Re-Evolution: Episode 2: In the Blood

Dazzler started the tour with the grounds, showing them the full sized basketball court, Greenhouse, etc. As they neared what seemed to be the entrance they heard a pair of voices and the sound of a scuffle which got Greg's attention.

Dazzler was gesturing dramatically to the basketball court and the track beyond, and then over to the greenhouse. 

"And up here you can see our extensive activity field. From the athletic to the academic, we have a whole slew of after school diversions and training exercises.I like the stables, myself!" She put her hand to her ear, and smiled. "And what's that I hear? Sounds like someone's down by the ring! Why don't we take a look?"

While Morgan liked Dazzler quite a bit by now,  having been a fan of her music and seen her moves mere moments ago, she had to admit her tour guide persona here reminded her of nothing so much as a very enthusiastic Disneyland tour guide. 

She glanced towards the sound, and saw a brief flash of moving bodies by some bushes, and a glint of something metal in the air. 

"Huh."

Todd looked similarly skeptical, slouching along with the group with his hands in his pockets.

"Ring? Like, fighting ring?" Greg, cocked his head and asked as they moved into view.

Two fighters were circling one another; one of them was Kitty Pryde from school, the other was unfamiliar. He was a quite short man, but exceptionally burly, and shirtless, all could see his absolute briarpatch of chest hair. He had short, black hair, and a rough, ready expression, his fists tensed as he circled, barefoot and only in a pair of martial arts pants. He looked a little like someone had miniaturized a lumberjack.

Kitty circled him, dressed in a yellow tank top and athletic shorts, her curly hair tied back behind her head in a ponytail, her hands raised in a defensive position as she paced around the man at a distance, judging the right time to strike. 

She seemed to judge the right time, tensing for only a moment before she leapt at the man, and...almost as if it were magic, used the sudden rush to phase through him, and out the other side, where she kicked him solidly in the back. 

"YAH!!! Who's the one who has to watch their back more now, Mr. Logan?"  she quipped with a grin.

"Don't get cocky, kid," Logan grunted, turning toward her with more swiftness than his stocky body belied. 

"Holy shit, is Kitty fightin' a bear?" Todd snickered with a wry grin as they watched.

Morgan too snickered into her hand along with him. 

"Looks like it. Guess Miss Prep has more to her than I thought." 

Kitty swung a punch for Logan, trying to put him off balance as he turned, a confident lookon her face. 

And then Dazzler called out to them.

 "Helloooo~~ Logan, as fun as it is to watch you romp about without a shirt,  why don't you come say hello to our latest hopefuls hmm?" She flashed a bright smile at Kitty. "Sorry to interrupt the match, but I'm certain the two of you will get right back into your groove~"

The interruption was enough for Logan to grab the upper hand- literally- as he caught her fist as he punched at her, and used her momentum to flip her to the ground.

"Don't worry, Dazz, we're done," Logan growled. He reached his hand down to Kitty. "Good match, kiddo."

Kitty hit the ground with a sharp breath. 

Morgan nudged Nat and whispered, "I thought cats always land on their feet." 

Todd grinned wryly and elbowed Morgan back. "Don't look like it, yo."

“Aw man....Geeze, I was so close, too." She took his hand, slowly getting back to her feet with a grimacing smile. "Thanks, sir. I'll beat you next time!"

"Yeah, we'll see about that," Logan smiled at Kitty and turned to the group, looking them over. 

"You're one tough coach, Logan." Dazzler put her hand on her cheek with a bright smile, nodding. She gestured to the assembled group. "Allow me to introduce Greg, Morgan and Todd. Three hopeful additions to our student body~"

"Huh. Welcome to the Institute, kids." His rough gaze swept over the assembled.

"Hey! Kitty! so this is the guy you were telling me about, huh?" Greg strode forward boldly with a wave. 

Kitty brushed a lock of hair over her ear that'd come loose as she hit the ground. She gasped, and hurried over. 

"Oh wow! Greg! Like, I heard there was gonna be a tour today but I didn't know it was going to be you! This is so exciting, I  didn't know you were a mutant too!" She gestured over to her teacher with a proud grin. "but yeah! That's Logan! He's one of the ones who taught me how to fight." 

Greg smiled broadly. "I can tell. Sorry I didn't see the whole match. Was I dreaming or did you go *through* him?"

Morgan brushed her hand through her hair, glancing at the short, broad man in curiosity and suspicion. 

While Kitty and Greg were chatting, Logan sidled up to the others and looked them over. In fact, he subtly gave them a sniff.

"So, you two are gettin the grand tour, eh?"

"That's right, sir. I got an invitation from Piotr, who said it was a good place for, you know, people like us." Morgan stood up a bit straighter, taking a slight step back at the sniff. 

"Pete's a good guy," Logan nodded. "Enjoyin' the tour so far?"

