X-Men: Eye of the Tigress
Chapter 4 – Wait…I'm What?
Not long after she closed her eyes, Savannah found herself drifting, almost floating, through a wide black tunnel that seemed to represent the inner workings of her complex mind, all the places she knew existed, and some places she didn't know were there. It was the strangest, yet most peaceful sensation she had ever known. No need to think, feel, or do anything. All that she seemed to do was just exist. There were times that she wanted to leave, and others when she wanted to stay. Yet no matter her opinion, for a time that seemed so short yet so long at the same time, she stayed in this cavernous place which offered comfort and a sense of security. One that seemed to go on for a timeless eternity.
There were times when she thought she could regain consciousness though. For a few fleeting moments, she thought she could hear voices. Some urgent, and some calm. But even as she tried to figure out what they were saying, they would slip out of her grasp again. And before long, she would forget that she had even heard the voices at all. She would fade like a lone spirit from the light and back into the darkness of her subconscious again. Whether it was her choice or that of another over her, it didn't seem to matter. It happened anyway.
And the dreams. Those were the weirdest, most bizarre dreams Savannah ever had in her life. In the strangest one, it looked as though she were floating in outer space, with billions of stars, galaxies, and other worlds in the distance, just out of her reach, yet also appearing close enough that she could reach out her hand and scoop them up. But it was not a place of comfort. She was all alone, naked in the dark. And despite all the beauty she saw before her, she felt as though she might as well be in a dense, underwater place, which waited for her to drown so it could take another victim in its hold. Her heart threatened to beat its way to destruction, and she didn't know if she'd ever be able to breathe again.
But just when she thought she was about to fade into oblivion, a pair of invisible arms reached out and embraced her in a warm and inviting hug. So relieved did Savannah feel upon receiving it that she simply melted into the embrace, closed her eyes, and hugged the person back. And she was by now so exhausted that she didn't even open her eyes again to look at the person who was holding her. Yet something within her, almost like that strong sense of smell most animals have, could tell her without needing to open her eyes just what this person was like. It was a man, and he smelled of strength and security all at once. He smelled of fierceness yet gentleness, of adventure yet familiarity. And that was the scent that struck her the most. The one that she thought the most odd. How could he have seemed so familiar if she didn't even know whether or not she'd even met him?
Before she could try to grasp what it could all mean though, Savannah felt the man's embrace leave her, fade away like a simple mist. And as soon as she was alone again, she began to feel as though she was rapidly descending down into an abyss made of nothing. Nothing at all. And it frightened her. She opened her mouth to scream, yet no sound erupted from her lips. She felt out for anything, anything at all, to break her fall, but she found nothing. All she knew for sure was that she was falling to her doom. From here, it seemed only that the void where nothing existed awaited her, waiting to swallow her up as she fell further and further. All she could do was close her eyes and await her eventual fate.
And yet, it never came. The next thing Savannah knew, she was still in the black world that had become all too familiar to her, but she was no longer falling. Instead, she was lying on something pretty soft and comfortable. Her head was propped against something similar. And her ears were filled with a repetitive beeping noise. For the longest time, all she could do was just lie where she was, listening to that beep every second or two while she remained unable to move. Until the need to know where she was finally gave her the strength to open her eyes.
For a while, they felt heavier than lead. Just the effort of trying to open them made her want to give up. But if there was anything Savannah knew she wanted, it was to get out of this confusing blur of an existence and get back to a tangible reality. So she kept trying and trying, harder and harder, until, at last, with a slight groan, she began to see something other than the darkness she wanted so badly to leave.
At first, her vision was blurry. Once it focused though, she found herself staring at a finely designed marble ceiling. But still, she wanted to see more. Using as much effort as she previously used to open her eyes, she transferred it to her attempt to move her head. Slowly yet surely, she lifted it up. And despite the immense weight it now held, she managed to keep her head in that position while she looked around.
Savannah first saw that she was laying in a large bed. Much larger than the one at her apartment, anyway. And much like one you would see in a rich person's home. The blankets were not only warm yet looked pretty expensive. Then again, so did the rest of the room the more she looked at it. On the left were two windows with opened velvet curtains, letting so much sunlight flood into the room Savannah reasoned it was early afternoon. There was an antique-looking desk made of what looked to be freshly polished wood sitting in between them, and a similar looking chest of drawers on the wall to her right. There were still-life paintings of flowers decorating the walls in some places. Savannah didn't think she'd ever been in a finer room.
