A Lonely Arrival

[xavier]

Xavier had walked a long way that day. He could have floated, of course, but he had two reasons not to. First, and most important, he didn't want to be spotted and recognised for a mutant. Second, and personally more to the point, he enjoyed walking. He hadn't walked in years, and had truthfully speaking quite forgotten how it felt like. What it felt like to put your foot down to green grass, and feel the muscles working as you picked it up again. It was such an exhilarating feeling that he hardly even noticed getting tired. He felt as though he might walk forever, just for the joy of feeling his legs again.

Tiredness did get the better of him. No matter what a superb mutant mind there was encased into the new, younger body, it was still susceptible to nature's laws. The exhilarating feeling of walking turned into weariness, and Xavier was beginning to realise that it would have been far smarter of him to save his strength and walk slower.

Still, the house was visible already. Wiping his forehead with a handkerchief, Charles eyed the place. He knew, of course, that it was Rogue's old home. He could easily see why she would have chosen to stay here. Mississippi might have been hot and awkward in the summertime, but it was remote enough not to attract too much attention, and certainly very normal. And then... it was her home. Charles smiled a little bitterly to himself at that thought. Home? Where was his home now? He had devoted the mansion his parents had left him to the dream, and the dream felt so unreachable to him now.

Shaking these thoughts, the lonely grey-suited figure walked to the house. It was far too hot for a suit, but he didn't feel comfortable in anything else. Stopping at the door, Xavier lifted his hand and knocked.

[Admin]

Lee had been trying to listen in on the conversation between Lars and Marie when a knock sounded at the door. Giving up her post with an inward sigh (well, she had heard most of Lar's story at least) she walked casually to the door and opened it, smiling warmly to the man on the other side. It wasn't anyone she was familiar with (and she had seen, if not met, most of the people in town before she was fired for not having reliable transportation to work) and he was a bit older than they were generally accustomed to, but she welcomed him warmly despite it.

"Hello," she said brightly, hoping the man wasn't a door-to-door salesperson. "What can I help you with?" Of course, the man would recognize her right away, despite her lack of yellow sweatshirt that she had always worn at the mansion. It had been her staple clothing item, even covered with blood as it had been, when she lived at the mansion - her last connection to home and the girl she had been, and a reminder of what she was and why she'd had to leave. When she'd been cured she took it off and packed it away forever, no longer wanting to be reminded of anything.

[xavier]

Echo, was Xavier's first thought, which brought a noticeable smile to his face. It felt strangely good to see familiar faces. He didn't bother to wipe away the smile as he nodded for a greeting and lifted his other hand to push up the brim of the hat a little, to be able to meet Lee's eyes better. There was still something of the old intelligent glimmer in those so different eyes.

"Hello," he said with a friendly voice, a little surprised still that it was not the same as it had always been. Only his mental voice, the thought-speak, had remained the same, but of course this new body had its own voice pattern. It was useful, to be sure, but Xavier still found himself missing his own voice. Often he didn't even recognise it for his own as he spoke.

"I've walked a long way," he continued in his usual calm way. "I was hoping to find some shelter from the hot sun here." The expression in his eyes turned to a more meaningful one. "I've heard that many kind of strangers are welcome here."

He hoped he would be able to pull off not having to straight out claim to be a restored mutant, as he was none. He despised lying and avoided it wherever he could, even when it was for the best.

[Admin]

Being a mutant generally made people very good at reading other's face - either through telepathy for those gifted, or through practice interacting with others for those not gifted in the natural ability to read minds. The runaways always had the greatest practice reading people, having based their lives on it for however small amount of time before they had found Xavier - or he had found them. So Lee, runaway twice in her life, caught the change in the man's eyes and nodded solmnly.

"Yes, we are welcome to strangers of all kinds, although we certainly cater to a specific group. Still," she put in more cheerily, "we have plenty of water and shade, comon in." She opened the door wide for him and stepped out of the way. She'd never guess in a million years who he actually was, unless perhaps he decided to invade her mind, but she got an odd sense of familiarity about the man.

