Angels Among Us
"Didja hear?"."I've seen them myself!"."Yeah, Warren, can you believe it?"."Some guys get all the luck"."First looks, then chicks, now this"."Wings, that's so cool!"
The high school was alive with rumors. Even the teachers, who normally abstained from meddling in the lives of their students, were searching for every little snippet of information they could get from the students. The event had never taken place in their school before and it intrigued every member of the student body and faculty. For the first time in the history of Oakmont High School, one of the students had become a mutant.
"The mutant phenomenon is exploding as numbers of mutants are being discovered every day. However, many reports of normal humans pretending to be mutants have also been heard. It appears that the admiration and attention that mutants are receiving are drawing out all sorts of people in an attempt to receive the same popularity. But when these phonies are asked to show off their powers to the onlookers their hopes of fame are dashed when the ex-fans drive them away with insults. Mutant fans are encouraging the shy members of the elite population to expose themselves in an attempt to meet more of the 'cool peeps' that are mutants."
Warren Worthington the Third stepped into the Trigonometry class. It felt awkward because he had not gotten used to walking through doors yet with his new gifts. His footsteps echoed in the room as he walked towards his desk. It didn't take him long to realize that the class's silence was because of his entrance. Twenty-five sets of eyes were staring at Warren, and he had a feeling that it wasn't because of his good looks.
Warren was used to people, well more like love-struck girls, staring at him. His dashing looks usually stood out in a crowd because most people seemed to think that they have seen him on television or in a magazine. His face wasn't the only perfect thing about him. He worked out regularly and had a ripped body, and to the delight of most parents, he pulled a four- point-oh grade point average. He was the pinnacle of perfection and the role-model of every student, and though it seemed like it couldn't go any higher, his popularity had increased ten-fold.
The wings on Warren's back rustled as the glazes of the students started to get to him. "Um.Ms. Nolan?" Warren said to his teacher timidly.
"Yes Warren? What can I help you with?" the teacher's tone was far- off, she was still dazed at the personage standing in front of her.
"It's going to be kind of hard for me to sit down in my desk."
Ms. Nolan snapped back into reality as she realized that she could help the wonder. "You're absolutely right. Class, today we're going to have our lesson outside!" she announced enthusiastically.
The class erupted in cheers and the admiration of Warren grew as they realized it was because of him they were allowed this special privilege. They filed outside and walked to the field and found seats in the luscious grass. Many of the girls tried to save a spot for Warren in the hope that they may be able to touch the new developments.
"Class, I believe that the lesson for today might have to be post- pond due to current events." More cheers from the class. "I'm sure that we all have the same thing on our mind. Warren, would you be willing to give us a demonstration?"
Warren was hesitant, but the burst of pleas from the class eventually caused him to give in. He didn't like spreading his wings out for the one reason that every girl in the class came to love it. As the giant wings spanned to their full extent, the shirt on his body ripped off to expose his muscular chest. Gasps and giggles came from the crowd as they admired the beautiful wings and body.
Within seconds Warren had managed to become airborne and flew high above the school. He had not used his wings much, but flight seemed to come naturally to Warren as he soared over his classmates. He ducked and weaved and dived and did all sorts of aerial tricks for his fans. The wind blew through his hair and across his body and he felt the pleasure of being a mutant. The wind made it hard for him to hear the cries of joy from below, but the noise was so loud that not even a hundred cannons could outdo the ground-level students.
Warren descended and landed in the center of a circle of classmates. A couple days ago Warren felt that his mutant powers would have made him an outcast of society. Today he felt he was king of the world.
Warren's fame didn't end with his classmates. The whole city was ablaze with fiery rumors of the seventeen year old boy who could fly. Press conferences and dinners of honor were held to praise the boy. Many people began to call him by the nickname the newspapers had given him, Angel.
"Tell me, Angel, what were your first reactions when you had discovered that you were a mutant?"
"I guess it was fear."
"And why were you afraid?"
"Well I had read about lynch mobs who had killed mutants whose mutations distinguished them from society too much. I guess I believed that it would happen to me since I had a giant pair of wings on my back."
"Angel! Over here! Can you explain the feelings you have while flying?"
"It's exhilarating. Imagine riding a giant roller coaster in the sky and you're about half-way there."
