Cryokinesis

"Sorry, we're still working on cleaning the place up on the inside," the young man said, slightly embarrased. "My name is Hank McCoy by the way." He began walking up the stairs and gestured for her to follow.

"Interesting name," Gwen commented while catching up to him.

"Not as interesting as Gwendolyn. Where does that name come from?" He asked, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"It's Celtic."

They reached the top of the stairs, walked down the long hallway, and entered a room with a big window and a man sitting in front of an office desk. "Sir, a young woman is here to see you." Hank said.

"Ah," he said, turning his wheelchair to face her. "Hello uh, Gwendolyn is it?"

The man was young with long brown hair and scruff on his chin. He wore a suit and tie and the wheels on his wheelchair seemed to have a big "X" on them. "How do you know my name?" Gwen said, suddenly a bit frightened.

"Don't worry, I've always had the power to do this. I have telepathy, you see." the man explained. "Do you recall the voice that was telling you to knock on the door?" he asked. Gwen nodded. "Well, that was me." he smiled. "I am Charles Xavier, and this is the school that I am re-opening."

Gwen found herself sitting down in the chair in front of him and Hank joined her. "This is going to be a school for people like us," Hank explained. "Mutants with nowhere else to go." Gwen thought about the idea and she loved it. Charles leaned in. "Gwendolyn," he said. "You have nowhere else to go, correct?"

Gwen nodded. "Yes, that's correct."

"Well, would you like to be one of the first to attend Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters?" Charles smiled. Gwen thought about it for a few moments. Could she really trust these people? Then again, the man was a mutant too, and mutants should stick together right? She couldn't help but smile while she gave him her answer.

"Yes, yes I would," she said, beaming.

"Great, then let's find you a room to stay in," Charles grinned.

After two weeks of staying at the school and helping clean up the inside, Professor Xavier asked Gwen to deliver a letter to a certain address. She agreed, then asked what it was about. He simply said "That is for another time." Gwen decided not to ask a million questions this time. She always felt as though she bugged people when she did that.

As she was leaving the huge mansion, she read the name on the envelope: Maximoff. For some reason that name made her smile. Maybe because it sounded so unique. She decided to take a city bus to the address. She was careful not to reveal her mutant power.

She arrived at a white brick house with an angular roof. She walked up the few steps that led to the door and rang the doorbell. An older lady with long, brown hair, who was wearing a dress, answered the door. She seemed to be rather stressed.

"Hi," Gwen smiled. "Is, uh, Peter Maximoff here?" she asked. The lady looked down at the envelope and her eyes grew wide.

"Oh no, is that a fine? What did he take this time?" she asked, slightly startled. Gwen tried to calm her down with a hand gesture.

"Nothing ma'am, this is just a letter for him." she assured.

"Peter!" she called. "There is a young lady at the door for you!" In less than a split second, he was at the door. Gwen wondered how he got there so fast. Peter was tall. He had gray hair that went to his shoulders, and brown eyes. He wore a Pink Floyd T-shirt with jeans and a pair of black Converse. Gwen found him to be very attractive. It almost made her unable to speak.

"Hey," he said. "Who are you?" His voice was deeper than she expected, but it suited him so well. He looked down at the envelope she was holding. "What's that?" he asked.

"Uh, I'm Gwendolyn and this is a letter for you from Charles Xavier." She handed the letter to him. She was shocked at how smooth her voice was. Usually when she is nervous her voice is shaky.

"Cool," he said, and in a split second he was gone and back with the envelope no longer in his hand. Gwen realized then that he is a mutant with super speed. This was a power she had always been interested in.

"Do you- do you have super speed?" she asked with a smile.

"What are you talking about? I'm just fast," Peter said.

"Okay, but you're freakishly fast," replied Gwendolyn. "You must be a mutant, too."

"'Too?'" Peter said, not letting the word slip past him. "Do you have some sort of 'special abilities'?"

"Well, yes but I wouldn't call it special," she replied.

"Why, what is it?" he asked, curiously.

"It's called cryokinesis. It allows you to freeze anything with your mind," she explained.

"Freeze anything, like with ice?" He was suddenly interested in her power.

"Well what else would you freeze things with?" Gwendolyn regretted what she as soon as it came out of her mouth. She had a habit being a bit of a smart alec sometimes. She hoped Peter would not find it rude. To her relief, he just laughed.

"That's awesome! Can you show me?" he asked.

She looked around for something she could freeze without bringing much attention to them. "Uh..." she said, looking up at him again.

"Oh, wait one second," Peter said, and within a split second he was gone and back, this time with a glass of water.

"Here," he said, holding it out to her. She looked at the cup as a thin layer of ice began to form on the glass and the water became solid. Peter smiled when he saw the ice start to appear.

"Easy one," Gwen laughed. "So," she started again. "What's it like 'being fast?'"

Peter grinned at the question.

"Well, I can show you if you'll let me walk you to that school of yours."

"Don't you mean run me to that school?" Gwen felt as though that was a cheesy joke, but his laugh reassured her that it was clever. They both walked out onto the sidewalk.

"Okay," Peter said, putting his hand on her neck. "I'm going to hold your neck so you don't get whiplash." Gwen nodded, silently repeating the word to herself. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Always," Gwen replied with a big smile. Zooooom! Off they went.