Musical Friends

Posted on Wed Apr 9th, 2025 @ 9:50pm by Charles Xavier & Drew Williams & Sarah Mitchell & Cecilia Reyes M.D.

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Episode 6: X-Fernus Agenda
Location: X-Mansion
Timeline: December 13th, 1990

Making her way around the mansion, Sarah was taking a self-guided tour of what was to be her new home for the foreseeable future. She'd never seen anything like this house before, everything looked like it was made from old, polished wood with busts and large vases of flowers and plants everywhere. One would think that it would make things feel cluttered, but the hallways were wide enough that people could pass each other without any issues.

Walking into the Parlor room in front of the main dining hall, Sarah looked around in awe before her eyes fell upon a piano sitting in the corner of the room. Quickly looking around to see if anyone was around, Sarah walked over to it, opened the fallboard and gingerly sat down in front of the keys. It had been some time since she'd played anything, and she could feel a nervous energy starting to rise within her. She'd taught herself how to play the piano years ago to help her practice her singing, but ever since the incident, she hadn't touched a keyboard, let alone a piano.

Clenching her hands into fists for a moment to try and calm her nerves, she slowly released her grip, placed her hands on the appropriate keys and started with a few simple scales.

Drew was in a study off the Parlor studying for his Calculus final when the sound of a piano being played filtered into the room. He sat and listened for a moment. Whoever was playing was actually quite good. He closed up his text book and stuffed it, along with his notebook into his book bag and went to the door. The person finished transitioning from practice scales and proceeded into a soft melody. He cracked the door slightly to listen better, but not enough to reveal his presence or distract the musician. It became more evident with each passing moment that whomsoever was playing had a great fondness for music with talent to match.

Drew waited for the music to end before stepping out into the parlor and softly applauding. He spotted the young woman at the piano. "You are excellent."

Letting out a yelp of surprise, her voice created a small sonic boom that blasted over a nearby vase, causing it to fall to the floor and shatter. In panic, Sarah rushed over to the pot and started cleaning it up. She didn’t want to get expelled for destroying school property so soon after arriving.

Drew grabbed a waste basket and took a knee next to Sarah. It only took him a couple of seconds to pick up the broken shards with his super speed. He then glanced at Sarah with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. It's just...you're a very good piano player." He brushed off his hands and extended the right one to Sarah. "Drew Williams by the way."

Taking the offered hand, Sarah smiled, "Sarah Mitchell, and it's fine, I was lost in thought" she said, her voice just above a whisper. Standing up, she looked at the pot in the bin, she gave a sigh before turning her attention to Drew, "and thank you, I used to play the piano while I practiced singing"

Drew gave Sarah's hand a brief shake before glancing at the waste can and then looking back to her. "Let me guess. Your powers manifested when you were 13 while you were singing and you blew up your microphone and speakers."

Sarah gave slight shrug before nodding, "basically, but it wasn't just a microphone and speakers. I shattered every window in the school hall that I was singing in, during a public performance"."

Drew gave a soft, light hearted chuckle. "That must have been some song." He looked at Jennifer with curiosity. "So your ability is sonic manipulation, amplification?"

"I'm not quite sure. I know that my voice creates a loud boom. I haven't really tried to do anything with it yet" Sarah replied, looking at the vase again, "well, nothing constructive anyway. What about you? what's your trick?"

Drew gestured at the waste bin. "Speedster. I can run really fast and clean up messes really quickly." He gave Sarah a wry smile. "Comes in handy during late night kitchen raids."

Sarah smiled, “that sounds like fun. What have you been clocked at?”

Drew thought back to the speed trials that Connor had put him through a couple of weeks back. "I can run at about 240 miles per hour which is about 385 kilometers per hour for a few hours. Sprint speed is 300 miles per hour or almost 485 kilometers per hour, but I can only sustain that for about five minutes or so."

“Do you ever think you’ll hit the sound barrier?” Sarah asked, fascinated by the idea of a speedster. Although she’d heard of other mutant powers, most of them seemed elemental or psychic in nature. This speedster was physical in nature like her abilities.