Questions from the press kept on coming. Pictures of Warren were all over the news. His face could be seen on billboards, magazines, television. He was named the most popular mutant of 2002 by People magazine. The name Angel was known all over the United States. Soon a man in Westchester, New York would come to change Angel's life.
"Mom! Can you hold all my calls? I'm going flying," Warren yelled down to his mother. He approached his window and overlooked his giant yard. With all of the money he had acquired through the promotions his family was able to buy a mansion. He had a room on the third floor which provided easy take-offs for mid-day flights.
Warren launched himself through the window sill and soared through the air. The sensation of flying never got old for him; each flight was as good as the last. The breeze in his hair, the scenery flashing by, the adrenaline pumping through his veins; the feelings were amazing. On clear days Warren would just forget about the reporters knocking on his doors and officials at the phone and just take-off flying through the air. It was his haven, his sanctuary. Becoming a mutant was the best thing that ever happened to him.
While Warren was out flying he loved to explore. Today he had a nagging feeling in the back of his head to follow a route that he had never taken before. He glided over a patch of trees and past a hill. After he had flown for a couple of miles he saw something in the distance. As he approached it he realized that it was a man sitting in a chair, no, not a chair, a wheelchair.
Warren landed in front of the mysterious character and examined him. He seemed in his late thirties, he was bald, and apparently couldn't use his legs. His arms were somewhat muscular, probably from pushing the wheelchair everywhere. The man was staring at Warren, not a penetrating glare, but an "I've been expecting" look.
"Hello Angel, or do you prefer Warren?" the man spoke.
"Hello, sir," Warren assumed that the man had seen his face in magazines or other media, so it wasn't a surprise that you knew his name. Even though Warren had no idea who the man was, he still treated him with respect in case the man might be important.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Charles Xavier. I, like you, am a mutant. Although my mutation may not be as obvious as yours, it is equally as interesting."
Xavier had caught Warren's interest. Another mutant? He had never met another one in his life. Interesting isn't it, Warren?
Warren looked around for the source of the voice. No one else was in the field except for Xavier. It took him a couple of seconds to realize that he didn't actually hear the voice, but rather it was in his head. Like I said, my powers aren't obvious, but still interesting. He turned his head back to Xavier and a grin crept across his face.
"Yes, I am telepathic. I can project thoughts into your head and also read them." Angel stiffened up when Xavier mentioned that he could read minds. "I don't need telepathy to know what you're thinking right now, and I can assure you that I don't make it a common practice to read minds without permission. I will only look into your mind if I feel it necessary."
"Well that's great Mr. Xavier, I'm glad to I know that I can trust you, but I have a feeling that I had a little influence to come out here. Can you tell me why I'm here so that I can back into the sky? I'm kind of urging another flight right now."
"I'm amazed at your quick thinking. Yes it was me who put the thought in your head to fly here. I have a proposition for you. I am forming a team of mutants that will be the forerunners for the mutant population. Many people, thankfully not the majority, believe that someday mutants will become dangerous. The object of this group that I'm forming would be to show the world the good that mutants can do. I've come to speak to you because I would like you to be the leader of this group."
This shocked Warren. A man that he had known for a total of five minutes just asked him to not only join, but lead this group he was putting together. Was this guy some crackpot who would kidnap him even if he said no? Why would he want Warren to be the leader?
Xavier spoke again, "I know this is kind of sudden, but you'll receive a lot of benefits for joining my group. One will be that you'll be surrounded by other mutants your age. You will learn to develop your powers and work together as a team," Warren's attention was devoted to Xavier. Warren hadn't thought of the benefits, and they just seemed to make sense. "And finally you will be the leader of the first mutant team assembled to keep peace between human and mutant. If our goals are fulfilled, then your name will be put in the history books as the mutant that stopped a potential war."
Warren felt a tingling sensation in his body as he thought of his future. The name Warren Worthington III listed in every history book as the world's hero. Countless books written about him; his picture in newspapers. "I think we should talk to my parents about this."
The Mercedes slowed to a stop as it pulled up to the glorious mansion. Warren marveled at the beauty that was in front of him. Warren had just been driven to a gigantic plot of land that over looked the Atlantic Ocean. A mansion twice the size as his was built on the land, and it didn't even take up the majority of the land. There was a large yard with luscious green grass that welcomed all who came to the mansion. Warren couldn't think of a better place to stay.
"Well here it is Angel. But before you get too comfy, we have some other mutants to meet. We're leaving for California in an hour."
