True to his word, Logan knocked on their door at the appointed time and Anna opened it excitedly.
“Hey Logan,” she greeted him, opening the door so he could come in.
“Hey Anna. Nice dress,” he complimented her, making her blush.
“Thanks. Ro picked it out. So do we get to see the Professor?” she asked hurriedly.
“Yeah. We’ll see him after breakfast and then ya get the grand tour of the place,” he replied, taking a seat at the desk.
“Ro’s almost done,” she told him just as the bathroom door opened and Ororo stepped out in a tasteful blue dress with a wide black belt and black shoes. The outfit said professional yet comfortable. She had pulled her hair away from her face with blue barrettes.
“Am I late?” Ororo asked, a worried look on her face.
“No, right on time. Ya ready?” he asked, taking in her appearance. There was no doubt about it, the girl was beautiful. Logan knew that if he wasn’t careful, he would easily fall for her, if he hadn’t already.
“Yes. Are our outfits okay for our meeting with the Professor?” she asked.
“Absolutely,” he replied, getting to his feet and approaching the sisters, “And I’m the luckiest man in the mansion right now.” Logan took their hands and led them to the door.
“Why is that?” Anna asked, giggling at the attention.
“Because I get to escort two of the best looking ladies this place has ever seen. Shall we?” he asked, bowing slightly and stepping aside so they could exit the room.
“We shall,” Ororo said, smiling as he took her hand and wrapped it around his arm and did the same with her sister and led them to the dining room.
They could hear the noise long before they got to the door. Entering the room, the noise level decreased noticeably as Logan and the two beautiful black women walked in.
“There they be,” Remy said emerging from the kitchen, a towel on his shoulder. Rogue followed behind him, a smile creasing her face.
“Hey Sugah. How ya’ll doing?”
“Hey Rogue. We’re good, how are you?” Ororo asked. She was happy to see her smiling face. The sudden silence in the room made her nervous.
“Can’t complain. Come on, take a load off. Yo breakfast be ready in a few,” Rogue replied, “Logan, why don’t ya do intros while Remy and I finish up?”
“Okay,” Logan began, “Ororo and Anna,” he said, gesturing to the woman as he called her name, “Meet Kitty, Peter, Kurt, Allison, Jubilee, Bobby, and Emma. You already know Jibril, Remy and Rogue.”
A chorus of hellos greeted the girls. Ororo looked over the faces and smiled. Some people smiled back at her while others nodded. Everyone was friendly except for the girl in white.
“It’s okay if you don’t remember our names,” Kitty replied, “I’m sure it’s a lot to take in on your first day.”
“Yeah, we’ve all been there. It took me a week to figure out how to get around the mansion,” Bobby said.
“Bobby, that’s not saying much. It took you a long time to realize that Logan was Wolverine’s real name,” Kitty replied, making others laugh.
“Kitty…I told you that in confidence,” Bobby exclaimed, making the others laugh again at his feigned pout.
“Anyway,” Rogue said, rolling her eyes at her teammates as she set platters of eggs and bacon in the center of the table, “Anna, sugah, how did ya sleep?”
“Like a log,” Anna replied, hungrily eyeing the platters of food. Remy followed with two platters of the infamous French toast. Everything smelled so good.
“What ‘bout you, Ro?” Remy asked, taking the seat on the other side of Anna. Ororo was sandwiched between her sister and Logan.
“I got a few hours. Sometimes it’s hard to get comfortable in new surroundings,” she replied.
“Don’t worry. It’ll feel like home before ya know it,” Logan said, reassuringly, drawing a frown from the girl in white.
What is her problem? Ororo thought as she watched everyone begin to take food from the platters. She took her sister’s hand and they lowered their head and said a silent prayer. When Ororo looked up, she noticed others looking at her with quizzical looks before quickly glancing away.
“So where are you from?” the girl in white asked.
“From the city,” Anna replied, adding French toast to her plate.
“Where in the city? Brooklyn, Queens? Skid Row?”
“Emma, don’t start,” Rogue told her.
“Don’t start what, Rogue dear? I’m just trying to figure out the back story of our newest additions here,” she replied, wiping her mouth with her napkin. She turned her eyes to Ororo and Anna and continued, “We do have a right of knowing who we are sharing a house with, do we not?”
“Then why don’t you tell us about what’s going on with you and Sebastian Shaw?” Kitty replied, “I mean that’s something we haven’t discussed and like, inquiring minds would like to know.” Kitty looked up to Logan like a brother and it pissed her off that Emma cheated on him.
“That’s none of your business,” Emma replied hotly, her face becoming flush.
