New Students

Hi everyone! ^_^ before I begin, I want you to know that this has to do with X-MEN, and if you do not like them or would prefer not to read about it, you certainly do not have to read this. ^_^ Matt was originally designed for X-Men, as were Emily and Ben (in my fanfics, Ben is a good guy). And this is based off of X-Men EVOLUTION, a cartoon series where many of the mutants are actually highschoolers.

Ok, here goes nothing..






A New Student



Storm awoke to the sunshine
blissfully alighting on her windowsill.
She arose and got dressed for the day. As she made her way down the hall
towards the kitchen, she heard Xavier’s voice in her head. “Come quickly Ororo,
it seems we have found a new mutant that I think we should pay a visit to.”


Storm hurried to Xavier’s office. “Are you sure you want ME to come, Professor?” she
said as she walked over to him. “Yes,” he replied, “I have put some thought
into it, and it seems you should bond the most easily with this one.” And with
that he made his way towards the door. “What about Scott or Jean?” Storm asked.
“They have school to attend. Trust me Ororo, you will like this boy.”

Once they were in the X Jet and on their way to Kentucky,
Storm turned towards Xavier. “What do we know about this boy so far?” She
asked. “His name is Matthew Johnson, age
16. He has lived his entire life in the mountains, and seems to be very gifted.
From what I have seen he is able to manipulate the plant life around him. He
has a certain bond with nature, Ororo, just like you.” “Yes,” Ororo replied, “I see why you had me
come along. I do hope we can convince him to join us, though… It has been
awhile since I have come along on these sorts of missions.” “Do not worry,
Ororo, I am certain you will do excellent.” Xavier said with confidence.





As landed, Storm and Xavier approached the small cottage nestled into the
mountains. “It is beautiful here,” said Storm as she looked around, “I can see
how one such as him would feel at home here. I only hope our home can be as
welcoming.” As she turned back towards the cottage, she took a deep breath, and
walked up to the front door. After knocking, a middle aged man and his wife
answered the door. “May… I help you?” He asked nervously. “Do not worry, Mr.
Johnson, we are here to speak with you about your son Matthew’s unique ability.”




The couple looked at each other quickly, then the man sighed and let them in. “How did you know about Matthew’s… gift?” he asked as he offered a seat to Storm. “Do not
worry, Mr. Johnson,” replied Xavier, “we mean you no harm. We are here because
we wish to offer him a place in our institute for gifted individuals. We wish
to show him that he is not as alone as he thinks he is, and there are others
who understand what he is going through.” Before Mr. Johnson could reply, the
door flew open, and in walked a young man with light brown hair and blue eyes.
Upon seeing the professor and Storm, he smiled and walked over to them. “Hello!
I am sorry I was gone so long; I did not know we had company! Welcome!” The boy said as he extended his hand. Xavier
and Storm both shook his hand. “It is very nice to meet you, Matthew. I am Charles
Xavier; I was just speaking with your parents about your gifts.”





“Yes, honey,” said Mrs. Johnson, “This man wants to help you.” “That is very kind of
you!” replied Matthew as he smiled brightly. “Yes, we can help you learn to
control your gifts and use them for good.” said Xavier. “Well, that isn’t too
much of a problem for me, but I will gladly accept your offer!” said the boy
with a chuckle. This young man is an unusually
cheerful person, thought Xavier; I
suppose it is a bit refreshing.





“Oh! Where are my manners?” Said Matthew, “May I serve you
both anything? We have some tea, or perhaps you would like some coffee? I could
get you something from the garden if you would prefer; we have apples, oranges,
and strawberries.” “But it is the middle of autumn…aren’t those a little out of
season?” asked Storm, “You can make plants bear fruit regardless of nature?” “Of
course,” replied Matthew, “It just comes naturally!” and with that he laughed
brightly and stood up. “I can show you if you would like.”





“That would be excellent, Matthew.” Replied Xavier, and with that the group arose and
followed Matthew out to the garden. “He grew this entire garden himself.” Said his mother proudly as the group walked into a beautiful enclosure with lush flora of all sorts, some flowering, others bearing fruits. “It certainly is amazing…” said Xavier as he looked at not only the flora, but the many fauna, including butterflies, birds of all sorts, and
even some deer and foxes. As Matthew sat down on a stone bench, some butterflies came and perched on his shoulder. “He’s always had a way with animals” said Mr. Johnson as he noticed Xavier’s and Storm’s surprise. “So it seems…” replied Xavier, “I do believe he has some sort of ecological empathy, wouldn’t you agree, Ororo?” “It certainly seems that way, Professor.” She replied.

Storm and Xavier watched in awe as a tree branch extended downwards toward Matthew, and as he extended his hand to it, an apple grew from the branch, and fell right into his hand. “It’s fresh, and completely natural.” Said Matthew with a grin,
“So… what can you guys do?” “The professor is a powerful telepath, and as for
myself…” said Storm as she extended her arms to the air and clouds formed in
the blue sky. In a moment it was raining on the garden, and as the plants
absorbed the water, Matthew was greatly intrigued by Storm’s ability. “Are… are
there more like us?” asked Matthew. “Yes, back at the institute there are many
each with unique gifts, and with consent from your parents, we would be honored
to have you stay with us.”


