could be.

	Then, the moment was over. The rain stopped and the clouds
disappeared. Storm began to descend back down to the ground and Thomas
moved his make shift umbrella down from over him. He bended the leaf and
had it reverse the process it had taken. Slowly it receded back into the
seed hidden up his sleeve.

	Storm slowly reached the ground and walked over to Thomas.

	"That was�c wow," Thomas stuttered.

	"I thought you would like it, and I like what you did with the
leaf," Storm complimented him before adding, "So now you see why they call
me Storm. I control the weather, just as you control the plants around
us. We are both connected to the elements of this Earth and children of
Aja."


 "Who?" Thomas asked.


 "Aja, an Orisha of the Yoruba tradition," Storm explained.

 "You're saying this like I should know," Thomas stated.


"Yes, because you should. The Yoruba were a people of West Africa. They
believed in the Orisha, higher beings who came down to help the world. Aja
was an Orisha of nature. She was the patron of the forest, its creatures,
and of herbal healing. So you see, she has a great connection to you,"
Storm explained further.

 "So she was an angel," Thomas simplified earning a laugh from Stom.


 "It's not that simple, and the Yoruba tradition outdates Christianity, but
if it helps you understand then sure," she said while placing her hand on
his shoulder, "Remember Thomas, we are the children of this Earth and are
bound to protect it, like Aja. While I can will a storm at my command, I am
also upsetting the balance of nature, and while you can make an umbrella
out of a seed, you are also stretching it out unnaturally. Our very nature
can harm the things we love if we're not careful."

	"Well said Ororo," a voice spoke from the entrance to the garden.

	The two turned their heads to see Professor Xavier and two others
standing by the entrance, "Is the gardening complete?"

	"Not quite, I just have to check on a few plants," Storm replied.

	"Alright, well would you mind if we took Thomas off your hands?"
the professor asked.

						...

	The group strolled through the backyard as the earlier excitement
began to thin in the air.  Students began to reenter the mansion as the sun
finally set. The sky was now a dim blue which would soon become pitch
black.

	Along the pathway the group took were occasional lights that stood
several feet tall and shone bright white beams to their
surroundings. Thomas looked up at these lights as he slowly passed by
them. He walked beside Professor Xavier who kept talking away like he
usually did, unaware that Thomas wasn't listening or perhaps in spite of
it. Then, trailing behind then were the two women whom watched on with a
silent focus.

	"I see you are faring well among our students. It seems the younger
ones have taken a liking to you."

	"They're not much younger," Thomas replied while thinking, How long
was he watching me?

	"You'll have to excuse me. Lately I find that ages are getting
harder to tell. They tend to blend together," the professor said with a
laugh.

	"What did you wanna talk about?" Thomas asked wishing to end the
small talk.

	"I wanted to assess where your head is at the moment," Thomas eyed
Xavier carefully as the man continued, "To see if you're still willing to
stay with us."

	"The day went alright, so I guess I'll stick around," Thomas
answered.

	"I'm happy to hear that. We at the institute would be glad to have
you here. We'll give you your class schedule first thing tomorrow morning."

	"You guys work fast," Thomas remarked.

	"We make it our mission to be ready at a moment's notice," the
professor boasted.

	"For what?" Thomas asked.

	"For anything. Furthermore, you're old enough to be put into a
training squad. We'll have Scott and Hank test you later tonight."

	"Training squad?"

	"We place the students aged fourteen and up into groups of five to
six students called squads. Under the advisement of one of the staff these
students train together in order to master their abilities," the professor
explained.

	"Isn't that a little too�c militia men?" Thomas asked.

	"Mutants are living in a time of danger. It's best that our
students learn not only to train their powers for everyday use, but also to
prepare in case a day comes when they will have to defend themselves," one
of the women behind Thomas and Xavier added.


Thomas stopped walking and turned to look at the blonde woman who
spoke. She wore an open leather jacket colored crystal white on top of a
low cut shirt. That, matched with her tight black pants and black heels,
showed the woman liked to show off, but her flashy fashion sense didn't
take away from the fact that she emitted an air of power. She smiled eerily
at Thomas while her eyes pierced into him.

