Part two!


Chapter 12

Evee breezed through her last class for the day, history with Jean. She scribbled down some notes and tried to focus on Jean's lecture on Reconstruction for the test she knew was coming next week. Mostly, though, she found herself more and more distracted

After class ended, Evee dropped her stuff off in her room and met Amy outside the Professor's office. "Ready?"

Amy shrugged. "Yeah, okay."

They entered the room together. The Professor, Scott, Jean, and Storm were already waiting.

"Ah, Amy, Evee, right on time," the Professor greeted. "How are your classes going?"

"They're alright, I guess," Evee said.

"You know, Evee, your classes are better when you look away from the window," Jean teased.

Oops, Evee thought to herself. "Now you're going to tell me that notebooks are for taking notes, not doodles!"

Beside her, Amy let out a small titter of laughter.

The Professor offered a warm smile. "Why don't you take a seat," he gestured to the chairs in front of his desk, "and we can begin discussing your diagnostic session."

Evee settled into her armchair. "So, did we ace it?"

The Professor did not respond. Evee dropped her smile, "Did we fail?"

"You both did very well during the diagnostic. Both of you possess very unique gifts. These sessions are designed to help you realize your fullest potential, but first you must learn to control your gifts."

Evee wasn't sure if she liked how that was sounded. Control was important, but what did he mean by fullest potential? Was the Professor hinting that they weren't strong enough?

"For today's exercise, I am going to split you two up for some individualized practice. I would like each of you to work on simply connecting with your gifts, drawing out your power, so that you can use it when you need it."

"Is this because I used an umbrella?" Evee asked warily.

"No, Evee. Your use of the umbrella was quite... resourceful. This is just an exercise in control," the Professor explained. "For today, Evee will be working with Jean and Scott. Amy, you will be working with Ororo and myself. But, before we get started, I would like to hear about your gifts in your own words."

Evee and Amy exchanged glances; neither were really sure how to reply.

"I'll go first," Evee said, taking a deep breath. "But I'm not entirely sure how to describe it."

"You have telekinesis," Jean replied. "Like me." She turned her concentration to the Professor's desk. A moment later, some of his pens and papers began to float in the air, moving around before returning to their place. "See?"

"Well..." Not really, Evee thought. "It isn't quite like that. I don't really know how to explain it."

Jean seemed confused. "Do you think you could show us?"

Evee shrugged, "I can try?" She closed her eyes, and tried to turn inside herself, trying to awake the dormant power inside her. But there was nothing. She sighed in frustration, opening her eyes. Why can't I make this damn thing work when I want it to? Where's the on-off switch?

A moment later, Amy stretched out her hand. Evee thought she was going to grab her hand, but instead, she felt a sharp pinch.

"Ouch!" The darkness shot out, flinging a coffee mug from the desk across the room, smashing against the wall.

"Oh, no, I'm so sorry!" Evee apologized, embarrassed.

"It's quite alright, Evee. These things happen quite often around here," the Professor responded calmly. Still, Evee felt a faint blush rise in her cheeks. She stuck her tongue out at Amy, who shrugged in response. "Why don't you tell me about what just happened?" he encouraged.

Evee looked up at him, then at the others in the room. She was confused. "You didn't see it?"

"See what, Evee?" Jean asked.

"We saw the cup move, that was it," Scott added.

Evee was stunned. She hadn't known that no one else could see it. She looked at her hands, trying to sort it out in her head. A moment later, she returned her gaze to the Professor. "I didn't move the cup. Not in the way that you think I did..." She trailed off, searching for the words to explain it. "You see...it's almost like I create...a shadow? Smoke, maybe? I don't really know, it's like this darkness that I release in order to move things or make things happen." She looked around the room. "I didn't know I was the only one that could see it."

The room was silent. Now you've done it, Evee, she thought to herself.

Just then the Professor spoke. "Evee, that is extraordinary. I have never come across anything like that before."

You really are a freak. Evee took a deep breath, figuring she might as well come clean. "There's more."

"Oh?" the Professor said inquisitively.

"And I don't really know how to explain the other things either. But I seem to have these...visions. It can come on suddenly or be set off by touching something or seeing something. My vision blurs and I can't breathe, and then my head is filled with all these images. It's actually how I found Amy..."

"The power of precognition," the Professor explained. "It makes sense that this power would lead you to find your sister."

"There's one more thing, and I think it kind of goes with the darkness thing. It was how I...I guess manifested is the word you use. I can project - or take away - fear..." Evee trailed off, unsure if she wanted to talk about it. Her thoughts drifted to that night in the warehouse, to what she did to Tyler. She glanced around the room, unsure of what the others were thinking. "I'm a freak, aren't I?" Evee said. "Go ahead and lay it on me, I can handle it."

"Evee, you possess extraordinary gifts. They are unique, but they do not make you a freak," Storm stepped forward.

"Although I do not have an explanation for you, Evee, I look forward to working with you to teach you control and to help you develop your gifts," the Professor said.