Matthew turned to his parents with a pleading look in his eyes. “If it is what you
truly want, sweetie” replied his mother. “Yes”, said his father, “we only want
what’s best for you… and this institute of theirs seems like a wonderful
opportunity for you—a place where your true gifts can flourish.” “Oh thank
you!” exclaimed Matthew as he hugged both his parents. Xavier wasn’t sure if it
was his imagination, but it seemed that the moment Matthew’s parents had said
yes, the plants all around had grown flowers and were all blooming. Xavier
decided it would be best to keep an eye on Matthew to see just how far his
powers extended.










And so it begins…


“I can’t believe I have three tests
tomorrow!” complained Bobby. “That’s nothin’, I have a math test comin’ up, and
it’s with Ms. Fannin!” replied Sam as he kicked a pebble in frustration. “Ouch,
glad I’m not you two” laughed Scott as he walked past and opened the front door
of the institute. “Hey Bobby, are you gonna come play some basketball with us
later?” asked Sam. “Yeah, in a minute; I’m gonna go put my stuff away first.”
Replied Bobby as he began heading up the stairs. As Bobby opened the door to
his room, he was just about to toss his backpack onto his bed when he saw
Matthew standing right there. “AAH!” screamed Bobby as he jumped back in
surprise and launched some icicles at Matthew. “Whoa!” exclaimed Matthew,
jumping to the side to dodge the razor-sharp icicles. “Who are you???” cried
Bobby, angry and confused at this sudden intruder.





“Bobby, he is your new roommate” came the voice of Xavier. Bobby turned around to face the professor. “Why didn’t you warn me? I could’ve turned him into Swiss
cheese!” “I’m not so sure about that, Bobby,” replied the professor, “Matthew is quite the talented young man.” “Oh, I’m not all that great,” chuckled Matthew, “Besides, without nearby plants I can’t do anything. Oh! Which reminds me… could I bring some plants into the room to decorate it a bit?” “That will be fine, Matthew.” replied Xavier as he turned and went down the hallway.





“I am terribly sorry for surprising you, Bobby,” said Matthew, “I did not know you were
unaware of the new arrangement.” “Oh, that’s ok,” replied Bobby, “Anyway,
welcome to the institute! So, I guess your name is Matthew?” “That’s right,”
replied Matthew as he smiled cheerfully. “So, what do you do for fun, Matthew…
can I call you Matt?” “Yes,” Matthew replied, “and I enjoy painting, cooking,
gardening, stuff like that. Back home in Kentucky I didn’t have a lot of people around, so I would often relax in my garden.” “You’re from Kentucky?” replied Bobby, “Sam is
also from Kentucky! But… he has a strong accent, and you don’t seem to.” “Yes, well my parents are both from Pennsylvania, but as artists they moved to Kentucky for some new scenery and for ‘inspiration’” said Matt as he thought of his parents.



“That’s cool. I enjoy basketball, football, things like that.” Replied Bobby, “Come on,
I’ll introduce you to everyone else.” And with that Bobby led Matt down the
hall and back downstairs. As the two went outside, all the plants around Matt
began to blossom. “Your power?” Asked Bobby as he looked at the plants’
reactions. “Sort of” replied Matt with a chuckle. But before the two could go
find some of the students, they were called inside by Xavier to prepare for dinner.




“Hi!” said Jean as she saw the two come into the dining room, “I’m Jean Grey.”
“It’s very nice to meet you!” replied Matthew as he shook
her hand “I-” but before Matt could continue, he was interrupted by Kurt
appearing directly in front of him. Matt jumped back, surprised by the sudden
appearance. “How… how did you…?” “You must be the new guy!” Said Kurt
cheerfully, “It’s nice to meet you!”



“Likewise,” said Matt as he shook Kurt’s hand, “That is quite the power you have!” “Like
it?” asked Kurt, “It can sometimes cause some tiny problems, but it’s usually
very fun!” He then leapt into the air and vanished, reappearing behind Matt.
“Tada!” “Come on Kurt, knock it off.” Said Kitty as she walked through the wall
into the room, “That trick is really getting old…Oh!” exclaimed Kitty as she
saw Matt. “Hi! I’m Kitty. You must be the new guy.” “Yes,” said Matt, “I
suppose everyone knows about me now, right?” Matt laughed for a moment, and
then sighed. “So much to take in… it is a bit overwhelming.” “Do not worry,
Matthew” said Xavier as he entered the room, “You will adjust with time.”
“Thank you Professor,” replied Matt.





Soon dinner was ready, and everyone was sitting at the table and meeting Matt. It wasn’t long until the younger students wanted to see what he could do. After awhile Matt finally agreed to show them his ability. He walked over to the window and opened it. He reached his hand out, and the nearby tree extended its branches over to him. From the branch came a peach, and the students watched anxiously as Matt reached out and plucked it from the branch and put it on the table for them. “Do another!”
cheered Sam. Matt pondered for a moment, then decided on what to do. He walked
back over to the window and focused his power. From outside grew a big bunch of
roses. Suddenly, all the petals flew off from the roses, soaring into the
dining room. Gently each rose petal perched on the table, adorning the entire
table in pink and red.





“Oh great… he makes flowers…” sighed Wolverine, “but tomorrow we’re going to see if you have any useful talents.” “I think it’s charming” said Jean as she scooped some of the petals into her hand. “Yeah, he’s going to be a life saver on prom night” joked Spyke. Matt blushed, and tried to say something, but was interrupted by a sudden alarm that echoed through the building. “An intruder?” ask Storm. “It seems The Brotherhood has decided to pay us a visit, although for what reasons I do not know.” Replied Xavier. “I’ll handle them” said Wolverine as he stood up from his seat and began walking
towards the foyer. “That will not be necessary, Logan,” replied Xavier, “They do not seem to have hostile intentions… at least none that I can detect.”



