Chapter One: The Start.
Leila Blackburn was born someplace off of the Virginia line to two very loving parents and an older Brother. The only thing off about their perfect daughter was her black eyes. The Doctors tried to brush it off, saying that no eyes are truly black, only very very dark brown. But not Leila. Her eyes were black. But it was something they looked over, Her Mother even found it doe-like when her baby girl would stare up at her.
Leila wasn't like her Brother, Gabriel when he was a baby. Quite the opposite. She didn't cry, or fuss. Nathan and Eve Blackburn were scared for her at first, worried something was wrong. But the Doctors again assured them, every baby was different and it was nothing to worry about.
However, this trait stayed with Leila long after she grew from a small baby into a toddler. She didn't make a peep, was always so quiet no matter how many times her parents tried to teach her to say one of their names. Eve wanted so badly for her to say, "Momma!" Since Gabriel's first word had been Daddy.
But no such luck.
They thought it was peculiar but every where else she seemed to be a perfectly normal toddler so they didn't worry about far too much. There were a few times Gabriel swore up and down that he had heard his baby sister babbling in her room when she was on her own, talking to someone. But of course whenever the parents went to check nothing of the sort was happening. Gabriel would get a chastising for lying, and then be sour at his weirdo sister.
Eve and Nathan just assumed it was him having to get used to not being the only child around anymore. Gabriel soon learned his lesson, and didn't come to them anymore about it though he was still quite sure he heard voices from her room.
Soon enough Toddler Leila became a young child, old enough to play pretend and play with dolls and draw. She spoke too, sometimes. Though usually only when spoken too, and a very few words at a time.
It was around this time that the Blackburn parents began to notice strange things around the house. Things seemingly moving on their own, the TV turning on when no one was there. Footsteps when both children were in bed. They almost even thought it might have been ghosts! Nothing ever bad happened, however, so they decided instead to look like the less than perfect family that they surely were, they kept it to themselves.
However, Gabriel was never fibbing about those voices. Even the young Toddler Leila knew how to bring her friends around. Her friends were the ones in the shadows, the ones that she wouldn't know until much later that she herself were creating. A sort of imaginary friend that you could see... and give life too.
Leila had a very strange, but wonderful and beautiful gift. She could manipulate shadows, the dark, to do nearly whatever she pleased. If she wanted to sneak cookies in the middle of the night, she could. As long as the lights were out, no one would have any idea it was ever her. If she wanted to watch TV after bedtime, she could! Even when Momma came out into the living room to see how it turned on, all she had to do was sit really still and wait for her to leave. And then she turned the TV back on, but much much quieter this time.
When Momma and Daddy told her she couldn't have a pet, she made one! A cute little puppy with floppy ears and a long fluffy tail, one that was only for her. She made it go away when other people were around, she didn't want to get into trouble. Also her friends, she knew what happened when Gabriel tattled on her, so she didn't want to get in trouble instead of him.
Leila started to go to school, but no other kids were like her. She was the only one with really black hair, and the only one with really black eyes. And when the lights went out when Rodney teased her about not talking, that was an accident. At least they got out of class for awhile. Leila was smart enough to know that she was different after the first few weeks of class, her friends told her too. So she tried to be careful, much more careful so she didn't take the lights away again. No matter how much she liked the dark.
Leila learned that she liked flowers. She really liked roses. The teacher said they came in all sorts of colors, so when she asked if one came in black, the teacher scolded her saying that black was a dreary color and that she should enjoy colors like red and yellow and white more. She didn't understand what was wrong with black. So she went home that day and made one herself. A black rose that is, except it was all black. The stem and everything, and it went away as soon as she stopped concentrating.
After that Leila always wanted to know just what she could do, so she would try and make all sorts of things. All sorts of shapes and sizes, toys that her Mommy and Daddy wouldn't get for her. The toys were nice, expect she could only play with them a little bit. And never when her friends were around, it was too hard to keep them all around at once. But Leila was determined to be able to one day, so she could show her friends too.
Gabriel was mean to her. He would often pick on her for not talking, and not being 'normal' or having friends. She did have friends though. And a puppy. She didn't like it when he picked on her, but she liked him. He was her older brother. He didn't look much like her, he had tan skin like their parents and blond hair like their Daddy.
"I can't believe we are even related!" Gabriel would sneer at her, "I know you're different, and I'm gonna show Mom and Dad too! And then you'll be out of here!"
She didn't argue back, but would always cry by herself when he was gone. She didn't even let her friends come out when that happened, she didn't want them to see her cry and do something mean to Gabriel. They already didn't like him, like they didn't like Rodney.
