"First time in England, sir?" Asked the hotel manager. "No, not at all," Xander answered without giving the man a second glance. It was of course his first time, just not Eric's. And it would be foolish to ignore that.
After all, through his memories the young man knew his way around this country, and many others.
He'd been in England only a few hours having left Sunnydale and his friends just the night before. He'd worried about money for only a short time, but then remembered a neat little trick of Eric's.
Something most people that knew him wouldn't think he was capable of doing. After all, how many people that were on a first name bases with 'The Master of Magnetism', would believe Eric would stop by Las Vegas.
With his control of metal it wasn't difficult for him to fiddle with the inner workings of a handful of slot machines and then collect his winnings. And it wasn't difficult for Xander either.
So after his little side trip to the city that never sleeps, he was three hundred thousand dollars richer. After that it was no trouble to afford a decent hotel for a few nights.
He needed to put his things in order. Other then the girls in Sunnydale, he had no real friends or family. And with Giles reaction to the teen's mutation, he couldn't live there anymore.
Finally making it to the hotel's main street, Xander put away his two suitcases and laid down on the king sized bed.
The left suitcase and smaller one was for his few clothes and personal effects, pictures of the gang, keepsakes the girls gave him, things of that nature.
The right suitcase and much larger one was for his suit of armor. The black combat boots, he was still wearing. But the rest was in the suitcase. The black leather pants, a dark gray dress shirt with a gray chest plate, and the helmet.
It was the suit of armor he'd purchased at Ethan's costume shop right before Halloween. It wasn't that long ago, but it felt like ages since then. It had been the last time Xander Harris had felt like a kid.
After Halloween things had changed. Ethan it seemed was a Chaos mage, and for his own personal amusement he turned everyone who'd bought a costume from his store into what they wore.
People, who'd dressed, as ghosts became ghosts, those who'd dressed as vampires became vampires, and so on. And when the spell ended they were returned to their former selves. All that is but Xander himself.
Because it wasn't just an everyday costume Ethan had given him, oh no. This was a real suit of armor; the suit had been created for Eric Lehnsherr. Or as the name he goes by now, Magneto.
His costume changed the young man's very DNA, adding an X-gene where there hadn't been one before. Turning him into a mutant, but not just any mutant. He now had the same abilities as Magneto.
The teen couldn't help but smile bitterly in his dark secret; he didn't just have the abilities, no. He had all of Eric's memories; all of them, that is, up until he'd had the suit created. Which was only a few years ago.
The dark haired teen had Eric's memories, as well his nightmares. He could now remember the Holocaust like he'd lived it. The fear, the starvation, the horror all around him.
He got a front row seat to one of the worst moments of humanity in the last century. Murder, torture, rape, genocide. These were the tools of Germany's Nazi.
And no matter how Xander tried to block those memories out, they always came back. It had taken him weeks before he could control himself during these flashbacks.
Sometimes all that was needed for them to be set off was a smell, a sound, and/or a scream in the night and it all came flooding back. But he had them under control now, if you could call it control.
These memories were now like his own; he remembered the faces of countless victims just like he remembered his 6th birthday. They were a part of him.
With the powers, memories, and nightmares, also came Eric's convictions. His fear of the future, and what humans would do when they learned of the mutants among them.
The war was coming, and Eric had no doubt about that. And neither did Xander. Humans would hoard them into camps and tell them it was for their own good.
They'd throw around words like accidents of nature, and ethnic cleansing. But in the end it was just a Holocaust waiting to wake itself.
Steps had to be made. Things needed to be done before mundane humans knew of mutant kind.
As his eyelids became heavy and sleep tried its best to pull Xander within its dark embrace, he fought against it. His mind busily going over the things that he would need to do.
As it was, he had miles to go before he could rest.
With a startled cry Xander woke a few hours later. Within seconds he was on his feet scanning his surroundings. Something he knew from Eric's memories.
All living things generate bioelectrical energy, so anyone in his room would be unable to hide from his scanning. It only took him seconds to realize that no one was in the room, but him.
'So what woke me up,' he pondered. Then moments later he felt it again, a telepathic scan. With all his strength he threw up his mental shields to hide his presence.
But it was too late. If that scan was what woke him up in the first place, then it had already picked him up.
This did nothing but enrage the young man. With the wave of his hand, his suitcase opened and his helmet flew across the room into his hands, and then on his head.
Eric had the helmet created for the very purpose of blocking out telepaths. Due to his own extremely high electrical energy only the most powerful of telepaths could read his mind.
Charles Xavier was to his knowledge the only one strong enough to do just that. But a Psi scan of the area would make the telepath able to pinpoint his location, even if they couldn't read his mind.
With the helmet he was shielded completely. So if this wayward telepath was going to attack, Xander would make him rue the day he crossed Mag....., no.
The dark haired mutant stopped himself from finishing that thought. He knew he wasn't Eric, that even if he had most of the elder mutant's memories, Xander still wasn't him. He was Xander Harris. He was not Magneto.
But he did need a code name. Otherwise it would be too easy for his enemies to track down his family members or friends. But he'd think of that later, right now he had to deal with a snooping telepath.
