It was a few weeks later, and things had returned to a semblance of
normality at the school. Gavin had been joined by three other latent
mutants, a young boy about 13 years of age, and two young ladies about 15
years old. Gavin still kept mostly to himself, save for the special classes
he attended with Professor Xavier, who would coach the four Latent mutants
in the control of their powers. Each of the Latent mutants had Exploded at
one time or another, and the Professor knew each of their 'levers', as he
termed it. The two young ladies, Alicia and Katryna, were fairly normal as
Mutants went. They had begun to show control over their powers, and would
soon be able to be able to totally control their powers. Alicia was an
Electro-kinetic, she could control electricity with her mind, and Katryna
could shape her bones and flesh into any shape she wanted, although it was
usually weaponry. The young man was named Stephen, and he could project
force fields from his hands. Gavin was still unable to even get a flicker
of his power, but the other Latents knew about Gavin's abilities, and about
the mind-lock upon him. The Professor wasn't about to endanger his
students. Gavin watched his classmates as they sporadically fired off jolts
of power, and he envied them. He wanted to be able to do something, not
just sit there and meditate on his powers. Gavin had never been told what
he had really done, as far as he knew he had touched off an explosion when
he had Exploded. Gavin didn't know how much power he had in him.
"Professor?" Gavin said quietly. Professor Xavier turned and looked at
him.
"Yes Gavin?"
"I was wondering.. are you sure that I'm a mutant? I mean. I can't do
anything. All I ever seem to do is sit here, take up space, and meditate."
The Professor smiled a little.
"Everything will come in its own time Gavin, it's alright. Now, I want
you to concentrate. Concentrate on how you felt just before you blacked out
at school." Gavin nodded and he sat down again, letting his mind go silent
and he began to think. The Professor smiled and quietly turned away,
letting Gavin meditate in silence. The Professor knew that if Gavin was
handled correctly, his powers nurtured and guided, Gavin could become one
of the most powerful Mutants ever to graduate from this school, but the
Professor also knew that Gavin was like a powder keg. One spark could set
him off at a very in-opportune time. If Gavin's powers activated too early,
it would drive Gavin over the edge, in effect creating a mutant equal in
power and dark motivation to Apocalypse. The Professor shuddered slightly
when he thought of Apocalypse. What a waste. Apocalypse was a mutant driven
insane by the sheer amount of power he had.
"Professor?" said Alicia, her voice like little tinkling bells. He
looked at her and smiled.
"Yes Alicia?"
"I was wondering.. If we do ever learn to control our powers like
everyone else can, will we be sent out for missions?"
"Well. that remains to be seen. maybe, if you're ready at the time"
Alicia seemed content with that answer, and went back to her exercises,
which was lighting light bulbs that weren't plugged in. The Professor
smiled as he looked at these four young people. He was happy that he could
help them, make them feel at home, but he was worried. All he could feel
from Gavin was darkness, like he was depressed, but so angry as well.
The Professor simply smiled as he turned towards Gavin, who was still sitting on the floor meditating. As usual, Gavin was wearing plain jeans and a dark red hoodie, the hood pulled up to cover his face. Katryna walked over to the Professor. "Zir, I vas vondering, do you zhink zhat ve shall be done anytime zoon?" she asked, her Norwegian accent thick. "There's only ten minuets left in class Katryna, now please, go and practise. I would like to speak to Gavin" "Yez zir" She said. The Professor watched her walk back to her desk, wearing a long black dress and a grey knit sweater. Her red hair was pulled back under a handkerchief, and she looked every bit the new arrival that she was. The Professor turned back to Gavin, hearing him muttering under his breath. "Crawling in my Skin, these wounds that will not heal, Fear inside my soul, confusing what is real. There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface, consuming, confusing, This lack of self control I fear is never ending, controlling, I can't seem to find myself again, my walls are closing in, I've felt this way before, so insecure." The Professor knew the song, but Gavin sang it as if he experienced it first hand. The Professor looked at Gavin and tapped him on the shoulder. "Gavin?" he asked. The young man opened his eyes, focusing on the Professor. "Uhm.. sorry. was I too loud?" he asked, looking down at the ground. "No Gavin, I was just coming over to tell you that you've done enough for the day. Do you want to talk about anything?" Gavin looked at the Professor, and he shook his head no. The Professor nodded and rolled away in his wheelchair. "You are dismissed, tomorrow