Fan Fiction ❯ Windows To The Soul ❯ Emowave ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the character of Ciara, otherwise, I don't own 'em.  I'm just…borrowing them.  Don't worry I'll return them in one piece, well…maybe….

AN:  This is my first XME fic, I hope its not too bad ^_^ Seen as I have quite literally only just got into watching XME, I may not know all the facts about everyone, so I apologise if I get something wrong.  Oh, and sentences in italic means either the professor talking telepathically or people thoughts.

Originally written: 25-02-02 

Windows to the soul

Chapter 1:  Emowave

Kurt sat on the floor next to Evan beating him on Evan's latest Grandprix PlayStation Game.

 "No way man that's cheating!" Evan shouted out.

 "It'z not cheating, it'z a short cut." Kurt yelled back over the noise of brakes and crashing into brick walls.

 Literally.

 Kurt and Evan dropped their controllers and ran over to the window.  There beneath them stood a fuming Scott leaning over his red sports car that has just taken a trip into one of the Institutes brick walls.

 "Awww man, Rouge look what you've done to my car!" he shouted, examining the dented bonnet and cracked windscreen.

 "Humph, well it wasn't mah fault, you shoulda been wacthin' where you were goin'." She shot back, picking her bag off the floor and collecting the things that had fallen out of it, "Next time you'll know not ta go joyriding 'round the grounds and actually know ta stop befor' someone walks through the main doors."

With that she flung her bag over her shoulder and continued walking down the driveway to the main gates.

 "Think ve should go help?"  Kurt asked.

 "No man, Scott'll just take it out on us." Evan replied, "Besides, I've still gotta beat you on this race." He said, walking back towards his PlayStation.

"Not if I can help it." Kurt grinned, BAMFing to his controller before Evan even got to sit down.

 "Hey!"

-----

"God this like, totally sucks."  Moaned Kitty, laying on her front on her bedroom floor resting her head in her hands as she read from her Psychology text book, "It's Saturday and everyone but me is having fun."

 The early afternoon sun shone through the window casting its warming glow on the depressed teenager.  She was the only one that had finals on Monday, so she was the only one stuck inside.  Early that morning she'd got around to everyone to ask what they were doing during the day, anything to get her out of studying Psychology. Rouge said she had shopping to do in town,  Kitty would have asked to come along if she didn't know what kind of shops Rouge liked to hang around in.  Next she went to find Scott, but he was busy, yet again, polishing his car.  Next she went to find Jean, but she was locked in her room mumbling something about a bad hair day.  So she was out.  Next she'd tried to find Storm, but soon found out that her and Logan were in the danger room getting in some extra practice.  Well, Kitty certainly wasn't going to spend her day getting killed by Logan, so she decided to go and find Evan.

 "Hey Kitty!" Evan happily exclaimed as she opened his bedroom door.

 "I'm like, so bored, you wanna do something?"

 "Sorry Kits, I have some major butt-kicking to do ta Kurt on my new GrandPrix game.  There not a chance he's gonna beat me this time."

 "Somevon call?"

BAMF!  The circle of smoke faded away as Kurt appeared hanging upside down from his tail on the ceiling light.

"Yeah, you ain't gonna cheat and beat me on this one man."

Kitty looked up at Kurt hanging upside down, his hair hanging down, or sticking up, she didn't really know how to put it.  She smiled slightly.  She liked Kurt, a lot more than she would even admitted to herself.  He used to scare the hell out of her, and she tried to keep away from him.  But ever since that day he risked his life to try and help Rouge, she began to see what was beyond the blue fur and pointy ears.  She told herself to be nicer to him, and stop running away every time he appeared, and once she'd done that, she began to realise what a sweetie he was.  Okay, so he has an appetite of like 40 elephants, and occasionally didn't know when stop with one of his practical jokes, but that's what made him so special.  Even after being isolated away, knowing he could never show his true form in public, he still managed to keep that spark.

Spark of mischief, she thought to herself, smiling.

 "Oh, hi Kitty."  Kurt BAMFed back down to the ground, "Sorry, I didn't see you zere."

"Oh, no problem."  She grinned, she could feel her cheeks redden as he walked towards her, "Umm, I was just…" Kurt walked right up to her smiling, "I was just going." she quickly sputtered out.

She quickly walked back out the door and hurried down the corridor to her own room. Kurt sighed and closed the door behind him.  The story of his life.  People turn and run.

 "Ah forget her man," Evan comforted, "You've got more important things to be worrying about now." He said as he held up to game controller.

Kurt smiled, "Oh ja, I forgot, I've got to vorry about a butt-kicking from you nein? 

He walked back over to Evan and sat on the floor, ready to beat his friend at his own game.

-----

Kitty closed her textbook and sighed.  She couldn't concentrate on her work, not when Kurt was on her mind.

'Stop it!' her mind scowled her, 'You've been burned in the past, guys aren't like, worth the trouble.'

 'Yeah, but Kurt's different' she started.

