'My Existence is a Scandal'
-Oscar Wilde
The only strip mall down on Navis Avenue has stood there for decades, the only upgrades ever applied being a new coat of beige-green paint to the outside walls. It became a tradition throughout the town of Hillway for take their children there to meet the Santa Clause that sits on a throne in the center of the building.
Alfred Peterson, the man who is behind the beard, has completed this tradition since his first grey hair appeared on his head. Since the start his entire head has changed from its once ebony shade of brown to the color of freshly fallen snow. He has watched hundreds of children grow to adults and have young ones of their own. He has seen people come and go from this town and move on to bigger and better things. He has never left however.
In December 18th, 1963, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, visited the mall. Granted, you could barely call it a school, given the current class is only eight students and two teachers. Three of the children attending the institute have not yet reached their teenage years, and still believe in the mystical legends surrounding Christmas time. Santa Clause included.
Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr made the executive decision to take them to the neighboring town to meet the jolly old man known as Saint Nicholas. What they were not expecting was to add another member to their graduating class.
The line was long. That much was obvious. Dozens of people stood behind one another, children in hand and waiting to meet the man in the red suit.
Marty Parker, a boy of 7 years holds tightly onto Charles' hand, growing more and more excited as they get closer to the front of the line. The more excited he grows the brighter it seems to get outside.
The happy and calm moment is interrupted when Lorelei Brewer came barreling through the line, Randy Tozier following a few feet behind, shouting obscenities after her.
Erik looks at the small group of mutants that surround him and mumbles harshly: "If any one of you act like that, believe me, you won't see the light of day for weeks."
Randy gains speed and tags the back of Lorelei's baggy shirt, sending her sprawling to the marble paved floor. She quickly rolls back to her feet and stands up, facing the older teenager with a glare.
"You wanna do this here?" She questioned. "Fine! We'll do it here. In front of a fucking Strip Mall Santa Clause!" She exclaimed, tossing her small leather bag to the side and stepping up to Randy.
The boy is a good five inches taller than her and most definitely weighs 50 pounds more, but Lorelei is not the one that looks scared. Randy glances at the hundreds of people that surround him and decides to savor his pride over his well-being. He throws a punch towards the face of the girl before him.
Lorelei catches the swing as if it is an autumn leaf blowing in the wind. Her gaze shifts between the fist she holds tightly in her grasp and the now anxious Randy.
"You probably shouldn't have done that." She states before twisting his arm to the side and aiming a roundhouse kick to the side of his face. Her converse clad foot slams into his cheek, the noise echoing throughout the now silent mall.
The boy drops to the ground in a heap, slowly dragging himself back up to his feet and raising his fists into a defensive position. Lorelei waits there, never having been one to take the offensive. Randy kicks upwards, aiming his foot for Lorelei's stomach. She quickly spins out of the way and swipes Randy's foot out from underneath him, sending him to the floor once more. Randy continues to get up, no matter how many times he is thrown to the ground. Blood drips from his mouth, but he only spits it to the side like it is just saliva.
Lorelei's attention is dragged away when she notices the looks of total and absolute disgust aimed at her. Randy utilizes her lack of attention and slams his fist into her mouth. The teenager only staggers backwards at this, her focus now entirely on the boy in front of her.
The next few moments are a blur. In one second the pair are facing one another off and the next Randy is back on the floor where he belongs. Lorelei stands steady on her feet, fists held in the defensive position. Only a few people managed to witness what happened. It is commonly known in the martial arts world as the 540 kick. A move that, when executed well, can take out an opponent before they are aware of what is going on.
Before the fight has the opportunity to continue however, Arthur Tozier, the resident Strip Mall security guard, races over to the brawling pair, blowing his whistle at full volume. Lorelei spins to face the man, her hands placed respectfully behind her. Arthur races over to his son, carefully pulling him to his feet and checking over the injuries he has sustained. The obese mall cop glares towards Lorelei, marching up to her and sizing her up. Lorelei bows her head, silently listening to the ranting and chastisement she is receiving without argument.
Only a few moments late a pair of cuffs are slapped onto her wrists, the metal digging into her skin. She raises her eyes to see Randy standing behind his father with a smug smile coating his face.
Her line of vision changes to Charles, that stands a few feet away. Her eyebrows furrow as she sees neither disgust nor disdain aimed in her direction. In a split second decision she rummages through his mind, sifting through his memories like flour through a sieve. The elder telepath cannot even comprehend what is happening until he sees Lorelei's eyes shift from a dark brown to scarlet red. They revert back to their original color so fast he can't help but wonder if it was just his mind playing tricks on him.
Lorelei is hauled away by the security guard before Charles has a chance to find out. The professor turns to Hank McCoy and Raven Darkholm, the elder of his pupils and makes a request.