“Right, neither is their backstory ‘til they ready ta share, so drop it,” Rogue replied angrily, feeling protective of the girls. She knew what Emma was trying to do because Emma did the same thing to her when she came to live at the mansion. Rogue refused to allow her to do it to Anna and Ororo.
“Well, well. The southern belle has finally learned to stand up for herself. Intriguing,” Emma said haughtily, getting to her feet, “This has been fun but I think I have had my fill. Logan, may I speak with you for a moment?”
“I’m busy,” Logan replied simply, not looking up at her.
“When do you think you will be available?”
“Don’t know. Find me later,” he replied dismissively.
Emma gazed at him angrily and turned away in a huff, nearly colliding with Scott as he, Jean, and Hank entered the dining room.
“Whoa, Emma. Where’s the fire?” Scott asked, grabbing her arm to steady her.
“My apologies, Scott. I just remembered I needed to do something,” she replied, sliding her arm from his grasp and going around them and out the door.
“What’s her problem?” he asked his colleagues as they headed to the table.
“Not sure,” Jean replied, “Good morning all.”
Everyone greeted them.
“And who do we have here?” Hank McCoy, the resident physician asked, looking at the two chocolate beauties seated at the table.
“Anna and Ororo. They arrived last night,” Kitty supplied.
“Ah! So they accepted the invitation extended to them by the Omega Team. Splendid! Welcome to our humble home,” Hank greeted them, “I am Dr. Hank McCoy also known as Beast. I’m the physician here at the school.”
“Thank you, sir. It’s a beautiful home,” Anna replied, making her sister proud.
“I’m Jean Grey and this is Scott Summers,” Jean said, wrapping a possessive hand around Scott’s arm.
Ororo noticed Jean’s possessive move and smirked as she took a sip of her juice. She could tell that she and her sister would have problems with Emma and Jean. She planned to get more information about the women when she could and warn Anna to be weary of the two. She sighed, thinking if it wasn’t one thing, it was another but she had faith that everything will be alright. Even if they had to deal with a few catty women.
“Ya okay, Ro?” Logan asked, whispering so only she could hear. He had heard her sigh and wondered what caused it.
“I’m fine. Just taking it all in.”
“If ya need a moment to adjust, let me know. We can meet with the Prof later,” he said, concerned.
Hearing the sincerity in his voice, Ororo smiled at her friend and touched his hand. “No, I do not want to postpone the meeting. I would like to get it done,” she replied.
“Okay. Just let me know when yer ready. He’s ready whenever ya are.”
“I’m ready and I think Anna is as well,” she said, looking over at her sister who was engaged in conversation with Kitty and Peter, “But I would like to check with Remy and Rogue to see if they need assistance with cleanup.”
“Not on yer first day. There’ll be plenty of time for that later,” he replied, wiping his mouth and getting to his feet, “Come on, let’s go see the Professor.”
Ororo and Anna took a seat in front of the cherry oak antique desk that sparkled in the mid-morning sunlight that poured into the room through the floor to ceiling windows. In front of it sat an older gentleman, his bald head glistening in the sunlight. He looked up at them as they sat, thinking that their pictures didn’t do the girls’ beauty justice.
“Ororo, Anna, welcome to the Xavier School for the Gifted also known as the Xavier Institute. How was your first night with us?”
“Wonderful. Better than we could have ever imagined, sir,” Ororo replied, “And I want to thank you for inviting my sister and me into your beautiful home. Logan has been great and we truly appreciate everything he has done for us.” She looked back at Logan who winked at her, making her smile. She turned back to the Professor.
“I’m happy that you have enjoyed your stay. Let me begin by telling you a bit about us. We are a school for the gifted, gifted meaning those humans who have the X gene. This school serves as a sanctuary for gifted humans who are willing to assist in fight for mutant rights so that one day, humans and mutants can exist together peacefully. Right now, we are in the beginning of this process and there is much work to be done but we are here, trying to do what we can to assist in that movement.”
“I extended an invitation to you and your sister because a friend of mine thought that you needed my assistance.”
“If I may ask, who is the friend?” Anna asked.
“A gentleman named Paul. He is the proprietor of the club where you met Logan and the team.”
“But how did he know we were mutants?” Ororo asked.
“He didn’t. He just knew I had a school that was opening and wanted to see if there was a place for you and your sister.”
Good ole Paul, Ororo thought. Paul had served as a go to person for her and her sister since he came across them in the alley behind his club one afternoon. They had no food and were checking through the trash when he found them. He offered them access to his club and gave them food and something to drink. He also helped them with their side hustle, helping to keep them safe when he could. She was grateful for all the help he gave them. Looks like he was looking out for us even when we didn’t know it, she thought.
“Yes, he is a good man who tried to look out for you as much as he could,” Xavier replied and Ororo looked at him quizzically, making the older man smile.