Of course it couldn't be Charles; he was still in his mansion in New York. And even with his Cerebro, he wouldn't be able to scan this far.
So the telepath had to be close by.
Without further thought Xander put on his armor and left his penthouse suite through the nearby window and took to the skies.
Once he was above the city the powerful young man used one of Eric's more subtle abilities. Living beings created bioelectrical energy, and over the years through much practice Eric learned to sense the auras as it were, of those around him.
This ability wasn't simple. Eric had practiced with his more impressive powers to the point that he had full control of them, and through him Xander.
But he'd ignored for the most part some of his own lesser abilities. Sensing bioelectrical energy being one of them. He had, of course learned enough to use this ability; just not to it's fullest.
So it was really a guessing game to sense those around him. But the one thing this power was good for was outing other mutants.
Cerebro did this through Charles' telepathy, and Xander could do this much the same way. Mutant's bioelectrical energy differs greatly from mundane humans.
So if there were any mutants in a three-block radius, he would be able to find them.
For anyone who was looking up in the night sky, he would have looked a fright. All black and grays, floating almost a mile above the city like some waiting, vengeful god.
Ten minutes of searching and he found no mutant in the area. That didn't mean that he was wrong about being scanned, he knew that was what happened.
It only meant that the telepath was out of his range. A roar of thunder in the distance clued him in that a storm was coming in quickly. With a curse he turned away from the city and was about to sink back down, and go back to bed.
That is until a haze appeared a few feet away from him. Like a specter it took the ghostly shape of a person, and slowly that of a young woman.
"Greetings."
Seconds later the first misty form had taken on a much more solid shape. Of course Xander could see through it because this vision had no density, like a hologram.
"And who might you be?" He inquired never taking his eyes away from the ghostly woman in front of him. In the distance the storm moved closer, lightning lit up the sky.
"Excuse me, I am Emma Frost." The specter nodded towards him politely, her eyes as well never leaving his form. "We'd thought Lord Magneto had decided to join us in London, but you're not Magneto now are you?"
He could tell through her voice she was well educated, pronouncing her words to their fullest. Her English accent was faint, much like Giles'.
"No, I am not Magneto." He wasn't willing to give anymore information then that.
This wasn't a ghost in front of him, oh no. This was an astral projection, an image of herself sent through her mind to him. This Emma Frost was nowhere near.
She nodded once again, now knowing that the man in front of her wasn't willing to make idle chitchat. "Come to London tomorrow. The Council would much like to meet you."
At once Emma knew she'd said something wrong, as the man's face before her hardened and his eyes almost seemed to glow with unreleased destructive power. "I do not bow down to the wishes of the Watcher's Council."
His tone was flat broaching no argument. Xander was a bit surprised when she laughed, "Oh, I'm sorry. We're not Watchers. And I can see why you wouldn't want to be dictated to by those... flatscans."
He knew the insult; Eric was the one who'd come up with it. A term for humans' lesser mental capabilities.
"Then who are you?" A mutant council perhaps? He dove deep into Eric's memories but couldn't find any such thing. If not that, then who was this Council?
"The Council of the Chosen, or as we're mostly known as, The Hellfire Club."
The next day Xander was indeed where Ms. Emma Frost had asked him to go, and wait for someone to pick him up to take him to The Council's quarters.
Of course he wasn't happy with this. Being told to sit and wait to be picked up like a toddler, the deep-rooted part of Eric that resided inside Xander's mind was inflamed at the very idea.
But Ms. Frost didn't trust him anymore then he trusted her, and as she was a member of The Hellfire Club, it wasn't a lot he could do about it.
So there he stood in an old cottage in the woods waiting to be picked up.
He was in full body armor and helmet; if they wanted to fight, then he'd give them one. And he'd make sure he was the only one standing at the end.
As he waited, Xander couldn't help but think about this Council of theirs. Eric hadn't known about the Hellfire Club from first hand experience, no.
He'd just heard rumors, things of that nature. It was supposedly an elite club, for only the most rich and powerful people from all around the world. He'd had no idea there were mutants among them.
This club was supposed to be made up of businessmen, politicians, and rumored a few members of the royal family. But mutants? He'd had no idea.
That is, he hadn't had an idea at the time the suit of armor was finished. And since Ms. Frost had thought he was 'Lord' Magneto, it would seem that Eric had not just learned more about them, but joined.
The teen couldn't help but laugh at the old man's arrogance, to name himself a 'Lord'. He was taking this whole 'King of mutant kind' thing a bit far.
So having no new information, Xander could do nothing but wait and see.
The woods around the cottage were not doing his patience any good either. He half expected an attack from the surrounding woodlands. And he didn't know if it was from Eric's consciousness, or his own.
These woods were well covered, and very little light could get through. It would be a perfect place for an attack from these club members, or even from vampires.
Finally after an hour a jet-black car arrived to take him to this Council of theirs; Ms. Emma Frost sat in the backseat waiting for him to sit down next to her.
"Good to see you again. I hadn't expected you to dress so...formally," She told him with a frown, something that looked strange on her very well proportioned lips.