“Who is the brotherhood?” asked Matt as he looked around at everyone’s faces. “They’re just a bunch of lame-brains who are never up to any good” Said Kitty as she stood from her seat. “What should we do with them, professor?” asked Scott. But before Xavier
could answer, the front door flew open. Before anyone could protest, Pietro appeared
before them and grabbed Matt. “Let’s go!” he yelled to Avalanche as he raced
into the car waiting outside. Avalanche floored the pedal, and the car sped
away.



“Oh no you don’t!” yelled Kurt as he leapt into the air and disappeared. Reappearing in the car, Kurt was about to grab the now tied-up Matt, but Blob grabbed him and threw him out of the car. Kurt slammed into the pavement, and watched the car speed away just before passing out.









A New Threat

Kurt awoke in his bed. It was daytime, and he felt like a train had run over his head. “What happened?” he asked as he felt the bandage that covered his forehead. Xavier approached from the side of the room. “It’s all right, Kurt, you are safe. You took quite a
hard hit on the road, but fortunately Kitty was able to get to you before any
oncoming traffic did.” “Where… where is Matt??” said Kurt, growing more and more anxious. “We lost him, but Logan is looking for him.”



Far away, Matt awoke chained up against a wall, alone in an empty warehouse. Frantically looking around, Matt noticed a small weed growing in the cracks in the concrete. As he focused his strength, the weed began growing larger and larger, until its roots were weaving around the area, and around his handcuffs. No matter how hard he tried, Matt could not manage to break the handcuffs. After some more thinking, Matt
tried again, this time focusing on the wall that held his handcuffs. As the
roots began cracking the cement wall, Matt could feel his handcuffs pulling
free from the wall.



“Just a little more!” thought Matt as he pulled. But right before he
managed to pull his chained hands away from the wall, the chain suddenly
tightened, and slammed back into the wall. “A commendable endeavor, child, but
it will take far more than a weed to escape from me.” Magneto’s words echoed
around the warehouse, and Matt was unsure from which direction they had come.



“Do not worry, for I have not gone
to such great lengths in bringing you here simply to eliminate you. Rather, I will
make use of your abilities.” said Magneto as he stepped out of the shadows
towards the far end of the Warehouse. “What do you want from me?” asked Matt as
he struggled with his chains. “Everything…” said Magneto as he approached Matt
with an odd red gem. “You will be the first of many.” And with that Magneto
lifted the gem, and it began to glow brightly. Matt could feel himself going
unconscious, and his arms and legs felt numb. “No!” he managed to scream, and
suddenly the ground before him tore open, and hundreds of vines shot up.





The vines entangled Magneto, and
smashed the wall that held Matt’s chains. Finding himself free from the wall,
Matt began to run towards a large door at the North end of the warehouse. He
had difficulty getting it open, but was soon outside. Though his hands were
still chained together, Matt ran until he had reached grass. The entire warehouse had been surrounded by
pavement, so Matt realized that Magneto must have already been well aware of
his ability.





Matt still felt weak from the
exposure to that odd gem, and as he ran he felt himself growing still weaker.
Finally he collapsed next to an old oak tree, and as he went unconscious he
felt the branches of the tree gently cradle him and hide him from view.





An hour later the X-Jet arrived,
and Jean, Scott, Wolverine, and Xavier all exited it and began searching for
Matt. “Are you sure you tracked him here,
professor?” asked Scott as he looked around. “Yeah, Charles, I can’t smell him
anywhere.” added Wolverine as he looked around. Xavier thought for a moment, and
then looked at Wolverine. “Logan,
forget about his scent; do you smell any flowers?”





Wolverine sniffed the air, and then
suddenly looked eastward. “Over there!” he said, pointing towards a patch of flowering
trees in the distance. As the group approached it, they saw it was not just a
group of trees, but an entire garden. Flowers had grown up all around the area,
and a couple butterflies flew past, perching on one of the oak trees. “There”
said Xavier as he pointed to the oak tree. Jean flew up and looked around the
tree, but couldn’t see anything. “Are you sure, Professor?” she asked as she
landed beside him.





Xavier approached the tree, and
placed his hand on its bark. Suddenly he pulled his hand back in surprise. “He
is here all right” he said, and put his hand to his forehead. “But… how?” asked
Scott as he looked at the tree in confusion. “I’m not sure,” replied Xavier,
“but it seems the tree has grown up around him, encasing him inside in some
sort of suspended animation.”





After a couple minutes of planning,
the professor attempted contacting Matt telepathically. After a few failed
attempts, Xavier managed to connect with Matt. He had great difficulty staying
with Matt, but kept trying. “Is it safe…?” echoed from Matt’s mind into Xavier’s.
“Yes, Matthew, you can come out, we are here to help you.” replied the
professor.





After a minute the tree began to
undergo a change. From the trunk it split apart, and grew wider and wider,
until Matt emerged from within. Though Matt was still unconscious, branches
gently lifted him out and set him in front of the professor. Slowly the tree
went back to its normal shape, and closed together.





Slowly Matt
regained consciousness. “Where… am I?” he asked as he looked around. No matter
how hard he tried, he could not seem to remember anything that had happened
recently. Wolverine broke the chains that bound Matt’s arms. “Do not worry,
Matthew, you are safe now. Perhaps we should check to make sure you are all
right.” said Xavier as he put his hand on Matt’s forehead. “No!” yelled Matt as
he quickly pushed Xavier’s hand back. “I mean…” he continued, “I’m fine,
professor… I just need a little rest, that’s all. Thank you for your concern,
though.”





