*2*
"God I've messed up..." Raia muttered to herself as she headed down the road. The sun was coming down so hot that upon
hitting the ground ripples of pure heat crept back up into the sky, creating a blurred landscape that seemed more dream
than real. The shimmering images of the trees were few and far between, the dusty golden brown of the earth dominating
all that could be seen right up into the distance. Only the grey strip of road that cut through its centre provided a
contrast. A blot on this otherwise consistent landscape, she trudged forwards slowly but determinedly. Flicking
sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes, she gave an aggravated sigh. There wasn't another town for about ten miles, and
there was no way in hell she could go back to the last one. There was no way of contacting someone when you were in the
middle of a goddamn dustbowl, and the others wouldn't have a clue where she was.
"You should go to Westchester."
She frowned slightly at the utterly random thought that had encroached upon her brain. Why would she want to go to
Westchester? She stopped her walk abruptly and remained as still as possibly, not even daring to breathe. That had not
been her thought. And there was no one for miles. Her bronze eyes flickered left and right before she gave a small
chuff of laughter in self-ridicule. Of course a psychic did not have to be anywhere near her. But whoever had just been
sneaking around inside her brain, their gentle, pressing influence was in there. She could feel it. She was started out
of her thoughts by the sound of an engine further up the road. Turning back, she saw a truck heading in her direction,
a flurry of dust flying up on either side of it. Sticking her thumb out she willed them to stop. God knows there
wouldn't be anyone else coming down here again for hours. She was relieved when the truck stopped.
"Where to little lady?"
"Next town." she replied to the burly man in the driver's seat, swinging her bag up into the truck and clambering in
herself.
"You shouldn't be hitchikin' on your own missy, it's dangerous." he commented as he started up and they headed down the
road. When she didn't reply he glanced at her sideways. She looked young, barely older than a teenager. Her serious,
almost strained look didn't aid in making her seem young though. She had the expression of someone who knew far
more about people than she really wanted to. Still she was pretty, though he didn't get what the Hell she'd done to her
hair. "It must get lonely." he tried again, not particularly wanting to spend the entire ride in silence. She gave a
short sound of amusement, her eyes still fixed on the road ahead of them. "Yeah. I suppose it is. But you can be
lonely whatever you're doing."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That evening Xavier called Orora, Logan and Scott in to his Office. Once they'd all arrived he went behind his desk and
addressed them, glancing across their familiar faces. They had become a lot more care-worn since the death of Jean.
Even though it had been several months, he knew that they still hurt. He didn't need to go probing around inside their
minds for that to be apparent. He could see it on their faces, especially Scott. He was a lot more quiet, a little
less light-hearted, and if it was possible, even more professional, as though drowning himself in work would stop him
having to think. He regretted having to make them do anything, wishing he could give them more time to let the scars
heal over at least to the outside world.
"As Logan and Scott already know the topic I'm going to discuss with you, it will probably be best to enlighten Orora.
A young mutant girl has made the news, destroying a club not that far south of us. I would like for you all to go and
collect her." he reported to them.
"And what if this girl doesn't want to go?" said Logan, raising an eyebrow stoically. "That's precisely why I'm sending
you Logan." replied Xavier, eyes gleaming with humour. Logan shot a glare at Scott when he snickered in amusement.
Orora frowned in confusion "I don't understand. Is the girl dangerous?" she said, flicking a glance at Scott that
suggested she found it hard to believe obtaining one girl required all three of them. "That is hard to ascertain as of
yet. Through Cerebro I put the suggestion into her mind that she wanted to come to Westchester, but she is surprisingly
stubborn with regard to doing so. I also had extreme difficulty in finding out what her actual gift is. She seems to
have a mental block around it, though that is not wholely uncommon with those who cannot accept what they are. She'll
arrive eventually, whether she realises she means to or not, but I need you to speed up the process. I feel something is
going to happen, as of yet I am not sure what. But I feel that this girl is involved somehow."
"What if the girl isn't even a mutant. If you can't tell what her 'gift' is, then how can you tell for sure?" said
Logan, disliking the idea of freaking out a normal kid by accident. "We'll be able to tell. Besides Logan, won't you
be able to smell it on her?" said Scott sarcastically, standing up to go.
"Y'know what kid why don't you take that spare visor of yours and plant it on your ass okay?"
Xavier chuckled and shook his head as they left, Logan and Scott bickering with Orora trying desperately to shut them up.