But that was before the beeping noise caught her attention again. She turned to look at its source to her right, but when the corner of her eye caught something, she looked down instead to find, with wide eyes, that she was wearing a hospital gown. And that was just the first of a series of weird discoveries. When she tried sitting up, she found that she was held back by something that wrapped around her face and sat underneath her nose. With annoyance, Savannah removed the nasal cannula. But the moment she sat up, the weight in her head gave way to an ache that hit her like a basketball. A groan immediately erupted from her lips, and her hands flew to her head as she closed her eyes and began to massage it.
Once she opened her eyes again though, she saw that there were stickers on her chest, which she soon discovered lead to a heart-rate and breathing monitor. Savannah put her face in her palm. Of course that was what was making the beeping noise. And she wanted it to stop. Her hand flew to her chest and she immediately pulled the stickers off. The beeping then turned into a flat high-pitched noise, making Savannah want to turn it off all the more. Fortunately, her eyes landed on the power cord. She knew she shouldn't pull on it, but she didn't care. She pulled until the noise disappeared and the screen on the monitor went black.
But that wasn't the most troubling problem. Savannah's eyes went wide once again when she saw that there was a needle taped into her right wrist. Her vision followed the accompanying cord, until she discovered that it was actually an IV. Wonderful. Just what she needed to wake up to. It most likely gave her nutrients while she was incapacitated. But now that she had regained consciousness… Well, it had to come out. The hard thing was that it would be easier said than done.
Savannah knew though that she had to try. She spotted on the bedside table to her right a small metal tray holding a couple rolls of bandages, a few balls of cotton, and half a dozen safety pins, all of which she would soon need. She also saw a pen next to it, which she also needed. She took it swiftly in her hand, and then put it in her mouth to hold between her teeth. And just as swiftly, her eyes flew to the IV in her wrist. With a very careful left hand, she slowly undid the tape holding it. And finally, with her teeth firmly holding the pen and her eyes locked on the task at hand, she just as slowly pulled the needle out, while she used just as much effort to keep even the smallest of noises from slipping out.
Immediately dark red blood began to sickly seep from the fresh wound. Within just a few seconds though, Savannah placed the needle on the tray and grabbed one of the rolls of bandages along with a ball of cotton. After placing the latter on her wrist, and spitting the pen out of her mouth, she began to hastily wrap the bandage around the wound, thankful that she had helped out enough at her previous job to have satisfactory experience in matters such as this. Once she had bound her wrist enough, she used her teeth to tear the rest away, and then reached for a safety pin to hold it together.
Savannah let out a sigh as soon as she was done, having now relieved herself of all the blasted medical equipment that made her feel more like she was being experimented on rather than aided. Then again, she'd never been in such a situation. Moreover, and more importantly, she'd never been in a place like this. And, perhaps most important of all, she knew she had to leave. Just because she was in a luxurious looking place and even received medical help didn't mean the people who kept her here were nice. And considering all the images that flashed into her mind regarding the night before, that gave her all the more reason to escape, and fast.
Savannah tossed the blankets aside and set her bare feet on the floor. But once she stood up, she wished she had considered how serious her condition might be, because a sharp pain immediately shot up her right side, causing black spots to form in her vision. Stifling a groan, she grabbed hold of the edge of the bedside table to steady her, and held her hand to her apparently still injured side. There she waited until the pain, and the accompanying need to throw up, left her. Only then did she turn and begin to walk, slowly, away from the bed and toward the white door she'd seen earlier. Despite her urgency to leave, she still needed to know the extent of her injuries. And hopefully this door led to a place where she could find that out.
It did. Upon turning on the light, Savannah found it led to a bathroom, the luxuriousness of which matched the room behind her. There was a scent of lavender hanging in the air. The sink was made of fine, polished marble. The tub looked large enough to hold at least three people. For a brief moment, she even allowed herself to imagine immersing herself in some fine, relaxing hot water after a long, hard day of work. Not that she couldn't do that at her apartment, but this tub looked far more inviting. Suddenly though, Savannah shook her head in order to get that distracting notion that she had no time for out of her mind. And when she saw the mirror above the sink, she did not hesitate to head over to it.
Yet nothing could prepare Savannah for what she was about to see. The moment she saw her reflection, she let out a gasp and even took a step back before her wide eyes really began to let the image before her sink in. Whether what she saw made her turn pale, or she already was, she didn't know. And she didn't care. She didn't think she looked so unlike herself in her life. Not only did it look like she'd lost weight, but it looked like her body had taken its baddest punishment in ever. With a gaping mouth, and a slow hand, she reached it up to the right side of her head. Halfway to the center of her forehead was a long line of blue stitches. She also traced another line stretched from the bridge of her nose to underneath her left eye. It seemed if she had some on both sides of her mouth, she'd probably look like an old-fashioned, hideous, life-size doll. All she could do to cope with the troubling thought was bite her lower lip.
