- 8 months ago. -
Scott, who's now a teenager, had in the state ran orphanage came to find normality and also some sense of belonging. However, in the last few days, things hadn't been easy with Scott suffering from a string of bad headaches, which left the teen in a lot of great pain, leaving his head reeling. Painkillers were given, but there was just no letup.
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One night, Scott woke up in the middle of the night, with a sharp scream, suffering from yet another one of his headaches. He knew that he just couldn't take it any longer, this pain being far too much. He left his bedroom and went running into the bathroom of the orphanage.
Scott here filling the sink with cold water and splashing his face with it; in an attempt to cool himself down.
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A boy, Ben from the next bunk over, had come running into the bathroom after him. Ben had been woken up, after hearing his friend's screams. Standing in the doorway, he asked, "What's the matter?" but he paused as he saw the look on Scott's face.
There was sweat on his brow and redness across his face.
"Not another one of your migraine, Scott?" Ben here sounding concerned.
Scott turned to see his friend before him and nodded. "Yes, and this one is pretty bad…' he stated, holding the side of his head. 'It's my eyes, Ben, my eyes... they're killing me."
"I'll get you a paracetamol." Ben offered, pointing back to the door.
"I've taken all the painkillers I can today,' Scott here taking his friend's forearm to stop him. 'but it keeps getting worse… nothing is working, nothing!"
Ben heard the anger in Scott's voice and then saw him knock the empty pill bottle to the floor.
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Ben could now see that tears were now literally streaming through Scott's fingers, as Scott pressed them tight to his eyes. Ben felt useless, as he truly didn't know what to do. Hearing his friend scream out yet again, Ben stated, "I'll get help... get one of the staff to come and check if you're okay... Someone must be able to help!"
"They're burning… it's like they're on fire…" Just then Scott screamed out loud as if there was no sign of easing. Scott looks up, taking his hands away, revealing for an instant that his eyes were merely bright red embers in his head. Featureless, but for the colour.
Ben took a sudden step back from his close friend in surprise, he had seen nothing like this in his life.
Scott tried with all his effort and might to stop, but it hurt, it burned.
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The next thing Scott was aware of, was the bathroom was suddenly being filled with a red light, a light coming from his own eyes. The blast cut open a line in the wall, smashing mirrors and breaking a sink.
His friend Ben jumped back to save himself, just in time, as the streams of light kept burning out from Scott's eyes.
Scott stumbles helplessly down to the floor, his eyes now shut tight and his hands tightly over his face as he tries to prevent more damage and destruction, he felt so upset, so ashamed, calling out. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry!"
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- Jean Grey and her friend, Annie Richardson, were walking home after school, as the two lived on the same street. Due to the fact that they had lived so close by and had spent most of their lives together, they shared a really close bond, with Jean seeing Annie more as a sister, as she was an only child.
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Suddenly, a car was heard just behind them; the car's tyres screeched as the driver tries not to hit them at the last second, however, it is too late, with the car plowing into Annie.
Slowly realising what had happened, Jean went running to Annie side, screaming out her best friend's name. "Annie!" Jean so hoped and wished that she had the power, might and strength that would give her the ability to move the car off her friend and to save her life.
To Jean's own shock and horror, the car started to shudder and shake, but her friend Annie died in her hands. Jean was left in tears.
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Following the death of Jean's friend, Annie, Jean had become so angry and hateful at the world and at the fact that she couldn't do anything to save her.
Her parents are forced to watch, as no matter what they say and do, Jean is just so far gone.
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- Charles discussed at great length possible candidates for recruitment to join the school with Moira, Charles focusing on individuals such as Scott Summer, Henry McCoy, Warren Worthington, Robert Drake and Jean Grey. The pair also talked about others, such as Kurt Wagner, Piotr Rasputin, the siblings Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, and Ororo Munroe, though Charles himself thought that these individuals weren't just ready yet.
"Looking at them all, Charles, they're barely more than teenagers… kids even!"
Charles placed a hand on one of the mutant's files. "With our help, Moira, they will clearly be more than that, we can guide and shape them!"
"Into what, Charles, huh, an army… soldiers for a war…"
"No, Moira, that was Erik's plan not mine...' spoke out Charles, in his own defense, as he knew that wasn't his path, his purpose. 'We are a school first and foremost! A school where we will teach them science, maths, English, history… However there is much more, we can teach them... We together will help them, Moira! Aid them in their learning, not just about their new abilities and how to use them, but also about being around others like themselves, that they aren't alone... Which in turn could help rest their hearts and mind."
Charles added. "And most of all we can aid them to see that even though that they themselves are different, mutants of great gifts can still be humanity's brother, that we can still live alongside them."
These words rested Moira's worries for now, but still, she looked back down on the files. 'Why can't they all have a place here... why can't they all have our help!?'
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Moira later that night, sat at her desk, looking down at the files of mutants, and as she was too focused she did not however hear Charles enter the room. "Moira, is everything okay?" he asked of her.
Moira turned to face Charles, a little startled. "I couldn't rest... There are so many Charles... This is truly a new time in Earth's history..."
She then turned her attention back to the desk before her, placing a hand back on the files before her.
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Charles saw her place a hand on the files and at this he came forward, his mind guiding his chair.
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't stop thinking about the others..."
Chalres nodded. "I feel it too... Please don't think I don't..."
"There is so much more we can do, Charles, what about the ones we are willing to leave out there in this world; alone and without our help... without any hope for a better day!"
"It isn't like that,' Charles stated, placing a hand on Moira's. 'please Moira, you must see that!"
"Then why does it feel like it is…' sorrow clearly heard in her voice. 'Why does it feel as if we are merely cutting them off and leaving them to hide away, hide who they truly are!" Moira here pulling her hand free.
"Rest assured, Moira, we are at the start of something incredible here… and know that in the end our ambitions will stop their isolation… stop them from having to hide who they are!" Charles replied, grounded on his views, seeing a start to greater things.
"I get that it's a start, Charles, trust me I do." replied Moira, after all she had joined Charles because she believed in this start, this path.
"But!" chipped in Charles, sensing that there was more to it than that.
"But, who are we to say who gets left behind!" she said with a heavy heart.
"This is the first time anything like this has ever been done before… our school for the gifted will become a beacon…' he placed a hand over his heart, to show meaning to his words. 'I promise you that by just welcoming this select few is the right choice… that in the end, we shall create a future for all mutants the ones we aid personally and those we don't… A future of equal respect and understanding." Charles moved in and place a hand on her knee. A smile on his face as he looked across at her.
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Moira, however, turned away, looking again down at the files, 'what will your life's be like out there… what are we leaving you to face, to endure!' as in her eyes just picking five wasn't enough, it was at this point Moira would come to want to leave.
Moira stands before Charles and states calmly that, "Charles, I am sorry... but I've made up my mind."
"I sensed that you had, my dear friend."
"This wasn't the school and protection I had in mind!"
"I had hoped that you would... hoped that you would see!" Charles so wanting this not to be the end.
"I did, once, know that I see your school as a grand step in the right direction, Charles, I truly do! However, you've seen it for yourself there are others! Helping them, and changing all their lives is the only way I can rest!"
"We can still do that, Moira... change the whole system is the only way."
However, her heart and mind was made up by this point, and as soon as her bags were packed; Moira leaves the mansion where she returned to Scotland to start her own path to help mutants.
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