I want you all to bring a pad of paper and a pen" The four students nodded and quickly shuffled out. Gavin walked away from the other three, and they went off without even noticing. Gavin walked outside and went into the woods, one of his favourite places. He had never known that walking in a place like this was so soothing. He simply walked around for a long time, maybe an hour or more, until he was found by Kittie. "Gavin!" He turned, seeing Kittie phase through a tree. "Would you not do that!" he said as he shivered a little. He worried about what would happen if Kittie were to become solid while she was in something. He pushed the thoughts aside and smiled, looking at Kittie. She was wearing a blue tank top and khaki shorts. "You okay?" she asked. She knew that Gavin didn't like it when she phased, and she really hadn't intended to go through the tree, she had tripped and phased through the tree on instinct. "Yeah, just had another wonderful session of meditation in the Latent class" he said glumly as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. Kittie smiled a little, she knew that Gavin was having a hard time, but she simply smiled at him, hooking her arm around his. Gavin looked at her. "So. uhm.. what's up?" he asked. "Not much, just thought I'd go and see if you were walking out here" "Don't you have a class?" "Nope, just got out of the last one" "That's good. you wanna just walk. or go sit someplace?" He smiled sheepishly at her. "I've been sitting all day, I wanna go for a walk!" she said with her usual exuberance, and Gavin just smiled. He was content to walk with Kittie; he had developed quite a crush on her in the few weeks that he knew her, forgetting almost entirely about Jean Grey. Gavin walked through the forest for a while with Kittie, the both of them content in the silence, when Gavin heard water off to his right. "I didn't think we were that far back yet" he said, stopping. "What?" Kittie asked, looking at him. "I hear water." "Oh? Oh! That! That's the pool, they put it our here to make it look like a natural pond. Hey! That gives me an idea!" Gavin looked at her, swallowing. "Oh? What's that?" He asked, faking fear. "You wanna go for a swim?" she asked. Gavin blinked, and before he could answer, he was being pulled through the woods at high speed again. They arrived at the pool soon enough, Kittie diving right in, phasing out of her clothes and leaving the tank-ini she was wearing on. Gavin blinked, sliding out of the hoodie and his jeans. All he had on was an old pair of black swim trunks, and he slowly walked out to the edge of the pool. "Come on in! The water is great!" Kittie called as she waved at him. Gavin dunked a foot into the water, and it was nearly perfect temperature, just a little on the cool side. He took a breath and began to wade in. It wasn't too long until he was in up to his waist, and he took a single deep breath and dove in. He smiled as he surfaced, floating on the water's surface. Kittie watched him from the side of the pool, smiling. Gavin was a
tall-ish guy, and he had kept in shape. She just watched him as he floated there, and she smiled. "You seem peaceful" was all she said. "I like the water" Gavin said as he floated, his voice soft. "Tell me, what's it like?" "What's what like?" "Being normal" Gavin looked at her. "Askin' the wrong guy Kittie. I was one of the social outcasts. even by the social outcasts" He said with a little laugh. "Yeah. but at least you could walk around and not have sidelong glances thrown at you" "True. I guess it was just. different. No real way to explain it.. I just. existed." Kittie looked at him, softly smiling. She slid into the water silently, and she didn't make a sound as she came over. Gavin had closed his eyes, enjoying the smooth movements of the water. He felt something encircle him, and then felt someone kiss him. His eyes flipped open, looking at Kittie, his arms, moving with their own accord, lightly hugged Kittie as he stood without breaking the kiss. "Uhm." he said, blinking as Kittie broke the kiss. She smiled slightly at him, chewing on her lower lip a little. "I guess. I. er." Gavin simply smiled and hugged her lightly. He looked at her for a moment. "What was that for?" he asked softly. "Noth-nothing.. I just. erm." "I like you too Kittie" he said softly. He couldn't believe he was being so forward with her! Inside he was quivering like a leaf. Kittie smiled at him and hugged him close. "You know what, maybe we should come back later. when it's a little more private" she said as she swam away from Gavin. He turned and looked over his shoulder, seeing a few of the other students walking towards the pool. Gavin simply smiled as he dove under the water one last time and got out. He gathered his clothes up and left quietly. The other students began swimming, and Gavin walked back to the School. Kittie caught up to him a few minuets later. "Tonight. Midnight." Was all she quietly said as she walked past. Gavin nodded and continued to walk.