Before she could close her eyes too, Savannah noticed something else out of the corner of her eye, something that was blue. Moving aside the collar of her gown to bare her left neck and shoulder, she also exposed the two lines of stitches that stretched nearly halfway to her chest. But unlike the two she noted earlier, these series of sutures were twice as thick, and she made a sick face at the sight of the dark bruises surrounding them. "Geez," she breathed as she pressed her hand to them, just to know for sure that they were real. For one too-long minute, while she wished to look away, Savannah's eyes seemed to have a mind of their own, because their gaze was locked as if in morbid fascination at the grisly sight before her. The only thought that seemed to come into her head was to say goodbye to low-cut dresses.
But then there was that pain she had earlier on her right side. Well, she had an idea of what she might see. Biting her lower lip even harder, and inhaling a quick breath, Savannah pulled up her hospital gown to see the damage done to her torso, and immediately saw that this one was undoubtedly the worst of all. She didn't think she'd seen so many stitches in one place at one time. And like on her shoulder and neck, there were two lines of them. As far as she could tell, they stretched around her rib cage to nearly the middle of her back. And as soon as she bent forward, she bit her tongue at the pain that shot through her like a shockwave. Could she really even attempt to try and escape? She'd never sustained injuries such as these. And on the chance that the ones keeping here were nice, especially considering where she could have otherwise ended up…
No. Savannah immediately shook her head. After learning her boss was not what he seemed, this was the worst time for her to take risks. And besides that, she was tough. Always had been and always would be. Even as a little kid she never cried when she hurt herself. Why should she start now, especially considering these were far from skinned knees and other playground wounds? Savannah shook her head again, forcing herself to focus. She couldn't allow even herself to stray her from the task at hand. So what if she was hurt? So what if the place she was put in looked like a billionaire's mansion? Bottom line, she could deal with her injuries and she didn't want to be here. Forget taking risks. Forget that she'd only been awake for a few minutes. She was leaving.
Of course, she would be able to only if the door was unlocked. Her eyes on it over her shoulder, Savannah turned, steeled herself, and managed to head over to it without paining her body further. Steeling herself again, this time against disappointment, she laid her hand on the knob, and turned it. To her relief, it was unlocked, but she didn't open it fully. Daring to open it just a little, she leaned forward and looked around as much as she could. Fitting her expectations, what she saw looked as elaborate as her room. Though all she saw was a hallway, it looked like one she would see at a five-star hotel. And she was sure the rest looked similar.
But she wasn't here to admire the place. Feeling her heart beat hard against her chest, Savannah slowly opened the door further, and leaned out to look down the rest of the hall. After two minutes of seeing and hearing nothing, she finally opened the door all the way, and took her first few steps out. Very slowly, her eyes and ears as alert as they could be, she continued down the hall. She was about halfway down when she suddenly heard two sets of footsteps and two masculine voices coming up the set of stairs on the right. Immediately, she pressed her back against the wall to her right, where she was least likely to be seen, and froze. She then watched as two men walked up together, talking to each other. She couldn't see what they looked like, since their backs were turned to her, and she was so focused on escaping that she didn't bother to listen to what they were saying.
The moment they started walking down the other hallway, away from her, Savannah, even slower than before, began slinking her way down the rest of her hallway toward the stairway nearest to her. Yet she kept her eyes on the men just a few feet away from her. And just that simple act proved to be a big mistake, because before she even started down the first step, she bumped into a stack of papers, carried by one of the strangest, if not the strangest, man she'd ever seen. He was large, with yellow eyes that widened upon meeting her own wide ones, but the thing that stood out the most was his blue skin and the blue fur that framed his face, his chest, and just about every part of him. And just as quickly as her focus turned on him, the following second it was even more swiftly turned to the fact that she'd now been discovered.
"Oh, pardon me ma'am," Bluebeard said before she could even think to stop him. While momentarily happy that she hadn't caused him to spill his papers, her eyes flew to the two men she saw earlier, and she let out a gasp when she saw that they'd turned and spotted her.
