SOUR CANDY | P. MAXIMOFF [ DISCONTINUED ]

02 | MAN FROM THE FUTURE

02 | MAN FROM THE FUTURE

"Hank!" She calls his name as she makes her way to the hall. As soon as she gets in there, she sees Hank in his blue form. He is hanging upside down, his foot on the chandelier and a trespasser looking at her with confusion. "What are you doing there? Get off the chandelier," she tells him before her eyes wanders back at the stranger. "I hope you didn't miss the sign outside that says this is a private property."

His brows furrowed, the look of utter confusion still did not leave his face. "You are Cassie, right? Cassie De Luna."

The stranger's words left a slight crease on Cassie's brow. She studied his face. She doesn't know him, she's sure of that. She had to be. Ever since she left the kind abode of Mr. and Mrs. Delacroix, she had never been in contact with her father, she's not quite sure if he just decided that she's not worth it or perhaps, he doesn't know where she is. Whatever the case is, it stung her a little bit. But then again, she does not wish to be reunited with him, the mere thought of his name brings an odd sense of terror to her.

She chastised herself. "Excuse me? Do I know you?" she asked, respectfully.

The man shook his head. "Not at this time, bub," the man told her before his eyes shifted to the person behind her. She does not have to turn around to know who it is, she just knows it. "Professor…" the man's voice trailed.

Cascade quietly inches away from her place and stands next to the railings, back leaning against it as her arms are folded across her chest.

"No one calls me that," says Professor Xavier.

"You know this guy?" Hank asked.

Charles looks at the stranger. "He looks... slightly familiar."

"Long time ago. I was a different man then."

"Yeah well, so was I."

There is a sense of distant familiarity that hovers over Charles, she can feel it. Like she was the one who felt it. Unlike the two boys, she's always the one better at sensing other people's emotions or what they feel — it is her speciality. It only becomes a problem when it concerns what she feels. Most of the time she tries to understand why she reacted that way, it only leads to her feeling like she wants to explode. As though a car is going through a mechanical problem.

The stranger studied Charles like a curious scientist eyeing a specimen. "I thought Erik…put you in the chair…" the man mused. She felt Charles tense, but it did not stop the man from speaking, "...but you can walk."

It must've been because of the rough days that befall on them — or perhaps Cascade is just slowly going crazy. She laughed, and her laughter echoed all over the place. She just finds it ridiculous. That this stranger in front of them had the audacity to say those words. She shook her head, she will never have the same courage as him. When she noticed that everyone inside of the room was staring at her, she chastised herself and cleared her throat. "Don't mind me."

Charles exhaled a deep breath and shook his head before returning to look at the stranger. "You're a perceptive one. Which makes it all the more puzzling that you failed to see the sign on your way in: this is private property. So I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The half-drunken old man paused and pointed his finger at her, but didn't even bother to look back. "And if you won't, I might have to ask her to throw you out of the window."