Chapter 20 : Special Hobbies!

"Would you like some tea?"

As Kitty settled in, she cast a curious glance at the steaming teacup before her.

The liquid inside bore a light reddish hue with a delicate fragrance wafting from it.

Colossus followed suit and remarked, "I've heard about this before; indeed, many Easterners enjoy it."

"Especially in Japan, I've heard they perform rituals like burning incense and bathing before indulging in tea, boiling it several times over, quite the hassle."

"Bathing before drinking tea? Seems quite elaborate," Kitty remarked, slightly taken aback.

Carl smiled knowingly, "It's not as extravagant as it sounds. They simply seek external aids due to their restlessness, which they consider a sense of ritual."

"Frankly, I don't quite understand it myself. I prefer to taste the drink for what it is. If it's good, I'll drink it; if not, I won't."

With that, Carl poured a cup for the curious Clarice and introduced, "Clarice, meet Kitty and Peter, both senior members."

"This is Clarice, my friend."

Clarice murmured politely, "Hello."

Kitty waved cheerfully, "Clarice, I've heard about you. Your ability is teleportation, somewhat similar to mine."

Peter also chimed in with a growl.

Inviting Kitty and the others today served two purposes for Carl. Firstly, to connect with Colossus and potentially trigger an early manifestation of his Steel Body.

Secondly, to introduce Clarice to his friends.

In Carl's mind, the imminent manifestation of Heat Vision could be attributed to his skirmish with Scott that day; otherwise, its emergence shouldn't have occurred so soon.

Consequently, Heat Vision's potency wasn't particularly strong yet—it was premature for its full potential to be realized.

But that was inconsequential; its strength would inevitably increase with his own, and an additional ability meant more resources at his disposal.

It might prove pivotal in critical moments.

After a round of growling, Kitty and the others gingerly raised their cups. Upon tasting the tea, they found it to be subtly flavored, not as robust as coffee.

Clarice followed suit. After a sip, she blinked and glanced at Carl, before falling silent.

Carl chuckled, "Not accustomed to it, I see."

Clarice nodded in agreement.

Carl shrugged, "No worries if it's not to your liking. I'm not particularly fond of it either."

Suddenly, Kitty, who had been suppressing her laughter, burst out, "West, if you can't stand it, why bother?"

"You wouldn't understand," Carl shook his head, deciding not to elaborate, before turning his attention to the object slung over Peter's back.

"Peter, what's that you're carrying?"

Colossus, holding an urn, remarked, "Easel."

"Easel?" 

Kitty smiled and explained, "Well, Peter's hobby is painting. So, when he's free, he enjoys painting portraits with his easel strapped to his back."

"...That's quite an interesting hobby," Carl paused before commenting.

Who would have guessed that Colossus, a powerhouse akin to Tyson, would have such a literary and artistic side?

Suddenly intrigued by his hobby, Peter suggested, "Why don't I paint a portrait for you two as a keepsake, West, Clarice?"

Before Carl could respond, Clarice's eyes lit up as she weakly asked, "Could you?"

"Absolutely," Peter assured her.

Seeing Clarice's enthusiasm, Carl saw no reason to refuse.

On the opposite side, Colossus removed his backpack, unveiling paper, pencils, and other tools. He glanced at the pair across from him, pondering the structure of the picture.

Within moments, Colossus began to sketch, his movements fluid and precise, his expression serious and focused, exuding an artistic aura.

Captivated by the atmosphere, the room fell silent, undisturbed.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the rustling ceased, and a smile graced Colossus's face. "Done."

With anticipation, Colossus turned the easel toward the expectant girl.

On the paper, a young girl with long hair, wearing headphones, diligently did her homework, her features delicate yet serious, emitting an air of cuteness.

Beside her, a boy lounged lazily, chin resting on his hand, casting a lazy glance at the girl.

Colossus's strokes imbued the boy's features with three-dimensional handsomeness and the girl's with a warm, adorable seriousness, despite being a mere pencil sketch.

Carl praised, "Impressive, Peter. I didn't know you were such a talented artist."

Grateful for the compliment, Colossus smiled and turned to Clarice, "Little Clarice, do you like it?"

"I love it," Clarice's eyes sparkled with approval.

Delighted by their approval, Colossus handed the portrait to Clarice.

Kitty chimed in, "Peter actually started learning to draw to help himself master his powers."

"Drawing to master powers?" Carl was intrigued.

Colossus explained, "Yes, my ability is tempered. When activated, my strength increases drastically, but initially, it was hard to control."

"The professor suggested drawing as practice."

"By varying the pressure of the brush, I can control my strength better, ensuring I don't inadvertently harm my friends."

"I see," Carl mused, "Peter, could I give it a try?"

As his physical prowess surged, Carl felt his control over his strength wane. Though not yet problematic, he recognized the importance of addressing the issue.

****

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