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Sunday morning is a difficult time to be Scott Summers. The past two days were spent at protests and in some intense training. It was good effort spent, to be sure, he's now given the go ahead to begin training for the X-men. There was, however, that comedown moment when he realized that he had to move on with 'real life' and that had a lot of homework. Namely, Calculus, Anatomy, and Global Issues homework.
Scott sits huddled in one of the wooden cubbies, scrawling a long at a notebook, trying to figure out his calculus homework, sipping every so often at a cup of coffee in the corner. Though it's pretty early, he's been here for quite some time.
*
Lynette was new. There wasn't two ways about it, she was simply a fresh face in a very new place. Paper work aside, it hadn't taken the girl much time to take up a room at the school, given that she had nothing to actively move with. She had herself, the clothes on her back, the necklace around her neck, and a small bag with perhaps two more outfits. After a night spent in a bed of her own, in a space of her own, she couldn't remember waking up with such a smile before.
After stuffing her face with as much food as she was allowed to have during breakfast, she still eats from an apple even as she makes her way into the library. Killing the fruit with one last crisp bite, she tosses the core into a bin, and rubs her hands against her hips, and the back of her thighs to clean them off. Chewing, swallowing, her eyes settle on Scott for a moment. Noticing the books, his work, that look, she smiles sheepishly and then moves toward one of the shelves, studying the books there and all of what their spines had to offer.
Giving him another glance, she looks around to make sure she hadn't missed any other students upon entry. After a few more moments of hesitation, she finds herself standing at the edge of his work space. "Hi," she whispers. Her hand up, fingers giving a little wiggle of a wave. "M'Lynette, n'I jus' started here. S'nice t'meet you."
*
Scott does a bit of a double take as he has just the slightest issue in pulling himself away from his problem with one last little mark on his paper. "Hi," Scott responds as he turns in his seat, looks up at her, and returns her smile. "I'm Scott. I started here last year. Nice to meet you too." After a brief pause, he adds, "How do you like it so far?"
*
"S'nice." The girl beams, grinning from ear to ear. Her hand moves up, giving a light rub at the nape of her neck and then into her kinky hair, causing some of its curls to bounce and sway briefly. "S'really nice. Neva had a room t'myself. N'de bed, well…almost f'got what dat was like." She admits rather openly, and without a hint of shame. "M'jus', well, excited t'be here. Don' know where t'start, dough. Guess m'late f'dey classes?" She inquires, glancing down at Scott's own work and to her empty hands. "Y'been here a year, den? How's it treatin' y'? Good?"
*
"Good. I remember when I first started it was a lot to get used to. I'm glad you seem like you're having an easier time landing," Scott responds with a chuckle. "Well, I'm sure you'll be able to catch up on classes. We've been in school for about a quarter, and that might seem overwhelming, but when I came in halfway through the year the Professor was really helpful in getting me caught up."
As the questioning turns to him, Scott nod vigorously. It is as though Lynette has one into the zealot of the zealots here at the school, "I love it. It is the best thing that has ever happened to me."
*
Lynette giggles at his reaction, but is quick to silence herself, even so far as covering her mouth. Another glance around, no one disturbed, she then takes a seat near the boy with glasses and whispers a gentle, "Sorry." Another glance at his work, the girl moves her dark eyes back up, settling on his clean-cut face and those brilliant glasses. "M'hopin' de same f'myself. Hope dat whatever happens, I c'n jus' feel safe here, n'learn 'bout m'self. I liked de idea of school, too. I know a few t'ings, but I neva 'ctually been t'school b'fore." Pausing, she looks at his notes before pointing at his work thus far. "What's dat y'workin' on?"
*
"Don't be sorry," Scott says as he scoots over for her to see. "It's called calculus and it's really hard math. I'm not exactly sure that I understand any of it," he admits with a chuckle. "I wouldn't worry about never having gone to school before. We have a program for people to get their general education development diploma. The teachers here are great."
*
"Mmm, don' know much 'bout dat. I mean, I c'n do some of it. Simple stuff, y'know? N' I c'n still read n'write. Speak n'read in a couple languages, too." She explains, quickly not selling herself short. Her eyes do skip about the numbers, however, studying their positions and the problems he's currently working on, along with his methods to reach his answers. "De what now? Gen'ral Education D'velopment D'ploma? What's dat for?"
*
"It's a diploma for people who haven't gotten the credits to finish high school. In short, it'll help you get a job," Scott explains. "I take it you're from the south? Louisiana maybe?"
*
"Oh. Didn' know I needed dat t'get a job." Lyn murmurs, turning a bit in her seat to face Scott more directly. "'Mean, I already got a job, so…" Shrugging, she doesn't seem to question it any further. To his observation, she can't help the rueful smirk that plays on her lips, pressing a dimple into one cheek. "Dat's right. 'm I dat obvious?" Looking him over, her brows seem to slope briefly. "N'where y'from, Scott? Why'd y'come t'dis school?"
*
"I guess it depends on the job," Scott says with a wry grin. "I've never been down to New Orleans, but I hear good things." There's a sharp intake of air as he is asked about himself. It's a difficult question. "I was born in Alaska and spent a lot of time in Nebraska. I came here because I needed help. I needed it very badly."
*
"Y'know, ain't neva been t'Nawlins m'self. M'fr'm a parish outside a'Baton Rouge." The more she talks about it, the more her own expression seems to mirror Scott's. There's a lack of ease regarding where she came from exactly. "Yeah, dough…good t'ings." She at least mimics. "Heard 'Laska's pretty, n'…well, ain't heard much 'bout N'braska." When he gives his reason, however, the smile on her face returns. Softer now; kind. "Dat's why 'm here, too. F'help. Spoke wit Mr. Xavier 'bout it yest'day. M', well, 'fraid out dere. If it ain't cause 'f what I did, or what I c'n do, den how I look ain't helpin', neither." A pause, then she continues. "Dey helpin' y'here?"
