The figure was forced to watch their step as they walked down the long stretching hallway, the hardwood floor plastered with overturned tables and lamps, shattered vases, and fallen books amidst other signs of mass chaos. The walls, originally made of a fine wood and paint mix were now covered in dents, scratches and what even looked like bullet holes, age old portraits and paintings, their frames splintered and shattered, dangled off the wall, threatening to fall at any moment. Empty and lifeless candle holders hung from the ceiling, lazily teetering on occasion, like poltergeists.
The figure was particularly alarmed by the sudden resounding crack of thunder from outside, the hallway illuminated for a brief moment by the cascading blue flash of lightning that darted across the dark night sky like long, thin tendrils.
Disturbed but resolute, the figure continued on, holding a flashlight out in front of him as the night provided little in the way of luminosity aside from the dull glow of the moon that beamed through the windowpanes.
Little in the way of noise accompanied the figure aside from the sound of their steady but shaky breathing, the sound of their footsteps against the creaking and groaning of the old wood floor, and the occasional rustling in the darker depths of the hallway the figure was sure came from mice.
Approaching the far end of the hallway, the figure came across a single door, somehow immaculately preserved from the destruction that befell the rest of the mansion.
On the door was a bronze placard that read: Prof. Xavier, Headmaster. The figure, unable to help but grin at the discovery, twisted the doorknob and slowly pushed it open, a long, drawn-out creak accompanying the motion, causing the figure to tensen up until the door had opened up wide enough to step through.
Inside was a room, practically destroyed like all the others. Perhaps at one point it could have been considered beautiful, with the walls, floor, and ceiling a beautiful rosewood, detailed with decorative carvings. Fine leather chairs were overturned halfway across the room, covered in long gashes. A lamp, its cover riddled with holes lay shattered on the now-stained and blackened floor. Yet, the beauteous stone fireplace on one side of the room still crackled and popped with a freshly-renewed flame, casting the room in a refulgent, warm glow that somewhat negated its disorganized state.
At the far back, in front of a series of tall, cracked windows was a desk, perhaps the only furnishing in the room left in a useable state; and even then it was in a state worse for wear.
Sitting in a leather-seated oak chair behind the desk was an older man, bald-headed and dressed in a fine three-piece suit. Holding a certain dignified air about him, the man showed the typical signs of aging, but maintained a certain vitality and youthfulness to him, a spark of life and energy.
The older man's chair was turned round, facing towards the windows behind the desk. For whatever reason, the man appeared to be preoccupied with something, though nothing appeared out of the ordinary from outside aside from the bright glow of the moon...
As if just now noticing someone else was in the room, the older man turned his chair around slowly until he was facing the doorway, a small smile, sad though welcoming crossed over his slightly-wrinkled features.
"Why, hello. It's not often I get visitors." The older man spoke up, breaking the heavy silence that had settled on the room. Though his words were, perhaps intended to convey a sense of surprise, his tone and diction implied he had known this meeting was to occur for some time.
"Professor Xavier..." The figure said in reply, a certain air of veneration and awe in their tone.
"Please, call me Charles. I doubt I've much reason to be called a professor anymore." Xavier replied in a composed manner, but a small glint in his eyes spoke more than his words did...sadness, pain...regret.
The figure carefully approached the desk, being sure to avoid tripping on any of the fallen pieces of furniture, the sound of shattered glass crunching beneath their feet.
"Then you know why I've come here...?" The figure replied, unsure whether to state their response as an inquiry or as a declaration.
"I've known for quite some time. I suppose you'd like to start from the beginning, yes? Please, try and make yourself comfortable...as best as you can, for that matter. Now: it all started many years ago......."
There was something thick in the air that early October morning that had nothing to do with New York's early-fall humidity. Amber lights illuminated the darkened morning sky, reflecting back off of the heavy overcast of clouds that would have otherwise gone unnoticed save for the lack of moonlight and twinkling stars and yet, the coverage seemed fitting, given the situation. The siren had been cut off nearly an hour ago after the area had been taped off to the general public, three cop cars fueling the flashing lights parked horizontally on the sandy beach to keep some sort of barrier to keep the general public unaware, but that didn't keep the late-night/early-morning onlookers from trying to find out what it was that had happened.
There was one onlooker, however, that was different from all the rest. Even being kept a fair distance away from the scene of the crime, Logan Howlette could see, hear, and even smell everything that was going on amidst the huddled group of officers who didn't seem to know what it was that they were supposed to do.
"I've got 911, an ambulance is on it's way!"
"Ambulance? You better hope they have a body bag in there, there ain't no way she's comin out of that."
"Hey, show a bit of respect here!"
"Will you three cut it out and give me a hand before forensics gets here?"
Shaking his head at their expense, Logan withdrew a cigar from the inside pocket of his brown leather jacket and perched it between his lips while his opposite hand fished for a lighter in his faded jean pants pocket. His eyes never stopped watching, however, as he brought the light to the cigar and lit it, putting the lighter back into his pocket with his other hand removing the cigar as he exhaled a thick plume of smoke.
"Little bastards got no clue what they're doing." Logan grumbled to himself, resting his shoulder against the trunk of a tree and crossed his thick arms over his chest. The smell of the salty sea air hid nothing from Logan's enhanced senses, able to pick up the putrid stench of a slowly decomposing body that lay twenty or so feet away from him and blood. Lots and lots of blood.
From his observations over the last twenty minutes, Logan had been able to surmise that the victim was a woman. A woman with blonde hair and an average build; blue eyes that stared up lifelessly at the sky and a pale complexion that had turned white. She must have been coming from or going to quite the party as she was wearing an elegant red cocktail dress with plenty of jewelry to flatter her features, and yet, the jewelry had gone untouched. This was no simple mugging-gone-wrong. No. Logan knew exactly what this was and unfortunately he had seen and smelt it before.
The body had a wide cut up her left side starting from her hip, over her ribs and stopping at her armpit, Logan didn't even need his enhanced ability of sight to be able to spot that. Perhaps where his abilities proved to be most useful was from the time or two the police moved her body for closer examination, hearing the quiet outbursts of the officers as they had discovered two crossing cuts etched across her back, deep enough that her spine had been severed where the two cuts met. This was the fourth body Logan had come into contact with in the past month that had shown up like this; washed up on the shore of the beach already dead and with the same exact cuts. One victim a week, it seemed.
Someone out there had an M.O. Someone out there was targeting people, taking no possessions of their victims, no connection between their lives when they had been living save for one thing... and the New York Police Department would never figure it out.
Someone out there was targeting mutants.
The quiet chatter amongst the police and spectators was subtly drowned out by the sound of the blaring ambulance that had finally arrived. Logan had seen enough, however. He pushed himself off of the tree, sticking the cigar back in his mouth and shoved his hands into his pockets, taking the short walk to the street where he had left his bike. The smell of blood, decomposition and the ever prominent X-gene were slowly fading as he put distance between himself and the crime scene, but it was a smell Logan knew he would never be able to forget.
Charles would want to hear about this.
New York, Bunker, October 26th, 1946 4:26 A.M.
Sheathing his claws back into his fist, Logan opened up the recently picked-unlocked front door to the old bar he had spent only a handful of time in over the last few months and shut it behind him. His boots echoed though the empty room, going by pure instinct to see where it was that he was going in the otherwise pitch-black area as even the windows had been drawn shut and boarded up to keep the outside appearance looking abandoned.
"Charles?" Logan called out, letting his low voice carry out naturally through the empty room and up the flight of stairs where Charles and Erik had been staying ever since they took over the bar for their cause. His eyes had adjusted to the dark quickly, feet still carrying him as he reached the small flight of wobbly stairs and headed up. Coming up on the landing, Logan continued forward, reaching one of the two doors of the upstairs and raised his hand to wrap on the wooden surface of the door, but his knuckles never got a chance to make contact.
"Come in, Logan!" The voice of Charles beckoned from the other side of the door, the crackly sound of Oldies music playing from the inside. From outside, Logan could hear the sound of Charles standing, followed by the trademark heavy tapping of his cane, proceeded by the phonograph coming to a somewhat groaning halt.
Shaking his head a bit, unsure why Charles had caught him off guard for a moment, Logan opened up the door and stepped inside, shutting it behind him in case Erik was still sleeping... and then there was that red-head that was sleeping downstairs... somewhere... there was no sense in allowing unwanted ears in on what Logan had to say.
"There was another one this morning." Logan stated simply, jumping right to the point. By habit, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his back against the door, still not feeling particularly comfortable in invading Charles' personal space despite the bedroom looking more like an office with a lounge chair tucked into the corner for convenience sake. He had only been in Charles' office once before and under eerily similar terms. Perhaps it was just the subject matter then that had the hairs raising on the back of his neck; association.
"I see." Charles responded gravely, moving back towards his desk chair and sitting down. "A part of me hoped your visit would have been on more pleasant circumstances...but I cannot say I'm surprised. Was there anything different with this one?" He asked, a solemn look in his eyes.
Logan stared down Charles, meeting his eyes with a rather placid expression on his face, as though the question insulted him slightly.
"You know there wasn't." He replied, almost bitterly and adjusted his arms on his chest a bit, eyes narrowing a fraction looking slightly accusatory.
"I apologize, I did not intend to come across as patronizing. I much prefer speaking to you face-to-face as opposed to scanning your thoughts." Charles responded sincerely.
"Same here, bub." Logan was quick to reply, though his expression went unchanged.
"I fear if these murders are becoming more and more prevalent that it will not be long before the students become potential victims. Even your appearance slightly caught me off guard. I did not expect you to arrive until ten-o'-clock with the students." Charles added on, raising his eyebrow slightly.
"Are we even sure this is a good idea anymore?" Logan asked, dropping the defensive stance as he pushed himself from leaning against the door and took a few steps into the room, resting the palms of his hands on the back of a leather chair that faced Charles' desk, keeping his eyes on the man. "You and Erik... the two of you started with this..." Logan lifted up one hand to gesture around the room with it. "...this idea a long time ago and it probably didn't seem so stupid then, but now..." Logan brought his hand back to rest on the chair's back again. "...now I just feel like we're gathering sheep for the wolves. What if this is what they- or he- whoever's doing this... what if this is what they want?"
Charles merely smiled in reply for a few moments before finally speaking, "Logan, Erik and I established this School as a safe haven for mutants, both young and old. My use of the word 'safety' does not simply denote protection from verbal or physical abuse from society, but also protection from any other, more serious threats about. That's why I was so intent on finding you, Logan. This School needs a protector like you: stoic, clear-headed, and most of all...loyal."
"No. You got a killer." Logan butted in, taking on his usual assertive tone but the sadness and regret he felt for the meaning behind his words wasn't exactly hidden either. The traits in which Charles had chosen to describe him... well... there would be a long line of people that would be willing to say otherwise, and Logan himself would be towards the front of that line. Perhaps Charles didn't know him as well as he had thought.
Charles let out a small sigh at the words before giving Logan an empathetic look, "I can't say I've known you for a long period of time, nor would I consider us very close people...but if there's one thing I know about you, Logan, it's that you're not a killer." Charles ignored Logan's scoff and continued. "Have you killed before? Most certainly; a veteran of your caliber would have had to. But that doesn't mean you garnered any sort of enjoyment or pleasure from it. This is a vile and cruel world, rife with butchers and animals, both human and mutant. I've read the thoughts of people that were violent enough to freeze the blood in my veins, and yet you, Logan....all I could ever read...was regret. You're not an animal, no matter how hard people have tried to convince you otherwise." Charles took a few moments to let the words sink in, watching as Logan could no longer meet his gaze, before moving back to the matter at hand.
"On the subject of animals...Victor Creed. Do you think he may have something to do with these killings?" Charles asked, clasping both hands together on his desk. He knew the subject of Logan and Sabretooth was a rather sensitive one, but it was not far-fetched to think that Logan's half-brother would be responsible for such killings. Brutal, animalistic...hungry.
Coming out of his sombre reverie from Charles' previous thoughts, Logan lifted his head to once more meet Charles' eyes, his own eyebrows furrowing but his eyes opening up a fraction more in an expression that read nothing more than hurt.
"If Victor was in New York..." Logan said slowly, hardly noticing the increase in his breathing at the mere mention of his brother. "I would know." He finished, holding his steely gaze on Charles, once more holding accusations on the notion that Charles might be trying to put the blame on him somehow. "And if he ever did... I would never allow him to do this!" He finished, his nostrils flaring as his voice picked up in volume a bit, on the brink of shouting.
"Logan, please." Charles said quietly, holding his hand out to try and calm the Wolverine down, though, in his experience it usually led to Logan stomping out the door and disappearing for a few weeks.
"I know you wouldn't allow him to commit such atrocities. But you know his scent better than anyone. I simply wished to make sure there was no possible way he was involved." Charles explained calmly before trying to switch topics and hopefully calm Logan down.
"I have a task I'd like you to do for me, two, in fact. There's a morgue not far from here, I'm more than certain you're aware of its location. One of the recent victims is currently being kept there until a proper burial can be organized. If you could manage to find a way in and see if you can't get a closer look at the body, I would be greatly appreciated. It may bring us one step closer to who could possibly be organizing these murders. Then, there's something else...I've picked up another mutant. Though her presence is currently weak, I can feel it slowly growing stronger. She'll be in New York shortly, should my perception be applicable." Charles explained before moving to rise once again, keeping a firm grip on his cane.
"You'll most likely be able to find her at Grand Central Station here within the next couple of hours. She can join the others when they finally arrive at the School." Charles elaborated further, slowly closing the distance between himself and Logan. "Will you do this for me?" He asked with a small smile, knowing inwardly there was almost no chance the larger man would decline but still feeling obligated to give the courtesy.
Charles idea of changing the subject had worked, as Logan had calmed his breathing back to a normal level by the time he was done speaking, all thoughts of Victor for the most part gone from his mind as new thoughts of breaking into a morgue first thing in the morning and then spending perhaps the early parts of his afternoon hanging around Grand Central Station came across. Well... he had had stranger mornings. Standing himself up straight as Charles neared, Logan crossed his arms over his chest again, standing at his full 6'2" height and looking down on Charles, quirking a bushy eyebrow.
"Another one? Jesus, Charles how many is that now?" Logan asked, now raising the other eyebrow. "You shoulda took over a farm instead... could raise 'em like pups and set 'em free." Lowering his head a bit, Logan sighed dejectedly, growing a bit more serious in nature. "How many do you think you can take on?"
Letting out a small laugh, Charles looked Logan directly in the eyes before replying, "As many as I can manage...and then a few more." With that, he once again moved towards the phonograph, affixing the needle back onto the record as Frank Sinatra's voice, somewhat tinny from the player's effects began to play again.