"Wait!" one of them called as his hands flew out toward her. But that was the last thing on Savannah's mind. Fortunately, the staircase in front of her was wide enough for her to step around Bluebeard and fly down. And fly down she did. Taking two steps at a time and ignoring the shouts behind her, she didn't stop even as she made it to the landing below. She continued to flee down another, wider set of stairs leading to another floor. This one revealed was looked like a parlor or sitting room. But she had no time to admire the scenery. She considered jumping over the banister and down onto the next floor. But that was out of the question. Seeing an open door on the right, and hearing the thundering footsteps behind her, Savannah instantly rushed through the door and down another hallway.
"Wait!" the men called out to her again, "Stop!" But she only ran faster. She darted around a corner and flew past what she believed was a woman. Desperate to escape those pursuing her, Savannah spotted another door and hurried toward it. This one lead to what she thought to be a library, judging by the dozens, if not hundreds, of rows of books stretching up to the ceiling. She sped past the corner of the banister and headed to the next door near the wall.
Unfortunately, she more crashed through it rather than opened it. And she painfully reaped the results of her decision inside. Still, she hurried, or rather stumbled forward. But before she could make it to the next door, Savannah ran into the person coming through it, who immediately grabbed her by the elbows. She was about to fight back, when she looked up, and received one shock too many for the day. It was Wolf-man, or Wolverine. Whatever he was called, she knew it was him. And judging by his own wide eyes, he seemed to recognize her. Before she could ask any questions though, the shock she received at running into this man made it to her already pained side, making the sensation worsen until only black awaited her.
The next thing she knew, Savannah was hearing somewhat distant voices, ones that seemed to be concerned for her. "Hey," one of them said, "Wake up." Deciding she might as well comply, now that she'd been caught, she slowly opened her eyes, but not before she felt a hand gently tap her cheek. She let out a groan before she fully opened her eyes, and found that she was sitting on the floor with the two men who'd been chasing her holding her up by each arm. The one on her left looked to be at least in his late-thirties, but she couldn't tell because of the strange looking visor he wore across his face. The one on her right looked younger, and sported somewhat of a beard with icy-blue eyes. For a moment, she considered trying to swipe at them, to make them let go of her. But the next time the guy on her left spoke to her, she found herself having second thoughts.
"Hey," he said, "You alright?" She couldn't see his eyes, but from the perturbed tone of his voice, he seemed to genuinely want to know.
"I…I don't know," Savannah replied, frowning with uneasiness and shaking her head. Immediately, she felt dizzy, but she tried desperately hard not to show it.
"Why'd you run?" the guy on her right asked, clearly confused.
Using almost all of her remaining strength, Savannah shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I didn't know who you were."
"Would it make you feel better if you did?" the one on her left asked.
At first, Savannah wasn't sure. Then again, she hadn't been more hurt than she already was. And considering all she'd already gone to, this couldn't hurt too much. Reluctantly, she nodded her head. The guy on her left smiled slightly.
"Well, for now, you can call me Cyclops," he said. Now Savannah was really confused. Though it sort of made sense, she didn't know anyone who was comfortable enough to go by a name like that. She then turned to the guy on her right.
"Iceman," he said, "Good to meet ya." Savannah nodded in understand, though it seemed understanding was the last thing she could latch onto for now. In an attempt to even try to anyway though, she turned back to the guy on her left. Cyclops, was it?
Apparently having seen the confusion adorning her face, he replied, "It's okay, just calm down. You're safe here, no one's gonna hurt you, I promise you."
Before Savannah could nod, a new voice, one she knew she heard before, spoke up. "She wouldn't be so banged up if she didn't pull a crazy stunt like that."
Savannah turned to the source of the voice, and her eyes immediately widened when she saw the one she'd run into just now. What was he doing here? Just then, as though he could read her mind, Cyclops decided to answer the questions that instantly formed in her head.
"Wolverine here found you pretty much on the brink of death," he explained, "Had he found you any later, you could very well have died."
"Yeah, it was pretty bad," Iceman agreed, "But we believed in you."
For a moment, Savannah managed the faintest smile. It had been a very long time since someone showed this much concern for her, and these were people she didn't even know. Which immediately brought her focus back to what was originally on her mind. Her smile sinking back into a frown, she sat up as straight as she could, showing the men around her that she meant business and she was going to get what she sought.
"Okay, I want answers," she said in the boldest voice she could summon, "Who are you people? And what is this place?"
Iceman immediately frowned in confusion at her. "You really don't know?" he asked somewhat incredulously, "You're kidding right?"
