((It is the year 1965. The Cold War is in full swing, and in lieu of the mutant/Cuba fiasco, the weapon of choice has changed from nuclear to biological. Russia and America have begun a deadly exchange of toxic viruses that were once only found in storybooks and are spread through direct contact -- skin-on-skin and kissing. The insidious intent of these viruses was, despite the war between nations, a direct attack on the mutants; sure, there would be some human casualties, but to rid the world of mutants would be a hefty prize.

It began as little more than an unassuming bite, much like the rabies virus...now, the mutant stronghold at Westchester is under siege from these mysterious viruses, and must call upon all their powers to find the cure before they lose themselves completely.

And introducing your (un-crippled) Professor, Charles Xavier, with his surprisingly fitting infection... [x] [x] NAME: Charles Francis Xavier CODENAME: Professor X AGE: 33 GENDER: Male MUTANT GIFT: A powerful Telepath with the ability to project his thoughts and feelings, fabricate memories, and go into the minds of others. It is said that he sends out parts of himself in the form of invisible birds, and that those who sense the presence of his mind feel birds and feathers around them. INFECTION TYPE: Brain Rot. HOW DID YOUR CHARACTER END UP AT THE ACADEMY?: If you really need me to answer this, you need to have me look at your head. There's something wrong with your brain.))

((Alright! Let's shake things up. Picture NAME: Maxwell Quinn CODENAME: Sparks AGE: 15 GENDER: Male MUTANT GIFT: He can deliver a powerful electrostatic shock at close range, and has a way with electronic and mechanical devices. He claims they have personalities, and "talks" to them. INFECTION TYPE: Naughty Nip

Bits, save that her hair is brown, not blue NAME: Samantha Quinn CODENAME: Two-Bits, Bits AGE: 18 GENDER: Female MUTANT GIFT: Bits has a water affinity. She can do many things with it, including draw moisture from the air around her to form whips and scythes of water -- but it's always easier with a supply of water nearby. INFECTION TYPE: Dolly Dreadful

HOW DID YOUR CHARACTERS END UP AT THE ACADEMY?: The brother-sister pair sought shelter at the Academy during a storm. They'd been living on the road for several years, an when the Professor figured out they were mutants, of course he had them stay. Neither teen has given a real name, just a nickname (unless the Professor really pressed them for names, I suppose). Certainly not to any classmates.

Sound good, ?))

((: Sounds good to me. c: I'll go ahead and start, to give you a feel for how I'd like these posts to go.))

BIC|| STAGE 1 It was raining. The sky was dark with clouds, and the rain fell at a steady pace between gentle and driving. The sun showed no signs of rousing, and all around, the world was silent and gray -- almost lifeless. Reminiscent of the streets of the nearby city. Everyone was indoors, too afraid (or too sick) to venture into the wet, newspaper-strewn streets.

Charles knew the rain was poisoned. The biological warfare applied by the Soviets was insidious in that way. He gazed out the window of his Westchester estate, hands in his pockets, looking pale and withdrawn; the state of the world weighed heavily on his mind, which was already tired despite the early afternoon chime of the clock. It didn't help that there was a persistent itch at his scalp, and a single straggly thread of darkness barely peeking out from his hairline; Charles had already tried treating the itch with anti-dandruff shampoo and lice therapy, but to no avail. The appearance of the dark thread raised his threat level from blue to yellow: in the back of his mind, he hoped that the bite he sustained during his attempt to restrain that frightened and sickly-looking mutant hadn't given him anything. He was only trying to help, after all.

He was only trying to help.

Well, /almost/ everyone.

"Come on, Bits, you're going to catch another cold!" The young man had to practically drag his older sister in out of the rain. She loved water, any water, and when it was raining it was a sure bet that he'd find her somewhere outside -- in this case on the roof of the building, just standing and looking up at the sky. Her wavy brown hair was completely straight with the weight of the water running through it, and her shirt was plastered to her body, her blue jeans soaked right through. She turned pleading dark-blue eyes on her brother, but he just shook his head, long snake-tail braid whipping back and forth with the motion. "Not a chance. C'mon. Inside." Bits reluctantly allowed herself to be dragged back through the door and into the hallway, shivering slightly at the cool of the air-conditioning on her wet skin. Sparks sighed. "I /told/ you. Back to the room we go. Get you dried off and into a new set of clothes." He picked up the towel he'd left at the entrance and draped it over Bits, and she held it gratefully around her shoulders with one hand, holding onto Spark's hand with the other.