Drew looked thoughtful as he considered her question for a moment. He finally nodded his head. "It's a distinct possibility. My speed has been growing at an exponential rate every year since hit puberty. Probably in the next 15 months."

“Well I hope I’m here to see it. I think it would be amazing to see someone brake the sound barrier on foot” Sarah said, as her mind wondered for a moment, “I know it’s a strange question, how do you stop? Like, how do you not run fast?”

The question caught Drew by surprise. "I'm not exactly sure. I guess I just adapted to my increasing speed as I trained in track and cross country." His words gave him an idea. "Give me a minute. I'll be right back."

With a curious look, Sarah nodded, “sure, I’ll be here” she replied, wondering if she’d said something wrong. Maybe she shouldn’t ask others about their powers.

True to his word, he was back in a little less than a minute with his guitar and a couple of winter jackets. "Kind of had this idea to get you to practice singing and do it in a way that won't break any more vases or windows. Figured we could go down to the lake and practice safely. If you're up for it?"

Sarah was shocked by Drew's suggestion. She'd only arrived at the school recently and was yet to settle into a regular schedule yet, "Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you."

Drew nodded as he handed Sarah his fur lined bomber Jacket and he donned his high school lettermen jacket. ""I'm sure. I'll stand to the side or behind you just to be safe." He started leading the way down to the frozen lake.

After a moment of hesitation, Sarah slipped on the bomber jacket and followed Drew out into the snow. As they walked, she couldn’t help but admire the scenery around her. She’d never seen snow like this before coming to the US and now it was everywhere around her. With every step they took, Sarah had to resist the urge to stop and play with the white powder covering the ground, form it into snowballs and throw it around.

Drew paused about midway to the lake as he glanced at Sarah, a curious expression on his face. She appeared fascinated by the snow on the ground. "You look as if you have never seen snow before."

"I haven't. This is the first time I've seen snow, outside of movies and things like that obviously." Sarah said, picking up her pace to catch up with Drew. "Sorry, it's just, beautiful."

Drew nodded as he glanced around. The estate did look beautiful with the snow. He turned back to Sarah and smiled. "We could practice your with your singing and powers later if you want to play in the snow right now. Up to you. I just need a few seconds to put my guitar back inside."

Sarah quickly shook her head, “oh no that’s ok, you’ve already gone to the trouble of retrieving it. Besides, I’m interested in your idea for helping me” she said as she really wanted to give this a try. If Drew could help her sing again, even if only a little, she’d be eternally grateful to him.

Drew nodded and resumed his walk to the frozen lake. It took only a few moments to reach the lake. He patted his guitar as they stopped near the edge of the lake. "I was thinking perhaps we do a few rounds of scales. Um...sing Do-Re-Mi. Start quietly and have you repeat the scales, increasing by a half octave each time. Then have you name a song you like to sing and I'll do my best to play it on the guitar. Ready?"

Sarah was a little confused by the instructions, “wait, do you want me to do scales first or sing Do-Re-Mi? You know, the song from the Sound of Music?”

"Let's go with the Sound of Music." He began strumming the song intro on his guitar. "Think about the first time you ever watched the movie."

Taking in a nervous breath, Sarah closed her eyes and listened to the strumming. After a moment, she started tapping her hand on her leg in time to the rhythm, "let's start at the very beginning...." Sarah started, singing quietly. Her voice was shaky, causing her to sing a few of the notes off key.

Drew continued his strumming as Sarah started singing softly, almost tentatively. He listened as she continued. Hearing her voice grow a little stronger and more confident. He gave a smile as Sarah's expression slowly transformed from nervousness to one with more confidence. His smile grew as she opened her eyes and her expression transformed again, this time to joy. She sang from her heart as the song came to the end. He stood there for a moment. "You have...an amazing voice."

