Xaviers!

Emilie shrugged. " No one asks for it, it just is. Sky is blue, water wet, and people have it or they don't have it.

And whether you are or aren't a mutant, it's still a natural talent. It's a gift you were born with right? You didn't take a bunch of drugs or go under a mad scientist's knife or something."

"Tell THAT to the IJF."

"Whoever that is don't make the rules of life kiddo. Just silly, arbitrary rules about competitive sports. They don't decide the laws of nature, even if they act like it."

"Well, what is it YOUR passionate about? Cooking?"

"Nothing." She laughs. "When you live like a gypsy, it's hard to get attached to anything.

Listen, I know it sucks what they did to you, but if they hadn't done what they did, you wouldn't be here now, on teams, helping people.

Right?"

"Yeah, but I'd be elsewhere, helping people, maybe.

Really? Nothing?"

She shrugged. " I like things. But I dunno if I would pin point anything I am really passionate about."

Anymore.

"Yer into martial arts, so maybe you have heard of the Buddhist concept of attachments?"

"Sure. Why do you bring them up?"

"Because that's why I'm not passionate about anything.

It's like this.

The more someone looks outside of one's self for happiness the unhappier they are, because true happiness comes from within. It's not just a Buddhist concept, though they probably harp on it the most, but one that exists in Christianity and Islam as well.

And it holds some merit, I find.

When I was younger, I dug my nails into the things I wanted, the things I was ''passionate' about. But it never really made me happy because in the end, nothing lasts forever. Anything can and will change, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it.

The best a person can do is enjoy what they are given in the moment and try to make the most of it."

"You'll forgive me, but sounds like a horribly sad way to go through life."

"Yea, passionate people always say that." She laughed, not seeming offended in the slightest.

"If it makes you feel better, I up until as recently as several months ago felt something that you might akin to passion about something. So I'm not entirely loveless like you might think."

"Oh? What was it?"

"A child." She answered honestly.

"Really?"

"Yes. She wasn't mine by blood, but I took care of her as if she were." Emilie clarified.

"What happened, if you don't mind me asking."

This was apparently too personal, so Carlos got a vague answer.

" As is the usual, the will of the cosmos had other plans for me.

She herself is probably safe with her father, but I can't see her anymore."

"I apologize. If there's anything I can do to help..."

"Not really, but thank you." Emilie replied, still smiling sadly.

"Besides. If it didn't happen I couldn't fulfill my dream of being a lunch lady, right?"

"If that's the way you want to look at it, sure."

"How would you look at it?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, I don't know if I'd want to be a lunchlady."

"Well not forever, but it's a solid enough gig. Three hots and a cot, and some money to line my pockets which makes it just a tad more than most of these kids are gettin'.

Thing of it is Carlos, most people don't have the luxury you'd had by finding your passion so early in life. Hell, a fair number of people don't even know what to do with themselves once they're out of here.

In a way, you're lucky to know what it is you want to do. Now it's just about finding an alternate way to do it, yea?"

"We'll see. I never wanted to be a trailblazer."

"Ain't that what being team leader is all about though?"

"No, this is a job MANY people have done before."

"I guess. Nobody does it the same though. Everybody's a bit different."

"But there's still a path. People who have been before you. It's a tradition."

Emilie chuckled. "Yer big on that aintcha?"

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"I'm not good at tradition, not like, standard tradition?

I'm good at falling into a rut though, that's awesome."

"That doesn't SOUND very awesome, if you'll forgive me saying so."

"Dude. PJ pants and cereal while watching YouTube in bed with a buddy and/or partner?

Don't get much better than that."

"And do you have a buddy and or partner?"

Emilie shrugged. "Not right this second, but i'm working in it. Why?"

She gathered she already knew, but thought she'd give the boy space to back out quickly.

"Just saying, your highlighting that as a point of being in your rut."

"Gotta find the right one. Not everyone appreciates my lackidaisical attitude towards life." She grinned. "My lacking ambition requires a very specific kind of snuggle buddy."

"Hmm," Carlos said, unconvinced.

"I mean think about this for a second. Think about how much yer dicing this up right?

Yer really apprehensive about the idea anyone would enjoy this existence I got going on. The only reason you'd question it so much is if it sounds bad to you, right?

So I gotta be smart and not drag go getters like yer self into my bohemia. Cuz no offense, but you'd be all super duper amped to get goals and smash barriers, and bum me out." She laughed.

"...I'm sorry?" Carlos asked, confused.