Chapter 9: Ice

*Knock*

*Knock*

Hugo knocks on the door of John's room. Bobby and Anna standing right beside him, curious to see why he went looking for him.

*Knock*

*Knock*

Silence. Even after three tries there was no response from the other side. It seems more like he is not in the room. Attempting to turn the knob, Hugo gets disappointed that it's locked. Trying for one last time, he instead bangs on the door.

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

"PISS OFF!" Finally they hear a reply, though not a welcoming one.

Bobby snickered on the side and Anna beamed, "At least we know he's inside, heh."

A blank look covers Hugo, unsure of what to do now that his plan is unlikely to continue.

...

Looking at his current companions Anna a.k.a. Rogue and Bobby a.k.a. Iceman, he mentally slaps himself on the forehead for being oblivious.

He looked for John to try and get a Fire Immunity, when right beside him existed the polar opposite. Fire was just the first and the most basic idea of an immunity that he thought of. There was no need to be so determined in it being the second Immunity he possesses aside from the first Telepathic one.

A new smile forms on his face, decided on his thought, he gets closer to Bobby and asks, "Can you help me with my ability?" A hopeful and bright tone traces it.

"What about him?" Bobby mentioning John, gesturing with his chin towards the still closed door.

"Don't worry about him, I just had a brain fart earlier. It doesn't need to be anyone exactly. They just need to have something that can affect me. He has fire. And you... have ice. Right?" Hugo explains, intending to sound unsure.

He wasn't sure if Bobby's ability is common knowledge among the people living in the mansion or even outside. If it wasn't, they might ask how he knew about it and he is not prepared to answer such a question.

The day before, he never saw Bobby use it while John showed off a bit.

"Yeah. Got nothing planned anyway. Lead the way." Bobby agrees without much hassle, not even inquiring how Hugo knew his ability, much to Hugo's relief.

Now, Hugo looks at Bobby waiting for him to realize that he just got here a day before and that knows next to nothing where anything is.

...

Eventually they reach a training room of sorts. Basic hard concrete covered the walls and synthetic rubber enveloped the flooring.

Not the famous Danger Room that Hugo is expecting from his memories. A natural fact that not every ability and practice of it requires the use of such high-tech assistance.

It did come up in their conversation that such a room existed, only used for special or scheduled situations and practices.

"What do you need me to do?" Asked Bobby once they both reached the middle of the room.

Hugo starts, "Can y-" but gets interrupted by the only girl in the room.

"Aren't you gonna explain your mutant ability first?" Wondered Anna, standing at a corner, spectating the whole episode like a show.

Hugo hesitates at the question. In reality, he has been thinking of this question as well. The professor has already inquired about it once yesterday, luckily he or they, the people in the room, didn't pursue it at the time and he managed to avoid it. But he knows it himself that eventually he will be asked again.

It isn't exactly easy getting help from people that don't know what you need help with or working on without explaining it, specially from people that are closer to strangers than friends.

In the end, Hugo figures that even if he doesn't explicitly tell them of his ability, eventually they will understand it by themselves. As long as he is near them and using it, experimenting with it, et cetera. Not too mention a literal genius lives in the house.

"It's Immu-" Tried Hugo, key word being tried, before being interrupted again.

*Creak*

A redhead mind reader opened the door and called, "Bobby, the Professor is looking for you. He's waiting for you in the office." Jean says so looking around the room, staying her sight at Hugo. The latter pondering why didn't she or the Professor simply give Bobby a mental message.

Immediately finding a solution before his helper gets taken away, Hugo asks, "Before you go, can you make cubes of ice with colder temperatures?"

Nodding to the request, Bobby crouches down to the floor and places his hand to it.

*Phish*

Between them three small pillars of ice, each a feet tall rises from the ground. The blue color they have gradually darkening, Hugo assuming the darker shades have colder temperatures.

Hugo sits down in front of them, getting ready to test his ideas.

"Thanks." He voiced to the now leaving Bobby.

"No problem." Responded the ice maker. "Be back in a bit."

He looks to Anna to see if she wanted to follow, in reply she says, "I'm curious. I'll stay here." Bobby simply nods his head before following Jean.

Silence came about the only two remaining in the room.

"What?" Anna questioned Hugo who's been staring at her.

"Are you just gonna stand there? It feels and is awkward. Come sit, I'll tell you about my ability since you've been curious." Answered Hugo. "Then tell me yours." He added afterwards.

Agreeing that the current situation is awkward, she goes to sit where Bobby was standing earlier, facing Hugo.

"It's Immunity." Repeated Hugo. "I can be immune to powers. That's what I think for now. I've become immune to Telepathy unconsciously because Jean used her powers on me."

Moving his hands towards the warmest ice block, he proceeds to explain.

"I'm trying to see whether I can control the immunities that I earn and if I can only have one or more immunities at a time." He narrates, stating the questions that came with them.

Ignoring Rogue, he closes his eyes and at the same time moves his hands finally feeling the cold.

Concentrating on his ability, he wills it to create a new Immunity.