Moving into the kitchen to grab him a glass of water, she noticed Lar's and Marie still talking in the dining room and tried to think of where to put the man, thinking that he may not like being surrounded by a bunch of children and cots in the room with the tv. Not to mention VH1 was playing another stupid celebreality series that he probably wouldn't care for. Well, the kitchen would have to do then.

"My name's Lee," she introduced herself once he'd taken a refreshing sip. "I help run this here house."

[xavier]

Xavier followed Lee in, satisfied that he had made a decent introduction for himself and not have to answer awkward questions right up front. It was possible they wouldn't even ask - some came here probably with too much baggage of the past to want to share, anyway. He closed the door behind him and walked to the kitchen at a calm pace. His eyes followed Lee's toward the dining room as she glanced there, and his heart jumped a little in his chest when he realised Rogue was there. She had been special in a way, and still was. He also saw she was busy talking with someone else, someone he didn't recognise, and so left the note at that.

Taking the glass with a thankful nod, he removed his hat and stopped to a place from where he could still see Rogue, though his eyes weren't actively on her. He sipped on the water and let his attention rest on Lee. Or Echo, as he had better known her. He wondered how her life was going right now. Did she miss her powers? Truth be told, Xavier was not convinced that this vaccine they had developed indeed worked, and with Echo's specific powers it could get troublesome if the powers came back without a warning. The same, of course, went for Rogue. Perhaps that was why he had come here? Perhaps he felt he might keep an eye on these "restored" mutants and help them, should something go wrong after all?

At any rate, right now he was there for a bit of rest after a long and hot walk.

Xavier lowered the glass from his lips and nodded with a smile to Lee's introduction. It was a strange situation, and half of him wanted to tell Lee who he really was, instead of a false name. But a bigger half did not want that - not yet, anyway.

"Nice to meet you, Lee," he said. "I'm James." It had been his father's name. He was sure no one would suspect anything of it. He had considered using the name of the man in whose body he now was, but he had not really liked it, and no one who had known the man were alive or would have recognised him, so it didn't really matter. "I happened to hear about this place from someone." He smiled a little. "I heard that those who used to be something... that they are not any more... are welcome here."

He congratulated himself for formulating the sentence in such a way that he could allow Echo to believe just what she needed to believe - that he was an ex-mutant - while still not directly lying to her.

[Admin]

Lee couldn't get the strange feeling of familiarity out of her mind as the man spoke, although she honestly couldn't say that she had ever met him before. He certainly wasn't from the south, missing the characteristic drawl and immunity to heat. She also tried picking her brain for any mutants she had known, but no one immediately came to mind. But he looked so familiar - like perhaps she had seen him on tv once. Mentally shrugging, she smiled warmly at him again as he spoke.

"Nice to meet you as well, James. You were told correctly - this is a home for restored humans." Well, he certainly had been restored to humanity, just like the rest of them, if only by different means. The name of ex-mutant didn't sit well with the restored humans on a whole, and they were very careful at Rogue's Place to refer to people neither as ex-anything nor as cured. Rogue and Echo were smart enough to know they hadn't been cured of any disease, but that they had simply been restored to their bodies natural abilities pre-pubescense.

"I'd let you talk to the owner of the house," Lee explained to him after introductions, "but she's currently busy with another such human. I've got a pretty good handle on this place, though, if there are any questions you have about it." It usually went in that basic order: introductions, admiting they had been "something... that they are not any more" as his words had said, and then questions about the house and other members of Rogue's Place. What they did and why they did it, and could they be a part of it. She wasn't sure this man would want to hang out with a bunch of kids, but if he needed a place to get on his feet they certainly wouldn't deny him.

[xavier]

It was obvious to Charles that Lee was well accustomed to handling newcomers, from the way she took to him, and this told him that the place must have got its fair share of "customers". He did wonder how many there were of them, and even more how many would there be. He was most interested in finding out about their former abilities, just to be on the clear, but this was something he found hard to directly ask. Being rude had never been part of his essentials, and he suspected that, seeing as they called themselves "restored humans", none of them would be happy talking about their former abilities.

"Well, I don't have a place to stay anymore," he said. It was true, after all. "I am mainly looking for some friendly place to stay until I have decided what I will do next. I hoped you might offer me a room or a bed, at least. I am sure I can find work somewhere to compensate the expenses to you."

