Chapter Text
Performing was the only thing which Elsie had ever really known of life. Performing, hard stares, and the odd wondrous look by little children and men she'd rather avoid completely. It was safe to say that life had not panned out quite like how she had pictured. She vaguely remembered when she was seven years old, she hadn't that long started primary school and she was making friends. She was happy. Was she happy now? No, most certainly not. She presumed she was as far from happy as humanly possible.
But her reasoning for her reminiscing simply stemmed down to: even at that age, she had an idea of how she wished her life to go. And she most certainly did not envision her life going like this. From the young age of ten she had been whisked up and away by someone who she felt she could trust. Openly admitting she knew nothing about street shows was something Elsie would openly hold her hands up to and not resist doing so.
Enticing had been a word which had been uttered by one Derek Vincent when he had spied what she could do. Unfortunately when it came to he who she thought she could trust, he was simply looking out for himself and exploiting her skills along the way. The born and bred Londoner couldn't care less whether or not her using her powers hurt her, drained her, mentally took a toll. Oh no, Elsie had shortly thought, as long he is happy. She had frowned deeply. As long as he was happy, had money in his pockets, didn't have to spend any out for her sake or the other performers then he was the most charming man one could ever meet.
Of course though, being the dreamer Derek Vincent seemingly was, he moved across the country, and even to a completely different country altogether. Another reason why he decided to move was because there was a search out for Elsie, she presumed there still was even after all these years. America, Elsie had never thought she'd be in America. From dingy big tops which were pitched in boggy fields in England, to clean cut sun loved grass of America.
Climbing skilfully out of the window of the small trailer she had been given, she made her way around the current camp site. She was always stuck with what to describe this whole thing as. What she was involved in was not quite a circus, yet very much like one. In the sense that, in her eyes, nearly everyone played the part as that one clown which was always overly ridiculous. So much so that to a point he was no longer funny.
She didn't know whether she could pin this to the minor daredevil acts which were involved in the shows. She frowned as she sneaked past the two men at the gates smoking, making sure no one managed to get in just as much as no one could get out. Elsie smirked over this, they clearly had not crossed paths with her. Pulling the apple out of her hole riddled coat pocket, she stuck it in her mouth while jumping up and grabbing hold of an overhanging branch. Placing one hand in front of the other she reached the trunk in no time and dropped down. Skimming around the tree she peered out, ice blue eyes were directed at the park bench which had so captivated her attention.
When they first arrived at this site she wanted nothing more than to sit there and look up at the fluffy clouded sky. Now it was nighttime, dark skies and bright starlight shone down. And that in some ways was much more interesting. The small street lamp near to it flickered every so often, but she didn't care. The dark was something which seldom worried her. Even more so when she could supply her own light source. And hey, if someone was stupid enough to try and mug her, or perish the thought try anything else, they'd soon find themselves flailing about on fire.
Elsie could openly admit, she did a lot of admitting to secret thoughts, she did not like what she could do. There was something not quite right with being able to summon fire and allow it to roll across her skin like water off of a duck's back. Sitting on the bench at last she decided that it had got substantially colder since her escape. Rubbing her hands together, with the apple still firmly in between her teeth, she watched with cool eyes as small sparks of flames appeared from the friction of her skin.
She wasn't too sure how it worked, she just knew she could do it. It was something she disliked and Derek Vincent loved, there really was nothing like seeing someone on fire and them not burn. Put in the sheer control she had over certain flaming objects and she had a whole fire dancing routine sorted, a routine she hated. When she thought over it she hated quite a bit about everything. Elsie wasn't a hateful person really. But she could turn quite pessimistic and hateful. With a groan she rolled her eyes, reaching up she plucked the apple from her mouth only to groan again when the peel started to burn. Seeing as how there was not a bin around she merely threw it over her shoulder.
“That is classed as littering,” a rather polite, yet slightly smug sounding voice said from somewhere behind her. English, smug, and male. Elsie pushed herself up and off of the bench and turned. Correction, two. There were two males, one casually leaning against a tree, and the other, who she presumed spoke, looked to the apple at his feet before looking up at her. He was shorter than the other, but in some ways more kinder than the other.
Elsie shifted down the path away from them. As aforementioned, anyone who was looking for her, were most definitely going to be English, not American. Excuse her for turning sceptical and on guard at the sound of an accent that her own voice lingered with too. The smile sent her way by the speaker of the two did nothing for her as she stuffed her hands in her pockets and took another step back as they moved forwards.
