Chapter 1: The Boy

The alarm went off at 7:00. I looked over and swiped at the alarm clock. It went flying of my dresser and into the trash. Hmmm... Not quite what I wanted to do, but effective. You must be asking yourself how I did that. Well let me tell you a little about me. My name is Ethan Woolsey. I am 16, and I am a sophmore at Central Weschester High School. I'm not one of the really popular kids, that is my sister Emma. She is my twin sister, and also a cheerleader. So I guess any popularity I have is because she is my sister. Ya' know popularity by association. Emma is like me in some ways though, we are different than most people. We are mutants. I am a psyonic, and she is an elemental. Our parents know about our powersbecause they are mutants too. They said they always knew we would be too. But the thing that none of them know about me is that I am gay. I know they wouldn't care but they don't need to know. Time to get up. I focus on the alarm clock and it floated back onto the dresser. There that's better.

"Mom are you taking us to school today or can we take the car?" I asked mom telepathically.

"You guys can take the Beetle, I'm on my way out the door right now. But don't stay out too long, I need both of you here when I get home tonight."

"Mom! I have a date with Daryl tonight!"

That was Emma. I guess mom send the last thought to both of us.

"I'm sorry Emma, you'll have to reschedule. This is important."

"I want to leave at 7:45. So be ready." I said to Emma.

"Why so early?!"

"How about because I have the lisence, so we leave when I want to"

"Fine..."

"Thanks mom, we'll be home by 6:00."

"Your welcome. See you tonight."

I got out of bed and took a shower. Emma better be ready, I swear she takes forever. I stood in front of my mirror, damn I look good. Today a pair of low rise jeans, and tight black turtleneck sweater. Hopefully this will get him to look today. I suppose I should tell you what I look like. I'm 5'10", jet black hair, and bright green eyes. I weigh in at about 160. I get a good amount of attention from the girls but I'm just not interested, I play it off as being shy. Seven Forty-Five came and went, and lo and behold Emma wasn't ready.

"What the hell are you doing?! I wanted to leave like 10 minutes ago!"

"Well get your bitch ass in the car." I said as a reply as I walked out.

Emma got in the car and I turned on the stereo as we pulled out. So much for going to Starbucks before school. I headed to school.

"Who are you trying to impress today?" Emma asked me.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Well, you're no troll... but you never dress this good, and your hair is immaculate. Clearly you are trying to impress someone." she said plainly.

"Yea.... whatever Emma. Do you really have nothing better to think about than who I may be trying to impress. Besides I just decided to look good today."

She didn't reply. Instead we made our way to school to the senor parking lot. As I was walking to the 300 Block I sent her a message.

"If you get a ride with someone else let me know, otherwise I'll see you later."

"OK"

I made my way to my first class which actually didn't start for a few minutes but I didn't feel like looking for anyone to talk to. When I walked in I saw Kayla, my best friend. She is the only one who knows I am gay, she also knows I am a mutant.

"Will! Come here!" she yelled at me as I walked in.

"Hey Grace. What happened, you look like you just laid Brad Pitt?" I said to her.

"You forgot didn't you! You are such a bastard!"

"I didn't forget, Happy Birthday. Congratulations on making it 18 years."

"Awww, thanks babe. So what are we going to do tonight?"

"I can't do anything, the parental needs to talk to Emma and I. Still love me?"

"Yea, I still love ya'. Maybe tomorrow night then. Who are you trying to impress today?" she said after looking me over.

"Caleb." I replied plainly.

"I knew it! Want me to cast a love spell?" She looked as excited as a kid on christmas morning when she said that.

"NO." I replied very firmly, "If I wanted to get him easy I could and you know that. I want him to want me for me, not because you cast a love spell and not because I made him want me."

"I know that, I was just joking." she said as the final bell rang. "We better get our music."

"Done." she said as our music folders appeared next to our chairs.

"Good job, when did you pick up that spell?"

"Been working on it for a couple weeks. Just got it mastered." she said beaming.

At that moment our choir director stood up and started to run scales on us. That didn't give us much time to talk, sure we could have telepathically but doing that and singing at the same time can get kinda confusing. Mrs. Cunningham pulled Kayla, Myself, Staci and David to test for various solos. I know Kayla and I got it. We nailed every note, but the other two don't blend well with us so they prolly won't get it. Before I knew it class was over and the day had to go on.

"Hey bitch, walk me to my class." Kayla said with a grin.

"No can do, hooker. I have to go look good for someone that isn't a woman."

"Fine... good luck honey."

"Thanks, I'll need it."

We left class and walked as far as the Greek Theatre together, then went our seperate ways. There was no way Caleb couldn't notice me today. I walked by where I usually saw him but he wasn't there. Oh well, I'll find him later. Second period came and went and was completely uneventful. As was both third and forth period. Lunch came and there was still no sign of Caleb. I went to our normal lunch place, and waited for Kayla. She's running late again. As I sat waiting for her I saw a man, had to be in his mid 30s. He was wearing a trenchcoat and some other ragged clothes. Frankly he looked trashy. He looked around as tho he was sniffing someone out. I wondered if he may have been a feral mutant. I was so focused on him that I didn't hear Kayla walk up.

"Hey Will!"

