Polaris

Thinking about it now, Scott really didn’t have to demonstrate his powers on a large scale. He’d gotten much better at controlling them and could have just burned a hole in the table or something. However, why pass on the chance to destroy Professor X’s second favorite tree though? He almost chuckled to himself as he guided her along to a spot he deemed good enough to show off.

“See that tree?” he pointed, “I’m going to cut off a branch from here.” Just as he was about to do it, he decided he’d yell out a warning just in case someone was on the other side of the tree. Scott closed his eyes and removed off his glasses, “One of the downsides… I can’t open my eyes without these glasses on.” It was meant as a throwaway comment, but it sounded a little more sad than he’d meant and he cringed. Maybe he should have worn his visor today instead, but it’s too late to think about that now.

Since he hadn’t moved, he was still facing the right way. Unfortunately, without his eyes to guide him, his aim was off and he ended up blowing a hole in the trunk of a different tree instead. Luckily, no one was over there. He put his glasses back on and opened his eyes, looked at Lorna, and started laughing managing to mutter out, “I missed.”

Lorna nodded as he pointed out the tree, eager to see what he would do. She didn’t bother to tell him that she knew there was no one on the other side of the tree--it was too difficult to explain this early--but it was sweet that he warned a hypothetical person anyway. Scott seemed sweet generally, really.

She didn’t feel sorry for him either, until he cringed and she realised that was probably really hard, not being able to take the glasses off. But surely, here of all places that was understood? 

He couldn’t speak for everyone else, but Scott wasn’t going to judge her based on her powers or her origin. The only thing that mattered was whether they posed a threat to the institute or not. Lorna seemed to only be here for the camaraderie, and Scott liked that about her. That and her passion for physics which he could now understand. It seemed like a gateway to learning more about her powers too.

“I mean… yeah we could.” He looked around and stood up when he saw an empty section near Hank’s ex-girlfriend’s garden. It was surrounded by large trees and right next to the man made lake. “Let’s go over there.” he stands up and holds his hand out to help her up.

The moment passed and it seemed Scott wasn’t going to bring up the similarities between Lorna’s powers and another mutant’s. Lorna didn’t have confirmation, but she was almost certain. Everything pointed to it being true, and she had no idea how to react. But at least she didn’t have to defend herself.

Watching the bracelets move, he thought at first that her powers were like Jean’s. Maybe Lorna was telekinetic, but when she says magnetic his brows furrow together for a moment. Scott wasn’t going to assume anything, so he keeps his thoughts to himself, “That’s definitely way cooler than equations.”

Scott was thankful she skipped over his childish language and nods, “Cool, cool. I’d show you mine, but it’s pretty destructive.”

Lorna saw how Scott reacted to her powers, and suddenly she wondered if this place was perhaps not going to be as welcoming as she’d hoped. But he said nothing, so neither did she. She didn’t know Erik Lehnsherr, though she had more than a couple questions for him if she ever did. “Yeah.”

Scott’s mouth fell open a little bit before a smile grew on his face. Sometimes he felt stupid, sometimes he saw things that weren’t there. She had basically invited him to try to convince her to change course, right? “Uh…yeah mutant genetics. It’s interesting knowing that only one gene can be the cause of so many different abilities.”

Physics tended to involve a lot of numbers and Scott wasn’t a huge fan of mathematics. Instead of trying to change her mind about her course path, he decided to ask, “So you know a little about why I like genetics, what’s your pull towards physics?” He was genuinely interested in why she wanted to go that route. “And… I mean if you’re doing entry level courses first like me, we could pick English or something together. We can be study buddies.” Immediately after he said it like that he wanted to slam his head on the table. It sounded so dumb out loud.

Lorna caught the way Scott’s mouth fell open in surprise, finding it kind of cute really. “True. I don’t get it myself but...” She shrugged. Truthfully, genetics wasn’t her strong point. “My high school didn’t do much on genes anyway,” she confessed. Not that she paid attention to the lesson when they did.

Scott didn’t used to be great at school. In high school, he definitely slacked off more than he should have. When he got here though, he’d found it was a lot easier to pay attention and get work done. That meant he got higher test scores on SATs and ACTs because, yes, he took both. However, grades were only half the battle and he didn’t have a direction in mind yet.

“Um… here at the institute I’m going to be taking general classes for now until I pick a major I guess. I’m kind of… leaning towards science too. Genetics mainly.” Scott chuckled thinking back to the first time he stepped into one of the Professor’s classes years ago, “Maybe it’s Professor X’s passion that drew me in.”

