The Way We Are

23

By the time the trio in the foyer had entered the private study room of Charles, he was spotted not so subtly topping up the glass in his hand. He looked at them curiously, he almost seemed tempted to toast the glass to them, but thought otherwise. He only thought otherwise because Hank seemed to suddenly frown his way, Lola crossed her arms and looked at him pointedly and Logan just looked displeased in general. Charles had overheard the introductions, it was easy to hear their voices in a rather quiet space. So the mystery guest now had a name, at least that was something.

Despite of his evident displeasure over having to discuss such a serious matter with a potentially drunk Charles, Logan explained what his future was like. How everything went wrong, and bad. His life had been turmoil anyway, always with ups and downs, perhaps more downs than ups at times; but at the turning point, life had been going smoothly for him, for them all. To suddenly be thrown into chaos like they all were, it took a lot out of them, and took a lot from them. Logan's uncanny ability to seemingly survive nearly any dangerous situation he was placed in, was perhaps really the only reason why he was still going. That much he knew for certain. The thought of possibly ending up as the last one standing didn't fill him with any confidence whatsoever.

Regardless, he explained the situation the future Charles found himself in, the future he left behind to come here in hopes of help. Charles was basically reclining back on a sofa near the large curtained windows. He sat in silence, quiet and contemplative looking and casually sipping his drink now and then, but he sat listening. How much he took in, Logan didn't actually know. Hank seemed to be between leaning against the large desk in the room, and trying to clean the space up. He was at least somewhat conscious of the fact the place was a tip, not exactly the best to entertain a guest. Lola sat with her legs tucked up in the chair which was beside the one Logan was in. She seemed to be the one who appeared the most attentive to his tale. He wasn't sure if that was entirely good or not, Logan didn't exactly know Lola, he didn't know what her mutation was; he was presuming she was a mutant, considering she was here, even though normal humans had been in the school in the future at times. His point, as harsh as it was, was that he was here for Charles, Hank was a bonus. Excuse him for not being wholly trusting.

"That sounds utterly horrible! I am so sorry, Logan. But it does. The whole thing sounds like something from a book, or a late night movie." Lola was the first to pipe up after he had finished, she looked troubled and saddened that he had been through so much. Logan sighed, she was one of those types, it seemed. It wasn't her pain to shoulder and carry, it was his, yet here she was taking it on.

"Though I agree with Lola, the thought of someone weaponising Raven's power is...well, what word would be apt?" Charles mused from his sofa, swilling the contents of the glass he looked at the liquid distantly. Horrific was an apt word, terrifying, just anything bad.

"She is unique," Hank seemed to come out with this statement before his mind actually caught up to what he said. He looked awkwardly at Lola, she smiled and shook her head. She had said a while ago something along the lines of someone having the ability to love more than one person. She didn't know the girl who Hank was apparently fancying in the past. She would not hold it against him, that would make her a hypocrite. Someone could move out from the realms of love and turn that to a friendship. If his friend was in trouble, she'd expect him to aid like he did with her. Even if she was a complete stranger in a way at the time.

Charles frowned a little at Hank's slip, he didn't want a possible jealous comment to come from Lola. Not that he'd expect the girl to, she was too laid back in a way at times. With a sigh and a slow sip of his glass, Charles nodded his head. "I agree, Hank. She is most definitely that." His sister was special, he had always thought she was. What sort of brother would he be if he didn't see the brilliance in his sibling? Though the thought of someone learning to weaponise her ability had his stomach turning, or that could just be the alcohol...