Thinking

[luna]

Josiah climbed out of the pool and sat on the edge with his feet dangling in the water. He always thought better when swimming, and right now he couldn't get out of his mind how Prof. Xavior could be alive. It was impossible. Prof. Logan said he had watched as his body disintegrated in thin air. It just was not possible for him to be alive, he would blame it on Mystique but she was human right? But what if she regained her powers to like Rouge did?

With a sigh he dove back in the pool and began to swim laps. Swimming laps was one of his favorite ways to exercise. But no matter how many laps he did he just couldn't think of a way prof. Xavior could be alive. And he knew it was him. Prof. Logan said it was his sent and there was no way to make a person's sent only there looks.

[phoenix]

Inside the mansion, children and teens of all ages rushed throughout trying to catch up with friends, fighting over what was left of food and trying to make it on time for classes. With the chaos inside, Jean was able to escape it as another migraine pound against her skull. Once outside in the fresh air, the red hair mutant began to wonder how Professor was able to keep the children out of trouble and give them individual attention all at the same time, without losing his mind.

Jean walked out towards the pool and was lost in thought until she noticed someone swimming laps. From the distance and the look on his face, Jean considered him just lost in thought just as she was. Walking towards the pool, she noticed he was a mutant she had yet to meet. Gone for more than three months, Jean noticed the significant increase in students and how much more lively it was since her memory could recall. Gently walking, but quietly so she wouldn’t disturb his thoughts, Jean was about to allow him his peace until the strain of her headaches increased as she walked by. Looking at the young boy, she wondered if he was the cause.

Just standing there, a few feet away, she began to grow curious as what his powers were since only telepaths and psychic related abilities can really place that much pressure on her headaches. Without much as knowing, she stood there and stared at the x-man and mindfully spoke up to alert him she was there.

“Hello.” Jean respectfully called out, hoping her voiced carried as the young x-man swam in laps in deep thought.

[luna]

Josiah squinted as a shot of pain went through his head but he shook it off until he felt the presence of someone. He began to wonder if who ever it was, was a psychic like himself. When he heard the voice he realized it was a girl. Her voice carried strength through the water and to him. Swimming slower now he swam to the edge of the pool and leaned against it. He looked her up and down. He had never seen her before. She had fiery red hair and bright green eyes. She was older than him but only by a few years he thought. She was beautiful.

"Hi um can I help you some how," he asked looking around to see if anyone else was around them. But all the other students where out of hearing range. Josiah than looked back at the girl she looked serious like she had something on her mind. he was tempted to try and read her mind but didn't want to drown. Often when he used his powers he would pass out. And if this girl was a psychic he wouldn't be able to read her mind any way which would be a waste of time and energy.

[phoenix]

Jean stared at the boy who lifted his head after hearing her voice, his hair dripping with little droplets of water. She saw his blond hair matched perfectly with his bright blue eyes. He did not seem familiar, or in the least had yet not met him since the last time she was at the mansion. Maybe one of the older teens, she doubt if he was a student and wondered if he might already be part of the X-men. She glanced at him for a moment longer until he asked if he could help her. Jean smiled and allowed her head to nod, answering his question before speaking.

"I am thinking you must have some Psychic abilities, right?" The red head finally asked, not yet even stopping to introduce herself. If he was talented in the field of telepathy or telekinesis, then that would have explained the pain or so called interference inside her mind. Normally she would not have know the difference, but since her increase of power, noticing the other psychic can sometimes lead to more painful introductions.

"I could just sense something from you. I didn’t mean to bother you," Jean admitted, her source of bluntness coming from nowhere.

[luna]

Josiah couldn't help laughing at her bluntness. Pushing off from the side of the pool he kicked a way a bit. "Maybe i am maybe I'm not, what's it to yea?" A smile was spread across his face showing off his dimples. Standing up in the middle of the pool he looked at her. "Why do you want to know? Everyone who has bean here for the past five years should know what my powers are. I have bean here since i was thirteen.

He was tempted to splash her as he swam back to the edge of the pool. But if he was right and she had psychic abilities like himself he didn't want to get her angry. "Why don't you read my mind and find out," he said teasingly.

[phoenix]

The boy swimming had a very open and honest personality about him, or so far she could tell. He did not seem angry by her disturbance and lack of reasons to speak with him; instead he remained somewhat playful and energetic. Jean smiled, raising an eye brow, impressed with his openness. Summoning one of the many chairs scattered around the poor, her telekinesis levitated a white plastic chair as it accurately landed behind her when she continued to sit.