 'Yeah I can see that'

 'Not like that!'

 'Then like what?'

 'Kurt's very caring, and he makes me laugh'

 'Yeah, every time you're like, not telling him to get lost'

Kitty stopped her conversation with herself at that point.  It was true.  Although she had gotten better around him that last few months, she could still tell she was hurting him. Getting up from the floor and putting her textbook on her dresser, Kitty sat down in front of her computer and logged on.  After accessing the Internet, Kitty looked up times for the local Cinema to see what was on.  Maybe if she took Kurt to see a movie, not as a date, just to hang out together.  Kurt is always being nice to her; maybe it was her turn to show that she wanted to be nice to him too. Picking out a decently action filled film, thinking that that is what Kurt would want to see, Kitty scribbled down 7.30 on her notepad and shut down the computer.

"Kitty?"

Kitty jumped out of her skin. "Professor?"

"Kitty, we have a new Mutant attending the Institute.  She should be arriving soon, I want everyone down in the lounge as soon as possible."

 "Kay, I'll be right down."

Ripping off the piece of paper from the pad, Kitty stuffed it in her pocket and phased through her door into the hall, heading down to the lounge.

-----

 "Oh man not again!"

 "Ha, you can't say I cheating zis time cos you vent the same vay as I did."

 "No fair, this is my game, I should be entitled to win!"

 "Best outta five?" Kurt suggested.

 "A'right, yer on."

 "Zhree." 

"Two."

 "Von."

"Kurt, Evan."

Both teenagers dropped their controllers in surprise.

 "Professor?" they both said out load.

------

The X Men, minus Rouge, sat waiting patiently in the lounge waiting for Professor X to return with the new Mutant.

 "So, does anyone know anything about this newby?" asked Evan.

 "All I know it that it's a girl." Replied Logan.

Silence fell over the room again.  Gradually, everyone started hearing a faint clicking sound.  Turning around, Kurt was sitting in the corner of the room turning his image inducer on and off, on and off, his true form flickering though the illusion.

 "Careful Kurt or it'll break again." Jean warned him.

Without looking her way, Kurt stopped playing with his watch and rested his head on his knees, his true form showing.

 "Like, what's his problem?" asked Kitty quietly.

 "It's the same thing every time a new Mutant is brought here, or in fact anyone who doesn't know him" Jean replied, "He's afraid they're going scream and run when they see what he really looks like."

Kitty felt really guilty now.  She had been the latest member to the X Men, she wondered what everyone else's reactions had been to him?  It was then she realised she didn't really know what much about him, except of Mystique being his mother, but that was it.  She had no idea what it was like having to hide away all the time, knowing the reaction of anyone who saw him.  She remembered her reaction, and knowing how that hurt Kurt, she prayed this new girl would have the decency not to scream and run, unlike she did.

Kurt looked up to the empty doorway.  He hated this the most.  The waiting.  The more he waited, the more scenarios he could think up of her reaction to him.  Everyone of them getting worse and worse. Suddenly, the occupied wheelchair came through the door followed by a young girl.  She stood shyly by the Professors side, looking at the ground.

 "It's alright Ciara, you'ra among friends." The professor assured.

Ciara, as she was called, looked about 15 years old. She was fairskinned, about 5 foot 7, but the only other feature you could see was her very long black hair that fell just over half way down her back.  Most off it had fallen in front of her face as she stared at the floor, so you couldn't see her face.  She wore a pair of tight dark blue jeans, and what you could make out through her hair, a light blue sleeveless top.

She continued looking at the floor.  Professsor X turned to his students.

 "This is Ciara Forrester.  Her X name: Emowave."

 "Emowave?  That sounds cool." Said Evan, smiling at the shy girl.

The Professor looked at Ciara and said softly, "Do you want me to tell them what your power is?"

There was a short pause before a quiet, shaky voice answered, "No, I'll tell them."

 "Alright, just be careful not to look at any one."

 "I know." She whispered.  Then out load, "My power is that I can pick up on people's emotions and change them or take them away completely."

 "Hey, that is cool!"

 "Shut up Porcupine." Logan growled in his vague direction.

 "Go on," the professor encouraged.

 "But, there's a down side to this."

 'When isn't there' Kurt thought, looking at his three fingered hand.

Ciara slowly raised her head and her black hair fell back revealing a frightened young face…and eyes of pure red.

 "Double cool." Whispered Evan.

 "I can't look at anyone in their eyes.  I can make out six of you, but I'm looking straight passed at you to the wall.  If I look at you, I can mess up your emotions.  I don't mean too, but I just can't help it."  She looked back down at the floor, her hair covering her face once again.

Kurt looked at her.  He knew what this felt like, having to hide away.  At least Scott had the shades, at least he could look at people, but no shades could help this girl, she wouldn have to avoid eye contact for her whole life, never seeing the emotions in peoples eyes. 

"Hang on, six of us?"  Scott looked around, "Oh, you've missed Kurt." 