"God I've messed up..." Raia muttered to herself as she headed down the road. The sun was coming down so hot that upon
hitting the ground ripples of pure heat crept back up into the sky, creating a blurred landscape that seemed more dream
than real. The shimmering images of the trees were few and far between, the dusty golden brown of the earth dominating
all that could be seen right up into the distance. Only the grey strip of road that cut through its centre provided a
contrast. A blot on this otherwise consistent landscape, she trudged forwards slowly but determinedly. Flicking
sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes, she gave an aggravated sigh. There wasn't another town for about ten miles, and
there was no way in hell she could go back to the last one. There was no way of contacting someone when you were in the
middle of a goddamn dustbowl, and the others wouldn't have a clue where she was.
"You should go to Westchester."
She frowned slightly at the utterly random thought that had encroached upon her brain. Why would she want to go to
Westchester? She stopped her walk abruptly and remained as still as possibly, not even daring to breathe. That had not
been her thought. And there was no one for miles. Her bronze eyes flickered left and right before she gave a small
chuff of laughter in self-ridicule. Of course a psychic did not have to be anywhere near her. But whoever had just been
sneaking around inside her brain, their gentle, pressing influence was in there. She could feel it. She was started out
of her thoughts by the sound of an engine further up the road. Turning back, she saw a truck heading in her direction,
a flurry of dust flying up on either side of it. Sticking her thumb out she willed them to stop. God knows there
wouldn't be anyone else coming down here again for hours. She was relieved when the truck stopped.
"Where to little lady?"
"Next town." she replied to the burly man in the driver's seat, swinging her bag up into the truck and clambering in
herself.
"You shouldn't be hitchikin' on your own missy, it's dangerous." he commented as he started up and they headed down the
road. When she didn't reply he glanced at her sideways. She looked young, barely older than a teenager. Her serious,
almost strained look didn't aid in making her seem young though. She had the expression of someone who knew far
more about people than she really wanted to. Still she was pretty, though he didn't get what the Hell she'd done to her
hair. "It must get lonely." he tried again, not particularly wanting to spend the entire ride in silence. She gave a
short sound of amusement, her eyes still fixed on the road ahead of them. "Yeah. I suppose it is. But you can be
lonely whatever you're doing."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That evening Xavier called Orora, Logan and Scott in to his Office. Once they'd all arrived he went behind his desk and
addressed them, glancing across their familiar faces. They had become a lot more care-worn since the death of Jean.
Even though it had been several months, he knew that they still hurt. He didn't need to go probing around inside their
minds for that to be apparent. He could see it on their faces, especially Scott. He was a lot more quiet, a little
less light-hearted, and if it was possible, even more professional, as though drowning himself in work would stop him
having to think. He regretted having to make them do anything, wishing he could give them more time to let the scars
heal over at least to the outside world.
"As Logan and Scott already know the topic I'm going to discuss with you, it will probably be best to enlighten Orora.
A young mutant girl has made the news, destroying a club not that far south of us. I would like for you all to go and
collect her." he reported to them.
"And what if this girl doesn't want to go?" said Logan, raising an eyebrow stoically. "That's precisely why I'm sending
you Logan." replied Xavier, eyes gleaming with humour. Logan shot a glare at Scott when he snickered in amusement.
Orora frowned in confusion "I don't understand. Is the girl dangerous?" she said, flicking a glance at Scott that
suggested she found it hard to believe obtaining one girl required all three of them. "That is hard to ascertain as of
yet. Through Cerebro I put the suggestion into her mind that she wanted to come to Westchester, but she is surprisingly
stubborn with regard to doing so. I also had extreme difficulty in finding out what her actual gift is. She seems to
have a mental block around it, though that is not wholely uncommon with those who cannot accept what they are. She'll
arrive eventually, whether she realises she means to or not, but I need you to speed up the process. I feel something is
going to happen, as of yet I am not sure what. But I feel that this girl is involved somehow."
"What if the girl isn't even a mutant. If you can't tell what her 'gift' is, then how can you tell for sure?" said
Logan, disliking the idea of freaking out a normal kid by accident. "We'll be able to tell. Besides Logan, won't you
be able to smell it on her?" said Scott sarcastically, standing up to go.
"Y'know what kid why don't you take that spare visor of yours and plant it on your ass okay?"
Xavier chuckled and shook his head as they left, Logan and Scott bickering with Orora trying desperately to shut them up.