"Now, I could do that. But thinking you might want to keep that mind of yours, including the rest of you, I will have to refrain myself." Jean replied, not in the least hindered by his teasing. In fact since returning to the mansion, she has been treading careful not to awaken any abnormal power at the same time keeping her presence quiet. So to have finally a chance to laugh, it was a welcome after all the serious issues she has been facing. "Now wouldn’t it be easier if you told me yourself?"

[luna]

Watching as Jean used her powers to pull a chair over to her he got one of his questions answered. But he still didn't know if she had any psychic powers. "Your right I would want to keep my mind so I take it your psychic powers are pretty strong eh?" Unable to hold back the urge to splash her any long he pushed back of the wall kicking with his feet making sure she got sprayed just a little.

"That is true, it would be easier but where would be the fun in that?," he laughed. Just than he realized he hadn't introduced himself. "Where are my manners my name is Josiah Rose but my friends call me Crossfire.I'd let you shake my hand but I'm not wearing my gloves so I don't want to hurt you."

[phoenix]

The sudden splash of water got Jean to push back the chair she was sitting in, as it tipped back and dropped to the ground. Crossfire’s attempt to get her wet brought out the little mischievous imp she was holding in since the Professor brought her back. Talented with Psychic abilities, Jean felt a little off when she felt using her powers would only bring destruction, so with holding them wasn’t only against instinct, but a little boring as well. She attempted to block the water droplets with telekinesis, but couldn’t stop it in time. With equal speed and reaction, the red-head woman raised her arm as the water rose with it, the water inside the poor creating a mini tsunami and it began to head straight towards Crossfire.

"I suppose my powers can be fairly powerful," Jean finally answered as she stood over the pool, looking at the boy. "It feels nice to use my powers again. And you are right; it’s no fun if you are just given the answers without having to earn them." She laughed, feeling as if it was the first time in a long while and it just seemed good to let loose and not worry about harming someone. "Hmm, you got me a little wet." Jean randomly pointed out, not in the least caring if she was wet or not.

"If you need gloves to wear, than I suppose it’s another one of your gifts?" She asked, curious. "And I think it’s my mission to find out if you are psychic or not." With a simple hint of humor, Jean smiled and continued to look at the blond-hair boy.

[luna]

A burst of laughter escaped him as he watched as Jean tried to stop the water from hitting her. but what he wasn't expecting was the mini tsunami she created inside of the pool. With a yelp he tried to escape the wave but no luck. The wave caught him from behind and pushed him right out of the pool on the opposite side of Jean. "Hey that's not fair I don't have telekinesis," he laughed. Thankfully his tower had bean on the side of jean and would be dry.

"Ok I guess I'll tell yea since you did play my game. I have Psychic powers and they are pretty strong. but i don't like to use them to often.....they cause me pain and sometimes make me pass out when I use them."

[phoenix]

Jean looked down as her mini tidal wave had taken him right out of the pool. She would have offered to help him stand, but after his first warning and hearing his explanation about his main ability, she tried meekly to apologize for her actions but a playful smile interfered with her façade of apologizing. But she was glad that no harm came to him. “But you never said what your rules were to the game,” Jean replied innocently, when Crossfire said he did not have telekinesis’.

“So my theory was right all along, you do have psychic ability.” Jean reacted when he revealed why he could not touch anyone. “Can I ask what abilities you can do?” The woman could not understand the trials Crossfire had to go through just to be accepted since he could not even touch someone, let alone unable to have human contact. Of course Jean feels the exact way, but at least when it comes to the truth, she will always be able to touch people she cares about. “You can refuse to answer that, but I might have to bring that tsunami back if you don’t,” Jean attempted to joke almost for the first time since she came here, but only came out as a half-witted threat.

[luna]

Walking around the pool he grabbed his towel and began to dry himself off. He liked Jean he could tell she wasn't used to laughing and liked being able to make her life. "Your right i did not tell you the rules. but rules are what makes things boring." He wrapped the towel around himself and smiled. "By the sound of you voice you don't laugh or smile often which need to be changed my friend. Life with out laughter is no life at all." He grew serious as he said that remembering the times before he came to this school. He had bean allot like her. Never laughing or smiling. But when he learned he wasn't alone and could learn to control his powers he remembered how to laugh and smile and never wanted to forget how to again.


