Chapter 51: Welcome to the school

***Narrator P.O.V.

"Welcome, Bella. From now on, this would be your home until you don't want it to be," Professor Charles lead the young girl inside the mansion. 

The young blonde looked at the nameplate that read "Xavier's school for the gifted youngsters". 

"Great, and I thought I graduated from the school," She grumbled. 

"We are aware of your academic qualifications, Bella. And worry not, what you will be learning here would not be something you have already learned," Charles assured her. 

"You will be learning more about your powers and how to use them safely. You will be also taught how to protect yourself if you ever found yourself in trouble due to your identity," Ororo added helpfully.

"As long as it's not statistics," Bella shrugged. 

She looked at her surroundings, "You guys must be wealthy, owning such an authentic mansion with a large garden surrounding it in New York is not that easy." 

"I inherited it as family heritage," Charles disclosed. 

"So, how many of us are living in this mansion of yours?" She asked looking at the whole facility. 

"8 teaching staff and 47 students including you," Ororo replied. 

"Are there any other branches or just this?" Bella asked in puzzlement. 

(Let's talk about that while showing you around the place.) Charles told her telepathically. 

(Please warn me before you do that next time. It's scary to hear someone's else voice in your mind.) Bella frowned. 

(You don't need to worry. I will not read more than necessary. I respect the privacy of thoughts. I just didn't want some of the young kids to eavesdrop on us which is why I chose this means of communication.) Charles assured her as they entered the hallway, where kids of varying ages were present, talking to one another, playing, and running around. 

They did glance at her in curiosity but refrained from approaching her in the end. 

(Do not misunderstand. They are just giving you some space in case you are still dealing with your newfound powers.) Charles added. 

(What do you mean?) Bella asked.

(The majority of the mutants in this country and neighboring countries are present in this mansion. Why do you think there are so few of us?) Charles began explaining. 

(The reason for that is because the gene responsible for the mutation in homo sapiens most often than not remains dormant.)

(It only activates under extreme trauma, which is why these kids are hesitating from approaching you. You are new which means you just experienced trauma and they understand that some of us need to be alone in such times.)

"As you can see, this is the cafeteria. Upstairs are the dorms. You have to share your room with someone," Ororo remarked as they kept walking while conversing with telepathy. 

(Mutants as we are referred to as is an umbrella term. Every mutant is different than the other which is why we try to help them learn about themselves and their powers.)

"So that one day, they can freely roam among people without worrying about the consequences," Charles smiled. 

"Before long, we will also assist you in understanding and mastering your abilities. But, to make things a little easier, could you tell us if you know anything about it?" Ororo inquired as they proceeded outside the home and into the park, which featured an artificial pond in the center.

"Can't you just read my mind and know about it?" She asked while turning to Charles. 

"Bella..." Charles mumbled softly before raising his voice slightly. "Just because we have more power than others does not mean we should exploit it at the expense of others." 

"We may be unique, yet the issue of morality remains the same. What is good will remain good, and what is terrible will remain bad."

"I would prefer if I get to know it from you with your free will intact. If you do not want to tell us, that is fine too," Charles reassured. 

"The school is ready to be the permanent home that you can always return to when you need to, or it can be the place where you learn to control your powers and then live a normal life in the world. It is all up to you what you want it to be," Charles confessed. 

"Okay..." Bella looked down at her feet, "It was 2 months ago. It was my birthday, 18th to be exact. My parents abandoned me at a young age outside of a church. The father of the church adopted me once he found me at his doorstep."

"He was a good person. I was raised in a missionary school and was expected to travel around the state and help spread the faith for a few years once I turned 18," she said, her face turning melancholy as a tear slowly trickled down her cheek.

"I was really happy on the day. After all, it was my birthday day. Well, sort of. I don't know when I was born. We just celebrate it on the day I was delivered at the doors," She smiled but her eyes were full of pain. 

"I and a few other kids went out to celebrate it at a bar," She took deep breaths," There, we caught the eyes of some drug addicts. They tried to flirt with us but we were substantially uncomfortable with that and they got forceful."

"Thankfully, the bar was close to our community and there were a few people that recognized us and stop the men. They left and we thought it was over." 

"We were wrong," At this point, she completely broke down. Storm hugged her. 

(I'm sorry. We could talk about it sometime later.) Charles spoke while trying to drive away negative emotions from her mind. 

"No..., It's okay. It's better if I face it now rather than keeping it in my heart," Bella resolved herself, gritting her teeth. 

"They followed us to the church and waited until everyone was asleep before entering. They were heavy on drugs and didn't realize the level of crime they were about to do."

"We were unprepared and they quickly took the kids hostage.  Then they raped us. The whole night, the church was a bit outside of town so all our screams went unnoticed," Charles closed his eyes in sorrow as she recited everything in the storm's embrace. 

"Once they were done, they regained enough sense to realize that they will be fucked if someone finds out about what happened."