The words never made it out of his mouth, though, for they were drowned out by an overwhelming sonic force from Sarah's, a resonant burst of energy that shot out from the girl. What had begun as a transformative expression through song had summoned the immense power within her which had shattered glass. Testing her power in so haphazard a manner had consequences.

The lake's surface shuddered, a vibration running through the ice like an electric current. Cracks spiderwebbed from the point nearest to them on the shore, racing out across the frozen surface in a sharp, jagged reach. Trees surrounding the lake groaned as if caught in the force of a hurricane. Dead branches snapped off, spiraling through the air like shrapnel, some hitting the frozen ground with sharp thunks that echoed into the woods. The ice of the lake continued to groan and crack, as if still deciding whether to collapse beneath its own weight. Even the air itself seemed to ripple, vibrating with the raw, unchecked frequency of the note she had released.

Drew's hands reflexively shot up to his ears—an audible pop exploded inside his right ear, followed by a sharp, searing pain that had him staggering back and falling hard on his backside. His head swam in a wave of nausea and imbalance as his hearing fizzled into a high-pitched whine. As he cried out, even to his own ears, his voice sounded warped and distant, like he was underwater.

Sarah's hands reflexively flew to her mouth in horror, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. She had felt the force ripple through her chest and throat, like something monstrous clawing its way out. Her knees nearly buckled under the realization of what had happened.

Above them, a sudden transparent projection of Professor Xavier's face appeared, massive and unmistakable in the evening sky. His normally serene expression was twisted in sheer horror, the kind of unspoken fear that immediately conveyed just how badly they had crossed a line.

~What have you done?~ Xavier's voice boomed directly into their minds, calm but strained, vibrating with controlled panic. The weight of his mental presence felt like a heavy hand on both their shoulders, pressing them to stillness. ~Why would you do this? Why pose such a risk out in the open?~

The tone was not angry—worse, it was disappointed, fearful, shaken in a way that only a headmaster could feel.

Drew was still on the ground, holding his head, fighting against the spinning world and the stabbing pain that ran through his jaw and ear. His breath came in harsh pants, blinking rapidly like he was trying to focus on anything that wasn’t spinning or shaking.

~Do not move~ Xavier's mental voice sharpened, firm and commanding now, the kind of telepathic weight that left no room for argument. ~Stay where you are. Help is on the way. Do not attempt to walk. Do not attempt to use your powers. Just be still~

Drew couldn't move even if he wanted to. He sat there in the snow and waited for the promised help. He had just gotten out of the infirmary and it looked like he was going back there again.

There was a puff of brimstone smoke. BAMF! Kurt appeared with a strange woman at his side. They both assessed the situation at a glance, with the woman rushing to Drew's side to give him a quick once-over while Kurt hurried to Sarah.

"Herr Professor said someone vas hurt..." Kurt said gingerly.

Sarah didn’t respond to Kurt, she simply collapse to her knees with tears steaming down her face as she looked out at the Devi station she’d just caused. All she wanted to do was sing again, to simply use her voice for enjoyment again, but instead all she ended up doing was causing more harm. Wrapping her arms around herself, Sarah curled herself into a ball, fell over onto her side and silently cried.

Drew looked up at the woman giving him an initial evaluation. He closed his eyes and couldn't help but think how stupid he was. He shook his head which just brought on a fresh wave of dizziness and nausea. He didn't actually pitch his cookies, but just barely.

“This was more than I expected in my first hour here,” the woman muttered to herself while crouching down in the snow next to Drew. The woman was middle aged with glasses and long box braids that went past her shoulders, she began to open a small bag as she spoke to the teenager. “My name is Dr. Reyes, I’m a physician. I’m going to take a look in your ears, okay?”

Drew nodded despite not really being able to hear Doctor Reyes.

Dr. Reyes glanced back at Kurt and then the distraught Sarah. “Say something to her.”

"Gesundheit!" Kurt grinned in attempts to keep the tense situation light.