“I think this is a good time to discuss our gifts,” the Professor said with a slight smile, “I am a telepath. I have the ability to read thoughts and move things with my mind.”
“Yeah right,” Anna replied, thinking this guy is loco.
“I can assure you Ms. AnnaNicole Alisha Alexander Munroe that I am not loco and that I can truly read minds.”
“What the fuck?” Anna said, quickly clamping her hand over her mouth.
“Anna,” Ororo gasped, looking at her with a stern look. Anna glanced at her and lowered her head, mumbling a soft sorry.
She quite the disciplinarian, Charles thought, watching the interaction between the sisters.
“It’s quite alright, Ororo. I’ve gotten that response before,” the Professor said, looking over their heads at Logan who smiled sheepishly, remembering the day the Professor was referring too. It was his first day and the Professor pulled the same stunt and got the same response from Logan as he did Anna.
“So, Anna,” the Professor began, trying to draw the young girl’s attention, “What are you powers?”
“What makes you think we are mutants?” Ororo asked.
“I also have the ability to locate mutants. Imagine my surprise when the two young women my friend asked me to assist were also mutants,” Charles replied amicably, “So since I have shared my own abilities, it’s only fair that you do the same.”
“Ro?” Anna asked, wanting to see if it was okay.
“Go ahead, Anna,” she replied.
“My gift is I can turn into water and can manipulate it. See,” Anna said, turning her hand into a transparent sphere of water. She changed it into different shapes, including a pair of scissors that she used to clip a sheet of paper on the Professor’s desk.
“Impressive. How did you learn to control your powers so well?” Xavier asked, amazed that the young woman had so much control over her gift.
“Ro taught me. We would practice with our powers when we finished school,” Anna replied, noticing that Logan had edged closer to them to get a better look.
“School?” the Professor asked, looking from Anna to Ororo.
“I homeschooled her at the public library several days a week so that she wouldn’t be so far behind in her studies once we got to a place where she could go to school,” Ororo replied, taking in the shocked look of the Professor.
“Interesting. I would love to hear more about that but first, tell me child, what is your gift?”
“With all due respect Professor, if you are able to read minds, why not just glean that information from my mind?”
“Because, my dear, I do not make it a habit of reading people’s thoughts without their permission,” he replied. When she gave him a look with a raised eyebrow, he chuckled, “That was done to simply illustrate a point. Also, I enjoy the company of others and would rather they freely give me the information I seek rather than me taking it from them.”
A feisty one, that one, the Professor projected to Logan.
Yes, sir, Logan replied with a smirk, proud of Ro. Logan looked up at the windows when he heard the thunder boomed outside.
“That’s odd. A storm wasn’t in today’s forecast,” the Professor said, turning to look out the window. When he turned back, he was surprised to see that Ororo’s eyes had turned completely white. A gentle breeze caressed the occupants of the room, even with the windows tightly shut. Outside, large white snowflakes fell from a cloud that hovered close to the ground, covering the space directly under it with a blanket of snow. With a wave of her hand, all the changes in the weather ceased.
“My gift is I can manipulate the weather,” Ororo replied as her eyes changed back to normal.
“Wow,” Logan replied, going over and looking out the window down at the area covered with snow.
“My thoughts exactly,” the Professor said, joining him at the window. He turned and headed around his desk and sat near the girls.
“I would like to officially offer both of you a place at the Xavier Institute for as long as you like. Before you make your decision, I would like Logan to give you the full tour of the facility and grounds as well as an explanation of how things operate. I would like to have a private dinner with you this evening to discuss your decision as well as entertain any questions you may have. Does this sound agreeable to you?”
Anna looked over at her sister and Ororo spoke. “Yes Professor. May I make one request?” Ororo responded.
“You may.”
“Can Logan join us for dinner?” she asked, looking from the Professor to Logan who looked surprised.
“I am fine with it if he is,” the Professor replied, hiding a smiling behind a slight cough.
Logan was surprised by the request. He looked at Ororo and he could see the question in her eyes. He knew he needed to deal with the Emma situation but honestly, he would rather have dinner with the Prof and the girls. But he had to ask one question first.
“What’s the dress code?” Logan asked, making the Professor chuckle.
“Casual. Does that mean you are joining us?”
Logan looked back at the girls who smiled encouragingly at him. Anna was even nodding her head yes.
“Sounds good,” Logan replied, hearing Ro’s soft sigh of relief.
“It’s a date then. Enjoy your tour ladies. I have many things I need to complete before we meet again. Logan, will you serve as their guide?”
“Sure thing. Ladies,” Logan replied, holding open the door for them.
“Thank you for your time Professor. See you this evening,” Ororo told him as they exited out of the room.
