time eternal.

prologue.

. prologue

1971 .

"You know, I can't seem to chose between blue or green."

August stood in front of her mirror, holding two different dresses up beside her. Behind her, on the bed, sat Raven, staring at August with a blank expression.

"August-"

"No!" August spun around, pointing an accusing finger over at her friend. "Time to be happy, Raven. No more excuses."

It killed Raven to have to see August like this. She wasn't herself, she was so clueless. Raven wanted so desperately to tell August everything, but knew that she couldn't.

"Dancing isn't something I have time for," Raven said.

"I don't know what it is you're training for, but I guess it's important if you don't have time to go dancing," August sighed.

Raven rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest as August threw the dresses over a nearby chair.

Raven wanted to tell August it wasn't worth her time, that she shouldn't dance without Charles. However, she had to remind herself that August doesn't know. Raven wasn't sure how, but she knew August came here with memories, just not the memories Raven thought.

August plopped down next to her friend, confused by her actions and recent activity.

"If this is about Erik leaving-"

"No, no, it's not that," Raven shook her head. "I'm not going out there to find him."

"I always wonder about you," August mumbled. "I feel like you know something."

"I know a lot of things, August," Raven chuckled, trying to shake the thought from August's head.

"That's not what I meant," August replied. "What I meant was, you always seem like you know something about me, that I don't know myself."

Raven looked away from August, afraid that her eyes would give it all away.

"Why would you think such a silly thing?"

August stared at Raven. "You don't think I'm that stupid, do you?"

"Of course not," Raven winced. "It's just, I can't."

It was killing August just as much as it was Raven. She tore her mind apart, searching for a lost memory of some sort, or anything. August came up with nothing. For her whole life, it's been normal and ordinary. Raven must've known something, and it was killing August that the blonde kept it from her.

"You can," August insisted. "Something's stopping you, though."

Raven refused eye contact, but she felt the urge to tell August. Not everything, just about Charles. Then, of course, she would have to tell August everything anyway.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Maybe you're right," August shrugged. "But how can you know if you never try?"

Raven was silent, considering her idea. August would have a heart attack, no doubt. But what other choice does Raven have? She couldn't handle keeping it away forever.

A gasp escaped August's mouth as her best friend's fair skin turned into a midnight blue, her bright blonde curls turn into slicked back orange hair, and her sparkling blue eyes turn into glistening amber that reminded August almost of champagne.

"Raven," August choked, completely overwhelmed by the transformation and the pure beauty. "God, you're beautiful. I mean, it's not like you weren't before! It's just, wow."

Raven was able to crack a smile at August's rambling. "I'm a mutant, August. It may sound absurd, but you are too."

August just stared, so Raven continued. "A few years ago, you knew. I don't really know what happened. All I know is that you went back in time to fix some things for your dad. My best guess after that, I don't know, maybe Charles did what he thought was best."

"Wait, what?" August shook her head in disbelief. "Who's Charles, and what did he think was best?"

"I don't know, I told you that," Raven shrugged. "You don't have any memories of him or what happened in Cuba or anything, really. I guess he wiped them away."

August looked at Raven incredulously, but knew she had no choice but to believe it. Raven had proof that what she was saying was possible. She was blue.

"So, this Charles," August started, "took away my memories? Just like that? He can't do that!"

"He can," Raven disagreed. "He's a mutant too."

"Where is he? Where can I find him?"

Immediately, Raven regretted her decision. She shouldn't have told August anything. But then again, maybe everything between Charles and August would be okay.

"In New York," Raven mumbled, wondering if what she was doing was smart. "His name is Charles Xavier."

a year later

may 7, 1972

August took to finding this man, Charles Xavier, ever since Raven left. She was alone now. Erik left long before to Texas, leaving Raven and August by themselves. Now it was just August. But she knew that somewhere, Raven was alone, and so was Erik.

She laid on the bed in the cheap motel in Pennsylvania, staring up at the ceiling. She so desperately wanted to remember, because she felt like there was something there. There was a distant memory she was trying to get to.

"His name is Charles. I met him in a music establishment, and I disliked him at first, but then he became something that I counted on; that I depended on. He became my friend, and I didn't have many, but he made time for me. And when he kissed me, I just knew that I had fallen in love with him."

August remembered hearing the words. A woman named Jade told her that. Jade Xavier.

August scrambled to her feet, hurrying to the bathroom while the image of Jade Xavier was still in her head. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, finding a resemblance between herself and Jade. In fact, they were exactly the same. August Moran is Jade Xavier.