	"Thomas I don't think I've introduced you to these two yet. They
are both teachers and staff here at the institute. On your left you have
Emma Frost, one of the leading professors in our school. She teaches
English, Business and Economics while also heading one of our squads,"
Professor Xavier told him.

	"Busy woman," Thomas noted.

	"I like to keep moving. It helps me know what's going on in the
school," she said with a suspicious look at Thomas.

	"Standing next to her is Jean Grey. Originally she was one of the
first students at this school, and like the others she decided to stay and
teach the next generations," the professor said proudly.


 So they never leave? It getting more and more like a cult, Thomas thought.

 "She teaches health and a few of the social sciences, like psychology,
while also working as the school nurse," the professor continued.

	"Another busy woman," Thomas said.

 "We aim to please," Jean responded.

	While the first woman exuded a sensual and worldly aura, the second
one presented a more polished impression. The way she dressed and the way
she held herself made her seem like the calm, disciplined, and intellectual
type. She wore a sleeveless green top over a black skirt and knee length
shoes. Her red hair ran to the middle of her back and was held into a pony
tail.

	"Xavier told us that you have some sort of mission. Care to share?"
Emma Frost asked with another mysterious look.

	"Rather not," Thomas responded.

	"If we are to help you then we need to know what we are helping you
with. Otherwise there's nothing we can do," Jean persisted.

	"I'll talk when I feel like it," Thomas countered.

	"Don't go wandering around till then," Frost retorted with a
knowing smirk. Thomas froze as he realized that she knew what he was up
to. His heart beat quickened as he realized he needed to change the subject
quickly.

	"When's dinner?" He turned and asked the professor.

	"It should be happening now. Due to our hefty number of students we
have a block of time devoted to breakfast and dinner, while we assign
separate lunch times for the students in their schedules. If you'd like, we
can all head over to the dining room now," the professor explained.

	"Please," Thomas said. The group walked in the direction of the
mansion, and with every step Thomas wished to get there already and to be
away with the knowing stares behind his head.

						...

	As the group walked into foyer leading to the backyard Thomas saw
the man he had met an hour ago carrying an easel across the hall.

	"Ah perfect, Piotr, could you come here for a second," the
professor yelled out when he entered the foyer.

	Piotr turned and nodded at the professor before stomping over with
the easel still under his arm.

	"What is it professor?" He asked.

	"I need you to do something quickly. Judging by what you're
carrying I'm guessing you're going to the art studio correct?"  Piotr
nodded at the professor's guess, "Good, can you show Thomas where the
dining room is since it's right across the hall from that room? Emma, Jean
and I need to head to the War Room."

	War Room? Thomas thought.

	"Oh course professor," Piotr said before turning to Thomas, "You're
the guy from earlier," he noted with an appreciative nod before adding,
"follow me."

	Piotr walked away and Thomas hesitated to follow him.

	"We'll catch up with you in a bit," the professor said before
Thomas turned and followed the muscular man in front of him.

	The two walked in silence as they passed through wooden
hallways. They turned several corners in blissful quietness. Thomas took
the time to observe the man who he had encountered earlier. He stood
several inches taller than Thomas and bulked with power. His muscles were
toned and fit, and gave off the appearance that the man must work on them
daily. His shoulders were broad and stretched out farther than seemed
anatomically possible. He was a hulk of a man.

	"Hey Peter," a girl's voice called.

	Down the hallway stood a slim girl with curly brown hair. She waved
at Piotr as he walked closer to her.

	"Coming to dinner? Who's this behind you?" She asked.

	"Kitty this is the new student, Thomas. Thomas, this is my
girlfriend, Kitty," Piotr introduced.

	Well damn, Thomas thought before saying, "Nice to meet you," with a
smile on his face.

	"Nice to meet you too. Wanna sit with us?" She asked with her own
smile.

	"Sure," Thomas answered.

	"Actually, I was headed to the art studio," Piotr stated while
pointing in the opposite direction.

	Kitty grabbed his arm and pulled him along behind her while saying,
"You can eat and then go paint."

