Chapter One: Flight of Icarus
"I said to my soul, be still and wait without hope, for hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love, for love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, but the faith and the love are all in the waiting. Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought: So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing."
—
T.S. Eliot
New York City
"The mutant menace must be stopped! How long does the government plan on risking our lives by allowing these monsters to live among us as if they were safe? I swear that I, Senator Kelly, will rid us all of the mutant threat. You see, citizens, I have been working with my fellow compatriots to begin a movement against such dangerous individuals. You will be safe. No longer will you need to live in fear that these savages might come knocking on your door! I promise you this!"
The crowd roared loudly in applause as Senator Kelly walked away from his podium and down the steps of City Hall. They were blinded by his honeyed words, by his passionate tone. But did they really know what the mutant menace was? Had they any real clue as to what they were positively against? For most of the people in that crowd; no, they did not. For the way Kelly was painting the picture was one of falsehood and pent up paranoia. Not every mutant was a terrorist or a horrid person. You cannot judge an entire group of people just because of the actions of their worst few. However, not everyone followed this rule.
After waving to the masses of fans and supporters, the Senator retreated into his luxurious automobile of choice. It was chauffeured, of course. Next to him sat the esteemed man known as Warren Worthington II, a man who had as much hatred for mutants as he did money. And Warren Worthington II had a lot of money.
"I can almost swear that the people become more excited at the prospect of mutant annihilation with each speech you give, Senator. You make a very convincing argument, as you should. This is making things so much easier."
Kelly told his driver where to go before sitting back and sending a small and cunning smile to his partner in justice. The masses were so easy to mold into whatever shape he wanted them to take. They were like malleable globs of clay, his words the hands that formed a piece of art made of their fears and worries. People were scared of what they did not understand. Many people did not understand exactly what mutants were. It made his work all the easier.
Could they really be the next stage of evolution? Were they a punishment sent from God upon his beloved people for having sinned? There were countless theories out there, and Senator Kelly would use each and every one he had at his disposal in order to eradicate those damned creatures from the face of the earth.
A bitter laugh escaped the man. "The people are idiots, Warren. Show them their nightmares and they will follow you like the stupid, loyal dogs they are. It is us, the men with the plans and money, who will come out on top. The people will get nothing but false satisfaction in the end by knowing that one threat is dealt with. There are millions of other problems in the world that they will complain about the next day. But we… we will be the true winners, in the end. No one is going to change that."
Almost every single day, more mutants were being persecuted from their homes and towns because of the terrifying propaganda that was being spread along the nation like wildfire. If the populace believed that mutants themselves were a horror, imagine having an entire society you grew up with turning against you and throwing you out like some leper. It was a haunting experience on both sides of the coin, but most were only willing to see one. The world was becoming worse and worse by the minute, but no one was willing to do anything about it, lest they be ostracized.
No one, that is, but one group of heroes willing to risk their lives for worldwide peace between all of mankind; mutants and humans alike.
Charlotte Price, August 30: Thursday, The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
It was nearly the end of summer vacation.
Soon, a new semester would start, new students would arrive, and some of the older students would either move on to college courses or would leave to live out their lives. The rest of them would stay and train within separate squads. Many of the students were taking advantage of their remaining free time, and were relaxing amongst their group of friends, littered about the school's grounds and halls. The weather was warm and somewhat stifling in Salem Center, Westchester, New York during that time.
It was actually a very unique time of year for the institute's inhabitants. New students would arrive during the end of summer, some extremely uncomfortable and shy at the sheer aspect of being in an unknown environment. Others would jump right into the groove of things. And then there were the students who kept to themselves for fear of close contact. Those tended to be the most interesting.
At least, so was the case for Charlotte Price. The cherry blonde with the mysterious smile and cheeks littered with light freckles. The petite girl with sea-colored eyes, a quiet but knowing disposition, and a knack for knowing just what was going on in someone's head. She found the quiet ones to be the individuals who were most surprising. Shockingly enough, it was always true.
But Charlotte wasn't the kind of person to be seen alone or locked away in her bedroom to escape interaction with her peers. The seventeen-year-old was very social and open, and she was more than glad to be known as "Cheshire", for her ever-present smile.
"I heard Miss Frost and Mister Summers talking about a new student!"
"The rumor is that it's a musician!"
"I heard it's a Guthrie!"
"Like Cannonball and Husk?"
Charlotte looked up from drinking her soda by the kitchen's island counter in slight surprise, a mere widening of her eyes. The very name 'Guthrie' was a popular thing around the school. Currently, there had been two students who had gone to the institute by the name, and both were idolized by those who were following the same path. Now that there were rumors that yet another member of the family was joining the student body… they would carry a degree of expectations.
Whether or not they chose to act upon these expectations was completely up to the individual, of course, but that didn't change the fact that most of the teenagers would be interested in the poor newcomer because of their name only. A smile crossed the teen's face as she turned back to drinking her fizzy beverage. Let them continue their gossip. She would absorb it all, naturally.
"So is it a boy or a girl?"
"A boy… I think. Mister Guthrie said something about a younger brother."
"So did Paige!"
It looks like another male Guthrie, then. Cannonball and Husk's gifts are very different from each other's. Does this factor apply to the newest one? Is there a chance that he'll carry a variation of their abilities, or one completely his own?
Someone chose that moment to sit down next to Charlotte, chair scraping lightly against the tile underneath. A silver gleam reflected against the glass Cheshire drank from, effectively catching her attention as she noticed the familiar appearance of her squad mate, Cessily Kincaid. Where Charlotte was fair-skinned and pretty delicate; Cessily was made of non-toxic mercury. Her body looked sinewy and trained, the ginger hair atop her head being the only organic thing on her body. These factors made her given code name very fitting: Mercury.
The mentioned teammate turned to face her. "So what are you thinking about the rumors?" She was straight to the point, as she usually was, and Charlotte was thankful. She set down her drink as her smile widened all the more.