I came out of my daze with a start, "Oh hey." I said as I watched the man. He looked right at me and started walking my way. I didn't like this one bit. I know I have seen him before...

"So what happened with Caleb?" Kayla said to me.

"Nothing... uh... lets go." I told her as the guy kept walking towards us. "Why?" she said as she started rummaging through her lunch bag.

"Now Kayla!" I said rather frantically as I pulled her to her feet telekinetically.

"Whats wro-..." she started to say but must have saw the feral guy coming at us, "I've seen that guy on TV, he was tearing stuff up. The news caster said he was an evil mutant.

"Ya and that is why I don't want to be here right now ok." I told her as we were running. I looked behind us and saw him chasing us. He was really fast, there was no way we would be able to outrun him. "Lets go to the teachers parking lot, and get away from everyone else." Kayla nodded. We were in the parking lot no more than 10 seconds, when he showed up.

"Your coming with me kid." he growled

"No way!" I said as I pushed him back telekinetically.

He growled again, this time a little louder. "So you are a psyonic... I hate psyonics. Birdie was one..."

I gave another push and he flew back about 10 feet. " A little help Kayla. I need to contact Emma."

"Not bad kid" the feral mutant growled at us.

Emma! Get to the car now! Don't ask questions just do it! I'm fighting a feral mutant right now, if he is after me then he'll probably come after you too!"

"On my way." Emma replied, I could tell she was scared but tried not to show it. I looked at Kayla and she was concentrating.

"Ignus Incente!" she yelled and the feral mutant burst into flames.

"AAARRRRRRGGGGGG!!!!!" he bellowed.

"Good lets go." Kayla and I ran towards the parking lot. As we got there we saw Emma running from the other side. I unlocked the car and Kayla jumped in the back and Emma the passanger seat.

"Is mom in her office?" I asked Emma.

"Ya she should be, lets go there. How did you guys get away from him?" Emma asked us.

"Kayla started him on fire. That'll keep him busy for a while."

"You are an elemental too?" Emma asked her.

"Uhh.. no actually I'm a witch, that was just a spell. It'll burn for a couple minutes before extinguishing itself, unless the mutant puts it out first."

"Oh... ok. I didn't know witches could be so powerful."

"I'm not that powerful, that was my most powerful spell and it took a bit out of me. Magick like that can be dangerous."

No one said much of anything on the way to moms office, we parked and ran in. "I need to see Dr.Woolsey right now." I told the desk clerk.

"I'm sorry she is in with a patient." she replied

"Look we are her kids and this is an emergency." Emma said to her rather frantically.

"Mom, we need you out in the lobby now, and you may want to cancel your appts for the rest of the day."

"Whats going on? Why aren't you at school?"

"We'll tell you when we are alone, Emma and Kayla are here with me."

"OK I'll be right out."

"It's ok we'll wait for her here." I told the secretary.

In less than 2 minutes mom had come out and told Diane (the secretary) to cancel the remainder of todays appointments.

"You three. Come with me. Diane when you are done cancelling appointments you can go home." she said.

We followed her into her office and sat down. "Now would someone like to explain to me what is going on?" she said

We all looked at each other and it was decided that I would tell her. I relayed the events at lunch including how Kayla set him on fire so we could get away.

"Kayla how long have you been practcing?" mom said to her.

"About a year. Year and a half maybe. Why?"

"Well, I'm not expert on magick, but I know that the magick you are capable doing so far is very advanced. Lately there has been talk of mutants called mystics. Essentially they are mutants capable of anything, as long as they have a focus point and a incantation. Do you need inantations for all your spells?"

"No I was able to summon our music books to us today with just a thought."

"I've never heard of another mystic, who didn't need an incantation. Kayla you are an extremely powerful mutant. What do you focus on when you cast?"

"My necklace." Kayla pulled out a necklace of a triquetra*.

"Hhhmm... now may be a good a time as any to talk to you two about what I wanted to talk to you about. I want to send you to a school for mutants. And after the events of today I am sure of it. The head of the school is also a mutant and will help you learn to control your powers better. It doesen't cost anything, it may be a good idea for Kayla to go too. Kayla does your family know about your powers?"

"No, they just think I am a confused kid."

"How do they feel about mutants?"

"Their opinions of them aren't high. If I am in fact a mutant, they aren't gonna handle it well."

"I can call Charles and see how he deals with things like th-"

"WAIT A MINUTE! What about what I think?! What about school? I don't want to go to some school, god knows where for mutants!" Emma screamed.

"Calm down, the school isn't far. Weschester. You aren't even leaving the county. You are going to go live at The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. You will still go to school at CWHS, but you will also have lessons with Charles on how to use your powers. We can still see each other, it's just I want you to be somewhere safe if someone ever came for you. The three of us would have a hell of a time fighting off a group of anything, OK."

she said to us. "But mom, what about you? We don't want you to have to stay at home by yourself." I said to her. "Actually, Charles offered me a position at the institute, I was a student of his once. I'll be the new doctor there. So it kinda requires that I am there at all times. Essentially the only changes that are gonna happen is that, we'll move, and you'll be required to devote time daily to training your powers."

"Well can we see it first?" Emma asked sounding kinda interested.

"Let me call Charles and see if he can entertain us tonight." she said as she picked up the phone and dialed a number.