Running From Humanity (dreamingflowers x Gerra)

[Gerra]

Jason sat on the balcony, legs dangling over the edge of the rail. He looked down at the others below him. His classmates. Some played a game or sport, some were reading. Some swam and sunbathed or just goofed off. It was Saturday, after all.

Saturdays at the Institute were his favorite. no classes, no distractions, nobody talking to him. No, instead he could focus on reading. It was all he really needed. He swung his legs back over and grabbed a book in braille. He smiled. Even though his body was devoid of all feeling, he was still able to read braille by looking at the bumps. It had always astounded him. He heard a car honk and looked outside. There was a dark car with tinted windows coming up the drive, right through the middle of a game of mutant football. He looked on with detached interest as it pulled to the front of the Manor and the driver got out.

[dreamingflowers]

The Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters
Katerina Petrova

Katerina glanced down at her watch. It was almost eleven. They should be at the mansion of professor Xavier by now. He was well known for his knowledge of mutants and his school was a safe haven for her kind.
The windows were tinted and she couldn't look out of the window. Her face was set in her usual worried frown and she shifted in her seat after hearing the driver exit the car. He opened the door for her and went around to retrieve her suitcase from the trunk. She followed him with her eyes making sure he was really getting her suitcase and not doing anything behind her back. They hadn't talked much during the ride from the airport. She pretended to know little English playing up her accent so she wouldn't have to answer any questions he might have. There was only one person she wanted answers from and he was the founder of the institute.

"Thank you" she said turning to the driver. "Do you know where I can find...."
"Are you Katerina?" One of the students interrupted her. He didn't wait for an answer and continued talking.
"The professor sent me to pick you up"
She eyed him supsicuously,he looked like the typical all american guy. The professor must have been expecting her. That was good to know. It reassured her she would get the answers she needed. He started to walk towards the entrance his hands folded behind his head casually. She decided he was annoyingly relaxed.
"Need any help with that?" he said pointing to her suitcase lazily.
"I'm fine" she said not paying much attention to him. She took out her bottle of water and took a sip.
After going through several corridors and walking up the stairs she got to the office of professor Xavier. She knocked on the door waiting nervously.
"Come in, I've been expecting you Katerina" a kind voice replied.

"Miss Petrova.......Miss.."
She woke up with a flash her head rushing from the dream. Her vision was blurry and she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Her heart was pounding trying to remember where she was exactly. The driver was looking at her in the front view mirror.
She stared back with serious eyes. "What?"
"We've arrived at the institute" She glanced at her watch it was almost eleven. After she got out of the she watched the events she dreamed about unfold. So when the student walked up to her and the driver her reply was curt. "I can find my way around here, I don't need help" She quickly made her way to the office of the professor leaving the student behind scratching his head in confusion.

[Gerra]

Jason watched as the door of the car opened and a very attractive if serious looking girl got got out. She waved away offers of help from a fellow student and went inside like she owned the place. This he had to see. He walked out of his room and hopped over the hand rail, dropping to the floor three levels down with ease. He followed her path to the Professor's study and leaned his head against the door. He was always curious about newcomers. He liked to think that before someone got acquainted with the others and joined their own clique, there was something special about them. Some kind of awkward detached bystander. Like they put up walls big enough to protect, but not tooo high to look out over. He liked to watch them look. It was interesting to see what they did.

He could hear them talking. She had an accent. Good. He was good with accents.

He felt a prodding in his mind. Oh no, Prof. X had found him out. But it wasn't his fault he couldn't shield his mind. He just couldn't. He could hear Xavier smirk in his head. Come inside, Jason. Meet our newest student.

Aww, Prof, do I have to? You know how I feel about other people.

You seemed to take an interest in her. Come on in.

He sighed and knocked to let them know he was coming in, which was probably unnecessary, but courteous all the same. He opened the door and took a few steps inside. He looked right at Katerina and began to sweat a little, though he had no idea.

"Jason, this is Katerina Petrova, from Bulgaria. She's going to be joining us here at the Institute." The professor said, smiling his all-too-familiar smile. One that said he knew things nobody else possibly could.

"Bulgaria?" He thought for a second and his brain clicked. "Здравейте.За мен е удоволствие да се запозная с вас. Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you." He looked down, not wanting to look at her. She was very attractive, and it made him nervous.

[dreamingflowers]

The professor folded his hands on his desk and looked at her with knowing eyes. She didn't like it at all.
They stared at each other for a while neither of them saying a word. The professor was testing her and she was challenging him. She was determined not to show she was uncomfortable and as a result she stayed put. She did not even move when he offered her a seat. The professor wasn't bothered by her behavior and continued to be polite to her.
"How can you be inside my head?" she asked crossing her arms.
"How is it that you're able to see the future?" he responded with a small smile on his face.
She was surprised, how did he know? She tried not to let him know he surprised her but the professor seemed to be able to see though that.
"It is called mutation Katerina. If you would take seat I will eloborate"
She felt it was rude to decline his offer twice and cautiously made her way over to the chair. All she wanted was an explanation for the things that had been happening to her. The professor was willing to explain and she would be stupid not to listen. She crossed her legs in anticipation and watched the professor carefully.