"I can almost sense that things are going to get very interesting around here upon this Guthrie boy's arrival. The excitement is almost palpable," she muttered before taking a quick drink. Indeed, the buzz of anticipation was hanging over the heads of the student body, which was really nothing new to those who had been there for more than a year.
"I wonder if he's cute. Sam is pretty cute, isn't he?" The interrogative musing came from behind the two teammates. Only Charlotte grinned at the words. Cessily only shook her head with a sigh.
Another voice was speaking now. "Yeah, I guess. Paige is pretty, anyway. At least she got rid of that accent. It's so… Southern." The grin on Charlotte's face only grew at this statement while Mercury's shoulders grew a bit tenser as she had reached out to grab her own drink.
Cheshire took another drink then before meeting her friend's metallic eyes. The cherry blonde's grin was all teeth with no discerning emotion. Even amongst those of us who are shunned by society, we cannot find the decency within ourselves to abandon certain distastes. We still judge those we do not know, and we do not think to apologize for it, so long as no one finds out. People really are so very interesting…
"I don't know… I like Mister Guthrie's accent…" That soft tone could belong to no other person in the entire school besides Laurie Collins. Instantly, Cessily's body language became that of a dog who had just spotted its favorite toy to prey on. Laurie, known as Wallflower, was a member of a rival squad to both girls. Because of this, Mercury sometimes had a habit to pick on the timid girl. Charlotte attributed this behavior to their team leader, however, and therefore could not fully state her opinion on the matter to Cessily directly.
The ocean-eyed girl tilted her glass, catching her friend's attention successfully. Laurie's day would remain as it was… for now. "I agree with Laurie. The accent he carries is very unique, and it is very nice to listen to. I think it feels warm." That proper tone with a hint of an accent would be Sofia Mantega, one of the two leaders belonging to the squad in which Laurie resided. Her given codename was Wind Dancer.
After a small moment of silence, which resulted from Sofia and Laurie's opinions on the matter, the hushed gossip sprung back to life with even more fervor than before. Charlotte almost felt bad for the boy she would inevitably be meeting. He had all of this fame because of his siblings, and he would be forced to carry that weight whether he wanted to or not. If he was the kind to despite disappointing others, he would have a rough time in the school. But if he did not care… what would they think then?
Her smile only continued to grow as she listened on.
"When did they say he was arriving at the institute?"
"I heard the teachers talking about it before. I think they said he was getting here tomorrow afternoon with their mother. Apparently, he doesn't want to go here. What a weirdo he must be, huh?" That masculine voice came from the doorway. It belonged to Julian Keller, Hellion, honorary leader to the squad which both Charlotte and Cessily were placed in.
His blue eyes found them right after he spoke. Both girls knew what was next, and they were already hopping off of their chairs to meet him by the door. "There's a team meeting in ten, you two, so don't be late."
Hellion was overly confident in his abilities and flaunted them as much as he could. However, he was also a strong leader who knew his way around a challenge. For that main reason, Julian was a successful and promising leader to the team.
"No matter how much you talk about extra training with your squad, Julian, you will not be better than any of the other teams. This is a school, not a place for competition," chided Sofia. Whenever Julian was involved… she came to the call. It was a recurring pattern if the two happened to be in the same room as each other.
Despite the way Sofia believed this was a school for young mutants to train their abilities, Charlotte could see the underbelly of the infrastructure. They had all been put into squads for a good damn reason. The students were being trained for battle in the Danger Room, not only for practice and honing. There was something else that came into play when Scott Summers and Emma Frost began to run the place, and not everyone was blind to it.
Most of them were, however.
An all too familiar smile made its way to Hellion's face as he found the voice of his favorite girl in the same room he was. "Anything you say, beautiful." In other words "You're wrong".
He shrugged his shoulders and then stuck his hands into his pockets before walking away without another word. However, to his teammates, it said all that it needed to.
As soon as he left, the two girls finished their respective sodas and put them into the recycling bin. The only thing circling in their minds were the possibilities of what would lie within the meeting Julian was making a fuss over. It probably was about how the new year would be starting and how they would need to discuss tactics and training schedules, if Charlotte knew her esteemed leader, which she did.
"It's not even the first day of school and I see Hellion already hounding us this week to put in extra time in the Danger Room. What about you?"
Charlotte blinked her eyes and shrugged those small shoulders. "I wouldn't exactly doubt it, knowing him. He gets extremely competitive when it comes to the other squads, especially our particular friends over there," she whispered while hinting at Sofia and Laurie with the smallest flick of her fingers. "I mean, Miss Frost only pushed the squad regime at the end of last year. How were we supposed to know that Julian would take it upon himself to become Alpha Commando overnight?"
"I just wish he'd give us a break, considering…"
That caused the New York native to look away for a moment to stare at the landscape through the pane of glass from the kitchen windows. "I agree with you. He's wasting what could possibly be his final summer here… as well as ours."
It was her final year as a student at the school, just like it was Julian's. He wanted them to leave a mark like no other squad could. And with his leadership, she was confident that they would do just that. She just wished that he would have given them to the start of the school year, in case any other new members would be added to their roster. No one knew whether it would happen or not, after all. It might throw of the balance they had as a team if a new teammate was tossed into the mix at the last minute while they had already begun squad training, and Julian's plan of an early start would suffer from the proverbial wrench to his well-oiled machine known as the Hellions.
The two girls then made their way out of the kitchen and toward the usual meeting spot with little else but the present clouding their minds while the gossip and rumors continued to flow behind them about the newest Kentucky-born Guthrie joining their ranks the next day.
Joshua "Jay" Guthrie, August 31: Friday Afternoon, The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
Even inside of the luxurious car the school had sent to pick he and his mother up, Jay still felt extremely cramped inside of the metal walls. Then again, it wasn't as if he actually wanted to go to the school in the first place. The entire thing had been his mother's idea. However, Jay couldn't bring himself to be upset with her. She had a very good reason for sending him here against his wishes, and he knew it. He just didn't like it.