"Now then, you best be off. It won't be terribly long before everyone else arrives and I doubt it would be as exciting without you there to scare them a little bit." Charles added with a humorous smile. "Good luck, Logan! And stay safe." He put in lastly, nodding sharply.
Nodding slightly, shrugging his broad shoulders a bit as he relaxed his arms back down to his sides. Turning his back to Charles, Logan headed back the couple of steps back towards the door and without even so much as looking back at Charles, exited the room, shutting the door behind him.
New York, Busy Sidewalk, October 19th, 1946 11:16 A.M.
It was a rather boring day in the orphanage Sophia sat in the back of a room near a window, most of the adults were too busy paying attention to the younger kids. Deciding it was a good time to sneak out like she always did, Sophia took out a small bobby pin from her pocket her eyes looking around the room once more seeing one of the workers walking by Sophia would quickly let go and act like nothing was happening. When the coast was clear Sophia quickly went back sticking it under a small key hole Sophia leaned her ear closely to the lock as she fiddled around with the insides of the lock, she heard a satisfying click and quickly lifted up the window.
Taking one last look around Sophia pulled herself through the opened window and quickly closed it behind her. Feeling the cool fall air around her Sophia quietly walked out of the small alleyway between the orphanage and another building. She quietly walked down the sidewalk searching for someone to steal off of. She spotted a man walking down the sidewalk with a cane thinking him an easy target Sophia would quietly start to approach him.
Limping down the busy New York sidewalk, Charles Xavier had a pleasant expression as his head would move from side-to-side, taking in all the sights as he walked to who-knows-where.
The sun shone brightly overhead, letting its warm rays of light down upon New York, the windows reflecting like bright lights on the buildings around.
Stopping for a moment to rest his leg, Charles let both hands perch on the handle of his cane, letting out a short sigh as he tilted his head back slightly to get a good look at how tall the skyscrapers were. Even now, only a year after the War's end, humanity still pushed onward - resolute. Charles could respect that, even if they ceaselessly quarreled amongst themselves over foolish trifles.
Yet, as he sightsaw, Charles could feel it, the familiar tingling sensation in the back of his head that told him all he needed to know. She was close by.
Indeed, as he continued to look out over the expanse of buildings, he could sense her coming closer, easily reading her intentions even before she had come within speaking distance.
Waiting for her to come within about seven feet of him, Charles turned his head in her direction, an amicable smile on his face. "Hello, Ms. Bessette. I regret to inform you that there is little of worth in my pockets." He said aloud, a bit of amusement in his eyes.
As Sophia snuck around passing by a few people who were walking down the sidewalk, she would stop every so often just to hide behind either a lamp post. When she stopped Sophia would watch silently at her target before getting closer to him.
When Sophia was within speaking distance she quickly stopped, as Charles Xavier turned his head. Quickly the lamp posts suddenly flickered small electric bolts were seen inside of the glass her mutant ability clearly showing. Sophia stood there with a surprised and shocked look on her face, how did he already know her last name? "How do you know me?" Sophia asked her French accent showing as well.
Charles was initially quiet as he hobbled towards Sophia, though he wore a warm expression and a relaxed posture as he did so, trying to defuse any tension. "My name is Charles Xavier, Sophia, and I'd like to speak with you regarding your more unique gifts." He answered with a smile. "Would you like to sit somewhere and talk? Perhaps a quieter location than a New York sidewalk." He offered kindly, motioning his left hand towards a nearby street side café.
Sophia eyed Charles suspiciously, she was not sure if she would trust him or not it already freaked her out when he knew both her first and last name on top of that she never met this man in her whole life. Feeling her stomach growling slightly Sophia looked down and rubbed her stomach slightly, she hadn't eaten much at all today and the food in the orphanage were the worse things she had eaten. "As long as you are paying." Sophia said as she headed over towards the street side café Xavier had motioned to.
Charles merely smiled in reply (it was amazing he hadn't had a smile permanently plastered on his face by now) before following her lead, pointing towards one of the modest iron-wrought tables that sat outside the café, besides a large window that gave a perfect purview of the interior.
"Please, have a seat. I understand you must be quite suspicious of who I am at the moment. But I assure you, all questions, and more, will be answered." Charles promised her calmly before carefully seating himself down, leaning his cane up just beside him.
"Now then, first things first...I'm sure you'd like a better idea of who exactly I am, correct?" Charles asked, resting both elbows on the table as he clasped his hands together.
Sophia went to take a seat across from Charles as she pulled out her own seat and sat down at the table, She looked over towards the window seeing the people inside of the café getting their food or going over to take their seats.
"Yes I would really like to know how you know my full name." Sophia said leaning back against the chair she was sitting in. She would look over at some of the people who also chose to sit outside. "And what do you mean about gifts?" Sophia asked crossing her arms over her chest.
"Sophia, I would like to answer your question with a question." Charles began, smiling kindly before continuing, "Have you ever had any...strange occurrences happen to you recently? Say, when you were sad, or angry, or elated? Some sort of unnatural reaction or coincidence to accompany such emotions?" He asked, keeping his gaze fixed on hers.
Sophia looked at Charles for a moment as she started to think of all of the times weird or stranger occurrences have happened to her or other people around her, whenever her emotions flared up for whatever reason weather its fear or something else. "Yes I have had some stranger things happen, why?" Sophia shifted around in her seat unsure what to think of him.
Letting out a small sigh, Charles took a moment before continuing, "I'm here to tell you that these strange occurrences are anything but coincidental. Sophia, you were born with extraordinary gifts, a special strand in your genetic code that allows you to utilize what is considered to be superhuman abilities, and you..." Charles paused now to lift his hand up to his temple again, focusing closely on her before speaking again,
"Electrokinesis." He finished with a broad smile, lowering his hand once more onto the table. "It was quite apparent to me when you gave the lamp post quite a fuss a few moments ago." He elaborated, slightly humored.
Becoming somewhat more serious, Charles only paused briefly before continuing. "Tell me, Sophia, if you will...do you ever feel uncomfortable where you're at? Out of place, maybe, not fitting in?" He asked soberly, cupping his bearded chin with a single hand.
Getting a confused look for a moment when Charles said the strange occurrences weren't anything but coincidental. And hearing him saying that she was born with it, growing up Sophia never really truly learned anything about genetics. "So you are saying I have some sort of superhuman powers? When the occurrences first came out that was six years ago back when I was living in France during the war." Sophia said
She took a moment her eyes going over to where she was stopped still seeing the lights flickering and then back over towards Charles. "I honestly have no idea how that happened.." Sophia answered.
Sophia leaned forward slightly looking into the mans eyes for a few seconds as he spoke about how she felt where she was living now, it was true she didn't feel at all like she belonged to that orphanage. "I feel lonely and miserable there a lot of the time, that's why I sneak out all the time."
"Well, what if I could offer you a place to fit in? A home?" Charles asked, straightening himself in his seat.
"My associates, Erik, Logan, and myself are building a safe haven, a School for gifted youngsters, mutants, like you and me and many others; a place to stay and learn about our powers, a place where you don't have to worry about feeling out of place, lonely, or miserable, free from prejudice and discrimination. I can't promise you a life of luxury with state-of-the-art facilities, I can't even promise you wallpaper in your bedroom. What I can promise you, however, is fellowship with your fellow mutants." Charles finished as he reached into the pocket of his blazer, procuring a small brown business card.
"If you're interested, seek this address out next week at ten-o'-clock. I trust you'll make the right decision, Sophia. I hope to see you soon." Charles added lastly before rising from his chair, leaning heavily on his cane as he reached into the back pocket of his pants with his free hand, pulling out a fine, leather wallet. He removed a slightly-wrinkled ten dollar bill and gently laid it on the table in front of her, offering a kind smile. "That should be enough to get yourself a nice meal. Goodbye, Sophia." He bid politely before turning and walking away, the distinct heavy tapping of his cane against the pavement signaling his departure.
"I would take it in a heartbeat, it beats living somewhere where I'm not even happy." Sophia answered.
She leaned forward looking interested at Charles offer for her to live somewhere with people like herself. Though she has never been discriminated against yet by anyone Sophia for the most part hid her ability well except for whenever her emotions flared out and anything electronic would end up getting replaced.
Sophia took a moment to look down at the card Charles had handed her remembering the address she slipped the card into her pocket. She watched him taking out a ten dollar bill setting it down in front of her. "Thank you." Sophia would say as she watched him stand up and walked off hearing his cane tapping on the ground with each step he took. Sophia would stand up and walk inside of the café to spend the ten dollars he had given her.
New York, Orphanage, October 26th, 1946 8:32 A.M.
Sophia slowly opened her eyes looking around the room seeing all of the children her age in the room of the oprhanage were all still sleeping, Sophia slowly dug into her pocket to look at the card Charles Xavier had handed her just a week earlier. Putting it back into her pocket, the young girl climbed out of her bed quietly, looking around once more before pulling out a backpack. In it contained all of her clothes that she had been given, she quickly puts the backpack on over her back and headed over towards the same window she always used to sneak out of.
It was early enough in the morning that most of the employees haven't clocked into work just yet, Sophia would quickly take out her trusty bobby pin to pick open that lock again and pushed it open.
The air was still cold in the morning and started to walk down the same alleyway she had always snuck out of for the very last time. Adjusting her backpack Sophia started to walk down the sidewalk down several blocks, walking through the city was rather long by the time Sophia got down to the street that the school was in.
Looking down at the card once more and then up at the old abandoned looking bar Sophia didn't think it looked like a school at all to her and thought it was a joke for a moment before finally opening up the door.
It took longer than usual for the sun to come out today. Not that it was a bad thing; just an odd observation Iris Dvorak made as she sat alone in her room. She stared at her bed as it beckoned her forward, out of the corner where the lingering shadows slowly receded into nothing. She didn't want to leave the darkness. Not yet. For Iris knew that the moment the sun fully illuminated the room, a wave of exaustion would come over her. It was the darkness that gave her energy to stay awake. It fueled her. Without it, she felt... empty.
It was inevitable, she knew. But still she stayed, watching the light slowly move towards her. As it touched her pale foot, she drew it away, quickly pulling her legs closer to her body as if the light would burn her. Iris knew better. There was no harm in sunlight. But she was so... tired. She couldn't remember the last time she slept in her bed. It had been so long, she now was convinced that the sun stripped her of her energy. Made her more of the walking dead woman many assumed her to be. It was all just the fault of a bad routine. It started years ago, when Iris first realized how alive she felt at night. She would stay awake all day for school, work, etc... and then at night, when she was supposed to be resting, she was filled with an unxpendable about of energy that kept her awake. Again the sun would rise and the energy would fade, leaving the exaustion behind. It was daytime however, so she couldn't sleep because of her busy schedule. This cycle repeated and repeated until now. Her body would never fail her, no matter how tired she was, but it made her already uptight personality even more repulsive. Iris knew all of this, but what could she do? She could run away for a few days just to sleep... pretend to be sick for a day just to sleep... She thought of doing that often, but eh. It would never be enough to catch up on what she'd lost.
Finally, after a few more excruciating minutes, the sun had lit her room, and her darkness was gone. Iris stood on trembling legs and made her way to the bed. It was so comforting, the small thing. As she lay there, it wrapped her in warmth and security from... everything. Her green eyes closed, and she was lost. Lost to time, place, everything. All she knew, was that she was finally sleeping. Such a wonderful thing so many people took for granted, was a real luxury for her. Iris was out like a light in moments, not wasting a single second of the sweet serenity in her empty dreams.
---
By the time she woke, it was just beginning to lose light outside; likely around three in the afternoon. Her shadows were back, and the smell of fresh baked good filled her room, flooding her senses. It was time for work. At the young age of 21, Iris was no longer in school. Most of her days she would spend out at the library, reading up on everything she could get her hands on. Filling up her mind with useless information was her new daytime distraction before it was time to head back to the Bakery where she worked. Ah the Bakery... So many memories she had made there. Some pleasent, others down right fucked up. Iris loved working there for the most part. It was nice, but often times, she had wanted more.
The Bakery was the first level of the two story building her family bought as a home. They lived together on the second level, and the basement was used to store items and food for the shop below. It was a nice set up they had, and for that reason, Iris never thought about leaving. At least, that's the reason she liked to tell herself. For now, she was content on staying and doing what she's been doing. Afterall, she was alive and safe. Her household was not too well off, but stable enough to expect one large meal a day. During this day and age, not many people had that luxury.
By the time Iris had to begin work, there was enough darkness to draw energy from all around her. She didn't get nearly enough sleep, but at least it was something. She dressed up in her usual work clothes.
No uniform standard. Something cute that would attract people to come by while she washed the windows in the front and showed off the tone body she had finally been graced with after turning sixteen. It wasn't her sick idea to do that, but hey, it worked. She was good for business according to her parents, not sure if they thought that was all she was good for. As long as she didn't open up her mouth, she was good. When she did, normally rude things spilled out when people tried to mention anything that had to do with her body. "Eat and get out" was usually the only thing she said to those men who stopped by, hoping for... who knows what.
Well enough about that. A scowl was forming on Iris' face already just thinking about it. Speaking of her face, Iris noticed she look particularly horrible as she looked into the mirror on her desk that sat against the farthest wall in her room. Closing her eyes, she extended her arms out on either side of her and drew the shadows towards her. They snaked across the floor like living creatures, wrapping around her like a blanket as she absorbed the energy into her body. Slowly, she began to feel more awake, and energized as if charged with electricity. Her body was reacting to her absorption of the darkness, and after a few moments, she felt satisfied. She released a breath she had been holding and looked at herself in the mirror once again. She looked like a different person now. Her cheeks were not so sunken in, the dark circles under her eyes had faded, and her pale skin seemed to glow. She gave a smile and started to brush her hair, finally ready to start her shift.
"Hn. Not every woman needs beauty sleep."
---
It was halfway into her shift, around six thirty in the evening, when the sun finally began to fall at a faster pace. The Bakery was a bit slow today, being in the middle of the week. Most of the customers came to get their breads for dinner and cakes for various celebrations, only to stay a short while before leaving. The middle of the week was busy for everyone else, and as a result, boring for Iris. As she stood behind the front counter, chin resting on her open palm, she wondered if anything interesting would happen today. She had resorted to staring at the few people who decided to sit and order beers with their pastries. Likely the start of a long night of drinking for some of them. For once, Iris didn't like being so alone. Her mother had gone out to buy more ingredients from the local markets, and her father was in the basement, switching between taking inventory and yelling at who knows what.
Eventually a few more people came into the shop. Two people who looked to be a couple, practically smashed into another man who was well dressed, and seemed to stick out to her. She had never seen him around before. Not that she had seen everyone in New York City. Iris was good with faces. Being the only bakery around for miles, a lot of people had to stop here to get their fresh breads. This particular man, she had not seen before.
