Disclaimer: I do not own X-men, Twilight, or the powers.
This isn't the best of stories, I just have writes block on my other stories and this is just venting.
"And you're worried, not because you're headed to meet a houseful of vampires, but because you think those vampires won't approve of you, correct?"
"That's right but, I can handle myself." I answered immediately, reminding him of my powers.
He shook his head. "You're incredible."
I realized, as he drove my truck out of the main part of town, that I had no idea where he lived. We passed over the bridge at the Calawah River, the road winding northward, the houses flashing past us growing farther apart, getting bigger. And then we were past the other houses altogether, driving through misty forest. I was trying to decide whether to ask or be patient, when he turned abruptly onto an unpaved road. It was unmarked, barely visible among the ferns to the human eye, but I could see it perfectly. The forest encroached on both sides, leaving the road ahead only discernible for a few meters as it twisted, serpent like, around the ancient trees.
And then, after a few miles, there was some thinning of the woods, and we were suddenly in a small meadow, or was it actually a lawn? The gloom of the forest didn't relent, though, for there were six primordial cedars that shaded an entire acre with their vast sweep of branches. The trees held their protecting shadow right up to the walls of the house that rose among them, making obsolete the deep porch that wrapped around the first story.
I don't know what I had expected, but it definitely wasn't this. The house was timeless, graceful, and probably a hundred years old. It was painted a soft, faded white, three stories tall, rectangular and well proportioned. The windows and doors were either part of the original structure or a perfect restoration. My truck was the only car in sight. I could hear the river close by, hidden in the obscurity of the forest.
"Wow."
"You like it?" He smiled.
"It... has a certain charm."
He pulled the end of my ponytail and chuckled.
"Ready?" he asked, opening my door.
"Not even a little bit - let's go." I tried to laugh, but it seemed to get stuck in my throat. I smoothed my hair nervously.
"You look lovely." He took my hand easily, without thinking about it.
We walked through the deep shade up to the porch. I knew he could feel my tension; his thumb rubbed soothing circles into the back of my hand.
He opened the door for me.
The inside was even more surprising, less predictable, than the exterior. It was very bright, very open, and very large. This must have originally been several rooms, but the walls had been removed from most of the first floor to create one wide space. The back, south-facing wall had been entirely replaced with glass, and, beyond the shade of the cedars, the lawn stretched bare to the wide river. A massive curving staircase dominated the west side of the room. The walls, the high-beamed ceiling, the wooden floors, and the thick carpets were all varying shades of white.
Waiting to greet us, standing just to the left of the door, on a raised part of the floor by a spectacular grand piano, were Edward's parents.
I'd seen Dr. Cullen before, of course, yet I couldn't help but be struck again by his youth, his outrageous perfection. At his side was Esmé, I assumed, the only one of the family I'd never seen before. She had the same pale, beautiful features as the rest of them. Something about her heart-shaped face, her billows of soft, caramel-colored hair, reminded me of the ingénues of the silent-movie era. She was small, slender, yet less angular, more rounded than the others. They were both dressed casually, in light colors that matched the inside of the house. They smiled in welcome, but made no move to approach us. Trying not to frighten me, I guessed.
"Carlisle, Esmé," Edward's voice broke the short silence, "this is Bella."
"You're very welcome, Bella." Carlisle's step was measured, careful as he approached me. He raised his hand tentatively, and I stepped forward to shake hands with him.
"It's nice to see you again, Dr. Cullen."
"Please, call me Carlisle."
"Carlisle." I grinned at him, my sudden confidence surprising me. I could feel Edward's relief at my side.
Esmé smiled and stepped forward as well, reaching for my hand. Her cold, stone grasp was just as I expected.
"It's very nice to know you," she said sincerely.
"Thank you. I'm glad to meet you, too." And I was. It was like meeting a fairy tale - Snow White, in the flesh.
"Where are Alice and Jasper?" Edward asked, but no one answered, as they had just appeared at the top of the wide staircase.
"Hey, Edward!" Alice called enthusiastically. She ran down the stairs, a streak of black hair and white skin, coming to a sudden and graceful stop in front of me. Carlisle and Esmé shot warning glances at her, but I liked it. It was natural - for her, anyway.
"Hi, Bella!" Alice said, and she bounced forward to kiss my cheek. And I sucked in a breath at what I saw.
Start Vision
They emerged one by one from the forest edge, ranging a dozen meters apart. The first male into the clearing fell back immediately, allowing the other male to take the front, orienting himself around the tall, dark-haired man in a way that clearly displayed who led the pack. The third was a woman; from this distance, all I could see of her was that her hair was a startling shade of red.
They closed ranks before they continued cautiously toward Edward's family, exhibiting the natural respect of a troop of predators as it encounters a larger, unfamiliar group of its own kind.
As they approached, I could see how different they were from the Cullens. Their walk was catlike, a gait that seemed constantly on the edge of shifting into a crouch. They dressed in the ordinary gear of backpackers: jeans and casual button-down shirts in heavy, weatherproof fabrics. The clothes were frayed, though, with wear, and they were barefoot. Both men had cropped hair, but the woman's brilliant orange hair was filled with leaves and debris from the woods.