The squelch of her wet tennis shoes will give them away long before Charles can see them. "Hey, Professor!" Sparks calls out cheerfully. Bits, as usual, says nothing, looking away instead. She's done very little talking since their arrival at the estate, usually hiding behind her outgoing younger brother and letting him do the talking for both of them.

I'm not too late am I? name: Tobias Crutch goes by Tobi Code Name: Spirit age: 13 gender: Male appearance: Black eyes, dark brown hair that sticks up it looks like my avatar but a little more spiky. Mutants Gift: The ability to manipulate energy only draw back is that sometimes he can't control how much energy he uses and it drains a little bit of his life force. Also using his power makes him extremely tired and hungry. Also anyone with psychic abilities could easily dominate him. Infection Type: butterfly bruises

name:ONE but Tobi calls him Prince (has no real name this is just what Tobi calls him since he typically gets whatever he wants and is a spoiled brat) Code Name: Prince age: technically he's 2 but he was created in a lab so he looks 13 he also acts how he looks but is slightly more mature than Tobi. gender: Male Mutant Abilities: Same as Tobias Infection: Can he have the same infection as Tobi since they both have the same DNA? appearance: White spiked hair less spiky than Tobi's though and light purple eyes, and pale skin

HOW DID YOUR CHARACTERS END UP AT THE ACADEMY?: Tobi and Prince became best friends after they fought and discovered that they both had the same abilities. Wanting to learn how to control their abilities better and find a way to stop their powers from killing them they ventured off to find Charles Xaiver's Academy and of course got accepted. They room together at the academy and Prince is constantly always getting into trouble dragging Tobi with him.

((-Jeile: No way! c: Come on in whenever you'd like.))

Charles became distinctly aware of his two newest students, the siblings Samantha and Maxwell, as the latter called out to him. He smiled halfheartedly and sent out a tendril of thought, snaking through the halls of his estate until he could picture them in his mind's eye; what had they been up to? His heart immediately sank into his stomach as he saw the puddles left behind from Samantha's wet clothing. They'd been outside in the rain?! How had they not felt its distinctly different touch, smelled the tinge of sulfur in the air? With a sick feeling in his gut, the Professor set off at a businesslike clip, trying not to instill worry as he made his way through the halls to intercept the siblings.

"Good afternoon, you two," he started briskly as he approached them, worry bright in his electric blue eyes. "I don't want you to panic, but I'll need to escort you to the lab -- you were out in some very nasty rain." He winced as a sudden fire lit in his scalp and he resisted the urge to scratch it until his hair fell out in handfuls. Butterflies formed in his stomach; it was one thing if his students got sick, but how could they hope to find a cure if their Professor was also ill?

Bits takes a step back and keeps Sparks in between herself and the Professor. It wasn't that she didn't like him -- he was an okay person, she supposed -- she just didn't like people. Sparks, however, turned his honey-brown eyes on the man. "Nasty rain? What's so bad about it?" He looked at Bits. "I mean aside from -- huh?" Bits squeezed his hand slightly, and nodded, biting at her lip. She'd sensed something odd about it. "You mean there /was/ something nasty? Then why were you out in it?!" The girl looks at the ground, suddenly very interested in the toe of one sneaker and the squishy sound it made when she pushed it against the tile floor. "Oh, yeah right you didn't know it was bad. You knew it was /something/; why'd you stay out in it?" Squish, squish... "Right...we'll come with you Professor. But you know how it goes. The two of us stay together, no matter what."