Lucinda Guthrie was sending her second oldest son to the institute because he had recently begun trying to commit suicide. In a series of recent and horrible events, Jay lost the love of his life, Julia, and could not seem to drag himself out of the depression and grief it brought him. Lucinda could not bear the thought of her son being so depressed, especially if it brought him to multiple failed attempts at his own life. Jay could not die. Well, not anymore, at least. Once his dormant mutant ability to heal from any injury activated, all wounds would seal themselves right up. So he tried, and tried, and tried again to end his life. It never succeeded. Seeing him in such a state finally pushed Missus Guthrie to enroll him at the school, so that he may find himself again. Sam and Paige were much happier after they met with people like them, who possessed special gifts. There, they learned how to hone their own abilities, and were better for it.
That is why she was confident that Jay would find his way if he went to the school also. It was worth a try, even if Jay was not happy about going there at all. He would probably come to see that this decision was for the best… given enough time.
"Ah'm sorry if this ain' what you want, Joshua. But Ah can' see you sufferin' like this… Ah love you."
"… Ah know, Ma."
At that moment, they entered the gates of the institute's campus grounds. Jay could already see a few of the students playing sports or chatting with friends on the grass, and some of them had physical mutations. He had never seen anything like it before. A part of him was awed by it, honestly. They looked so happy and free here. His head was still a squall, however, and his eyes a bit duller than his mother had ever seen them. It broke her heart to see him this way, and he knew it. Jay did want to feel better. He really did. It was just so hard to forget what had happened to her… to Julia… let alone try to move on.
Jay didn't think he could ever forget. In the least, he could try to get on with his life and see what else the world had to offer him. That was what his mom wanted for him. She would never ask him to forget Julia, no, but she would want him to live a happy life as best he could with what he was given.
Would Julia want the same for him? Could he ask the girl he loved such a thing? Did she want him to move on so he could be happy again? His jaw clenched as the image of Julia Cabot's face flashed through his mind for what was probably the billionth time since her death. A sharp and impacting pain blossomed in his chest, right where the only scar on his body was. It was the only scar on his body that had never healed.
The scar he gave himself that took homage right where his heart lay inside.
Above them, the sky was clear. There was a light breeze in the air. It seemed like a beautiful day to the common person. However, all Jay could take notice of was the pain in his heart and the anxiety building within his gut. Once again, he bitterly thought about how he didn't want to go to the school, but was being pushed into it anyway. How long would he be stuck in there until his mother realized that it would do no good? It would probably only me a month or two, if things continued like they were. He was hoping that this would be the case.
Jay was not looking to make friends, or even acquaintances. He just wanted to go to the damned classes and get the work done and then go back to his room to do whatever he felt like. No one would even put a nick on the wall he would put up to separate himself from his peers. Hopefully, there were people smart enough in the institute who would realize that he was just some guy who doesn't want to be there at all and they will just leave him be.
That was something Jay could only hope for as the car finally came to a complete stop in front of the entrance to the school. The sun gleamed against the windows, which blinded him for a moment as his mother opened the car door and got out to greet his older siblings. They were Sam and Paige… and they looked so happy.
When Sam left for the school, their mother was apprehensive, at best. She had no idea of what the school would be like or how it would affect him. But she was relieved when Sam came for a visit looking cheerful and proudly demonstrating how he improved during the time he was away. Then it was Paige's turn to go to the institute. It was the same thing. She went to the school, uncertain as anyone could really be, and she came back proud. Things just weren't the same when it came to Joshua Guthrie.
By no means was he happy to be there, especially not nervous (as he kept telling himself). He was just putting up with things as best he could until it was time for him to go back home. Why couldn't anyone understand that it was just too hard to be happy now that Julia was gone? Did no one in the whole world get what it felt like to lose the one you loved?
There had to be… So why couldn't anyone understand what he was feeling? Why wouldn't they just leave him be?
There was his mother, which he understood how she couldn't ever understand him. She loved him. It was in her nature to wish his happiness, and she wholeheartedly believed that going to school at Xavier's would bring him just that. It was worth a shot, she reasoned, it really couldn't hurt.
But now… now it was time to face the music.
Ah can sit in front of crowds without breakin' a sweat, but gettin' out of a car to get to school makes me shake in my boots. Good job, Jay. Pa would be proud of you. His sarcastic musings were thankfully just that; musings. His mother would tan his hide a ripe shade if she heard him chiding himself like that when there were already people crowding around the car to meet him.
Groupies.
So he gave the… crowd… what they wanted. Joshua Guthrie stepped out from the car somewhat awkwardly, not at all used to the additional change his mutation brought along. Finally free from the metal box also dubbed a car, he stood up straight and allowed the crimson wings set on his back to stretch and flutter for a moment to get the feeling back in them. Some of the red feathers caught the light of the sun, giving them a unique sheen all their own.
Already, he could see the pure awe in many of the students faces. Some were more used to physical mutations, of course, but most of them just looked at him with the most enchanted expressions. It was nice to be looked at without fear, and Jay actually felt the smallest of smiles begin to press at his lips.
It was a nice feeling to be welcomed so readily. But that was when he noticed his two older siblings standing in front of the crowd, their smiles widening as they spotted little 'Joshua'. That wasn't who he was anymore. The Joshua they knew had grown up and left. He was 'Jay' now, and Jay was very reluctant to even take another step toward his siblings to share in their joy. How could he celebrate coming to a school he did not want to be in when he had a responsibility to watch over his little brothers and sisters? Then again, it wasn't as if he were doing a good job of it recently, considering how he'd been feeling.
A part of him felt terrible for how he had been shirking his duties as the 'man of the house' just because he felt this way. However, the more pained side stuck with the notion that he was just not in much of a state to be of any help to anyone.