"Welcome." She said, trying to sound pleasent and failing as the three walked in.
"Hey." The man who upon closer inspection, was a teenager, said. He had his arm around a girl who looked no older than he did. "I need a special cake for my... special girl." He said, kissing the girls cheek which caused her to erupt into a flurry of giggles. Iris tried not to frown and rolled her eyes as she turned from them.
"We have some cakes on display over here." She said, leading them over. "Take your time to choose."
"Thank you." The girl said smiling as the two began to look.
Iris walked back over to the man who was waiting patiently. He was well dressed, she had to give him that. He looked really handsome. Iris avoided looking too long however as she got closer.
"Thanks for waiting. What can I help you with?" She asked as she moved back around the front counter. He stepped forward and leaned his elbow on the counter. "I actually came here so I can speak with you. My name is Erik Lehnsherr. You are Iris, am I right?"
Iris raised her brow at him. So he was another one of those guys who thought they were cool enough to ask her out. It was going to be fun letting him down. "What makes you think I want to talk to you?" She asked him with an annoyed tone. He ran a hand through his short brown hair and smiled. "There is that colorful personality I read about. Don't worry Iris, I'll do all the talking. You just have to listen." He said. Iris already didn't like the sound of that. He had read something about her? That seemed a bit fishy, and really odd for a pick up line.
"How about you order something. Eat it and leave." She said, crossing her arms. He looked at her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if she was testing his patience. After a moment he nodded. "Okay." He said putting his hands on the counter and standing up straight. "I'll take one of your Blueberry Vatrushkas." He said the Russian pastry in a perfect accent. It surprised Iris, but she nodded and went to go retrieve his selection. When she returned, he handed her the money and suddenly, the dimly lit bakery got darker. A cloud had passed over the sun, causing a shadow to fall over her hand as she held the paper bag out to him. Without thinking too much about it, she waved it away with her free hand, the shadow receding away from her. She snatched her hand back fast when he took hold of his bag, realizing what she had just done, silently hoping he didn't notice. Pushing his change across the counter to him, she crossed her arms and waited for him to leave.
"That's a nice trick you did there with that shadow." He said to Iris' horror. She bit her lip and said nothing. "I think I have a better one." He said with a smirk. He reached out as if he were going to take the change, and instead, Iris watched as the coins began to levitate, and floated back to her. They dropped into the 'Tip' jar to her left with a light clang. "Keep the change. Let me know if you change your mind about that talk." He said, turning and going to sit down at one of the tables near the window.
Iris was stunned. Jumping slightly when her father came up from behind her a minute later, she turned to him and shook her head. "I don't feel well, I'm going on break." Was all she said before pushing past him. She made her way to her room, heart racing like she was just finished running a mile. She closed and locked her door, barely making it to her bed before collapsing. She ran a hand through her hair as she thought back to what she had just seen. Something so simple, what he had referred to as a trick... just turned Iris' world upside down. For the first time in her life, she finally found someone like her. Somebody who was different.
---
Sooner than later, her break ended and she returned downstairs. That man... Erik was his name, was still sitting down at the table he was before. He didn't move for a while, and she couldn't help but stare as his back faced her. After what seemed like hours, he stood and walked over to her. She was wary of him, crossing her arms as he approached.
"Does your staring at me for the past fourty five minutes mean that you plan to hear me out now?"
"I was... not staring." She said, avoiding the question easily.
He turned and pointed to a reflective piece of ventilation that was above his table, and sure enough, she could see herself clearly. "You were staring. I know because I was watching you too."
"It was your scarf I was looking at. Not you." She bluffed, still trying to fight her way out of this awkward situation. "Won't you just leave?"
"Alright I'm leaving." He said, but he paused. "My scarf, huh?" Iris watched with wide green eyes as he casually took off his scarf and leaned over the counter to wrap it around her neck with his impossibly long arms. "I'm not giving up just yet. If you want to talk, meet me outside when your shift ends."
"That's not for another few hours. Won't you just go home?" She asked, unconsciously reaching up to touch the soft scarf at her neck.
"I cant. Not until you listen to what I have to say. Afterall..." he turned and started to walk towards the door. "A place like this... it's not suited for people like us." With a short wave, he left the way he came in.
---
Iris' shift ended at 10 pm, but her parents had her do the cleaning up after the shop closed, so she didn't finish working until an hour after that. She had her entire shift to debate about wether or not to hear what that man had to say, and after a while she had made up her mind. If there was any way he was like her at all, she should probably hear him out. And for all she knew, he'd keep coming back until they agreed to have a discussion. Still, even after she was completely finished, Iris hesitated upon going outside to meet him. Eventually, after making sure her parents were asleep, she decided to brave it and went outside the front of the shop to meet him.
She found him leaned against a street lamp, fiddling with something in his hands. The air outside was cold, and Iris hugged herself as she stepped over to him slowly. "Please tell me you were not waiting outside all this time."
"I grew up in a place that was pretty cold. This is nothing to me." He said, though Iris was sure she caught a light tremble in his voice.
"You didn't answer my question." She said, rubbing her arms. "Come on, let's go inside." She offered, turning and not waiting for him at all. Footsteps behind her told her he was right on her heels though. When they went inside, Iris turned on one of the lights in the room, and they went to sit on that side of the Bakery.
"I'll just... put on a pot of tea." She said, shuffling out for a few moments, then returning shortly after. She sat across the table from him, crossing her left leg over the other and waited for him to speak. He said nothing for a long moment and Iris frowned.
"You made such a big fuss about wanting to talk to me, and now you want to be silent? I don't have the time or patience to play games."
The man named Erik nodded and leaned forward, crossing his arms on top of the table. "I gathered that much already. Fine, I'll make this quick and be out of your hair in no time." He paused and studied her face for a moment before speaking again. "I have an offer for you. One that, if you're as smart as you look, you will surly not pass up.
"My colleagues, Logan, Charles, and I are doing this thing where we go around and find people like us. People with special abilities. Mutants... it's what we are. It's what you are. It's what so many others are just beginning to realize that they are. And we're trying to find them, before something bad happens to them."
"Bad like what?" Iris said, actually listening to what he was saying.
"That's what we don't want to find out. Its been repeated in history time and time again... that humans, the regular ones, fear things they don't understand, things that are different. Things they fear are usually always exterminated.
"Now I'm not here to frighten you. Like I said, I came here to offer you a place where you can go and be around others who are like you and I. A place that is safe, and where you can learn how to use your powers to the fullest extent. A school essentially."
He paused as the sound of boiling water was heard. Iris stood without a word and went to go fix some tea for them. She put his in a larger mug, and made a small cup for herself before bringing it out to the table. Erik mumbled a thanks before the two sat in silence once again. After a while, Iris decided to speak up.
"Up until a few hours ago, I thought I was alone. The only one who was different. And now you come along and tell me there are others out there? Other freaks like me and you want me to join them in some kind of school?" She placed her cup down gently and ran a hand down her face. "I don't want to learn more about my powers. I don't want them at all, let alone prance around with other monsters like me to remind me every day that I'm not normal? No thanks."
"Iris, listen." He started.
"I don't want to hear any more of this. All my life I've been picked on because I was different. Granted it was never for my powers, but everyone hated me for one reason or another. I couldn't figure out why. When I found out I was different, that I was some freak that fed on darkness, even I started hating myself."
Iris' face darkened in anger as she spoke. The hurt of the past years were shown clearly on her face and her voice was low as she spoke. "Learning how to "use my powers" is not going to change anything. I'm still going to be a freak. Or a mutant, whatever the hell you call it. Being different ruined my life, and it's a little damn late to try to embrace it."
Erik's glass came down with a loud clang that made Iris jump. "It's unfortunate we couldn't have found you sooner, but I assure you that it's not too late. I think you're long overdo for a harsh lesson in reality. Even if you were the same as them, as every other human, they still would have found a way to make you feel like you were less than them. Your ability does not make you a monster. It makes you better than them. You can't see it, but I do. I see the beauty and the power in every mutation. It's after you move on from your childish desire to fit in that you too will be able to see it."
Iris was surprised at the sudden shift of intensity in Erik's voice. It was like she struck a nerve in him and he suddenly became very passionate about what he was saying. He had leaned forward towards her and was speaking with force. It made Iris look down at her lap and sigh.
"I don't know..." she said, unsure of wether to agree or disagree with him. They sat again in silence for some time before he sighed as well.
"The school offers you a place to live while you work more on controlling your powers. It's not much but better than the state most of our fellow mutants are living in. ...Iris, this is an opportunity for you to be in an environment where you are free to be yourself. You can't change who you are, so I see no point in hating who you are either. You make the best of it." He stopped talking and Iris' eyes flicked up to meet his brown ones. He was holding something out to her. It was a folded piece of paper which she extended her arm and took.
"What's this?" She asked, looking at it.
"It's the address of the school. I'll give you a week to think about it. If you want to, stop by then and have a look around. You have nothing to lose in this." Iris just shook her head and sighed.
"Fine. I'll think about it."
"Great. We're done here then. I hope you see you soon Iris." he said standing. She stood as well, bending down to fix her shoe that started to slip off. When she stood up again she looked around and saw the front door close quietly. Running over, she opened it and looked outside.
"Wait, Erik... your scarf-" she started to say. Then she blinked.
He was gone.
---
Fast forward a week and sure enough, here she stood, in front of a large building that looked like it used to be something else. Not much like a normal school Iris remembered growing up. She stood across the street from what she assumed to be the main entrance with a scowl on her face. It was a wide building, taking up an entire street corner; tall as well, standing three stories and perhaps a basement. It looked somewhere in the middle of being repaired or something. Alright, description aside, it looked like a piece of work to say the least.
To top it all off, this random building was oddly hard for her to find. Though she'd never admit it, Iris was severely directionally challenged. She was bad with maps too. And speaking of maps, one would think she'd been given at least a rough sketch of a map. Something other than an address. Not to mention she was slightly uncomfortable out in the sun with only a small black umbrella to cast some shadow over her. It was bad. Just a mess. Iris was already starting to slightly regret her decision. The only reason she didn't turn back was because she was convinced she'd get lost trying to find her way home.
Thinking back on when she was approched by Erik a week ago, she never would have guess she'd actually agree to come. The fact that she had nothing to lose was what made her decide to take a leap of faith. Worst case scenario was, if she didn't like what she saw, she could just claim to be returning the scarf she'd been given. And at that thought, Iris reached up and touched the soft cloth at her neck. Oddly enough she had worn it every day since she'd received it. Just having it was a reminder to her of the first person she'd met who was like her. It was a reminder that a new chapter in her life was just starting. Maybe it had already started. Either way, Iris had to admit, it was more than a little terrifying. Despite her fears, Iris took the last few steps over to the door and toom the handle in her hand. It was a cool touch to her warm palm, but it calmed her enough to open the door and step inside.
Taking a moment Sophia stood outside of the address that Charles had given her, and looked down at the watch once more slightly nervous Sophia walked forward and opened the door. She looked around the bar seeing all kinds of alcohol that were in the back shelves. Though the bar itself looked like it still needed some work on it, Sophia thought it was a rather weird place to be for a school for people who were like her. The room seemed to be rather empty of everyone at the moment guessing that she was the first one to be here. The young woman walked over and sat down in a booth seat.
When she heard the door opening Sophia's head perked up to see another girl around her age with blonde hair walking into the 'school' Sophia stood up and smiled at her. "Uhm hi there, i'm guessing you were asked to come here as well?" Sophia asked going over to extend her hand towards Iris. "I'm Sophia Bessette by the way." She said with her French accent clearly being heard.
A comfortable silence had finally fallen upon the household after a rather rough argument that had resulted in the young woman once more being locked away in isolation, her lip bloodied and cut from where her aunt had decided that violence was the best way to stop her doing whatever it was that she could actually do. Lifting her hand up in front of her mouth, she let her tongue slip out through her lips, slowly letting it drag over her fingertips, giving herself more time to finish the last sentence on the page before she finally turned over to the next one; the process beginning all over again as she took in the strangely written world that was known as 'Alice In Wonderland'.
"Alas! It was too late to wish that! She went on growing, and growing, and very soon had to kneel down on the floor. In another minute there was not even room for this, and she tried the effect of lying down with one elbow against the door, and the other arm curled round her head..." Frowning slightly, she lifted her hand slipping her fingers through her long vibrant red locks, pushing them back off her face as she continued to read on; obvious annoyance written over her features, "Still she went on growing, and, as a last resource, she put one arm out of the window, and one foot up the chimney, and said to herself 'Now I can do no more, whatever happens. What /will/ become of me?'-... What complete rubbish this is..."
Sighing heavily, she rolled her eyes, her back pressing flat against the wall of the window seat that she had been perched on now for quite some time, her head turning to watch the light rain roll down the pane leaving small trails; showing the path that each droplet had taken. The soft yet calming sound helping her body to relax, her hands working to shut and lower the book down to her lap as she let herself be taken in by the soothing noises sneaking into the room from outside; the situation no doubt the same around the rest of the house, though she knew that she was more than likely the only one who would actually appreciate the small things, like rain in all its forms.
Shifting her gaze so that she was now looking past the rain, she let her eyes roam over the well-kept grounds spread out below where she was locked away on the second floor, unable to help herself as her brows furrowed, her eyes coming to rest on a rather smartly dressed figure as he moved through the gateway and into the garden. The shadowy male figure leaning over his cane as he moved down the path, heading towards the front door. Tearing her gaze away from him, she turned her head, dropping it back against the wall and closing her eyes as she concentrated, her mind seeking out to connect with that of her aunt; the action causing imaged to begin floating across in front of her eyes, showing her exactly what was going on without her having to move an inch.
Moving down the hall as the sound of knocking filled the entryway, her aunt reached out her lips pursing slightly as she pulled open the door, her eyes falling onto the man that stood on the other side while her grip tightened over the door, the older woman ready to close it in his face at a moments notice if he did something that she didn't like, "I'm sorry... May I help you sir?"
Smiling genuinely towards the woman as she opened up the door for him, the man straightened his posture as best as he could, keeping his handicap in mind as he introduced himself to her, "You must be Ms. Grey...I am Charles Xavier." Reaching up with his arm, he pressed two fingers firmly against his temple, being sure to make direct eye contact with her as he continued on with his explanation, "I believe we spoke briefly a few days ago on the phone, about your niece and her more...unique talents." Removing his fingers from his temple, he once more lowered his hand, letting go back to resting on the hilt of his cane.
Relaxing both her grip on the door and the expression on her face, she nodded her head slowly as his short but informative explanation, her mind coming to rest on the sudden recollection of a phone call they had shared a mere few days ago. Moving to the side, she opened the door a little wider, making sure there was plenty of room for him to move inside, "Of course... We've been expecting you Mr. Xavier... Come inside; and please, excuse the mess. Things have not exactly been quite so peaceful in these halls as of late..."
