kinetic

leaving the skies you love

Zoya couldn't tell if she was responding to the unspoken thoughts of the people around her, or the ones that haunt her. Either way, Zoya accepted the affection and pulled her mother into a tight hug. She breaths in the sent of Christina - her mother. Under the smell of the cigarettes her mother's orderly smoked regularly, there was lavender and citrus.

"Yeah, mom. I'll be okay. I'll be safe. I promise," she whispered into her neck.

They broke away. Zoya took in her mother's appearance one last time. Her long, brown hair that was graying at the roots. Her pale skin, hanging loosely around her neck in her old age. The golden chain the hang around her neck, holding the three small birthstone. Her mother. Her brother. Herself. Zoya memorized her.

"Bye mom. I'll see you later okay?"

Her mother nodded absently, a smile never leaving her face. Zoya gave a watery grin before nodded to the orderly at the car. The woman flicked hr cigarette out with a nod. As the nurse neared, Zoya turned to Elizabeth and her family.

"Call us if you need anything, okay? Anything," Leaha spoke, her voice shaking.

"And call us even if you don't! That new StarkPhone of yours should work just as well as any old android." Johnny laughed.

Tears enter Zoya eyes, but didn't fall. She looked at the family that had cared for her all these years. Her lip wobbled as she fell into Leaha's arms for a hug. She stayed there as she listened to her mother's footsteps fade away, her voice fading as the car door closed. The orderly said something along the lines of how they'll take good care of her, and they always do. Soon, she was listening to the crunch of the driveway as her mother was driven back to the psychiatric hospital she had lived at for years.

She felt Leaha comb her fingers through her hair, tugging lightly at the twisted hair. She clenched her eyes closed as the tears fell. This had been her home for so long. She grew up under the skies, next to the corn fields and local swap meets.

Now she was leaving.

"I'll be okay. I'll be okay."

||||||||||

Erik placed his papers on his desk as his first class of students tumbled in, sleep still evident in their eyes, despite it being half past nine. He sat contently in his chair, feet on a cleared section of his desk. When the last of his students were seated his called role.

"Akler. Benton. Bonnet. Caler. Dodge. Deaeler. Dant. Ellain."

Once everyone was accounted for, he passed the metal tray that had the morning's assignment around the class as he wrote the lesson plans for the day on the board.

"Today we're going to be talking about the more advance knowledge of kinetic energy. To make things more interesting, we'll being going outside to use our mutations in order to fully understand. Any disagreements?"

The metal tray landed lightly on his desk as each student filled out the questionnaire of name, date, and class. When there were no complaints, Eric rallied the senior class of students out into the hall and out the side door that led to the backyard of the institute.

"Alright," Eric started, "kinetic energy is the energy an object has because of its motion. For example, Eli uses his super strength during field day and cheats as the transfer of energy from his arm, into the force of the ball is kinetic energy."

The children snicker at Eli's sheepish embarrassment and disagreements of I do not cheat, Mr. Lehnsherr! I am using my god given talents. Erik allows the disruption for a moment more before calling the attention back to him.

"Alright. Alright. If any of you actually read the paper, you'll see that this project will be done in groups of two. And yes, Sara, you may pick your partner. But I repeat, there will be no incidents like last time! No one is jumping to the roof nor will there be any competition. Just do the project!"

The large group disbanded to do the work, all except one- Peter Parker. He simply sat himself under a tree and answered the questions. Erik let him be as he monitored the other more... restless students. They seemed to understand the concept quite easily as the finished the assignment before venturing to answer their own questions about mutations and physics, a few groups becoming three or four. The only student that was not involved was Peter. He had finished his assignment before gathering his laptop.

Faculty and students, please return to the institute. Faculty and students, please return to the institute. This is a Class Two emergency.

Charles demand echoed in his ears, as it probably did in all the professor's. Erik's back had straightened as he quickly called the students to attention.

"Children. Come along. Time to head back to the classroom. Turn in your assignments and get your books out. Start the reading."

They all groaned, trudging back into the school. Peter was the last to enter the school. Erik locked the door after a brief mental scan of the back yard for the metal ID chips every student and worker of the school must wear. Though he couldn't tell who was wearing chip, all were in the building.

The student were seated at their seats as Erik calmly entered the room. The class was silent. Upon entering many were crying into the hands. There were no further information from Charles and-

"Oh my God! Mr. Lehnsherr! Mr. Lehnsherr!"

Erik quickly turned to Jasmine, a blue young woman with wings protruding from her back. She held her phone in her hands with horror written on her face. Most of the class was gathered around her.

"Jasmine what's-"

"Everyone please report to the auditorium. Everyone please report to the auditorium."

Charles' voice broke through the panic of the classroom over the school intercom. Charles left the telepathy for the staff and faculty. The students quickly left the room, leaving behind their items and Erik. He chased after his charges and other classrooms emptied. Faces full of confusion, horror, and fear filled the hall as he was pushed to auditorium. The chattering got louder as he enter the large room, professors tried their hardest to calm the children as the news of what caused the panic spread amongst them.
Charles? Charles, what is happening? Why-

Erik please.

Charle-

"Everyone please calm down. There is no need to panic," Charles spoke as he rolled across the stage, mic in hand. "Everyone, sit. Sit down."

Whether it was of their own choice or Charles intervention, all the students sat as the faculty relaxed, not needing to handle the fretful kids. Erik quietly walked to join the other teachers that sat in the front row.

He watched Charles chest as he took a dee breath. Erik could almost feel the quivering of his fingers against the metal arm of the chair as he grasped it, knuckles white.

"Now, most of you already know... There was an incident at John F. Kennedy National Airport. Five mutants were kidnapped."

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