Taking a few deep breaths in to calm herself down a little, Sarah pushed herself back up into a seated position. Looking around at the destruction again, Sarah was certain that she would be sent home on the next plane. Not only did it sound like she'd broken a cardinal rule, she'd damaged the school grounds. Looking up as Kurt came over to her, she looked up at him with her bloodshot eyes, "I'm sorry" she whispered.

Drew glanced at Sarah and Kurt. She was obviously distraught. He gestured at Doctor Reyes. "This isn't your fault. It was my idea to come out here remember? You are going to be okay...and the Doctor is going to fix me up good as new."

“Easy Romeo, stop chatting and sit still.” Dr. Reyes replied as she hunched forward with an otoscope in hand. Holding Drew’s head still she peered into his ear canal with the aid of the instrument. After looking at both ears, she straightened up and began taking the otoscope apart once more. “You’ve ruptured your right ear drum, hence the slight deafness, pain, and the vertigo. Thankfully those heal on their own in due time. Take pain medication as needed, I assume this place has Tylenol. If it doesn’t, let me know and I’ll get you some. Don’t get your ear wet or submerged in water for the next couple weeks. Blow your nose gently and for the love of god, don’t stick anything in your ear. Oh, and no use of powers or doing whatever this is until I clear you for normal activity…” She gestured at the two of them, running off together into the woods with guitar in hand. Dr. Reyes was a teenager once upon a time and knew how these things went. “I’ll check your ear again in a couple days and if you get an infection, we’ll place you on antibiotics.”

Drew glanced at Sarah and then back to Doctor Reyes. It dawned on him what she had said first. He started to shake his head and then thought he shouldn't . "Oh, um. This wasn’t us sneaking off to be alone or anything. I was just hoping to give Sarah a chance to sing. Do something to make her happy or...a little more comfortable here and to let her know she had a friend." His thoughts were of Jennifer as he spoke. He looked around. "Okay, a stupid and irresponsible friend."

“Uh-huh.” Cecilia Reyes said with a tone that told Drew she didn’t really believe him. She was still in disbelief that she would have to be playing nursemaid to a house filled with moody, teenage angst. “Just follow my instructions so you don’t end up suffering permanent hearing loss in that ear.”

As Dr. Reyes turned to leave, she glanced at the still upset Sarah. “He’ll be fine, you just scared a flock of birds. Lesson learned, don’t go singing in the woods with boys.”

Quickly standing up, Sarah bolted for the Mansion. Right now all she wanted was to be alone and the only place she could think of that could happen was her room in the mansion. All she wanted was to sing and use her voice again, but yet again her voice had done little more than just hurt someone. Ever since her 'gift' had emerged, her life had seemed to be in a downward spiral. First she had to leave her friends, then her family, and now she was living in a foreign country, in a strange house with a group of strangers, and even here all she seemed capable of doing was hurting those around her.

With both students cleared of serious injuries and one of them running for cover, the Professor was ready to administer discipline.

~Kurt, if you please...~

"Ja," Kurt said aloud.

A few bamfs later, Drew and Sarah were both out of the elements and found themselves within Professor Xavier's office.

"Thank you, Kurt, that will be all." The Professor's tone was imperative and unyielding.

"Herr Professor." Kurt nodded and couldn't teleport away quickly enough.

Xavier sat motionless in his chair, fingers steepled, sharp eyes fixed on Drew and Sarah as Kurt's final bamf still dissipating in the air. The quiet in the room was suffocating, stretching long enough that even the faintest creak of the walls seemed loud.

His voice, when it finally broke the silence, was icy calm, far more unnerving than if he had raised it.

"What on earth were you thinking?"

Although his volume was low, every word was laced with telepathic indignation. His voice almost seemed to echo inside their skulls before even reaching their ears.

"This school is a haven," Xavier went on to say, "a sanctuary where young mutants are meant to learn control, to grow, and to thrive safely. Not a stage for reckless displays of power."

His eyes narrowed.

"Sarah," Xavier turned to her then, his voice softening but still firm, "you are new here. And one day, with patience and effort, you will have the control and grace of any world-class soprano, of that I am confident. But there are no shortcuts. No hasty leaps from fear to mastery. And certainly no room for carelessness where your gift, beautiful and dangerous, might spiral beyond your command."