Lips that didn't look like they did a lot of smiling, but at the same time not a lot of frowning either. He could only guess that she was used to keeping her face neutral, giving away nothing.
Knowing that he got a reaction out of her pleased him, more so then it really should have.
She was right of course; his suit of armor was very formal. As for Emma, she was dressed in a fully white business suit. But one that showed off her very nice curves.
"Sorry, I didn't know there was a dress code." Ms. Frost didn't laugh at his joke, or even smile. But Xander could see the amusement in her eyes. "Well, I'll just have to send you a memo next time," She deadpanned.
The drive to The Hellfire's headquarters was done mostly in silence. Neither he nor Ms. Frost were willing to make ideal chitchat, or fake pleasantries.
But it was a nice silence, a comfortable one. Well, for them at least.
The driver was quit perturbed at the silence, it being his first day driving. And he had not one, but two powerful mutants in his backseat as silent as tombs.
His nerves almost gave out a few times during the drive; he not wanting to disturb either of them and praying that neither one decided to take much notice of him.
The male was the one that put him on edge the most. He being able to carry a quiet menace about him, and he hadn't even so much as looked in the driver's direction.
The woman was beautiful, but no less frightening. He'd heard what she'd done to the last driver she'd had. One who'd been unfortunate enough to spill his drink on her snow-white clothing.
He'd paid by having his mind turned to jelly.
Something the driver, Jarod, would never let happen. He'd be a good little worker and do as he was told, and never, ever, eat or drink in Ms. Frost's presence.
Xander was not surprised when the limo pulled in front of a large estate. One, which it seemed, was spread out over countless acres. He would have been in awe only a few months back, but now he could barely contain his boredom.
Something that Emma picked up quickly, and since he was still wearing his helmet she hadn't used any telepathy.
She just read his _expression; something he would now have to work harder on hiding. "Yes, it can be anti-climatic. But it suits our needs well enough," She told him curtly, but with a smirk on her pink lips.
The dark haired teen just sighed, "And what are your needs Ms. Frost?"
From the way her smirk deepened Xander knew he'd walked right into that one. He might have the memories of a 70 year-old man, but he still had the hormones of a 17 year-old boy.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll become fast accustomed to my needs." Emma was flirting with him. But not out of real interest, more of a civilized way to point out that he was after all just a man.
And she was a beautiful woman. Ms. Frost wasn't the kind of woman to let simple facts like that get forgotten too soon. After all, men were at times...... the weaker sex. And it had nothing to do with mutant powers either.
"Shall we get this over with? I don't want to take up anymore of your time. I'm sure you have many others waiting for your services, I mean to suit your needs." Take that, he thought victoriously.
Instead of seeming insulted, Ms. Frost let out a startled laugh. But quickly covered it up not wanting her cool exterior to crack so easily.
"Oh, if nothing else at least I'll have someone intelligent to spar with." At that moment he figured out who she reminded him of. Cordelia, she was a British version of Cordy.
Loving nothing more then to trade insults back and forth with someone who could keep up with her dry humor, and acid tongue. The limo driver opened the door for them, "Right this way please," He told them as politely as he could.
The mansion's insides were just like Xander had pictured them; paintings, statues, and expensive carpets. These people did not mind showing off their wealth.
The lackey limo driver took them as far as the main study before leaving Ms. Frost to take him the rest of the way. Humans, it seemed were not allowed back where this Hellfire Clue would meet. Something the teen was sure Eric had to do with.
Besides Xander and Ms. Frost, there were three more people in the main study seating around a large round table. One, much like King Arthur's knights most have sat at.
Emma left him standing in front of the table and took a seat in one of the lush leather chairs. The dark haired mutant took this time to look over the sitting mutants.
Using his powers he reached out and touched their bioelectrical energy, almost instantly upon seeing them all. Which showed that they were all indeed mutants.
This power of course wasn't used very much by Eric, but Xander had decided to stretch the lower abilities Magneto never showed very much interest in as much as he could.
His main powers had been honed to perfection, but others had been abandoned for the most part. Powers that he was sure would be of use with the right amount of practice.
Powers through his electromagnetism like, electricity, heat, radiation, and light.
These powers were mostly an afterthought as he used his Magnetism, and Eric never thought to hone these abilities. Even if they could be very powerful if he worked at it.
Emma, as Xander had said was dressed in a white business suit. One that showed off her ripe body so much so that she had to have planned it out like that.
Ms. Frost, ever the temptress. But looking at the others it seemed she hadn't dressed in white by accident, no. It meant something.
Because the young man directly beside Ms. Frost was also wearing all white, a completely white suit. One that looked like it would have belonged in the 18th century more then the 21st.
Shaggy brown hair and a beard and mustache, he also had dark brown eyes and an arrogant glint in those eyes of his. At the moment he was looking at Xander with some interest.
On the opposite side of Emma was a strong looking man with black hair and bored dark eyes. That and a very strong looking jaw and broad shoulders. He was also dressed in black, from his black silk shirt to his black pants. Very interesting.