"We're all gifted with very special abilities"
My gift allows me to read the minds of others, it is called telepathy
She heard the voice of the professor but his lips didn't move, it was a strange sight. It unsettled her. She didn't like the idea of someone being able to read her most private inner thoughts. There wasn't much she feared having lived through horrific visions and dreams. The professor didn't scare her but one thing needed to be clear. She did not want him in her head.
"Don't worry" he sensed her anxiety. "I will never enter your mind without your permission"
Katerina found it hard to believe but she nodded anyway. Aside from her own mutant abilities she had never seen or known any other mutants. At least not that she knew of. Obviously there were more then she knew. This whole institute was made up out of mutants like herself.
"Are all the students here gifted?" she asked.
"All of my students are gifted but not all of them have gifts" he thought his words would confuse her but he found she caught on brilliantly.
"Let me introduce you to one of my students" A male student entered the office. The professor introduced him as Jason.
Her eyes sparkled when Jason started to speak her native language. He spoke fluently without accent and it amazed her. She rose from her seat and walked over to him.
"също така" (likewise) she replied smiling brightly. She was far away from home and to have someone to speak with in her native language excited her.

Jason looked uncomfortable, he was shifting his feet and tried to avoid looking at her. He had a small birthmark on his chin and his dark hair was tousled in a stylish fashion.
"Where in Bulgaria did you live?" she continued noticeably more at ease.
"I was born in Sofia and lived there for most of my life, well until....." She looked at professor Xavier "I came to America"
The professor moved his wheelchair from behind the desk and made his way over to his students giving them a warm smile.
"I trust you'll make yourself at home." We'll speak again tomorrow"
"Jason if you would be so kind to show Katerina her room" With that the professor left the room.

[Gerra]

He frowned when she asked him where he lived in Bulgaria. He would have answered, but Xavier gave him a small smile. He'd be the one to show her to her room. He led her out into the hall, still thinking of what to say. "I'm not from Bulgaria, I'm sorry to confuse you. It's one of my mutations. I know every language." He glanced at her. "Бих се радвал да говорят на български, ако това ви кара да се удобно. I'd be happy to speak Bulgarian, if that makes you comfortable."

He climbed three two flights of stairs to the third floor and looked at the numbered doors. Some were open, and the mutants inside were doing whatever they pleased. One of them was brushing her hair, holding the brush with telekinesis. One of them was strumming an old guitar silently. Still another was playing ping pong with an exact copy of himself.

"Точно тук. Right here." He said, unlocking the door with the key that hung by it. He handed her the key and took her inside. "Легло, дрешник, скрин, баните са в дъното на коридора, мъжете от дясната страна, жените в ляво.Закуската е осем всяка сутрин до девет, но обикновено има допълнително, така че не се притеснявайте, че закъснях.Вашите първите класове ще бъде в понеделник.Можете да вземете своя график от Professor X или Storm, може би Cyclops. Bed, closet, dresser, bathrooms are down the hall, men's on the right, women's on the left. Breakfast is every morning eight to nine, but there's usually extra, so don't worry about being late. Your first classes will be on Monday. You can pick up your schedule from The Professor or Storm, maybe Cyclops."

He showed her where her stuff could go and how to get started. "I'm fourth floor, number six. If you need anything, let me know. Welcome to Mutant High." He said, all in English.

[dreamingflowers]

Jason kept talking in Bulgarian and while she was fluent in English she appreciated it. She raised her brows at his explanation as to how he was able to speak her language. It was due to his mutant abilities. Somehow being able to understand any and all languages was stranger to her than dreaming of the future. Probably because seeing the future was something she was used to. It was normal to her even though she recently found out it was because of her being a mutant. She knew she was different but there had been no name for it back home in Bulgaria. Katerina followed Jason up the stairs still amazed to hear him speak her native language so perfectly. It put her at ease. They walked past several other rooms which were already occupied by other students. She watched their numbers closely so she could find out who would be sleeping in the rooms next to hers. They arrived at her room and Jason showed her inside. It was a reasonably sized room especially considering she had shared a room with her brothers for most of her life. The prospect of having a room to herself and best of all some privacy brought a smile to her lips.