He felt that questions about the house and its inhabitants could come later - he was not in a hurry for knowledge, for he knew he would spend a great deal of time here, and though he guessed that the inhabitants would largely be young people, he wasn't alarmed. After all, in his School he had been surrounded by youngsters for many years now. He found his feet feeling strained again, and protesting to standing. He gave a quick look around for a chair as he put most of his weight on the walking stick. The new body he had now had not moved from the bed in a great many years, and its physical shape had quite deteriorated despite the efforts of keeping it in condition so that it should not wither away completely. Xavier had spent a good deal of time working out to restore the body, but there were still some stamina issues to work with.

[Admin]

As Marie and Lars walked through on their way to the garage, and Marie stopped to put the glasses in the sink she shot Lee a questioning glance, to which Lee only smiled, confident that she had it under control. Not that she wouldn't like for Marie to take over, that was, because she would love to be the one showing Lars around instead. Still, duty called, and Marie was still busy with their first stranger of the day.

Turning back to James as he explained his situation, Lee let her smile soften, reflecting the knowing warmth in her eyes. "I'm not sure how comfortable you will find our accomadations," she admited, "but we can certainly spare an extra pillow." It would have been nice to have a mansion and large reserves of money with which to house their guests, but they did with what they had, and most of the kids with them seemed happy enough just to have a roof over their heads and milk for breakfast (when they didn't run out, of course).

Noticing his eyes wandering and his weight shifting to lean on the cane, Lee jumped up almost as if she'd been shocked. "Oh! Let's go take over the dinning room, now that Marie's done with it. Are you hungry?" She led him into the room and pulled out a chair so he could sit, then hovered nearby as she waited for his answer.

[xavier]

Charles met Marie's brief look with a blank face that hid all kinds of emotions. He had always felt very fatherly toward all his charges, and now, looking at Marie, he felt strangely proud of her. She had pulled through so fine, despite all her troubles, and she had grown up into a fine young woman. It was something he realised he would have liked to have told her, but had never got the chance. No, that wasn't right; he had never taken the chance. And now...? He couldn't speak anymore. It was strange to think that to her, he was dead. It brought sadness, and pain.

As Marie left again, he followed her with his eyes a moment before turning back to Lee in a casual way. He had to flinch inside for the mention of pillow - not that he had expected much better, for the house was small and residents were many - for he knew he would be quite sore after a few uncomfortable nights, but he reminded himself that this was a wonderful opportunity to get his body into a better shape. A few rough nights and days of workout, and he'd be as good as new again.

He smiled thankfully as Lee took him to the dining room. It felt eerily familiar to him when she pulled out a chair for him and hovered around him in that concerned way. During his years in the wheelchair, many had behaved in a similar way, somehow believing that the weakness of his body somehow required special attention. It had taken a few times of floating objects about until they had realised that he needed very little help.

"Yes," he replied to Lee's question after he had sat down, his other arm resting on the table as he put the cane away. He smiled up to Lee in his usual pleasant way. "Thank you... I haven't eaten in... well, it's a long while. Anything will do, really."

He wondered when exactly he had eaten. He had stopped for a snack in some roadside bar at one point... but had that been yesterday? His body was used to low levels of food and then he kept being too excited about his newly discovered legs to remember to think of eating.

[Admin]

Nodding enthusiasticaly, Lee left James resting in the dining room while she went back into the kitchen for food. Luckily for him they had just returned from the grocery store, so they were actually stocked full of food, but hardly anything he would probably like. Spaghettios didn't seem like something you fed to a grown man who just showed up on your porch. So Lee made him a sandwhich and put some cheetos on the plate next to it, just in case he liked cheetos. If he didn't like them, of course, then she could eat them later and no one else would steal her cheetos. Very smart, if she did say so herself.

Setting down the food, and refilling the glass of water, Lee finally sat down across from him and looked past him as he ate, not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable. Marie and Lars were back in the kitchen, and sure seemed to be getting chummy with each other. She could see the change in her friend's manner, however, at something he said or did, and as Lars was dismissed and Marie started into the dinning room, Lee raised her eyebrows in question.