Sarah didn’t dare to look anywhere but at the floor, her face flushed with embarrassment and her eyes still brimming with tears. She’d never been called up to the head masters officer before, but now within a matter of days she’d destroyed school property as well as damaged the grounds of the school itself through her reckless actions. The professors words felt like those of a disappointed grandfather, firm yet still caring. Not daring to speak, Sarah simply nodded in response.

Then Xavier's gaze swung back to Drew, sharper now, the disappointment palpable.

"But you, Mr. Williams—" he let the name linger in the air like a hammer about to fall. "One would think, after years of academic sports, after having training within the Danger Room itself more than once, you would understand the importance of controlled environments."

Whatever response Drew may have given, Xavier raised a single hand, not giving him the chance.

"Tell me, Drew, did your study of physics leave your mind before or after you coaxed a newly arrived student to stand at the center of a natural echo chamber like the Breakstone Lake basin?"

Leaning forward, Xavier continued, his voice still soft but cutting like ice. "Did it occur to you that a drainage basin amplifies sound—making it even more dangerous? Did you think, perhaps, about wearing any form of hearing protection for either one of you? About checking for hikers, other students, or—Heaven forbid—local wildlife whose ecosystems you could have shattered with your little experiment?"

Xavier let the silence hang for a beat, then continued, his gaze steady and unwavering.

"The lake is now riddled with cracks and fissures from the resonance of Sarah's voice. A fresh hazard to anyone who might venture near it." The Professor's voice, though not raised, was layered with enough disappointment to crush stone. "And all of this... with nothing but a guitar. No protective gear. No safety precautions. Nothing." Xavier took a slow breath, composing himself, though his eyes still blazed with quiet fury. "I expect better from both of you. From all of my students."

He let that sit with them for a long moment before finally leaning back in his chair. "You are not here simply to train powers. You are here to become responsible mutants—ones who consider the consequences of their actions. I trust I have made myself clear?"

Drew felt terrible, not just physically. The physical damage would heal in a week or so with his accelerated healing. What was worse was the fact that he had let Professor Xavier down. That not just the Professor, but that everyone else would see him as an irresponsible fool. "Crystal clear sir. I won't do any more training outside the...designated area and will make sure that the proper personal protection equipment is in use. I will inform Connor or a member of the faculty before each session." He gave a resigned sigh as he turned to Sarah. "None of this was your fault. I should have known better. Don't blame yourself."

"Miss Mitchell will take responsibility for her own actions," the Professor corrected rather sharply, but his tone soon softened. "As shall we all." Turning to Sarah, he said, "Forgive me for not introducing you to our more proprietary educational and training facilities sooner. Matters at hand have required my attention, but that is no excuse for failing to provide you with the adequate guidance and provision that could have prevented this little fiasco."

Looking between the both of them, he concluded, "We are not going to shift blame and fall on our own swords, Mr. Williams, not any more than we will shift blame or throw anyone under the bus. Each shall carry their own burden with the support of those around them. To that end, I will have Connor arrange a team-building exercise." Glancing at Sarah, who was already an island unto herself before she arrived, Xavier could see she was hurtling down even further into self-isolation. "And perhaps you will join them, Miss Mitchell."

Quickly looking up with a look of panic on her face, Sarah vigorously shook her head no. After what had just happened, how could she trust herself around anyone right now. ~no, no, no, I can’t. It’s too dangerous for me to be around anyone. Any vocal noise I make could result in more injuries~ she thought, speaking to the Professor like Jean had told her to. All of her ‘progress’, learning to speak quitely, seemed to have been for naught now. She wasn’t even willing to simply open her mouth right now.

Drew didn't think he could feel any worse about the incident than he already did. One glance at Sarah's expression and he realized how wrong he was. Someone had once said that the road to hell was paved with good intentions. He had only wanted to help Sarah. Instead he had pushed her into doing something that had left her traumatized.

