Chapter One: Old Faces

[Icarus]

"Great, Laurie. You're doing great."
Jay smiled once more. He'd had enough pain in his own life to know what it felt like. To be treated differently because of who you were. Who your family was. With a mutant family in a place like Kentucky, where stubborn and close minded people reigned. He sighed thinking about it. All the times bricks with threats were thrown through the window. People yelling and commenting about the freak family. But there was more. A lot more. Why he didn't connect on his own level with others. Maybe he was afraid. Afraid he'd lose the people around him again. It's why he never got closer to Noriko.

Eyes looked up as Kevin stumbled back, before that look of hurt in his eyes. A look Jay had seen before. Why he was now called his own self Jay, instead of Josh. Why is code name was based off of Greek Myth of tragidy.He knew they could have it under control here without him. Moving away from the girl lying on the ground he grabbed the discarded gloves of Kevin's before flight took over once more.

Wings beat down with the ease of a bird. The wide span giving him the ability, and the strength to lift his form and others. With flight he was able to catch up to Wither rather quickly, landing before him.
"Running won't solve anything. Trust me. I've tried. Here."
He extended the protective gloves to the boy who was maybe two years younger than himself. In ways he was reminded of his own brother. Out of them all, besides the girl being subdued. He'd seen.
"I don't know what happened, but I'd like to. I saw her skin grow back Kevin. She's a mutant too. Like us. We'll get to the bottom of it. Everyone was just scared and shocked, acting on instinct. So don't run."

[Wither]

His eyes looked up as he heard the wings of Jay... Gunthrie, someone from one of the most famous mutant families. Someone who landed right in front of him. Kevin's eyes went downcast as he skidded to a halt and took his gloves from someone he had thought to be a friend. Kevin's eyes couldn't hide the shame and hurt he felt all at once, there was no way... that's why he looked to the floor.

"Running will help everyone else." His eyes almost looked up as he pushed the black faux gloves back on. "You saw what I did... I'm dangerous. Its better for everyone if I leave Jay... safer too... cause this... this is just not good." His breathing hadn't changed, still ragged and hard as he moved.

"Jay, just go... it doesn't matter if her skin grew back... I couldn't hurt her... I mean I hurt her, but I couldn't do any damage... she came to attack Nori- I saw it from her eyes... they change Jay, from green to red. They changed as soon as she saw that Nori's hands were giving off electic surges... she attacked her... and... and I attacked this girl... this possibly innocent girl..." his eyes finnally met with Jay's "AN INNOCENT GIRL who charged at Nori with claws of metal!" He tore himself away from his 'friend', it wasn't worth it anymore. "This is Pierce all over again."

With that he took off in another direction, he couldn't do it, he couldn't bring himself to go back there- to get looked at like that.... to see the pain in everyone's eyes thinking he was a killer... he couldn't go back to that.

[Noriko Ashida]

“Ontou ha kitai shite ru hontou ha utagatte ru nan datte dare datte sou desho ‘i hito’tte iwareta tte ‘ou demo ii hito’mitai!” (I’ve come to expect stuff like this. But I doubted it would happen today! What the fuck? Who is she? Kevin, he's a good person. But just then he seemed like a person I don't know!)
Nori was pacing back and forth yammering to apparently no one, gesturing wildly and then finally cursing and punching the adjacent tree with a metal fist. The fizzle of residual energy lanced up her arm and seemingly though her eyes as she snorted her disgust at the situation.

Her eyes blazed with energy one last time as she looked over the group.
“Fuck this, I’m out.” She sneered, pivoting on her heel and departing. She was too angry at the whole thing to think logically. Her mind was racing, her energy low from all the use. She just wanted some alone time to re-charge and try not to be so pissed at herself. Why in the world has she attacked him? The girl was regenerating, there were others around… frankly she’d never admit it, but she was scared at what she saw. She was scared of what Kevin had done. Because she thought she saw a look in his eyes, a look that said part of him liked it.