Beside him was a striking young woman with blue hair and honey toned skin. Which suited her very well; with the blue hair it made her seem exotic.
Her lips were cherry red, and her eyes a dark brown almost black. She too was dressed in black, tight black leather that is.
The man with the strong jaw turned to Emma, "Magneto's enfant? I avais non trovaille Eric avais a enfant." His French accent was as cultured as Emma's British one.
And knew this because Eric knew this. He'd spent some time in France over the years. That's how he knew what the man had asked Ms. Frost. It seemed he wanted to know whether or not she knew Eric had a child.
"Magneto wouldn't know," Xander answered before Emma had the chance. The black haired man simply glanced in his direction for a second before turning back to Emma, "Not the most polite child, now is he?" He joked.
"Well, he makes up for it in humor," She answered without a smile, but her mirth was plain in her eyes.
"Réellement? I don't find him very amusing." The dark haired man turned a steely glare towards the young teen; who by this time was starting to loose his patience.
"Oh, but I find you quite funny. That euro trash accent must just melt London's prostitutes." Emma and her companion chuckled, and even the blue haired women smiled a bit.
But if possible the dark haired man's eyes became even more hardened, "Where are my manners. Let me introduce myself." He then got up and walked over and took Xander's left hand.
"I'm Sebastian Shaw, The Black King." Then he smiled, or at least it might have been a smile. It seemed like more of a smirk. He then started to wrap his fingers around Xander's hand painfully firm.
Super strength, this had to be Shaw's mutant power. And he was using it to attempt to break the dark haired teen's hand.
It would have worked too if not for the fact that the teen was not without power, with a little concentration electricity flowed from his hand into Shaw's. Who jumped back with a pain filled cry. "Ahhhh!"
At once his blue haired companion was at his side. And the two of them glared daggers at him.
"Enough, Sebastian. Eric would not be too thrilled to find out you were trying to strong arm his.....son, now would he? Not that you were doing a very good job." Emma's lips quirked and Shaw turned his glare towards her.
"You knew he controlled electricity and you let me touch him anyway?" He demanded. This just made her smile even more, "Of course not Sebastian. Would I do that to you?" Her oddly dressed companion was freely laughing by this time.
Somehow Xander had gotten into one-upmanship between Emma and Shaw. Not that he minded too much, he'd known Shaw all of five minutes and already disliked him greatly.
Emma then turned to him, "Now down to business. Lets not keep us in suspense any longer; I'm sorry what is your name?"
Seeing no reason not to answer he did so, "Alexander." The mutant teen didn't feel much like telling them his name was Xander. That name was for his old friends and his old life. One he didn't have anymore. Alexander was as good a name as any.
"Alright, Alexander Lehnsherr. Since your father sits on our inner circle we're willing to allow you to join us." She sounded very formal if not extremely arrogant.
Allow him to join? As if that was some great honor that he should be fallen down on his knees and thanking them for. He let the last name slide.
From Xander Harris to Alexander Lehnsherr, it was a good alias. And one he could easily fake with the memories of Eric he still had. "And why would I want to join?" He asked of them.
Shaw snorted, "Because boy with our resources you could do anything you wanted."
"Again, why would I want to join you?" People didn't just offer power like that freely. They had to want something, and even if they thought he was Eric's son, they wouldn't be so ignorant as to offer him anything.
"Don't play stupid. If you're even half the man your father is then you already have plans for the future. A future in which humans no longer rule," The Black King answered snidely.
Xander was tempted to fry him again, but just that short burst of electricity had tired him out. It was a straining ability, one in which took a lot of power. And he wasn't totally ready to wield just yet.
So he would forgo frying that smirking bastard, for now at least. "And if I was willing to join? What would be in it for you?" Emma just raised one of her lovely eyebrows and smiled, "Power of course. Each one of us has something to offer. Not just money or connections," She informed him.
"My telepathy helps me gain more money in the stock market; Shaw's control over kinetics makes him almost undefeatable in combat. Harry and Tessa's abilities help as well." She nodded towards her and Shaw's companions.
"As you must know your father's control over Magnetism has been a great addition to our Inner Circle as well. No doubt your powers over..... electricity would be helpful as well." It was then he knew that they had no idea he could control metal as well.
He retraced his actions since coming into contact with this Hellfire Circle and not once had he controlled metal in front of any of them. He'd just used electricity.
Which could explain how he could take to the air or scan for mutants, as well as his attack on Shaw.
This would give him a great advantage if he ever needed one against them. But something was bothering him, "Why does Shaw over there call himself the Black King?"
"It's simple really," Emma went on, "Each member of our Inner Circle takes the name of a chess piece to show his rank in things. Shaw's the Black King and I am the White Queen."
That just seemed a little surreal to him but it wasn't too strange. "And my Father?"
It was easier to call Eric that then Xander had first thought. It just seemed to slip right out of his mouth. After all, he knew more about Eric Lehnsherr then he'd ever known about Tony Harris.
"Oh, Lord Magneto is the White King," She explained.
This all seemed awfully strange, this Hellfire Club and the mutant members. But if they wielded the kind of power they said, over money and no doubt companies then they would be a great help to the plans he had in mind.
