Chapter 2: Chapter 2
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of x-men whatsoever. I only own the character of Ansley.
CHAPTER TWO :
The Institute
I was being dropped off at the institute by my mom's Lawyer, Sarrah Evanston
She had called me about my mom's will and I told her that I would be transferring from my highschool, to The Charles Xavier School for the gifted.
Of course she didn't know it was a mutant school, and just assumed it was another prep school.
She insisted on driving me. Sarrah was a good lawyer and had always had my best interests in mind.
After my mom was sent away, she was the one who fixed up all the documents stating that I would be able to live on my own as a minor, because I didn't want to go to a foster home.
"This place sure looks nice" Sarrah said as we entered the gate of the institute.
"Are you sure about this?" She asked
"I think so...." I answered
"Well, if you have any problems or need anything, you know where to reach me." She said as she parked at the entrance.
"Thanks, Sarrah" I said as I gave her a hug, then got my stuff from the trunk of her BMW.
I was now standing at the entrance of the ivy covered mansion.
I had to admit, I was a little nervous.
I walked in and the place looked just as lavish as it did form the outside.
I had no idea where I was supposed to go.
A woman walked up to me, she had white hair.
"Hello. My name is Ororo, do you need any help?"
"Ansley Benton, Im enrolling here, where do I put my things?"
"Oh ok. Well follow me, I'll take you to your room, then I'll take you to see the professor."
I followed her to the dormitory area of the mansion, She led me to a room, there were two beds, two closets, two desks, both sides of the room were unoccupied.
"Here you go, You get the room all to yourself, until we need to give you a roommate."
The room was nice, with large windows that had a nice view or the garden, where many kids were playing around.
I placed my suitcases on my bed.
"You can unpack later, I'll take you to The professor now" Ororo said, Standing at the door.
"Alright" I said, I followed her to a room, at the other end of the mansion.
She knocked on the door, then entered, motioning for me to follow.
the room was an office, there sat a man, who appeared to be in a wheel chair.
"Professor, This is Ansley Benton, she says she is enrolling here" Ororo said
"Ahhh, yes, I have been expecting you for some time now Ms….Benton." The man in the wheelchair said.
It was weird though, the way he addressed me was as if he had expected to call me something else.
"I am Professor Charles Xavier, Welcome, Please, sit down" He said
"Ororo, you can go now, thank you" He said
After Ororo left he began
" I want to offer my sincerest condolences for the passing of your mother, I am sure it is a difficult time"
"Thank you" I replied
"I am sure Jean and Scott have explained the mechanics of this institution to you"
"The whole Mutant school thing? Yeah.."
he smiled. " yes, it may be an institution for mutants, but it is still a school, a school where you will learn, and where others can learn with you"
"So I do actually have to go to classes and stuff?" I asked
"Yes, That you do, speaking of which ,here is your schedule.." He said as he pulled out a sheet of paper from his desk and handed it to me.
I glanced at it….Mutant history, Mutant evolution, Physical Education, Mutant Molecular Biology, Art, Botany.
"Do you have any questions?" He asked
"No, not really.."
"In that case, you best start unpacking, then when you are done, get to your next class"
He said.
I stood "uhh..thanks..professor.." and left the room.
As I walked to my room, I noticed that there were more students in the hall, must be their lunch break.
When I got to my room, I began unpacking, placing my clothes in the closet, putting up a few posters on the wall of old movies…like Casablanca and Moulin Rouge.
When I had finished, I looked at my schedule to see which class I had to go to.
"1:30 pm - Mutant Molecular Biology with Prof. Ororo Munroe – in the conservatory" I read to myself.
I looked at myself in the mirror making sure I looked ok….
My wavy light ash brown hair reaching a few inches below my shoulders looked brushed, my pale grey eyes, lined with a bit of eyeliner. I was wearing a blue tank top, a black cardigan, black skinny jeans and flats.
I placed on some clear lip gloss and was good to go.
As I walked to the conservatory, I happened to get shoved by someone who was running behind me.
"Sorry about that.....I'm kind of late for class, and if I'm late again professor Munroe will definitely be giving me detention." A boy with dark-ish hair said to me
I was pretty peeved, but decided on attempting to be nice…seeing as I was new and all..
"Its….fine…I'm heading towards her class too"
"oh yeah?. wait..are you new?..my name is Bobby Drake."
"Ansley Benton and yup..today is my first day at mutant high"
"mutant high…good one…I might use that.." He said
"So how long have you been here?" I asked
"A couple of years..my parents think this is a prep school, got no clue what really goes down here" He answered
We walked to class, when we got there Ororo…I mean, Miss Munroe. Glanced at Bobby and I.
"Mister Drake, late again, even Mr. Allerdyce got here ahead of you. One detention this afternoon..now take your seat" She said to Bobby
"Class this is Ansley Benton, She is new here, so be nice" Ms. Munroe Said to the class
"Ansley take your seat next to John over there." She motioned to the empty window seat next to a guy who had brown hair slicked back and was slouching in his chair.