"Prince! Give it back right now!" Tobi angrily yelled out as he chased Prince who smiled mischievously as he unwrapped the chocolate bar that he had stolen, "Over my dead body!" Prince yelled back then took a huge bite of the candy bar and swallowed it. "Aw man I was saving that for later too." Tobi said slightly pouting then shot prince an angry look who merely laughed then replied cheerfully "Ah come on don't be mad at me it was just chocolate here you can have the rest." Tobi grabbed the candy and sighed a little before sarcastically retorting "Gee thanks a half eaten candy bar that was originally mine. you sure are generous Prince." "Naturally of course I'm just that kind of guy it's no wonder everyone aspires to be just like me." "You mean a sadistic narcissistic?" Tobi asked smiling innocently laughing a little denting Prince's ego just a bit "Oh just shut up." He replied sourly then spotted professor X , Bits, and sparks. Both boys made their way over to them Tobi being the innocent kid he was smiled at them while Prince suddenly became reserved and distant, almost as if he was on edge. However he gave a small smile to them all then looked at Tobi who began to speak "Hello Professor it sure is pouring today huh? I bet it'll let up though and then we can finally go outside I hate being cooped up inside I prefer it outdoors." Prince merely looked at the professor with no attachment whatsoever, he only trusted Tobi and that was because he was so blatantly naive and innocent there was no way he could ever hurt him. It was his genetic makeup that made him this way he was designed for one sole purpose and that was to kill targets the government assigned to him Tobi was one of them. When he became friends with him though he stopped killing mostly because he didn't want Tobi to find out.

Sparks gave the other two boys a grin. "Hey, guys, what's up?" He extended his hand for a high-five. Bits shifts, putting her brother between herself and the newcomers, and hunching her shoulders uneasily. She never was comfortable around anyone save Sparks, and she found Tobi and Prince to be far too rowdy for her tastes.

((Gah, it's short.))

((-Jeile: You don't have to ping -- I'm sure we're both subscribed to the thread like the rules say, so we will get an event when anyone posts here.))

The two lookalikes approached now, and Charles' electric blue eyes flickered up and down each of them in turn, calibrating their appearances in his mind. It looked as though both of them were dry and untouched by the sinister rain. "Hello, Professor! It sure is pouring today, huh? I bet it'll let up though, and then we can finally go outside! I hate being cooped up inside -- I prefer it outdoors." Tobi spoke up, unsurprisingly, and Maxwell offered an enthusiastic high-five.

Charles breathed a sigh of relief, though Samantha's wet condition still lingered in the back of his mind. "Yes, I do hope you're right," he said, a nervous tremor in his smooth voice, "Even with all this room, I hate being trapped inside. We can't even open the windows..."

Crrrr, went his raven as it rubbed its invisible cheek against his own. In his mind's eye, Charles could see the bird, sleek black feathers glittering in the artificial but familiar light of his home as it perched on his shoulder. He smiled and stroked its feathers, and it pecked at his finger affectionately, trying to reassure him. The rain would stop -- it had to. But now, there was Samantha to deal with. The itch at his scalp had subsided a bit, but sat like a stone at the back of his mind...

"Please, Samantha, come with me -- that rain is contaminated, and I'll need to run a few tests to make sure you aren't infected with anything."

((Gonna go ahead and post my profile. Will post later. When i take my break from homework xP)) [/color][color=#003300] [Current Appearance] NAME: Victor Borkowski CODENAME: Anole AGE: 17 GENDER: Male

MUTANT GIFT: Anole's powers are reptilian based, hence his name (An Anole is type of lizard). He has a prehensile sticky tongue and the ability to stick to solid surfaces (wall-crawling). He can camouflage into his surrounding and become "invisible" and can also grow back lost limbs. He has also demonstrates enhanced agility, speed, reflexes/reactions, coordination, and balance.

((Unlike his comic book counterpart, he has not suffer a physical transformation (except for his tongue, of course) and still looks human. At least, for now. ))

INFECTION TYPE: Crackhead

HOW DID YOUR CHARACTER END UP AT THE ACADEMY?: Vic attended an all boys private school and was often ridiculed by other guys his age for being interested in gymnastics rather than real sports like baseball. It was also didn't help that Vic was part Russian during a time of mistrust, conspiracies, and intolerance. He was often bullied in school so when Professor Xavier appeared at his house, he jumped at the chance of enrolling at an academy where he could come out as who he really was, a mutant.