[Icarus]

Jay sighed slightly as he looked to Kevin. He had so much anguish in his life. Maybe it was part of the reason Jay felt similar to him. Friends tried to help their friends out. That's exactly what he was trying to do here. Hands shoved into the pockets of the jeans he wore as weight shifted large red feathered wings folding against his back.

"That's what I thought. And I thought I could hide from the horrors of my past. It only made things worse. The same things shouldn't happen to you."
Eyes looked to the other boys. Jay didn't expose a lot of his past to anyone. Most people just knew him as another mutant in the Guthie name. They knew Sam, how he was now with the X-Men. Or of Paige. What people knew of Jay, was what he showed on the outside. No one knew the inside, no one but himself. He walked with Kevin as he started to move.

"I'm not leaving, Kevin. Friends don't leave."
He listened to the explanation of what happened, what went down. A puff of air blew back bangs of amber as he glanced besides him.
"That's why you can't leave Kevin. You saw what happened first hand. You saved Nori's life quite possibly. We don't know anything about that girl. Who she is, or why she did what she did. Ok, so maybe it was a bit rash, you were protecting your friends. Just like I was protecting you by pulling you off."

Brow rose as Kevin's eyes met his and he burst out. Angry and upset. But something didn't sit right with Jay. Maybe it was something he'd over heard before from Sam. Something about Logan, Wolverine. He thought he heard about a girl somewhere in that story.
"She tried to attack Nori with Metal Claws?"
His eyes looked back to where they'd left the group before back at Kevin.
"I think we need to get back there. We need to bring her to someone at the Institute. And your hurt. Maybe Josh can help you out. Come on, Kevin. It's not Pierce if you don't let it become that way. You can change it, that's the thing we learn about history. Is that we don't have to make the same choices. You've run before. We both have. So why do it again?"

[Wither]

"You know what Jay... take your friendship somewhere else. No one's trusted me for a long time, not since Pierce... and now that this happened... no one will again. Nori, Laurie, Josh, NO ONE." He turned, trying to avoid the 'angel'. "Listen... you say friends don't leave... well where was this friendship when I was in jail? Where was this helpful Josh Guthrie when I was lost and ran away the first time?" He stopped for a moment, not hate but hurt in his eyes.

"Josh, I could've killed her... if she wasn't a mutant, I could've killed her! You know, you saw your girlfriend die before you... but I have felt people die by my hands... MY OWN FATHER... I killed him with my stupid power, and now other innocents could get hurt... my friends... all of you guys could get hurt." He huffed slightly, eyeing Jay. "Yeah, well I know I possibly saved Nori's life... but no one else sees it that way. They just saw the fact that I was attacking someone...." Sighed.

"Go back there... get her and take her to the institute... but when you guys get there... my stuff is going to be gone. My injuries will heal... sooner or later, I just... need to be alone." With that he turned and headed back towards the Academy. If not leaving, he just needed time to be alone.

However, all he could think about was this girl with the metal claws... why did she attack Nori? Why did her eyes change so drastically... why... why couldn't he hurt her? By now he was almost in tears... he knew he had scared everyone... he knew he had lost everyone with his reaction, however, he just couldn't see Nori hurt. Maybe, maybe in the depths of his mind, he liked her... maybe... maybe he was just being too protective.

[X]

X23 found herself in quite the preculiar position and in the end it wasn't to great for herself. She only really knew two other mutants in her time on the streets, so encountering more was just something rather well, odd. Not to mention this one was only the first time she ever cried out in pain. The only other time she was subdued by a telepath, which to her did not count.

x23 was becoming accustom to this pain that was surging through her neck, the only problem was it was cutting off her air every now at then. And with a sudden blow of electricity she flew back. The girl with the blue hair must have intervined. The girls form hit the tree with so much force that it left her unconcious on the ground. Her spine was snapped in many places and she layed unmoving on the ground.

Though she appeared to be unconcious and not aware, things in her body very much were. Every smell and scent she took in and kept track of. Every battered bone began to snap back into place and regenerate itself. Every cut slowly began to disappear. And then finally she was normal, not even a slight hint of any injury had ever occured to her.