"Very well." He nodded accepting their offer to join.
Ms. Frost, this White Queen's _expression didn't change but he could see the pleasure in her blue eyes at his answer just nodded in return. "Excellent. Let us welcome our new White Bishop."
Hours later after Xander finally got time to go back to his apartment.
He'd spent the time before meeting the other members of his new 'family'. As well learning what abilities they had, or any other information he could that might come in handy on a later date.
The dark haired young man had already known Emma Frost was someone to be counted, someone not easily ignored. He'd figured that out in the first few minutes talking to her. But he hadn't expected to find out she was even more then that.
The White Queen was none other then the head and CEO of 'Frost Enterprises', so at 24 she's one of the world's richest people. Due in some matter to that fact that she's a powerful telepath. Reading minds comes in handy during investments and hostile takeovers.
That smirking bastard Shaw was also quiet rich, being head of 'Shaw Inc.' One of the leading weapons dealers in North America. And as the lovely Ms. Frost had said earlier, Sebastian controlled kinetics.
If you hit him, you made him stronger, faster, and increased his endurance. Physical attacks made him more powerful, for a short time. He was the icon for that old tale; whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Tessa and Harry weren't stinking rich like the other two, but they were in no way poor either. But coming from very blue-blooded families, ones with old money.
Their contributions to the 'Hellfire Club' was their money and connections, unlike Emma and Shaw who also wielded great power.
Harry could mentally control the mass of objects and people around him. An......interesting power to say the least, but in most instances quite useless. He mostly used it to make certain artifacts smaller and easier to move into England and other countries.
He was Emma's other White Bishop.
Which surprised Xander a lot. Not the title that Harry held, but the title that he himself was given. He sat at the left hand of god, so to speck. The dark haired teen hadn't thought he'd made 'that' big of an impression on Ms. Frost.
Or she could have just given him such a high title for totally pissing Shaw off.
Tessa was a low level telepath, not too powerful at all. She could of course read minds, but that persons mind must be weak. She could also communicate through her telepathy, but one had to open their mind to her.
The blue haired beauty didn't hold a title at all, no. She was Shaw's......consort, his familiar. Which was just a pompous egocentric way to say that she was his whore.
Her only duty was to look pretty and open her legs when ever the mood hit Shaw.
Of course that wasn't all of the members. Just the only ones who were in England at the time. Since it seems that this country was The Hellfire Club's main house, but they had others. A house in New York, and Italy.
Which Xander made a mental note to stop by and look over. One thing that he took to heart from Eric's memories was to know your friends, just as you would know your enemies.
Because there was no telling when the one might become the other, or vice versa.
Before he'd left the meeting, Emma had pulled him away from the others and asked him to come to her suite in a few hours. That they needed to talk about a few things.
Which was what the teen was getting ready for.
He'd forgo the suit because well, it was not all that easy to get around in. It was after all battle armor. Not as useful as it could be, but still impressive. So he was going to dress in his best dress pants and white shirt.
He doubted Emma was calling him to her sweet for anything other then business, but it would do him no good to show up messy.
Ms. Frost was waiting for him in her suite just as she'd said she would be. But he wasn't expecting her to be waiting for him dressed in a form hugging white dress that was cut high on her thighs and low on her breasts.
Which left him far more impressed then the mansion was able to leave him gaping in her wake.
That is until he saw that she'd laid out for him a tailored suit, unsurprisingly white, as well a matching leather duster. "Put these own, the limo will pick us up in a few minutes," Emma told him with a teasing grin as she handed Xander his clothing.
"Limo? Where are we going? And why do I have to change my clothes to go there?" He ventured.
He'd thought that she'd called him over to talk about.....well; he hadn't known just what she wanted to talk about. The last thing on the dark haired mutant's mind was going out tonight.
She gestured to him haughtily, "Get dressed. I'll tell you on the way." Leaving him no room to argue.
He'd started to undress before realizing Emma hadn't left the room, and turned to her with a sour look. "A little privacy, please?" The smile she flashed him was down right predatory.
But she left the room nevertheless but before she left she called out, "Shy? I'll have to break you out of that."
He could hear her laughter through the door as he dressed. Ms. Frost seemed to be in a very playful mood tonight, and Xander couldn't help but groan. "So much for my quiet night."
When Xander finally finished dressing, Emma was waiting for him in the hotel lobby. And like clockwork a long stretch limo pulled up moments later, white of course.
Really needs to add some color into her life, he thought to himself. "Now where are we going?" The teen asked with a sigh.
The blond telepath graced him with an award winning smile before answering, "I'm hosting a charity banquet tonight, and my date canceled on me at the last moment. So you'll be taking his place."
She then took this moment to look over her companion; he looked good in the suit. Which wasn't a shock; after all she'd picked it out for him. But it was more then just the clothes.
There was no doubting it; her young friend was very handsome. Younger then she liked her men, but he possessed a boyish charm with a mix of......Emma couldn't pin it down. Age? Experience? It was the way he held himself.
Emma Frost could see plainly that Alexander was an old soul trapped in a young body.
