I'm so sorry it took so long to update.
Chapter Ten
The group soon arrived at the school. Once inside, they went directly to the Professor's office, despite the fact that it was in the early hours of the morning when no one was likely to be awake.
Just before Sylvana could knock, Scott said worriedly, "What if he's asleep?"
"He isn't. He's sitting there, probably worrying," she returned confidently. ESP did have its benefits.
Soon after, the professor called from within, "Come in"
The three for them entered, though the professor only cared that Sylvana was there. He smiled, completely relieved, and said, "Hello, Sylvana."
She smiled in return and said, "Ciao, Professore." (Hello, Professor.)
"Are you staying, then?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered, nodding. "First, though, I need you to explain something. When he caught me, Logan touched my arm, but when he did, I could hear every thought he had ever had. I passed out from the sheer amount of information my brain was swarmed with."
"Your mind is developing, which means your powers are, too. Can you still read his thoughts?"
"No. I can't ready anyone's thoughts right now," she said with a slight shake of her head.
"Hmmm…Have you touched anyone's skin since then?"
"No. Do you want me to try?"
"Yes. Logan, if you would…" Xavier said, gesturing to Logan.
Hesitantly, Logan stepped forward and extended a hand toward Sylvana. Very hesitantly, she reached her hand out and touched his palm with the tip of her finger.
She froze instantly and all of her muscles locked. Just as suddenly, she collapsed. Logan reached on instinct. He ran forward to catch her before she hit the ground.
Once he had a firm hold on her, he looked down at her carefully. Her eyes were still open, but they were glazed over. Even as he watched, her eyes cleared and focused on him. After a few seconds, she whispered to him, "You can let me up now." Only then did he notice that they had been staring, and everyone in the room had been watching them.
"Did you see his thoughts again?" the Professor asked after a few seconds.
"Yes. The shock wasn't so bad this time, though" she answered softly and almost weakly.
"It seems that you've unlocked a new power: telepathy through skin contact," the Professor observed.
"Or perhaps it only works with Logan," Sylvana suggested with a shrug.
"Try with Scott and see," the Professor said, nudging her onwards metaphorically.
Obediently, Scott offered his hand as Logan had done, and just as with Logan, she touched his palm with the tip of her finger. Once again, her muscles locked completely before she went limp, though this time Logan was ready to catch her.
When her eyes did not glaze over, Logan asked quietly, "Are you okay?"
"Yes," she answered, stronger than last time. "I am becoming accustomed to the shock."
"Sylvana, are you well enough for one more experiment?" the Professor asked, not waiting to overexert her. It was almost as though the was treading the line, being careful and sensitive enough so that she did not run off again, losing her untrained powers on the world.
"Yes," she answered confidently.
"Touch one of their arms and see if the same thing happens," the Professor instructed, intrigued.
Hesitantly, Sylvana reached out her hand once more and touched Logan's forearm. Nothing happened.
"Interesting…It seems that it must not only be skin contact, but hand-to-hand contact as well," the Professor observed.
"That does make sense, though," Sylvana said, moving to sit in one of the chairs.
"How?" Logan asked bluntly, dropping into the chair beside hers.
"The hand is one of the most perceptive parts of the body," Sylvana said informatively.
"Indeed…Well, Sylvana, I would advise you to avoid touching anyone's hands. Wear gloves if you feel like it, but I don't think it'll be necessary. If you do this a bit more, you won't be affected by the shock of contact with someone else's mind," the Professor said.
"I will, Professore," Sylvana said with a smile and a nod.
Before she could stand, Storm asked, "Couldn't her ESP be from sensing thoughts?"
"What about that whole knock-out thing?" Logan asked.
"Does her ability to incapacity someone stem from the same ability?" Scott rephrased.
"Logan, what did it feel like when she knocked you out?" Xavier asked.
"It felt like someone was zapping my brain," he said bluntly.
"I feel like I take something from them when I knock them out," Sylvana added quietly.
"Interesting. It seems as though you can actually stop a person's thoughts. That would include stopping the thoughts from turning to nerve impulses. That's why they collapse," the professor explained.
"She can manipulate thoughts?" Henry asked dubiously.
"In that she can essentially shut off the conscious part of the brain, yes," Xavier said, looking straight at Sylvana.
"Grazie, Professore," (Thank you Professor) she said gravely and wistfully.
"No. Thank you, Sylvana, for coming back," the Professor said warmly, looking at her kindly.
Sylvana turned and walked to the door, following the rest of her group. Just before she walked out, she stopped and turned back to the professor. She smiled brightly at him before leaving, shutting the door behind her.