It was the start to a peaceful weekend. Xavier was drinking his tea, mindlessly grading papers from one of his classes. The early morning air refreshing as it floated in from the opened window. Xavier had just began his second stack when his phone rang. Odd, as it was a Saturday morning and not many places that would require him were open, even the news had calmed down a bit. It was Moira!
"Hello?" He answered, calm. Trying to sound impressing.
"Hello, Xavier, its' Moira. I need your help." She wanted to speak more about personal matter, but she was still on the clock and it was ticking for a couple of teens she knew.
Xavier straightened up the best he could in his wheel-chair, "Is something wrong?"
"Well, nothing serious enough to be classified as saving the world wrong. But...I have a few mutants here. We found them, one day, after I begged the military to clean up Cairo. They aren't the kindest kids in the world."
For a second, Xavier paused. Did he really want to add on these mysterious children? Did he have the means to care for them, like how they need? It didn't matter, he had to help them, either way. Just a little extra work. "Do I get need to travel? I mean get travel to need... Do I need to travel to get them from you? ...no...Am I making out...meeting up with you..."
"I'm so glad you asked. They'll be there by noon. WE will be there. Trust me, you will need someone who they know or else they are bolting." She laughed, dryly. "See you there."
"See you."
They hung up. Now, he was curious. What could these kids be like for them to take such precautions? He forgot to ask how many were coming. Even if any of them could speak English. The way the conversation went Xavier knew this was something he couldn't get away from. These kids needed him. Needed him to save them and teach them to use their powers for good. The wait for them would be killer though. He set about getting everyone and thing ready for their arrival. Rooms needed to be cleaned. Clothes needed to be sorted. People needed to be told. Classes for them to be enrolled in. So much in so little time.
Finally, it was time.
A state-issued SUV pulled in front of the mansion, behind them an armored truck stopped just behind them. The thought of them using such an extreme measure just got Xavier's nerves in a bundle. But instead, three kids stepped out behind Moira, while a couple of men out of the front of the truck. Moira stood in front of the kids. Each one different from the last. There was a tall, white teen with fiery red hair and piercing green eyes. He had a stone cold stare and chiseled jaw. Then there was a sun-burnt girl, as dark as the night sky in a summer heat. She held the bluest eyes, almost like the ocean. No... like a gem. In her arms, she carried a little girl barely five years of age. She had blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Her smile was contagious.
"There is still one left but he's..." Moira looked towards the truck. "You are going to need this whistle and this book. Once to stop and twice to go inside."
Xavier paused, "I'm not sure I follow. Why would I need these two? It seems highly un-"
Just then the truck shook with great force, enough to almost tip it over. The doors broke open and Xavier could hear them shout about tranquilizers. A boy no older than fourteen steps out of the back of the van. He had ropes and chains hanging off his body. On his mouth he had a muzzle, a real dog muzzle. But that wasn't the scary part. His eyes were angry, red and blue orbs of pure hatred. Fangs dipped out of his lips with blood on them. His black hair matty and wet from sweat. His hands tied together in a makeshift cuff. That is when he ripped the ropes apart, his claws digging into the ground.
Moira quickly reached for the whistle, wishing for the boy's submission. The two older kids looked bored out of their mind. The little girl had tears in his bright young eyes. Hank raced to help the men out, his beast came to the surface. His strength was nothing compared to the boy's own. The boy's body started to grow fur; the form of monstrous wolf appeared overshadowing the Beast, almost putting Hank on the ground.
A sharp noise passed the air through the wind.
The boy stops midway, panting. Another short whistle. Growling the boy lets go of Hank, anger still present in his eyes and frame. Everyone watches the boy crawl back into truck and into a cage that was a size too small. He looked horrible. Xavier saw a boy that truly needed him...and he had no idea how to help this boy. Moira slowly let the whistle fall out of her mouth almost like she was preparing to use it again. As quickly as it had come, it had settled and the aftermath still in everyone's wake.
Xavier looked towards the girl he still shared feelings with. "What exactly did you do?"
"This whistle controls his body. Once gets him to stop his rampage. Twice gets him to go back to his cage." She looked back at the boy, "Be very careful with him, he's dangerous and deadly."