"Let me do the talking Bobby," Cyclops suddenly silenced him. Savannah raised her eyes at knowing his real name, almost believing before that he didn't have one.
"This is Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted," Cyclops went on, "Have you heard of it?"
Savannah was about to shake her head and say no, when she suddenly remembered what Ryan told her the other day, about going there to get some answers regarding her unusual abilities. So she instead nodded and replied, "Once."
Cyclops opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could say anything, that rough voice once again interrupted him. "Why don't you take her to Chuck? He'd probably be happy to tell her what's what. And I'm sure we'd all like to know why she was at that place." That last sentence caused Savannah to look fully at him. And when she saw what she believed to be a smirk forming on his face, she narrowed her eyes at his own and sent him a glare.
"Maybe I'd rather not disclose that information," she retorted, "Especially to the likes of you."
That got him, just as she wanted. While she allowed a ghost of a smirk to cross her own face, Wolf-man frowned at her and looked very much annoyed. But before he could say anything back, Iceman asked, "Wait, do you guys know each other?"
"We met before, once," Wolf-man replied, "Let's just say, it was a pretty rough introduction."
Savannah's eyebrows shot up. "It wouldn't have been rough if you hadn't scared me half to death!" she exclaimed.
"Alright that's enough!" Cyclops suddenly raised his hand, putting a stop to the conflict. Savannah immediately complied, as she just then found that she was too tired to argue. When she turned toward Cyclops, she found that he had turned back to her as well.
"Listen, do you think you can stand?" he then asked.
Savannah's eyebrows went up again as she discovered that she was still sitting on the floor, having obviously fallen there after running into Wolverine. She knew she'd face some great discomfort if she got back on her feet, but she didn't intend to be a burden to these people. "I, I'll try," she nodded.
Cyclops nodded back, and, against Savannah's expectations, let go of her left arm while Iceman let go of her right. So, they were going to allow her to try getting up on her own. Well, she would show them that she could. Slowly, and keeping her back as straight as possibly, Savannah rose until she felt steady enough on her feet, and smiled softly at having done it without experiencing too much pain or requiring help from either of the men beside her. Still, there was one question that begged to be answered. She turned to Cyclops and asked, "By the way, who's Chuck?"
"Professor Charles Xavier," he replied, "He's the founder and dean of the school, and believe it or not I think Wolverine actually brought up a pretty good idea. I think he would be interested in meeting you. That is, of course, if you're up to it?"
Savannah wanted to say that she was tired, and that she wanted to go back to her room. But the other part of her, the one that wanted answers, weighed heavier in her mind, almost as if it wanted to dominate her thoughts. Before long, she felt too tired even to fight herself. If this was the best way to get good answers and fast, well then, she might as well go ahead and get it over with. Reluctantly, Savannah crossed her arms and said, "Fine. Take me away."
"Alright, this way," Cyclops nodded toward the door she'd previously crashed through. Without another word, Savannah followed him and Iceman to it. But just as they reached it, she couldn't help but turn around and see if Wolverine was coming. To her disappointment, she saw that he'd left. Still, she felt a bit weird at the kind of disappointment she felt. She told herself that she'd wanted to stick her tongue out at him in an attempt to knock him off his high horse. And yet, she found that the other part of her almost wanted him to come, to be by her side if nothing else.
Fortunately, she'd managed to clear her head of those strange feelings once she was down the hall she'd traveled through earlier, with Cyclops and Iceman on either side of her in case she needed their help. She kept herself looking straight and tall as she walked, but she also found it kind of nice to have people she barely knew so concerned for her. Suddenly though, her attention was turned to another person she recognized. It was the woman she saw when she ran down the hall earlier. She rushed up to Cyclops' side, and wide-eyed confusion was clearly evident on her face as she asked, "Scott, what…"
Cyclops raised his hand, interrupting her. "She's fine Jean," he assured her, "Well, as fine as she can be for now. Just a little scare is all. We're taking her to see Professor Xavier. She just wants to know what's going on."
The woman, Jean, let out a frustrated sigh and momentarily put her head in her hand. "Alright," she said, "But the moment this is over I want her right back in her room. Now that she's awake I really should take her vitals again."
"Absolutely," Cyclops agreed, "This won't take long, I promise."
Jean raised her eyebrows as if to say "I'll hold you to it," before she turned to Savannah. Savannah, though, turned away. She wasn't particularly interested in talking with anyone other than this Professor Xavier, whom she hoped, strangely, that he would be at least half as nice as the men she'd already met here.