"Didja hear?"."I've seen them myself!"."Yeah, Warren, can you believe it?"."Some guys get all the luck"."First looks, then chicks, now this"."Wings, that's so cool!"
The high school was alive with rumors. Even the teachers, who normally abstained from meddling in the lives of their students, were searching for every little snippet of information they could get from the students. The event had never taken place in their school before and it intrigued every member of the student body and faculty. For the first time in the history of Oakmont High School, one of the students had become a mutant.
"The mutant phenomenon is exploding as numbers of mutants are being discovered every day. However, many reports of normal humans pretending to be mutants have also been heard. It appears that the admiration and attention that mutants are receiving are drawing out all sorts of people in an attempt to receive the same popularity. But when these phonies are asked to show off their powers to the onlookers their hopes of fame are dashed when the ex-fans drive them away with insults. Mutant fans are encouraging the shy members of the elite population to expose themselves in an attempt to meet more of the 'cool peeps' that are mutants."
Warren Worthington the Third stepped into the Trigonometry class. It felt awkward because he had not gotten used to walking through doors yet with his new gifts. His footsteps echoed in the room as he walked towards his desk. It didn't take him long to realize that the class's silence was because of his entrance. Twenty-five sets of eyes were staring at Warren, and he had a feeling that it wasn't because of his good looks.
Warren was used to people, well more like love-struck girls, staring at him. His dashing looks usually stood out in a crowd because most people seemed to think that they have seen him on television or in a magazine. His face wasn't the only perfect thing about him. He worked out regularly and had a ripped body, and to the delight of most parents, he pulled a four- point-oh grade point average. He was the pinnacle of perfection and the role-model of every student, and though it seemed like it couldn't go any higher, his popularity had increased ten-fold.
The wings on Warren's back rustled as the glazes of the students started to get to him. "Um.Ms. Nolan?" Warren said to his teacher timidly.
"Yes Warren? What can I help you with?" the teacher's tone was far- off, she was still dazed at the personage standing in front of her.
"It's going to be kind of hard for me to sit down in my desk."
Ms. Nolan snapped back into reality as she realized that she could help the wonder. "You're absolutely right. Class, today we're going to have our lesson outside!" she announced enthusiastically.
The class erupted in cheers and the admiration of Warren grew as they realized it was because of him they were allowed this special privilege. They filed outside and walked to the field and found seats in the luscious grass. Many of the girls tried to save a spot for Warren in the hope that they may be able to touch the new developments.
"Class, I believe that the lesson for today might have to be post- pond due to current events." More cheers from the class. "I'm sure that we all have the same thing on our mind. Warren, would you be willing to give us a demonstration?"
Warren was hesitant, but the burst of pleas from the class eventually caused him to give in. He didn't like spreading his wings out for the one reason that every girl in the class came to love it. As the giant wings spanned to their full extent, the shirt on his body ripped off to expose his muscular chest. Gasps and giggles came from the crowd as they admired the beautiful wings and body.
Within seconds Warren had managed to become airborne and flew high above the school. He had not used his wings much, but flight seemed to come naturally to Warren as he soared over his classmates. He ducked and weaved and dived and did all sorts of aerial tricks for his fans. The wind blew through his hair and across his body and he felt the pleasure of being a mutant. The wind made it hard for him to hear the cries of joy from below, but the noise was so loud that not even a hundred cannons could outdo the ground-level students.
Warren descended and landed in the center of a circle of classmates. A couple days ago Warren felt that his mutant powers would have made him an outcast of society. Today he felt he was king of the world.
Warren's fame didn't end with his classmates. The whole city was ablaze with fiery rumors of the seventeen year old boy who could fly. Press conferences and dinners of honor were held to praise the boy. Many people began to call him by the nickname the newspapers had given him, Angel.
"Tell me, Angel, what were your first reactions when you had discovered that you were a mutant?"
"I guess it was fear."
"And why were you afraid?"
"Well I had read about lynch mobs who had killed mutants whose mutations distinguished them from society too much. I guess I believed that it would happen to me since I had a giant pair of wings on my back."
"Angel! Over here! Can you explain the feelings you have while flying?"
"It's exhilarating. Imagine riding a giant roller coaster in the sky and you're about half-way there."