Their sharp eyes carefully took in the more polished, urbane stance of Carlisle, who, flanked by Emmett and Jasper, stepped guardedly forward to meet them. Without any seeming communication between them, they each straightened into a more casual, erect bearing.
The man in front was easily the most beautiful, his skin olive-toned beneath the typical pallor, his hair a glossy black. He was of a medium build, hard-muscled, of course, but nothing next to Emmett's brawn. He smiled an easy smile, exposing a flash of gleaming white teeth.
The woman was wilder, her eyes shifting restlessly between the men facing her, and the loose grouping around me, her chaotic hair quivering in the slight breeze. Her posture was distinctly feline. The second male hovered unobtrusively behind them, slighter than the leader, his light brown hair and regular features both nondescript. His eyes, though completely still, somehow seemed the most vigilant.
Their eyes were different, too. Not the gold or black I had come to expect, but a deep burgundy color that was disturbing and sinister.
The dark-haired man, still smiling, stepped toward Carlisle.
"We thought we heard a game," he said in a relaxed voice with the slightest of French accents. "I'm Laurent, these are Victoria and James." He gestured to the vampires beside him.
"I'm Carlisle. This is my family, Emmett and Jasper, Rosalie, Esmé and Alice, Edward and Bella." He pointed us out in groups, deliberately not calling attention to individuals. I felt a shock when he said my name.
"Do you have room for a few more players?" Laurent asked sociably.
End Vision
I took a deep breath coming out of the vision, bending so I could lean on my knees for support. Edward pulled me up and asked, "What did you see?"
"Nomads." Alice told him.
"Three of them. Two men and a woman." I finished for her.
Everyone's head snapped to me.
"How did you know?" Jasper asked, suspiciously. I recognized his movements.
"I saw it. I-" Rosalie cut me off.
"But you can't see it." She said, glaring at me.
"If you would have let her finish, Rosalie. We can go to the dining room and let Bella finish what she was saying." Esmé nodded at me encouragingly.
We all went to the conservatory. I sat on the alcove, by Edward who was on the wicker bench, Rosalie sat on Emmett's lap on a rocking chair, same for Carlisle and Esmé, and Jasper and Alice sat on the floor in front of us.
"I assume you have heard of the attacks, mostly in New York."
They nodded.
"I am like those people who lead the attacks. I am a mutant."
"Really?" I could see that Carlisle had a lot of questions.
"Go head. Ask anything."
"What is your power?" He asked.
"Well there's something about me, and only certain mutants are what I am."
"What does that mean?" Alice asked.
"I am an Omega-level mutant. Which is one with the most powerful genetic potential of our mutant abilities. Some abilities depicted by mutants described as Omega-level include immortality, extreme manipulation of matter and energy, high psionic ability, strong telekinesis, and the potential to exist beyond the boundaries of the known physical universe.
"I can teleport but it's very, very tricky. I can absorb powers, memories, and personalities through skin-to-skin contact. Prolonged contact with others can cause me to permanently absorb their traits and potentially kill them. I can generate freezing temperatures to create and manipulate ice. I can transform my body into ice."
"Cool. Really?"
"Not yet, even though I am powerful omega-level mutant doesn't mean I can do that. The only reason I am powerful is because I have a lot of powers.
"I have the psionic ability to manipulate flame by shaping it as I desires, increasing or decreasing its heat, intensity, and size. Power augmentation. Duplication which is the ability to bring past and future versions of oneself back to the present. Freeze and heat vision. Air and wind manipulation. Cold and ice manipulation. Earth manipulation. Electric manipulation. Fire and heat manipulation. Plant manipulation. Water and moisture manipulation. Super speed. And animation the ability to bring inanimate objects to life or to free an individual from petrification."
The Cullens sat there in awe, even Rosalie. I saw her eyes light up when I told them of duplication.
"Can show us?" Emmett asked.
"Sure. Which one first?"
"Power augmentation?" He asked uncertainly, asking if I could use it on them.
"Okay, who will I use it on?"
"Me me me." Alice said, jumping up, bouncing on her toes.
"Okay, Alice. Now can the rest of you move to the side, please?"
Alice stood in front of me, still bouncing.
"Wait until I touch you. This vision that you will get will be the absolute future and can't be changed and the power augmentation will last for probably a week at least." Alice nodded a little worried. "Ready?" She nodded again.
I focused on the energy in the air and the ground and the Cullens gasp I knew they must have already saw the red forming around me. Then I grabbed Alice.
We both slumped to the floor with Alice unknowingly pulling me into the vision.
"Don't touch us." I told Jasper and Edward, who came to help us. After that, what I saw made wish I could change the vision.
Start Vision
The President is in the middle of delivering the State of Union Address. A Senator in the front row pouring a glass of water.
"In this time of adversity we are being offered a unique opportunity, a moment to recognize a growing threat within our population, and take a unique role in the shape of human events.
"I have in my possession... evidence... of a threat born in our own schools..."
He pauses, looking at the Vice President, who sits, strangely dazed.
"... a threat we must learn to recognize, in order to combat it."