Kurt shot a glare at him; he was hoping no one would notice him. 

Ciara looked back up at the wall and move hers eyes to the floor, slowly looking up to Kurt sitting in the corner, making sure she didn't look at him in the eyes. She could make out the blue tree fingered hand, and she could see the end of his tail flicking on the floor.

What happened next, Kurt couldn't believe.

She smiled.

Not a mocking smile, but a caring, understanding smile.

 "I know how you feel.  Having to hide away."

Kurt looked at her softly.  He slowly got up from the floor and walked towards her.  Her eyes fixed at his chest so she wouldn't look at his face as he walked in front of her.

She smiled again.

 "Kurt." Kurt looked towards the Professor. "Why don't you show Ciara to her room, room 14."

 "Okay." He simply replied.

 "It's okay Ciara, you can trust Kurt."

 "I know." She said softly.

 Kurt took her hand and walked back out the door. 

-----

 A few moments later, Kurt and Ciara were walking up the giant staircase.

 "So, umm, ven did you find out you had powers?"  Kurt asked.

 "A few days ago," Ciara replied, "I was walking back home from school after getting a detention from falling asleep in class.  I was in a hurry to get home because my mother was coming back from a business trip in Vancouver.  So I took a short cut, a back ally.  That was my mistake." She paused and shuddered at the memory. 

Kurt saw her discomfort and decided to be sympathetic, "Its alright, you don't have to tell me if you don't vant to."

She shook her head as they carried on down the corridor.

 "No, I managed to tell the professor, and seen as I'm going to be living with you, you'll find out eventually anyway." She sighed, "Three…scary, men walked up to me and started threatening me. I tried to sneak passed them but they blocked my way.  One of them grabbed my arm and I called for help but he put his hand over my mouth so I couldn't scream."

Kurt looked at her softly; he could tell this was difficult.

 "I was so scared, I'm not a violent person, I didn't know how to fight back."

Kurt could see tears pricking at her eyes and he held her hand tightly, a small reassurance that whoever those men were, they would never get her here.

 "One of them walked in front of me, I'm not sure what he was going to do, but he suddenly stopped and stared at me.  I was staring straight back into his eyes, and suddenly, I could…I could almost feel his anger inside me.  He told his friends that I had red eyes.  I had no idea what he was taking about, I had green eyes.  I continued staring at him and, I don't know how, but because he was angry, I managed to change it so he wasn't angry with me, he was angry with the other men.  He raised his fist and I thought he was going to hit me, but he hit his friend instead.  The man let go of me and I turned and looked him straight in the eye, he too turned against his friend.  I had no idea what was going on. I ran the rest of the way home, the next day I heard on the news that they had found three dead bodies in an ally way, they had stabbed each other to death.  It was then I realised they had died because of me.  I didn't understand why, but I was so afraid to look at anyone in the eye, I kept away from my mum when I got home, and if she talked to me, I would turn away so she couldn't see my red eyes. Of course, I couldn't stay like that, she soon found out what was happening.  It was then I got a knock at the door and it was Professor Xavier.  You know the rest."

They finally reached Room 14 and Kurt opened the door.

 "You don't have to vorry now, you can just be yourself around us, ve're all strange." He grinned. Ciara giggled in his direction. She looked into her room.  It was a lot bigger then she had ever thought. "If you need anyzing, just shout."

Ciara walked up to her window and pulled it wide open, looking out to the expense of green forest. "Can I ask you a question?" she said, still staring out the window.

 "Sure."

She turned to look near him. "What's your power?" she asked smiling.

Kurt immediately BAMFed to her side, which made her jump in surprise

 "Zat." He exclaimed.

 "Wow.  How far can you go?"

 "About two miles, any furzer and I tend to throw up."

 "Nasty."

 "Ja, but zhe professor and Logan are teaching me to hold my stomach a little more, but zee others don't like zee idea of me going furzer."

 "Why not?" 

"Vell, to teleport, I need to eat a lot, if I learned to teleport furzer, I vould have to eat more."

 "Surly you can't eat that much?"

Kurt laughed, "Vell, you'll find out tomorrow morning."

 "Yeah, he's already eaten 5 boxes of cereal and 3 fully large fried breakfasts this morning." Came a voice from the doorway.

Turning around, Kurt and Ciara found Scott standing in the doorway with a smile planted on his lips.

 "Vat do you vant?" Kurt asked in mock annoyance.

 "The Professor wants to see Ciara in his lab, something about getting contact lenses."

Scott walked a little more into the room.

 "You alright now Ciara?" he asked gently.

 "Yes thank you." She replied. With a smile, Scott walked back out the room. "Guess we've got to walk back downstairs." She said, but Kurt quickly took her hand.

 "Not necessarily.  Do you vant me to port us down zere?"

 "You can take two people?"

 "Ja."

Ciara grinned, "Okay."

 With that said, Kurt BAMFed them away, the smell of sulphur being the only clue they were ever there.

To be continued…