"A charity banquet? What charity?" The powerful young mutant inquired. After all, if he just showed up on her arm and didn't even know what the charity was he'd make them both look foolish.
"Human rights in third world countries," She answered with a most Gaelic shrug. "Not exactly front page news, but its enough to wet your feet and get your name a little more known." Politics aside, there was still the issue of human rights.
If basic humans were still treating one another so badly, and ignoring the problems of their fellow man, what could mutants look forward to when they finally came to light?
Not that they were a great big secret anymore.
Everyone in office pretty much all over the world knew of mutants, as well rich businessmen and women. They knew about the mutants that walked among them, and were keeping it well under wraps.
And would continue to do just that until the Americans no doubt came out of the closet with the news.
It would be just like that, Emma thought bitterly. Coming out to the public and letting them know of our existence just to further their own political gain. Not caring about the lives of the men and women that would be devastated when word of mutants was worldwide.
She'd already heard rumors of a gathering of world leaders in a few years, more then likely around 2000 in New York. There, it would be the normal humans that decided our fates.
That is unless something was done.
The White Queen turned to her companion and debated whether or not to share this information with him. Tell him about Lord Magneto's idea of turning the world leaders into mutants somehow.
As it seemed Eric didn't know of his son's existence, and Alexander was in no hurry to see his father. But she wouldn't let such small petty things like that get in the way.
Whatever problems the two men had with one another would have to be put aside for the great good of all mutant kind. And Ms. Frost would be there to witness it. As she and Eric were friends, real friends.
Emma had known him most of her life, ever since her powers first manifested themselves at a young age.
It was Magneto that had taught her how to control her powers, taught her of mutants, her people. It seemed to her that Alexander already knew of his powers and his race. But that he and his father had never really met.
Coming to a decision, she turned to her young friend and began to inform him of 'The Brotherhood', and his father. But not just that, the plan to change the human race into mutants.
Xander could only listen in with rapt curiosity.
The entire drive to the banquet, their limo was filled with their conversation. That, and polite flirting. Emma was nothing if not a temptress, and she'd be damned if the night went by and she couldn't get her 17 year old companion to blush at least.
When they arrived, Ms. Frost took it upon herself to introduce Xander to the who's who of London's high society. Much to the young man's disdain.
Smoozing with the locals had never been one of Eric's past times, and it seemed his dislike of it had bleed through to the young teen who now owned his memories. Or it could be that the White Bishop disliked it all on his own.
But he would play along and make nice with the people around him; after all it was for a good cause. All the money raised tonight would be going to various foundations that would be buying food, medication, and other well needed supplies for the children in these third world countries.
After a few minutes Emma pulled him away from a down right boring conversation with one of the main contributors, "I wanted to thank you for coming. I so hate going stag," She stated with a pleasant smile.
One that he returned, "Well, it's not really like you gave me much choice. But I do get the bragging rights to have come to this party with the most beautiful date here."
His compliment brought another smile to her lovely face. Ever the sweet talker, she thought to herself.
"I do get so bored at these gathering. With so much money around, why is there never any worthwhile entertainment?" Emma told him with a tired sigh.
Xander looked around at all the guests before answering, "How long do we have to stay? We could just slip out quietly. I'm sure no one would miss us." She was very tempted to take him up on his offer.
"As much as I'd like too...." She trailed off as a young lady interrupted her. "I'm sorry to have to disturb you Ms. Frost, but one of the Prime Ministers has asked to speak with you."
The blond telepath turned to her young friend with a very agitated look, "Go mingle, have a nice time," She told him with a very plastic smile.
'Let me talk with the old wind bag, and we'll get out of here right after,' Emma sent to him telepathically, as she was dragged away to yet another boring conversation.
The teen clamped down on his mental shielding right after she'd sent him the message. He knew she hadn't read his mind, just sent him a telepathic communication, but it was still disconcerting to hear someone else's voice inside your head.
Xander moved through the crowd smoothly, ignoring pretty much everyone.
He wasn't there to mingle, wouldn't have been there are all if it weren't for Emma's insisting he be her date since the guy canceled on her. Not that the teen could fault him for it, socializing with strangers was uncomfortable.
And then there was the fact that he didn't know anyone in the room but Emma.
There was the Primer Ministers, businessmen, people of power all around. Blank eyes, fake smiles, they were there to get their pictures taken. Wanting to get their names in the paper for 'saving' the undesirables.
Not that they really gave a damn about them. Selfish, the whole lot of them. Ms. Frost cared, but only because she was still very worried about her own people. His people.
If humanity treated their own so poorly, what chance did mutant kind really stand? The war was coming; the dark haired teen could feel it in his very bones. Much as Eric did.
Magneto didn't want a war anymore then Xander did. But what other choice was there? Sit back like Xavier and hope that the people in power had evolved enough not to have them slaughtered?
Which was something the former Scooby just couldn't do, and he despised Charles Xavier for it. It just seemed too cowardly, to self-righteous. Play the part of the saint and watch the world burn down around you.