Before too long, they finally made it to what seemed to be his office. The only thing missing though was the professor himself. While Jean volunteered to go look for him, Cyclops and Iceman decided to wait with Savannah. She shrugged her shoulders in a "why not" gesture before taking the seat in front of the well polished mahogany desk. While she waited, she decided she might as well do what she did before, and at least admire the scenery. Behind her was a fireplace, which she briefly imagined sitting in front of, enjoying the heartwarming heat of the kindled flames. There were stained glass windows on her left and behind the desk with images of what she believed were waterlilies. And behind the desk on either side stood bookshelves similar to the ones she saw in the library. It was definitely the fanciest office she'd ever seen. But it didn't stop her from making herself at home.
By the time the door opened, Savannah, who fortunately had shorts on, had both her bare feet on the edge of the desk and her arms crossed. If this guy wanted to see her as she really was, well, the first time was the best time. And if he didn't like what he saw, then it was his loss. She turned toward the door, and her eyebrows raised in surprise at what she saw. Instead of the large, burly figure she had in mind, she saw a bit of a smaller, bald man enter the room in a wheelchair. Then again, it made sense, since he looked at least to be in his sixties or seventies. He definitely had a sense of authority about him, and yet, when she looked at his bluish-gray eyes, she saw no condemnation, only curiosity.
Still, she wasn't about to let her guard down. Keeping her arms crossed, she nodded at him and asked in a casual manner, "How ya doin'?"
Instead of frowning, she thought she saw a bit of a smile. "Very good," he replied in a British accent, "And how good of you to ask. But before we speak, could you please get your feet off my desk?"
Her own smile sank slightly, as he still acted against her expectations. Even so, she did as she was asked, but only because he said please, politely. She also kept her eyes on him while he went behind his desk.
"I heard the scuffle you caused just now," he said, "I might not have expected such a reaction, but I did expect this conversation to take place sooner or later." Then, looking fully at her, he introduced himself. "I am Professor Charles Xavier, as you likely already know. But I am very pleased to finally meet you formally, and that you've finally regained consciousness, Miss West."
If what he said before didn't unsettle Savannah and make her smile completely disappear, this hit her over the head like a hammer. For a moment, she sat with her mouth open, until she realized she probably looked like an idiot. Immediately correcting herself, she asked, "How do you know my name?"
"We were given access to your medical records," Xavier replied. A perfectly logical reason. But it made Savannah feel as uneasy as she did when she discovered she was wearing a hospital gown rather than her black hood and jeans. In both ways, someone had touched her where she didn't. And she didn't like it at all.
"Who else knows?" she asked. And did they know her secret? Fortunately she bit her tongue to prevent the words from slipping out.
"Only those who need to," Xavier replied, "You have nothing to fear, I promise you." Any semblance of a smile he had faded then, as if he too was uneasy. "But I also have some questions I must ask you. Though, I'm sure you too have some of your own to ask me. So, I'll make you a deal. I'll give you, in return, the answers you seek, if you give me mine. Does that seem reasonable?"
Geez. It was like this guy could read her mind or something. And yet he didn't seem to show it off. His proposition did seem fair, and he only spoke to her in a way that seemed to put some of her heightened senses to rest. Savannah found herself wanting to trust this man, even so, she remained wary of him. But she did come here to get the answers that so long eluded her. If it meant remaining in this man's unsettling presence until she got them all, well, so be it. She'd been in much more harrowing situations. She could surely survive this.
Suddenly though, her conflicting thoughts made her head feel heavy, and she put her hand to her forehead hoping to make the throbbing stop before it started. "What did happen last night?" she then asked unconsciously, as if she didn't have a clue.
"Pardon me," Xavier spoke up, "But I think you mean three days ago."
Savannah suddenly looked right back up at him, her eyes as wide with disbelief as they could be. "Three days?" she asked, incredulous, "I've been out for three days? Dude, that's like half a week!"
Xavier sat as still as ever. "I realize that you've already received a series of shocks," he said, "But if you could remain calm and answer my questions, I'm sure it will pass much more quickly."
Again, he was being reasonable. And if there was anything Savannah wanted at the moment, it was to finally have her own questions answered, and, in doing so, finally get some measure of peace in her restless mind. Taking a deep breath and sitting up straight, ready for whatever he would throw at her, she nodded and said, "Alright then. Shoot."
"Well, you might not like this but, how long have you had those stripes?" Xavier asked. Savannah raised her eyebrows again, but only slightly this time. This was probably the first time someone had not asked her if her stripes were tattoos. While feeling some sense of relief, that sensation of someone she didn't know knowing something they shouldn't struck her as uncomfortable.