NAME: Jean Grey CODENAME: Pheonix AGE: 16 GENDER: Female MUTANT GIFT: Similar to Charles Xavier, Jean is a powerful telepath with the ability to project her thoughts and feelings, but, also is able to effect the world around her.
INFECTION TYPE: Pinky Patch HOW DID YOUR CHARACTER END UP AT THE ACADEMY?: Jean was too powerful and could not control her abilities when they manifested. She publicly destroyed a school and had to run for it -- through the pouring rain with open wounds. This was where she contracted her infection. (Will RP this out as first post)

(I think I might be thinking of late 60's here, maybe early 70's. Oh well)

Jean Grey was your average highschool student, going to class, going to the local foot ball games, going out with her boyfriend and just goofing off on the weekends. She liked going to the Drive ins, and loved listening to her boyfriend's garage band. She didnt like that he smoked marijuana, but hey.. it was natural right? Jean tossed her head of bright fox red hair over her shoulder and looked at her best friends with her emerald green eyes. "Do you wanna go get a pop later tonight before the game?" she asked as they moved up the hall towards their first class. Biology. Ugh. She hated that class. Best to have something pleasant to look forward to after school. "Yea Sure" Sandra said. "Sounds great. I'll see you after school. We can take Johnny's convertible."

Jean smiled at her and walked into Mr Stander's class. The day passed slowly for Jean. It dragged in Biology as her head started pounding, and her Algebra II class wasn't helping things. She felt increasingly distracted and confused. She could swear she was starting to hear things, whispers, movements inside her head. Things that weren't there, and she was starting to freak her friends out as the day moved on. She jumped at the slightest provocation, just as she did at lunch when her boyfriend Mike came up behind her to give her a hug. "Mike" She gasped as she finally stopped hyperventilating. "You scared me, don't do that!" she said in a breathy voice.  He looked at her askance as did her best friend Sandra. "You have been acting weird Jean" 

"I'm Sorry" She said looking at him repentantly. "Jean," He said looking at her. "Come back when you are back. I cant stand this jumpy paranoid thing you are being lately." She looked at him in horror. Really, she was having a horrible day today but she hadn't been that bad: at least not enough to warrant this. She couldn't stand it. She wiped her brow which was covered in sweat. "Mike, I'm fine" She said worriedly. "No you aren't." He said. "Pull yourself together and then we will try this again. Till then I'm out" 

She watched him walking away from her, across the cafeteria. "NO!" She cried as a pressure spike slammed her right behind her eyes. It was painful.. extremely painful and she almost sank to her knees. When the spike hit, a force almost like a wall exploded out from her tearing up everything around her. People were knocked down, chairs and tables thrown out around the room, the roof blown off, and part of the outside wall of the school was torn down. "NO NO NO"" Jean screamed at the top of her lungs. 

There were voices in her head, screaming at her, tearing at her mind and the one she could hear the best was that of Mike. 

He hadn't wanted her to stop being jumpy. He'd wanted to date Sandra. "NOOOO" She cried again burying her head into her hands and squatting down on the floor as rubble, people, food and drinks went flying everywhere. She was alone. Her boyfriend didn't want her, and now all these strange things were happening and her head hurt badly. 

"Help me" she thought to no one in particular. It was more like a prayer for it all to stop. She stood up and looked through the open ceiling. She was getting soaked by the rain; and she didn't care. 

((: Welcome, and awesome character! feels like an ignorant fuck

: Awesome, I'll update the first post with your character. c: ))

BIC|| STAGE 1 "Help me."

The thought cut through the Professor's mind like a bullet, searing a path through his brain and making him double back and wince noticeably. He was taken aback by the arbitrary projection, from somewhere he had yet to determine; his raven croaked worriedly and spread its wings, and he sent it out in the direction the projection had come from. Through his raven's dark eyes, he saw the rain, the quiet - abandoned - city, and the desolate remains of a school. "O-oh, God," he breathed, his breath hitching in his chest as the raven swooped low over the ruins. There was a girl among the bodies and chunks of concrete -- she was alive but wounded, and being soaked by the insidious rain. Charles' head throbbed dully just behind his eyes as he picked up her emotions, and his heart leaped when the raven brushed its wings against her mind -- dear lord, she was a Telepath.

