I smiled as I stared at the wrought iron gate and brick fence. After two days of traveling, I had finally reached Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngster. Before I go on with my story, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Isabel Turner, and I'm a mutant. I'll tell you about my mutation later.
I looked around for some kind of doorbell, and saw a button with what looked like a television screen next to it(a/n Totally taking liberties with how to get into the school, just bear with me.). I double-checked that I was wearing my hat and elbow-length gloves. I tentatively pushed the rectangular button. The screen crackled to life, and a blue man with blue spiky hair appeared. He saw my all-green attire, started, and then said," How may I help you, young lady?"
I smiled and said," Hi, my name's Isabel, and I'm a mutant. I was kind of wondering if you have any room for me in the school. I've heard about Professor Xavier and wondered if I could, you know, move in." Why was I chattering like this? I'm normally very to the point. Probably it was anxiety.
The man looked grave as he said," Professor Xavier died several weeks ago, but the school has been taken over by Professor Ororo. I'm sure she would consider accepting you as a student. Come in." The screen went black, and a second later the gates slowly opened. I picked up my two bags, one very heavy and the other light, and started walking down the long gravel driveway. The building was large and brick, and covered in vines. Trees and gardens were everywhere, and the lawn was a deep green. I saw a basketball court with about a dozen kids playing what looked like Pig. God, that was a long driveway. I finally reached the large wooden doors, I was breathing hard. The door swung open and I saw the blue man. He was actually a few inches shorter than me. He smiled politely and said," Can I carry your things, Miss Turner? Where are you from, anyways?"
Ah, yes. The big question, followed by "What's your mutation?" Or even better yet," Why are your eyebrows green?".
I smiled back and said," I'm from California. Your name?"
He began to walk down a long hallway as he said," Beast."
I followed him and looked at the richly decorated hallway. The wood was dark, oak, I thought, and there were potted plants everywhere. I peeked into the rooms that we passed, and saw children, ranging from about age six to a few years older than me talking or playing. I smiled. This seemed like a nice place.
We reached a wooden door with glass inserts, allowing you to see inside. I could see two blurry figures, but nothing else before the man, Beast, I reminded myself, opened the door and gestured me in. There was a wooden desk covered with papers, two people, several wooden chairs, and a large window looking out into a yard with more trees. I saw a single potted plant in one corner of the room.
The woman was pretty, with soft white hair that reached her chin, dark skin, and dark brown eyes. She was wearing a dark blue jacket and jeans, and was sitting at the desk. The man, who was standing, had a rough face and dark hair that stood in two peaks on the sides of his head. He was wearing blue-black cargo pants and a white tank top. They appeared to have been arguing when we walked in, because he was making an obscene hand gesture that a gang banger would be proud of, and she had her head buried in her hands.
When Beast cleared his throat, the woman looked up and the man dropped his hand quickly. The woman said in a soft voice," Beast, who is this?"
He replied," A potential new student."
She smiled, and said," Hello, and your name is?"
I smiled back, and replied," Isabel Turner. You are Professor Ororo, correct?"
She nodded, and said," This is Professor Logan." He nodded at me, and I nodded back.
Professor Ororo made a welcoming gesture with her hand, and said," Sit down." I took my other bag from Beast, and sat in one of the comfortable wooden chairs.
Professor Ororo asked," Where are you from, Isabel?"
I replied," California. My family moved to New York City, and I decided that I wanted to give this place a try. I don't like living in the city, so I didn't really mind leaving."
She continued," And what is your mutation, Miss Turner?"
I smiled, and tilted my head as I asked," Professor, what is your favorite fruit?"
She blinked, obviously slightly confused as she answered," Apples, but that doesn't matter, please answer my question."
My smile grew, and I replied softly," I am, Professor." I glanced over at the potted palm, wiggled the fingers on my left hand, and felt a warmth shoot down my arm. One of it's branches grew, and at the very end there was a single pink blossom. I made a spreading gesture with my fingers, and the blossom morphed into an apple before my eyes. With a hint of a smile, I plucked the apple from the vine. I leaned forward, and set the apple down gently on the desk.
She reached out and took the apple hesitantly, as if she were afraid it would vanish.
I leaned back into my chair and said softly," Earth powers. I can create and control everything that grows."
She nodded, and took a bit out of the apple, and whispered," It's delicious. How long have you known you were a mutant?"