"Welcome to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, Joshua Guthrie. My name is Emma Frost, and I will be your advisor." Smooth but clipped speech reached the Southerner's ears, and he was faced with the headmistress herself in her golden-haired glory. Every article of clothing on her body was pure white. Even her lipstick was a gentle shade of powder, which struck him as odd. "I know you're not all too excited in being here, Mister Guthrie, but that doesn't mean that you're not welcome. We'd be honored to have you. The students are very excited to meet you."
Ah'm sure they are. Ah'm the newest Guthrie, righ'? Just another ta add ta the group, probably…
"You would be surprised at the number of students that already see you as your own man, Joshua. Do not be so quick to judge, my dear. It's very unbecoming." That voice was inside of his head. He knew it belonged to Emma. For a split second, he wanted to glare at her, but stopped himself before that coiling snake had a chance to strike at someone who was only trying to help.
When had he started being so quick to snap? There was a part of him that realized how right his mother might be at making him go to the school. There would always be that small part of him that truly believed his mother knew what was best for him, and trusted her endlessly for it.
But right now… he was only caught in his expression of slight surprise as he matched his green-eyed gaze with the icy stare of his new headmistress. The brown-haired man next to her who wore red glasses spoke next, a sense of authority lacing every word and movement. "My name is Scott Summers, the headmaster of this school. I'm sure you're going to like it here, Joshua. The students here are pretty friendly, if given the chance, and your family will be here to help you through anything. You also have us. Welcome to the institute."
With that, they both exited the scene, Scott telling some of the other students to not crowd around Jay even if they were curious about him. To be honest, Jay was starting to feel pestered by all of the stares he was receiving by now. Hadn't they had their fill of looking at the new freak? Grabbing his guitar case, he slung it over his shoulder before grabbing his luggage. It wasn't as if he had much. The Guthrie family wasn't the most well-off when it came to money.
The look his mother was giving the back of his head was practically burning by now. Jay only turned halfway to look at her, expression not one of the kindest he'd given her in his life. She looked hurt for a moment, but recovered with a strength that could only be attributed to Lucinda Guthrie. Her blue eyes were shining with held back tears. How it hurt her to see her teenage son in so much pain—and she was pretty much unable to do a thing about it. She was doing what she thought was right. Jay however did not see this. He needed to begin living for himself again, rather than putting the needs of the family before his own. That was what she wanted for him.
Lucinda Guthrie wanted her son to start living again, as a teenager should.
"Ma… if Ah wanted ta come ta 'Mutant School', Ah would have said so." They were now walking toward the opening to the school. Some of the curious students had dispersed to go about their own business, but a few still remained as if they had nothing better to do. Then again, it's their summer vacation, righ'? They probably don' have nothin' better ta do than stare.
"Ah wouldn' have kept my wings hidden from y'all and—," he tried to explain, but found himself cut off by his mother. "Joshua. If you had really wanted yer wings hidden from everyone, you wouldn' have revealed them onstage ta half the town durin' yer rock an' roll show."
His mother's expression then became downcast. It was as if speaking those words had wounded her on the inside, which Jay did not doubt. He knew his mother loved him dearly—to no end—but he just couldn't bring out that inner child that adored his own parent and wanted to thank her for caring about him even when he was being a brat. This inner beast was gnawing at that part of him, fueling his frustration and pain, redirecting it toward her. It was so unfair. Everything was so damned unfair.
"But now it's time you did somethin' for you, without having to worry about the rest of us."
Please, Jay, don' say what yer brain's tellin' you…
"If that was what you really wanted, you would have let me stay at home with my friends an' band," he snapped as he leaned his shoulder against a brick column. For a split second, he regretted saying it, as his mom's face looked even more distressed than before. He wasn't helping anything by being an ungrateful punk to someone as kind-hearted as his mother. Jay was arguing with his inner being at the moment, caught between despising himself and despising everyone else. He couldn't stop the anger or the bitter feeling of life being unkind.
He sneered. "This is for you, not for me, Ma…"
Jay took his leave then, mainly because he didn't think he would be able to see the hurt look on his mother's face if he had stayed. He'd said what he had to—regrettably. Sure, it had hurt, but it was now over. He was going to have to go to this stupid school no matter how much he didn't want to and he was stuck blaming everyone for his problems. Of course Jay knew he was in the wrong… but it didn't stop that inner voice from whispering doubt into his thoughts.
He muttered under his breath once his mother was out of earshot. "…So it's not on yer head if Ah try ta hurt myself again." The strap of his guitar case had started digging into his shoulder, so he adjusted it, which caught the attention of a passing group of kids who all glanced at him for a moment before shuffling away in a fit of whispers.
But the real topper to his day was when he actually entered the impressive infrastructure known at the X-Men's Mansion. The ceiling was high, like a church, and it had this elegant feeling you only got from rustic homes. The outside looked so modern that Jay was thrown for a loop when he caught sight of the vintage-looking panels lining the walls and the olden style arches that separated the corridors. He was admittedly slack-jawed for a good minute before he caught himself. Was this why Sam and Paige liked it here so much? Because it was big and fancy-like? Did it make them feel like they were a higher class than they really were?
He knew Paige hated being known as a 'hick'. She fought to hide her accent and tried to surpass the norms expected of her. It bothered Jay greatly. Then again, could he really blame her? Sam was proud of his roots and continued to be openly proud of his family, however. But how could he be so proud of a family he never took the time to visit unless it was convenient for him or if he had the time off?
Looking at the students chatting amongst friends or walking through the halls with their own business, he almost felt that things would be normal here even if it was a school only for mutants. It was almost tame for its hype. Sam and Paige said amazing things about this place, no matter how much he disliked being there. Was all of it an exaggeration? Not so, as he was almost knocked back when a pink-haired girl with… butterfly wings flew by, giggling as if she were on a coaster. A furry… boy… was running after her, laughing just as gleefully.
