There was silence for a few moments. Monster stared at the Professor, but didn't say anything further.
"Why?" Professor Xavier finally asked. She blinked, and her ears rose slightly from where they had been covered by her long hair. Charles Xavier blinked. Those ears, combined with her fur and muzzle, gave her the look of a giant cat as she sat on the chair.
"You're actually willing to listen?"
The Professor stared at her. "You thought that I wouldn't be?"
Monster shrugged, and finally looked away. "That's the way it normally goes. If you're one of the goodies, you don't just attack someone, and it doesn't matter why you did. All that matters is that you made a mistake, and that isn't allowed, because we have to prove that we deserve to be allowed to live in peace, and that means proving that we're better then the normals." She paused. "And I'm babbling. Sorry."
"It's alright," said the Professor, storing her remarks for later consideration. "But you haven't answered my question yet."
Monster paused again. "I thought he was the hunters," she said, voice suddenly clipped. He could tell that she was struggling to hold off tears.
"Hunters?"
She paused. He could feel her searching for the right words to explain. "You could just repeat it the way you told me what you did to Kurt," he suggested gently.
"You didn't like it."
"I was surprised by it," he corrected her. "That's not the same as not liking something."
She met his eyes again. "No, it isn't." He raised an eyebrow, then paused as she mimicked the gesture. But she nodded acceptance of his suggestion anyway.
"I would prefer to do it like that. If you're sure you won't mind too much…?"
I'm sure, the Professor told her, projecting reassurance. Her lips twisted in a bitter smile.
As you will.