Suddenly very aware of the students around him, he pulled himself away from his raven and began to stammer hastily to them: "I-...I'm sorry, but something's come up. Samantha, as you are the oldest, p-please watch the young ones. I-...there's something I have to do." Without another word, the Professor turned on his heel and jogged down the hall to his study. It was important that he was alone, with nothing to distract him -- nothing except the nagging itch of his scalp, which was starting to be accompanied by a slight headache. Pushing aside the pain, he pressed two fingers to his temple; he called out for his raven, and it cawed loudly back to him, awakening the connection as it circled the surface of the girl's thoughts. Charles projected a thought to the raven, and it opened its beak to speak in the Professor's smooth British accent:

"Don't be frightened," he started, his voice fluttering even through the raven's beak, "My name is Charles Xavier. I'm like you; please, calm your mind. Calm your mind. I'm here to offer you sanctuary, but you must act quickly!"

Bits flinched at the use of her real name. Sparks just sighed. "Professor, what have we said about names? We don't use them anymore. Please /try/ to remember that?" The older girl clinging to his hand nodded slightly in agreement, her other hand pulling the towel closer around her shoulders. "It reminds her of home. And those are some pretty bad memories." Neither of the two had been forthcoming about their actual home, only mentioning their years on the streets. Bits was doing her best /not/ to remember what had happened right before they left, running away at eleven and fourteen. She locked the memory in a chest and let it sink in a far off corner of her mind. That particular event had completely changed her outlook on everything. "C'mon, Bits, let's get you checked out," Sparks said, jolting her back to reality. She blinked, and pulled a face. "Yeah, I know I have to get checked too. After all, I was out in the rain -- getting /you/ back inside!"

Bits expression went from relatively calm to downright terrified in an instant? Her, in charge? No, no. Bad idea, very bad. She buried her face against her brother's shoulder as the Professor hurried off. "It's okay, Bits. I'll take care of it," he said softly, patting her shoulder. She had changed so drastically since that day. He wished he knew how to help her, but all he could really do was serve as her shield from the rest of the world.

Jean screamed in fear, her mind was utter chaos, and the new thought, the new presence in her mind just made her eyes open as wide as they would go: the whites showed. "Don't talk to me! Don't talk to me!" She cried as she grabbed he ears "Stay out of my head! Get out of my head!" She cried. She shook her head. She didn't want anyone else in her head. Although, it was quieter now that there were fewer conscious people around.

She bolted. She ran as fast as she could, away from the voice and out into the rain fully. She was not about to get caught. She knew that she would be blamed and she wasn't about to get caught, by the police or by the CIA, or the voice. She ground her teeth as she grabbed Johnny's keys from his body and ran to the parking lot. She shoved the keys into the ignition and put her foot to the metal. The car snarled as she tore out of the parking lot and out of the city.

((FUCK WAITING. I'm adding Erik. Why? Because I've always wanted to RP him myself, and we can't seem to find a steady one. [x] [x] NAME: Erik Magnus Lehnsherr CODENAME: Magneto AGE: 35 GENDER: Male MUTANT GIFT: Self-proclaimed Metalbender, a mutant with the power to control anything with any heavy metal (on the Periodic Table) in or on it. He can reform it, change it from solid to liquid and back, and superheat or cool it. This gives him power over anything from spare change to nuclear missiles. INFECTION TYPE: Swan Flu. HOW DID YOUR CHARACTER END UP AT THE ACADEMY?: Back during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Erik was one of Charles' closest friends. Since the incident on the beach in Cuba, he has seemingly vanished, disgusted with humanity and determined to make all of mankind pay. Now, he seeks to return to confront his old friend, to prove to him that the biological warfare against them is a sign of humanity's inevitable implosion.))

BIC|| STAGE 1 "No! Stop! Please, listen!" Charles was bordering on screaming, and his raven beat its wings desperately against the girl's mind. "It's dangerous for you to be out there! That rain is poisoned! Please, I can offer you safety! Calm your mind!" He slammed his fist against the window-frame and cursed loudly, unabashed in his solitude. The rain continued to come down outside, though it seemed to have let up a slight bit.