Suddenly as if without any warning her eyes snapped open, the iris' back to red. They turned and locked onto the blonde girl that knelt over her, touching her arm. 'Come on, don't freak out, let this work'. The metal claws came again to slide from out her knuckled, but her mind was taken over by a aroma that calmed her nerves.And without even a hint of anger, her orbs turned back to a bright green and the metal blades slid back into place. She felt so calm, so soothed so..odd. She made only the slightest nose before suddenly her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell back unconcious.

When she awoke she was not where she last remembered. No, now she was on some bed with wires hooked up and a blue man checking some charts. "NO!" she screamed suddenly and lept from the bed. Her blades extended and she took to the corner of the room. But not before throwing the bed and equipment over. "Stay calm child..we will help you." "Let me free!" "I can't do that...I need you to talk to me though..ok?" "No! Bring me the boy! THE BOY!" she yelled. She refused anyone else, refused to talk to anyone, and with those words, the man known as Beast, locked the room down and let her to her rage and anger. She continued to attack the room, slashing and yelling and throwing everything she got her hands on. And those red eyes, they glared at the door waiting. Waiting for the boy who she fought in the park.

[Wither]

Now he was at the institute, trying to hide from everyone. The random noises would go on, that is... until he heard Ms. Frost. "HE DID WHAT?" Instantly he knew they were talking about him. Man he wished he could sink into the deepest hole. His head shook, his whole body shook really with the thought... he finally thought he had a home... guess he was wrong.

Now his emerald eyes stared blankly at the bag infront of him... his eyes downcast. Sometimes, you know when things are right... and now... now this was the right thing to do. Sighing softly he began to pack his clothes in his adidas bag. Nothing really special... a lot of Nylon... his body shrugged slightly. This seemed to be the story of his life... think he was safe one minute, then fuckup and have to run again.

However, just as he had the bag over his shoulder, his door swung open, only for him to see the ice cold eyes of Emma Frost and the worried orbs of Hank McCoy on him. "Hey... I ... I didn't hurt her, you saw her, she's alive!" Emma didn't care, her eyes stared him down as if he were a bad puppy. He seemed to shrink in their arrival.

"Emma, don't scare the boy... we need him if we're going to get her to calm down... and besides, he proved today he can protect himself." Hank said softly, as his normal nature was to speak in such a way. "Kevin, we need you to come down to the Med lab... the girl you attacked today-"

"I didn't attack her! She attacked Nori and I... ahh forget it, I'll go... it'll be a fun death anyway..." he was so hurt that everyone thought he could do that so coldheartedly, that he didn't care anymore. His body moved passed the two teachers, Hank tried to touch his back in comfort... but Kevin pulled away. "I -know- where the medlab is." He seemed to growl towards the feral teacher.

A sigh escaped once more as he shuffled down the stairs. A few nurses here and there muttering about a beast of a kid. However, he paid no mind, all thinking it was about him, when in actuality, it was about her. About how she demanded him. "Kevin..." Kevin slowly turned to Mr. McCoy. "We're going to need you to take off your gloves for this." Suddenly his brows arched in wonder... what could that mean. However, Kevin did as he was told and handed Hank his gloves, as Hank opened the doors for him.

Eyes weary, Kevin walked in, seeing the girl standing on the bed. "Hey... don't you're going to fall that way..." he was soft as he spoke to her... he really wasn't that bad, however, his hands were still clenched, just in case.

[X]

She was caged now far to long. She was tired of being locked in this room. This room it brought back so many bad memories. So many things she didn't want to remember, things she wanted to forget. She tried so hard to forget it all, but of course peices still remained with her. Memories never really faded. A wrinkly note was kept in her pocket for safety, along with a ripped out page from a old story book.