	Thomas followed them into a dining area that was surrounded by
several wooden curio cabinets. Each one was filled with miniature statues,
artwork, books or expensive looking tableware. On the ceiling surrounded by
crown molding was a beautiful chandelier. It was placed right in the center
of the room and above a long wooden table that sat somewhere between twenty
to thirty people. On top of the table was placed a variety of assorted
foods that the students could eat in buffet styled service. The room was
half full with students seated while either eating or talking.

	Kitty directed the boys to one of the edges of the table. Piotr
placed the easel against a wall and sat beside her. Thomas chose to sit
across from them and looked around. A boy sat with his head inside his arms
on the table two seats away from him and Bobby sat across from that boy and
next to Colossus.

	"Hey, how's it going?" Bobby asked Thomas.

	"Alright, just got back from outside," Thomas told him.

	"What'd you think of the backyard?" Bobby asked.

	"It's too much. Who paid for all this?"

	"The professor," Kitty answered, "This used to be his family home
before he turned it into a school."

	"Better we use it then it go to waste," Bobby added.

	"I'm gonna go get us some plates," Kitty said before getting up and
walking away.

	"Have any questions about the school?" Piotr asked.

	"They mentioned something about squad testing," Thomas stated.

	"Ah, you're doing it? When? Tonight? I wish I could see that,"
Bobby exclaimed.

	"What is it?" Thomas inquired.

	"They split up all the teens into groups so we can train-" Piotr
started.

	"No, not that. I heard that. What's the test?" Thomas interrupted.

	"We don't know. Changes every time," Piotr replied ominously.


"But you'll do fine. It's not like they'll reject you. They just want to
gauge your powers and see where they can fit you," Bobby added.

 "Here you go," Kitty said as she put down a stack of plates in front of
her. She then handed one over to each of the guys, "Give this to Ben will
you?" she asked Bobby.

 "Hey, wake up. Time to eat," Bobby said while shaking the sleeping
boy. The boy looked up while groaning. Thomas watched the boy as he
stretched and noted that he looked pretty scrawny. He wore almost no
muscles on him and his shaggy brown hair made him look like Shaggy from the
Scooby Doo cartoon. Thomas then remembered that this was the same boy who
was sleeping on the play room couch earlier in the day.


The boy looked around and his eyes briefly gazed upon Thomas. When they did
they boy's eyes widened as he gulped. He quickly averted his eyes and
turned his head, but not before Thomas noticed that his cheeks were
beginning to turn red. Thomas chuckled inwardly and almost allowed himself
to think the action was cute.

 "Ben was the newest student before you got here," Kitty mentioned while
grabbing food from the table.

	"Yeah, he hasn't even gotten a code name yet," Bobby added, "Did
you pick something yet?" Bobby asked Ben while he filled his cup with milk.

	"I don't know, someone suggested Morph, but I'm not sold on it," he
said with a sour face, "I'm Ben Deeds by the way, nice to meet you," he
said while looking at Thomas's arm and not his face.

	"Nice to meet you too," Thomas chuckled, "Wait. What do you mean
code name?" Thomas asked.

	"When student's join squads they choose a code name. Like mine's
Shadowcat and his is Colossus," Kitty said while pointing at Piotr.

	"Got an idea for yours?" Bobby asked while looking at Thomas.

	"I don't know," Thomas answered honestly while grabbing a loaf of
bread. Things moved fast at this school. He wasn't sure if he could keep
up.

	The group continued eating while their conversation
progressed. They moved on from topic to topic without any problem. Thomas
was beginning to forget himself as he sat there.  Everything at the
institute seemed so nice, even the people, but he knew from experience that
all people had a dark side.

	"Thomas Warren," a familiar voice called behind him.

	Thomas turned his head and was displeased to see the man with
sunglasses he had manipulated earlier standing by the entrance to the
dining room. His face was in the downward frown that it was in earlier, and
Thomas thought that it must have been the man's resting face.  Then
standing next to him with her trademark smirk was Emma Frost.

	"Thomas Warren," the man repeated, "Come with us."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: So there you have it. I'm actually really excited about the next
chapter. You'll get to see Thomas's powers in action. Plus, you'll get to
meet Thomas's mysterious third roommate. Who will it be? A romance option?
Who knows?

Oh, and of course if you liked what you read please shoot me a message at
dj_nifty@yahoo.com.

And don't forget to donate to this wonderful site. See you all next
chapter! :)