"Watch after the younger ones. Erik and I have business to attend to." He told them, gently pulling his hand out of Marty's grasp and following after the direction of Lorelei. Erik trails after him, confused as to where his friend is leading them.
"Charles, given that all of the holiday shopping is finished, where are we heading?" He questioned.
"The girl was in my head Erik." Charles responded. "And I didn't even know until after she was gone."
"The girl?" Erik repeated. "The one who was just arrested?"
"The very same." Charles confirmed, slowing to a halt when they reach the mall jail. "And I intend to help her."
With that the pair enter and walk up to where Arthur Tozier sits. He is leaned back in his swivel chair, a strawberry glazed donut gripped within his pudgy fingers. When he notices the two men standing there he straightens up in his seat and places down the pastry, the jam on the inside dripping onto the table.
"What can I do for you two today?" He asked as politely as he can force. Erik grimaces at the sight of the yellow, plaque covered teeth the security guard has, but quickly covers it with a smile.
"We would like to meet with the young lady you just brought in here." Charles requested, matching the guard's politeness pitch for pitch. Arthur leans forward at this, his now clenched fist resting on top of the donut.
"What the hell do you want with Lorelei Brewer?" He interrogated, his tone changing completely.
"We would like to speak with her. Take us to her." Charles commanded, his index and middle finger slowly raising to his head. Arthur immediately stands up, walking into the back room where the cells are. Lorelei straightens up at the sight of the guard entering the room, her head tilting to the side in confusion at the sight of the two men trailing behind him. Arthur exits the room without another word, the door closing behind him. Before Lorelei has the chance to speak she feels a slight push in her mind. Her eyes slowly go to Charles and she subconsciously builds up her mental wall, blocking him from invading her memories. The elder mutant resigns quickly, not wishing to scan through her her mind now that he knows she is aware of his power.
"Hello Ms. Brewer." Charles began, breaking the silence that washed over them.
"Hello, sir." Lorelei greeted formally.
"My name is Charles Xavier and this is my companion Erik Lehnsherr." The professor introduced himself and his friend, his tone calm and comforting. Erik looks the young girl over, noticing the way her posture has changed whenever an adult or a figure of authority enters the picture. The way her phrasing changes from that of a normal teenager's and into a soldier's. "If you don't mind my asking. What were you doing in my head?"
Lorelei's eyes widen almost comically wide at this question, taking a hesitant step backwards. Her breathing becomes more panicked and ragged as she glances around for cameras or any other person that may have just heard that revelation.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, sir." She told them, mentally cursing herself for her lack of lying skills.
'Oh, I think you do'
Charles' voice fills her head, making the girl stumble away from the bars of the cell she is kept in.
"You were in my head." She stated, mouth agape in amazement. Throughout her years she has yet to meet another person like her.
"And you were in mine." Charles replied.
Lorelei's gaze falls to the floor in shame at this. "I'm sorry." She apologized.
"Are your parents aware of your gift?" Erik interjected, taking note of the girl's anxiousness.
"Yes sir. They found out when I was five."
"And then what happened?" Erik questioned, knowing the girl is hiding more that she is letting on.
"And then they left when I was ten." Lorelei finished with an absentminded shrug of her shoulders. "They told me they couldn't be associated with a freak like me."
"You're not a freak Lorelei." Charles sternly told her. All of the mutants in his charge have said the same thing about themselves at least on one occasion and it is a comment that the telepath cannot condone.
"You're apart of the next generation of the human race." Erik added on, well aware of what the young girl is feeling.
"Just like us." Charles finished. "Just like the rest of our students."
"Students?" Lorelei repeated.
"Since last year Erik and I have been helping young mutants such as yourself to control and utilize their powers. We currently have a class of 8." Charles explained in the simplest way possible.
"And we may have a class of 9 if you accept our offer."
"What offer?"
"An offer for you to join."
Lorelei was expecting a lot of things when the two men entered the room. To be formally arrested, to be kidnapped, to be taken to a secret government facility and being tested on. She was not expecting to be offered a place at a school for people like her. A school where she does not have to hide behind tough facades to shield people from the powers she was cursed with.
"I can leave?" She asked, referring to the town which since birth she has lived.
"We can leave right now." Charles confirms. Before the two mutants' eyes the bars of steel shift from their original form. With eyes of scarlet red the metal alters to crystal clear water. Immediately, it collapses from its cylinder like forms. It splashed the concrete floor, soaking through the shoes of the company of three. Charles slowly raises his hand and places it where the bars once were, expecting to feel the cold steel. Instead, he feels nothing by air at his fingertips. His attention then goes to the water that surrounds his brown dress shoes.
"Extraordinary." He commented with a smile gracing his lips.
He offers the teenager a hand, which Lorelei takes without hesitation.