"He's just a boy." Jean interjected, mad that someone else had been called a monster so early on meeting him. He could just need a friend to push him to do better. Then it hit her! Jean Grey couldn't hear his voice, couldn't read his mind. He was blank to her. All she could see was a swirling void of dark black as she searched his mind for anything to identify him. "Professor! I can't read his mind."
An overused chuckled had them looking back in the direction of the three others. The three had made their way further down the driveway in an attempt to escape but hearing that sentence sent the male in a fit of laughter, the obvious to him was something he had to laugh at. The two girl glared at him, the toddler copying the one she loved in cute manner. The guards rounded them back up towards the house once again.
"What's so funny, young man?"
The older teen glanced towards his tiny group, "Everyone knows you can't touch Despair. Not physically nor mentally. He has won every fight since I have known him."
"Fight?"
"Mutant fights, they were popular in Cairo." Storm finally interjected her voice into the conversation. "Still are apparently."
"Listen, baldy, we don't want to be here. You don't want us here, so just let us go back to where he came from and everyone wins." The girl smiled her lovely smile at the group. "Deal?"
"Sorry, Miss, but I can't let that happen." Xavier smiled at her. "I want to help you all."
The little girl started crying. "He's scary."
Xavier felt bad now. " Oh, I'm sorry little one. I'm not that scary. Promise?"
"Not you." The teen girl scoffed. "She's afraid of Despair. He's not been nice to anyone. Ever."
Xavier did have his hands full with these four. A male that is cynical, currently leaning more on his right foot in boredom. A girl with the spite of any male but the love for a little sister. A little girl who only wants love and affection to be spread. The last boy, currently being set on the grass near the mansion, angry at the world. He would be the hardest to control. His hatred for man would rule every fiber of his being, casting a dark sullen void over his heart so that nothing will ever change him.
Xavier glanced at the boy known as Despair. "Why do you call him Despair?"
The boy looked up at said name, but The older teen answered, "That's what you feel when you are put into the ring with him. Nothing but despair."
Kurt looked over to the boy everyone was watching. He wasn't demonic looking hike Kurt was. He was just a bit unusual. Kurt didn't see why there needed to be such a big fuss over a boy who looked no different than the others when Kurt himself looked worse. People will still like him, love him when given the chance. Kurt was forced into servitude the moment he could walk, a member of the circus. He was a true freak. He wanted to voice his opinion to the group but they were too engrossed in their conversation they didn't notice him. But when he looked back at the boy in the cage, he noticed him. Resentment staring straight into him, swirling in with his fear like a never ending battle between black and white.
"I'm sad I cannot stay longer. Call me if you need anything." Moira smiled at Xavier. "You three as well, don't fear reaching out for help."
"Sure." The girl nodded.
Megan waved, "Bye, Miss Moira."
"See you later, Megan. Take care of Crystal for me, please?"
The little girl giggled, "Yes, Ma'am!"
"Bye Charles. And good luck. You'll need it."
The car and truck disappeared through the gates of the school just as they came in, as strong and as fast as the wind itself. Despair growled from within the cage. He had a lot of work to get through and his day would began as soon as Xavier figured out how to safely transport Despair into the mansion. Said boy watched the man in the wheelchair with interest, be that with anger or understanding. Then Xavier remembered Kurt. Kurt was currently swishing his tail around in thought.
"Kurt, could you teleport him to one of the rooms?"
Kurt looked terrified! "What? But what if he tries to eat me? Or chews me up and spit me back out? Or even just kill me?!"
"Listen, Kurt, trust me. I will not let anything happen to you."
Hank came over to the blue boy "I will be with you the entire way."
Kurt slowly nodded. Hank lead the way over to the cage where the boy was sitting, looking at the ground as if something was interesting there. Kurt's shaky three fingered hand slowly touches the bars of the tiny cage. Despair's hand holds Kurt's down. The blue boy screamed in fear, yanking his hand away. Everyone watched in horror as the once blue mutant gradually started to change. The once blue skin now held a cream color. His yellow eyes were now brown like dark chocolate. The three fingered hand had five. He was normal again!
"I'm normal! I'm NORMAL!" Kurt howled to the heavens above, thanking his faith for this miracle. His celebration was short-lived. His blue form came back. "No. No. No nononononono!"
"Kurt!" Jean called. "You are prefect just the way you are now."