But she wasn't reading, she wasn't interested in it. Instead she stood on the bed at the moment. She had calmed herself down a bit, considering the machinary she was once hooked into lay in shambles to the side. Slash marks all over it. Her head was down turned now, eyes on the two blades which were protruding from between the knuckles of her right hand. Her left arm was pulled up and she slid the blades along the skin. Blood driping slowly down here and there, they cut deep, smoothly, old scars she never allowed to heal. She didn't think anything of it either.

When he entered she never really stopped as her green orbs turned up to him. She wasn't sure how she was going to react, would she try to kill him again to do her job, or would she chose a different route. Quickly she leapt from the bed onto the floor. The blades still staying out, her head it turned to the side. Messy dark strands swaying this way and falling at her waist. She stared at him then, something so wild, so feral about her eyes. Like an animals, but beneath it a pain she could not escape, an anger she could never erase.

"Who are you." she said suddenly, her voice stern and cold. Her expression never changing really. "Why did you protect her!?" she asked one more question. The blood which dripped one by one landed on the floor but soon it stopped as the cuts began to heal again, leaving only scares.

[Wither]

Green orbs instantly went to her arms which she sliced. He shook his head gently. She looked so... hurt. Just something about her eyes... so feral. Then he understood. She was one of those mutants they carved at-the ones they created as weapons. His mind rushed and thought... what could he do to prove he wouldn't hurt her... possibly an omega setting?

Kneeling slowly, his hands were up, palms up so she could see he had nothing that would hurt her. "I go by Wither... but they call me Kevin...." now he was on his knees, letting her see she was going to be dominant, that he didn't want to fight with her anymore, but something in his eyes said if she wanted another fight, she sure as hell had one. "I protected her... because that's what a friend does... they protect one another... and I wasn't going to let you hurt her...."

She couldn't have been any older than him, his brow rose. "You know, I won't hurt you, I promise... you can relax... I won't let them hurt you either. I just can't touch you o.k?" He smiled, reassuringly, hoping she saw that in the moment. "So... I answered your questions... now I have two for you... Who are you, and why did you attack her?"

[X]

She inhaled deeply. Her nose lifting just a bit to take in the air around this place. Something in the air was drawing her a bit. She watched him then, kneel towards the floor and she in turn slide down herself. Her leg sticking outwards to the side, like some preditorial feline, watching her prey.

The blades finally slide slowly in before she stood fully erect. "I have learned alot. And I know that friends are never to be counted on, never to be trusted. Because they use you, for what you are they use you." her eyes narrowed just a bit before her hand lifted to press some of the dark strands from her face. Her eyes again scanned this room, this hell hole. It was so similar, so comforting really. It was like home again, as much as she hated to think it she missed Home, she missed Sarah. Her gaze snapped back towards him as she answered his questions.

"My Designation is X23, she she was a threat. She was to be terminated because she was dangerous." was her only answers. She didn't know the girl, she didn't have to. All she remembered was what she felt at the time, pure wanting of her dead. Why? She was unsure, but her sparks, her fingers, they were the cause. X23 didn't understand them. " She was going to shock me. I am trained to think first, to act first and so I did...I needed to stop her." she was so calm when she spoke, like someone programmed her. Nothing ever really changed in her expression. Just those peircing green eyes and their stone like appearence.

Just then she moved slowly foward. She was not threatening, or she hoped not. Her hand slowly lifted and she placed her fingers onto his own outstretched naked pair. Instantly a pain and stinging came from it and she hissed a bit before pulling back and watching the once decaying skin return to its normal texture and look. A deep breath in as she marveled at her finger tips she looked past them then and towards him. " How did they create you?"

[Wither]

For a moment he thought, he contemplated her answers. "You were forcefed those answers... weren't you.... Your not a creation..." his eyes scanned her. "You're an advanced human, like me... just skin and bones... well for you, metal too... but theres another somewhere out there like you, Ms. Frost told us about him." He nodded some before shaking his head. "True friends... true friends you can trust your life with..." then she said her... codex.