Marie ignored her, instead making her way to the chair between the two and clearing her throat before turning a smile on James. Lee could see there was something troubling the other girl still, but didn't mention it in front of the stranger.

"Hello, sir. I don't mean to interupt your meal, but I'm Marie, the owner of the house. I just wanted to welcome you personally." When the man looked up Marie got the same strange feeling Echo had already had, that she had met this man before, or seen him on television. Something. There was something very familiar about him.

[xavier]

Xavier had to be amused when the bowl of cheetos was laid near to him. The sandwich seemed delicious, though he suspected it wouldn't be enough to sustain him for long, but he rather opted out of the cheetos. Somehow he was sure that Lee knew that. After all, Xavier might have got a new body, but it was not a young one, and even if it had been, he doubted he could have felt rejuvenated enough to like cheetos. He couldn't help but feel they were not old men's food.

Eating away his sandwich, he kept a close ear on the kitchen when he heard Rogue returning there. He couldn't help but think of her still as Rogue - Marie would take some getting used to. He hoped he wouldn't accidentally slip out a wrong name when he'd get to talk with her. He didn't look back and pretended not to really care, but hearing her conversing with the man - even if he couldn't really make out what they were talking - reminded him of the crush Rogue had had on Wolverine once.

He only looked up when Rogue entered and spoke to him. He smiled to her introduction, still finding it amusing to have to be introduced like a stranger to people he very well knew. Knowing Rogue better than he was at present supposed to and having his extra-sensory perception to help him - even if he didn't use his powers actively on her - he, too, could tell there was something bothering her now. He couldn't tell what it might be, however, though for a moment a shot of worry went through him - what if she recognised him after all? Then the moment passed and he could feel relaxed again, reminding himself that he could trust to his cover. For a moment he considered probing her mind a little, but then decided against it; he still avoided mind-reading when he did not absolutely need to do so, and then some people were sensitive enough to sense him despite his great skill at being unnoticeable, and he didn't want to take that risk with Marie at the moment.

"Hello," he replied to her, put his sandwich away for a moment, wiping his hand to a handkerchief to ensure it was clean, and then offered the hand out for a greeting. "James - it is a pleasure to meet you. I suppose I'm your newest house guest."

[Admin]

Marie took his hand warmly, "pleasure to meet you as well sir." She'd been taught by her father to always respect her elders, and so although it was her house and he was the guest, she still would have felt odd calling him anything but sir for the moment.

"I hope your lunch is ok, we don't have anything that anyone over 20 would like, unfortunatly." Truth be told they were all getting sick of mac and cheese, ramen noodles, and chef boyardee, but none of them was exactally in place to cook a four star meal for a houseful of kids either.

Lee, seeing that her job was now finished at the table, eyed the cheetoes that he hadn't yet touched for a moment before standing up and excusing herself. This whole new-people thing was more Marie's job, and the blonde wanted to go find Lars if he hadn't left yet, and flirt. "It was nice meeting you, James. I'm sure I'll see you again soon, like at dinner!" She laughed a little before moving around the table and through the kitchen to find the handsome hunk.

Letting out a small laugh herself, Marie turned again to the man. "Well, you survived test number one - surviving Lee. I'm sure you'll get along just fine with the rest of the kids."

[xavier]

Some things never change, Xavier thought to himself as Rogue called him "sir". It was not a regretful thought, however - he suspected he was too used to being called "sir" or something similar by young people to really feel easily at ease with anything less formal. Still, right now he felt that coming from Rogue it wasn't appropriate - after all, this time he was the guest in her house.

What Rogue said about Lee after the other girl had left them made him smile.

"Oh, she isn't as bad as she seems," he said a little carelessly, then recalled himself in time and added without too much of a delay, "I'm sure."

A little worried that his slight pause might have tipped her off on something, he chose to continue the conversation so as not to allow her too much time to ponder on the slip.

"I was hoping I could be of some use around the house while I stay," he said. He eyed at the food with a smile. He hadn't precisely read anyone's mind yet, but it didn't require a telepath to figure out that in a house filled with so many young people there would be very little real cooking done. "At the very least, I could take the cooking shift for dinner."