"I almost got killed," Todd explained, possibly as a point of pride.

"Yeah, your uh, deathtrap security system nearly fried him and turned him into des cuisses de grenouille, but other than that it's been a blast. Saw a bit of you fighting Pryde, you seem like a pretty tough customer."

"One of the toughest around," he admitted with a smirk. He glanced at Todd and then at Morgan. "You, I know, but you must be new around here, yeah, kid?"

Morgan nodded, brushing her hair away from her pointed ears and giving the man her biggest fang-toothed smile. 

"That's right. Greg and I just moved into town last week and we're already found out. Either we *suck* at hiding our mutations, or you guys are just that canny."

"Probably a little of both, kid," he growled. "Not a lot of mutants around the professor don't sniff out."

"Wow, creepy." Morgan said with a half smile , folding her arms. "at least when you put it like that."

"yeah, uh, kinda ominous, right?" Todd chuckled.

"Huh," Lorgan shrugged.

000

Greg, meanwhile, was engaged in a conversation with Kitty.

 "So was I dreaming, or did I see you go right through him?"

"You sure did. I have a trick or two up my sleeve. Wanna see?" Kitty put her hand on her hip, winking playfully at Greg.

"Absolutely!" Greg nodded enthusiastically, eager to see just what someone else had to deal with, or it seemed, work with. "If you wanna show off."

She looked from left to right, seeking out a target, before she grabbed his wrist and started running towards the nearby stables, an excited grin on her face. 

"Like, don't blink, okay? This is gonna be cool!"

"My eyes are peeled!" he promised as he ran off with her, not knowing what to expect.

She made for the wall of the stable, not slowing down as she pulled him towards what was clearly a tall, solid wooden dead end.

"Uuuuuhhh...." Greg was increasingly dubious as they barreled toward the wall, but.... ‘Kitty take the wheel I guess’.

Kitty gripped his wrist firmly as she took a deep breath-- and at top speed , she passed right through the wall like it was nothing, phasing through it with a soft glow around her outline, and somehow, despite him being in tow, he was pulled through with her, briefly seeing the wall from the *inside* before they passed into the stable and through a (suddenly spooked)  horse and a stable door to the alley between stables. 

Greg felt the kind of thrill in the pit of his stomach normally reserved for rollercoaster drops, and took a deep breath as they passed *out* of any solid matter. 

"Holy *shit!*"

Kitty grinned back at him, halfway to giggling. 

"Neat, huh?" She put her hands on her hips again, winking. "Now that I've got the hang of it it's pretty neat. I can pass through basically anything, ya know?"

"Damn," He rubbed the back of his neck, "That has to be.... useful? Kinda?"

"It's come in handy," she told him. "Like...once I had to sneak back into school because I forgot my textbook and all the doors were locked."

"And you just walked right in, huh?"

"Uh huh, in and out and nobody even saw me," she said proudly "it's also helped me out in my sparring matches with Mr. Logan, ya know?"

"I'm surprised he can even touch you. Uh. Literally."

"Well….he's real good...and I don't have perfect control yet and the last thing I want to do is slip through the ground and fall into the earth!"

That suggestion brought Greg up short. 

"Is.... that a thing that could happen?"

Kitty's smile faltered somewhat as well, and she shrugged her shoulders. 

"Yeah. I mean. I can pass through the earth if I want to...and when I first started ...manifesting a mutation...I would wake up to find I'd fallen all the way through my house, or slip from the second floor to the first in school."

"Oh uh, damn. Glad you've got more control on it now?" he offered a bit lamely. It was dawning on Greg that he actually had no idea what drawbacks his own abilities might have. The thought was more than a little unnerving.

"Yeah--yeah Professor Xavier and the other teachers helped a lot when it came to learning to control my gifts, you know?" She rubbed the back of her neck. "..Maybe they can help you and your sister too?"

"Maybe," he nodded. "Though uh, truth be told, I'm not actually sure what we need help *with*."

"Honestly?you probably have to learn that. Because almost every ability I've seen people manifest has some kind of downside... you know?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm not really sure I've even seen the up side yet though."

Kitty patted his shoulder. 

"There is one, Greg. Trust me...back when I first discovered I was a Mutant I was pretty devastated, and..."

The doors to the stable flew open, and Dazzler poked her head in with a wave of her hands.

 "Hate to break up the moment, kiddos, but I'd be one hell of a bad tour guide if I lost one of my guided! Mind coming back?"

Greg jolted at the sudden intrusion.

"Oh, right! Sorry, Kitty here was just giving me a demonstration."

"Sorry Ms. Blaire! I was just showing off a little for Greg," she explained. "He wanted to see me phase."

"Can't blame you there." Dazzler laughed, the sound turning into little flashing strings that curled around her head like a halo. "But there's plenty of mansion to see, he can't spend *all* day in the stables."

"Lead the way, Miss Dazzler." Greg nodded. 