"Yeah, but I like being normal just as much."
Xavier smiled, "Interesting. He can negate powers."
"His power can take the X gene away from a person." Hank nearly fainted with joy at such a discovery. "He can help mutants be normal again!"
The boy just continued to stare at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Xavier rolled over to the boy. There was no wonder why they call him Despair. If at any point, he touches you, all your powers will be null and void. He is a monster anyways, nothing else is needed for him to defeat someone. Xavier didn't know if that was scary or amazing. He was impressed the young child could withstand such treatment. Of course, he need that there will still be marks on his heart - and his skin- that will forever remind him of what has happened.
Despair felt surrounded. His whole world was suddenly...different. Despair was used to the silence of the days. The hustle of the mutant fighting nights, mainly screams of the dying. He was used to the static of the cage. He rather enjoyed snapping a person in two, crushing them with his teeth. Seeing them fear as he finishes the person off for good. The negative feelings rising his spirits, giving him much needed energy to finish the deed. Despair hated that same thing as well. He didn't know why he loved to do such cruel things, but he did.
He hated the whistle just a bit more.
The shiny, grey metal gleams in that man's hand. His bald head, kind eyes. Despair hated him. Those cruel men from before too. He hated them all. Despair was comfortable where he was. Then those armed men rushed in, shooting anything that moved. Many of the older mutants fought back but they were short lived. They killed them on site. A few ran. Those three, just over there, just stood there. The stupid kids let anything happen to them. Despair fought back with everything. They came in with loops on sticks and guns. It took three bullets just to slow Despair down long enough to get the ropes around his neck. Tranquilizers only lasted for a few minutes before more needed to be shot. And that stupid girl was the one to figure out the whistle trick Master used so long ago. He doesn't use it as often now. Looks alone are enough. Thanks to the whistle, they were able to get this far with him.
The sky quickly turned to dark clouds.
"Lets go inside. The rain won't hold off much longer. Kurt?"
This time, Despair didn't take away his powers. He sunk his claws deep into his hand. Shows him not to touch his cage, the yelp of pain music to his ears. Kurt teleported away from the cage. The rain started to drizzle. The cage was locked so Xavier saw no qualms with leaving him out in the rain, save for the obvious answer of him being a person not trash. He dismissed the others who reluctantly left to go inside but watch from the windows. Xavier knew he had his hands full with this boy. The boy growled out in warning to the man in the wheelchair.
"I'm only here to get you inside while it rains."
Inside of listening to the older man, Despair just lays down inside the cage. His head lay on the metal while his feet dangled outside the cage door. He never moved from his spot in the rain for the complete hour. Rain had came and gone and Despair never moved. It was like he didn't want help. All that time, Xavier never left the boy's side. He wanted to but this needed to be done to help the boy.
Thanks to the time he had, he discovered a few things about the boy. He had wounds, fresh ones, that didn't seem to hurt him. Or, if they did, he didn't show it. The once fresh blood slowly rinsed off with the rain. The years of dirt and grim stayed. He looked ... for lack of a better word monstrous. His skin marked from years of burns and whips. His hair long and unruly. His nails sharp and dangerous. When Despair yawned, his teeth were sharpened. He looked like a boy who ran with wolves, only that this pack lived within one boy. Their anger shared along with their love for pack.
Xavier knew this would take time. He knew Despair was gifted in everything except acceptance. But what was he going to do with a child who doesn't want that help? It's not like he can even force the child to come inside. Well, his powers could, but he has morals. Despair would also really hate him if he did such a thing as controlling his movements. That was no way to get to his heart. Despair doesn't want family. He doesn't want friends. He doesn't even want people around him.
"Please, listen to me, Despair." Xavier sighed, dejected. "I Just want to help you achieve the best you can be. So, please, let me help you."
Despair just laid there, the light breeze felt nice against his wet skin. It was hot out. Like always. Xavier dismissed the boy and went back inside. He had others to attend to as well. A lazy teen male. A sweet little girl. As well as a terrifying young lady. This just might be his worse challenge yet. Ask him to defy a god, he could. Ask him to teach a school, he would attempt that as well. Yet, ask him to reform those who do not wish it, he will try but fear the results. What can he do to teach them to e happy for what they are? What can he teach them that someone else has already written their own spell to.