“As you
wish, Matthew” replied Xavier. Scott and Wolverine helped lift Matt to his
feet. Matt tried to take a step forward, but began to fall. Wolverine grabbed
him, and helped him back up. “Lean on me, kid” he said as he put Matt’s arm
over his shoulder. Slowly but surely the group made their way back to the X
Jet, and before long they were on their way to the institute.












Breakfast at the Institute





As Kitty awoke, she stretched, then
phased through the bed sheets to stand. It was a rainy day, and she slowly made
her way to her dresser, where she picked up her hairbrush and began her morning
routine. Once she was dressed and ready for breakfast, Kitty slipped out of the
bedroom without waking Rogue, and began walking down the hallway towards the
kitchen. “I hope Kurt hasn’t hogged all
the bacon again” she thought as she approached the kitchen doorway. She
phased through the door, and was surprised to see Matt standing alone in the
kitchen, preparing breakfast.





“You cook?” she asked as she
glanced at the various foods that Matt was preparing. “It relaxes me,” he
replied, “and I enjoy the quiet”. As Matt spoke, Kitty noticed the window was
open, and the plants outside had grown extremely large. Matt reached out the
window, plucking a couple oranges off a tree. He then continued over to a
juicer, and prepared some fresh orange juice into a pitcher. After doing this, Matt noticed that Kitty was
still staring. “Would you… like to help?” he asked, and then smiled. Realizing
that she had been staring, Kitty felt herself blush a bit. “I’m sorry,” she
said, “I’ve been told I’m not exactly the best cook… It’s cool that you can do
that stuff, I just would never have imagined someone COULD do that stuff… you
know, with plants and all.”





Matt blushed slightly. “Well, I
suppose I’m not what you would call average… but I really am a normal teenager
like any other.” “Oh!” replied Kitty, “That’s not what I meant, I mean… you ARE
normal, I just, I dunno… you’re just different.” Kitty was frustrated with her
lack of words, but Matt just smiled. “Different is good, isn’t it?” He said,
“Kurt is different, and he seems like a wonderful person”. “Oh yes!” replied
Kitty, thankful for a change of topic. “He is great. He can sometimes be annoying, but he’s really
just a big lovable fuzzball.” “Lovable?” asked Matt as he turned from his
cutting board and looked at Kitty in the eyes. “Yeah… I mean, you know… like a
friend, of course.” stammered Kitty. “Of
course,” replied Matt, “I think I understand completely.” And with that he
smiled brightly, and then turned back to slicing apples.





After most of the breakfast had
been prepared, Matt turned his attention to the table. “Hey Kitty, do you know
if you could get me a vase?” he asked as he walked towards the window. “Sure,
just a second.” she replied as she got up from her seat and walked over to a
cupboard and pulled out a bright blue vase. When she turned around, she saw
Matt was standing by the table again, this time holding a large bouquet of sunflowers.
Kitty filled the vase with water, and Matt put the flowers in it to decorate
the table. “There, that’s a little more cheerful, especially on this rainy day;
don’t you think?” he asked as he stepped back from the table, examining it.
“Totally” she replied.





Before long Scott, Jean, Rogue, and
Evan came into the kitchen, and were surprised when they saw the table
completely set. “Welcome!” said Matt as he made his way towards the group.
“Come, have a seat! There is plenty for everyone” he said with a smile. Though
the meal had some various meats, the majority of it was of fresh fruits and
vegetables. There was bacon, eggs, and sausage, as well as fresh pineapple, mixed
vegetables, fruit smoothies, fruit salad, apple crumble, and fresh bread.





“How long did it take you to make
all this?” Jean asked in amazement. “Oh, I like to get up really early” replied
Matt with a chuckle. Soon Logan,
Xavier, and Storm entered the kitchen. “I thought something smelled good” Storm
said as she looked at all the food that had been set out for everyone. After a
while, the rest of the students all came to breakfast. As everyone was sitting around the table, the
topic began changing towards the exercise that Logan had planned for all the students. “Hey
flower boy,” Logan
said, pointing to Matt, “You’re gonna be first one up. There’s gotta be
SOMETHING useful about your powers.” “Of course, Mr. Logan” replied Matt,
feeling a bit embarrassed.





“First thing’s first,” began
Xavier, “Matthew, you will begin attending school here with the other students.
I am sure Scott or Jean can help you find all your classes easily enough. But
remember, Matthew, the world is not ready to know about us, be sure you do not
use your abilities outside of the institute.” “All right, Professor,” replied
Matt, “I will try my best, but like I said, most of my abilities come
naturally, I don’t really know how to turn them on or off.” Xavier smiled,
“That is precisely why you are here, Matthew. We will teach you how to have control over it, and how to use it for
good.” “Thank you, Professor.” replied Matt with a smile.





Encouraged by the professor’s
words, and excited to be starting out in a new environment, Matt looked forward
to school. “Hey Matt,” began Bobby, “How did you get out here in the first
place? I’m a pretty light sleeper, after all.” Matt laughed cheerfully. “It’s
amazing how quiet footsteps can be when you’re stepping on lily pads.” “In our bedroom? How??” asked Bobby, confused
by how water plants could grow in their room on the 2^nd floor. “I will have to show you sometime!” replied
Matt with a grin.





