Meeting the Professor

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“Because you asked,”
Ashni was still stunned, but her agile mind was attempting to carve a new niche, a place filled with the thought that she mattered. In the coming years this one encounter would give her the mental fortitude to become a self assured woman, the confidence to leave her home and all she knew for the chance at something new.


 “While I was primarily concerned for your safety—a sudden disconnect through Cerebro is not always so gentle—you had already asked. I would have come anyway, simply because you asked.”

Again he reinforced the idea that she was important, that her wishes could and would effect a man of his stature. Her spine straightened as she could almost feel her self worth increasing with every second. She was worth having a man like Charles care about her wellbeing, and it was a heady drink. 


“This is what I do, my dear. I locate young mutants who are either in danger or likely to find themselves in danger and I go to them. I offer them a place where they can be safe, where they don’t have to hide their abilities and they don’t have to be afraid.”

"Where is this place? Why do you do it?" she asked curious, was he such an empathetic man that he was doing it out of the kindness of his heart? 

“Your opinions matter to me, Ashni,” He looked her in the eyes, seeing her possibly the first man that ever bothered to try. She was reeling punch drunk from the attention he was paying her. Saying over and over that SHE MATTERED. 


 “If you want me to go, I will. If want to come with Hank and I, you are most certainly welcome. If you would rather stay, I will not force you to come with us. I will honor your wishes, I assure you."


Ashni took a deep breath "You would, wouldn't you?" she asked slightly wondering, that core of her self burning brighter and hotter. She felt indestructible for the first time in her life, her soul had wings and she wanted to just...do silly irresponsible things! Of course she was a teenager and a teen age girl being told by a hansom man that she was important. She did the first silly thing she wanted, she leaned and bopped his nose with her finger. 

[x]

The girl’s head was swirling with the sudden implication that she mattered to anyone, that her thoughts and feelings had any bearing in the world. Hank fidgeted from the implications behind her stunned reaction, and Charles sent him a tendril of calm in order to help him keep his blue appearance under control.

“Where is this place? Why do you do it?”

“It’s a school for gifted youngsters, such as yourself, located in Westchester, New York,” he explained. “As for why...I remember very well what it was like to grow up without any guidance or assistance for my own abilities. I know that there are many out there who are as alone as I once was, and I want to change that.”

Despite the setbacks, it seemed he’d largely succeeded. His student body was growing, and the students who had already come to school were improving by leaps and bounds. Just the assurance that they weren’t alone, there were people who valued them and wanted to help them, was enough to encourage them to grow. They weren’t simply surviving, they were living.

“You would, wouldn’t you,” she asked, taking a deep breath. She then leaned forward and bopped his nose with her finger.

Charles blinked at the sudden intrusion of his personal space, before laughing a bit. It was more of comfort than it should have been, to see her do something so inherently childish in the wake of everything else she’d done in the brief time that he’d known her.

“Yes, I would,” he assured. “And even if you choose to stay here, you will always have a place at my school. If you ever need sanctuary, I will be more than willing to offer it to you.”

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When he explained what the school was, and why he founded it, she nodded, not a paladin, a..dreamer? was perhaps the better word for him, it reinforced her next action of boping his nose, when he laughed she laughed with him, yes it was a childish action, but it was also a free one. Made with out worry or thought, every small movement of her body had been throughly choreographed, the perfect combination of shy girl and confidant seductress. And one day when she met a man she deemed worthy she would ply those skills with her own will, but here and now, she danced to someone elses tune. 



“Yes, I would,” he assured. “And even if you choose to stay here, you will always have a place at my school. If you ever need sanctuary, I will be more than willing to offer it to you.”

Ashni thought long and hard even as she continued to laugh freely. She had not REAL reason to trust him beyond her instincts, and if he could read her mind, project himself in it...he could alter her thoughts. Ashni threw off the thought, if he was it was a moot point. So she had to assume she was thinking freely. 

"If I choose to stay? How do I...how do I ask for help later?" 

Its was not the best life, but her mother was here, everything she knew was here. 

[x]

“If I choose to stay? How do I...how do I ask for help later?”

From the sound of it, Ashni’s entire life was here. Her family, her friends, this was the only place she knew. Charles had had a feeling that she would likely decline to go with them this time; after all, he was a stranger to her, what reason did she have to actually trust him?

“I have a list of mutants who I keep an eye on, so to speak,” Charles offered. “Ones who aren’t in immediate danger but aren’t in the safest of spots, either. Some I speak with as quickly as I am able, first through Cerebro and then in person, if we can manage it. I will keep in regular contact with you, Ashni. Daily check-ups, if you will, just to ensure that you are in no immediate danger or to make arrangements if you change your mind.”

With Cerebro’s help, Charles’s reach was global. He could find her no matter where she was, and he could contact her as well. Though it would take them roughly sixteen hours to reach her, it was the quickest response system they had, as they’d yet to locate a teleporter.

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Ashni was leaning towards staying, partially because it was a choice, the realization that not only did she have a real say in her future but that a girl like her could be important? It gave her the strength to look at her life and decide to embrace it, no longer as a wilting flower waiting to be plucked but as a woman. 

