Asylum

The New Master of the Dojo

Kya Carter

Shortly after I helped Elektra and the other two arrived, I ran to help Ren, who was battling Xavier and his monstrous sword. I hardly make it five steps before my body spontaneously overheats and I grow dizzy. I collapse on one of the first steps, steadying myself on all fours. For a dreadful moment, I wonder if taking life from the grass is also considered using my dark strand of my power, and I'm about to accept my fourth marking during the worst time possible.

However, slow and menacing footsteps behind me give me reason to believe this is something else. "Some people would recommend sweating a fever out," a surely female's voice sardonically sneers behind me. "But I think the best remedy is to cool the body down." Before I have the chance to turn, everything in my body feels like solid ice. All feeling in my ligaments disappears, going numb. Soon, I feel like a giant block of led. "Ought a girl. Isn't that much better?" A hand careens the back of my head, petting my hair like a dog. Humiliation fills my being, and as much as I'd love to slap that hand away then slap its owner, I'm so cold I can't bring myself to move.

The hand gently caressing me suddenly grips a fistful of my hair and yanks it back, tilting my face upwards to see my attacker's face. She's older than most of us, maybe just a couple years over Ren's age, 19. Her eyes are a vivid red and her hair is voluminous. Tentatively, she taps her chin. Each of her fingernails are colored, not by paint, but by mutation, alternating between red and blue. Body temperature control, I register. "What to do with you..."

"Make my t-t-temperature normal so we can f-fight this out," I snarl, glaring at her.

She barks out a laugh, clutching her stomach even though nothing about this is funny whatsoever. "Wow, you're a bit different than our files have you down as...perhaps Reaper is really insufficient, after all. We've got you pinned as someone who wouldn't harm a fly, but I admire someone with a bit of spunk."

My body temperature returns to normal, but I don't move. Instead, I sit on the wet stairs, leaning on my hands, discretely letting water pool at my fingertips. "What's your reward for killing me?" I inquire.

"Pay raise," the woman smirks, pumping her fist at her side.

"Look...I don't want to hurt you. I really don't. But I've got people who need me, so would you mind just walking away from this one?" I politely ask, not expecting an answer, but stalling for time. Really, I'm feeling out the pace of the rain and the size of the droplets, connecting to the droplets as the fall. My body reaches for the puddles on the steps, ready to use them if I have to.

"Well, that's disappointing," she grouches, placing her hands on her hips. Her eyes wander up the steps, and a smirk etches into her face. "Looks like we have company..." I glance up the stairs, where a shaken Leo descends, gun held close to his chest. Once he sees us, he pauses.

"Dammit," he sighs, fumbling with his weapon for defense. But he's not fast enough.

As soon as the temperature woman throws her hands at Leo, I throw mine at her. Water surrounds her body as Leo shrivels up like a grape left in the sun. Curling my fingers into fists, I freeze her body and run to Leo. Grabbing him by the shoulders and hauling him up, I let him lean against me, his body ice-cold. "This is it," he grumbles. "No more chili-cheese dogs for me."

Downstairs, the woman begins to steam like a sauna, increasing her own body temperature to get out of my iceberg. "You're thinking about chili-cheese dogs right now?" As the girl melts my creation completely, I shrug. "Well, it's a nice refresher."

"Sarah's in the dojo healing, so it's just us. What's the game plan?" Leo inquires, shivering as I hold him close, trying to deliver him some of my body warmth, though my natural temperature has always been a bit frigid.