The Professor simply smiled as he turned towards Gavin, who was still sitting on the floor meditating. As usual, Gavin was wearing plain jeans and a dark red hoodie, the hood pulled up to cover his face. Katryna walked over to the Professor. "Zir, I vas vondering, do you zhink zhat ve shall be done anytime zoon?" she asked, her Norwegian accent thick. "There's only ten minuets left in class Katryna, now please, go and practise. I would like to speak to Gavin" "Yez zir" She said. The Professor watched her walk back to her desk, wearing a long black dress and a grey knit sweater. Her red hair was pulled back under a handkerchief, and she looked every bit the new arrival that she was. The Professor turned back to Gavin, hearing him muttering under his breath. "Crawling in my Skin, these wounds that will not heal, Fear inside my soul, confusing what is real. There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface, consuming, confusing, This lack of self control I fear is never ending, controlling, I can't seem to find myself again, my walls are closing in, I've felt this way before, so insecure." The Professor knew the song, but Gavin sang it as if he experienced it first hand. The Professor looked at Gavin and tapped him on the shoulder. "Gavin?" he asked. The young man opened his eyes, focusing on the Professor. "Uhm.. sorry. was I too loud?" he asked, looking down at the ground. "No Gavin, I was just coming over to tell you that you've done enough for the day. Do you want to talk about anything?" Gavin looked at the Professor, and he shook his head no. The Professor nodded and rolled away in his wheelchair. "You are dismissed, tomorrow I want you all to bring a pad of paper and a pen" The four students nodded and quickly shuffled out. Gavin walked away from the other three, and they went off without even noticing. Gavin walked outside and went into the woods, one of his favourite places. He had never known that walking in a place like this was so soothing. He simply walked around for a long time, maybe an hour or more, until he was found by Kittie. "Gavin!" He turned, seeing Kittie phase through a tree. "Would you not do that!" he said as he shivered a little. He worried about what would happen if Kittie were to become solid while she was in something. He pushed the thoughts aside and smiled, looking at Kittie. She was wearing a blue tank top and khaki shorts. "You okay?" she asked. She knew that Gavin didn't like it when she phased, and she really hadn't intended to go through the tree, she had tripped and phased through the tree on instinct. "Yeah, just had another wonderful session of meditation in the Latent class" he said glumly as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. Kittie smiled a little, she knew that Gavin was having a hard time, but she simply smiled at him, hooking her arm around his. Gavin looked at her. "So. uhm.. what's up?" he asked. "Not much, just thought I'd go and see if you were walking out here" "Don't you have a class?" "Nope, just got out of the last one" "That's good. you wanna just walk. or go sit someplace?" He smiled sheepishly at her. "I've been sitting all day, I wanna go for a walk!" she said with her usual exuberance, and Gavin just smiled. He was content to walk with Kittie; he had developed quite a crush on her in the few weeks that he knew her, forgetting almost entirely about Jean Grey. Gavin walked through the forest for a while with Kittie, the both of them content in the silence, when Gavin heard water off to his right. "I didn't think we were that far back yet" he said, stopping. "What?" Kittie asked, looking at him. "I hear water." "Oh? Oh! That! That's the pool, they put it our here to make it look like a natural pond. Hey! That gives me an idea!" Gavin looked at her, swallowing. "Oh? What's that?" He asked, faking fear. "You wanna go for a swim?" she asked. Gavin blinked, and before he could answer, he was being pulled through the woods at high speed again. They arrived at the pool soon enough, Kittie diving right in, phasing out of her clothes and leaving the tank-ini she was wearing on. Gavin blinked, sliding out of the hoodie and his jeans. All he had on was an old pair of black swim trunks, and he slowly walked out to the edge of the pool. "Come on in! The water is great!" Kittie called as she waved at him. Gavin dunked a foot into the water, and it was nearly perfect temperature, just a little on the cool side. He took a breath and began to wade in. It wasn't too long until he was in up to his waist, and he took a single deep breath and dove in. He smiled as he surfaced, floating on the water's surface. Kittie watched him from the side of the pool, smiling. Gavin was a
tall-ish guy, and he had kept in shape. She just watched him as he floated there, and she smiled. "You seem peaceful" was all she said. "I like the water" Gavin said as he floated, his voice soft. "Tell me, what's it like?" "What's what like?" "Being normal" Gavin looked at her. "Askin' the wrong guy Kittie. I was one of the social outcasts. even by the social outcasts" He said with a little laugh. "Yeah. but at least you could walk around and not have sidelong glances thrown at you" "True. I guess it was just. different. No real way to explain it.. I just. existed." Kittie looked at him, softly smiling. She slid into the water silently, and she didn't make a sound as she came over. Gavin had closed his eyes, enjoying the smooth movements of the water. He felt something encircle him, and then felt someone kiss him. His eyes flipped open, looking at Kittie, his arms, moving with their own accord, lightly hugged Kittie as he stood without breaking the kiss. "Uhm." he said, blinking as Kittie broke the kiss. She smiled slightly at him, chewing on her lower lip a little. "I guess. I. er." Gavin simply smiled and hugged her lightly. He looked at her for a moment. "What was that for?" he asked softly. "Noth-nothing.. I just. erm." "I like you too Kittie" he said softly. He couldn't believe he was being so forward with her! Inside he was quivering like a leaf. Kittie smiled at him and hugged him close. "You know what, maybe we should come back later. when it's a little more private" she said as she swam away from Gavin. He turned and looked over his shoulder, seeing a few of the other students walking towards the pool. Gavin simply smiled as he dove under the water one last time and got out. He gathered his clothes up and left quietly. The other students began swimming, and Gavin walked back to the School. Kittie caught up to him a few minuets later. "Tonight. Midnight." Was all she quietly said as she walked past. Gavin nodded and continued to walk.