Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, 1407 Graymalkin Lane, North Salem, Earth 10005

[wwiii]

The trip to Xavier's had been... actually mind-numbingly uneventful. Warren had been quiet, staring out the window of the train and losing himself in his own thoughts, and while the bus had been crowded, it hadn't been so bad that anyone had noticed his claws or jostled his wings. He was going to consider that a win, thank you.

Once he and Karla stepped onto the grounds, he couldn't help but bite back a frown. The place was full of flowers. Which was... not necessarily a bad thing. Except that the flowers were mostly set up around a memorial. A memorial, recently erected, dedicated to the memory of one Charles Xavier.

"That is not good."

He didn't even wait for a reply before he was rushing up to the front steps, inviting himself into the building and making his way down hallways that he'd only walked one before, in a reality that wasn't even his own, looking for somebody who could tell him what in the world was going on.

Karla	Karla was running after him, mostly just to keep him in sight. She didn't have fond memories of this place and the last thing she wanted was to wind up by herself while Warren did...whatever he planned to do. With her luck, she'd end up insulting someone important and getting them both thrown out before he had a chance to find out where his father was. "Warren!" she said, dashing down the hallway after him. "Wait up!"
Warren	At least he didn't keep running. It wasn't far at all before he neared the meeting room, with muted voices coming from within, and he hesitated in the doorway for a moment. From inside, he heard a voice he wasn't familiar with, low and resigned, saying words that made his heart skip up into his throat. "Professor Xavier started this school, perhaps it's best it end with him. We'll have to tell the students they're going home." Warren's breath was quick to join his heart at that. He turned a despairing frown toward Karla as another voice piped up inside the room, familiar and off all at the same time. "Most of us don't have anywhere to go." That was... "I can't believe this. I can't believe we're not going to fight for this school." Warren shook off that nagging feeling that he knew the kid who was going the protesting beyond that door, steeled himself, and then stepped into the room in that awkward silence that followed, casting a slow glance around the people sitting inside. Wolverine, he recognized. And the boy who seemed familiar in an almost-got-his-finger-on-it way, and a girl who seemed familiar in much the same way. The white-haired woman and the blue-furred man... not so much. But it was them that he looked at, suddenly scared out of his wits, as he opened his mouth and spoke. "I'm sorry, I know this is a bad time..." To say the least. "I was told this is a safe place for mutants." The silence that followed felt as though it was going to reach up and rip his heart and his breath back out of his throat all over again. "It was, son."
Karla	Karla poked her head through the doorway, just in time to see the furry male--Hank, she recognized him from Emma's descriptions--tell Warren that this was no longer a safe haven. She slid her arm around his waist, not even thinking about it; she could feel the shock welling up in his psychic scent. Offering Warren comfort was just instinct by now. "Was?" she asked, sounding hurt and rather young. Everyone in the room exchanged a long glance. "And still is." The white-haired female with skin like a Hayllian stood up in front of the desk she'd been leaning on. "We can find you both some rooms." Then she turned to Hank and said in a tone that brooked no argument, "Hank, tell all the students the school stays open."
Warren	Hank, like... Bobby's friend? Like the American mutant affairs minister, here in his own reality? Finding his breath again as the situation went from 'dire' to 'slightly less dire,' Warren cast him an appraising look. The man was smiling. Actually, almost everyone in the room was smiling, as the woman joined him and Karla at the door. Warren had the very distinct feeling that they'd just narrowly avoided the world crashing down around them again. Story of his life. At least, for a moment longer, he could take a slight amount of solace in the arm around his waist, before he pulled himself away without a word following the mutant woman who seemed to be in charge here as she led them down the halls.
Karla	As Warren walked away, Karla reached out for him again, her hand hanging in the air at his back for a moment before falling back to her side. Her shoulders slumped briefly, but she shook her head, straightened up, and followed at their heels. Warren's mind was on his father now, as it should be. So hers would be, too. She owed it to him, at the very least. "What happened?" she asked in a quiet voice, glancing around the hallways as they walked. "Do you mind explaining? We've been...a little out of touch."
Warren	Warren's eyes were on the floor, words passing his lips in a bare whisper that he was pretty certain the woman leading them down the hallways couldn't hear. "Xavier is dead," he replied, softly. "That's what the monument outside is. He's dead, and she," he nodded up toward Storm, "just decided to keep this place going without him." Which was good, because... where in the world would all these kids go?
Karla	"I'd, umm, gathered that," Karla said, just as softly. "But the details around all that could be important." And, even softer than that, "Do you think she knows?" Who Warren was. Who his father was. What the Hell was going on.
Warren	He shrugged a little, his gaze hitting the floor. "I think if she knows, she'd probably kind of understand why I'm here," he admitted, reaching one hand up and starting to work his way out of his jacket as they walked. He was beyond feeling cramped, now. He was getting downright claustrophobic, and even if he was still harnessed in under his shirt, losing a bit of weight from his wings would help that at least slightly. "Instead of with my dad, pushing a cure on other people like me." At least, he hoped so.
Karla	"I...can help with some of that," Karla offered. She recognized the twitchiness he was displaying; she'd seen it enough back when they'd been-- Well, anyway. She'd seen it enough before. A pair of phantom hands were conjured under his shirt, hesitantly reaching out to try and soothe some of the soreness and tension away.
Warren	Warren's eyes half-closed, and he exhaled slowly, managing a weak smile as they walked. "Thanks," he murmured, stepping up behind the woman as she came to a stop outside of one of a myriad of large, hardwood doors. "I... I needed that." A lot.
