Saint Joseph School

By the time she reached her dorm room Kelly was in tears. Why do boys have to be so stupid she mumbled to herself? She opened the door to her quad and slammed it shut behind her. She stormed over to her section of the room not noticing if any of her roommates where in. She viciously slammed the new bow down onto the floor by her bed and immediately regretted doing so. It’s was absolutely priceless, but then again if John was even half right about it she could've thrown it on the main highway in Skyway and let trucks run over it and it would still be fine. Hell it was diamond coated and infused he said, with enzymes from the Devouring Earth, even if you did manage to chip it, it would heal itself. She looked at the bow, it was a beautiful thing made from Emeralds and Diamonds John had “pulled” from the earth, fused and molded in ways no natural forces could ever have achieved, John had crafted a work of art. It was flawless, perfect; nearly unbreakable even the string was enchanted to not break. It was also charmed to be nearly weightless and to top that all off it had a built in homing device so she could summon it to her side at the touch of a button. Great she could play Harry Potter… Accio Bow! Lord only knew what the thing could sell for. It was probably the best bow in the world, he even got Manticore to help design it or so he said, it was a work of art on top of that… the thing was completely beautiful. She absolutely hated it. She had tried to explain to John it was just too much… to over the top. It didn’t matter that he didn’t have to BUY it and that he “found” the Gems on his own. The value of the thing wasn’t truly the point. It was the relative value. “Where do you go from here John” she had asked? “This is our first date and you gift me with a gift worthy of a fiftieth wedding anniversary.” She thought for a minute he might actually have a clue… but then instead of just totally admitting to her, he went overboard like he started too, he decided to instead defend himself… “You won’t be able to use it in fifty years. So I figured I’d give to you now.” Ok. Hold the phone here… Just how long did he figure he was gonna be in her life? It was a little early to start picking out china… Then he says “I just wanted to make sure you where protected when I wasn’t around, I’d never forgive myself if you got hurt because your bow broke and I wasn’t there.” Of all the condescending… AND JUST HOW OFTEN DID HE PLAN TO BE AROUND? One date… it was ONE date… and oh gawd she kissed him… he planned this for one date, lord WHAT did he think now that she kissed him? The worse part… the worse part was, was the other thing he said, “I see how much you go through to protect your bow, now you don’t need too.” He smiled like a dammed Cheshire Cat when he said that. Like that was the way out. “Just think of it as a bow", he said. She looked at the thing and kicked it across the floor. SHE HAD A BOW!

Kelly turned and opened her bow case and took out HER bow. It was five years old, but you couldn’t tell. The wood was shiny and smooth, polished lovingly every day. She had got it for the Olympics. She had trained with it for two years until it had become a part of her. It had fired her last true pure prefect shot, the one that should have won the gold medal. It had then fired her first shot. The shot that changed her life forever, the shot that exploded in a blinding flash of mutant power. It had been there at the end of her dream and the beginning of her purpose. Sure most the parts had been changed out many times… new cams, strings, carbon fiber upper and lower limbs… but the grip and riser they where the same hand craved wood from five years ago, they where the heart of the bow… the connection to her… the parts she “felt”. She looked up at the poster of Manticore smiling down at her… she screamed and ripped it down from the wall… “YOU! You should have explained… you should’ve known better!” Kelly collapsed in a heap in her bed and cried. John had meant well, but it was just too much, too much.

Kat finished braiding her hair as she left the showers in the gym. She grabbed her gym bag and stuffed her gymnastics uniform into it. Kat did her best to smile and hide the wince of the pain she felt. The headache just wouldn't go away. A dull throbbing pain, right behind her eyes. She had been out patrolling the day before and could still feel the impact of every bullet against her shields. She rubbed her eyes with one hand and pushed open the door to the courtyard. The summer night air felt good on her face as she started her walk down to the dorms. There were small patches of activity on capmus. Coming back from the dance, Kat thought, smiling slightly. Lucky them.

Kat had been avoiding most people these days. The headaches wouldn't let her do much, apart from going to classes. Even they were an effort. Kat made her way down to Quad 12 and turned the knob. As she entered, she heard crying, and turned to see Kelly. Her face was buried in her pillow and sobs shook her small frame. A blank spot on the wall glared at Kat, betraying what the crumpled piece of papar on the floor was. Kat dropped her gym bag near her bed and moved over to Kelly, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Kelly?" Kat put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Kelly, what's wrong?"

Kelly turned her tear streaked face from her pillow and looked up at the concerned touch on her shoulder from Ekaterina. Kelly didn’t answer right away, first she sat up and looked about, sensing her need Kat grabbed Kelly’s box of tissue from her nightstand and handed it to her. “Thanks” Kelly mumbled.

“No problem” Kat replied smiling.

Kelly took a few more moments to wipe the tears from her eyes, and compose herself. “Things didn’t go so well tonight. The dance was fun and then we went to Pocket D and that was lots of fun too. But then John wanted to go to the hot tubs. That sounded like fun, and it was until Brianna showed up. She was rude to John, starring at him like he was some kind of freak. I don’t really think she meant any offense and she did try to hide it but she was afraid of him, and John is so sensitive about his size. So we decided to go some place a little more private. John knew of this little cove in those little islands just off Talos, we went there and ran into Arthur and Vesper of all people… it was a little weird Arthur is my old boyfriend. But it wasn’t a bad break up or anything so it wasn’t so bad… just a little weird and awkward. We went to another place John knew about where there was this little waterfall and little pool at the bottom of it.” Kelly smiled a little in spite of herself, “it was really kind of romantic. Things started to look up again and we kissed. I think he was more nervous then me, and he didn’t try anything so it was really nice. Then he remembered he had… this present for me.” Kelly started cry softly, “I know he meant well, I really do but… oh Kat he… he gave me that… that… thing.” Kelly begins to sob more deeply and points across the room to where Kat can see the glittering bow sticking out from under the corner her bed…