Shadow House

(Its cool)

Jason jumped back a little as the frie from her mouth burned the side of his cheek. No a large burn, but painful. He realized that his wind was only fanning the fire. But he could still stop the flames from shooting everywhere. In one quick motion Jason created a large wind blockade. Almost a shield. He shaped it over her. This type of wind didn't fan the flames but almost blew them out as they came. Like the flames of a candle on a windy day. However, he couldn't hold on for long.

Jason soon couldn't take anymore heat and was pushed back landing flat on him back. People swarmed around him but he didn't care. As his vision blurred he only thought of one thing.

"Ivy...you had better be okay...". He passed out.

Somehow, she had managed to begin a slow climb to her feet as the wind died away. She was unaware of that the boy who had tried to come to her rescue was now somewhere passed out on the floor. She was unaware that the fire that had been only coming from her breath at one point was now blazing over her skin, fueled by every pore. Unaware of the danger she posed as she stumbled against the wall, very narrowly missing a chance to spread her wild fire.

The fire she wore over her body wasn't a normal kind of fire. It wasnt orange or red. It was white, as her fire always had been. Pure white, the color of ivory. It held a slight blue undertone, but even that was hard to catch. She looked like a star, up close and personal.

-Minutes later-

She became aware again minutes, hours, or days later when she lay out on the lawn, the green around her singed. She lost track of time with the tearing pains and flashes of fiery light. And now, as she sat up, she realized she had also managed to burn her clothing to a crisp.

Her eyes widened as she glanced around the yard quickly, her cheeks scarlet as she dashed behind a stream of bushes to the pool area, snagging a towel and tucking it quickly around her body. She gave a little sigh of releif, the red color fading from her cheeks as she walked back the way she had come, passing through the garden. She was slightly hesitant reenter the house.

"That was quite the light show." Michael smiled as the girl walked to the house. Her face turned red and Michael laughed. He didn't remember seeing this girl around the mansion before.

"Name's Michael, I saw your performance from the upstairs window, but I got here a little late. Don't worry, I covered my eyes." Michael smiled, referring to the towel the girl was wearing.

Ivy felt her cheeks turn scarlet at the boys words. She had seen him a few times around the house, but they had never actually spoken. This was an odd way to meet new friends.

"Ivory." she murmered, averting her eyes from his face rather sheepishly. She wished at this moment that she could be anywhere but in her skin. Anywhere but standing here...half naked.

She wondered if he could see this on her face, and as her white towel singed, turning black beneath her hand from the heat of embarrassment, she knew he didnt need to look there to find it. Her emerald eyes fluttered, a little shocked at the event that shouldnt have been so surprising.

Michael laughed, "hey, if you're embarrassed, dont be, it happens. If you want, I could make you more comfortable." Michael's head changed a few times to look like famour movie stars. His head returned to normal and Michael smiled, "COme on, let's get you out of the open and get you some clothes."

She blinked as he face began to change, shocked at the quick alterations, but soon found herself smiling, a low giggle forming on her lips. As he returned to normal, she nodded her head in agreement, and turning towards the mansion that was the institute, murmered a genuine, "Thank you."

Her hands lifted to tighten the white beach towel as she braced herself for the quick dash she knew she would have to make if she wanted to avoid half the residents of the house seeing her half dressed. She decided quickly that it was something she wanted desperately. Her cheeks began coloring themselves like water color paints on paper as she thought of all those eyes seeing this much skin. Her stomach fluttered with flocks of butterflies as she neared a side door.

Michael could tell how hard it was for this girl to walk into the mansion like this. Michael could understand how embarrassing it would be. Michael thought for a moment, then an idea hit him, the Professor didn't mind animals in the house. Michael reached out and grabbed Ivy's shoulder gently.

"Hey, this is gonna sound weird, but you can wear my clothes until you get to your room. That way you dont have to run through the house in that towel." Michael smiled and suddenly he transformed into a black wolf-like dog. Michael wiggled out of his clothes and turned around so Ivy could quickly slip into them.

She looked down at the dog, and a smile brightened her features. The once scarlet color was now a rosey hue as she reached down, picking up the clothes. "Thank you." she whispered. Turning quickly, she disappeared behind a bush, discarding the towel in favor for the clothes. They were much too big, built for Michaels bigger frame, but they would have to work for now.

She quickly found the pants to be the most difficult. With every step, they threatened a quick fall to her ankles. She wasn't sure if that would even expose much. The shirt she wore reached her thighs.

Returning, she struck a pose, "How do I look?" she asked in a playfully vain tone, her smile bright.

Michael barked a playful bark and wagged his tail in approval. Michael had had practice with turning into animals and similar things, so the different anatomy was second nature to him by now. Michael thought it was funny to see how big his clothes were on her. Michael made a motion to the door, he was pretty sure she didn't want to stay in his over-sized clothes that long.

"Like a little girl playing dress up" Zach chuckled as he walked up. "You newbies always find a way to make me smile"

Ivory had been petting the dogs head gently, scratching his ears when the other unfamiliar face showed up. She blushed automatically at his words, feeling slightly foolish in the clothes that fit her like a circus tent.