So when Gabriel started to pick on her more and more, she didn't even notice when she started to let the shadows get bigger. They started to cover the walls, the floors, her whole tiny body. Gabriel's eyes bugged out when he saw it he was so scared. And when he tried to go tattle to Mommy and Daddy, they were gone and Leila was back in her room playing with her doll house.
"Why don't you play house with your sister, Gabbey? You two don't do much together!" Their mother had encouraged. Gabriel looked reluctant and tried to push past Eve, "Now, Gabe!"
Gabriel had sulked over to Leila's doll house and she smiled innocently up to him. "What was that?" Gabriel asked when Mommy was gone. Leila shrugged, picking up a doll who's hair was crazy and handed it to Gabe.
"The dark stuff? I dunno, It just happens sometimes. Usually not like that though, cuz I don't get sad much." She paused and looked at him, frowning, "But you made me sad, sorry if I scared you Gabriel."
Gabriel glared and opened his mouth to say something mean, but froze when the closet door opened slowly, it looked like a door into shadows itself. He shut up and pretended to enjoy playing dolls with his weirdo, now scary sister.
That was years ago. Leila had learned what her powers were, what her gift was. And what her 'friends' were. Shadow manipulation was her gift, controlling shadows to her will, projecting them as she pleased. She could slip into the shadows and disappear completely to the eye, but she could see in the dark perfectly. Her Shadow magic counted for a very powerful weapon, but she had to be careful, not to allow it to corrupt her. Professor X said they were lucky to have found her when she was young, to be able to train her and help her control it and learn to progress and strengthen her abilities.
She could remember meeting him for the first time like it was yesterday.
"You're special, aren't you Leila?" He had asked her. Beside him was a grumpy looking man, but Leila liked his scratchy looking peach fuzz.
"You're special." Leila said, standing up from her bedroom floor and lifting her teddy bear to her arms with a shadow tendril. She had learned she could hide the shadows to unknowing eyes, but this man could see through it. She could feel him poke around in her mind, but she didn't mind. Maybe he needed help with his old-man home work.
When she thought that, she could see the man smile. She smiled back and looked at his wheelchair, and then back up to him. She seemed to want to ask him something, but didn't just yet. However, she didn't need to.
Professor Xavier was surprised with just how loud this little girls mind was, and he could feel her shadow magics hold around the house before he even came into the door. He noticed how the closet rattled, and his smile twitched. He wondered just how far the corruption had reached with Leila, but to his surprise she seemed perfectly fine. Which meant she had quite a bit of will power, as naive to it all she seemed.
"My name is Charles Xavier, and we have a lot to talk about."
"Okay, but only if you let me ride on your lap."
Leila was broken from her thoughts when she felt the familiar poke and prod of Charles himself. She grinned a bit and left her tidy room, placing her teddy bare on top of her dresser. It was a little more dingy than she remembered, but she still loved it.
'It feels awfully lazy to reach me this way rather than fetching me, Prof.' Leila thought coyly.
'It's easier this way, no stairs.' Was the Professors response. Leila snickered and made my way to his office, she was just about ready to get to school, hopefully this wouldn't make them late. She pushed through the door to see Scott and Jean already there, along with the professor and some mystery hooded person.
"Ah, there she is. Come in, Leila. Everyone, I would like you to meet Kurt Wagner." The Professor greeted Leila and she walked over to the other two Teens. "He arrived late last night."
"Hey, Kurt." Scott greeted sticking out his hand, "This is Jean. I'm Scott. And that's Leila, How you doing?"
Kurt took a step back and Leila tilted her head curiously. "Kurt, you are among friends here." Charles encouraged.
"Hello," Kurt said, bringing his hand out of his pocket. His hand that was blue and only had three fingers. Leila could see Scott's reaction making Kurt pull his hand away.
Charles cleared his throat, "I was just telling Kurt about how I set up this institute for Gifted youngsters, youngsters who gifts aren't always an asset."
Scott looked at the Professor sheepishly, "Oh so... You heard about that last night?"
Leila rolled her eyes. She was swamped with so much homework she had missed the game last night, and all the excitement from it. She felt like she always missed the exciting things!
"It was difficult not to, It was on all the news channels." Charles said sternly.
Leila rose her eyebrows and pretended to not pay attention to Scott getting chastised by the Professor, looking at everything but them. Even managing to sneak in an awkward wave to the new guy.
She realized she had zoned out when Jean spoke, "How about you Kurt, do you have a gift that brought you here?"
Leila looked over to Kurt and saw his hood was down. He had shoulder length dark blue hair, well, everything about him was blue. Besides those piercing yellow eyes. Suddenly he poofed away in a cloud of smoke, only to reappear across the room.