The students were all about to
leave for school when Matt was stopped by Xavier. “Matthew, if you could meet
with me for just a moment, I still have some questions concerning yesterday’s
incident.” Matt nodded, and followed the professor into the study. “Professor,
I thought we already went over everything I knew about it. The man you said is
named Magneto had a glowing red gem, and kept going on about something… I can’t
seem to remember what.” Xavier sat quietly for a moment, thinking. “Matthew,
why won’t you let me in your head? I could help you remember, but only if you
will let me.”





Matt nervously looked around the
room, then at Xavier. “It really isn’t necessary, Professor. Thank you very
much for the offer, but I am all right.” “Matthew…” replied Xavier, “I know
there is much troubling you. Please, you can trust me.”





Matt sighed, and then looked down. “I
just… have a hard time… you know, with my abilities. I’ve always hated myself
for them, and I always wonder what it would be like not having to worry about
these problems.” Xavier looked Matt in the eyes. “You are a gifted individual,
Matthew, not a monster. You have wonderful talents, and I am not just speaking
about your abilities.” “It’s no use,” replied Matt, “I’ve always hated who I
am. I’ve struggled with depression since I was little, but I’ve never told
anyone… not even my parents.” “It is all right, I understand,” said Xavier,
“What do you think triggers your depression?”





Matt thought for a moment. “I have
always wanted to please everyone, and I’ve changed myself so much to fit in
that it can get to be a bit too stressful.” “Changed?” asked Xavier. “Yeah. I
always make sure I’m smiling as much as possible, and I try as hard as possible
to be outgoing and friendly. I try my best to converse with others, but so often
I feel like no one can relate… that is, until I moved here.” Matt wiped the
tears from his eyes, and forced himself to smile. Though Matt smiled, the
plants nearby were still wilted. “I understand, Matthew,” replied Xavier, “and
we can relate to you, trust me. Perhaps you and Rogue should speak sometime;
she should have a fair bit to say about how abilities can interfere with social
life.” “Thanks, Professor” said Matt as he stood from his seat, “I guess I
should get going, Scott offered to give me a ride, and I don’t want to make him
wait.”





“Remember, Matthew,” added Xavier,
“We are here as your friends, and we do care about your well being. If you have
any problems or concerns, you are always welcome to speak with me, all right?”
Matthew nodded and smiled, and as Matt ran out of the room, Xavier noticed the
plants were flowering again. He smiled to himself, and then went back to his
previous work. Outside, the skies had cleared up and the sun was shining.
Scott, Jean, Kitty, and Kurt were all waiting for Matt, and were beginning to
grow impatient. “What’s taking him so long?” Scott asked aloud. “I’m sure he’s
coming,” added Kitty, “he wouldn’t make us wait on purpose.” In a moment Matt
was outside, running to them. “Sorry I’m late!” he said as he got in the car,
“the Professor and I were just discussing some things.”





The car sped off, and as they were
on their way to the school, Matt noticed an elderly lady in her front yard,
trying to water her wilting plants. Matt waved to her, and as she waved back,
her garden began to grow and flourish. “Careful, Matt,” said Scott, “we don’t
want to blow our cover. Remember; try your best not to use your abilities
outside of the institute.” “Sorry, Scott”, apologized Matt as he looked down. “Well,
it was nice of you anyway,” added Jean, “Just be a bit more careful in the
future.” “I will.” Matt replied cheerfully.










First Day of Class





As the group pulled up in front of
the school, Jean turned to Matt. “I’ll help you find your way around the school
today, if you want.” She said with a smile. “That would be great!” Matt
replied, “Thank you very much.” Soon the group was inside, and Matt tried as
hard as he could not to affect any plants. As they walked along, Jean pointed
to a nearby classroom. “That’s your first class of the day; biology with Mrs. Hamilton.
She can be a bit strict, but can be very nice when you get to know her.” Matt
thanked Jean, and went into the classroom. “Ah, here is our new student now,”
said Mrs. Hamilton as she turned to Matt, “Welcome, Matthew, please take a
seat. There is an empty desk over there” and with that she pointed to a desk on
the far side of the room next to the windows.
Matt smiled and thanked her, and made his way over to the desk.





As he sat down, Lance leaned
towards Matt. “Better watch yourself, or we just might have to send you back to
Magneto.” he whispered into Matt’s ear. Matt glared at him for a moment, and
Lance noticed some thickets growing suddenly outside the window. “Watch it,” he
teased, “Or your idiot of a professor might have to scold you for using your
powers in public” and with that he laughed and reclined back in his seat.





Matt hated to admit it, but he knew
Lance was right. He took a deep breath, and slowly the thickets outside went
back down. Lance just laughed and picked up his book. “Ready, class?” began
Mrs. Hamilton as she walked up to stand in front of her desk. “As you see, we
will be having a new student, Matthew Johnson, with us for the rest of the
school year. Matthew, we have been studying the various types of simple fruits,
are you familiar with this?” Matt perked up, and smiled. “Yes, Mrs. Hamilton, I
am.” Mrs. Hamilton nodded in approval. “Would you care to give a short summary
of each type?” she asked, motioning for him to stand next to her.





“All right” said Matt as he stood
up and made his way to the front of the room. He began giving summaries on
Berries and Drupes when he was interrupted by a couple sparrows flying in
through the open window. “Oh!” exclaimed Mrs. Hamilton as she tried to shoo
them outside, but more and more birds flew in, until the whole classroom was
filled with chirping birds and flapping wings. Feathers polluted the air, and
Mrs. Hamilton screamed and fell to the ground in fear as a robin flew into her
hair. Matt was surprised, but quickly rushed over to the window. After opening
the windows wider, Matt tried herding them back outside. Just as quickly as
they had come in, the birds flew out the window and into the sky.