*
"They are," Scott responds adamantly. "And here it doesn't matter what your education is, what you look like, or anything else really. This place will help you too."
*
"'m glad t'hear dat. Mr. Xavier, de way he talked, it all sounded nice. N'de feelin' 'bout dis place? S'hopeful. M'glad t'know he wasn't jus' blowin' smoke." The room gets another look, and sometimes, she'll linger on a book or two, before coming back around and bringing Scott back into focus. "So, how…I mean. 'm not sure how t'say dis, or ask it…" She stammers, her brows furrowing as she looks down at her knees for some time. "De students n'teachers here, dey gifted, too?"
*
As she walks around the room, Scott turns in his chair and watches her as she peruses the books. "Yeah, most of them. Almost all of them. A whole lot of different talents all around. It's a pretty remarkable place."
*
"Scary, ain't it?" She inquires at length, moving back to where Scott sits and reclaiming her space near by. She doesn't clarify herself, but that look on her face seems to simply state what was, in fact, scary. "Y'gifted, too?" She finally asks, having already stumbling on that question a couple times now. "N', if y'are…does it scare y'nymore? Did it ever?"
*
"I am and it did," Scott says with a bit of a forlorn sigh. "When my powers manifested I couldn't control them. People died and I found the only way to shut off the blasts that came from my eyes was to close them. I was blinded until the Professor came to me. And, made these glasses for me."
*
Lynette perks when Scott speaks. Her eyes move about his face, taking in his expression. "I-'m sorry, n'm glad, too. Dat he came t'you n'helped." Her lips move as if to continue, but soon there is only silence between the pair. After a breath, she sighs and explains in an almost whisper of a voice. "'m powers killed people, too." Frowning, she begins to stare at her own reflection in Scott's ruby-quartz lenses. "Dey…dey don' get mad 'bout dat stuff here? Mr. Xavier didn' ask me 'bout m'past. Not yet, 'nyway."
*
"I don't think it's as easy as getting mad. We all have our stories and some are darker than others. I still harbor a great amount of guilt for what I have done; though I could not have prevented it. This place serves as a refuge for me. I hope it brings you the same kind of peace," Scott says. "What about you? What are your powers like?"
*
The girl with massive hair sits silent once more. She listens, nods now and then to his words, but doesn't speak at first. "I hope so, too." She mumbles lightly. "Oh, um…I t'ink dey magic, or somet'ing like it. I been doin' some t'ings, lil' t'ings, since I was yay big. When I got older, dough, round…sixteen? Somet'ing jus' happened, 'n den new powers came t'me." Her teeth begin to chew at her lower lip, and the hands in her lap start to tug at one another, digit by digit. "M'powers hurt people. I c'n smell de air wit m'tongue, like a snake. 'n s'metimes I get dese visions, or I hear voices."
*
Steve's eyebrows bridge as he listens to the story of her powers. At once he's intrigued by them, but he can see how they could be terrifying to a little girl. "Hurt people how?" he asks curiously.
*
"Well, I jus' do. I, de lil t'ings I c'n do is play with shadows. 'n I c'n make some t'ings move 'round. Like, y'pencil? Or dat paper? Watch." She then sets her sights on some slips of paper. After a few moments, the slips move up and around one another, creating a 'person' like shape that gives a sway, and even waves, before simply falling back onto the table, lifeless as it once was. She seems to be ignoring the question, at least at first, but then she finds him looking her way, and that crimsom reflection of herself. The look that falls over her face is one of some lost memory; as if seeing someone you know dearly for the first time in ages. "Y'heard 'bout voodoo dolls? Dey lil dolls dat y'c'n use 'gainst people. Y'got a piece a'dem, like dey hair, or s'm clothes, n'den y'c'n affect dem witout touchin'm d'rectly." Her nostrils flare with the soft exhale of a sigh. "M'like dos dolls. I get a piece 'a s'mone, den, well…I c'n hurt'em."
*
Scott grows a faint smile as the small figure gives a wave. "That's pretty impressive."
Scott's eyebrows now raise in surprise as she details the power base. It's almost as if her mutant gene has essentially made her a walking, talking, voodoo lady. "That's pretty wild."
*
"Wild? Y'jokin', right? Dat…how's dat 'ny good t'nybody?" Lynette frowns, her brows dipping down as she slumps back in her seat. "Don' know if 'm helpful wit what I c'n do. I wanna be, but…dat?" Shaking her head, she reaches out and gently pushes the small paper man from one spot to another. "What if dat's it? What if m'jus' a murder doll wit s'm tricks."
*
"You'd be surprised," Scott says with a shrug of the shoulders. "I used to think the same thing about myself, but with a few modifications, I've been able to live my life pretty much normally and found that my power has a place in this world. Hope it will for you too."
*
"Yeah. C'n only hope, non?" The girl smiles, looking at Scott once more before back down to his work. "M'sorry. Should let y'get back t'y' studies. T'ink m'gonna get lost a bit on de grounds, n'den head int' dey city f'work." Standing, she presses her seat back into where it originally was, and gives Scott another bright, warm grin. "T'anks…f'talkin' wit me, n'everyt'ing. Y'…y'helped me already. T'ink m'gonna like dis place."
*
"No problem and I think you will too. I'm sure I'll see you at lunch or at dinner. Don't be a stranger," Scott gives a wave and then frowns as he looks at his calc. Oh man, why did he take this course?