Questions from the press kept on coming. Pictures of Warren were all over the news. His face could be seen on billboards, magazines, television. He was named the most popular mutant of 2002 by People magazine. The name Angel was known all over the United States. Soon a man in Westchester, New York would come to change Angel's life.
"Mom! Can you hold all my calls? I'm going flying," Warren yelled down to his mother. He approached his window and overlooked his giant yard. With all of the money he had acquired through the promotions his family was able to buy a mansion. He had a room on the third floor which provided easy take-offs for mid-day flights.
Warren launched himself through the window sill and soared through the air. The sensation of flying never got old for him; each flight was as good as the last. The breeze in his hair, the scenery flashing by, the adrenaline pumping through his veins; the feelings were amazing. On clear days Warren would just forget about the reporters knocking on his doors and officials at the phone and just take-off flying through the air. It was his haven, his sanctuary. Becoming a mutant was the best thing that ever happened to him.
While Warren was out flying he loved to explore. Today he had a nagging feeling in the back of his head to follow a route that he had never taken before. He glided over a patch of trees and past a hill. After he had flown for a couple of miles he saw something in the distance. As he approached it he realized that it was a man sitting in a chair, no, not a chair, a wheelchair.
Warren landed in front of the mysterious character and examined him. He seemed in his late thirties, he was bald, and apparently couldn't use his legs. His arms were somewhat muscular, probably from pushing the wheelchair everywhere. The man was staring at Warren, not a penetrating glare, but an "I've been expecting" look.
"Hello Angel, or do you prefer Warren?" the man spoke.
"Hello, sir," Warren assumed that the man had seen his face in magazines or other media, so it wasn't a surprise that you knew his name. Even though Warren had no idea who the man was, he still treated him with respect in case the man might be important.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Charles Xavier. I, like you, am a mutant. Although my mutation may not be as obvious as yours, it is equally as interesting."
Xavier had caught Warren's interest. Another mutant? He had never met another one in his life. Interesting isn't it, Warren?
Warren looked around for the source of the voice. No one else was in the field except for Xavier. It took him a couple of seconds to realize that he didn't actually hear the voice, but rather it was in his head. Like I said, my powers aren't obvious, but still interesting. He turned his head back to Xavier and a grin crept across his face.
"Yes, I am telepathic. I can project thoughts into your head and also read them." Angel stiffened up when Xavier mentioned that he could read minds. "I don't need telepathy to know what you're thinking right now, and I can assure you that I don't make it a common practice to read minds without permission. I will only look into your mind if I feel it necessary."
"Well that's great Mr. Xavier, I'm glad to I know that I can trust you, but I have a feeling that I had a little influence to come out here. Can you tell me why I'm here so that I can back into the sky? I'm kind of urging another flight right now."
"I'm amazed at your quick thinking. Yes it was me who put the thought in your head to fly here. I have a proposition for you. I am forming a team of mutants that will be the forerunners for the mutant population. Many people, thankfully not the majority, believe that someday mutants will become dangerous. The object of this group that I'm forming would be to show the world the good that mutants can do. I've come to speak to you because I would like you to be the leader of this group."
This shocked Warren. A man that he had known for a total of five minutes just asked him to not only join, but lead this group he was putting together. Was this guy some crackpot who would kidnap him even if he said no? Why would he want Warren to be the leader?
Xavier spoke again, "I know this is kind of sudden, but you'll receive a lot of benefits for joining my group. One will be that you'll be surrounded by other mutants your age. You will learn to develop your powers and work together as a team," Warren's attention was devoted to Xavier. Warren hadn't thought of the benefits, and they just seemed to make sense. "And finally you will be the leader of the first mutant team assembled to keep peace between human and mutant. If our goals are fulfilled, then your name will be put in the history books as the mutant that stopped a potential war."
Warren felt a tingling sensation in his body as he thought of his future. The name Warren Worthington III listed in every history book as the world's hero. Countless books written about him; his picture in newspapers. "I think we should talk to my parents about this."
The Mercedes slowed to a stop as it pulled up to the glorious mansion. Warren marveled at the beauty that was in front of him. Warren had just been driven to a gigantic plot of land that over looked the Atlantic Ocean. A mansion twice the size as his was built on the land, and it didn't even take up the majority of the land. There was a large yard with luscious green grass that welcomed all who came to the mansion. Warren couldn't think of a better place to stay.
"Well here it is Angel. But before you get too comfy, we have some other mutants to meet. We're leaving for California in an hour."