Xavier let Drew’s guilt settle in silence, offering no verbal reassurance. There was no need to pile on further, but neither would he absolve him of responsibility. Instead, he focused on Sarah, his mind gently reaching back to hers in response to her panicked thoughts.

~You are afraid, Sarah. That is understandable. But fear is not a justification for avoidance. It is a challenge to be met~

With a measured calm, the Professor projected an image into her mind—an expansive, high-tech chamber with sleek metallic walls and panels that shimmered with the promise of limitless possibilities. The Danger Room.

~This facility is designed to accommodate the unique needs of every student. It can create an environment in which you may safely test your abilities without risk to others. Sound-dampening fields, controlled acoustics... even a vacuum, if need be~ There was the smallest twitch of amusement at the corner of his lips. ~I rather look forward to seeing how loud you can scream when none may even hear it~

Seeing the chamber in her mind, Sarah was amazed. This room seemed impossible. A place that could shift and shape itself to fit whatever was needed. ~Are you sure I won't break it? I'm not even sure how loud I can be~

The Professor chuckled merrily. ~I would love to see you try~ While circumstances remained as they were, Xavier's displeasure had turned away with his more nurturing disposition returned as he ensured his thoughts were heard by all. ~Both of you. I foresee great things in store for all who dedicate themselves to their own betterment~

Wiping away a few tears, Sarah looked over at Drew with as wide a smile as she could muster. Swallowing nervously, Sarah opened her mouth, "This room sounds like fun," she whispered

Drew nodded and gave Sarah a weak smile in return. "It is a phenomenal training area." His smile faded. "It should have been where I took you first. Next time we'll go there to practice, if you're still up for combining singing with testing your powers."

Professor Xavier gave a small nod of approval. "Then I look forward to seeing both of you progress. I will arrange a training session where Connor can assist you properly."

The gentle but unmistakable weight of his words carried an underlying message—one neither student could miss. Unsupervised training with powers could be dangerous. This time, they had been fortunate. Next time, they needed to be wiser.

Folding his hands together, Xavier's expression kind yet solemn. "I trust that today's experience has taught you both a valuable lesson. Growth takes patience, and mastery cannot be rushed. But you are not alone in this journey. You will have guidance—and each other."

Sarah nodded in response to the Professor's statement. Today had been quiet the learning experience for her. Not only had she learned not to trust the other students so readily, but she'd also learned how destructive her voice could be under the right circumstances.

Drew glanced at Sarah. He opened his mouth to apologize to her, but no words were forthcoming. The chain of events had backfired, on both of them. He knew, despite Professor Xavier's words, this was on him. He turned back to Charles.

Professor Xavier regarded the two students for a long moment, ensuring the weight of the lesson had fully settled. When he finally spoke again, his voice was measured and calm.

"Now that I believe we understand one another," he said with a faint, tight smile, "you are both dismissed for now. However, I expect Dr. Reyes to give you each a follow-up evaluation in the morning to ensure there are no latent effects—physical or emotional. Please see to it."

He unfolded his hands from his desk and gave a final, knowing glance to each of them—stern but not unkind. "Rest well tonight. Tomorrow is another opportunity to learn, and to do better."

“Um, sorry, Professor. Where would I find Dr. Reyes?” Sarah asked, as she still hadn’t memorized the whole estate yet.

Ah, yes. Sarah did not yet know about the subbasements. "It seems there is much in store for you to learn of this school," the Professor said. "Don't worry. Someone will be along to fetch you when needed."

Drew stood up and glanced at Professor Xavier. "With your permission, I'm going to head to the kitchen for a sandwich and then to my dorm room to finish my calculus formula for finals." He had screwed up enough this morning. A little self-imposed isolation would do others good right now, especially Sarah.

Looking up at Drew for a moment, Sarah thought for a moment before standing as well, "then I'll head back to my room as well. I haven't been given a class schedule yet."

"Coursework is being drawn up," the Professor said. "Do try to enjoy the holiday season in the meanwhile."

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