Inclining his head in affirmation, Charles merely gave an empathetic smile before passing through the threshold of the door and into the house itself, being sure to wipe his shoes off on the welcome mat beforehand.
"I am to understand that Jean has been, as you said...somewhat unruly lately?" Charles asked, eyes lifting to look about the room, settling every now and then on the various cracks in the walls and the occasional flickering of lights amidst more incriminating examples of a family struggling to remain safe when housing a budding mutant.
"She has become much too difficult to handle at most times, yes... Though she was not always like this..." Frowning slightly the woman turned her head, looking over at the staircase, her eyes lingering there for a few moments before she continued on, explaining what she had meant by her words, "..It seems that the news of her brothers passing is what caused my niece's illness to set in. Before such times, she was a sweet young thing."
"If it is alright with you, I would like to speak with her as well. She is not the first adolescent I've dealt with in similar circumstances." Charles said next, his eyes now wandering over the interior of the house as he spoke, a certain confidence in his tone that helped to put the woman at ease.
Only managing to take in half of his words until her niece's name caught her attention, she turned back to him hesitating a few moments before letting out a soft sigh, showing that she clearly wasn't happy with the idea of letting Jean out of her room just yet, especially after not so long ago getting her in there, "Yes... Of course... I'll just go get her for you..." Reaching out she placed her hand on the banister, her gaze dropping down to the stairs every now and then as she be
"Thank you." Charles replied sincerely as he watched her begin to ascend the staircase, the woman hovering a few moments on the landing before she turned the corner, leaving him in total silence as she headed down the hallway towards the room where she was keeping her niece. Fumbling around in her pocket, she took out a single key that would unlock the door, her body coming to a stop in front of the room, her eyes flicking over the old cracks in the wood before she reached out slipping the key into the lock.
Turning her head just as the door swung open, she let her bright forest-green eyes come to a rest on her aunts figure, taking note of the extremely unimpressed look upon her face before she stood up putting the book down in her place. Not bothering to speak a word to the woman, she crossed the room, following silently behind her as she led the way back through the house and down to the entryway, the young girl hanging back to linger upon the staircase as she let her eyes flick over the man who had been wanting to both meet and speak with her about what she could do.
Tilting her head slightly, she let her eyes flick over the mans face as she took in his features, her mind concentrating in on his own as she tried her best to find out exactly what it was that he wanted with her. Turning his head towards the staircase, the man offered her a welcoming smile, though her own features gave him nothing but her normal bored expression, the young woman still attempting to delve into his mind, searching for the answers as to why he was there standing in the entry of her aunt's home.'It's very rude to read my thoughts without my permission.' Clenching her jaw as she heard the mans voice projected within her thoughts, she pulled her thoughts back, her eyes remaining locked on his though now they held a hint of curiosity. The tone of voice in which he had used was neither angry nor stern, though from the look in his eyes she could see that he himself was intrigued, but the thought of trying to enter his mind again without permission was giving her second thoughts.
"You must be Jean." He then said aloud in quite a hospitable tone, hobbling towards the foot of the staircase where he then held his left hand for her to shake. "I apologize for using the improper hand, but it'll have to do, I'm afraid." He spoke with a slightly amused tone, motioning with his head down towards the cane he was leaning on; though one could detect perhaps the slightest hint of bitterness if they listened hard enough.
Dropping her gaze down to his hand that was extended out to her, she allowed her eyes to linger on it in silence for a few moments until finally lifting them back up to meet with his again, being sure to take note of the slight bitterness in his voice as she reached out shaking his hand once before dropping her arm back down to her side, "Charmed."
Narrowing her eyes slightly as she felt her aunt's stern gaze fixed on her, she straightened her back, her weight shifting over onto her right hip as she took her time to take in the mans appearance, although this time it was with her own two eyes rather then that of another, her gaze lifting to meet with his once more once she was done, "What exactly is it that you want from me Mr. Xavier?"
"It seems you've already become quite acquainted with your gifts." Charles noted aloud, sounding both impressed and curious at the same time as he spoke, this time adding an offer as a small half-smile crossed over his features, "There are a few important things I'd like to discuss with you, in regards to your talents. What say we all sit down, hm?"
"Gifts, talents... You have an interesting way of speaking about what everyone else here swears is nothing but an illness. I'm surprised I haven't been shipped off to the loony bin as of yet." Descending the rest of the staircase, she wandered past both him and her aunt, heading through the archway which lead into the lounge, the room covered in the remnants of her latest outburst just waiting for the world to see.
Turning her head back to look over her shoulder, she watched on as he followed along behind her, the man looking around the room at the various cluttered and shattered items surrounding them, and while his expression was completely blank, it was clear to her that he was obviously thinking about something else before the both of them took their respectable seats; the younger woman falling back into an armchair while he chose to take a seat on a sofa nearby where she was perching.
Tearing her eyes away from him for the time being, she turned her head glancing over into the corner of the room where her mother sat silently, nursing a half-empty bottle of whiskey, her aunt moving into the room silently placing her hand firmly on the back of her mothers chair while keeping an eye on the conversation. Forcing her gaze away from her mother and aunt completely, she turned it back to him, giving him all of her attention as she brushed some of the ruins from her latest tantrum from the arm of her seat, an unmistakable smirk playing on her lips as she did so.
Following his gaze as he settled back in the seat he had chosen, she lifted her hand up, her expression changing and her gaze dropping from his as she let her fingers brush lightly over her lip, the crimson blood that hadn't properly dried up smudging on her fingers from the cut she had gotten earlier, the injury sustained when her aunt had tried to subdue her moments before locking her away in her room. Flicking her gaze back up she allowed them to take in his features, and despite his young appearance she could tell that there was a sense of experience and maturity held within his eyes, and she'd be willing to bet that he was simply trying to sum up exactly what sort of living conditions she was truly living under.
Meeting his eyes once more, she crossed her legs, listening silently to what it was he had to say to her, "First, I would like to make something quite clear: No matter what people tell you, your powers are not a disease, a curse, or a burden - quite the opposite. You are gifted." Nodding softly as he smiled towards her after assuring her that what she had wasn't a curse but a gift, she relaxed her body back into the couch, remaining silent as he continued on in a more serious manner, "I want to ask how your home life is, Jean. What do you like to do on a day-to-day basis?"
She could tell exactly what he was trying to get at, see right through his question about her life... He was trying to see if he could find any sort of reasoning behind why her powers were so volatile, so out of control to have caused such a mess within the home, and in turn maybe even a hint as to how she was being treated, though he seemed to have already known just by the way he was looking at her, "Gifted... I don't see how I'm gifted, I'm just different. It's why I'm stuck here in this house, not allowed to leave and see those I used to be able to call my friends... I'm not even allowed to go to school anymore because I'm a so-called freak..."
Pulling her legs up she crossed them underneath her, her body leaning back in the armchair as she slouched, continuing to watch him as she thought about how to answer what it was he was asking her. She could feel her aunt's gaze on the back of her chair, like daggers in her back warning her to watch what she was saying to him, though she knew that he wanted her to be truthful, she didn't even have to read his mind like she had attempted earlier to know that, "There isn't much I can or am allowed to do other than read through whatever books they give me... The minute I try and do something else that I want to, they shut the thought down... Though it's mostly her."
Turning her gaze away from him she shot a disgusted look over at where her aunt was standing, watching as the older woman shifted slightly, showing her disapproval at the fact that her niece was divulging information that was supposed to be kept private, "The other one; the one that's supposed to be my mother... She does nothing but drink. But her... She won't even let me go outside without getting angry and locking me away in my room. It's why I've read as much as I have, because I'm barely allowed out, always locked away in there on my own..."
Watching as he let out a heavy sigh, she couldn't help but take note of the disapproving glower that crossed over his features, causing his lips to press into a thin line, "I see." Dropping her arms from the arms of the chair down into her lap, she fell silent once more as she heard the tone of his voice, his words holding a dangerous edge to it though she knew that it was directed towards her guardians rather than at herself, "Then that makes the reason I came here that much more important."
Playing with her fingers she continued to listen, his voice not as hostile now as he spoke directly towards her, though it still possessed a stern and resolute inflection, "Jean, I've spent the last year-and-a-half searching for teenagers and young adults like you, shunned by society, sometimes even by their own family." Raising her eyebrow she paused her actions for a moment, the emphasis on the latter part of his words lingering in the back of her mind, causing her eyes to flick over to the two women in the corner before turning her attention back to where he was sitting, giving him all her attention.
"Adolescents who are born possessing extraordinary abilities and yet are forced to hide underneath a facade or risk facing societies prejudice. A good friend and I are working on building a safe place, a haven for our kind, mutants, to come together in a secure, healthy environment for us to be able to be who we are without fear or discrimination. There you will be with other young adults who, too, have powers that have earner them the monikers of 'freak' or 'diseased', among other deplorable titles. I've come here to extend you an invitation to be a part of this 'school' for gifted youngsters. Perhaps you can find your place in a warm and hospitable environment." Lowering her eyebrow once more she relaxed her body, her features softening once slightly as he offered her a small smile, allowing time for the information he has given her to be processed.
"There... are more like us..? People with the same illne-... People with gifts..?" Straightening her back, she leant forward slightly, her brows furrowing as she brought her hands together in her lap, her posture showing him just how interested she was in not just his offer, but also in what it was that he was saying to her about there being others like them, and how he wanted to try and make their lives better than they were, "You can really promise me a better life than I have? A life outside of this cage and away from... them..?"
Everything that he was offering to her, it was something that she hadn't thought possible in such a long time, a safe place where she would be able to not only be herself, but where she wouldn't have the fear of being abused, or the fear of losing control of her powers like she always seemed to do in this environment, "If you can do what you say you can; then I fully accept your invitation to take up a position within this school of yours. Whether I fit in with the others there, or not; please allow me to join you."
"Before you make any decisions..." Raising her eyebrow she let her lips part slightly as she caught the hesitation in his voice, her eyes searching his for why he was re-thinking himself as he continued on with his words, "I should warn you that living situations are...not ideal, at the moment. Far from what you have here. I won't be able to offer you much in the way of furnishings, or state-of-the-art appliances, or even gender-separate showers. What I can and will offer you, however, is fellowship. Do you still wish to join me?"
Tilting her head slightly she kept her eyes fixated on his own as she contemplated his words, choosing the best way she thought to answer him, her body relaxing once more back into the chair causing her long red locks to tumble down over her shoulder, "Mr. Xavier, this luxury environment that I have been forced to call my home has become nothing more than a prison... One which I'm not allowed to leave the confines of. After a while, you too would begin to detest and despise everything around you if the situation was reversed and it was you in my position."
Turning her head for a moment she let her gaze slowly glide over everything in the room, though they lingered slightly longer on the books and some other small objects that lined the shelves and the cabinets around them, remaining thoughtful she turned her attention back to where he was sitting, her hand coming up to brush the locks of hair back off her face though they fell back down almost instantly, "As I said before Professor... If you can deliver on this offer of a life better than the one I have right here, right now... Then I accept your invitation."
"Then it will be my personal honor to name you the first student of 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters'." Following his lead as he leant into his cane wincing slightly as he stood up from the chair he had been using, she lowered her own feet to the ground, lifting herself back up as she watched him smile broadly as she accepted his offer to attend the school he had been speaking to her about, "Now then...under normal circumstances the students will be arriving in a weeks time. But given your particular...situation, it may be best to arrive at the school as soon as possible. Please, feel free to bring with any amenities, furnishings, or comforts so long as you can carry it."
Unable to help the slightly proud smile that crossed over her lips thanks to his words, she turned leading the way back out of the sitting room and back into the entryway that led to the upper floors of the house, her hands coming together in front of her body as she slowly made her way over to them being mindful of his step when it came to her pace, "I'm going to go ahead and assume that when you say 'so long as you can carry it', you mean in the physical sense of the word. No help from certain...gifts, correct..?"
"That's correct. You will be safe to utilize your powers at the School, but the populace still views out condition as being a defect. It will be best to maintain an air of anonymity until we arrive." Turning back around to face him as she came to a stop she nodded, taking note of the patient tone in his voice as he explained further to her, his hands both resting softly atop of her cane as he did so, a warm smile on his face, "I will give you a few minutes to pack any belongings you wish to bring with."
Reaching her hand out she let it come to a rest on the banister, her head turning slightly so that she was looking down at it, her thumb brushing back and forth over the polished wood as she contemplated the gravity of what he was saying to her. Nodding a couple of times to show him that she had understood what it was he had said, she turned beginning up the staircase step by step, stopping only when she felt a firm and familiar grip over her wrist, turning herself around she furrowed her brows, her lips parting slightly as she looked down at her aunt, pulling at her arm though it only made the woman't grip tighten over her, "Let go of me, you're not going to keep me here any longer."
Flinching slightly as her body moved with the rough tug that pulled her back down a couple of steps, she scrunched up her face as her body was twisted to face the arch that she had passed through moments before, her mothers figure able to be seen from within the dark room, "I don't think so, not yet anyway, not until we know what exactly is being offered here; you're not going to do this to your mother and I, not after all we've done for you. You're nothing but an ungrateful little brat."
"I said... let go of me..!" Clenching her jaw tightly she pulled roughly on her own arm, ripping it away from the woman's hold, the objects decorating the entryway on all sides slowly beginning to rumble and shake violently as her breathing picked up, her heart wildly beating within her chest with all the anger and resentment that she had kept inside of her over the years, everything that she felt for the two women in her life bubbling inside her stomach threatening to boil over and erupt.
Furrowing her eyebrows she gritted her teeth, her body being guided back and away from that of her aunts as she felt something coming in between them, her gaze lowering for only a moment giving her enough time to realize that what had pushed them apart was the cane that the Professor had been using to lean on during their conversation, flicking her light blue eyes to match his taking in his darkened expression, the stern resolute look in his eyes, and the firm but calm tone in his voice as he spoke out to her aunt, his left hand lifting up to the side of his temple, lightly pressing two fingers against his skull, "Ms. Grey... I think it's best you go lay down for awhile, get some rest."
Pressing her back flat against the wall behind her she turned her head, her eyes lingering on her aunt's figure as the woman reluctantly nodded, hesitating before she headed up the staircase and to the left, the woman's movements slow as though she were wondering why it was that she was actually doing what he was suggesting she should do. Relaxing only slightly as she watched her aunt disappear she closed her eyes, the anger within her lessening only just so much that the objects that had been shaking violently settled down, now only moving the tiniest amounts rather than teetering on the edge threatening to explode or shatter apart, "What did you do to her..?"