She had had trouble before, trouble was not unknown to her. She could fight, or at least she gave it a good shot. Being a natural acrobat came in handy if she needed to flee. But really, she did pitch all her hope of spontaneously burning people. It was cruel, but she couldn't help it. Literally, she couldn't help it. Elsie inhaled deeply, there was one flaw she always thought with what she could do. She was naturally pale, like she had a lack of something to make her so deathly pale, but when she panicked, when she wished to access her powers, it emanated and surfaced in the form of glowing. Her pale skin would slowly glow, like a flame slowly growing light and flaring up. That's the only analogy she had ever come up with.
“Good evening, my name is Charles Xavier.” The man closest to her, who continued to kindly smile, spoke in a calm tone. Clearly he could tell she was growing somewhat distressed, or worried.
Elsie looked him up and down. Now that he was closer he was about average height, a head or so taller than herself, brown hair and blue eyed, and most certainly English. Not that she expected his nationality to change, just since being here she had not encountered another British person, apart from those in the troupe.
Elsie shifted backwards as he stepped forwards with his hand outstretched. She frowned at him, not exactly a trusting person was an understatement. With a sigh she turned on her heels and decided now was perhaps a good time to return back. Feign exhaustion to escape possible stalkers...who dress like the Mafia. Elsie thought while stuffing her hands in her coat pockets. She frowned even more when the rough action of doing so caused her hand to bust one of the seams. She was not the best at sewing, so this didn't sit well.
There was a chuckle from behind her. “I assure you, we are not the Mafia. You have nothing to fear from either Erik or myself. We simply came here to ask you a few questions.” Charles offered an explanation still in that same kind tone of voice.
Elsie faltered in her escape and looked over her shoulder. Though to do so she had to flick her almost white hair out of the way. The mid-back length hair had a habit of always getting in the way. She tilted her head to the side, she had never heard such open assurance from anyone. Well, she had and look where that led her. She frowned slowly though, he retorted to things she had not spoken aloud.
His companion, Erik, let out a groan and moved from his leaning position against the tree. He was clearly getting irritated by the lack of anything happening. “Charles, I’m tired of this and would like to return to D.C at some point this evening. Preferably before dawn?” Erik paused while Charles sent him a look and waved a nonchalant hand at him. With a frown Erik continued; “Can we please hurry this along then?”
“Yes, yes, as soon as Elsie here stops charging up enough to set the whole field alight.” Charles merely replied to his friend simply.
With a roll of her eyes Elsie turned away. Knows my name, knows what I’m doing. How?
“Because, dear Elsie, I can read your mind.” That same calm, yet smug, voice echoed in her head.
Her foot faltered in a step, dumbfounded was putting it lightly. Turning with a frown she looked around. She thought perhaps someone else had joined them, hoping beyond anything that that voice belonged to someone present. Someone else other than one of the men in front of her. Pointing and clicking a finger she pointed to Charles. He stood with two fingers against his temple. Cracking an uncertain smile, she merely waved her hand when he lowered his and waved at her. “You're like me.”
“Not quite,” Charles said finally pleased that she had spoken. Though her tone was clipped and on guard, it was still something. “I wouldn't class what we can do something so simple as a carnival trick.” Elsie rolled her eyes. Not quite a circus, not quite a carnival. That was the other comparison she struggled with. She looked rather irritated then. “I meant no offence,” Charles was quick to say when he caught the look which flitted onto her face. Elsie sighed, with crossed arms she turned again. Meant no offence or not, she still found it offending. He made it seem like she opted for this, yet she didn't.
“Well done, Charles. That went splendidly I must say.” Erik smirked from beside his friend.
Charles frowned and looked to him with narrowed blue eyes before looking back at Elsie.
Erik hung his head and looked up through his hand as Charles rather stubbornly followed after her. “You said we were not stalkers, what do you class you doing now as?”
“I'm not a stalker. I mean, I’m not stalking!” Charles said while shooting a look over his shoulder at Erik, only to turn back around and come face to face with Elsie.
“Stop following me. Whatever questions you have, I don't want to answer. And your friend is right! You're turning into a stalker, which is more reason why I’m gone.”
“We have not started this off on a good foot. Can we perhaps try again?” Charles offered with a smile.
“You are persistent.” Elsie commented.
“Isn't he just?” Erik drawled out with a roll of his eyes as he walked over and stopped beside Charles again.
“I am right here, you two know this right?” Charles asked while looking from one to the other.
“Oh yeah, yeah we're more than aware.” Elsie commented dryly while crossing her arms and looking up at the night sky.