Hope & Professor Xavier

[x-trance.livejournal.com]

Hope meets with the Professor and he explains about her powers and the school. 

She had politely thanked Matt before taking a deep breath. Her mother had told her virtually nothing about Dr. Xavier, only that he would probably be able to help her to become normal again. She took a quick moment to straighten her blouse, smooth her skirt and check if her hair was still in place before knocking on the door. 

"Come in, Hope." The voice was a man's, rich and resonant, warm-sounding. It reflected the room that she encountered as she opened the door. Charles' study was large and well-appointed, but still somehow warm and welcoming, in a slightly academic way. He wheeled himself out from behind his desk to welcome the girl whose nervousness he could see even without touching her mind. "I'm Professor Charles Xavier. Welcome." 

'He is in a wheelchair?' That was the first thing Hope registered and her eyes widened slightly. Still, she put down her suitcase just inside the door and walked over to him and shook his hand. "Thank you, sir. I am Hope Abbott. It is a pleasure to meet you." She accepted his offer of a seat gratefully, though her gaze stayed mostly aimed at her neatly folded hands. "My mother asked me to convey her apologies. She was called home this morning after my father's condition changed unexpectedly." 

"I am sorry to hear that. I hope he recovers soon. Please extend my sympathies to your mother." Charles moved back behind the desk, his movements effortless through long practice. "It has been something of a stressful time for you, hasn't it?" he said, voice sympathetic, although he still looked older than he had a few months before. 

"Thank you, Professor. It have been a few strange days, yes." was all that Hope allowed. "I understood very little of what was happening to me and I was very worried about my father's condition. My mother and the doctors at the hospital explained a little, but all had many other concerns." 

"Well, I might not be able to help much with your father's condition, but I hope we can help you with what has been happening to you," was Charles' response. "How much do you understand of the changes in you, Hope?" 

"The doctors at the hospital called it my manifestation. When a mutant first shows his special abilities that his genetics give him. My mother described it to me as if I was hovering above my body like a ghost." Hope suddenly looked up at the Professor. "My mother told me this institution would be able to help me to become normal again. Is this true?"   

"Is that what you want?" Charles asked gently. "Because I am afraid I cannot do that. There is nothing 'abnormal' about you. What is happening to you... it's perfectly normal." 

"I do not know what I want, Professor. I know so little about this. My mother told me that this was a medical facility, where people like me could go to be 'cured'. And that I would have a better life if I was cured." It was a little strange to share so much with someone she didn't know and an authority figure also. But the whirlwind in Hope's mind demanded answers... and soon... Besides, her mother had told her this man would help her...  

"There is no cure, Hope, because you are not sick. There is nothing wrong with you." Charles leaned forward a little, meeting the girl's eyes. "But I can help you. I can help you understand your powers and learn to use them and control them. And to learn to live with others." He gave her a reassuring smile. "Although that might be more of an adventure than the powers training." 

So she would apparently never be normal again? And what would her parents say? The whole idea scared her, so she firmly pushed it away to consider it later, when she could be alone. "The young man who escorted me here, Matt, called it a school. A school where you can learn to use your powers?" Suddenly another thought popped up in her mind and it flew out of her mouth before Hope could stop it. "And what kind of power is floating around like a ghost?"  

"It is called astral projection," was the reply. "Where your mind can detach from your body and travel wherever it is you wish, eventually. And you'll find that there are all sorts of powers, as many as there are sorts of people. And Matt was correct - this is my school, for gifted youngsters." He gave her a small, wry sort of smile. "It is also known as 'Mutant High' by the students." 

Astral projection... Hope carefully tried out the words in her mind. They sounded strange though... And what would her par... Abruptly Hope pushed the thought away again. "Professor, if I could learn to detach from my body and travel anywhere, could I also learn not to detach from my body and stay where I am?" Then I could at least appear normal. The thought accompanied her question very clearly.  

~Hope. There is nothing wrong with you that you need to hide.~" The words were the Professor's, sounding clearly but not over 'loud' in her mind. ~I understand your fear and your confusion, but if you focus your entire life on being 'normal', you will never be happy with yourself.~

Her eyes widened and shock covered her face. "What... what did you just do...sir?" She just managed to add that last word at the end.

~You are not the only one in the room with gifts, Hope.~ The Professor took note of her shock and switched back to speaking. "I am a telepath, Hope. I can speak to you, mind to mind, projecting my thoughts into yours so you can 'hear' me."

Hope blinked a few times. "My mother didn't mention this..." She muttered softly. She fought to find something else to say. "Are... are all professors mutants here?"

"It's not something I hide, but given your mother's... concerns about mutants and her desire to get you 'cured', I did not think it would help the situation if I told her," Charles replied frankly. "And many of the teachers here are mutants, yes. Many were students themselves, when they were younger, others have come here later in life to teach. We also have a number of teachers who aren't mutants."

Hope just nodded, tucking the information away. "Professor, I promised my my mother I would let her know how things went, but I don't know..." She asked rather hesitantly... 

"You don't know how to tell her this isn't a hospital, it's a school for mutants?" he supplied for her. "Hope, it is, ultimately, your decision. Not your mother's. Yes, she's your mother and while you are under-age, she is technically responsible for you, but there are some things that we must decide for ourselves. This is one of those things. Do you want to stay here and learn what it is to be a mutant? To be who you are? Or do you want to continue to hide and deny what makes you you?"

Hope was quiet for a while, considering his question. "I don't know, Professor... I do not want hide, but... I don't wish to disappoint my parents... But fainting and floating out of my body also doesn't help?"  

"I can help you with the fainting and floating out of your body when you don't mean to," he replied. "And I understand not wanting to disappoint your parents. Perhaps by learning more about yourself and your powers, you can help them understand who you are as well and they may come to accept you as normal, just as you are."

"I hope so, Professor." Hope fell quiet once more. "I think I would like to stay. I at least would like to learn not to faint and float out of my body. But... could you help me... talk to my parents? Explain that this is a school and not a hospital..."    

"Of course, Hope," Charles said at once. It would not be the first time he would have to convince a student's parents the school was the best option for their children and that there was no 'cure' for mutation. He thought briefly - and sadly - of Jason Stryker, the subject of the first of many such talks. "If you want to stay, I will do everything I can to help that happen for you."

"Thank you, Professor... What happens now?" She asked, again somewhat hesitantly. 

"Now, I'll find someone to show you to your room, and while that is happening, I will call your mother and arrange to meet with her and your father as soon as is practical for them, given your father's illness," Charles said, matter of factly. "You can stay here in the meantime, and once we have the final word, you'll be an official Xavier's student."

"Again thank you, Professor. I appreciate what you are doing for me." Hope managed to summon a small smile as she thanked him.  

"It is what I do, Hope." He gave her a warm smile in return. "I do hope you will be happy here."