Watching him as he moved his cane back to it's original place at his side, she let her eyes flick over following the path his hand took as he slipped it back into his coat pocket, his body leaning back into his cane once more for support, his voice remaining completely calm as he answered his question, "I'm a telepath, Jean...like you are. Under normal circumstances I am usually against using my powers to manipulate others. But I will not sit by and let one of my students be mistreated. Now, you best get packed...I would prefer to be at the School by the time your aunt wakes up and realizes what happened."
Tearing her gaze away from his she let it linger over the second story landing, listening silently to what it was that he was actually saying to her before she contemplated over his words; he was like her... they could do the same things, though he seemed to be able to do it a lot better than she could. Taking a deep breath she let her lips part slightly, the warm air flowing out through her lips as she nodded softly showing him that she had understood the explanation he was giving her, taking his latter words as encouragement as she began to ascend the staircase, heading in the opposite direction as her aunt had done, "Huh... So there's actually a name for the stuff that I can do..."
Not bothering to wait for an answer to her statement, she made her way down the hallway, pausing in the doorway for a few moments as she took her last looks at the room she had called her own for years, shaking the thoughts out of her mind she moved forward, gathering up a couple of empty bags before she placed them down on the bed, her eyes darting back and forth around the room contemplating what to bring with her and what not to. Making up her mind about what she wanted, she quickly moved about the room mindful to take her time packing so that she could bring with her everything that she wanted to; clothing, books, small trinkets, pillows, blankets, and anything else that she could make fit into the bags.
Pausing for a moment she moved over to her bedside drawers, leaning over as she pulled open the drawer she shuffled through the contents before she pulled out a neatly bundled, and well taken care of stack of letters tied together by a long piece of twine, grabbing up an empty book-bag she slipped them inside, taking her time to give her room another look over to make sure that she had packed everything and anything that she found any amount of sentimental value or worth in. Moving back out the door she made her way down the hall, taking extra care of her steps as she slowly descended the stairs for the second time that evening, her feet carrying her over to meet him where he stood.
"My coat is in my bag if I need it... I have my books, my letters, even my pillows and blankets. The only thing that I haven't grabbed is any alcohol from the liquor cabinet, but I have a feeling that it might upset those I'm leaving behind if I did take any." Lowering her gaze for only a moment she quickly fixed the straps of her bags, making sure they were resting properly on her shoulders before she lifted her gaze again, giving him a nod to let him know that she was ready to leave her past life behind her, "I'm all packed... Ready to go when you are Professor..."
Present Day...
4.30am - October 26th, 1946.
Gasping for breath as she felt her breath catch in her throat she snapped her light blue eyes open, her body quickly flinging up into a sitting position causing her doona to fall down over her lap, her elbows gently resting on her knees as she brought them up, her hands coming up to slip her fingers into her hair as she held firmly onto her head, the memories of her past life in her families house continuing to float around in her mind, clouding her thoughts and stopping her from falling back to sleep even though she knew it was such a late hour.
Closing her eyes again she furrowed her brows as she tried to focus on her breathing, her chest heaving up and down while her long vibrant red locks cascaded down over her shoulders; the young girl trying her best to relax and rid herself of the once forgotten emotions that seemed to be snaking their way back into her. Dropping one of her arms so that her palm was pressing gently against her chest, she slid her other hand further into her hair pushing it back and off her face, though it was all in vein as it seemed to gently fall back down into its normal place, her body turning as she stepped up off the cot that had become a part of her safe haven over the last week of her life.
Taking a moment or two to steady her breathing, she moved across the room and over to the door, reaching out to flick on the light she turned pressing her back flat against the wall beside the door, taking her time to relax as she let her eyes flick back and forth over the room she had chose and had begun to fix up to her liking since the first day she had arrived at the bunker int he first place; managing to get ahold of red wallpaper that she liked, some trunks that she was able to use as bedside tables, a lamp that Charles had managed to get for her so she could read, and a desk that she was able to get her hands on.
Closing her eyes once she had calmed down a little she lifted her arm up, letting her hand rub over her face for a few seconds as she thought of what it was she was supposed to do, the knowledge that she was still tired tugging at the recesses of her mind, calling for her to go back to bed for at least a few more hours though she knew that at this point it was going to be nearly impossible for her to fall back into a slumber. Sliding her hand down over her face until it was resting over her mouth she opened her eyes, slowly heaving a sigh through her nostrils as she pushed away from the wall, her body turning as she slipped out of her room and into the hallway, her hands dropping to tug at the baggy black singlet she was wearing, making sure that it was covering her body as she walked.
Bringing her hands up she folded her arms over her chest, hugging herself tightly causing her breasts to look bigger than they actually were as she slowly wandered down the hall and across the main room, the young woman seeming to move on auto-pilot as she followed the path that had become so familiar to her over the past week, her feet slowly carrying her up the stairs that led up to the bar. Slowing her step as she neared the top she furrowed her brows in confusion, her lips parting slightly as she turned her head to look up at the second floor where a light seeping out from under the door of Charles' office caught her eye, her attention being pulled back to the present as the sound of Logan's voice filled her mind.
Tearing her gaze away from the office door she turned back to her original destination, her legs carrying her legs carrying her over to the bar that she had become semi-familiar with over her time spent there, lifting her hand up she let her fingers brush lightly over the polished wood as she moved around it, making her way behind the counter until she was far enough around to find what it was that she wanted. Leaning over she grabbed a clean glass from under the counter, placing it on the top of the bar she turned her head to look back over her shoulder, her other hand reaching back behind her taking a tight hold on one of the many bottles that lined the stocked shelves, straightening herself back up she opened it up pouring herself a glass of whiskey before she stopped herself, her eyes seeming to get lost in the liquid as she put the cap back onto the bottle her mind getting lost in thought.
One Week Ago...
Sighing softly she shrugged her shoulders, her hand coming up to fix the straps of her bags, shifting their position so that their weight wasn't completely focused on the one place, her hand lifting up from the strap to reach up to her long vibrant red locks, ruffling them softly as though she was trying to give them more volume, her eyes glancing over at him every so often as he lead the way to where ever it was that he was taking her in the first place, "So, just to make sure that I'm getting this right, I'm going to a school for people like me, but I'm not allowed to use my powers because it's considered wrong... How am I supposed to learn about these things that I can do then?"
Lifting her gaze up as they neared the building she slowed her step, her light blue orbs slowly flicking over the exterior of the run down building that was towering down over the two off them, the boarded up windows of the abandoned bar giving her no clues as to what was waiting for her inside causing her stomach to turn nervously, though she didn't give any waver in her normal bored expression. Hesitating for a moment as he moved on a head of her, she let her gaze linger on the old sign, the dusty gold letters standing out giving her nothing but the symbol and the name of the bar which she was going to be calling her home for who knew how long, "The Old Rose..."
Dropping her gaze back down to where he was standing waiting for her, she pressed herself forward, her feet carrying her towards the front door as she brought her hands up, shoving them down so that they were resting within the pockets of her long coat, careful of the step as she headed up the curve to meet him where he stood by the door, her eyes connecting with his and her lips curving up into a small curious smile, "Why a bar?I mean, not that I'm complaining or anything, I'm just curious to know why you've chosen a bar as your so called school..."
Watching as he rested both his hands atop his cane she came to a stop, her head tilting slightly showing him just how curious she was to hear his answer to her question; there were so many other types of buildings that they could have chosen... A library, old office buildings, run-down hotels... The fact they had chosen a bar of all things certainly had her interest piqued, "Sadly, humanity still views mutants with disgust and disdain, though society as a whole knows very little of our kind. Anonymity is your greatest asset, Jean. As for your powers, the School encourages you to practice using them in order to gain better control and understanding, though it is a strict rule that you don't use your powers on another student."
Staying silent as she listened to his explanation she watched him clear his throat, his hand coming up from his cane to brush his hair back off his face, making sure that it was as neat as all the others before he continued what he was saying, "Dr. Lehnsherr and I, unfortunately, did not have many options in regards for a school building, thus a bar was the best choice. We refurbished it to the best of our abilities, and the military bunker hidden underground functions as the classroom and dormitory section of the building. Our finances are tight and resources are limited, but we make do with what we had."
Contemplating his words for a few moments she watched as he lifted his hand once more, quickly looking around the both of them as though making sure that no one was paying them any attention before he slowly opened up the door, politely motioning for her to go on inside of the bar before him, a gentle smile once more gracing his features, though it was something that she was getting used to seeing after having spent so many hours in travel with the man himself.
Nodding in understanding she turned her body slightly, slipping past him and through the open door into the warm glowing environment of the refurbished bar, her eyes flicking over the room taking in everything from the booths to the patterns on the wall behind the counter top, her gaze lingering on the alcohol for a few moments before she tore it away glancing back towards him, "I see, I guess it makes sense; you use what you can get. Well I guess living here is going to be quite uneventful for those who are underage... Considering they won't be able to drink, while others can."
Frowning slightly as the sound of clinking chains and frustrated grunts floated through the air towards her, she looked around the room once again, this time trying to figure out where the source of the noise was coming from though seeming unable to pinpoint whether it was coming from up the stairs or down them. Turning her head back she flicked her gaze over her shoulder and back to where Charles was standing, a look of slight curiosity flickering over her face through the cracks in her normal bored and uninterested expression, "We're not alone... Who else is here? That Doctor you mentioned?"
"Dr. Lehnsherr is out at the moment. I believe our unseen guest is Wolverine." Turning her head she looked back over her shoulder as he made his way into the bar behind her, his voice calm as he spoke rhetorically towards her, letting her know that there was more than just the two of them and the mysterious doctor she kept hearing about, keeping her eyes on him she watched as he crossed over the room, slowly coming to a stop in front of a set of wooden steps that led downwards, "Now then, I should warn you beforehand. Wolverine is not exactly known for his courtesy or empathy. Nevertheless, he is one of the most loyal and trustworthy men I've ever had the privilege of meeting. After you, Ms. Grey."
"Wolverine..? Really?" Unable to help the small smirk that played on her lips she shook her head, her arms lifting up to cross over her chest while she watched him move across the room towards the stairs leading down from the bar, his hand gesturing for her to go first though she hung back for a few moments showing him that she wasn't going to move until he went down a head of her, tearing her gaze away from him she allowed it drop to the staircase which led down to the area where she assumed the bunker he had mentioned earlier was located, hidden behind the face of the run down bar.
"..Sounds like the name a child would give to their pet dog..." Turning her body she lifted her gaze away from where the stairs were, her feet carrying her across the room and over to where the bar was standing strong, her gaze dropping down to the polished wood as she rested her hand on top of it, her fingers slowly trailing over it in small swirls as though she were drawing patterns on the bar top.
"He uses his alias for...personal reasons." Turning her body into the counter, she brought her other hand up resting it softly against the polished wood, nodding every now and then to let him know that she was indeed listening as she continued to watch her fingers making patterns against the wood, the sound of him clearing his throat from somewhere behind her causing her to turn her head only slightly, her eyes continuing to stay locked on what she was doing, "We all have parts of our past we'd like to forget, Jean; pieces we want to be buried with history. For both Wolverines sake and yours, I strongly recommend you neglect asking him personal questions...the same goes for probing his mind. Wolverine is far older than I am and has seen many things he'd like to keep to himself, I urge you to be respectful of that."
Pausing her movements over the bar she took note of the firm tone of his voice, the sound making him seem like more of a headmaster than he had seemed before, her actions resuming once he had changed the sound of his voice, his tone softening as he seemed to become more warm and welcoming once again, the sound of his cane and footsteps alerting her to the fact that they were now once again moving, this time down the stairs to the bunker he had told her about so that she could get settled into her new home, "Now then, we best be going down, I'd like to get you accommodated with the building before you get settled in."
"I... understand Professor..." Lifting her head up she turned her gaze back over to where he was standing, nodding softly so that he could see that she truly did understand what it was that he was saying to her; this Wolverine character wasn't the only one with a past that he wanted to forget, she had all that as well, though she knew that if she tried she would lose the fond memories that she had of her brother, the only one she was ever truly close to. Raising her hand up from the bar she readjusted the straps of her bags once more before crossing over the room, her step slowing as she followed him down the staircase, her gaze dropping so that she could be mindful of not only her own steps but of each and every one of his as well.
The growing sound of the straining and clanging of what she assumed were chains catching her attention once more, causing her eyebrow to rain out of slight curiosity as to what this person was doing, lifting her gaze up as they began to reach the bottom of the stairs, she let her light blue orbs scan the room around them both, her feet bringing her to a stop on the second to last step as she lifted her hands, burying them deep within her pockets, the young woman once more falling completely silent as her features changed going back to it's normal bored expression.
Sighing softly she leant to the side, her weight shifting over to her right hip as she let her eyes come to rest on the scene in front of her, her head tilting to the side slightly causing her long vibrant red locks to fall over her shoulder, soft light blue orbs taking in everything that was going on in the room; the dust clouds that were being created each time the guy struck the makeshift punching bag, the chains straining to hold the bag in place as he put all his weight into each punch, the grunts of frustration that seemed to get louder and louder with each action he took, the way that the bag swung violently from the roof until it all seemed to become too much.
The final blow from his fist connecting with the bag causing the chains to break apart, the punching bag dropping to the ground at his feet while the chains swung violently, whipping up and connecting with one of the over-hanging light-bulbs causing it to shatter, sparks and glass raining down around his figure as he hopped around on the balls of his feet, seemingly not caring about the glass and sparks that were hitting his body as they fell down to the ground below them.
"I'm beginning to think you have a personal vendetta against light-bulbs, Logan. That's the fifth one this week, if I recall." Lifting her hand out of her pocket for a few moments, she brushed some stray strands of hair back off her face, choosing to ignore the fact that they fell back down as she shoved her hand back into her pocket, her eyes drifting away from the both of them as they continued to converse with one another, "I'd like to introduce you to our first student, Ms. Jean Grey. As you can see, she's accepted our offer of staying to learn more about her most gifted abilities."
Hearing her name being spoken aloud in some sort of introduction she turned her head to look back at them both, her full attention turning and coming to a rest on the man that was bouncing around on the balls of his feet in front of them, though whether he was doing it was because it was him just trying to avoid the stray bits of shattered glass that was falling down around him every now and then, or just him trying to warm down from whatever boxing session or training session that he had been engaged in, she wasn't too sure, and honestly neither did she really care.
Showing her hands deeper into her pockets she let her eyes flick up and down his figure, not even bothering to try and hide the fact that she was sizing him up, seeing just as to how much of a threat he was to her as she took in his ragged appearance and unkempt hair; he was nothing like the guys that she had been brought up around, and he was certainly nothing like Charles who was standing just ahead of her alerting him to the fact that she was the so called 'new girl' to the school, and that she would be staying with them for however long it took for them to get sick and tired of having her around, "So, what's bitten you, Freckles?"
