Tolerance
By: Kryptonite
A/N: This is completely mine. Thanks to ladymoonlight1 for letting me have the beginning of this. Enjoy. Oh and by the way, I DO NOT, HAVE NOT AND MOST LIKELY NEVER WILL (In this universe at least) OWN X-MEN AND ALL RELATED CHARACTERS. ANYTHING UNRECOGNIZABLE IS COMPLETELY MINE.
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" We have a new student with us today." The new arrival had been expected the day before Ororo's disastrous dinner date with Kurt. He still wasn't talking to her. The new student dropped her duffel bag at her feet but didn't even try to pull the concealing hood of her coat back.
" Hey." Everyone chorused more than a little intrigued by the shadowed girl in front of them. The coat, so much like Rogue's, buttons were undone except for the second and third down from the top.
" It's alright Rae." The girl's head never tilted up once as she bent down picked up her bag and headed for the door. " Rae! Jacqueline!" The girl stiffened and turned to face the wizened professor.
" Do not mistake me for her."
" I didn't. I was simply trying to get you, Rae, to not walk out that door."
" Mission accomplished." She muttered savagely dropped her bag back to the floor with a muffled thud.
" Please lower your hood. You are among friends."
Her head swiveled back and forth as unseen eyes passed over the unusually silent crowd. Just as Rae's hand was moving for her hood, she paused as if listening to someone speaking. She muttered something almost too low for anyone to understand.
" Rae, concentrate. You are welcome here." Her voice came out grated and harsh, like she was fighting tears.
" Just tell me where my room is."
" Rae-" The professor was cut off as Rae spoke.
" Got it." She left before anyone could move. The professor sighed and slumped back into his wheelchair.
" I would like all the teachers to come see me in my office. Now."
Xavier started speaking once everyone was settled. Ororo took a second to look over at Kurt before focusing her attention on Professor Xavier's words.
" Obviously you just met Rae, our new student."
" Isn't Rae the-"
" Yes, Rae is the young lady with psychosis I was briefing you on last week. She was supposed to be here yesterday but… something came up."
" Telepathic?" Ororo questioned.
" To an extent. Her primary ability is materialization."
" Huh?" Everyone said the one-syllable word at once.
" When she focuses she can make any object or inanimate object appear in front of her."
" Wouldn't that be telekinesis?"
Jean spoke up from her seat. " No. Telekinesis involves the object being near-by. Rae's power involves actually creating the object out of thin air. What 'came up' professor?" Everyone's attention was once more riveted to Professor Xavier as he struggled for an answer.
" I'm not at liberty to say. You will see soon enough."
" Who's Jacqueline?"
" That would be her tormentor. The girl she and she alone can see, hear, touch, and smell."
" What else do we know about Jacqueline?" Kurt asked, looking interested in the topic. Professor Charles Xavier smiled.
" She is a very mean person. Jacqueline is the personification of the part of every human being that tells them they are not good enough, that everyone hates them, that they aren't worthy of anything. Unfortunately, Rae has been listening to Jacqueline for quite some time now."
The group was silent as they thought on the repercussions this could have on Rae and the student body in general.
" We should probably go."
" Yeah, I have some tune-ups I want to do to my bike. I'll see you at dinner." Scott and Jean walked out the door and down the hall together.
" Ororo, may I talk with you?" Kurt asked politely, standing a few feet from the chair she was sitting in.
" Sure. I'll talk to you later Professor." The old man smiled placidly at the two as Kurt led Storm out the door and out the backdoor to the greenhouse.
" Was there something you wanted to ask Logan?" The two men had been sitting in silence for a few minutes, both avoiding looking at the other.
" She takin' medication?"
" Yes, but it is not doing much good. Jacqueline seems to have too much of a hold on her mind." Logan thought for a second, then showed more thought and insight than most people gave him credit for.
" You think maybe it's a psionic influencin' her mind?"
" It is a possibility. I haven't found any indication of that but I'll do a deeper search later. Is there anything else?"
" Nope, not a thing. Thanks Chuck." Logan walked as Xavier frowned. His voice echoed in Logan's head, 'How many times must I tell you not to call me 'Chuck'?'
" A hundred." Logan's voice rebounded back to Professor X's ears causing the gentleman to chuckle lightly.
" I have to be nearing a thousand by now." He muttered turning to the papers needing to be graded sitting on his desk.