"So the X gene is developed……" Ms. Munroe continued her lecture.
I glanced at the guy to my right…the guy who ms. Munroe called "John" who was now falling asleep…he was actually pretty good looking…so was Bobby, but there was something about this guy, a kind-of "don't-give-a-shit" attitude radiated from him, which I thought was kind-of attractive.
Classes went by pretty fast, then as soon as I knew it, it was the end of the day and I was heading towards my room, when I got there I looked for my pack of cigarettes and decided to go to the garden for a smoke. It was twilight when I got outside.
Man, this place was beautiful, The garden had a large water fountain and benches. I took a seat on one of the benches and began trying to light my cigarette, the lighter seemed to have run out of gas.
"Shit" I exclaimed
"Need a hand?" A voice said from behind me
I turned to find the guy from Ms. Munroes's class walking towards me.
He took a seat next to me and held out his zippo lighter with a shark design on it.
He lighted my cigarette.
"thanks" I said
"no prob..I'm John by the way"
"Im Ansley…want one?" I asked pulling out my pack of ciggys
"nah..its cool..im not smoking right now and yeah I know, heard earlier in ms. Munroes class"
"why do you carry a lighter with you if you don't smoke?" I asked
"Its my power…I control fire" He said as he lit the lighter and began turning the flame into different shapes.
"can't create it though.." he said as he closed his hand around the flame to extinguish it.
"what do you do?" he asked
"I can become invisible" I said I decided not tell him my second power…I didn't want to show off…plus I didn't want everyone knowing everything about me.
"cool" he said, as he took a seat next to me
"So, why'd you come here?" he asked
"Why'd you?" I asked in return
"I asked you first…"
"Well…my mom just died and I figured, I'd rather be anywhere but alone at home again..your turn.."
"Got a visit a year ago from the professor, and I realized I'd rather be here than at an orphanage or some foster home where I'm just being used for government money"
"so…your parents.."
"yeah…both dead…it was a long time ago.." he said as he stared intensely at the fountain.
"anyways…I'm going in…'g night" he said to me…as he stood to go in
"good night" I called to him as he walked away.
THE NEXT MORNING
I awoke the next morning to some loud music being blared from the room next to mine….
"What the hell?" I exclaimed…
I showered in my bathroom, and got dressed and was walking down the hall to class, when I realized….its Saturday.
What now? I decided to get some breakfast.
I walked to the kitchen, where many other students were, they were busy talking and getting their breakfasts.
I grabbed a bowl of cereal, poured milk and walked to the dining room.
I sat down and began to eat…staring into space.
"So. You're new, right? Don't think we've had any classes together..I'm Jubilation Lee..just call me Jubilee though" A quirky girl said to me as she sat down next to me.
I turned my attention to the girl " Yeah, just started yesterday, Ansley Benton"
She smiled. "So are you going to the mall today? Every Saturday Jean takes us out, it's either a mall or a museum. Today it's a mall"
"Thanks for telling me, but I'm not feeling too well. Maybe next Saturday?" I said. I didn't really feel like going out.
"aww. are you sure? Next Saturday will probably be a museum day" She asked
"I'm sure. Thanks though" I said as I stood to go to my room
As I was entering the room I saw a girl who looked like that girl from the movie Juno, fumble with her cell phone leaving the room next to mine.
She smiled as she walked passed me.
I entered my room, grabbed a book I had been meaning to finish, A clockwork orange and read.
Somewhere between page 178 an 190 I fell asleep.
When I woke up again it was about one in the afternoon, I decided to walk around the mansion.
I walked around, there were few students since many of them had gone with Jean to the mall.
I went to the tv room and turned it on to HBO, Superman was showing…
"Didn't go to the mall?" Asked a voice behind me.
I turned and saw Bobby
"Nah…didn't really feel up to it" I replied as I turned to stare at the tv.
"John and I got left behind"
"yeah? What are you guys doing now?"
" Canonball and some of the kids are playing dodge ball in the garden…I have to supervise…wanna come?"
"Sure..why not?" I said as I stood to go to the garden
When we got there the kids were infact playing dodge ball…the weirdest game of dodgeball I had ever seen, being as they were using their powers.
John was there sitting at a table close to the kids reading a newspaper.
Bobby and I walked over.
"Didn't think of you as the newspaper type" I said as I sat down next to him
he looked at me
"Im not, did you guys hear this load of crap?" John asked showing the paper to me and Bobby.
The newspaper read:
SENATOR KELLY ATTEMTING TO PASS MUTANT REGISTRATION ACT
"Can you believe this?" John asked
"What is so bad about it?" Bobby asked
"They're asking us to give up are identities so they can tag us and treat up like fucking lab rats" John said
"I don't think it'll be that bad.." Bobby said
"No, I agree with John, this is such a total violation of privacy.." I said glancing back at the paper he just set down.
"I'm sure the professor won't allow that to happen" Bobby said
"Now you guys feel like playing dodge ball?" Bobby asked
"uhhh?..no" John said