“Are you all right, Mrs. Hamilton?”
Matt asked as he helped her stand up. “I…I think so,” she replied, “thank you,
Matthew.” And as she brushed herself off, Matt walked back over to the windows
and closed them all, fearful the birds might return. As they resumed class,
Matt wondered what else could go wrong that day. Unfortunately it wasn’t long
before he found out. First the school garden was reported as growing massive, then
the frogs in the science lab went ballistic and shattered their container,
spreading everywhere.





After
school was finally over, Matt, Jean, Scott, Kurt, and Kitty all piled into
Scott’s car. Before Scott turned on the engine, he turned to Matt. “What in the
world were you thinking?” he asked in frustration, “Were you TRYING to reveal
yourself? It’s stunts like these that will ruin everything for us.” Matt
blushed from embarrassment, and looked away. “I’m sorry…” he said, and a tear
quietly slid down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away before anyone saw. Scott
started the engine and began driving back to the Institute. As they drove along, Kitty noticed that all
the plants they passed seemed to turn brown and wilt. “Are you ok, Matt?” she
whispered to him. Matt was startled by her voice, but turned and smiled at her.
“Of course,” he replied, “I’m totally fine. I’m sorry about ruining everything
today… I knew I wasn’t ready for something like this.” “Don’t worry about it,”
Kitty said with a wink, “Mrs. Hamilton needed a bit of fun in her life.” And
she laughed as she imagined Mrs. Hamilton’s face during the incident. Oh how
Kitty wished she had been there to see it.





Once they
arrived at the institute, everyone stepped out of the car. “If you all will
excuse me for a moment, I just have something I need to check quickly” said
Matt with a smile. He then walked to the small grove of trees near the gazebo.
Once he was out of sight from the institute, Matt sat down next to a tree, and
slowly some bushes grew up around him. Without having to worry about anyone
hearing him or seeing him, Matt finally broke down sobbing.





In the
foyer of the institute, Jean glared at Scott. “What?” he asked as he saw her.
“You know what,” she replied, “You were too hard on him.” “But he’s gotta learn
that there ARE consequences for these sorts of things.” said Scott with a huff.
Jean stepped closer to Scott and looked him squarely in the eyes. “Do you
really think that is your decision to make?” she asked in frustration. Scott
sighed and looked down, rubbing his forehead. “I suppose I should go apologize,
huh?” He asked, looking back up at her. “You think?” she replied sarcastically,
then went upstairs.





Scott
walked outside and looked around for Matt. The sky had grown cloudy again,
making the nearby grove dark. Upon walking near the gazebo, Scott thought he
heard someone in the grove. He followed the sound, and was surprised to see
Matt sobbing. He took a deep breath, and then decided to go over to him.
“Matt…?” Scott asked quietly, “I’m sorry I snapped at you, I just-” but Matt,
being greatly startled by Scott’s arrival, interrupted him. “It’s ok, Scott,
it’s my fault. I’m just not cut out to be one of you guys, I suppose.” And with
that he stood and quickly wiped the tears from his eyes. “That’s not true,”
began Scott, but once again Matt interrupted him. “No, no, it’s all right,
Scott. I just need to accept the fact. I really am sorry for making everything
so hard for you all… I just wanted to fit in.” and with that Matt smiled, and
shook Scott’s hand. “Thank you for the opportunity, though. It’s great to know
I’m not alone in the world.” Scott was unsure what to do or say, and was rather
surprised by Matt’s sudden change of mood. With each thing Matt said, Scott
felt guiltier for scolding him.





“Matt,
listen to me,” said Scott as he looked Matt in the eyes, “I don’t want you to
leave the institute. I’m sorry I was so strict earlier; I know it isn’t your
fault.” Matt smiled and nodded. “Thank you, but it’s ok… really!” and with that
he laughed brightly. Scott was still confused by the sudden change of mood.
“Matt…” he began, “You don’t have to hide yourself from everyone. Please, be
honest.”





Matt was
quiet for a moment, and then sat back down. He looked down, and slowly tears
slid down his face. “I guess I’m just stressed a lot…” he said quietly, “I want
to make everyone proud of me, and I want to make people happy. I… I wish I
could be like you, Scott. I mean, you have everything together, and you never
make mistakes.” Scott sat down next to
Matt and sighed. “Matt, I’m far from perfect,” he said, “I’ve just learned to
accept my mistakes and work to prevent them in the future.” He looked at Matt,
and then down at a small flower that had begun growing. “Your gift is amazing,
really… I’m sure you will improve, and we will always be there to help you.”





“Thanks
Scott…” said Matt as he tried to smile, “I just wish I could impress everyone…
and impress you.” “Me?” asked Scott. “Yeah, you know… I look up to you. You
always seem to have everything under control, and I want to be like you.” “I’m
flattered,” replied Scott, “but you don’t need to do anything to gain our
respect. We already think you’re a great person.” “Thanks Scott,” replied Matt
with a smile, “I promise I’ll improve.” Scott smiled, and then looked back
towards the institute. “Well, I guess we better head back,” he said, “Are you
ready?” Matt smiled and nodded.





