Jade was barely getting accustomed to her new room when she heard a strange
commotion outside her door. She stepped out, mentally recording the fact
that Logan's room was directly across from her own. Cyclops was arguing
with the Professor, not troubling to keep his voice down.
"Professor, it's ridiculous!" Cyclops cried. "I shouldn't have to chase down every mutant! Send Storm, or Wolverine!"
"Oh no, bub," replied the gruff mutant. "Don't drag me into this. You're the nice one."
"I'm sorry, Scott. But you're the best suited for rescuing this mutant, and you aren't currently teaching a class," the professor replied with infuriating patience. "This mutant has incredible powers and I'd like you to talk to her. You did succeed with our newest student, after all."
Scott grumbled, but realized the fruitlessness of his argument and consented to leave. He hopped onto his motorbike and drove toward a nearby suburb of New York.
Meanwhile, in a nearby suburb of New York.
Haley Ashfield shivered in the light snow. She stared blankly at the bridge and the surging water below. The water wouldn't kill her, oh no. It wouldn't let her die. But if she hit a rock, that might be enough to finish her off. She shivered again, faint drops of water slipping from her face. Ravens flew above her head, and Haley envied them. Birds didn't remember, didn't feel guilt. Humans did. Mutants too.
With one last glance at the town, Haley took a breath and stepped onto the railing, balancing perfectly. "Life is far too long," she said, her pronounced Southern accent overwhelming her words.
"Hey, stop!" A male voice cried out. Haley turned to see a man in a strange costume, light brown hair, and decidedly peculiar sunglasses. "Stop, Haley!"
Panic flowed through her mind, as cold as the falling snow. She smiled sadly at the boy, and jumped. But Scott panicked too. He ran quicker than he imagined, and jumped over the bridge as well, catching up with the falling girl. Together they tumbled toward the jagged stones at the bottom of the river, until Cyclops' beams destroyed them. They plunged into the icy water, and Scott had barely enough strength to bring himself and Haley to the edge of the river. He collapsed, choking on the ice water in his lungs. Haley gasped, and placed a hand on Scott's chest. Instantly, his coughing cleared, and warmth spread to his toes. "Are you ahlright?" Haley asked in her Southern accent.
"Yeah," Scott muttered, stunned. "Are you? What do you think you were doing? And how'd you heal me?"
"Ah'm sorry," Haley said. "Ah had nothing else to do, it was the only option. And it was my power, my curse, which let me heal you. Ah'm sorry."
"That's, that's okay," Scott gasped. "I'm a mutant too, you know. I've come to help you."
"Well, that's really not necessary--"
"Scott. And please, will you come with me to an Institute where we can help you with your powers?"
"Ah don't know." Haley looked scared, and she turned away from Scott.
"Please?" He asked. "As a favor for me?" Haley tried to look away, but gave out a quiet yes.
"Professor, it's ridiculous!" Cyclops cried. "I shouldn't have to chase down every mutant! Send Storm, or Wolverine!"
"Oh no, bub," replied the gruff mutant. "Don't drag me into this. You're the nice one."
"I'm sorry, Scott. But you're the best suited for rescuing this mutant, and you aren't currently teaching a class," the professor replied with infuriating patience. "This mutant has incredible powers and I'd like you to talk to her. You did succeed with our newest student, after all."
Scott grumbled, but realized the fruitlessness of his argument and consented to leave. He hopped onto his motorbike and drove toward a nearby suburb of New York.
Meanwhile, in a nearby suburb of New York.
Haley Ashfield shivered in the light snow. She stared blankly at the bridge and the surging water below. The water wouldn't kill her, oh no. It wouldn't let her die. But if she hit a rock, that might be enough to finish her off. She shivered again, faint drops of water slipping from her face. Ravens flew above her head, and Haley envied them. Birds didn't remember, didn't feel guilt. Humans did. Mutants too.
With one last glance at the town, Haley took a breath and stepped onto the railing, balancing perfectly. "Life is far too long," she said, her pronounced Southern accent overwhelming her words.
"Hey, stop!" A male voice cried out. Haley turned to see a man in a strange costume, light brown hair, and decidedly peculiar sunglasses. "Stop, Haley!"
Panic flowed through her mind, as cold as the falling snow. She smiled sadly at the boy, and jumped. But Scott panicked too. He ran quicker than he imagined, and jumped over the bridge as well, catching up with the falling girl. Together they tumbled toward the jagged stones at the bottom of the river, until Cyclops' beams destroyed them. They plunged into the icy water, and Scott had barely enough strength to bring himself and Haley to the edge of the river. He collapsed, choking on the ice water in his lungs. Haley gasped, and placed a hand on Scott's chest. Instantly, his coughing cleared, and warmth spread to his toes. "Are you ahlright?" Haley asked in her Southern accent.
"Yeah," Scott muttered, stunned. "Are you? What do you think you were doing? And how'd you heal me?"
"Ah'm sorry," Haley said. "Ah had nothing else to do, it was the only option. And it was my power, my curse, which let me heal you. Ah'm sorry."
"That's, that's okay," Scott gasped. "I'm a mutant too, you know. I've come to help you."
"Well, that's really not necessary--"
"Scott. And please, will you come with me to an Institute where we can help you with your powers?"
"Ah don't know." Haley looked scared, and she turned away from Scott.
"Please?" He asked. "As a favor for me?" Haley tried to look away, but gave out a quiet yes.