“Genetics? Like... mutant genetics?” Lorna didn’t really like the idea of being poked and prodded by scientists or doctors, but she had to admit that a mutant scientist studying mutants sounded a whole lot better than non-mutants doing it. “Yeah? I’ve heard he’s pretty into that. I think my old science teacher mentioned him in class when mutants came up.” Lorna had always been torn between wanting to know everything and just not showing up to class on the days they were meant to be learning about mutants, so she only vaguely remembered.

Scott rubbed his chin and thought about it. There was good an bad when it came to being here, he wasn’t going to pretend it was all sunshine and rainbows. Mutants being massed in one place tended to be a target, but there were people around to protect them. Him, for example, not that he was old enough and in control enough. “It’s hard, sometimes, but it’s better I think than being out there on your own.”

Smiling again, he nodded, “I agree, this place is important. That’s why I decided to stick around instead of going elsewhere. If you do decide to enroll in classes, maybe you’ll end up in some of mine.”

Lorna appreciated the honesty. People tried to bullshit a lot, but their lives were hard as mutants. Her life was hard. Pretending it was all rainbows wouldn’t change that. “Yeah,” she agreed quietly. “That’s what I thought. Why I came.” Searching for answers, searching for a place to belong. She didn’t want to be alone.

“Yeah, I hadn’t really noticed.” Scott thought about it, time really flew by since he arrived. He had a purpose and liked it here, and he knew there were so many more mutants out there that needed the help the institute provided. "Are you taking college courses? I was considering going elsewhere, but I realized I could do that online if I wanted.” Scott felt like it was necessary he be here for the Professor and everyone else, especially since Apocalypse attacked them.

“Must be nice here then. If you stayed.” That was promising at least for her. She’d only found out recently that a lot of what she knew to be true was a lie, and Lorna felt... unbalanced. She hoped this place would be good for her. “Uh, not yet, but I was thinking about it. I wanted to do a science degree. Just thought this would be more important. Didn’t even think about online really.” That would probably be easiest.

“I’ve been here since my powers manifested, about five years ago. I uh… told my brother and he brought me here almost immediately.” Scott felt lucky he didn’t have to go down the same difficult path Alex had been on. His brother protected him, even if Alex wasn’t always thanked for it, Scott needed to remember that. “It is pretty cool, everyone being in the open though. I wish it was like this everywhere. Did the Professor find you?”

***

“Five years. Wow.” A long time here then. “Your brother?” It made sense in a way that families would be here. Like any private school. Only this one could literally run in the family. Not everyone’s powers were the same as their families, but it was genetic nonetheless. “Yeah same. Wish it was safer for it to be like this.” She shook her head. “I found this place. He let me enroll.” Lorna wondered if the Professor knew who she was. Who her father was. He’d not mentioned it if he did.

Adjusting his glasses had become habit. Whenever he felt nervous or didn’t know what else to do with his hands, they’d rise to his glasses and double check the stability of the temples. “I’m Scott. I know you barely just got here, but how are you liking it so far?”

***

Lorna had been here a week. Not really enough to judge the place, but enough to feel like she could. “It’s different than what I’m used to,” she admitted. “I’m not used to mutants being so open... But I like it. Back home... Well, my aunt made me keep it a secret. As much as I could.” She fiddles with a lock of hair as proof. It had grown green since she was a toddler. A lot of hair dye had been used in her lifetime. “How long have you been here?”

“I don’t mean to bother you, and I’ll leave if you want me to.” After almost killing bullies in his old school because of his powers awakening, Scott was brought here by his brother. He knew how it felt to belong somewhere after that. Scott just wanted everyone else to feel the same way. He leaned back against his chair and shrugged, “I’m here to be a friend, uh… a classmate, or just someone to listen if you want to talk.”

***

Lorna shook her head. “No... You can stay.” She didn’t necessarily want him to leave, she was just surprised. She’d come here because she felt alone, like she didn’t have a place anywhere, and that she was unsafe. It was an adjustment, being here and not having to worry how people would react to her. “Thanks,” she said quietly, still not taking her eyes off him. “I’m Lorna.”

Lorna looked at the younger Summers brother with a surprised look. She expected a lot of things, but not this. Not an acknowledgement that he didn’t understand. Most people pretended they did. This was... new and it disarmed her in a way she didn’t expect. “Then what are you doing here?”

The smile that Pietro got for his comment was sardonic at best. “Thanks,” she replied. The infuriating thing was, she could see what he meant. People very rarely needed a reason to be awful, but Lorna wasn’t the kind to stand idly by and let people run their mouths. “I think I can handle it.”

“Is that right?” Lorna replied, eyeing up the other mutant. She’d not been around a lot of mutants for long, having grown up hiding what she was. Being here was... a change. “What makes you say that?”