Still, she shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I've always had them. Ever since before I can remember."
Xavier nodded in understanding, and then asked, "Do you recall ever receiving any, unfortunate treatment throughout your life?"
Savannah released a hard swallow, fearing she would have to tell him in full. But her fears were quickly put to rest when Xavier then said, "Simply answer 'yes' or 'no.'"
That, she could work with. Putting any hesitation aside, she did as she was told and nodded. "Yes."
Xavier nodded again and said, "I see." Then for a moment or two, only silence passed between them. Savannah watched him as what she believed to be hesitation cross his face, before he finally said, "My students discovered you the other night at a most unusual place. Would you care to tell me why you were there?"
Now Savannah herself hesitated. She didn't really want to tell him, because that would mean risking divulging her secret and her covert activities. Yet at the same time, she had the feeling she wouldn't be leaving this room until she answered the professor's question. Well, if she had to do that, then she would definitely have to choose her words carefully. And she did. Before too long, and hoping he would understand, she finally replied, "I work there. I just started that day. But when I heard my boss was conducting illegal experiments, I decided to go check it out, see what was going on."
"Interesting," Xavier murmured, "And would you also care to tell me what you remember after my students arrived on the scene?"
Again, Savannah hesitated. Not only did she think she couldn't retell it accurately, but she also wondered if the man might not even believe her. And then where would she be? Just then though, Xavier assuaged her fears again when he said, "It's alright. You can tell me. I won't judge you."
Savannah found herself somewhat disbelieving that. Then again, she was no stranger to judgment, even if it hurt half the time. All he wanted was the truth anyway. And if that was what he wanted, then he was going to get it. Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, and erase the images that flashed through her mind as she recalled that traumatic evening, Savannah began slowly.
"Well, I was in a hallway. And, all of a sudden this girl and then this big guy crashed through the wall. I ran off, one of the guards there shot at me, but I managed to escape to another room. There, another big guy fell through the roof and then left. I was so freaked out, I didn't know what to do. But, before I could do anything…" Biting her lip, Savannah forced herself to continue. "I felt…I felt like I was gonna die, I was in so much pain. The next thing I knew though, the pain was gone. But, I was…I was now a tiger."
She stopped as she looked down at her hands, but she felt Xavier urge her to go on. "I was a big black one, with white stripes. I don't know how it happened, but I still wanted to get out of there. So I ran. I made to the middle of the building, but one of the tigers that escaped started attacking me. So I fought back. I guess that's how I got these injuries."
She let out a small chuckle, despite seeing nothing to even remotely laugh about. "I finally managed to make him leave me alone, but by then, I was so exhausted, probably because of all the blood I lost. And before I knew it, I passed out." That was all Savannah cared to say. She didn't wish to bring up the fact that the guy she fought only a few days ago was the one who found her, as she was still trying to navigate through her disbelief over that. Fortunately, all that she said seemed to satisfy Xavier, who, shortly after, spoke to her again.
"Thank you, Miss West," he said, "But we are not quite yet done. Do you know what this institute is called?"
Savannah looked up at him again and replied, "Well, I heard that this was a school for the gifted, and that you run it."
"Exactly," Xavier nodded. He then frowned again and asked, "But do you know who the 'gifted' here are referred to as?"
Savannah gave him a confused look, as she didn't really know why the so-called "gifted" would want to be known as anything, but she decided to humor him and said, "Tell me."
Xavier let out a sigh, almost as if dismayed, before he finally replied, "We are referred to as mutants. Individuals with extraordinary abilities caused by what is known only as the mysterious X-gene. It is because of these abilities that we are largely regarded by society with suspicion, fear, and even hatred. I established this institute as a safe place where young mutants can learn to control their gifts and use them responsibly. And I did this largely because, I myself am a mutant."
Savannah nodded, but in her mind she was struggling to understand what he was talking about. Mutants? Not the first thing she would want to be called if she was one of them. And yet, all of what Xavier said struck her as familiar. Where had she heard talk like this before? And if it was this important, why had she allowed it to stay in the back of her mind for so long? If there was any certainty regarding all this though, it was that Savannah knew she needed one critical element if Xavier's claim was to be supported: proof.
"Okay," she said somewhat casually before asking, "Then, what's your so-called gift?"
Xavier only looked at her, no words escaping his mouth. And yet, spontaneously and inexplicably, as if from far away but very near at the same time, Savannah began to hear what she believed to be his voice.