His eyes were wide as he watched after them zipping through the throngs as if this were normal behavior. Knowing the stories, though, it probably was. It was going to be a hell of a challenge, getting used to this place. Jay sighed under his breath as he began to ascend the stairs of the foyer.
"Aw man, look at this zoo…"
Charlotte Price, August 30-31, The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
Their esteemed leader was currently ranting on how he would not live it down if they were to look weaker than Josh Foley's own team of losers… besides Sofia, of course. She could never look like a loser in Julian's eyes (this being a rendition of Julian's exact words). They also were discussing on how the rumor that Emma was planning on taking the new Guthrie kid was true. She was to be his advisor, and in that light, their new team member. Julian was not pleased in any sense of the word. Charlotte, however, was practically the definition of calm as she sat with her back against the wall and watched the show unfold before her with that smile on her freckled face.
"How the hell am I expected to incorporate some hillbilly into our squad in less than one week? He probably has the IQ of a cow pie or whatever they call it!" Julian was definitely not pleased. A curve ball was tossed in his direction, and he had no idea whether to swing or let himself strike out. It was at times like these where Charlotte felt a bit of sympathy for their squad leader. He had a lot of responsibilities, despite how much of a jerk he tended to be. There was a whole lot of stuff on his plate. People were very quick to forget that when speaking to him, however, and that was where he faulted greatly.
Of course no one said anything about the way he was sassing a person he had yet to meet, and no one would. When Hellion was frustrated or upset about something, it was best to let him get it out of his system lest you find yourself telekinetically tossed outside of the nearest window. So Cheshire just sighed at his attitude and granted herself the courage to raise her hand.
"Shoot, Cheshire."
He was actually using codenames in closed quarters? Oh he was very upset about this new member indeed. For a moment, it crossed her mind on how amusing it all seemed for Julian to be so bothered by an unknown person. It would be even more ironic if this mysterious Guthrie ended up being an asset to the team as a whole. Their leader would sing a very different tune then, for certain.
"What if a selected member of the team were to spend some extra time with him whenever we weren't busy? We would be able to add more training while not actually compromising ourselves as a whole. It does seem like a logical answer, given the short time we have. Since we are still on vacation, we don't really have much to do otherwise. What a shame it would be to not spend that time actually relaxing or enjoying ourselves, correct?" The last jab did not go unnoticed. Julian's face ticked for a moment, in realization, not anger. She was right, it seemed.
He cleared his throat. "If we can promise to give our best… I guess I can hold off training until the Danger Room is actually set up for squad runs. It wasn't as if Emma was thrilled with the idea of us training before schedule, anyway. But this guy better not give me any crap. We have a good thing going for us in this squad, and I don't want some hick from… from…"
"Kentucky."
"… Yeah. I don't want some hick from Kentucky mucking it all up for us!"
While it was one of the things that bothered Charlotte about her squad captain—only one of many, assuredly—his way of blithely insulting someone just because of their upbringing was a sign of how cleverly he tried to hide his own insecurities. There was very little a person could hide from the cherry blonde. Julian knew that. That was why she understood more about the teen than anyone else in the school, save Miss Frost or some of the other teachers.
"Are we understood, team? Training is postponed until Emma announces it and make sure the new guy gets into the groove as soon as possible. He gets here tomorrow. So put on your best faces. That means you, Rockslide," chided Julian as an attempt to lighten the tense mood in the room. As always, Santo Vaccarro retorted with a nonplussed snort. The teen was huge, and made completely of rocks. Dubbed the 'powerhouse' of the Hellions, he was certainly not one to be messed with. He threw his weight around with abandon and was not shy to argue his point… when he managed to grasp the situation well enough. Julian usually handled the verbal disputes.
"It got it, Keller. Hey, maybe Price should handle the new guy. You know how she has a way with people and stuff." "Did you just refer to my abilities as 'stuff', Santo Vaccarro?" Charlotte leaned forward in her seat and tilted her head curiously. It wasn't as if she was bothered by his words, since it was Santo, after all; but seeing his reactions was always fun.
"And so what if I did, Price? Are you gonna give me a free shrink session?"
"… You're picking a fight with me, so no."
A grin broke out on his face, matching that of Charlotte's like a morphed reflection. Then, he chuckled and stood up, patting her forcefully on the back as he walked past. "Now I remember why I like you so much, Price. You're smart with words, not just your head. And you can hold your own in a fight. Triple threat in such a weak-looking package. Ha!"
The rest of the team stared after him in shock, except Charlotte. Brian Cruz certainly carried a confused expression as he tried to piece together whatever that had been. Finally, he found his voice and directed it to Cheshire. "That was… interesting, Charlotte. Did you see that coming?"
"I'd be lying if I said that for a moment there… I was ready to protect myself. But Santo is a good person underneath it all, if a bit rough around the edges. I was mostly certain that I was safe." Mostly certain, she had said. It was not a total lie. The young girl had been unable to sense any bad intentions in her team member, and therefore did not engage him. He was picking a fight because he was bored. That was Santo's way.
She grinned happily, gathering her satchel and swinging it over her shoulder. "I suppose I'll see you guys tomorrow, then? Megan planned some sort of… thing for us when I got back. Don't ask. I know I don't bother doing it anymore."
"Actually, Cheshire, I wanted to ask you something. Alone."
Now that was an odd request to receive from Hellion. Her smile faltered just a bit as her expression mulled along curious and direct. Where was he going with this sort of secrecy? She hoped it had nothing to do with a certain Venezuelan who he happened to be smitten with.
The rest of the team shuffled out with the shared expression of curiosity. Even Sooraya Quadir, whose emotions were a bit difficult to read since she was always wrapped inside of a burqa, had a glimmer of a question in her dark eyes. This was certainly an odd situation that Charlotte was unsure of. She did not like being unsure of anything.
Julian closed the door once the last person was out, sighed, and then turned to face her. "I'm going to be straightforward with you, Char," he began with the use of her nickname. It was something he saved for behind closed doors. That meant that he was going to ask her for a favor.