Raising her eyebrow slightly at both the nickname that she had apparently been given and the fact that he seemed completely uninterested in the first place, she remained silent as the guy she only know as Wolverine once more turned towards her questioningly, her eyes pausing on his for a few moments before she tore her gaze away, her eyes scanning the room again though this time lingering on some of the objects that were scattered around, her attention coming to a rest on the punching bag that was laying beaten by his feet.
Flicking her eyes back up for only a moment she took in his demeanor, the guy obviously unimpressed and doubting her as he watched on, not even getting any indication that she had heard him in the first place, gritting her teeth as she watched him scoff and crossed his arms tightly over his chest she forced her attention back down to the punching bag, her jaw clenching tightly she balled her fists up in her pocket, her mind flicking back to all the other times that she had been doubted... all the times that she had been told that she couldn't do something for one reason or another.
Hunching her shoulders slightly she tilted her head, her brows furrowing together as she began to focus her thoughts on the abuse and torment she had gone through over the years, the anger she had felt back at the house returning to her, bubbling away once more as she narrowed her eyes, her body visibly jumping as the once still punching bag lifted up off the ground before it flew across the room, crashing loudly against the nearest wall. The action causing both men in the room to watch the punching bag as it shot across the room like a projectile weapon, the seams on the bag splitting upon impact causing the sand to come loose creating even dust clouds that were slow to settle, turning her attention back to the guy who had been doubting her she lowered her shoulders, watching him simply scoff off everything that she had just done, "I'll replace the light-bulb. You replace my equipment."
Relaxing her body she quickly flicked her attention over to where Charles stood, her eyes lingering on the slightly amused expression on his face, though she could see something else hidden in his features, something else laying there underneath his warm smile... apprehension, though why she wasn't quite sure. Shoving her hands deeper into her pockets she scoffed out a laugh at Logan's words causing her to purse her lips, her eyebrow raising slightly as she gave him a look that unmistakably said 'In your dreams'.
Where he had gotten the idea that she was going to replace his equipment was completely beyond her, she was there for two reasons and two reasons only: to learn how to control whatever it was that she had, and to get out of the house that had become her prison after her brother had died. Watching as Charles turned away from them, she took the last couple of steps of the staircase, moving out of the way as he began to head back upstairs exchanging a look with Logan before he moved any further, "Logan, I have a few files I'd like to go over. Would you mind keeping Jean company while she settles into her room?"
Seeming to ignore the request asked of him completely, she watched on as Logan made his way over to the wall where the punching bag had exploded, her lips parting slightly as she kept her eyes on him, watching as he leant over picking up something that seemed to be hidden underneath the sand and dust, shifting in her place slightly she watched him stand up straight again, using his hand to brush off the debris that she had inadvertently caused to fall all over his leather jacket, "I ain't no babysitter Charles. Freckles can do that herself. She lives here now don't she?"
"Hey... You know, if the puppy doesn't want to do his job, then by all means don't force him into doing it..." Rolling her eyes she shook her head softly, listening to the two of them conversing with one another about which of them was the next to babysit her, the conversation clearly beginning to wear thin on her patience causing her frustration to grow and bubble away within her again, reminding her of the types of things that she had heard her aunt and mother talking about over the past years. Pulling her hands out of her pockets she lifted her hand up, slipping her fingers into her hair she pushed the long red locks back off her face, a small smirk playing over her lips as she continued, "..Besides... He doesn't look very capable of handling someone like me-... Or simple tasks for that matter..." a
"Indulge me." The reply from Charles was blunt, she could hear the firmness in both his tone and expression, clearly showing him that there was going to be no argument in this matter, even she could see that he wasn't going to take no for an answer, the Professor once more making his way up the stairs, leaving the two of them standing together in a rather palpable silence, bringing her arms up once he had left she crossed them over her chest, her gaze turning back to linger on Logan's figure for a few moments before she spoke out, "I can find my own way, I don't need someone like...you hovering over me like a vulture watching my every move..."
"Oh I'm more than capable, Freckles. Which makes me over-qualified for this position." Raising her eyebrow slightly she watched on as he huffed and slung his leather jacket over his shoulder, his finger hooked into the small loop in the collar of the material, his hand resting back on his sweaty shoulder as he began to walk, his path lined straight with her though she knew he was most likely just going to walk right by her, giving her the impression that he was going to leave her alone to figure things out on her own. Tightening her arms over her chest, she followed his movements, each footstep bringing him closer and closer as he closed the gap between them, her body stiffening as she both watched and felt him come to a stop beside where she stood causing her stomach muscles to tense up, and her jaw to clench at the close proximity they were sharing.
"..As long as you believe that, then I guess that's all that matters... So good for you." Keeping her arms defensively crossed over her chest she narrowed her eyes, not bothering to hide it as she let her light blue orbs flick over his profile, taking her time to take in his features so that she could get used to them, the young woman knowing that she was going to be seeing a lot more of him now that she was living in within the school. Lifting her gaze to catch him once more she let her lips part slightly, her body relaxing under his gaze though she made no attempt to move, keeping their bodies close to one another as she showed him that she wasn't going to be one to back down.
"You know, I kind of like puppy better. Can't stand birds." Lifting her head up slightly she watched as his lips flicked up into a forced smile, the guy holding eye contact with her before he turned his head back to the direction he was facing, his free arm raising as she gestured to the path that was lain out just in front of him as well as just behind her, "Just through there. Take a right. Couple steel doors will catch your attention. If you've got the strength... or... whatever it is you can, try and pry one of 'em open. Inside you'll find a cot and a blanket. You're the first one here so take your pick, but it won't matter much, they are all the same except maybe... third one on the left has a busted pipe. Bit of water dripping down the walls."
"Well, how kind of you to warn me about the water on the walls puppy. I'll be sure to keep that in mind when I start picking out the wallpaper I want to put up..." Dropping her arms slightly she grabbed hold of the strap of one of her bags, her gaze once more connecting with his own as he tilted his head just a little, the man looking back at her through the corners of his eyes, though what was going through his mind was something she couldn't even begin to know without trying to gain access herself, something that she had already said that she wasn't going to do.
"Whatever life you had before... you must've been really desperate to come here. Welcome home kid. You're among freaks now." Turning her body around only slightly she followed his movements with her eyes, watching as he headed down the hallway, making his way towards a separate opening which he gestured for her to go through herself, the young woman putting two and two together and though she hadn't exactly been watching where he had been telling her to go, she knew that was the direction that she had to go to get herself a room.
"To answer your curiosity, I was desperate to leave that cage... And I don't ever plan on going back to that house... No force on Earth could make me go back there..." Turning her body she faced him completely, her eyes dropping for only a few seconds before she lifted them back up to linger on his retreating figure, tightening her grip on the strap of her bag she hesitated for a few moments before relaxing once again, her head tilting slightly as she spoke again, "And Logan... Thank you..."
"Red." Watching as he stopped just before turning the corner she shifted her weight, leaning over her right hip again as she kept her eyes on his figure, his head turning so that he was looking at her from over his shoulder, catching his eyes once more she furrowed her brows in confusion at the single word that he gave her, her eyes searching his for what it was he was actually trying to tell her, his own eyes flicking up to her hair causing his smile to widen and a small wink to be shot her way, a small genuine smile gracing her own lips matching that of his own, "For your wallpaper. I'd go with red. An easy color to get used to."
"Red..." Letting her gaze wander from his for only a few seconds, she let his words sink in as she nodded her head gently thinking on what it was he had said, her smile growing slightly as she began to get used to the idea of having herself surrounded by such a vibrant color, even with having to live with it every day of her life thanks to the genes that had caused her hair to take on the bright tone, lifting her hand up she reached back scooping her long locks over her shoulder as though showing him that she was liking the idea he had come up with, "I'll keep that in mind..."
Waiting until he had turned the corner and left her alone, she headed off down the hallway herself in the direction that he had pointed out to her earlier, her eyes flicking up to look over the large steel doors that were on either side of her, her step slowing until she came to a complete stop in front of one of them, furrowing her brows slightly she focused her mind on the door, watching it swing open causing a large bang to sound as it slammed back against the wall causing her to jump once again.
Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, holding it for a few moments before she let it out, allowing her feet to carry her across the threshold and into the room that she had chosen as her own, moving over to the cot that was resting in the corner of the room she lifted her hands up, removing the bags one by one, dropping them down onto the top of it before she glanced around, removing her jacket as she slowly forced herself to try and get used to her new surroundings.
Present Day...
4.45am - October 26th, 1946.
Lifting her hand up from the bar she let it run over her face, her other hand closing around the outside of the glass that she had been nursing for the last fifteen minutes, once again pulling herself back to the present she lowered her gaze, her eyes coming to rest on the glass watching herself as she swirled the contents for a moment before lifting the cold glass up to her lips. Closing her eyes she let her lips part as she tilted the glass, letting the liquid slip into her mouth and down her throat leaving a slight burning sensation thanks to the late night-cap, lowering the glass slightly as she heard a door closing she turned her attention over to the staircase as though slightly expectant on seeing someone.
Lowering her glass down to rest on the bar-top she remained silent for a few seconds, her expression relaxing slightly as she watched Logan make his way down the staircase, their eyes meeting for a few moments, long enough for him to give her a look as though asking her what and why it was that she was up at this time of the night when they both knew that they had to be rested and available for when the others arrived in a mere few hours time, "I know... I know... It's the same as last time, I couldn't sleep, thought I could find some help here rather than just laying around staring at the roof of the bunker."
Replacing the whiskey back to it's place on the shelf, she once more grabbed up the glass this time placing it down in the sink before she made her way back around the bar, her bare feet making soft thuds against the ground as she wandered across the room and over to where he was standing, bringing her arms up she crossed them back over her chest her step slowing as she grew closer to him, her eyes searching his for a few moments before she leant up on the balls of her feet, her body leaning inwards bringing the two of them closer against each other her hand coming up to rest softly on his shoulder, her lips parting slightly though she held back keeping only inches between the two of them as though she had thought better of herself, pulling away reluctantly she turned and headed back towards the staircase slowly her gaze flicking back to meet with his once more before she disappeared back down into the bunker in an attempt to get some more sleep for the rest of the night, "Night Logan, don't get into too much trouble without me..."
Iris had not even fully entered the building before she was greeted by another girl with a french accent. For some reason, seeing the womans thick brown locks made her reach up and touch her blonde hair, wondering how the girl's hair looked so nice. She shrugged off the jelous twinge she felt and closed the door behind her as she finished walking through the door. Sophia was her name. It was fitting with her obvious french accent that only made the girl seem even more beautiful than Iris was.
Wait... where the hell was this sudden jelousy comming from? Iris wasn't one to worry about her looks, as she was quite content with them.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she looked around the dimly lit room, not yet answering the girl who introduced herself. She moved the black umbrella that was giving her shade and closed it, deeming the room dark enough for her to feel comfortable. Folding the umbrella up, she placed it at the side of the door before moving over to the girl who sat at the bar. Iris took a seat next to her, pointedly ignoring the outstretched had that was extended to her and eyed the woman for a moment before introducung herself.
"Iris... my name's Iris. I was more forced to come here rather than persuaded... and I suppose we are the first ones here." she paused and looked at the other girl for a second longer before reaching out to touch a bit of the girls hair, taking a thin cluster in her fingers and twirling it. She said nothing, just examined the brown lock of hair and admiring how smooth it was. Then she would let it go and touch her own hair. It too was soft, but not as thick and shiny as Sophia's. Why was that?
"How do you get your hair like that?" she asked, wanting to know the woman's secret.
The obvious fact that this girl was really attractive made Iris wilt a little as she couldn't help but compare her body with that of the other girls. The french girl had longer legs than her, clearly taller, she had nice tanned and glowing skin that made Iris look like a corpse in her paleness, and the bitch even had bigger breasts than her. Perhaps all those things had something to do with the sun....right? Sun-kissed. That was a thing. Iris was sooo far from sun-kissed.
Boy, did she already want to go home.
She had to find something else to look at before the girl assumed she was attracted to her or something. A scowl formed on her face though as she realized there was no way out of this conversation now that she had responded. She was anticipating the girl launching into some kind of self praising rant since Iris had complimented her. Where the hell was Erik anyway? If he was here, maybe she could avoid a conversation by pretending to be here just to see him. Trying not to make it known she was uncomfortable with holding a conversation, she forced a small smile and just bit down on her resolve to sit through it.
Erik stood at the streetlight outside the Bakery that was run by Iris's family and waited patiently for her to come out, not knowing she had already left prior to his arrival. He had a feeling she may need a bit more convincing to show up to the school. After waiting for a while, he decided there was no trouble in going in. When he passed through the door, a small bell jingled annoyingly and he resisted the urge to immediately stop the sound by crumpling the thing. Taking the few strides to the front counter, he gave a smile to the older gentleman who he assumed to be her dad.
"Excuse me, sir. I'm looking for Iris, is she here?" he asked in his polite voice. His smile dropped when the man shook his head and told him that Iris had left about an hour ago. Nodding, he looked over to the menu and thought it a good idea to buy something. The Vatrushka he had the week prior was really good. After a moment of pondering he decided on a sandwhich displayed as a special.
"Can I order.... " he paused, thinking of ordering something for all the students he hoped were supposed to be arriving. Also, Logan along with himself would probably eat three each. Not Charles. He'd probably barely finish one. The sissy.
Wait... could he tell what Erik was thinking?
He was brought out of his thoughts when the man cleared his throat, gesturing to the few people behind him.
"Ah, right. I'll take... a dozen of your turkey subs, with everything on them." After he paid, he moved out of the way of the line and went to sit in the same spot he did a week before, waiting for his order to be finished. Absently he removed his coin from his pocket and began rolling it over his fingers as he waited, soon becoming lost in thought.
New York, Stumble-In Bar, October 19th, 1926 5:00 P.M.
5:00pm rolled past as afternoon turned into evening, the arid environment of the 'Stumble-In' bar soon began to fill with the overlapping chatter of men wanting a drink after a long day's work. People from all walks of life: Laborers, veterans, farmers, bankers and more from all walks of life came together under the same pretense - there without prejudice.
In a dimly lit corner booth sat the man formerly known as Agent Zero. Though he had all but abandoned his former title, his codename, it still held some personal significance to him. Memories, maybe, though horrifying as they may be.
He could still smell it: the pride and the fear, the rush and heat of battle, the way his hands and arms would tingle with each pull of the trigger. Death in his hands.
It didn't matter who: German, Japanese, or civilian. All of them a statistic, a number, one for the record books. David could still remember Octavius' words ringing out in his mind as the two of them sat for dinner one night in the pastor's large home.