"That's... you're not X23... you are a girl... a child still really. You shouldn't have to worry about people like you do... most people out there won't hurt you unless you threaten them..." He smiled. "I swear, I will never attack you again, unless attacked first... this you can count on, X23..." his mind raced slightly... X23... no one should be known as that.

Then he felt her finger tips upon his outstretched hands. "Wait... no you don't..." but it was too late, she touched his naked skin and watched as her skin disappeared and then reappeared. He was slightly afraid she would react wrong... but, she didn't. She looked amazed, and as if she wanted to know more.

"How did they create you?"

The question... how should he answer it. "Well... I was born this way...." taking a breath, "I think it's why my mom died in child birth..." Sadness almost overwhelmed him, knowing he was the cause of both his parents deaths. "Yeah.... but hey, you know what, you look a lot like her... I think... I think instead of calling you X23 I'll name you Xevannah... whether you want to go by it or not... in my eyes, you won't be a creation, you'll be a person." Smiling sweetly-sincerely, which he had rarely done since his father's death, he stood.

"How are you feeling though? Would you want to go for a walk?" His eyes glanced around the shredded office... she really did a number. And through the window you saw Mr. McCoy's face drop as he saw his machines ruined.

[X]

She listened to his words attentively. She understood every word he meant, yet didn't at the same time. She was told once, well read once that she was not a weapon, nor a creation that she was a child. That she should never forgive anyone of them who made her what she was. And to this day she could do nothing but honour that woman by doing just that. By hating everyone who was involved in her creation. Everyone who had part in the many many others she destroyed so young.

Just then her head tilted a bit even more and a brow slowly raised. " I know of him..he is Weapon X. He is one cause to so much. " she wanted to forget she even knew that name. She spat on it really. Seeing his smile, she tried to do the same herself, but nothing ever came as smiles for X, she only meerly looking like someone trying to smirk at hide what their truth inside was. Like some mischivious child. " I will not harm you...I will not harm any of you...I..I promise." words that meant so many lies to her, could she even trust herself? She didn't know. She would find out.

When he spoke of being born she nodded slowly. " I was born...Sarah gave me life. She thought I didn't like her, that I didn't understand, but I did." her hand reached into the pocket of her skirt and there she pulled out an old wrinkly page from an old dusty childrens book. On the page was a drawing of Pinnocio and the writing was the ending when he became a boy. " See..I remember her. I remember Pinnocio." she seemed to try and smile a bit more before replacing the page back into her pocket. He then gave her a name, like a pet would acquire. Though in this case it was a way to give her a own identity. "Xevannah.." she repeated slowly. " Xevannah Kinney...." she finished it off. Yes that would do.

"I don't like this room, yet at the same time I do. I...I would like to get out and walk. But would you...'friends' be alright?" her lived freedom so far was not long, considering she hadn't escaped long ago. She was still new to the life on her own. Just then her green orbs caught sight of the blue man and she narrowed her eyes a bit slowly. " He is a blue monster..a demon.." her words were low, almost as if he was threatening her and her nerves were becoming thinner.

[Wither]

"Pinnocio huh?" He smiled and nodded. "Hey... I'll help you with that childhood thing... just remember, don't hurt him..." he pointed to Hank. "he's a nice man really a good Doctor... he won't hurt you, and if he does... it's just by giving you a shot or something... he's a real nice guy... I swear." A smile came and he wanted to hug her, hug her like no person ever had... but... he couldn't. He could never hug anyone again... not since that day.

His eyes narrowed at the thought before pulling out an extra pair of his gloves from his back pocket-he wasn't stupid enough to go anywhere without an extra pair. However, he did now offer one of his gloved hands to her. "Here, now when you touch my hand, it won't hurt... its like... some protective shield in a way..." Grasping her hand, he held it like as if they were dating-yet in truth, he knew that intertwining your fingers with anothers, was just relaxing... something that she needed to do.

"C'mon, we'll get out you of this room... and hey, we'll talk to the teachers... maybe you can stay. You'll have a home... with me, and all the rest of us." by now they walked passed Hank and Emma... who were staring at him in awe and wonder. However, when Hank went into the room, he waited for the door to close before weeping silently.