I closed my eyes, trying to remember. When I came to my conclusion, I opened them, and answered," A year and a half. Since I was fifteen. But the physical changes started in the last month or so."
She cocked her head as she asked," Physical changes? Of what kind?"
As an answer, I pulled of my green hat and let my hair fall loose around my shoulders. Before she could say anything, I peeled the gloves off my hands and set them down in my lap. My shoulder length hair was a deep, emerald green, and my hands along with part of my wrists were the same color. I reached out and pulled a pair of scissors from a jar that was sitting on her desk. I opened them, place a lock of hair in between the blades, and cut. Strands of emerald green fell, and I caught them. I shut my eyes for a brief second, and when I opened them, my hair had returned to normal length. I sighed and said," Limited regenerative properties. I'm pretty sure that a major limb like an arm wouldn't grow back, but a finger might."
Professor Ororo had picked up a piece of paper, and was writing something on it. When she finished, she looked up at me again and said," Has the green been spreading?"
I replied," Whenever I use my power, the green goes a little higher on my arms. I'll be completely green before I can legally drink beer."
She wrote something else on the paper, and then asked," Are your parents okay with the mutant thing? And what are their feelings on you leaving the family to come here?"
I nodded, and answered," They're excited by the mutant thing, since my grandfather was a mutant and no one else in the family is. As for the moving thing? They understand. I can't live in a city. It's a combination of personal taste and survival. Metal drains me. If I live somewhere for an extended period of time, the plants become dependent on me and I on them. If I moved to the city, I would eventually die. I need plants."
She wrote this on her paper, and said curiously," If you don't mind me asking, who was your grandfather?"
I smiled," Erik Lensherr."
Her eyes grew big, and I felt cold metal against my throat. The other professor had apparently taken great offense in those two words, and had acted. I was smart enough to know when sharp metal was pressed against your throat, it was a good idea not to move. I froze, and a shiver ran down my spine as I realized that if he chose to slit my throat, it probably would not regenerate, and I would die. What kind of school was this?
The lady professor said angrily," Do you know who Erik Lensherr is? He's a dangerous mutant who believes in mutant superiority, and that we should rule over all humans. He's the one they call Magneto. And now we find out that he has a mutant granddaughter?"
I replied as indignantly as I could with the knives at my throat," You make him sound like he's different from all other mutants. Aren't we all dangerous, in our own way? Besides, I've never met him. My father told us he was dead in a car accident."
The male professor laughed as he said," Magneto's about as dead as you are, girl. And who would have a child with that freak?"
The kind blue man, who had been silent, answered him," Someone who needed money. Did you know your grandmother, Isabel?"
I shook my head as I said," She lives in Germany. Never met her before. I don't think they ever married."
Professor Ororo said to the man who had threatened me," Logan, I don't think she knows about Magneto, or who he is. Please release her."
I felt the metal at my neck slowly be pulled away. Her face darkened, but she said," If you promise never to contact or help Magneto, your grandfather, or any of his followers or accomplices, then you can stay here and learn to control your mutation. You may leave. Beast, please show her to the room she can share with Rogue and Kitty."
I stood up, and took two steps before I remembered something. I turned, and said," Um, Professor?"
She had gone back to her paperwork, and said," Yes, Isabel?" without looking up.
I replied," I kind of brought two friends with me." This got her attention, and she looked up again.
I bent down and unzipped the larger of my two bags, and pulled out a cat. Fluffy was big, orange, and had part of one ear missing. He was not a "Fluffy" type of cat, but that's what you get when you let a four year old name a cat. I set a drowsy Fluffy down on the chair I had just occupied, and pulled out a small rabbit, who was named Mr. Bun-Buns. .
She said in a shocked voice," Is that a cat? Logan, does that look like a cat to you?"
Professor Logan, who had busted out a cigar and was puffing away at it, choked and said," That looks more like a freaking pony to me."
I sighed," Look, can I keep them somewhere? I couldn't leave them with my family. I'll take care of them, please?"
She sighed even louder than I had, and replied," The cat can live in the stables, and the rabbit can go out in the garden, as long as it doesn't eat too much." Logan had bent down and attempted to pat Fluffy, who reacted by slashing at his wrist with five claws. Fluffy missed, but the man drew his wrist back and muttered," Stupid cat."
I picked up Mr. Bun-Buns in one hand, one bag in the other, and followed Beast out the door, Fluffy walking haughtily at my heels. I smiled. Life at this place might be pretty good after all.