"Nah i don't mind telling yea. I can read peoples minds and feelings and I always tend to sense a persons presence before i ever hear them coming. I can control people if I want to but like I said. My psychic abilities are strong but they weaken me pretty bad. Than there is my other power. The power of absorption, I can absorb the powers, energy and memory's of human or mutant. And if our skin touches to long i can kill them. I think I would give anything to be normal again. Both my powers are a burden." He let out a heavy sigh than shook it off. "But hey I have friends and people who understand me and can take my jokes and pranks what more can I ask for huh?"

[phoenix]

Jean listened to what Crossfire had to say, and some of the things he said were true. Honestly, she was not use to laughing or having fun. Period. She was confused about the times she should have fun and the times she should be serious. It wasn’t as if someone wrote a guide how to live life as an amnesiac and still be happy with missing memories. “I suppose for someone who doesn’t enjoy using their power, you have good eye for detail.” Jean remarked, after Crossfire told her something she never realized about herself.

“Yes, you are very fortunate to have friend that enjoy your company no matter of your abilities or not.” Jean felt almost envious that while her closest relationship with the Professor was like that of a father and daughter, there are not many daughters who would say their father is their best friend. Of course, she has made a few acquaintances, but none such as Crossfire described as just relaxing and having fun. Perhaps it might just against her nature.

“I don’t think you should wish to be normal, there isn’t anything wrong with you.” Jean replied sympathetically, knowing it was sort of easy for her to say that. “Like you say, friends are important and it’s who you are inside, not what you can or can’t do.” Much as cliché it may sound, she believed those words to be true. “And maybe that is why you are here, to control so that someday you can touch someone without the ill effects.”

[luna]

Crossfire sat down and dangled his feet in the pool. Slowly kicking his feet back and forth. The pool was the only place safe for him. And most of the students and X-men knew not to join him in the pool for fear of brushing against his skin. If only he could find away to better control his Absorption powers so he could touch people. Maybe someday if he was luck. "With out laughter and fun what else is left? Just sadness and sometimes anger. And that is no way to live Jean."

"Don't I know it. Just the other day I met a new student. His name was Justen and he was mute. He can't talk but he can use sign language and cards for people who don't know sign language. He's a good kid. But he doesn't seem to look on the down side of not being able to talk. He always seems to be in a good mood. And if anyone deserves to be depressed or sad it's him. But what does that show you?" Crossfire stood back up and smiled, "Enough of this serious crap, I hate being serious it's a major downer," he laughed and robbed the back of his head.

"I know your right but what mutant doesn't wish that once in a while. Oh well I'm happy here and that's all that matters."

[phoenix]

Crossfire might actually be on something important, something that Jean never gave much thought to. She summoned the chair once more behind her, as she thought about what the boy had said. True, life was never going to be fun if you didn’t laugh now and again. But in Jean’s analytical brain, she figured to have fun you must allow people to become close and open yourself up. But as a doctor and once a teacher, she understood how hard it was to reveal your true nature once you shut of your heart. Jean was a fine example, such as Crossfire was, because she did not want to harm anyone she did care about, she closed off her heart from feeling such emotions.

Jean listened about his meeting with another student named Justin, which Jean would not meet until a different time. “It is a shame that he cannot speak, but I agree with what you say. Most of us have much to be thankful of, so why waste precious time simply being afraid all the time.” Jean politely laughed when Crossfire expressed his dislike to be serious so as a little reminder of her small victory, she levitated some water out of the pool to form a sphere in midair.

“I am glad you are happy here, like I am. The Xavier Institute is a wonderful way to express our creativity.” To a side rarely seen from Jean, she began to mold the sphere into different shapes and playfully bounced it across the pool in Crossfire’s direction as Jean quietly moved away. “Now it would be a shame to let you go dry, considering how much the water seems to love you.”

[luna]

Crossfire listened to her and nodded in agreement. But what he hadn't expected was her to use her psychic powers to form a sphere out of water. He smiled watching as it's shape changed constantly. Never going into the same shape. "Hey not bad maybe someday I'll be able to use my powers without it causing me pain. What mutant wouldn't be happy here. We have friends here. And this is the one place we can feel like where normal and not freaks. Were a family."



He watched begin to bounce it across the water towards him all the while changing it's shape every time it bounced. "Jean come on I just got dried, he laughed. Dropping his towel he raised his hands like he was about to catch the sphere and made a wall around him to keep him from getting wet. It was a bit of a strain keeping the wall up but that was normal. As long as it didn't give him a headache or make him feel like passing out he was fine.