He looked over at everyone with a smirk, "Maybe."
Leila grinned, "Teleporter. Nice."
Scott and Jean both looked at Leila. Scott rose an eyebrow, "Oh come on, it took you like two months to even speak to me!"
Leila giggled and shrugged her shoulders, "Yeah, getting better at the whole speaking thing." Jean smiled over and nodded, "Good. We're glad to hear that."
"I'll be helping to get Kurt settle in, we can talk more tonight." Charles dismissed us with a wave of his hand.
"See ya later Professor!" Jean waved from the door, Scott right behind her. Leila stood awkwardly a few extra moments before looking over to Kurt.
"Uh... You'll like it here, we've got good people. Gotta go!" Leila waved to the both of them and jogged out the door to catch up with Scott and Jean.
"I think I will." Kurt mumbled, just as a shadow tendril shot through the door, picking up Leila's forgotten bag, and trailing it back out.
Charles only smiled.
Leila hummed while walking to her locker, today she was wearing a knee length black dress, with black stockings and knee high leather boots. She kept her hair straight and long, flowing down her back beneath a baggy beanie.
"34, 35, 36, 37, aaand here we are!" She trilled when she got to hers, dropping her bag from her shoulder. Luckily she had one of the more secluded lockers, usually not having to deal with as many people in the morning. Because she was certainly not one of those sorts of people.
"Yo, Crowfood!" Leila rolled her eyes with a grin when a familiar smell filled the air, "What's up Toad?"
The toad-mutant jumped up above the locker beside hers, looking down at her with his arms crossed, his eyes always looked so baggy but Leila thought that was just a toad-thing.
"Y'know. Hanging around." Toad snerked. Leila put away her books and lifted her brow, "Yeah yeah, I heard you almost got stomped last night."
"If it wasn't for your freaky-eyed friend, yeah. Old Toad would be road kill, yo." Toad said, hopping down from the lockers, sticking his hands in his pockets and leaned back against them instead.
"Lucky you, eh?" Leila shut her locker and turned to look at him. He looked too skinny too. Leila had met the Toad-mutant shortly after starting school here, he wasn't the best at hiding his ability but she thought most people would just think he's freaky. She still felt maybe like keeping an eye on him was a good idea. They weren't like friends or anything, but hey.
"Yeah right? I ain't so sure, yo. Professor Darkholme wants me to check him out." Toad kicked at the floor.
"Dorkhome is a scary woman, I wouldn't ignore her if I were you. Just like, don't get in trouble Toad. I don't think I'd be able to protect you from Scott." Leila laughed at his offended look.
"'Ey man, I don't need no protection!"
Leila took the shadow from beneath him and tripped him up, just to pick him back up at the last moment. "Sure sure, tell those football jocks that!" She waved from over her shoulder and made her way to class. She would probably be late because of that, but still. The look on his face was worth it.
School was finally out, and Leila was only filled with a little tower of homework. Of course. She was walking into the institute with Scott and Jean.
"The Professor wants the Toad to come here?" Leila had asked on the way into the door. Scott nodded, "Seems that way."
"I mean, he's not a bad kid or whatever. I dunno though, something about him is fishy sometimes. Good on ya for saving the dweeb though!" Leila patted Scott's back when she jogged by him on her way up the stairs to her room.
She was humming, again, when she bumped into somebody in the hallway. "Yikes!" She rarely lost her footing, and even when she did, her shadow would just lift her back up and steady her. She didn't even have to try for that to happen.
Leila glanced down to see a stranger. Her brow furrowed, "Hello."
"Oh, sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." As soon as she heard that accent she knew who it was. Should have guessed by the color of his hair. She helped him up and grinned, shrugging her shoulders.
"No worries, Kurt. Is this your room?" She asked, nodding to the one he just left. He nodded to her.
"Hey cool! We're neighbors." She laughed and pointed to her room that was the next one down the hall. For some reason, they were still holding hands from where she had lifted him up.
She blinked, it was strange to feel his two fingers on a hand that looked like it had five. "Can I get my hand back?"
Kurt's face turned pink and he jumped, lifting his hand away, "Oh!- eheh, sorry!"
Leila laughed, shrugging again. "No worries, blue boy. Those things are pretty cool, huh?" She asked, pointing at the wrist watch look alike.
"Oh yeah, totally! I never thought I would look normal!" Kurt's face lifted to an excited expression.
Leila simply grinned, "I dunno. I thought you looked pretty cool before, but hey, whatever floats your fluffy boat. I'm gonna tackle this homework, feel free to come visit sometime. Maybe you can teach me some German, ya?"