Suddenly, his raven came flying back to him as though trying to outrun a falcon; it slammed into his mind hard enough to force him to stumble back from the window and into a nearby armchair. He was breathing heavily now, he knew it, and his hairline was damp with a small ring of sweat -- neither a good sign. He cradled the raven to him, soothed it as it flopped around frantically on his chest. What had spooked it so? Raven was normally so brave...he stretched out a tendril of thought and found that the girl's car was stopped, engine revving and wheels spinning but not going anywhere. The raven wanted to tell him so, but why had it come back so quickly? What was stopping the vehicle?

Then, he felt an oddly cold sensation enter his mind. This chill was familiar; Charles immediately recognized the source and was on his feet, dashing to the window and craning his neck to see out, cursing the rain and his inability to open the glass. The cold was single-minded and ominous and brought the taste of salt-water and blood to his tongue; he could feel it bringing pressure through his mind like the coin through Sebastian Shaw's mind. He didn't dare to hope as he called up another bird, a fast one -- his hummingbird darted out like a bullet, searching down the source of the chill like a bloodhound; it was met with a great, impassable wall of ice, behind which was the visible but untouchable mind that he knew all too well. Charles thought his head would burst.

"ERIK!"

BIC|| STAGE 1 "Stop."

The metal of the car groaned and shuddered as it ground to a halt. The wheels squealed as they spun against the asphalt, but there was no escaping the power of the mutant standing a few yards in front of it. Still, the rain came down, but he didn't care; with a flourish of his left hand, he held the tails of his cloak over his head, keeping the rain from touching his cheeks. It stank of sulfur, and he knew its dangerous capabilities. His extended right hand trembled a bit as he staid the car in its tracks.

"I know that Professor X is looking for you. If you know what's good for you, you'll do as he says; he's a good man." Erik bit out the last part, as if part of him was unwilling to admit to his friend's kindness. Charles was too soft, too kind, too damn perfect, and now he was paying the price for mutants everywhere. If anything could open his eyes to the impossibility of peace between mutants and humans, this was it; Charles could not deny this blow, could not shelter his little band of merry mutant children from this attack without striking back. Still, he couldn't watch his old friend be sucked down along with the rest of humanity as it imploded in on itself -- if he had to take Charles against his will, he would see that his old friend escaped the collapse of the world. He knew it was selfish, but the Telepath saw good in him...perhaps too much good...

Though, the Metalbender hoped his old friend hadn't already fallen. He became painfully aware of the bony spurs poking out of the ridges of his eyebrows and the curve of his cheekbones; the helmet caused great pain when it bumped against them, but taking it off so close to Charles' estate without explaining himself would be cataclysmic. He had to deal with the mutant before him first. "That rain is poisonous, as I'm sure Charles has already told you. He runs a school for gifted individuals like yourself; you'll be sheltered from all harm there, and you'll be among your own kind. Now, are you going to go there on your own, or will I have to drag you there with my own two hands?" For emphasis, he barely tensed the muscles of his fine-boned wrist and the car squealed back a good two feet.

((I really wish the other rp hadn't died. I was so looking forward to playing Shylarah.

also, I edited my previous post

Yeah, I can understand that.))

Jean screamed as loudly as she could as the car was suddenly lifted off the ground. The fox haired girl whipped around, looking towards the metal bender. "Put me down!" she yelled at him as a huge wall of solid air hit him in the chest to emphasize the point. Having someone physically come after her and hound her wasn't helping her to calm her mind. In fact, she was getting more and more frenzied.

And she was not listening to either of them.

She jumped out of the car, which was still close to the ground and ran. She didn't believe anything about poisonous rain. She couldn't believe anything like this could or would happen. Nuclear disaster, oh that was a definite possibility, the destruction of the USSR or the US? Certainly.

She ran through the mud, and it splattered all over her. Her lungs burned, her chest hurt, and so did her head. She got maybe 100 yards away from Magneto before she collapsed on the ground her eyes fluttering in unconsciousness. The awakening, the fatigue from using her powers for the first time and the stress of the entire day had caught up with her. "Help me" she murmured from deep inside her own mind.

STAGE 1 Erik growled as he slid back a few meters, struggling to keep control of the car. It wobbled in his grip, engine still revving; the Metalbender cursed mentally as the girl hopped out of the car and tried to run despite her obvious fatigue. He focused inside the car to the keys, twisting his wrist gently and shutting off the ignition, silencing the growl of the engine. His gaze returned to the girl, who had collapsed in the mud. She appeared to be fluttering into and out of consciousness -- the Metalbender chuckled haltingly and spent a good couple of minutes just staring at her.