Karla	"You're welcome," Karla said. "I'm glad to be able to help." Somehow. Up until this point, Karla had felt rather like her presence was hurting, not helping. "You know, if there's anything you need--or even just want me to do, you just have to ask, right?" She wanted to make sure that was very clear. "I'm here for you. To help you in any way I can. Even if it's just helping you get comfortable."
Warren	"I think that was supposed to be my line." The woman turned and offered them both a soft smile. "It looks like we've got two rooms right next door to one another, so you two can be close to one another. Wouldn't want to separate two siblings, after all." "Oh, we're not..." Warren glanced at Karla, kind of baffled for a moment. Blonde haired. Blue eyed. They... kind of did look like brother and sister, didn't they? "I mean..." The woman's smile went a bit apologetic for a moment before she spoke again. "Well, either way. If there's anything I can do to help either of you settle in, just ask for me. I'm Ororo."
Karla	Karla wrinkled her nose, quite eloquently showing what she thought of the idea of them being related. Especially as closely as siblings. "We're friends!" she babbled. "Just friends!" Wait. No. That came out sounding wrong. That came out sounding like-- "I mean, not just friends. Except, well, we are just friends. It's complicated. I mean--" She glanced at Warren slightly and shook her head. Never mind. This was hardly the place to get into it. She gave up on explanations. "I mean," she said instead, tucking her hair away from her face, "I'm Karla. It's a pleasure to meet you La--Ms. Ororo. Thank you for your hospitality."
Warren	For the most part, Warren just stood there awkwardly while Ororo proceeded to point here and there, giving them directions to all of the typical school amenities. She unlocked each door for them, promised she'd be back soon with a key for each of them, and then went along on her way. Apparently inheriting a school for mutants meant that she had a lot of work to do. Or... something. Which left Warren and Karla standing in the hallway. "... That wasn't awkward or anything."
Karla	Karla was just quietly thudding the back of her head against a wall. No reason. "Not at all," she agreed. "In fact, as far as my trips to the mansion go, this one is proceeding remarkably well." Thud. Thud. Thud. "It was nice of them to give us rooms near one another," she offered. "Even though she thought it was because we're--" Ewwwww.
Warren	Well, she hadn't thrown anyone out of any infirmaries or anything, yet... "I think, maybe since we arrived together, she probably would have even if she didn't," he murmured, shrugging. "Coming here and not knowing anybody, especially if you stop and think about what the lives of most of the kids here must have been until now..." Spoken like a kid who was suddenly in firm denial about just how crappy his own had been, yes.
Karla	Karla wasn't going to pop that delusion bubble. Not right yet. "Either way, I'm grateful," Karla said with a nod. "So...what should we do now? We could rest, maybe. Take a nap before dinner or whatever?" Karla firmly believed Warren needed a nap, or at least a chance to unwind. She was equally convinced he try to push himself until he couldn't go on any further. If things were different, she could have tried to persuade him to lay down and cuddle with her for awhile, but as things stood now...? Making that offer would probably only send him running in the other direction. "Or we could look around here? Meet people, talk, find out what's going on?"
Warren	"I'd sooner find out what's going on," Warren admitted, looking down at the bag he was carrying, and then looking into his room. Simple enough setup. A bed. A dresser. Reminiscent of his room back on the island, really, but with maybe a bit more space to it. He set his bag down inside the door, and then reached up and worked on getting out of that stupid shirt of his in earnest. They were surrounded by other mutants, here. Hiding his wings now would just be pointless, needlessly uncomfortable. "I'm only a couple of months behind on current events back here, but I'm kind of afraid of just how much can change that quickly."
Karla	Karla stood awkwardly in the doorway of his room, at least until Warren had unbuttoned his shirt. Seeing him there, standing bare chested save for that hateful harness had her averting her eyes. "I figured as much," she said to her feet. Her very interesting feet, dammit. "I'm pretty sure I heard the drone of teevees as we came in. There's probably a news channel we can find. And there's the internet, of course. If we can find the equivalent of a computer lab. Asking people what's been going on for the past few months might get weird, but if we say we've been hiding out and running, we can probably play it off. Unless you wanted to tell everyone we've been going to school in an interdimensional nexus instead. That works, too." She peeked up at him through her lashes just as the last of the harness fell away and his wings spread out. "I--I should go and check on my room," she said quickly. "There are probably...things. There. That I should, yes."
Warren	He glanced up at her at that, momentarily lost in just being able to stretch again. And then he nodded, slowly. "Try to get some rest or something," he offered, crouching down and opening his bag, rummaging for the one shirt with wingholes that he'd remembered to pack. "Since you mentioned wanting a nap." ... Not really the point, Warren. "If I find anything, I'll let you know."
Karla	That stopped Karla short again and she peeked back into Warren's room, shaking her head. "That wasn't what I meant," she said. "I'm here to help you. I'm not going to nap while you do the heavy lifting. I can talk to people, too." She flushed a bit. "Unless you'd prefer I didn't. Your call."
Warren	Aww, he had been giving her an out and everything. He pulled out the shirt in question, one of his more modern shirts that he'd hacked his own damn wingholes into, and started to work it on over his wings. "If you're tired, sleep," he replied. "If not... I wouldn't mind some company while I wander around lost. Where did you hear those televisions?"
Karla	Karla was almost pathetically grateful for the invitation. "Back before we got to the office," she said. "And a little ways after it. Probably shouldn't be too hard to find." Still. She really should let him get dressed in peace. "I'll go drop my stuff in my room," she said. "I'll leave the door open so you can just come and get me when you're ready." Surely they'd find some answers here. They had to. This was Xavier's; the X-Men always knew everything. But more than that...Karla wasn't sure what Warren would do, if this turned out to be yet another dead end.

[NFI and NFB for distance, preplayed with and coded by the wonderful glacial_witch, follows this, and ganked loosely from that five-minute bits-and-pieces feature about Warren because there IS NO THIRD MOVIE DAMMIT.]