"This is about the new member."
For a moment, he looked surprised, but then he laughed when seeing her still smiling face. He should be used to her way of reading him by now. As soon as he'd called her by her little nickname, she had been aware that he intended to use her for something necessary.
"I just want you to… talk to him. Make him feel welcome and maybe get a hint of who he really is underneath it all. Remember, we don't know how this kid ticks. We don't know anything about him besides his family practically breeds mutants and they live in drab county, Kentucky. Maybe you can get him to… I don't know… get used to things a bit faster? I just want you to help him settle into the changes faster than usual so he can begin joining in meetings and training at a better pace. Do you sort of understand?"
You want me to make this poor boy speed up his free time for your own gain to outshine Foley, even at the cost of his enjoyment? I understand, yes, but will I do it? No. Has this squad placement plan really turned you into such a power-hungry fool, Hellion?
"Leave him be for now, Julian. Let me see what I can do. But I am not promising anything as of this minute. Do you understand that?"
Without waiting for an answer, she was up and out of the room. She didn't want to see his disgruntled face or his sneer at the moment. She just wanted to go back to her room, get onto her laptop, listen to music, and chat about nothings with her overly hyperactive roommate. But now the nagging thought about having to actually meet this Guthrie boy was gnawing at her. What would he really be like when faced with challenges in the Danger Room, or even the challenges of going to school with mutants?
I feel bad for this boy and I haven't even met him yet! The older two seem happy enough… but what about him?
That was when she found herself in front of her bedroom door. She would have to worry about how her new squad mate would react when she actually met him. Worrying now would do no good, for obvious reasons. Julian would not gain his advantage by forcing the poor lad into a Hellion Boot Camp so long as she was able to stop it. Spirits only knew what he might have gone through beforehand, considering the hostility toward mutants only increasing in the last years. Perhaps he would not be just like his siblings in the least. Maybe, by chance, he would be a new kind of Guthrie that no one could have expected to be from the family.
A smile formed on her face, increasing as she placed her hand on the knob of the door.
"Now that would be interesting."
.:: The Price of Loyalty ::.
The much-awaited guest of honor had just arrived at the institute. Like many of the students who needed their thirst for curiosity quenched, Charlotte joined them in their gathering at the front entrance to the school. Of course, she had been hastily dragged there by her excited roommate, Megan Gwynn. It was certainly one of the most hectic things she had ever witnessed, seeing all of these students crowding around one area for one single person to arrive. You would think the young Guthrie was a celebrity approaching the red carpet.
In a way, however, he was. The Guthries may not be rich and they may not be famous to anyone else but the people within the institute's walls… but they were famous in a way. The children of the family seemed to continue developing mutant powers. It was fascinating to scholars such as Professor Henry McCoy, who sometimes wondered if it was genetic and only possible with the DNA strands of the Guthrie family themselves, or if it might be passed on to other families. The family was a beacon of sorts to mutants who knew of them. However, this was mostly kept to whispers.
Would you like it if you discovered a bunch of people respected you because of your mutated bloodline?
Perhaps, some would, but not a mutant family. Not in this time or place. It would be seen as nothing more than a curse or a problem. It was sad, but true.
Now, Charlotte did expect the boy to be anxious or even shy upon his arrival, as any regular new student would be. What she didn't expect to see was him with nothing short of an absolute scowl on his face as he exited the car. But even with that damned look on his face and the obvious tension in every shift of his limbs, the crowd went silent for a moment in absolute awe.
Large, crimson wings fluttered behind him as he moved. They caught the light with a glory the likes no one had seen since Warren Worthington III's time as Angel. But they were white. These… these were a deep red. Like his hair. Exactly like his hair. It was astounding, to be blunt. There were no real words to describe the emotional standstill that washed over them for that split second. Megan was one to recover quickly, however, and she took her leave to search for Nicholas.
Charlotte barely heard her words, the girl's attention still very much occupied with the surly Kentuckian who stood not even two feet away now.
He was muscular, that was for certain. It was more so than Julian or Brian while still being tasteful and not too bulked, which was nice, admittedly. He was wearing a wife beater, though, and that didn't leave too much body to the imagination. Cheshire couldn't see his eyes because they were downcast. It was slightly bothersome. But his skin was lightly tanned, which meant that he spent a good deal of time outside. As he stepped a bit closer to her own location, she visibly twitched. The males of the Guthrie family seemed to always be decently tall. Samuel was very tall, but this one… he was about Kurt Wagner's height. She paused then, noting the heated conversation he began to have with the woman who accompanied him. Seeing the resemblance, it was obviously his mother. So this was the mother to Sam and Paige…
He's not a quiet speaker, is he? That baritone voice is lovely and all… but hardly useful when trying to have a private conversation with your mother about how you're suicidal, didn't want to come to a school full of freaks, and just wanted to stay home and be a lonely rock star. Does that sum it up? I suppose it does…
Some may have seen her mental commentary as rude, but that was why said commentary was just that—mental. It summed up the situation nicely for her. The words were blunt, honest, and crippling when repeated aloud. This meant that they were probably true. As she stared directly at him, she began to pick up small snippets of a strong emotion. A powerful burst of fiery red, anger, pooled in a mass with hints of sorrowful greys and blacks swirling about it like a plague. Only a glimmer of forest green lit up the eye of the storm. That was his essence, being blocked out by the nightmarish emotions that threatened to swallow his entire being if it continued to fester.
Charlotte knew then that this boy was an emotional wreck far beyond anyone she had encountered; which was saying something since she had interacted with Kevin Ford more than once.
