Touched
Chapter Four
"So. Are you finding it as hard to fit in around here as I am?" Ladha asked as she walked with Shawn.
"I thought I was the only one. Every thing is so weird. Every one seems so normal."
"But they're not?" Ladha finished with a giggle. "I know what you mean. Back home, there's no one else like me, mutant I mean. My parents tried to keep it a secret for as long as they could. Not because they were ashamed or anything, just because they didn't want me to be treated differently." Ladha frowned. "That all went to hell when I turned sixteen. For some reason my powers became stronger then. I was bringing in guys from miles away without even knowing it. It got a little messy."
Shawn smiled imagining the mayhem of dozens of hypnotised guys on Ladhas' doorstep. "My parents couldn't get rid of me quick enough. One day I was at school, the next I was here. It's kind of messed me up a little."
Ladha gave a comforting smile. "I know how you feel. At least I had some warning. My powers started to surface when I was a baby. Did yours just appear one day?"
Shawn nodded. "Like I said. One day your average jock type, the next international freak."
"And than they bring us to Freak City. I think I would have preferred a cave." Ladha sighed.
Shawn and Ladha finally arrived at the Xavier's office. They looked at the wooden doors than and at each other.
"Into the belly of the beast" Ladha said.
Shawn agreed and knocked on the door. The door opened and standing in the doorway was Ororo. She smiled at them both and moved aside so they could come in. Sitting behind a desk at the far end of the room was Professor Xavier. Shawn had never been this nervous. His pace seemed so slow. He could barely lift his feet to take another step. Ororo shut the door behind them.
"Hello Shawn, Ladha. Welcome. I am sorry I couldn't have seen you earlier but we have had many new arrivals in the last few days." Xavier said in a commanding tone.
Shawn's mind drifted to his room mate Marco. He wondered if he had undergone the Xavier talk yet.
"Ladha" Xavier said thoughtfully. "That means aroma doesn't it?"
Ladha nodded. "Yes it does."
"Rather fitting. I'm aware of your powers. Your parents were very careful to tell us every detail." Xavier ran his eyes over Ladha with a curious expression. "They also mentioned a blood red pendant. You don't seem to be wearing it."
Ladha gulped and felt around her neck. "Oh. I must have left it in my room."
Xavier nodded. "Well you will have more than enough time to get it later. But for now, let's talk more about your abilities. You have trouble controlling them?"
"Yes. I can't seem to find the off switch" She giggled.
"Well we will work on that. The first thing we need to do is help you become the master of your gift. Once you have accomplished that anything is possible."
Ladha felt reassured.
Xavier then turned his attention to Shawn. "Now you are another story entirely. I imagine you are as unsure of your abilities as your parents. They were very mysterious."
Jubilee lingered outside the window of Xavier's office. The rose bush scratched at her legs and she was doing her best not to yelp out in pain. Rogue stood a few feet behind her, keeping an eye out for on coming students.
"If we're going to do this can you at least hurry up!" Rogue whispered harshly.
Jubilee frowned as she looked back at Rogue. "The Professor will get him to show his powers. I don't know about you but I'm dying to find out what the hottie can do."
"It doesn't matter to me. We'll find out sooner or later." Rogue stated.
"Well I prefer sooner. Now shut up and keep watch." Jubilee snapped.
Rogue rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated grunt.
Jubilee peered through the window and watched the scene unfold in front of her.
"Would you mind showing me your abilities?" Xavier asked.
Shawn bit his lip. "I don't know if I can."
Xavier clasped his hands. "Your power only surfaced recently didn't it? You are probably not even sure on how to awaken it?"
Shawn nodded. "When it first happened I was in a car with a girl. Then it just happened."
Xavier grinned slightly as he tried to find the words. "When you were in this car, did you get.... excited?"
Shawn began to blush. He scratched his head nervously and in the corner of his eye he could see Ladha trying not to explode into laughter. "I guess."
"So it was brought on by emotion. It will probably arise when you are excited, or scared." Xavier glanced over to Ororo and suddenly Shawn was hit by an electrical current that made him shake. The event was brief and it didn't really hurt. But it was enough to shock the hell out of Shawn. He shook it off and breathed deeply.
"What the hell was that for?" He snapped. It was then Shawn saw the look on Ladha's face. Her jaw was sitting on the ground and her green eyes were bursting out of their sockets. Xavier was also fascinated as he leant over his desk.
Shawn raised an eyebrow. "What?" He said, raising his arms in the air. Then Shawn gasped as he discovered he could see right through his arms. He was almost transparent. His arms, his entire body had been replaced by a water-like form surrounded by a wispy white mist. Shawn panicked. He tried to walk but found his legs wouldn't move. Instead he seemed to be gliding across the floor. Shawn didn't know how to control it. It was like being thrown into a car for the first time and being told to parallel park.
"You're like a ghost." Ladha gasped. She slowly reached out her hand and touched Shawn's arm. "But I can feel you."
Shawn snarled as he pulled away from Ladha. "Don't touch me" He yelled. He turned to Xavier. "Make it stop! Make it stop now!!"
"I can't Shawn. Only you can do that." Xavier replied calmly.
"But you did it, you made it happen!"
"Just relax Shawn. Once you calm down it should stop."
Shawn tried to slow down his frantic breathing. As his heart beat settled his body began to return to its normal state. His clothes and skin seemed to seep out of the transparent shell until he was himself again. Shawn felt his body to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be.
"That was so cool" Ladha said excitedly.
"Not it wasn't" Shawn said with anger in his voice. "Don't ever to that again!" he snapped at Xavier.
Xavier raised his arms defensively. "I'm sorry I had to do that to you Shawn. But I needed to be made aware of exactly what we were dealing with. You are a student here now and as much as you may not like it, you will have to deal with your mutant side and learn to control it. Soon it will not be as much of an ordeal."
"Can I go now?" Shawn said quickly.
Xavier nodded. "Perhaps you should get some rest. Tomorrow you can start classes. We will talk again."
Shawn turned his back swiftly on Xavier and stormed out of the room. Ladha smiled at the Professor before chasing after Shawn. Ororo closed the doors and walked to Xavier's side.
"He is afraid" Ororo said.
"For once Ororo I am puzzled. I have never seen powers like his before. He appears to be transparent yet he is not invisible. When Ladha touched him she could feel him and he could feel her. I also sensed an underlying power." Xavier smiled. "I believe he may be telepathic, he may even have telekinetic powers. They have not surfaced as of yet, only this physical form. But I felt the same thing when I first met Jean." Xavier suddenly fell quiet at the sound of Jean's name.
Ororo tried to change the subject. "That is a lot for a young boy to take on." she replied. "He seems very unwilling."
"I must spend more time with him to learn the true extent of his mutant abilities. Until then keep an eye on him. There are thoughts in his mind which could determine which side he wishes to be on. We have to be sure that it is ours."
Ororo nodded and left the office.
Jubilee was just as amazed as Ladha. She slowly crept down from the window and stumbled out of the bush.
"So?" Rogue asked forcefully.
"Thought you didn't care?" Jubilee said.
"Just spit it out" Rogue groaned.
"I'm not quite sure what he is. He looked like a ghost or something." Jubilee said. "What ever it was it was amazing. Never seen anything like it."
"Sounds interesting." Rogue said.
Jubilee gestured over to Bobby who still sat on the lawn. "Don't get too interested. Your taken remember? The whole forbidden love thing."
Rogue sniggered. "Oh please. Like I want to have a relationship with poltergeist boy when I have Bobby."
Jubilee gently punched Rogues' arm. "Don't forget that. Leave some scraps for the rest of us."