Scott and
Matt stood up, and began making their way back to the institute. “Remember,”
warned Scott, “Logan
still wants you to do the exercise he has planned for today. It’s best not to
keep him waiting.” Matt perked up. “You’re right!” and with that he took off
running ahead to meet up with the rest of the students. “Thanks again, Scott!”
he yelled back right before going into the building.





As he ran
into the kitchen, Matt saw Logan
reading a newspaper. “So… you’re finally here?” he asked as he looked up from
the paper. “I’m sorry I’m late, Mr. Logan.” Matt replied, feeling a bit nervous
about what might happen. “Well, I guess we better gather the rest of the
students” said Logan
as he put down the paper.










Thorn





After
everyone had been gathered, Logan
led them out back to prepare for the training exercise. “Hey flower boy,” he
called out to Matt, “I guess we better give you some sort of name before we
start. Let’s see… we’ll call you Thorn.” “Hey!” Spyke interrupted, “Isn’t that
just a bit too close to MY name?” “You’re right, Spyke,” Matt said
apologetically, “Perhaps we should choose something different.” But Logan remained unmoved.
“Your name is gonna be Thorn, and you’re gonna like it.” he growled. “Now, come
over here and listen up. Your objective is to defend the target from any
attacks, can you do that much?” Logan
said as he pointed to a dummy that was perched in the middle of the field.
“I’ll try my best, Mr. Logan.” Matt replied as he walked over to the dummy and
prepared himself.





Suddenly
five turrets popped up around Matt, and were just about to fire razor disks at
the dummy. Matt quickly raised his arms, and trees grew up around the dummy.
Though the razor disks penetrated the trees, they did not break through. Matt
then extended one arm out towards a turret, and made a fist. Instantly vines
came up, entangling the turret and crushing it.
One of the turrets fired at Matt, and as he crossed his arms in front of
his himself to defend against it, one of the trees extended its branches to
block the attack. Matt then swatted his hand in the direction of the turret,
and a tree swung its branch at the turret, smashing the top of it off.





“Not too
shabby…” mumbled Logan
as he observed, and the rest of the students watched anxiously as Matt defended
the target with vines and trees. Before too long Matt had defeated the 5
turrets, and was standing out of breath. “Ok, time for round two!” yelled out Logan, and he turned and
pointed to Sam. “You get out there and try to hit the target.” “Uh… yes sir.”
Replied Sam, and in a flash he rocketed towards the clump of trees that hid the
target. Matt gasped in surprise, and then clenched his fists. His eyes lit up
green, and as he lifted his arms up towards the fast-approaching Sam, vines
shot out of the ground towards him. Sam managed to smash through most of the
vines, but a couple caught on his legs, holding him back like an anchor. Sam
struggled to get away, but more vines shot out of the ground. More and more
wrapped around his waist and torso, and slowly they pulled him down to the
ground. The roots from the trees came up, wrapping around Sam and holding him
tightly to the ground. Thorns and thistles grew up around Matt, and as he
clenched his fists poison ivy grew up around Sam. “I surrender!” yelled Sam as
the poison ivy began gently wrapping around his wrist.





Suddenly
Matt’s eyes stopped glowing and he passed out, collapsing to the ground. The
vines around Sam loosened, and he managed to squeeze out. As the group walked
up to Matt, Logan
turned his attention to Sam, whose wrist was beginning to turn red from the
rash. “Better get some attention on that,” he said, “Go inside and have Ororo
help you.” Turning back to Matt, he picked him up and began walking back to the
building. “Class is over, kids” he called back to them, then continued walking.






Inside,
Xavier had seen what had happened, and was awaiting Logan at the back door. “What do you think
happened to him, Charles?” Logan
asked as he laid Matt down on a couch. “It seems he passed his limit,” said
Charles as he put his hand on Matt’s forehead, “He should be all right; he will
just need a bit of rest.” Suddenly Scott and Jean ran into the room. “What
happened? All the plants around the institute suddenly grew out of control and
then wilted.” said Jean. “Yeah, Is Matt ok?” Scott asked as they walked up to
Logan and Xavier. “He is all right,” said Xavier as he turned to Scott and
Jean, “He just needs to sleep. It’s no wonder he is exhausted, it seems he
awoke at midnight last night.” “Why?” asked Scott as he and Jean sat down next
to the others. “Making breakfast,” Xavier said with a chuckle, “It seems he did
a great deal of work to make everything, including growing and harvesting wheat
for the bread, planting a small plant of each kind of fruit, and planting
vegetables to harvest for breakfast. I suppose he wanted to make a good first
impression.” And with that Xavier turned back to Matt, and thought for a
moment.





“Jean,
could you go to Ororo for me?” Xavier asked. “Of course, professor.” She
replied as she stood. “Tell her I have something for her to do with Matt
tomorrow morning, if you would.” added Xavier. “Right away” replied Jean as she
walked out of the room.





As Matt
began to wake up, Scott stood up and walked over to him. Matt lifted his head,
and looked at Xavier and Scott, then saw Logan.
“Did I… pass?” he asked feebly. “Yeah, you did,” Logan replied with a slight smile, “You left
quite some damage on those turrets.” “Is that a good thing?” asked Matt. Logan
chuckled to himself, and then began walking to the door. He stopped at the door
and turned back to Matt. “Oh… and good job, kid.” And with that, Logan left the room. “How
are you feeling?” asked Scott as he stood next to the couch. He noticed that a
small potted plant across the room was beginning to bloom. “Better than I’ve
felt in a long time,” Matt replied as he smiled weakly, “I finally feel at
home.” After saying this, Matt closed his eyes, falling back asleep.