[Admin]

Marie laughed softly, not catching the slight pause in his thoughts. She was used to the choppy speach and unsure statements of the newcomers to The Rogue's Place. She thought that out of them all, the only one who had told her the complete truth when she arrived was Lee herself, and then only because Marie already knew her past.

"No, she isn't that bad at all, but I do understand that she can be a bit overbearing to new folks, especially when they're hungry and tired. She's a good kid though, you'll end up liking her."

A grin spread across her face as James mentioned cooking. Now that Lars had fixed most of the house's other problems, that would be just the thing they needed! "If you can find the ingredients here, we would love for you to cook a meal or two." Had she known who she was actually talking to she would have balked at the thought - the Professor, cooking a meal for all these kids! But as it was, the stressed and tired Marie could only be thankful for any help that anyone offered, even if it was just making mac and cheese for twenty.

"If you'd like to wash up or rest first though, I completely understand. I can show you to a shower and a bed."

[xavier]

Xavier had to smile to the enthusiasm with which his offer was received. He doubted very much he'd be able to find the ingredients for anything very delicious from the house, but that didn't really concern him, as he planned to do some grocery shopping for the little band anyway. He had enough money, and at some stage, he was determined, he would get a job so that it wouldn't seem quite so odd for him to produce money apparently out of nowhere. The idea of getting a job was actually very fascinating to him; he had never really "worked" before, never having had the need. He wondered if anyone needed a roof repairsman or something else like that. For some reason physical work seemed most appealing to him at the moment.

It was probably the newly found thrill of having legs again.

Still, thrill of legs or not, Marie's question reminded Xavier again that his body needed its rest. He nodded as he finished his sandwich and gulped down the rest of the water. He still didn't touch the cheetos as he got up from the table.

"Yes, I believe I would make everyone a great service by freshening up a little," he said with a touch of a smile. "It's quite hot and I haven't exactly dressed for the weather."

[Admin]

Laughing, she nodded at his suit, "you'd be hardpressed to find a southern boy inclined to wear such on a hot day - you must be sweltering!" She laid the accent on thick, smiling at his daring. Surely he must have something else to put on - if not he would hate full summer down south, afterall it was still only spring.

"Follow me," she said and stood up, collecting his dishes and making sure to leave the cheetos aside for Lee. She dumped everything in the still-dirty sink (she really needed to figure out whose day it was to clean dishes today) and walked him upstairs to the restroom she'd left Lars in earlier. Another clean towel came out of the linen closet, and she showed him where extras of everything were - they were always fully stocked with things like tooth brushes, deoderant, shampoos, and other such necessities. It would have been four star hotel service, if not for the fact that the service part was nearly non-existant.

"Take your time. If you need anything just yell, and I'll send one of the boys up with whatever you need."

[xavier]

Charles recalled his suitcase [[I'm going to pretend he had it with him all along; I've just completely forgotten to make a mention of it but he'd have had it]] but wasn't sure if he'd find anything exactly fitting from there. He preferred a style more suitable for cooller temperatures. Still, he decided he'd have to have a look-see and go buy new clothes if it seemed like he hadn't anything appropriate.

I must be getting old, he thought to himself, for not preparing for the heat of Mississippi.

He followed Rogue upstairs and let her show him everything; seemed like they were quite well prepared, at any rate. He nodded and put the suitcase down near the restroom wall as he took the towel.

"Thank you, Marie," he said, his eyes on her with a glint of amusement. It still felt very strange to talk with her like this, and be in this position. It had been him offering her a home long ago. It seemed like such a lifetime ago now. Everything had changed since then.

"I will call if I need anything, but I'm sure I'll be fine. I brought some things, myself."

He wondered how odd an impression he might be making - dressed and equipped well, yet apparently without a home. Well, he supposed he wasn't the only one coming in such strange circumstances here. He knew he wouldn't have been at the manor. Even stranger people used to come there. He felt such a pang of regret that he had to turn his head away for a moment. Despite everything he might tell himself, he was not all right with the current way things were.

[Admin]

(continued in the dinner thread. Spaghetti anyone?)