When he described how he would stay in contact with her she worried her lip between her teeth. "Is there a middle ground?" she asked not really wanting him in her head every day, not with the things she would be doing. 

Ashni blushed, feeling very ungrateful suddenly, after all he had flown around the world at her request, shown her a new life and here she was spitting in his face! "I'm sorry...." She drew a hand threw her hair jewelry, oddly his very actions of proving to her that she had a voice made her less biddable then she had been trained to be. 


If I stay now...I can show the other girls another way too, take better control of our dynasty, maybe we are meant to be whores but perhaps we can protect and help each other. 

That was the real reason she wanted to stay now. 

[x]

“Is there a middle ground?” Ashni worried her lip, and Charles caught a burst of worry from her. Considering her...occupation, the idea of daily check-ins didn’t seem to sit all that well with her. “I’m sorry...”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, my dear,” Charles assured. “How often would you prefer I check in on you?”

He would still keep an eye on her through Cerebro, just as he did with every mutant whose situation was not too horribly dangerous. Too many mutants had already suffered and died because he had not been vigilant, as Erik had been so kind as to point out on their way to Paris. Charles immediately shoved the thought away. Erik still had too much sway over his emotions for Charles to think of him and not become just a bit petulant. He needed to work out a compromise with Ashni; he could be petulant on the flight back to New York.

Ashni’s mind was working through her reasons for staying—something Charles had both expected and couldn’t entirely understand—of what she could do for the other girls in the compound. ...maybe we are meant to be whores, but perhaps... No one was meant to be a whore; no one should ever have to feel as though they were meant to be a whore. And Ashni was such a sweet girl; she deserved a great deal better than such a life. But the choice was hers to make, and Charles could not—would not—force her away if she did not wish to go.

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Ashni had been trained to look for the smallest hint of displeasure on a man's face, and change her behavior accordingly, so when she caught a flash of..something in his eyes... Anger? Not exactly... unfortunately an hour conversation couldn't override a life time of harsh training immediately. That would come later as she truly processed everything that happened. 

Ashni's body curved towards his, she dropped a hand on his arm. "Don't be upset." her voice going husky. "Is there a way for me to contact you?" she smiled slightly hiding her confusion. I don't need to do this...he doesn't want this from me...right? Unless he is upset he will not be...watching? 

She recognized belatedly what she was doing, trying to curb his mood with her body. She was caught in mid movement, pressing herself against his arm, confusion bleeding through. 

[x]

The girl’s body curved towards him, her hand falling to his arm. Charles felt a bit off-put by it, considering the poor girl’s age and the fact that such reactions had been so ingrained into her that she did it all without realizing what she was doing. Time would give her the chance to overcome it, obviously, but time cared little for the here and now.

“Don’t be upset,” she said, her voice husky. That would certainly do it for others, Charles supposed, but he was too focused on her age, on her mutation, to react as she was accustomed. “Is there a way for me to contact you?”

Ashni suddenly seemed to realize what she was doing, pressed up against his arm. He could feel the confusion she was projecting, all the stronger for the physical contact. Charles made an effort to not catch onto her thoughts, endeavoring to give the girl a bit of privacy—something of which she seemed to rarely have the luxury.

“We can give you the telephone number for the school, if you’d like,” Charles offered, making no sudden move away from her.

Though, would a phone number be sufficient? Did she even have access to a telephone?

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Ashni sighed pulling back from him, "Yes, that will help." She could get a phone, or access to one if she had too. "I...Im really sorry I made you come out here. It was so far...and it was for nothing." she said upset. He had been truly kind to her and she was repaying him poorly. She wished there was another way she could show her appreciation, but her only trade he had rejected. 

She took his hand "Thank you." I think...I think I will be ok now. I will grow now. I know that there are people like you out there. "Thank you." she repeated. He had changed her life with just an hours worth of conversation. And she would not forget him, or the affect he had on her. 

[x]

“Yes, that will help,” she agreed, withdrawing with a sigh. “I...I’m really sorry I made you come out here. It was so far...and it was for nothing.”

“Not at all,” he insisted. “You’ve nothing to apologize for, Ashni. Our goal is to help others like us; so long as we’ve managed to help you, in however small a way it may seem, that makes the trip worth it.”

One day, she’d seek him out again. They most typically did; those Charles had contacted prior to the school’s initial shutdown but had decided to go their own way had sought him out after Erik’s televised promise of violence and violent retribution. Those who sought him out had made up their minds: Erik’s words had inspired them, even if they hadn’t done so in the way Erik had likely intended.

“Thank you,” Ashni said, taking his hand. I think...I think I will be ok now. I will grow now. I know that there are people like you out there. She repeated her thanks, and Charles could feel her gratitude.

“You’re sincerely welcome,” he replied. “You’re not alone, Ashni; there are so many more like us out there. And if you ever need to find us again, don’t hesitate to reach out. You’ll always be welcomed; I promise.”