Seeds of Friendship





Matt awoke
in his room, anxious to see what the Professor had planned for him. Being
Saturday, Matt had no need to worry about schoolwork, and he glanced over at
Bobby, still fast asleep. To keep from waking him, Matt extended his arm
towards the small fish tank they had resting on a table. Instantly the small
lily pads grew, until they covered the whole floor. Quietly Matt stepped on the
lily pads, until he was out of the room. Reaching back towards the plants, the
lily pads shrank back until they were as they were before.





As he
silently walked down the hall, Matt noticed a small necklace on the floor. He
bent over, picking it up, and examined its four silver beads. Suddenly Kitty
phased through the wall and bumped into Matt. “Oh! I see you found my
necklace!” she said with a smile, “Thank you for finding it for me.” And with that she
delicately took the necklace and put it on.
“I was just on my way to the kitchen” Matt said with a smile, “Would you
care to join me?” “Sure!” replied Kitty, and soon the two of them were on their
way downstairs.





Suddenly
Kurt appeared in front of them. “Good morning!” he said with a smile. Before
Kitty or Matt could reply, the door behind Kurt opened, causing him to fall
forward and knock Kitty over. Matt laughed as the two squirmed to get back up.
“Sorry Kitty…” said Kurt as he blushed from embarrassment. Kitty was about to
yell at Kurt, then noticed Matt couldn’t stop laughing. “Hey, it wasn’t THAT
funny!” she replied with a huff. Slowly Matt contained himself, and then
grinned. “You two are always entertaining to be around” he said with a chuckle,
and walked on to the kitchen.





As everyone
had breakfast, Matt asked Xavier about the “project” he had planned. “Yes,
Matthew,” replied Xavier, “today you and Ororo will construct a garden. The
layout and plants involved are completely up to you two. After all, with your
gift the garden can have any plants you want.”
Matt was extremely excited about the idea, and began planning the garden
right away.





After
breakfast, Matt and Ororo sat down and began planning what the garden would
look like. Eventually they planned to have at least one plant of every fruit
and vegetable, and then a patch for herbs. As they walked outside to map out
the layout for the garden, the sky became clear and cheery, and small flowers
bloomed all around. Matt smiled brightly as the two prepared to plant the
seeds. One by one Storm and Matt planted the seeds around the garden, and Jean
assisted by moving rocks to make a nice landscape. Once everything was ready,
including the small waterfall that they had installed, Ororo lifted her hands
to the sky, and clouds formed. Slowly raindrops fell onto the soil, and once
the soil had been thoroughly watered, she stepped back to allow Matt to perform
his task.








When it was his turn, Matt stepped
forward and raised his arms towards the garden. Instantly all the plants began
growing at rapid rates. In moments the entire garden was full and flourishing.
“Excellent work, Matthew!” said Storm as she put her hand on his shoulder,
“This is absolutely beautiful.” Matt grinned and gave Storm a quick hug. “It’s
all thanks to you all,” he said as he beamed with joy, “thank you for this.
Together we will make this garden perfect.”





As noon approached, Matt and Storm
decided to relax in their garden to stay in the shade. The canopies of the tall
trees sparkled with sunshine, and as they walked along Storm began feeling a
bit hungry. “Matthew, should we begin preparing lunch for everyone?” she asked.
“Great idea!” replied Matt, “We’ll be able to use our garden!” And with that
the two of them went and got a basket, then filled it with fresh fruits and
vegetables. After a while of cooking, the kitchen was filled with smells of
fresh-baked pastries and pies, as well as vegetable stew and pot pies.





It wasn’t long before everyone
found their way to the kitchen, and soon everyone was enjoying lunch. As everyone chatted about the new garden,
Xavier smiled to himself, happy that everything had turned out so well. But in
the back of his mind, a thought kept bothering him: What was it that Magneto
had planned to do with Matt, and was his kidnapping just the beginning of
something worse?





“Professor, would you like some
more apple pie?” Storm asked as she stood to serve more food, “Matthew made it
himself.” “It was delicious” replied Xavier, “but I think I have had enough,
thank you though. Logan and Ororo, could you meet with me for just a moment?”
Storm hesitated, but nodded and followed Xavier into his study. “What is it, professor?”
she asked as she and Logan
sat down. “Ororo, you and Logan have had
many opportunities to see Matthew’s abilities… what do you think Magneto could
have planned to use them for?”





“Well, the kid’s got plenty of raw
power, even you’ve seen that,” began Wolverine. “Yes, and with such a bond to
plants and animals, it seems Matthew can do what Magneto cannot—control
nature.” added Ororo.





Xavier thought for a while, and
then sighed. “I didn’t want to have to do this, but it seems it may be for his own
safety. Logan,
I want you to begin high-level exercises with Matt. I understand he is a bit
fragile, but he must learn to defend himself from threats like the
brotherhood.” “What about Mr. McCoy’s classes with him?” asked Ororo, “Surely
you will not isolate him from the rest of the children? His temperament is
essentially like a plant; he requires attention and gentle guidance, not
rigorous training.”





“I know, Ororo, but we cannot
afford to take so much time. I’m sorry, but this is how it will have to be.”
And with that, Xavier turned towards the window, watching Matt show off the
garden to the other students. “It will be hard for him,” he added, “but in time
he will come to understand.”

I loved it.

thewizardofodd12 wrote:I loved it.

awww really? ^_^ that's so sweet of you to say!