Note to all: ' denotes thoughts
The Song of Eternity
Canto 7
A Normal Life
Verse 5
The four houses are separated,
Choices are made,
And problems are explored.
Xavier sat in his wheelchair as the boy closed the blinds on the windows, keeping the room dark, despite the afternoon sunlight. He studied the boy as he finished with the last window, then checked that the door was securely locked. "Not very sociable, are you Cole?" Xavier commented as he continued to ignore Xavier and pushed a button, starting a small fire in the fireplace before finally settling into a chair beside the fire with Xavier on the other side of the fireplace. "Vincent figured that it was best for you to see me, due to my past dealing with psychological problems as well as mutant powers. I brought some pencils and paper for you to use to communicate with, I am not as good at lip reading as others may be," Xavier explained as he handed a pad of paper and a pencil to Cole.
Cole took the paper and pencil, but instead of using it, pointed to Xavier, then to his own head. "You want me to read your mind? I was unaware you had enough control over your powers as to allow something like that to happen," he explained.
'It is difficult, but I can manipulate the void field if needed,' Cole thought without looking up are Xavier. He looked at the fire for a bit, then started to draw on the paper. 'So what does Valentine think is wrong with me?'
"He thinks your silence is psychological for starters. He also has hinted that you are a danger to yourself. We'll start with the speaking problem. You are physically intact, but you refuse to or cannot speak. Do you have any idea why?" Xavier questioned the boy, then waited for the void field to drop so he could read the boy's thoughts.
Cole continued to sketch on the paper for a minute before 'speaking'. 'That is the million dollar question, isn't it? I think I know the answer, but that is something I will keep to myself.'
"Fair enough," Xavier said as his powers shut off as the void field flared up again. "Vincent tells me you haven't slept since the incident with Magneto. He was also worried about the way you saved Rogue from falling, how you took it into your own hands instead of letting one of the others who could have caught her without great physical injury handle the situation."
'Never trust another to do what is in your own means,' Cole thought. 'I don't sleep because I take the time to think.'
"Be that as it may, I am giving you a bottle of sleeping pills to take with you."
'Fine. Tell me, why do you fight with Magneto and the Brotherhood?' Cole asked without looking up.
"Different philosophies of teaching among our three groups. Here we teach that humans and mutants should coexist peacefully. Mystique and the Brotherhood are more to the idea that we should use our powers to take what we want when we want it. Magneto's group has recently went even further and are more of the kill them before they fill us philosophy. You are an intelligent young man, what do you believe?"
'Haven't heard those words to describe me in a long time,' Cole thought. 'I do not care what you people or the rest of the human or mutant races do. I live by my own rules. Those who threaten life do not deserve their own.'
"Is that what Vincent taught you?" Xavier questioned.
'I thought like this long before I met Vincent,' Cole responded as he handed Xavier the pad of paper, now covered in drawings.
"Interesting," Xavier whispered as he looked over the drawings.
"Hmmmm, microwavable Mexican burrito, you're my only friend," Murphy said as he took a big bite of it and immediately inhaled and exhaled rapidly to cool his mouth down. "It hurts so good," he laughed as he took another big bite and walked out of the kitchen only to be greeted by a fuzzy blue mutant crashing into him. "My burrito!" he shouted as the two of them fell and the burrito sailed into the air. Murphy's hand shot out of the pile of limbs and grabbed it before it could land on him and Kurt. "Kurt, mind getting offa me," he grumbled then choked as the air he inhaled smelled of brimstone and Kurt disappeared.
"What are you doing here?" Kurt asked as he helped Murphy to his feet. "And eating our food," he said as he noticed the burrito.
"Cole's got a meeting with Xavier and I was hungry," Murphy shrugged. "Wasn't expecting someone to come crashing into me, forgot you could teleport," he explained.
"Why is Cole seeing the professor?" Kurt asked as the two of them walked to the kitchen and Kurt started to cook a burrito himself.
"Vince thinks he's nuts or something. I'll admit he's disturbed, but Vince is overreacting," Murphy explained. "Got ay pop around here?"
"Cupboard behind your head," Kurt pointed as Murphy pulled out a can for each of them. "So how was school for you today? No problems?"
"Nobody hassled us, so I can't complain. What's the deal with all the other mutants around here anyway? It seems like this town is full of them," Murphy asked as Kurt took out his burrito.
"Well, it has been weird lately, but from what I can gather there are three organized groups here. There's us, the Brotherhood, and Magneto's group, the Acolytes. We all try to not use our powers in front of the normal people, but we usually end up covering up for the Brotherhood and Acolytes since they are less hesitant about using their powers."
They heard the roar of a motorcycle and several other cars coming up the driveway and looked in the general direction. "Quick, 'port us out there," Murphy said as Kurt nodded and grabbed him and they both disappeared. They landed on the porch in front of the door.
Logan, Vincent, Elena, Rogue, Scott, and Jean stopped in front of the two of them who stood there calmly eating in front of the door. "Why am I not surprised to see you here elf?" Logan commented as Kurt just smiled and shrugged.
"Murphy, we do have food at our house you know?" Vincent said to the boy who just laughed.
"Yeah, but I am here and hungry, not there and hungry. Besides, before you go into the mansion keep in mind that your powers will be on the fritz and likely to work one minute and fail the next," Murphy explained before he went back into the house, using the door this time.
"How do you know when our powers will fail?" Scott asked as he followed Murphy and Kurt.
"Cause, I know when my crap isn't working."
"But you aren't a mutant," Rogue pointed out.
"So what, his power isn't just to stop mutant powers, it blocks energy of a certain type, which happens to be my magic," Murphy explained. He whirled around as he heard a door slam open and a very angry looking Cole stormed past him and out the front door. "Cole, where are you going?" he chased after his brother who took off on his motorcycle without him. "Crap, that means I gotta ride with Vincent," he realized and shook his head.
"Come in you three," Xavier said as Logan, Vincent, and Elena entered his study.
"All in one piece," Vincent noticed.
"Yes, you were right to contact me Vincent," Xavier explained. "The boy is a danger to himself, he has not slept in days. Try to get him to take these pills, he needs to sleep at night," Xavier explained as he handed Vincent a bottle. "Logan, I want you to pass the word along to the students here as well as to Magneto's and Mystique's students that he is dangerous if provoked. We can't have Avalanche or the others trying to test him, they might end up pushing him to do something he would regret."
"He told you?" Elena stated.
"Yes, drew me a picture actually," Xavier chuckled. "You need to give him something to live for Vincent, otherwise I believe he will kill himself. He has adjusted quite well, considering all that has happened to him, but he cannot do it alone. I leave his life in your hands Vincent."
"What are you talking about?" Logan asked.
"Nothing," replied the others in unison.
"Time to go Elena. Let's grab Murph and go home," Vincent ordered as he and Elena grabbed their young charge and let the mansion.