So sorry for the long delay. My computer was acting up! Thanks to miss nen yimfor the encouragement!
Aravis emptied her shopping bags onto her bed, where Kitty immediately pounced, examining every item of clothing.
"I wish I could have come shopping with you." Kitty remarked, looking disappointed. "This physics homework is killing me and my social life." Aravis chuckled in response, while hanging up several new skirts in her closet. "Um...Aravis? I don't know if you noticed, but..."
"What?"
"Everything you bought...well, its...its all white!"
"I know." Aravis laughed, seeing Kitty's curious expression.
"You did it on purpose?" she asked, staring at Aravis, who nodded. "Why?"
Aravis shrugged. "I just like the color white, I guess." Kitty laughed before standing up to help her roommate put away her new clothes.
"When we're finished, we'll go down to dinner and I can introduce you to everyone!" she said excitedly. Aravis nodded and quickly put the rest of her clothes away. She changed out of Kitty's clothes and into her own new white skirt and tank top, and then pulled her long, shimmering hair into a loose ponytail. They made their way downstairs to the cafeteria, in the elevator for Aravis' sake, and sat at with several other teenagers.
"Hey guys!" Kitty said brightly, sitting down at the table. "This is Aravis, she's new here! Aravis, this is Bobby, Rogue, John, Peter, and Jubilee." They all smiled and said hello to Aravis, who smiled shyly. Her eyes lingered for a moment of the largest of the group, who Kitty had called Peter. His eyes met hers for a moment, and she quickly turned away, blushing.
Two weeks passed quite quickly. Aravis soon learned her way around the mansion and grew to enjoy the company of the other teenagers. It had been difficult for her at first; she had been used to being alone for quite some time. Much to her relief, the day finally came when she was able to walk on her own again. After Jean had given her a final check-up, Aravis all but ran from the med lab, giving the crutches one last disdainful glance. She was on her way outside when Logan stopped her in the hall.
"Hey, kid." he grunted. "Professor wants to see you in his office." She merely nodded in response and turned away from the foyer. When she reached the Professor's door, she lifted her hand to knock. He called out, however, before her knuckles made contact with the wood.
"Come in, Aravis." She entered and sat quietly, waiting for him to speak. " I realize that you are anxious to be out of doors and on your feet again, so I'll make this short." She smiled gratefully and waited for him to continue. "I simply wanted to make sure that everything was alright. Some of your teachers seem to be worried." She frowned, not quite understanding.
"Worried how? I'm doing fine in class, understanding and everything."
"It's not your schoolwork with which they are concerned, Aravis, it's you."
"I'm fine." she said defensively, not meeting his eye.
"One doesn't have to be psychic to see that you are not fine. You look as though you haven't slept in days."
"So I can't sleep, what's the big deal? Just some nightmares, thats all!" she shot back, her anger rising.
"And socially? Some teachers feel that you aren't connecting with other students as well as they would have hoped." Aravis glared at him.
"I spend almost all of my time with Kitty and the others."
"Yes, you are around other students during the day, but would that be the case if it were not for your roommate? Have you even really talked to any of those people? Shared with them about your life? Your experiences? Your family?" Aravis was growing furious.
"Maybe it's none of their damn business!" she snarled, standing from her seat.
"Or perhaps," he continued, "you are afraid of becoming close to anyone? Perhaps you have experienced what it is like to lose someone that you hold dear, and you simply do not wish to grow close to someone who may be taken from you also?" Aravis would not return his stare.
"Well you seem to know all the answers, don't you? You're psychic, so go ahead! Read my mind! Figure out what my problem is so you and all your precious X men can talk it over at the next faculty meeting, since I already seem to be the favorite topic of conversation!" She was yelling now, her hands clenched at her sides. He merely gazed at her, sadness in his eyes.
"No one here wishes anything but to help you, Aravis. The mind is not a book that can be simply opened and read. When you are ready- that is, you are ready to give someone your trust- we will all be here, ready to help you cope with whatever you have experienced in your past, and to assist you in facing whatever lies in your future. All you have to do is trust us. I do believe we have earned it."
Aravis could feel the anger bubbling up inside of her as she ran from the mansion, past the immediate grounds and toward the forrest which lay beyond. How dare he. How dare he think that just because he was psychic he knew everything about her! 'He has no idea why I am the way I am!' she though furiously to herself. 'He has no idea what kind of hell i've been through! So maybe I push people away. So what if I refuse to get close to other people? I of all people should know that it makes it easier that way! Loving someone only makes things more painful in the end!' She stopped running when she was deep in the forrest and sat down on the grass, clenching and unclenching her fists in fury. She needed to calm herself, and she could only think of one way to do it. Her mutation. She hadn't been able to in weeks due to her ankle, and it was killing her. Not wanting to ruin them, she quickly removed her white skirt and long-sleeved shirt, followed by her panties and bra. She stood, completely bare amongst the trees, breathing deeply, in and out, in and out. The process was much easier when she was calm and relaxed. When her heart rate had finally steadied, she closed her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could. Suddenly, her body began to change; her arms and legs began to grow longer and her torso grew considerably, becoming much thicker. Her face began to elongate and her eyes moved slowly until they rested at the side of her head. Her once smooth forehead began to bulge in the middle and she fell forward onto all four's. She waited a few more seconds until the process was complete. There, in the middle of the forrest, when a girl had just been sitting, stood a full grown, majestic unicorn. The fur was the purest shade of white that anyone could have ever laid eyes on, and the single horn which grew out of her forehead seemed to be made of pure crystal. The mane and tail were the color of silver, though they had a shimmering quality about them, just as Aravis' hair had had when she was in her human form. The eyes were the only part of her to remain the same; big, bright and midnight blue. Aravis felt a surge of relief flow over her. It felt wonderful to be in her other form, and she couldn't remember the last time when she had gone so long without changing. With that thought, she let out a deep sigh and did what she loved best: she began to gallup. This, however, was much different than the gallup of an everyday horse. It was much more graceful, and as she picked up speed she began to go faster than any race horse could have ever hoped to run. For the first time in weeks, Aravis felt free.