Xavier was too pampered, spent too much time at parties like this one. Smiling, laughing, pretending they were so much better then everyone else. That's what they thought was right no matter what.
The old man's dream of peace was a beautiful one, and Xander had to give him that. But it was just that, a dream. And the White Bishop had to live in the waking world where war was just around the corner.
Humanity wouldn't welcome them in with open arms, wouldn't shake hands with mutants and proclaim them their brothers and sisters, no. They'd hate them for existing.
They'd never learn, never change.
Whether they were shooting Indians, beating up Gypsies, hanging Blacks, or gassing Jews, it was plain to see that humanity would never learn from their mistakes. Mutants would just be the next people on their hit list.
Xavier had a dream of a better tomorrow, one in which all the people of this planet were brought together in love and peace. Xander had a more realistic view on life.
One day, maybe, their would have world peace. The world would no longer be divided by race, color, or the name they called god. One day there would be no war, no hate. One day.
Just not today.
Maybe a pre-emptive attack would be for the best, if you could call it an 'attack'.
The more he thought about it the more Xander liked Eric's idea. That there might be a way to change the world leaders into mutants. That would be the first step, and then all the world could be mutated.
It wouldn't change too much, people would still hate. And they would still be divided by things like color, but mutant kind would be safe. At least one people would not have to worry about their continuing existence.
In the long run it wouldn't save the world, but it was the first step to something better.
The dark haired teen was brought out of his musings by someone politely tapping him on the shoulder. When he turned, Xander got a good look at just who it was.
She had long dark hair, pulled back in a tight braid down her back, a very full figure, which he could make out easily through her gray silk dress, lips to die for. And a pair of the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen.
"Would you like to dance?"
Xander peered at her intently, and could only be glad for whatever luck he was having tonight. Beautiful women seemed to be asking him out a lot lately, he wasn't against the new trend.
"I'd love too."
Eric's memories came into use once gain. Before, the dark haired teen danced......well like a crack fiend. But with the elder mutants knowledge he now knew the 'proper' way to dance.
"Do I know you?" He wondered aloud but then felt foolish for even asking. Of course he didn't. Who would he know in England? His mind asked with a scoff.
"Sorry, I don't think so. You just looked a bit lost in the middle of the dance floor," She informed him dryly, but her smile took a lot of the bite out of her words. "I'm Sara," She told him as he took her hand and lead her further onto the dance floor.
"Alexander."
Xander wasn't a vane man, but no means. Which was one of the reasons why he didn't go by 'Alexander' until he'd left Sunnydale. 'Xander' suited him just fine up until then.
It was a simple name, something that described him so well.
'Alexander' was just too bold a name, to strong. It was a general's name, a leader's name, not the name of poor white trash like himself. What little was left of Eric's consciousness scolded him for thinking like that.
Reminding him that he was a mutant, no matter how he'd come to be one. A God among insects, and that he shouldn't let those poor excuses of parents views taint who he thought of himself as.
The dark haired beauty in his arms smirked at him before saying, "Alexander? Well, isn't that a mouth full."
Being caught off guard he almost swallowed his tongue at her remark. But quickly covered it up with a coughing fit, which she only made worse be continuingly smirking down at his reaction.
Sara's hands came up the rub his back, in an attempt to help him get over his coughing fit. Or that's what it would appear to be, but the action was ruined when her left hand came around and pinched his ass.
"Hey! Watch the hands!" He jumped back away from his grabby dance partner.
Her laughter was like bells on silk, smooth and tingling, reaching down inside him and fondling his insides. All Xander could do now was turn beet red from her none too subtle moves.
Then something struck him, he knew her.
Not 'Sara', but the feel to her. Sensing bioelectrical energy was becoming almost like second nature to him now, he'd used it so much in the days that had followed leaving Sunnydale.
So he knew who she was, and couldn't have been more annoyed if she'd purposely poured water down his pants. "Emma! I'd thought groping underage teenagers was beneath you," He foamed.
At hearing her name, the White Queen's appearance became its nature form again.
Ms. Frost wasn't a metamorph, no. She was a telepath of the highest order. Which meant she could cloud the minds of others and make them see what she wanted them too. Like an illusionist.
He felt like a fool. Xander should have known the temptation to humiliate him just a little would be too great for Emma to let pass her by. He'd figured that out the first day they met.
She was after all, a very British version of Cordy.
Since her telepathy wasn't used to probe his mind, his mental walls hadn't been touched. He'd just seen what she wanted him too see. Or in fact, let her show him what she wanted too.
His ability to view bioelectrical energy was in no way mastered, despite what he'd first thought. The White Bishop had mastered magnetism only because of the memories of Magneto.
The teen's other abilities were still undefined, and more then likely it would take him years to control them even 1/10 as well as he could his control over metal.
"Oh come on, you just looked so lonesome just standing there. I just couldn't help myself." It wasn't an apology, no. She was gloating, Emma had promised herself she'd see the boy blush and she did indeed.
Xander grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the exit, "We've had enough 'fun' tonight, now you're going home and I'm going to my apartment and to sleep away this whole night."
