A month. It's been a month since I lost my memory and found out I was a mutant. It's hard to believe it's already been a month because that time has flown by. In that time I've developed my powers a lot. I've figured out I have bullet proof scales too. It's pretty cool. My flying powers had also increased. Like here for example. Right now, I'm floating about 100 feet above the institute. I'm using small updrafts and air currents to keep me aloft, barely moving my wings at all. I've also met Xavier's four other teachers. Hank McCoy, Scott Summers, Jean Grey, and Logan. They're pretty cool. Then, Xavier's thoughts come on in my head. "Drake, I need you to come to the Cerebro room immediately." I don't really know the Professor's urgency, but I need to go. I take one last look at the sunset, breathing in the freedom of flight.
Below me, I see Ray and Amara. I'm gonna scare them. I fold my wings into my body, and I instantly plummet to the ground. I hit the ground hard right in front of them. "AHHHHH!" Amara screams. Ray's hands crackle with electricity as he activates his powers. I'm alright by the way. A cool thing is that I can fall from a great height, and not even feel the impact with the ground.
"Don't scare us like that Drake!" Ray exclaims, still pretty angry. At least Amara calmed down. I just chuckle, then run inside the mansion, deactivating my dragon form as I go. I head into the cerebro room. Scott and Kurt are in there along with Xavier who is has the cerebro helmet on.
"Hey guys," I say.
"Hey," Scott says.
"Welcome Drake," Xavier says.
"Why am I here?" I ask.
"I'm glad you asked Drake. Cerebro has picked up a mutant signature. But, since this is a new system, it's having problems. We usually would be able to pick up a mutant's name, but we have nothing. All we know is that this mutant is hiding somewhere in Central Park in New York City. You're here Drake because you have heightened senses. You can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch better than almost anyone else here, so we need you're help to find our missing mutant. Scott and Kurt are going too."
"Awesome," I say.
"Ready to go?" Scott says.
"Let's do it."
Scott, Kurt, and I walk through the mansion to the X-Jet. We climb in and buckle up. Scott punches the throttle and we rocket out of a secret cave, and up into the air. Within a couple minutes, we're heading toward Manhattan.
It's dark by the time we reach the city. The dazzling lights brighten the skyline. But, we're not alone. Three military jets have trailed us. "I need to get them off of us," Scott says, "Kurt, you and Drake need to teleport down to Central Park and find the mutant.
"Got it. Hold on tight mine friend," Kurt says. He then grabs my hand, and suddenly the plane disappears, and we're on the ground in the park. I fall over out of dizziness. "Vhoa, are you alright?" Kurt asks.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I say.
"Vhat's the plan?"
"Ok, I'm going to go that way, and you go this way. Search you're entire area of the park."
"Let's do it."
Kurt heads off in one direction, and I head the other. In five minutes, I find myself on the edge of a lake. I walk around until I find a small outcropping of rock. Something doesn't sound right. It's like a small wailing. Wait. It's somebody crying. It's really somebody crying. I check out the outcropping. I gasp.
Inside the small cave, is a girl who looked about my age. But, she was different. From her back, I saw her long black hair fall to her waist as she was on her knees. Greyish dark feathers protruded out of her back and arms creating wings. I couldn't believe it. This was the mutant we had been looking for.
This girl is doubled over in sobs that rock her entire body. From the way it looks, she's cold, tired, and very sad. "Hello," I say. The girl gets up and turns around. She gasps. I guess she wasn't expecting to see me. Yeah, she's definitely cold. All she's wearing is a sports bra, and shorts. Looks like she just came from the gym. Her face is red from the cold, and her lips are blue.
"Who are you?" she asks, trying to keep her composure.
"I'm someone who's here to help," I reply. She backs up. Dang, I gotta convince her that I'm a good guy. "My name's Drake Laurelson," I say, trying to be as friendly as humanly possible, "What's yours?"
"Aviana. Aviana Hartwick."
"Nice to meet you Aviana. You look really cold."
"Uh-huh," She says, and just then, she begins to shiver uncontrollably.
"I'll help, be right back."
I walk out of the cave toward the nearest tree. I hope this works. I've been learning how to change only part of my body into dragon form. I slowly work it till my right forearm is covered in scales. My claws also appear. It works.
I jump high into the air, slicing down the bottom branches. A stack of wood crashes to the ground. I pick it up and carry it back to Aviana. She has a questioning look on her face as I carry the wood into the cave and set it down.
"What are you going to do with that?" she asks.
"Aviana, I'm like you. Ok, not exactly like you. But, I am a mutant." I say. She gasps again. She looks scared. "Watch this," I say. I blow a small stream of fire onto the logs, engulfing them in the flame. When I finish, the logs are burning pleasantly. Aviana takes a cautious step forward, then sits down next to the fire, warming her up.
"Aviana, you know you're going to have to tell your parents."
"I know. Thank you Drake for helping me."
"No problem." I contact Kurt and Scott, and we all meet up at Aviana's house. I had given her my long coat to cover up her feathers and wings. The hood was up too so no one would recognize her.
"This is it," Aviana gulped, "Let's do it." I reached up and rang the doorbell.
A tall and thin woman came up to the door. "Can I help you?" she asks in a polite and gentle tone.
"Yes ma'am, I came to talk to you about your daughter, Aviana." Scott says.
"Do you know where she is?" the woman asks, a frantic look in her eyes.
"I think we need to talk. Can we step in?"
"Sure." The woman led us into her house and into the family room where a middle aged man was sitting on the couch, most likely Aviana's father.
"I didn't know we're having guests," he said surprised.
"I'm sorry dear. It was so sudden," she replies.
"Ok," he said as he stood up, "my name's Dan Hartwick." He thrust out his hand to shake ours.
"Scott Summers."
"Kurt Wagner."
"Drake Laurelson." We all said in turn as we shook his hand.
"And I'm Sue Hartwick," the woman said, "now, who's that behind you."
"We'll get to that in a minute," I blurted out.
"So, you know about where Aviana is?" Sue asks.
"That's what we were getting to," I say. Aviana's hands had to be kept by her side under her coat because of her wings, so I lifted the hood off her head.
"Hello Mom and Dad," she said.
"Aviana!" they both exclaim.
"Wait, don't come any closer," Aviana says. Her parents stop coming toward her. "There's something I need to talk to you about." Aviana unzips the zipper of the coat from the inside, and it falls away, revealing her wings and feathers. Her parents gasp. Sue faints backward into Dan's arms, and she weakly sits down on the couch.
"You're a mutant," they say.
"Yes. I am." Aviana says, putting her head down in shame.
"There is something you could do about it," Scott butts in, "The Xavier Institute is a place where Aviana can learn to control her powers and not be afraid of mutant-haters."
"I've heard of it," Sue says, still trying to take it in, "Ok. Ok. Aviana, go with them to their institute."
"Really?" Aviana asks.
"Yes."
Aviana smiles happily, the first time I had ever seen her smile. She ran upstairs to what I think was her room. I was successful. I found the mutant, but more importantly, I had found a friend.