Rita Valentine ~ X-Men

two.

~*~

"It's a supersonic. The most advanced plane ever built. You should see it in real life. It's incredible." Hank said as he stepped up to the 'new recruits' as Smith was calling them.

"Hello Rita." Charles said in my mind.

"Hello Charles." I replied.

"Hank, these are the special new recruits I was telling you about."

I stepped forward smiling. "This is Hank McCoy, one of our most talented young researchers."

"How wonderful." Charles said stepping forward and shaking Hank's hand. "Another mutant, already here. Why didn't you say?"

I face-palmed. "Say what?"

"Because you don't know. I am so, so terribly sorry." Charles said.

"Hank?" Smith asked.

"You didn't ask, so I didn't tell." Hank said with a shrug.

Raven stepped forward. "So, your mutation is what? You're super-smart?"

"I'll say." I said patting him on the back.

"Hank here graduated Harvard at the age of 15." Charles said.

"I wish that's all it was." Hank muttered, then I smacked him. "Ow!"

"You're among friends now, Hank. You can show off." Charles encouraged.

"Go on." I said quietly as he slipped of his shoes. Then Hank took off his socks and revealed his feat.

"Splendid." Charles said, and then Hank moved towards the plane and flipped upside down, hanging from his feet.

"Ta-da!"

"You're amazing." Raven said as she stepped forward.

"Really?" Hank asked, mesmerized by her beauty. "But nowhere near as amazing as what Rita can do."

They all turned to me in shock, "Rita?"

I glared at Hank as he jumped off with a shrug. "If they know about me, then they should know about you."

"Rita?" Charles asked softly in my mind. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you already knew since you've been in my mind." I looked at everyone; "I just don't talk about it very much since I don't use it."

"You should show them." Hank pressed encouragingly.

I smiled shyly as I stepped forward and concentrated. "You're among friends, Rita."

"It's not much..." I muttered as I held up my palm and a sunflower appeared in it.

"Magnificent" Charles said aloud.

Moira smiled at me, "that's amazing Rita."

"Thank you, but like I said, I don't use it much."

"I don't see why not." Charles said as we all began to go our separate ways.

"Why not what?" I asked as I led him down the halls to where he would be staying.

"Why you don't use your powers, they are extraordinary."

"Why do you say that? They're not that amazing."

"I knew you were a mutant Rita, but I didn't know what you could do." Charles said inside my mind.

"So you did read my mind." I stated.

"Well, not very much." Charles said sheepishly, but I gave him a look. "Alright, I know a lot."