"They tied us all up and slit our wrists so we would bleed out before setting the church on fire to make it look like an accident."

"How... How did you survive then?" Storm asked still left shocked by how much she had suffered.

"I woke up to find myself tied up in a pool of my blood while the whole church was on fire from outside. My waist was healed and so was blood. Everyone else... died of blood loss. I could not save them." 

"It was suffocating inside with smoke and heat everywhere. Thankfully, the church was really old and had a secret underground passage that re-surfaced when the fire consumed the floor. I was somehow able to escape with burn marks all over my body".

"By the time I was out in the wild, my body already healed itself. Since then, I followed those drug addicts from town to town as they moved in hoping to find an opportunity to get my revenge," She gritted her teeth in extreme hatred.

"And in one of those towns, he showed up. I thought he was someone like me, with powers. As he turned to leave that bar, I ran after him thinking that maybe I could seduce him and make him take my revenge on those addicts," She confessed.

"Who knew that I would get involved with something like this," She signed. 

"Do you still remember what they look like?" Charles inquired. 

"I don't think I would forget their faces anytime soon," Bella mockingly laughed.

"In that case, you need not worry." Charles said, "Storm, get in touch with Agent Coulson on my behalf and let him know that one of my students has been harmed by some drug addicts, and we need justice to be served right away." Ororo nodded to leave the pair

"Thank you," Bella softly muttered still trying hard to stop her tears.

"You should follow her. The sooner we have an idea of what the men look like, the sooner we can bring them to justice," Charles said causing her to nod and follow after Ororo. 

(No need to hide, Jean.) Charles turned to look at the tree behind him once Bella was gone. 

(I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I was just drawing a few feet away when powerful emotions suddenly overcame me, I simply followed them to their source.) From behind the tree, a 17-year-old girl with ginger hair emerged.

(It is okay. You were just worried about others. That's a good thing.) Charles motioned her to walk beside him. She quickly put herself behind his wheelchair and started to push it toward the mansion. 

"How are your studies going?" Charles inquired tilting his head to look at her. 

"Nothing too hard," Jean replied. 

"One of the perks of being a psyche. I too had it quite easy during my school period. Everything comes easily to us," Charles smiled fondly and Jean joined.

"Why are all alone by yourself? Shouldn't you be doing this project with your classmates?" He asked while quite confused.

"They all stay far away from me and try to avoid me like I am a curse. I can feel it, you know. Their fear that I might lose control of my powers. Can this power even be considered a gift? It's more like a curse than everything else," She tightened her hands on the handles. 

"Jane, my dear," Charles sighed slowly putting his hand on her hands, trying to calm her down. 

"I know it has been exceptionally hard for you. Trying to hold yourself back at every point and I am proud of you," He faced her.

"Listen to what I have to say, Jane. Since the moment I first met you, I knew that you were special. Your mind is the greatest I have ever seen. Unlike our fellow mutants, you have the unmeasured amount of raw strength that I can't even guess the end of."

"And till this day, you have stood up to my expectations and beyond and I believe that one day, you will be able to harness your powers appropriately. That day will come, Jean. I believe it will," Charles smiled with confidence. 

"Professor, I... I don't know. Every time I think I've reached the peak of my talents, I learn that the cap has been increased once more." She stumbled, "It never ends."

"You don't know how it feels," She replied in a frustrated tone.

"I know," Charles remarked "Maybe not to your extent, but I know Jean. Listening to every thought in the neighborhood. Knowing what people truly feel about a certain something. The true selves that they never reveal to anyone. I understand." 

He hesitated," Plus, ... Forget it." 

"What were you saying, professor?" Jean pushed him to say it. 

"Do you trust me, Jean?" Charles asked first. 

"More than I trust myself, professor," Jean replied.

"I met someone, an alien. Calls himself a Kryptonian," He looked at her.

"He was like you, Jane. Trying to hold back himself the whole time so that he doesn't end up destroying everything and unlike you who is struggling, he was capable of actively suppressing it." 

"Maybe he has it much weaker," Jean guessed. 

"No, he... He gave me the exact feeling that you give me. Capable of destroying everything that stands in his way. I think he could help you," Charles shook his head.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Jean asked in puzzlement. 

"We don't know his motives, his agenda. While he did present the idea of peace, he could be faking it. I want to wait... wait until we are sure that he is trustworthy. Because if we make hasty and he proved to be something else, it will be bad for us. For everyone."

"I will not risk the security of my students. Including you. Just give me some time, let me make sure of his intentions before we approach him," Charles sighed, and Jean nodded. 

"Until then, how about you help our new friend get used to things around here? Nothing is better than having a psychic by your side during your time of grief," Charles smiled. 

Jean nodded and left for the girl's dormitories. 

"I hope you are what you say you are, Kar-el. I don't want to give her another false hope," Charles muttered looking at the disappearing figure. 

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Author: I know I promised about the side story and I remember that. Just a bit busy right now to watch that movie so I could write that.