The old man spoke of righteous anger, God's anger, and the difference between it and murder. David would spend hours awake at night, asking questions, sharing fears. He had lost himself in the firing of mortar and shell, explosions ringing in his ears. 'How could a loving God let this happen?' He would ask, filled with horror at being in the presence of Death itself. But it wouldn't be until years later when he realized. God is not responsible for Man's actions - Man was, in their boundless free will and infantile cruelty. Children waging war amongst themselves, then blaming their conflicts on their God, in hopes of easing the burden; the guilt.
Opening his eyes slowly, David looked about his surroundings, a small frown teasing at the corner of his lips. Chasing ghosts, that was what he was reduced to; navigated by rumors alone as he had been following a muddled and twisted trail, looking for his sister, the only one left who he could call family.
David's reverie of thought, however, was quickly interrupted by the sound of heavy bootsteps heading his way, their pace and speed hinting that, whoever was walking towards him wasn't in the mood for friendly conversation.
Adrenaline kicked in, his old war instincts moving muscle for him as, in an instant, David was on his feet, swiftly drawing one of his Colts from under his jacket and pointing it in the direction of his pursuer, just in time to see three long metal claws protruding from a man's fist, just inches away from his face. The man appeared more animal than human; teeth bared and snarling, the look of a predator in his eyes, ready to go for the kill.
"What kind of shit are you trying to pull?" The burly man asked in a gruff tone, his already dark expression darkening even more given the ambience of the bar which had (rather quickly) gone silent as the scene unfolded around them.
Initially silent himself, David kept his finger held on the trigger, appearing to size his opponent up and down, showing no visible fear at the claws dangerously close to his skull, keeping an almost hardened expression.
He slowly began lowering his pistol as his expression turned from one of cool focus to that of remembrance, recognition.
"Wolverine..." David said in a hushed manner, keeping his gaze fixed on his former teammate, unsure what to say, do, or think.
"I always thought it would be Odysseus running into me." He eventually commented, keeping his expression neutral as he had no idea what to make of the situation currently at hand.
Snarling, clearly not amused by David's response, the man identified as Wolverine retracted his claws back into his fist with the blink of an eye, however this was only so he could wrap a meaty fist around the collar of David's shirt without complications and pushed him back into the wall with enough force that the wooden panels behind him creaked and groaned under the pressure.
"Odysseus isn't here, just you and me, bub. Start talking."
Nostrils flaring, Wolverine raised his opposite hand, the metalic claws still out, unlike the fist he had around David's shirt that kept him pinned to the wall, and pointed them back to David's skull to ensure he stayed put.
"What is there to discuss?" David asked strainedly, instinctively tilting his head back as best as he could.
"Don't. Fuck. With me!" Wolverine growled in an extremely low tone, adjusting his grip which resulted in a seam somewhere splitting on David's shirt. "I saw you die. Now you're going to tell me what the hell is going on here, or we're going to find out if you can do that little party trick again." Wolverine moved his fist a mite bit closer to David's face, the very tip of the middle claw tickling against David's cheek to prove his point.
"Operation Morning Star..." David began, his typically deep voice becoming raspier the more pressure Wolverine put on his collar. "Survived the fall, don't know how. I blacked out then woke up lying facedown in the snow. What happened with the mission, with the Team?" He asked, swallowing painfully.
Wolverine's eyes narrowed on David, seeming to surmise something about his words - to find any fault, though he seemed to find none since his grip on his shirt lessened, eventually letting go altogether.
"You pissed your sister off. We got what we needed, and she got the hell out. I walked out after her, but she'd already gone her own way." Wolverine said without a stitch of remorse or regret in his voice, only hardened... cynical. "I haven't seen her, Jaeger or Odysseus since..." Wolverine took a step back, putting distance between them again. His eyes looked David up and down. "And I certainly wasn't expecting to see you again either..."
Dusting off the collar of his now-much-baggier shirt, David took a moment to take a full breath before responding, "Neena? Do you have any idea where she could have gone?" David let out a small sigh before continuing on,
"I pray for her safety every day...though my search has turned up less than fruitful. God willing, I'll find her."
"God's got nothing to do with it." Wolverine was quick to reply, but rather than it turn into a debate, he pressed on. "Domino and I were close, but your death snapped something in her. She never told me where she went. She was done with the mission, and done with the Army. Frankly, I don't blame her. She's gonna kill you herself if you ever find her."
David couldn't help a small smirk at Wolverine's words. His sister was always the more hot-tempered of the two. He had no doubt that when - if they were reunited, she'd have more than a few choice words for him.
"I've been looking for her for the last few months now. After I fell I stayed in a small village in Germany, under the care of a Methodist preacher. I've only been back in America a short time, but I cling onto what little hope I still have." David answered, letting out another short sigh of fatigue and anxiety.
Shaking his head, Wolverine finally retracted his claws on the one hand in favor of being able to cross his arms over his broad chest.
"Checking a bar for Domino is a bit spot-on, but she aint here. You're gonna have to widen your search-" Something dawned on Wolverine there, David could see it in his face. Wolverine uncrossed his arms and used a hand to scratch his gristled chin. "Actually... I might know someone that can find her for you... at least be able to tell you were she is..."
David said nothing at Wolverine's words, simply offering the older man an inquisitive glance. Even during the War, words were few - actions became the main form of communication. Wolverine and Odysseus lived in that world. A world of stoic silence.
Wolvering looked to him, as though expecting him to say something, but once he gathered that he would be remaining silent, he continued.
"I've been involved with a... well... different sort of work while I've been here in New York. There's a man... a man like... well like the X Team... special. He might be able to help ya out." Wolverine paused, seeming to think something over in his mind before he started up again. "Listen, why don't you stop by The Old Rose on the 26th, 10-am. It's just down 43rd. Looks abandoned, but me and a couple fellas own the place now. Just stop by and I'll get ya introduced; see what he can do, if anything."
David nodded slowly, clearly taking in Wolverine's words. "More mutants...Perhaps God has heard me." He said with a small smile tugging on the corner of his lips.
"I'll be there..." He assured Wolverine simply, remembering the location in his head. "You have my gratitude." He said next, holding out his right hand to shake.
Wolverine just seemed to look at him for a moment before extending out his hand to shake, gripping it firmly and shook it once.
"I'll only say this once and deny ever saying it should you ever bring it up, and I still have no idea how the hell you pulled it of... but I'm glad ya ain't dead, Zero."
David couldn't help but feel somewhat strange at the mention of his old codename, something he had try to bury in memory, in history. Nonetheless, he smiled lightly, "Me too, Wolverine...me too." With that, he gave a brisk nod to his former teammate before moving past him and out the door. There was much to think on...
New York, 'Old Rose' Bar, October 26th, 1946 8:53 A.M.
David could feel it, the light pinpricking droplets of a typical autumn sprinkle, giving the busy New York street a wet, misty air to it. though David didn't mind. It brought him comfort, almost, as with the rain came life. Water. One of God's many gifts to mankind.
Soon his destination came into view, 'The Old Rose'. True to its name, the building looked to be in some state of disrepair, with the windows boarded up, the signs faded and worn from being exposed to the elements. Yet...David could tell the building wasn't truly dead. Insinct, maybe.
Making sure no one was explicitly watching, David stepped up to the front door, brushing away some gathered dust and slowly opening it, stepping into what he felt was a completely different building.
Whereas the outside was worn and dying, the inside looked refurbished, revitalized. The floors were freshly polished and cleaned, any scratches and marks had been filled or otherwise covered, the bar was freshly stocked, electricity seemed to be working efficiently. It was generally a welcoming environment to be in.
David's sight instantly landed on two women, both appearing to be a couple years younger than he was. Looking at the two of them, he could instantly detect glaring differences between them. One was radiant, full of life with a pleasant face, attractive curves, full dark hair and a generally positive aura. The other was pale, almost sickly so, with long, thin blonde hair, a petite, stick-thin figure, and a very fatigued look about her. But David could only offer a small smile in her direction. Something about her....intrigued him. Like she was lost, in her own mind, maybe.
Approaching the duo with a certain stride to his step that only came with soldiers, David unzipped his old bomber jacket before breaking the silence. "I suppose the two of you are here for the same reasons I am, yes?" He asked curiously, his tone very calm and composed, though one could easily pick up his rather strange accent.
"David Thurman." He began again, introducing himself with a brisk nod of his head. He knew that it was likely his old nickname would come up sooner or later. But now, at the moment he didn't want to be Zero...too many harsh memories. Right now he would be David - well-disposed, helpful, kind....innocent.
Syleste Nioré - Present Day/Flashback - The Bunker
One Week Ago...
Her soft pink lips parted as she began to stir in her bed, the sun streaming in through her bedroom window causing the rays hitting her to warm up her body, her lips turning up in a gentle smile as the sensation spread through her, opening her eyes slowly she let her brilliant blue orbs stare unseeingly out at what was in front of her, the young woman happy to enjoy the silence and aura that surrounded her. Pushing her hands into the mattress she shifted herself into a sitting position, her legs sliding around and off the bed so that the balls of her bare feet brushed lightly against the rug covering the floor, her shoulders curling over slightly as she tried to stifle the small yawn escaping through her lips while she lifted her arms up, soft cracks sounding as she stretched getting ready for the day ahead of her.
Sliding herself forward and off the edge of the bed she stood up, the soft fibers of wool pushing their way in between her toes causing her to lift her hand up to her mouth, the action muffling the already soft giggle coming from her as wool brushed back and forth with her steps, tickling the souls of her feet with every move she made. Once used to the sensation over her feet she relaxed her body, her arm reaching out so that her fingertips gently brushed against the furniture and walls of her bedroom, the paths already memorized though she still took caution for her the sake of her mothers worry. Moving slowly she made her way around the room, her step slowing to a stop only once she had found what it was she was actually looking for, pulling open the doors of her closet she reached inside of it, placing her hands on the clothes that were neatly hung and lined out in front of her, her fingers playing lightly with the material they were made of.
"Silk... Tulle...Organza... Denim... Ah, found you..." Smiling brightly she pulled out one of the dresses that was hanging in front of her, her hands quickly working to pull it onto her body before she reached out once more, though this time it was so that she could search through her clothes for her cardigan; the process repeating itself until she was completely dressed and ready for the day. Closing the doors she slid her fingertips over the furniture once more, this time making her way out of her room and through the house, her free hand reaching out as she felt herself grow nearer to the front door, sliding her hands over the wood she pulled it open enough to let herself out, the soft and gentle breeze blowing past her causing stray strands of her long golden locks to dance and her smile to grow.
Closing her eyes she lowered her arms back down to her sides as she let her ears be her guides, her breathing almost completely silent as she listened carefully to the sounds that were around her, the gentle creaking of wood and chains catching her attention causing her to turn, her feet carrying her over the covered porch to where a large hanging seat was located. Leaning over she reached out towards where she could hear it swinging back and forth, her hand slowly finding the seat before sliding over the wood so that she knew exactly where it was, keeping her hand pressed lightly against it she turned her body, lowering herself down onto it as she once more relaxed, her breathing soft as she listened to the life that was surrounding her on the base.
"There's a certain peace to be found in nature, isn't there?" Came a mysterious voice, breaking the relative silence. Though she could not see him, she would be able to detect his voice as being merely a few feet in front of her, just at the foot of the stairs that led up to the porch.
Letting pause for a moment, the voice then continued, "My name is Dr. Charles Xavier, I believe I spoke on the phone with your mother a few days ago. You must be Syleste, then...it's a pleasure to meet you." The voice finished as the subtle sound of the creaking stairs met her ears, the light sounds of his footsteps supplemented by the heavy, almost rhythmic tapping of his wooden cane as he reached the porch itself.
Turning her head only slightly as she heard the sound of a new voice entering the area around her, she slowly let her unseeing eyes scan the area around her until she was looking in his general direction, a warm and welcoming smile crossing over her lips as she sat up a little straighter, her hands resting on either side of her legs as she listened to him introducing himself to her,"Doctor Xavier, my parents mentioned to me at dinner last night, that you were coming over today to meet with me."
Lifting her hand up from the seat she was perched on, she held her left hand out in his general direction for him to shake, her other arm coming up as she reached back behind her scooping her long wavy blonde locks around and over her shoulder, letting them rest there while she politely introduced herself in return, "You're correct, my name is Syleste, but the pleasure is all mine sir."
"We have much to discuss, if your parents are home. Would you like to go inside?" Charles asked, taking her hand and shaking it firmly, a soft smile on his face, though he knew she'd be unable to see it.
He had easily picked up what her powers were, dream and sleep manipulation. Quite uncommon a power, almost wholly unique.
Lowering her hand back down to the seat she was perched on, she pushed herself back up to her feet, her hands coming together in front of her body as she nodded, showing him that she had understood what he had meant by his words, "My father is in a meeting right now with some of the other generals on the base, but my mother is home. I think she's in the kitchen, at least that's where she was when I came down from my room."
Turning her head in the general direction of the door she began to move, her bare feet lightly brushing over the ground as she walked, the young woman keeping close attention to the unique scent that was wafting towards her over the gentle breeze, the rich smell of cologne mixed with alcohol and dust letting her know exactly where it was he stood as she reached out pushing open the door, holding onto the wood she followed its path until she had completely turned around now facing his direction, "Please, come inside. I'll see if I can find my mum for you to talk to."
"Thank you." Charles bid politely as he stepped inside, scanning the interior of the house for a few moments. There was a certain comforting feel to it, an aura that all family homes should have. He couldn't help but remember his own childhood, stuck in his family's mansion. One could have luxury, yes, but without companionship...he was little more than a bird in a gilded cage.
Listening closely to his footfalls as he passed her by she closed the door behind him, her warm expression never leaving her face as she moved further into the house, her right hand held away from her body slightly so that her fingertips could brush over the objects around her, though it was out of habit rather than necessity, the young woman having lived her whole life with rarely a change to her environment, "Please, make yourself comfortable Dr. Xavier, I'll see if I can find my mother for you."
Nodding her head to him once she confidently made her way through the room, her soft pink lips parting slightly as she neared the doorway that led into the kitchen, her hand coming up to brush over the already open door as she slipped inside, disappearing as she went on a search for her mother in the last place she had heard her.
"I appreciate the hospitality." Charles commented sincerely before easing himself into a chair, taking a few moments to try and clean up his appearance as best as he could.
Moving back out the kitchen, this time accompanied by a slightly older though still very beautiful blonde woman, she made her way confidently back to where she knew he had been standing a few moments before she had left in the first place, the older woman smiling warmly as she passed her daughter by, the back of her hand gently brushing against her daughters arm in the direction that she was going, moving around to the seat beside the one he was in the woman sat down, keeping a close eye on her daughter as the young girl moved over to the large piano before taking a seat on the stool.
