The Weirdos

18

Jasper made his way downstairs, luckily without running into anyone else. He was almost afraid to find out what other strange people he'd find living in the safe house with him. What other weird creatures, er, mutants, would he come across? He hoped nothing too scary or strange. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he was faced with two hallways. Left and right. Just like the night before. Which way should he go?
Jasper gasped as his wrist was grabbed and turned his head, coming face to face with a pair of wide red eyes, set into the palest face he'd ever seen. He nearly let out a scream when the figure put a pale finger against his pale lips. Jasper slowly calmed down from the scream he almost released and his eyes went up to the white Afro atop this pale figure's head. He looked back into his wide red eyes as the white haired person spoke.
"There were ripples in the pond. But there are no frogs or fish and no one made a wish."
"Huh?"
"Roderick! Leave him alone, go play in the garden or something."
Jasper looked at the approaching young man. He was shorter with tawny brown hair and olive skin. He had a pair of wayfarer glasses mounted on his face and he was slouched, dressed in a white shirt and plaid pajama pants, completed with flying pig slippers. The albino with the afro let go of his wrist and mumbled,
"The pale king must return to the land of the living."
He went off down the right hallway, leaving Jasper with the short young man in glasses. He put his hands in the pockets of his pajama bottoms and smiled at Jasper.
"Sorry about him. That's Roderick. As you can probably tell, he isn't right in the head. He had some sort of mental break a long time ago and never quite came back from it. I'm Books."
"Ok, what is it with the weird names?"
"Oh. They're actually considered normal. Weird is a name like Roderick. And he's named that because he is weird. We're basically named after our abilities. I'm Books because I'm supposedly really smart and spend all my time reading. I like to invent things."
"I think I get it. So, what would my name be?"
"Depends. What can you do?"
Jasper frowned and scratched the back of his head. What exactly could he do? He knew he could make things freeze, but was that it? He'd never really took the time to explore his... Ability. He just spent all his time willing it away.
"I guess I freeze stuff."
Books blinked rapidly at Jasper.
"Did I hear you right?"
Jasper nodded quietly. Books gave him a wide eyed stare, brows going up into his hairline.
"Do you know what this means? No, of course you don't. Oh my- I have to tell Skins!"
Books ran down the hall, then stopped and doubled back. He took Jasper's wrist and tugged him along down the hall. They turned into a large entryway, leading into a kitchen. Jasper hardly had time to marvel at the high ceilings and marble countertops before being tugged away. He could hear shouting before he saw the breakfast table with three people seated at it. He recognized Freak and Narcolepse, but the third, sitting at the head of the table, he didn't recognize. It was a woman with dark hair up in a tight bun. She had beautiful features, including a set of ocean blue eyes, pale skin, sharp cheekbones, perfect brows and full lips covered by dark red lipstick. She looked fierce and had the professional look of a female lawyer, ready to put you in jail if you crossed her. Her and Narcolepse fell silent as soon as Books and Jasper came into view. Books was panting as he spoke, bellowing out,
"This kid is an elemental!"
Narcolepse spit and choked on his orange juice. Jasper would've smirked or laughed if he wasn't so curious and confused by what the short guy in glasses had said.
"What's an elemental?"
Jasper asked, biting his lip when all eyes went to him. He took a step back and cleared his throat.
"I mean... What does that mean?"
The woman stood and stared hard at Jasper.
"It means mutants are in trouble. And you're meant to protect our world from a new evil."