"благодаря Jason" (Thank you Jason)
She watched him walk up the stairs to the fourth floor. He seems like a genuine guy she thought. Katerina allowed herself these thoughts at when her usual guard was lowered slightly.
The room was decorated in a classic homely style. Most of the furniture was made out of wood, the bedding was white and smelled freshly washed. A large window let in a good amount of light in the room so she turned of the lights. She didn't feel like getting to know the student body this soon. There was no way around them and she would probably see them in class. A deep sigh escaped her lips partially because she was tired and also homesick. She started to unpack her luggage to keep her mind of things. She was used to taking care of herself and she was independent but she was also used to being surrounded by her brothers, her mother and her cousins. She liked having her loved ones around her. The best thing to do in this situation was to distract herself. She let her eyes wander about the room. All of her clothes were folded and stored away in the closet so that was done. The framed pictures she had taken with her were placed on her desk next to her books. She glanced at her watch, it was almost noon to early to cook dinner. If that was even allowed here.

Katerina kept walking in circles her thoughts going back to her family.
Maybe I can send them an e-mail
There was a map of the institute on her desk and it took her only a few minutes to find out where the living room was. She quickly checked her reflection in the mirror adjusting her loose curls and left the room once again locking the door behind her.

[Gerra]

Jason went back to his room, sort of...intrigued by the new girl. He opened up the door and sat down to read again. It's what he normally did. In fact, he could spend entire days reading. Luckily, he still felt hunger, so when his stomach told his brain to eat, he did. It was getting late anyways.

He checked his clock. 5:12. Time for some food.

The place was pretty empty, which he thought odd until he remembered that it was Saturday. They probably went to a movie or something. He went down to the kitchen and opened the fridge. Huh. Almost empty. The cabinets too. "Maybe they went out to eat." He turned around and leaned against the fridge.

[dreamingflowers]

Katerina walked down the stairs with a satisfied smile on her face. As soon as she had arrived safely her brothers wanted to know so she sent them an e-mail. Knowing her family they would be on the doorstep of the institute if she didn't. Figuratively speaking of course since they would have no where near enough money to afford the ticket. There weren't a lot of students around and it was easy to find her way around this place. She walked through several of the hallways finding most of them empty. What time was it again?
She glanced at the clockwork in the foyer. It was a quarter past five. So that's why no one was around, it was dinner time. So did this school have a kitchen as well? It seemed to have everything else students could possibly need. It was completely different to the schools she was used to. With all this luxury the students would only get distracted. She shook her head keeping herself from getting disdainful over it. America was just a different country, the people were different and she had to deal with it.

She spotted an open door and it looked like she had found the kitchen. It was at least three times the size of the kitchen at home.
"Wow this kitchen is amazing..."
Katerina immediately went to check the furnace and the kitchen tools along with the pots and pans. She didn't notice Jason at first and was quite rudely going through the entire kitchen as if it was hers. I assume students are allowed to use all of this stuff. She thought, a smile creeping up her lips thinking about all the things she could cook. It wasn't so much that she was a cooking fanatic but it relaxed her and she enjoyed the routine of it. To her disappointment however a lot of the cupboards were devoid of any groceries. She grabbed the ingredients for some pan cakes but failed to reach the flower on the upper board. She grunted standing on her toes but with her measly 5'5 she was no match for the height of the cupboard. After several tries she gave up and turned to lean on the kitchen dresser. That was when she noticed Jason. He was leaning against the fridge. How long had he been standing there?
"I didn't know you were here too....." She trailed off. He had been nice to her from the beginning but often that kind of behavior led her to be suspicious of people.
"Could you get me some milk from the fridge, I'm going to make pancakes" she said taking of her heels and climbing up the kitchen dresser. She could now easily reach the flower.
"I never learned to cook for just one or two people so I'll end up with loads"
She leaned on the dresser when she lowered herself probably looking ridiculous but she had done more crazy things in her own kitchen because of the lack of space.
"You'll have no choice but to eat some" she smiled waiting for his reaction.

[Gerra]

"Pancakes? All right." He turned and opened the fridge, looking for milk. "I assume you'll need these." He said, sliding a carton of eggs over to her. He smelled the milk, and shrugged. The expiration wasn't for another two days. He gave that to her as well. "It's been a long time since I had pancakes." He admitted. He grabbed a bowl and mixer and plugged the mixer in.

He heated the stove and watched her, leaning back again. "So," He said in Bulgarian. "How are you liking it here so far? You've not been here long, I know. But what do you think of this place?"

[dreamingflowers]

Katerina wisked the ingredients together and letting it drip into the bowl to check the consistency. It was a little thin and she added a bit more flower.
"I always mess up the first one" Katerina said as she flipped out a flimsy looking pancake.

"It reminds me of school, a very fancy one at that" The institute didn't look like any school she had ever been to. They couldn't afford to send her of to a private school, not that she wanted to anyway.
She finished high school regardless and without much problems. She wasn't here to follow an education, she wanted answers.
"All I want are answers......"
"Why are we the way we are?
She turned to Jason serving him a hot pancake.
"Can your professor reverse it?"