"The rooms here are nice... the people are too, just watch out for Julian-he's an ass... hey Xevannah? Would you like a new copy of that book? We can go out and get you one... you know, the book that you have that page from... sometimes, memories are good to have-and you said you liked her... your mother. So, maybe a new copy will help?" he was sincere in all his questions... he wanted her to fit in... and wanted her to feel calm.

However, when he passed some other students who heard about the days fiasco... they stood in awe as the person he had 'attacked' was now holding hands with him. "Are you hungry?"

[X]

She nodded slowly at his question before pondering it a bit. This story, this one page meant alot to her, along with the note that went with it. So getting rid of it was out of the question, but a new copy wouldn't be so bad. Then her eyes retreating to stare at Hank who seemed still a bit saddened by the mess. She didn't like him at least not right now, so if he tried to harm her with anything she would have killed him on sight.

Soon her had his hands covered in gloves and she raised a brow when he grabbed her hand. There was only three other people she was ever close to, and now they were still on the streets somewhere. She hadn't seen them in ages. She didn't mind the pain really, the decaying before the return. Pain was always something she found herself enthralled by. Maybe that was why she cut herself..because she liked the feeling. Or maybe it was reminding herself that did it, whatever it was she knew she would recovered anyways so it never mattered.

They moved suddenly out of the room and she watched the awed expression on the two people out there. The Blue man and a blond haired woman. She watched them curiously, cautiously before they were out of sight. Out of sight and taking in what she had done. Maybe someday she would apologize, but she wouldn't yet, not now.

She nodded every once in a while at each word, but her eyes were so busy taking in everything, scanning her area, remembering where they walked in all the awe she hardly noticed alot of what he said. This place was amazing to her, before here there was only the run down hotels she used to stay the nights in, and then before that was the metallic rooms. With nothing but what on what and silver on silver. No bed, nothing, just her, a board made for a bench and walls.

"I don't have a mother. " she said aburptly, as if that word to her really meant nothing. It didn't. "But a new copy could be nice...I won't throw out this paper though. Remember that." Everytime they passed students, she could feel their eyes on her, and she could hear their whispers as if they were right there beside her. 'He almost killed her' 'She is like him..Logan' 'who is she?' 'they say shes one of those clones' 'Shes dangerous, she shouldn't be here' 'She doesn't belong' with each new sentence, her head turned a bit for her eyes to glance back towards where they came. She wouldn't act upon anything, not yet. Just then he mentioned food and she snapped her head around quickly. " I am very hungry Yes."

[Wither]

The whispers filled the air, then they grew louder and louder in his mind before he stopped abruptly in the halls. He turned slowly and eyed all the student. His voice was low, and very calm. "She doesn't belong huh?... Then non of you do either. She's a person, a mutant... just like every one of us..." His eyes glanced at Rockslide who said that she didn't belong. "If I wagered by how you looked or the fact that you can dislodge your arm... I would say you didn't belong, because you weren't like me.... however, we're all different here..." his eyes scanned each person, neck cracking. They all knew what he was capable of, and that in some way shape or form, they meant nothing to him, at least the majority of them.

"Keep your damn opinions to yourself... she belongs just as much as you do.... if anyone doesn't... it's me... I can kill with a touch." His eyes landed on Rockslide once more. "I can devour you bits by bits.... this girl fights and can heal... and she has claws... so fuckin what." He snorted some. "Deal with it. And she's not a clone, Rockslide.... her name is Xevannah"

Turning he smiled. "I'm sorry I stopped... you said you were hungry and would like another copy of that book... well there's a caf-" he cut himself off... these people weren't ready for her yet, so why make them eat with her. "Well lets start with this... we can go down the street to Borders books... get you any book you want and Pinnoccio... then right next store is a McDonalds... we'll get you something to eat. Then it's all up to you, but I'm pretty sure you can stay here, Xevannah."