Evee felt that it was the end, for now. Perhaps the Professor would have some answers in the future. Evee turned to her sister, who hadn't said much yet. "Your turn."

"I-I'm not sure," Amy stammered. "I don't really know how mine works either. I can hear what people are thinking, and sometimes it's like they do what I say. I can move things, too, like Dr. Grey," she said, gesturing toward Jean. "And... I can't do it right now, but you've seen in, in that desert place. Everything gets hot, and the air gets heavy, until it's something solid in my hand, and I can shoot it, or throw it...It melts things, burns things..." Amy trailed off, thinking back to Oregon. "I'm pretty sure I blew up my house."

Evee was surprised to hear Amy mention what happened. Not that she had said a lot these past few days, but even so, her manifestation was something Amy didn't really talk about. It was the push Evee needed to admit what had happened, what she had done.

"I put a boy from school into a mental institution," she said, looking at Amy. Their eyes met and Evee instantly felt that connection to her sister. She offered a small smile, which Amy returned.

The Professor nodded, absorbing everything that had been said. Evee wondered briefly just how much he had known, remembering back to their first meeting, when he had read her thoughts.

"So, do you think you can help us?" Evee asked hesitantly.

The Professor nodded his head. "I am confident that you will learn understanding control through our sessions." He rolled out from behind his desk with a smile. "Perhaps we should take this outside."


"Just close your eyes. Allow your body and mind to relax. Begin to feel the power inside, tap into it."

Evee sat in the grass, a soft breeze brushing her hair back from her face. She turned deep inside, willing the power to release, letting Jean's voice guide her.

"You have to want it; embracing your gift is key to control," Scott added.

Evee nodded her head subtly. I have to want it, she told herself. She began to feel a release - a small one, but a release nonetheless. The dakness began to eke out. Evee slowly opened her eyes, focusing the black tendrils. In front of her lay five yellow discs, which she was supposed to try to lift one at a time, and then all together. She set her intention of the first disc, pushing the darkness towards it.

"Picture it in your mind, will it to happen," Jean encouraged.

Evee willed the darkness to envelop the yellow disc and imagined it slowly floating off the grass. It began to shake, and then was suddenly released, the power snapping back into Evee. The bright sun beat down on her and Evee groaned. "Well, that was just pathetic."

"It's not as easy when you aren't in danger, or scared," Scott said. "Our powers are often heightened when we feel fear or even anger."

Fear... Evee thought about it, giving herself an idea. If I can't will the darkness, maybe I can will the fear. She glanced upwards and squinted her eyes, the sun beaming, beating down on her. Evee sighed and returned her concentration to the task at hand.

"Can I try something?" Evee asked. "Give me your hand."

Scott and Jean exchanged glances, then Scott held out his hand. Evee put her hand on top of his and focused her concentration, beginning to search for what Scott may be afraid of. She felt kind of bad for not giving him any warning, but soon the guilt was replaced by a familiar sensation. She began to - gently - push the power out. She felt Scott's hand begin to feel clammy as he shifted around. A moment later, he pulled away clearing his throat.

"That must be the fear thing you were talking about earlier?" he asked, regaining his composure.

"At least you didn't go insane," Evee replied with a fake laugh.

"You're beginning to control it," Jean said.

Evee returned her focus to the small yellow discs, refusing to let go of the power. She began to send out the dark tendrils towards the first disc, enveloping it. She willed the darkness upwards, lifting the discs a couple of inches off the ground. She deepened her concentration, sending more darkness to cover the second disc, slowly lifting it off the grass. Evee smiled to herself, beginning to stretch the darkness to the third disc. However, it was too much too soon, and she began to lose it, the discs dropping to the ground. She groaned again, flopping back onto the lawn.

"Evee, that was great! I'm proud of your focus," Jean complimented, smiling. Evee returned the smile half-heartedly. "Now, sit up," Jean said. "We want to try something ourselves."

Evee looked at her quizzically. Just then, the sky began to darken. The sudden incoming clouds were almost black, blocking out the bright sun. Evee looked up and grinned, her eyes adjusting to the newfound darkness immediately. Storm...duh!

Evee turned back to the discs, tapping into her power with more ease. She pushed the darkness out to the first disc. beginning to lift it up. A moment later, she was able to lift the second and third discs as well. Evee tried not to let the excitement break her focus as she began to concentrate on the fourth disc. She took a slow deep breath, sending the darkness to cover the disc. With some effort, it too began to float. Not as high as the first three, but it was still floating.

Last one... Come on... Evee thought to herself. She began to push the darkness out to the last disc. The first ones began to waver and her heart quickened.

"You can do this," Scott encouraged.

Evee kept pushing, and eventually the darkness enveloped the last disc. She began to lift it up to join the others. She no longer struggled as she began to float all five discs higher in the hair. Three feet, five feet, almost eight feet before she purposely let them fall back to the ground.

Evee gasped, grinning to herself. She couldn't believe it. "I did it - I actually did it!"