"Dr. Xavier, my daughter mentioned that you had arrived. My name is Elaine; please forgive my husband for not being present, the life of a general is never truly a settled one." Turning her attention back to where he was seated once she was sure Syleste was okay where she was sitting, she allowed her smile to grow wider while still remaining quite warm, her hands resting softly on her lap as she spoke, "We briefly explained to Syleste about the nature of your visit, however thought it best for you to explain in detail, we did not wish to give her false or incorrect information."
"Of course, I understand completely. It's a pleasure to meet you." Charles responded amicably, keeping his left hand seated atop his cane while his right lay flat against his bad leg, which seemed to almost be dangling in the air; whether this was due to Charles' own intervention or he simply couldn't feel the limb enough to move it was debatable.
"Your daughter, Mrs. Nioré, is incredibly special. There are certain individuals born with an adaptation in their DNA, an added strand I call the X-Gene. Those who have such a gene are granted the ability to use a variety of powers and abilities, ranging from something as simple as starting a flame in one's hand to manipulating matter at an atomic level. What causes such a mutation is still shrouded in mystery, though I do know it is highly rare." Charles took a moment of pause, letting them both acknowledge his words before continuing.
"I have founded a school, along with my good friend Dr. Erik Lehnsherr to house these gifted individuals, these mutants, as we typically call them. It provides a safe and welcoming environment for them to learn more about their abilities, to learn to control them better. Our funds are....low and we're forced to operate out of a...less-than-ideal building. But I find that it's the fellowship that's far more important than fancy technologies." Charles finished with a soft smile, shifting in his seat slightly.
"My husband and I couldn't agree with you more, and it's unfortunate that we have been unable to provide our daughter with the luxury of constant friendship due to the job and current position that he upholds. We wish for nothing but the best for her, and her safety and happiness is our first priority..." Frowning slightly Elaine allowed her worry to cross over her features as she turned her head watching her daughter as she crossed her ankles under the piano stool, lifting her hand up from her lap she rubbed her forehead for a moment before turning back to Charles.
"If it is alright with you, I would like to hear more about these facilities... I want to give her every opportunity in life that I can, however, I just want to know that I'm making the right choice for my daughter's future..." Sitting forward in her chair she perched herself on the edge, her fingers nervously playing with themselves as she waited for the answers that she sought, answers that would help her provide her daughter with the future she needed.
"The War's end and the effects of the Great Depression have severely limited our options for a school building. The best facility Dr. Lehnsherr and I could find was an old bar, which we refurbished to the best of our abilities. The building had an additional military bunker added to the basement for any emergency purposes, as well as functioning as the dormitories and classroom for the school. We currently have three teachers, including myself, and we are all highly qualified for our respective classes. My own abilities enable me to....monitor things, very accurately to ensure all students are safe and sound. Any and all alcohol on the premises is banned to those underage, but most, if not all of our students are eighteen or older, which will give Syleste her own peer group." Charles explained, trying to be as straightforward and honest as possible.
"You share in this same x-gene as my daughter, Dr. Xavier..? It is comforting to know that she won't be on her own throughout her life, that she might finally be able to have friends in which she has in common... Though I do still hold worry over her well-being..." Sighing softly she lowered her gaze down to her hands in her lap, watching as she picked at one of her nails, her mind filled with worry and doubts about the whole situation, "Her condition... It will set her apart from the rest of the children-..."
"My mother worries about me too much. My parents are scared that my blindness will keep me from being able to fit in with any of the others who go to your school." Lifting her hand up Syleste gently brushed back some of her long blonde locks, neatly tucking them back behind her ear as she spoke the words she knew her mother was trying to avoid saying out loud for them all to hear.
"Yes, I share the same genetic trait, though my abilities, like hers, are more subtle in nature. I'm what's known as a telepath." Charles explained briefly before moving his right hand up to the side of his temple, his eyes falling on Elaine.
Images instantly began to flood his mind, playing in front of him like a hundred cinemas at once: images of bullying, of cruelty, of late nights spent comforting a sobbing daughter.
Wincing sharply as though he had been struck by a sharp blow to the cheek, Charles lowered his hand abruptly, a certain heaviness settling in his heart.
"Syleste has...experienced what many mutants have gone through, though her own abuse was not even due to her mutation. What I'm offering you, Mrs. Nioré is a safe haven for her. I cannot guarantee that every student will not bring up her blindness at some point or another; teenagers are teenagers. But I can assure you with complete sincerity that she will experience no abuse or bullying in my school." Charles finished with resolve in his voice, a certain confidence to his words, as though he, himself believed them wholeheartedly.
"She has been through much... Most of these things, these cruel and nasty things, by those she has grown up around, and I understand that my husband and I can't protect her from this... It is something she will always have to live with, and here she will have to live with it each and every time she encounters those she's grown up knowing." Biting her lower lip as she thought about what Charles had said, Elaine continued to stare down at her lap for a few moments longer before she finally lifted her gaze back up to meet his, her lip slipping from between her teeth as she continued on, giving him her final answer on his offer.
"We just want her to have the best chance that she can have... and from what you've told me, her best chance is with you, at this school, where she will have that fresh start to make friends, ones that accept her for who she is... You have our full co-operation and support, we would like to take you up on your offer, however..." Pausing for a moment she lowered her gaze, her head turning as she glanced over at where Syleste was sitting silently once more, her eyes fixated on that of her daughters, "..The final choice is hers to make..."
"You won't regret your decision." Charles assured with a small smile to the both of them, though he grew quiet to let the girl think and decide for herself.
"You want me to leave and go with this man..? But... we barely even know him..." Biting her lower lip softly Syleste shook her head, her hands slipping away from one another as she let them drop from her lap, her palms resting on the piano stool for a few moments before she turned herself around on it, her back now facing the both of them as she turned her head down, her unseeing eyes fixated on the keys of the piano, lifting her hand up she let her fingers brush lightly over the ivory as she let her mind wander over the things that she had heard during the conversation, her already cloudy eyes seeming to glaze over slightly as she allowed herself to be lost in her own thoughts.
"I'm asking you to take a leap of faith." Charles replied in a serious, yet open tone, slowly rising up from his chair with great emphasis on his cane before limping towards her spot on the piano stool.
"You know..." He began, switching subjects for a brief moment as he took in her apparent fondness for the instrument. "I do have a piano at the school I like to play from time to time. I find it brings me comfort and solace when I need time to be alone, to think. I'd be more than happy to let you play it, if you'd like." Charles offered with a small half-smile, letting his free hand glide along the smooth shined surface of the instrument.
"You know how to play?" Turning her head in the direction of his voice she furrowed her brows curiously, her head tilting as she listened to what he was saying to her, his offer at being able to use the piano that they had at the school adding temptation to her answer, though her life on the base was all that she knew, and leaving her family was a daunting thought in any case.
Dropping her attention back down to the keys she lightly pressed down on one of them, the note soft though still ringing out around the room they were occupying, "My father likes to sit and listen to me when I practice... I know that he wants me to go with you. He wants me to say yes and go to this school..."
"Don't do what your father would want you to do, Syleste. Do what you want to do. This is one-hundred percent your choice. If you don't think you're comfortable leaving or that you'd rather stay home, then tell me and I'll walk right out this door." Charles reassured her sincerely. He could sympathize with her, honestly. It was one thing to be a mutant...but to be encountered by a stranger and potentially leave your family for an unknown amount of time to follow said-stranger to a school of other strangers?
"This isn't an easy decision, I know. It will require bravery and hope." Charles added, his tone empathetic.
"You have to ask yourself honestly: Do you want this? If you think you do, then I guarantee my school will be the best place for you. But don't rush - think."
"Hope..." Sighing softly she let her fingers glide over the keys before she let them slip off the piano altogether, her hand dropping back down to her lap as she thought about all the reasons and promises at a better life that had been offered, "I want to belong... To not get teased by people I thought were my friends..."
Turning her head she looked back to where she could smell his cologne, her brows furrowing slightly as she tilted her head, "If I go with you, would I be able to see my parents still..? Or is that not allowed..?"
"You'll be in an environment with people like you, Syleste. You won't have to worry about being teased. We're a school of teased people, of teenagers who felt they should hide who they are for fear of being made fun of, discriminated, or potentially even physically attacked." Charles began, though he took a few moments to think towards the second point of her question.
"We'd like it if each student spent the first week or two taking time for themselves to get used to the school's environment and to get to know their classmates. But after that period there's nothing wrong with making a phone call or sending a letter." He explained in a reasonable tone, gaze falling to Syleste's mother to gauge her reaction or opinion.
"So... I won't be able to see them other then when I'm asleep..." Turning her head she let her unseeing gaze turn over to where she believed her mother was sitting, the older woman shifting under the cloudy gaze before turning her head down to look at her hands. Lifting her hand up, Syleste ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it back off her face as she thought about what to do, "..I see... I guess I can see them in my sleep... I really do want a chance at fitting in and being normal..."
"Then I urge you to take that chance, to learn more about yourself and others." Charles replied in an unwavering tone. He could see it, the confliction. She wanted the opportunity, but didn't want to leave her family for so long.
Charles couldn't help but feel a slight pang of bitterness inside. When he was young, it was a treat to even see his parents, let alone be able to talk to them as a family should.
Nodding slowly at first, she turned her head back down to face the keys of the piano that she was sitting in front of, her hand returning back to her lap as she thought about the decision she was making, her fingers playing with the folds of her dress at the realization that she might not be able to see her family again, "I understand... I would like to take a place within you're school... if that is okay..."
Unable to help the wide smile that crossed his features, Charles responded with a simple, "Of course."
He looked back once more at Syleste's mother before expounding, "We don't have much, yet, so we encourage each student to bring whatever furnishings they would like for their dormitory, so long as they can carry it."
Nodding in understanding, Elaine stood up, her feet carrying her across the room and over to where they were, her hand lifting up to rest softly on her daughters shoulder, doing her best to keep the sadness she felt out of her voice, though she was unable to keep the worry from flashing across her eyes, the woman obviously not wanting her daughter to see how hard it was for her to let her go, "Unfortunately my daughter is not able to carry too much on her own, the last few times have ended with visits from the nurse that works here on base..."
Lifting her hand up from her daughters shoulder, she ran her fingers through Syleste's hair, staying silent for a few moments as she gently smoothed it out, her hand eventually coming to a rest back where it had begun, "Is there any possible way to get around this? I would take her all the way to the school myself, however I'm needed here, I will only be able to take her as far as seeing her off at the station."
"I can make an arrangement with the station, see about keeping her luggage secure until it's time for her trip. Does that sound adequate?" Charles responded kindly, now resting both hands on his cane as he looked at Elaine, a soft smile on his face.
"Thank you Professor, I think we can make those arrangements work." Smiling softly Elaine nodded, her hand gently slipping from her daughters shoulder so that she was now rubbing her back, her mind wandering back over the conversation to make sure that she had all the details that she needed to help get her daughter ready for the life that was awaiting her, "I'll be sure to have all her things ready and waiting. Just let me know where she's going and when you need her there by, and I'll be sure to make arrangements to get her there."
Present Day...
9.03am - October 26th, 1946.
Biting her lower lip softly as she felt the car she had been riding in slowed to a stop, she turned her head towards where she she could feel the door pressing against her arm, her light blue unseeing eyes staring out at what she could only imagine was the bar in which she was supposed to be starting school, the nerves bubbling away in her stomach causing her to turn her attention down to her lap, her fingers lightly playing with the hem of her dress. Jumping slightly as she heard the door opening beside her, she lifted her head back up, her soft pink lips parting slightly as she felt a warm touch brushing lightly against her hand, letting her know that the man that had been driving her where she needed to go was ready to help her out of the car, "Miss. Nioré, we've arrived at the location that you're mother advised me to bring you... However, the address seems to be the location of an old run down bar..."
"Oh, no... That's correct, I'm meeting someone here. You have brought me to the right place, please don't worry about that." Shifting her hand slightly she took a hold of his, using his guidance and help to step out of the car and into the fresh air, the light rain only falling down onto her for a few moments before she could hear the droplets of water splashing down on the material of the umbrella that had been opened above her head. Reaching out she tilted her head, waiting until she felt the cold metal of the handle brush against her fingers before she took a hold of it, the umbrella sheltering her from the light rain, the gentle pressure of a hand pushing against the small of her back causing her to look around for a moment, allowing the man to lead her up the curb and over the path, stopping only when she was standing just to the side of the door.
"Are you sure this is where you're meeting your friend, Miss Nioré? I'd hate to leave you alone in the rain if there is any possibility that they won't be showing for you..." Smiling sweetly at his concern she nodded her head in understanding, her hand lifting up to lightly brush the small strands of hair back off her face, "I'm positive, there's no need to worry about me Sir. I'm not the only one who is meeting here this morning, the others should be along very soon."
"Okay, if you're sure... Though, this place really does look abandoned..." Dropping one of her hands from the handle of the umbrella as she nodded once more, she let her unseeing gaze drop down to the outfit that her mother had helped her pick out the morning before, her hand smoothing the out whatever wrinkles may have accumulated during the drive from the station to the bar. The sound of her suitcases hitting the pavement at her feet causing her to look back up, a soft and gentle smile gracing her features as she thanked the man who had been kind enough to help her more than her mother had asked him to.
Bringing her hand up she gave a small wave in his general direction, the sound of the car starting up and getting further away causing her to lower her arm back down, her smile fading slowly as she kept silent, unsure as to whether she would even be able to get inside or not. He had told her the place looked run down and abandoned, so maybe she was early... Shifting slightly on the spot she leant over, her fingertips gliding over the top of her suitcases, one by one pulling them both closer into her, she could wait... Even if no one was here yet, there was bound to be someone showing up eventually.
Sophia silently watched Iris with her brown eyes as she walked around the bar taking notice at her pale skin, she felt Iris's hand gently running through her soft brown locks of hair she didn't even flinch and just let it happen. "Iris is a pretty name." Sophia said softly, and noticed that Iris's hair had gotten slightly smoother after Iris had touched her hair. "Static electricity I guess." Sophia said with a slight shrug not wanting to reveal her powers just yet. Despite Iris's pale skin she seemed rather attractive besides the sickly pale look to her skin, Sophia quietly thought to herself if she would get along with her at all.
Then she heard the door open which she caused the lights to unwillingly flicker, she looked to the lights that were set up above the bar which made Sophia blush slightly but ignored it turning her attention back to David Thurman and would stand up to extend her hand towards him giving the new comer a friendly smile. "I'm Sophia Bessette, and I guess we are I sort of tried to steal Mr. Xavier's money a week ago." She admitted not wanting to get further into the story of how they met just yet.