Biting her lip, she lifted her eyes to scan his face, looking for anything familiar there. She found nothing.

"Newbie?" she asked, her arms folding almost defensively. She was one of the oldest members of the house. The term 'newbie' didnt exactly fit.

"Well you fire show showed me that you had 'great control' over your powers" he coughed " I don't need to read your mind to find out that you have lots to learn before you go in the simulation room."

Michael turned around and looked at Zach. Michael cocked his head to the right, and said in his regular human voice, "What do you mean 'newbie' Zach? I've kicked your butt in the Danger Room plenty a time." Michael did like to freak people out by being an animal and talking like a human, Zach was use to it, and he imagined that it wouldn't surprise Ivy.

Zach held up his hand and used his telekinesis to make Michael float helplessly in midair. "Sorry mike? I didn't catch that last part" he mocked

Michael growled, "I said you're an ass, now put me down." Michael chuckled, "Unless you want to go another round in the Simulation Room."

"You kids and your games" He mused "When you will learn that virtual reality and actuality are nothing alike." he began to spin him in the air in a playful gesture.

"I never said I wasn't up for an actual scrap," Michael said. "Ok seriously, I'm getting dizzy." Michael could've easily turned into a 1000 pound weight and make Zach have to stop keeping him in the air, but Michael didn't want to accidentally fall on Ivy or anything.

With her emerald eyes narrowed between some kind of anger and very faint hurt, she tightened the belt at her hips, forcing a new hole and headed to the side door of the mansion, trying to force the fiery fury into the pit of her stomach. It was now licking at her heart.

"Thanks.." she muttered to Michael once more, hesitating before she touched the door knob. She wasn't sure if he was even listening, but she knew she didnt really want to stick around for any more of these 'compliments'. She didnt exactly want to fight with him either. Had that been the case, she might of come to mention that she had been trusted to oversee the practice rooms more times than he'd ever had to battle in them.

You should learn how to treat a lady.

The thought was clear as she sent it into his mind, this other boy that had so easily insulted her.

Zach smiled "Just because you can turn into the fattest animal doesn't mean you will have the upper hand Mikey. As they say, mind over matter" he mocked as he read his mind. He let Mike down easily "I have some training to do for an exam so I'll let you hang around with your girlfriend, you two make quite a couple" he chuckled.

"Two words: Shove it." Michael said and ran over to Ivy as she walked into the building. "Sorry you had to watch that, we're kind of competetive that way. He thinks that I think that I can beat him by turning into a large animal or something. He forgets I'm not limited to animals and humans." Michael looked up at Ivy and smiled the best he could in dog form.

Biting her lip, she nodded back. Her struggle to calm her inward flames was surprisingly hard today. She rarely had so much trouble, even when she lost her temper if she really focused, the fire dissolved into the warm, comfortable ember it needed to be. Now, she felt like a star, ready to explode.

"I dont feel so great." she said in a soft tone, turning to her right and taking a flight of stairs to the second floor, slow enough for Michael to follow. The point between her shoulder blades and the areas around it was still sore. She winced as she twisted her shoulder back, only succeeding it causing more tension.

"Well let's get you to your room. You can lie down then." Michael simply followed behind the girl. She seemed to be very tense, obviously since she was just burnt alive. But Michael also concluded it may have been also due to Zach's amazing first impression. Michael hoped he could help somehow.

Raking a hand through her hair, she managed to shuffle her boddy back to her room, opening the door and letting herself inside. "Thank you.." her voice was soft as she spoke to Micheal, and slightly muffled. She had turned into her closet to pull out some of her own clothing, these of which the Professor had treated to withstand her flames.

Somehow, the brilliant man had studied her fire, and had come up with a solution that could be washed with her clothes. It gave them some kind of resistance to her fire. It had saved them a ton of cash in the long run. She had been very young and slightly unstable with her power when the problem had become prominent.

Now, she disappeared into the closet, using it to change from his oversized clothes to crisp, but loose button up work shirt and a pair of cotton shorts. She was thinking comfort.

Ivy reached her hand out, tossing the clothes back in the direction of Micheal. "You can change back if you like."

Zach proceeded to the park outside the campus and walked up to the lake. He stood at the edge of the shore and took in a breathe of air. His body began to levitate about 2 inches above the ground and he hovered over the surface of the water. He floated until he came about to what seemed like the middle of the lake as he closed his eyes and began to concentrate. the water around him began to ripple form his position reflecting off of the energy radiating from his mind. Zach Opened his eyes as they began to glow blue and the water around him began to rise. He raised his arms and the water rose over his head and was tall enough that it looked like a small water spout. Zach breathed out slowly as he stretched his arms out to widen the vortex then pulled them back in to make it shrink. He did the repeatably to practice his manipulation of liquids for his Senior exam, were if he passes he is eligible to go on high priority missions and be able to aid the fight against the evil mutants that roamed the world.

Michael caught his shirt in his mouth and his pants on his back. Michael ran into her bathroom and nudged the door closed. Michael transformed back to human. Michael cracked his neck, which was a habit he developed whenever he transformed. Michael put on his shirt and pants and walked out of the bathroom, ruffling his hair. Michael smiled at Ivy.