Feeling awfully playful she allowed him to manhandle her in this manner, something that anyone else shy of close friends would find themselves mind blasted into the next century.
But he had firm, strong hands, and they were very warm against her cool skin. "Mmmmm, would it change anything if I said that you had a very nice bum?"
The only response she got was an angry scowl, and a deep growl. Which just sent her over the edge and into a fit of giggles. Emma Frost was every bit the Ice Princess when she wanted to be.
But she could also have her fun too. And tonight, she could think of nothing more fun then to annoy her young friend into a coma. Before they could reach the limo her hand struck out and once again, she got a nice handful of Xander's backside.
The limo ride back to Ms. Frost's suite was anything but a grand old time.
Emma had gotten it into her head that there was candy in Xander's pants, or at least that's what she told him. You can only imagine the look on the 17 year old teenager when she informed him of it.
She could barely suppress a giggly at the utterly scandalized look on his face, when she launched herself at his well tailored pants.
By the time they finally arrived back at her place, the poor boy was beet red, half-naked, and muttering curses in nine different tongues. All in all, Emma patted herself on the back for a job well done.
It was very rare that The White Queen got a chance to tease someone so openly. With the inner circle she had to do it in a round about way, otherwise it wouldn't be proper.
And those few friends she had were not really the teasing types. And if they were, it wasn't them that would be teased.
Which might be one of the main reasons why young Alexander was now under her wing as it were. Being the son of Lord Magneto made sure that Emma could and would have to play the Ice Queen.
But being as young as he was, she could act silly and get away with it. After all, she thought with an amused smirk, who would believe him if he told them Ms. Emma Frost, the queen bitch herself was playful?
"Well I had a wonderful time. We'll have to do this again real soon."
At seeing the slight shudder running through the young mutant, Emma's resolve finally broke and she fell into a fit of giggles. But as seeing the driver eyeing her, she got control of herself.
And blanked the limo driver's mind for the last few seconds, better to hide her indiscretion.
"Oh, cheer up Alexander. You had fun, admit it."
To Xander, she was missing all but calling him doofus, and flipping her hair at him now. Which would be exactly how Cordy would have worked. It was clear now more then ever, that she was Cordy Chase in a few years.
A blond, rich, and slightly more beautiful Cor, but her never the less.
So much so, that he was starting to wonder if they weren't related somehow.
"Yes, fine. Fun was had by all, but next time will I be able to keep my pants on the whole time?" He asked bemused.
Only to have her give him a feral smile, "Oh, that'll just have to be up to you. Now wont it? I for one had more fun with your pants being elsewhere." He'd expected a smart mouthed retort, but it still didn't make him blush any less.
"God, I can only suspect how you were in high school."
Emma's bell like laughter was the only response he was given, as the limo door was closed and she sent him back to his hotel. "Nope, my life isn't complicated at all," He muttered as the ride went on, and he found his pants.
When finally at his hotel, Xander fell on the bed, his clothes still on.
The night had been long, interesting, and a bit fun, but still very long. Ms. Frost was friendly enough, how much of that was real and how much was her just messing with him, he didn't know. But that wasn't exactly a bad thing.
Shaw was a right bastard. The dark haired young man didn't need anymore info on the Black King to come to that decision.
He was an arrogant, oversexed, rich pig. Hell, just thinking about it made the teen feel bad for Tessa, having to put out for that pig at a moments notice. That is if she wanted to continue to stay in the Club.
She sure acted like a bitch, but he wasn't so sure that's what the blue haired young woman was at all.
But so far all he had on her was hearsay. No real information further then her status as Shaw's familiar. Harry was a nice enough guy, he reminded Xander a lot of Giles.
That is, the young mutant thought bitterly, before the watcher decided 'mutants' weren't people after all. His steely gaze, his untrustworthy stance. The English man had gone from a father figure to a possible enemy.
Just because Xander was different now.
It wasn't my fault, his mind raged! The blame fell solely on Ethan Raine's shoulders. He was a SOB that had done the spell to change everyone into their costumes. And for that, Giles hated the teen. "RING. RING."
"Wha? Damn it Emma," He cursed before reaching for the phone next to his bed. "Hello?" The only answer it gave was a dial tone. "RING. RING."
It was coming from his breast pocket. The one his girls had given him just before he left for the open road, or shy, whichever you chose between. The White Bishop had almost forgotten all about it. It was, after all, only for emergencies.
"Hello?" Then he listened to the person on the other line. "Wha? Willow?" Sleep forgotten, the teen sat straight up from bed, his full attention now on the speaker. "Buffy?!? Where's Willow!?! She's....?"
No, this couldn't be happening. This just couldn't be happening. When he'd left everyone was safe. All the scoobys, plus Ms. Calendar and Cordy were fine. No one should be hurt! This just couldn't be happening. "I'll be there in a few minutes."
With a gesture of his hand, the helmet flew through the air and landed atop his head with precision. His armor came next, and within moments he was fully dressed and ready for war.
Turning towards the window, Xander leaped through its open panes and took to the air. Like a jet plane, he raced across the sky, his destination, Sunnydale.
A cliffhanger, I know I'm evil.