"Listen, but do not be alarmed," it said, "Do you hear any voices in your head other than your own?"
That was when it dawned on Savannah, and her suspicions proved true. This guy was psychic! And he was once again making her uneasy by projecting his own thoughts into her head. But still, she didn't want to believe it. "Wait," she exclaimed, "What are you doing?"
"This is my mutation," the stray voice replied, "I can hear your thoughts, and you can hear mine."
In an attempt to silence the voice, Savannah shook her head, when it came to her that all she really needed to do was say so. "Well, quit it, it's freaking me out."
As if with only a slight nod directed her way, the voice ceased, and Savannah was back to her own, troubling thoughts, which now seemed to rage through her head with confusion, despite all that she'd just been told. "Okay," she said, "I think it's really cool that you're doing all this. But, what does it all have to do with me?"
Bracing herself for what he might say, Savannah listened with the utmost attention as Xavier replied, "Based on what my students have reported seeing, and on what you've just related to me, I think it can be largely agreed upon, Miss West, that with your ability to shape-shift your body into that of a tiger, you too are a mutant."
In spite of all of her mental preparation, Savannah was not ready for those last few words. Instantly, silence descended upon her, so much so that she probably could have heard a pin drop. Her heart began to race again, and new thoughts, ones of denial and rejection, entered her mind. In an attempt to defend herself against this madness, she chuckled and shook her head. "No. No way," she said, "You're not…you're not really serious?"
But Xavier continued to look at her with solemnity, causing all of her defenses to slowly, and painfully, dissolve. "No," she shook her head more frantically, "No!"
"The truth is not always pleasant, or easy to accept," Xavier then said, "But in this case, it must be told."
Savannah didn't want it told though. She would not, could not, believe what he said. And yet the professor had so far been nothing but kind to her. Would he really say such a thing as this? Almost as a result of what she'd just experienced clashing with her previous expectations, she didn't think she could be sure. All that she knew was that she'd fallen into a pool of uncertainty and insanity, where nothing seemed to make sense anymore.
Despite struggling to even speak at all, she still managed to say, "So, so that's your diagnosis? I'm just some crazy, weirdo, super-powered freak?" Instantly, part of her wanted to take those words back. But just then, when she opened her mouth to apologize, the part of her mind that seemed to push all nonsensical information to the back suddenly took control of her. Slowly, but surely, she began to feel a life-changing revelation dawn on her.
"No, wait," she said, holding her hand up to stop Xavier before he could speak. Slowly but surely, the images of what she'd experienced in the last ten years began to merge with what she saw and experienced just a few days ago. All the harsh treatment from her stepdad, the fearful looks she often received from most people, her struggle to be accepted, her appearance, and being transformed into a tiger. "It…it all makes sense," she said, giving voice to her thoughts, "But…"
As she trailed off, Xavier spoke up again. "I realize this is a rather fantastic solution, Miss West. But since you are currently in my custody, it is my responsibility to see that you are safe and well looked after. I promise you, I would not have told you this were it not true. And I am truly sorry you had to discover it in this way."
So was she, but she didn't say so. And just when she opened her mouth to do so, her head immediately felt heavy again, and she found herself wanting the refuge of a bed. Any at all. Her defenses now completely torn down, Savannah looked back up at the professor and said, "I'm tired. Can I please go back to my room?"
Xavier nodded in understanding. "Of course. I imagine you are by now exhausted. I will see to it that Cyclops and Iceman escort you back." And with that he rolled away toward the door, leaving Savannah staring at the floor, her vision now lost to the images that threatened to be her undoing. In that state she remained, until she realized she was back in her room and in her bed again. As if all she had ever experienced was just a horrible nightmare and she was just now awakening.
But she knew better, even if she did feel like she'd just had a lobotomy against her will. Still, denying that this solution was not possible was not an option. But, how could she have never known? How could she have been so blind? So stupid? Pulling her knees against her chest and resting her chin on them, Savannah closed her eyes. She had never felt so vulnerable in her life, never felt so violated. And yet, despite it all, she couldn't find anyone here at fault. Considering what she'd been through in the last ten years, these people had been nothing but kind to her. Whether they would continue to be that way was still up for debate. But Savannah's only wish was that she could stop thinking altogether. For now, it seemed to bring her nothing but hurt. And she even found herself wishing she really did have a lobotomy. Still, if this was the truth, she could not run from it, not forever. Yet she could rest. If that was her only means of escape, then Savannah would take it.
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