Dazzler headed out into the sunlight once more, petting a horse's nose as she passed with a happy hum under her breath. 

Kitty waved Greg off "i'll see you around, okay? I'd *love* it if you decided to stay! It's a great place!"

Greg waved back and gave her a thumbs up. He was *already* thinking about staying

"So that was Logan, and I see you already know Ms. Pryde." 

"Yeah, Kitty invited me to MMA. I didn't know she'd be here." He caught sight of Morgan and Todd waiting for them. Speaking of not knowing someone would be here...

Morgan was excitedly chatting up Todd, and she punched him playfully on the shoulder as she said something that made her snicker. 

Greg rolled his eyes as he saw Morgan so chatty with Todd. ‘She is definitely trying to spite me or something.’

Logan was still nearby, and Kitty phased back through the wall, heading back to the training area behind them.

"Where you bringing 'em next, Dazz?" Logan grunted to Dazzler. 

"I'm thinking of showing them the dorms." Dazzler fussed with a lock of her hair  and she nudged him playfully. "Sometimes kids get one look at the luxury accommodations and wanna join up right then and there."

"Ahhh, the dorms," Lorgan snorted. "Yeah, wouldn't surprise me none."

"how about you? About done working out for the day  ,or can I look forward to catching you in the break room?"

"Actually, I was just about to ask the kid to go another round," he growled. "What do you say, Kitty-- up for it?"

"Ooooh, why don't we stay and watch." Dazzler said, clapping her hands together "you'll learn something, for sure if we do!"

Kitty pumped her fist with a nod of her head "This time I'm gonna win, sir. Like, just you wait and see!"

While Dazzler, Logan and Kitty were chatting, Greg approached his sister and her….friend.

Morgan snickered into her hand, and looked up at Greg as he approached, cutting off whatever she was about to say to Todd. 

"Oh, hey bro."

Greg raised his hand. 

"Hey."

"Me and Todd were just talking about how apparently this Xavier guy can like, find mutants wherever they are or something." 

"Find mutants huh? That's useful," Greg murmured, before he switched his attention back to Kitty, seeing her and Logan heading back into the ring. "Good luck!"

"Yo more brawlin'?" Todd grumbled slightly. He elbowed Morgan. "I got $5 on the big guy."

Morgan nudged him back. 

"Then I'm going out on a limb and putting $5 on The Intangible Girl." 

Kitty saluted the others, before taking a deep breath before settling into a fighting position.

"Ready?" Logan growled, as he assumed his own stance, low, and tense.

Kitty nodded, and clenched her fists "Ready, Mr. Wolverine… II won't get cocky *this* time."

"Good..... Go!" 

As the beefy little man shouted, he lunged forward at her quickly-- more quickly than she could account for her, attempting to catch her in a grapple. Kitty gasped, and attempted to turn herself intangible at the last moment to try phasing through him as she moved to dance back and away from his grip. 

"Woah!! no fair!"

Logan, however, was too fast for her, his weight sent her tumbling to the ground, catching her knee against an errant stone before she could fully phase through it.

Kitty Pryde cried out as the stone tore through her sweatpants and carved a little gash through her knee, blood starting to leak from the wound to stain the fabric of her pants. 

"owww...." She phased away from his arms, and jumped to her feet, bringing her fists up again "That won't stop me, sir!"

Logan didn't miss a beat in the fight either, and the two of them kept going, as the blood trickled down Kitty's leg, starting to stain her pants.

Despite the frantic action of the fight, Morgan's eyes were drawn right towards the rip in Kitty's knee, and the crimson stain that was spreading over her kneecap, her pupils contracting as she took a deep, shaky breath.

Something about it made Morgan's head spin and that exhaustion grow threefold inside her. With a soft murmur of discontent, Morgan stumbled back, trying to shake it off with a physical shake of her head. 

"Cool fight." She said "but uh...I'd...like to see the dorms."

"Hey, you okay, Morg?"

"You alright Morgan?"

Todd and Greg looked at Morgan-- then at one another-- then back to her, as the two of them accidentally spoke in unison.

Alison Blaire glanced at Morgan with a look of concern. 

"Not real great with blood, huh?" She offered her hand "it's okay. Not everyone is." 

Morgan clenched her teeth together, and looked down. 

"...I just slept bad last night. Sorry."  she looked up "i'm not trying to drag down the tour."

"If you're sure you're alright. Maybe we should get inside, yeah." Greg frowned, worrying about what might be up with her. Kitty’s words about drawbacks rang in his head.

"I'm positive," Morgan promised, a bit quickly. "Don't worry about it." 

Still, she took Alison's hand, and the woman smile as she tugged them towards the building 

"Good luck, Logan!" Dazzler called over her shoulder. "Try not to lose to a student!"

"I'm not gonna--oof!" Logan was hit by the speeding teenager, as the quartet walked away.