He pauses again, looks around. All of the people around him are sitting perfectly still... completely motionless.
Pull back to reveal: Every single person in this room is frozen in place - senators, aides, secret service - other government workers. Senator Abrahms is still pouring water and starts to overflows.
The President sees that the teleprompter has gone to static. Suddenly, the doors swing open, revealing Logan and Xavier.
They head down the aisle towards the President. Logan holds a file folder in his hand.
The President stares, dumbfounded, as they approach.
"Who are you ?" President McKenna Asked.
"My name is Charles Xavier. Please sit down, Mr. President."
"I'd rather stand." He said.
The professor nods. Logan glares at the President, who looks around nervously.
"We're Mutants, but we're not here to harm you. Just to talk." The professor says.
Logan hands the files to the President.
"These are the files from the private offices of William Stryker.
The President hesitantly reaches out and takes the files, and thumbs through them.
"How did you get these?" He asks.
"Let's just say I know a litter girl who can walk through walls."
"I've never seen these before." The President says.
"I know"
"The you also know I don't respond well to threats."
"This isn't a threat Mr. President, this is an offer."
While the President continues to looks at the files, the Professor approaches the podium. Logan looks at the frozen Senators, watched as the pitcher of water that Abrahms was pouring come to a trickle. He waves a hand in front of the Senator's face.
"I realize you may have information about me. About my school. About our People." He pauses. "I'm willing to trust you, Mr. President, if you're willing to return the favor.
"Do you understand?"
The President stares at Xavier strongly. For a long moment, he doesn't speak. Then...
"Yes. I think I do." He said.
"I'm glad. We are here to stay, Mr. President. The next move is yours.
The X-Men head back up the aisle and disappear behind closed doors. The President looks around, startled...
End Vision
"Woah." Alice said, slumping back on the floor.
"Bella, are you okay?" Jasper said, probably feeling my emotions.
"I need to make a phone call."
"Why? What's happening?" Esmé asks, worried.
"A war between mutants and humans." Edward stated from gathering the information from Alice's mind and I grimaced at the word.
"Please, can I see the phone?" I said, trying get the phone. Esmé handed to me.
I dialed the number, 585-932-1390.
Ring... Ring... Ring...
*Start Phone Call*
"Hello?"
"Logan?" I was confused, he was suppose to be looking for clues about his memories.
"Belle?"
"Hey. Listen I need to the professor or Jean." I told him.
"Their not here. Have you tried mind link." I could hear the Cullens murmuring in the background.
"No I've tried. I can't even find the professor and Jean has to be in another country."
"Shit, well I'm here with Peter (Colossus), Rogue, Booby (Iceman), John (Pyro), Kitty (Shadowcat) and the students. Why, what's going on?"
"Nothing, you can wait till I get there, get my room ready and have a bike waiting at the airport. I'll be there by the end of the week."
"Okay, and Belle?"
"Yeah?"
"Stay safe."
"You too."
*End Phone Call*
"You're leaving?" Edward asked.
"I have to. I'm powerful enough to take on three dozen mutants alone. My kids needs me." I always thought of the students as my kids.
"We'll help you." Alice offered, with rest of the Cullens, nodding in conformation.
I sighed, I knew I'd have to tell them sooner or later. "You can't."
"Yes we can. With Edward and Alice's power and Jasper's experience." Emmett told me.
"It's not that, I know you guys would be great allies, but it's the law." I grabbed my keys and bag. I took off my shoes and put my hair in a pony tail. "Guys listen, I have to run home, pack, tell Charlie and get to the airport. You can meet me at the airport." I said, and stopped at the back door. I turned to look at them. "Check your e-mails, it will explain why you can help." and with that I ran through the back door and headed home.
Running is always my favorite way to travel but if I used it to much I would pass out or be comatose. I ran through the forest, over logs, jumping over the tree lines, with my hair flying behind. I jumped over a log, when I saw the back of my house.
I flew up the stairs and packed my things, while dialing the number to the airport, (206) 787-5388.
*Start Phone Call*
"Hello, thank you for calling Sea-Tac Airport, this is Sydney how can I help you today?"
"Hi, I need a one-way ticket to Westchester, NY that leaves as soon as possible."
"Hmm, there's a first-class ticket to Westchester County Airport that arrives at 7:16 PM that leaves in a half an hour."
"I'll take it."
*End Phone Call*
She gave me the rest of the information and I hung up. I wrote a quick note to Charlie, telling him where I'd be. I text Edward when I would be "Sea-Tac gate S1", then ran to airport making with seventeen minutes to spare.
I saw the Cullens walking down the hall, with people parting and staring in awe. I put my shield around Jasper ans saw him noticeably relax.
Alice saw me first and ran at human speed to me and almost hugged the life from me. Even though we just met we sorta clicked.
When she let go, I put into another hug that could almost rival Peter's. Almost. Then Edward. I don't how long we've been hugging but...
"All passengers boarding flight 2958, please come forward to gate S1."
I knew I had only a few minutes til they called my seat or boarding number. I grabbed my bags and got in line, and turned to look back when Esmé mouthed, "be careful", I smiled and nodded, then handed the man my ticket.
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