"Then did she just grow more scales?"
"And gills on her neck."
"…"
"If it helps, she doesn't seem to need to live in the water."
"Gideon."
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
'Well… Mom didn't take it so badly,' Velariel thought as she listened to the conversation with her enhanced hearing from upstairs.
"I should be more careful; I'm going to give Mom a heart attack," she said nervously.
"By the way, Casandra," Gideon said in a more serious tone.
"Yes?" Casandra replied, a bit nervous at her brother's tone.
"There's a man named Charles Xavier. He specializes in mutants and has treated several of them over time. I heard he's opening a school for talented kids, but from his history and some rumors, I heard it's really a school for mutants."
"Are you saying…?"
"Are you suggesting we take Velariel to that school? Yes."
"I WON'T ALLOW IT! I WON'T LET THEM TAKE MY BABY!"
"Calm down; no one is going to take her. It's just… it's just that, sister… this isn't a life. The girl has never known anything beyond these four walls and the two of us. Her only view of the outside world is through the television."
"But… what if they hurt her?"
"Look, thanks to a friend, I have Charles's number. I'll tell him to come here; you know him, and you can decide if you want to send Velariel with him."
"…"
Gideon approaches his sister and places a hand on her shoulder.
"I understand that you don't want to do this… but I'm not asking you to do it for yourself, but for Velariel, so she can have a life outside these four walls, where she can make friends."
"sniffle Fine, I'll give it a chance."
Amid tears, the two siblings embraced while only a little girl lamented and cried.
…
Four days later, a classic black car stopped in front of a house on the outskirts of New York. A dark-haired woman with white hair and a bald man in a wheelchair, around forty years old, got out and approached the house. They rang the doorbell and were quickly greeted by a clearly nervous woman who was trying to hide it but was failing.
"Are you Mrs. Morgan?" asked the man in the wheelchair.
"…Yes, and I suppose you are Professor Xavier. Please come in."
The three entered the living room, where a man stood up upon seeing them.
"Doctor Xavier, it's an honor to meet you. I've always found your theories on the X-gene fascinating."
"The honor is all mine, Doctor Gideon."
They all took their seats, with the siblings sitting on the main sofa in the living room. The woman with white hair sat across from them, with the doctor beside her. None of the four spoke until Gideon did.
"So, Doctor, about your school—"
"Is it a safe place for my daughter?"
He was interrupted by his sister, which brought a small smile to the faces of the other couple.
"You don't have to worry, ma'am. I understand that you're concerned about your daughter, but I promise you, there is no safer place in the world for mutants than my school… at least until it opens," he said in a lower voice.
"By the way, that's something that confused me. Some places say it's not open yet, while others say there are already students. Which is true?"
"Technically, both. The school hasn't opened yet, but due to certain circumstances, there is already a small group of students. However, we will open next year."
"In August 2001?"
"Yes, that's correct. But given the… circumstances, we can accept your daughter right away; she will enter the first-grade course."
"I see…"
"By the way, I think it would be better if the little one were here, especially since she hasn't been eavesdropping since we arrived," said the professor with a smile.
"!...!"
"!...!"
"!...!"
"!...!"
"Velariel! What did I tell you about eavesdropping… wait, we've never had visitors, so I never talked to you about that…"
The brother silently looked at his sister and said, "I'll go get her."
In less than a minute, she was coming down the stairs again, and although she tried to hide, a small figure was clearly visible behind Gideon.
"…"
She was looking at the two strangers from behind her uncle.
"Sweetheart, stop staring and say hello, as I taught you."
With some hesitation, the little girl stepped out from behind her uncle, showing herself for the first time to people outside her family. The two people showed no signs of surprise on their faces, except for the fact that their eyes widened slightly.
"Hello… I'm Velariel, nice to meet you," she said, her greeting clearly rehearsed.
"Hello, little one. I'm Professor Charles Xavier."
"And I'm Ororo Munroe," the woman introduced herself, speaking for the first time since they arrived.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Velariel," said Professor Xavier with a warm smile. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Really?" Velariel asked, her big eyes reflecting surprise and curiosity. She still felt a bit shy, but there was something about the warmth in his voice that made her feel a little more at ease.
"Yes," Ororo continued, "Gideon and Casandra have told me how special you are. You have a very unique gift."
"Gift?" Velariel furrowed her brow, feeling a bit confused.
"Of course! All the children at my school have special abilities, just like you. It's a place where they can learn to control them and use them to help others," explained the professor, leaning slightly toward her.
"But… is it safe?" Velariel asked, looking at her mother and uncle with a mix of anxiety and hope.
"It's safer than here, I promise you," Gideon said, looking at her tenderly. "You're going to learn a lot and meet other kids like you."
"Other kids like me?" Velariel repeated, her interest growing. "Do they have scales and gills too?"
"Maybe not scales and gills, but they do have unique abilities," Ororo replied, smiling. "Some can fly, others can control fire or ice. Each one is different and special in their own way."
"I'd like to meet them," Velariel said, feeling a spark of excitement. The idea of not being the only one and having friends who understood her was comforting.
"…" Casandra remained silent as she watched her daughter, letting out a sigh that only she knew the meaning of.
After that, the conversation turned to Velariel's likes and more technical things.
"And, Doctor, one question… When can my daughter go to school?"
With a smile, the professor replied, "If she wants, right now."
…
A week later.
A family van could be seen parked at the entrance of what appeared to be an old mansion, from which three people emerged.
"Wow… it's big."
"Yes."
"Am I going to live here now?!"
With a sigh, her mother replied, "Yes, sweetheart… you will live here now."
At that moment, the doors opened, and a man in a wheelchair came out and said,
"Welcome to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."
(I hope you liked the chapter. Some of you may have found it boring, but it was necessary for the story. In the next chapter, the X-Men will appear. Let me know which characters you would like to see in the first lineup)