Reconsider [XMEN AU]

O n e

        Three years prior.

        Dalisay stared at the golden plaque reading the name of her new home with tired, weary eyes, everything aching and worn. Her camouflage duffel bag holding everything she owned sat heavily on her shoulder, straining her already sore muscles, and making her wish she'd thrown everything she had in a truck stop dumpster she'd passed while on the hike to Xavier's. It had been a quiet one, exempt from honks from truck drivers and cars passing by. Once a car had even pulled over to check upon her, assuming she was a poor rich runaway in need of a cup of hot chocolate and a sense of reality. Little did they know Dalisay had a larger sense of reality than half the people on this planet, and she'd much rather live in a dream world than this place. How did you even define what was real anyway? Multiple degree owning philosophers surely didn't know the real meaning, but it wasn't as if Dalisay did either. Ah, the mysteries of life, as her father would say. She pressed the buzzer beside the gates, glancing upwards at the towering mansion set before her. A school, huh. Didn't seem much like a school from the outside, more like some rich senator's country home or something.  The gates began to open with a tired moan from the hinges, and Dalisay stepped through them, not glancing at the wooded area she'd left behind her.

        You'll be safe here, Xavier had told her. You will grow here, in your abilities, and as a person. We will teach you. The man's kindly, wise voice had made her feel as though he really had cared about her, but she hadn't bought everything he said just like that. How had this man found her? How had he known that she was different? Dalisay had never, ever told anyone of her "abilities", even when it felt like her mind was going to explode with everything in the world around her swirling inside Dalisay's head alone. This man understood. He seemed to almost feel everything that Dalisay ever felt, and possibly ever would, not judging her, but listening. The world needed more people like him. People who, no matter what abnormalities you had or quirks, wouldn't ostracize you or treat you like...a cheap sideshow attraction. Dalisay had had enough of that already, and certainly didn't need anymore, although she knew in her heart the line of hate and oppression would probably never end.

        She trudged her way up the cobblestone path, glancing in awe at her surroundings. Hedges and flowering shrubbery lined the pathway that led to an ornately gilded doorway. Beyond the gates laid a blooming, lively colored garden, with intricate placed flower beds full of full, open blossoms in yellow, pink, and white. How did these people have enough time to save the world and pull weeds? This Xavier guy was definitely rich, so he probably had a troupe of butlers and staff to cater to his pupils every need, gardening included. Dalisay could hear laughter and shouts coming from the back of the building, probably from a group of frolicking students taking lunch or something. She continued on, climbing up the few stairs that lead to the doorway, and rapped on the door with her knuckles a few times, stepping back and waiting expectantly for it to open.

        A few muffled yells could be heard from inside, then Dalisay saw the twisting of the doorknob, and the door was opened, more or less heaved, to reveal a caramel skinned, elegantly poised woman, with ethereal white hair. Her eyes flickered over Dalisay for a moment before she spoke.

        "Dalisay Faust, I presume?" The woman asked, her voice tender with what appeared to be compassion.

        Dalisay nodded, her oily ebony hair moving towards her eyes. She swept it away, tucking a few matted locks behind her ear, and cleared her throat. "Yeah, that's me. Xavier called and said-"

        "We've been expecting you, child." She ushered Dalisay inside with a wave of her hand, and gave her a small smile. "My name is Ororo Munroe. I am one of the teachers here."

        Huh. So this really was a school. Dalisay stepped into a wide, grande hallway with dark wood paneling and floors, decorated with elegantly placed side tables and bureau dressers topped with vases of flowers and finely crafted lamps. The floors were covered here and there in lush rugs,(maybe Persian?), of reds and accents of gold. Bay windows inset into the walls allowed plenty of light into the hallway, creating for a warm, brightly-lit environment, perfect to rest or just nestle in with a book. A group of students passed by Ororo and Dalisay, chatting and laughing at something one of the boys, a slightly chubby boy with pale skin and spiked hair, had said.

        "Dalisay, Professor Xavier has asked to see you in his study before I take you to your room." Ororo explained to her, leading Dalisay down a less bright hallway. This one had many doors and alternate entrances, leading to other places, and classrooms, Dalisay figured.

        "How did Xavier even get this place?" Dalisay asked, raising an eyebrow at the cinnamon-skinned woman. "It's enormous."

        "The Professor is from a wealthy English family, and this was part of his inheritance." Ororo explained, her pace slowing. She let out a soft, breathy sigh, and looked past Dalisay, where a tan, muscular, and slightly hairy man stood, talking with a girl who had a silver streak in her hair. "Dalisay, would you excuse me for a moment?" 

        Dalisay answered with a timid shrug, turning away from her guide to look at the gardens. She was still close enough to hear what Ororo was saying, and her tone didn't imply she was friendly with the man, Logan, she called him.

        "Logan, you need to see the Professor." Ororo urged.

        "Yeah? Well maybe you should get the hell out of my business and leave me alone." He snapped gruffly, his breathing heavy. What was he so angry about?

        "Logan, please." A feminine, slightly rural voice, begged, Dalisay assuming it was the girl with the streak in her hair. "Maybe he can find somethin' 'bout your past...somethin' that would help us."

        "How do you know he will? Watch him just play around in my head and manipulate me like every other 'man of science'."

        "Logan, I know you haven't had the best of experiences with scientists and men of that sort, but the Professor-" Ororo tried to input, only to be interrupted by the gruff man.

        "I wouldn't call it an experience at all. I'd call it manipulation, Ororo." Logan retorted, grunting. "I'm getting something to drink."

        "We will continue this conversation later, Logan." Ororo told him, seemingly annoyed. "Whether you want to or not."

        "Sure we will, sweetheart." The Logan guy muttered underneath his breath, his receding footsteps alerting Dalisay that he was walking away.

        "I'm sure sorry about 'im, Storm." The country girl apologized, sounding defeated. "But I care about 'im, and I don't want thoughts that..." She hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath. "That they can use to their advantage stuck inside 'is head and 'im not know that they're after 'im or somethin'."

        Who was they? What did these people have to worry so much about? They looked like they were living something close to perfection, without worry or struggle or anything. It wasn't like they were living off the street or in a gang, like she had been. Something was going on at this school, something Dalisay would find out sooner or later, if she decided to stay. But then again, it wasn't like she had anywhere else.