She dove back into that darkness without hesitation. As per request, she needed—wanted—to find out more about him. Jagged yellow-greens of anxiety and regret tickled at his core. The red continued to swarm over the other shades, as if trying to conceal them from her. It was the prominent emotion for the time being; the anger. He was angry at everything… regrettably so. So he didn't want to be angry at all, but his brain continued to send that signal that he should be. The red-haired teen wasn't sure what to feel, so he was confused and in pain. When someone feels so much hurt and so much regret, it blossoms into something much for volatile.
Those emotions begin to form into a deep hatred.
If he allowed these emotions to continue inside of him without seeking help, hatred would begin to bubble up (deep black and green, like venom) and cover everything else, including his essence. Hatred would swallow everything he ever was and what he could have been. Charlotte then took her leave, a sense of cold disturbance settling in her gut. Never had she truly regretted having her empathic powers until that moment. The worst part was, she hadn't been touching him and she could already feel that much distress from him. Imagine if they ever made skin contact? All of the colors and music would attack her and probably overload her senses to the point where she would abandon all differentiation between reality and that world.
Now that would be something dreadful to go through. This meant that she was going to have to help him feel better somehow. Hopefully, he would be receiving a good roommate, not one like Julian or Santo that would rile up that anger or any other hidden feelings.
Cheshire's skin was covered in goose pimples by the time the new student had entered the school and disappeared from her sight. His mental state was in shambles, but she could not hide the absolute smile on her face as she considered the possibilities.
That Guthrie boy was extremely interesting, and she was going to find out more about him.
For starters, she mused as she twirled a lock of hair around her finger, perhaps I should learn this red-winged boy's first name. I would hate to refer to him as 'that Guthrie kid' for much longer. He might actually be offended. Then again, with his mental state, I think just about anything might set him off…
But I might just be overthinking this. He is a Guthrie. They do tend to have benevolent hearts despite their inner turmoil.
Her train of thought was abruptly halted as she spotted Sooraya amongst the dispersing crowd of students that had been around her not even a moment ago. Silently, Charlotte mused on the bravery she must have to wear all black during the summertime, but did not voice it. She did have a cheerful smile on her face when she reached her very covered teammate, however.
"Emma told me to tell the others that we will meet with the new member tonight after he is introduced at dinner."
She is always so proper. Well, more so around boys. I should be thankful she at least comes up to the females.
"Oh, well thank you, Sooraya. If I pass by anyone else, I'll spread the word."
"… Did you see him?"
That abrupt question was uncharacteristic of the girl, and it caused Charlotte to actually be thrown out of her concentration for the smallest of moments. "Who are you talking about?"
Sooraya looked almost… nervous? It was always hard to discern her emotions. "The new boy, I mean."
Ah, she means 'angst Guthrie'.
"Yes, I did. He isn't too happy about being here. Maybe he'll change his opinion after dinner or during the meeting. A lot of kids come here hating the place and then end up never wanting to leave. Who knows, right?"
Charlotte saw a nod, but it looked somewhat hesitant. Cheshire could only pick up snippets of emotions from where she was standing, the distance from Sooraya being decent enough for communication. She could only sense the deepest emotions through touch. There was… pink and white excitement at the prospect of a new recruit, which was natural. A hint of a sour green, which was nerves, probably. The teammate was another male, another person she needed to hide herself from. Finally, the brush of navy sadness showed its face, hiding under the other colors. She didn't want to be even more different than she was, being a mutant, but her religion and lifestyle called for it. Sharing a room with Noriko Ashida did not help the feeling, either. Dust felt trapped within the burqa, almost like it was a small holding cell for which she could not escape.
Sooraya just wanted to be accepted.
And with just that echo pushing through her mind, Charlotte was back in the real world. She quickly gathered a craving for tea, anything to calm her nerves after delving into someone's emotions so deeply and suddenly.
"I'll see you at dinner, my friend. You're free to talk to me whenever you want. So… don't be shy to approach me, Sooraya."
Spirits know that you would never speak to Julian, and your roommate is less than… understanding, it seems.
Charlotte then walked into the school with a tiny smile splitting her face. While things looked bleak despite the sunny weather, that girl was one to look at the fine details; to appreciate the small things in life.
One of those small things took the form of a tea cup full of raspberry tea. Something inside of her gut told her that she would need to calm down and absorb the silence before dinnertime. The introduction of his crimson glory was going to be a show, for lack of a better term, and she was going to need all the preparation she could get. A warm cup of tea, a good book, and some quiet time while Megan was off playing with her squad mates.
She had three-and-a-half more hours to go before she needed to give herself back to the real world, and she was going to spend them as she pleased.
Julian Keller, August 31: Friday Evening, The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
He honestly couldn't believe that they were adding this guy to his squad. That's right, his squad. Foley would never let him live it down if they were to be weakened by an overgrown chicken with an attitude problem. More importantly, Julian wouldn't let himself live it down. Cessily and Sooraya seemed pretty alright with the new guy, which was expected, while Santo and Brian honestly looked like they were thinking the exact same thing that Julian was: We are definitely screwed.
Now Charlotte's expression was the same as always. She was smiling while quietly sitting down by Sooraya, merely watching the hick boy with her unreadable eyes. Julian knew that she took offense when he asked her to try and convince Joshua to begin extra training right away. She felt that way even more now; he could practically sense it from her. Whatever this guy had been through before coming to the school, it was bad enough to make her actually want to defend him now, rather than just saying he deserved a break. This was something that bothered Julian greatly.
He had just arrived here in the afternoon, and he'd already made a mark on one of his most prized assets… This wasn't looking good for the telekinetic. If the Guthrie kid honestly did not agree with his methods and chose to go against him, who was to say that Cheshire wouldn't side with him as well?
Well, Hellion would just have to make sure to get on the bird's good side, then.
"So… Joshua? Do you have any ideas on a codename yet?"
"Call me Jay. An' no, Ah don' have any ideas." The Southern accent was thick, sure, but not as bad as he'd seen it on Sam Guthrie when the guy was mad.
"Huh, well, good idea on ditching the name Josh, dude. It's a chump's name."