He could leave her here in the rain. He could wait for the police to snap her up, hand her over to the CIA. But then she would end up as a lab rat, and the thought made Erik's stomach churn. He'd been one, and Charles had been one...adorable lab rat Charles. He smiled, scooped the girl up in his arms, and turned, his cape whispering through the gathering ground-level fog as he headed towards the Westchester estate of his old friend.

STAGE 1 The hummingbird flew around the great ice wall for a few minutes before determining that there was no way in. Erik must have been wearing the damn helmet he bummed off of Shaw...Charles cursed again, shoulders sagging as he stroked his raven's feathers. Erik would probably convince the girl to join the Brotherhood, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. If the girl didn't want his help, he couldn't offer it; Charles' morals were too steep for him to forcibly pull someone to his side.

Suddenly, he became aware of the girl's unconscious mind coming closer to his estate. His heart leapt at first, then sank when he realized that she couldn't be alone. He bolted from the study, acutely aware of the fire in his chest and how fast he was breathing, and flew down the stairs, dashing to the front door and flinging it open. Entering the gate was his old friend, looking thin and wary and somehow pleased with himself as he carried the unconscious girl gently in his arms. The Professor's breath stuck in his throat and he swallowed hard against it, his eyes suddenly hot as he met Erik's gaze. Under any other circumstances, Charles would have either run to his friend and embraced him or stabbed him in the back, but now, he could do nothing but stare. Erik's bottle-green eyes were glassy and distracted, his jaw set and his lips a tense line with slightly-upturned corners. As he saw Charles, he stopped, his cape whispering against his ankles. "I have your mutant, Charles," his voice was even and low, and sent tremors up the Professor's spine. The growing light of the late afternoon sun glanced painfully off of Magneto's wet helmet; the rain was nearly over. Charles thought he saw a flicker of white just above Magneto's eyebrows. "Let me in; I mean you no harm." Take off the helmet and I'll believe it, Charles wanted to growl. Instead, he could to nothing but stand aside and allow him to pass.

His heart ached. He led Erik up the stairs and into the nearest free bedroom, where he deposited the girl. (Charles thought it wise to have her awaken in a comfortable setting rather than the infirmary; if she demolished that school by herself, he hated to think what she could do to his estate.) Charles made her comfortable under the covers and tried to avoid looking at Erik, who was lurking in the darkened corners of the room, watching his old friend with glittering greenish eyes.

Charles had the same hands, gentle and soft and too used to the high life; and his eyes, those painfully-blue eyes that sent an electric shock through him whenever they met his...Charles cleared his throat before turning to put himself between Erik and the girl's bed. "Hello, Erik," Charles cursed mentally; his voice hadn't come out as anything more than a trembling breath. Erik smirked, but didn't dare to step any closer to his old friend. It was still dangerous.

"Hello, Charles."

"I trust you've been well?" At this, Erik's eyes flashed. Charles already had a knowing look in his blue, blue eyes, which had already flickered over the half-hidden bone spurs jutting out from his brow ridge and cheekbones. The Metalbender's gaze caught on a bruise-colored tendril snaking down from the Telepath's hairline.

"We need to talk, Charles."

The girl moaned softly as her body temperature rose under the covers. Her green eyes fluttered softly and she opened them. "Where am I?" she thought, accidentally projecting to everyone in the building. She sat up scanning the room she was in. It was nice, and certainly not her taste. That was when she noticed, the voices were still in her head.

"Why" She said aloud as she cupped her head in her hands and cradled them softly. "Why does my head hurt, and why am I here?" She asked to no one in particular, but she projected her thoughts almost publicly so everyone heard them just as if the Principal were saying this over a school's PA system.

Jean was calmer, but still was jumpy, paranoid and was barely keeping control of herself. As it was the lights in the room all smashed as a branch scraped the window from outside. She noticed the two men still in the room and yelped softly burying herself under the covers. If she hid, maybe it would go away? Maybe she would wake up from this nightmare? Unlikely, and she knew it. Her mind wasnt THIS imaginative.