Kurt looked surprised but smiled genuinely and nodded, "Yeah, I'd like that."
Leila nodded and waved, walking past him and into her room where she plopped down onto her bed, using her shadow tendrils to collect a pencil from her desk across the room. "Ughh... Math sucks."
...
Hours later, Leila had finally finished her homework. With some procrastination maybe. She stood up from her bed and stretched, looking out the window and noticing that it had suddenly started to rain out of no where.
"Hrm... What is Storm up to?" She wondered aloud, making her way out of her room and down the hall. She thought she heard a crash. And then she definitely heard one. She stopped a moment, wondering if she should even bother to check what it was before shrugging and making the rest of the way into the main entrance.
Leila's jaw dropped at what she saw. A now blue Kurt was 'dancing' around, and a more and more agitated Toad was chasing after him. The chase went down a separate hallway and Leila walked down the stairs, staring after them. "What even just happened."
She looked over when she saw Storm fly in through an open window and watched her walk over to where Professor Xavier was wheeling in. "Yes. Tolansky is indeed gifted. He could be one of us."
"Sometimes, professor, I feel your good heart blinds even you from the truth." Storm said, her hands on her hips. Leila walked over to them, standing still and quiet for a moment, listening to the crashes from the other room. "They are gonna wreck the place."
Professor gave her a look and she shrugged, looking at Storm for backup. Storm only closed her eyes and shook her head.
After a few more clashes and shatters, the boys had made their way back in. "This test is over!" Charles said sternly, "Tolansky does possess the X-Gene, he is welcome to join us, if he so desires."
"Only thing I desire is blue boys fuzzy head!" Toad said as he jumped at Kurt, who was clinging to one of the lights hanging from the ceiling. They both poofed in a cloud of smoke. Suddenly there was red, flashing lights. Leila smacked her forehead, "Out of all places, he poofed them into the danger room?"
Leila was the farthest away from the Danger room, so by the time she got there, in her suit most of the damage had been done. Her eyes widened, seeing Toad nearly squashed between two walls. Using her shadows she lifted both hands up into the air, the darkness spreading along the floor rapidly until it reached the closing wall, her fists close and the wall crumples like it were a discarded piece of paper. "Toad, Get over here!" She called out to him, narrowly dodging a beam of energy shot at her.
Charles was shutting down the system, "Oh now I get it!" Kurt said, "It's a training room! I just pull the plug and uh... ugh!"
The blaster went crazy when the plug was pulled blasting Toad straight into Leila, both of them being thrown into the wall behind them. Thankfully Storm was there to zap out the out of control machine. "Ugh... Ouch." Leila muttered, pushing Toad off of her. Her shadow lifted her up by her arms and she shook the debris from the wall out of her hair.
"Forget this man," Toad said when he got up to his feet, "I've seen enough. I'm out of here,"
"Tolanksy!" Scott cried after him, but he had already hopped out of the room. "Sorry Professor... I couldn't stop him."
"It's alright, Cyclops. He wasn't ready to be one of us." Charles voice could be heard over the intercom.
"I blew it too, Professor. I'm sorry." Kurt shook his head, "You've been wonderful but I guess... I-I don't belong here." His voice was so sad, and he poofed before anyone could say anything. Leila frowned where he had been moments before. Scott went off after him, and the rest of them left to get changed and cleaned up. She was sure Scott would handle it, he was a friendly guy when he wanted to be, even if it took awhile for herself to get warmed up to him.
Leila decided to take a long and hot shower, to work out a sore shoulder from heading straight into a wall. After a quick towel dry to her hair, she dressed into her pajamas. Which were comfy, plain black sweatpants and a tank top. She was on her way back home when she looked up, blinking when she came face to face with the fuzzy blue guy.
"Hi again." She said, a little self conscious to be found after a shower."Oh, Hi Leila."
She stood awkwardly a moment before biting her bottom lip. "So, Nightcrawler. That's cool."
He rubbed the back of his neck, "Thanks! I didn't hear your code name."
Leila gave a half grin and shrugged her shoulders, "It's Crowfeather."
"Why do they call you Crowfeather?" Kurt asked excitedly, holding up his hands in front of him.
Leila laughed and gave a wink, walking around him. "I'll show you sometime, Night Blue!"
Kurt watched her go, his face turning a slight shade of purple.
(A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read! This is an idea I had because I recently have re-watched the show... Not every chapter will be an episode, and when an episode is brought up, not each one will be so straight along the story. I just felt like the intro episode was important! If you liked this story, please let me know so I can be sure to push out some more chapters. This is more of a test to see how it does, hehe. I was thinking for a Nightcrawler/OC romance but I am open to suggestions.
Thanks again! 3