In the corner of his eye, Julian saw Charlotte shift in her seat while her smile widened just a miniscule bit that not many would notice. She was amused by what he'd said… or was it because of how Jay spoke with his accent? He could never tell what she was grinning about, honestly, and sometimes it would really freak him out how calm she always looked.
The silence that followed those words from before was nearly stifling. The entire team sat in silence for a minute that seemed like an hour. Eventually, Emma Frost broke the ice by speaking to Charlotte, which Julian was glad for since it actually showed that the girl had a thought process someone could decipher.
Emma was the only one who really even tried to do so.
"Charlotte, dear, if you have a suggestion for a codename…" The mentioned girl sighed. "It is not my place to make such an opinion."
Silence once again, until…
"Ah don' mind. Ah mean, Ah have no idea, so anythin' would help."
Cheshire sat up from her relaxed posture. She was interested in anything that would make her think, made her pick at her mind while trying to appease the mind of another. That was one of the things that Julian knew made her tick. She loved to think.
"Your abilities are to… fly, I hope?"
He nodded with a somewhat uncomfortable expression. Why the hell would he not feel totally comfortable about flying? It was one of the most amazing feelings to experience when you had the power to. What kind of fool was this guy?
When Julian went back to looking at Cheshire, he could practically imagine the little cogs turning about in her head as she thought over all sorts of names and ideas that concerned the ability to fly. Jay looked like an angel with red wings, right? How hard could it be to come up with something? Then again, no one else had any clues or even a hint of one, so it was something within itself that she seemed to be thinking possibilities over already.
"What other abilities do you have, Jay?"
"Ah… can mimic any sound Ah've heard before. Even a choir, if Ah wanted ta. An' Ah heal in no time at all."
Her sea green eyes shot up to stare at the Kentuckian. Oh yeah, Charlotte was interested in this guy. In that Julian had no doubts. Not anymore, at least.
A long moment passed between them as she continued to think to herself, not even mumbling out loud like she tended to do during classes. No, she was thinking hard. For Charlotte, it seemed, there seemed to be two worlds in constant existence. There was the real world where everything existed physically, and then there was the world her mind created where she could think and her powers flourished in their use.
Then, a gleeful grin appeared on her face and she hopped up from her seat.
"I've got nothing."
The entire room looked at her with shocked expressions. Even the depressed sod Jay looked caught off guard. In the end, though, he looked confused while the rest of the Hellions were chuckling or laughing under their breaths.
Emma dismissed them then, telling Jay to rest up and that he would be shown around the mansion tomorrow by whoever he felt most comfortable with. There was no rush to delve into squad matters as the school year had yet to begin, but it was recommended so he could get a feel for the people he'd have along his side for most training sessions.
It was when they were leaving that Julian noticed Cheshire had remained behind to assist the new guy with questions. Whether she had developed a crush or whatever it was with him, the squad leader didn't like it in the least. But it really wasn't his business unless it directly affected their capability, and Jay might do that enough.
He shrugged his shoulders and turned away with a bit of a huff, following his male teammates back to the dorms before he actually said something about the red bird out loud.
Jay Guthrie, August 31: Friday Evening, The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
The strange girl from before had chosen to stay behind. Silently, Jay was actually thankful that at least one of his new "squad mates" decided to be of some assistance. It wasn't that he found it rude, but it wasn't exactly hospitable, either. He tucked his calloused hands into the worn pockets of his jeans and walked out of his advisor's office to stand somewhat close to the reddish-blonde girl he didn't really remember the name of. Was it Sharon or Charon? It was something like that, he could swear it.
As soon as the door behind them closed, he rubbed the back of his neck in a sheepish fashion, which caught her attention. He noticed she had not stopped smiling since he had met her. It was both unnerving and charming. "Ah'm sorreh, but… what's yer name?"
The smile only widened, and warmth managed to seep into those blue-green eyes. Did that mean that this smile was genuine, or was it always so? This girl was definitely strange, he reasoned, but she was calmer than the others. It was a good thing in his book.
She stuck her hand out. For a moment, his mind blanked out. Girls usually didn't offer handshakes so calmly and suddenly as if it were habit. It was usually a hug or a kiss on the cheek, even a shy little wave when they were timid. This girl definitely was timid in the way those pale cheeks were rosy, but her mannerisms were strong and practiced.
They shook hands. After they finished the greeting, she laced her fingers behind her back. "My name is Charlotte Price, Jay Guthrie. It's nice to meet you, despite your current state."
"My… 'Current state'?"
Charlotte shifted in place, sighing softly under her breath.
"You're not happy that you've been sent to this school, and it's making you act differently than you usually would. I'm an empath, you see, and you are much disrupted when it comes to your emotional state."
Jay felt a stab of anger through his chest as she spoke about his emotions with such a listless vibe. But it quickly dispersed when he felt that sincerity. Her voice only sounded nonchalant, even if she meant it to be sympathetic. He let it go, nodding his head in reluctant agreement. She wasn't wrong.
"And yer point is…?"
A large grin then appeared on her face. She knew something he didn't. As it was natural, he felt a sense of curiosity at this fact.
"My point is this: Don't wear yourself out by feeling so many negative feelings. You're going to burn yourself out until you lose yourself, until you crash."
What is she gettin' at?
"As your teammate and fellow mutant, my friend, I do not want you to get hurt more than you've already suffered. I don't expect us to become chums or whatever you call it, but you're one of us now, and I feel that I want to help you."
She seems honest enough… An' she's not all 'Oh Ah'm so sorry for yer loss', so tha's a plus… But Ah jus' don' understand what she's sayin'…
Another smile and this time a pat to his shoulder before she began walking away, hands laced again behind her back and a bouncy stride in her step.
"You need to back away from the sun, Icarus."
Charlotte then stopped when she reached the end of the hall, and spoke before turning the corner and disappearing from his sight.
"Or you are going to fall from the sky before you find the freedom you're desperate for."