Xaviers!

Basil frowned a bit at the omission.

"I suppose I understand... but....

Crying isn't a weakness Franklin. Fear may let others know they are alive, but embracing our emotions and learning to accept them is what makes us human.

Truly, there are a great many things that are alive that cannot feel emotions, and nothing on this earth quite so adept at it as us."

"But Basil, we aren't human. It doesn't matter if we are mutants, afflicted, or cursed. We are something other than human. I don't know If we are better or worse, all I know is that we are different. This world hates us and we can't afford to even appear weak to those who hurt us. And beleive me, there are many people who want to."

Static electricity started to build up in the air as Franklin grew angry with each memory he revealed. "My mother started ritual flogging after she learned what I was. When that didn't work, she sent me to a priest to to exercise me while forcing me to fast for days on end. Finally, she sent me to a doctor who experimented on me with ways to change me. Then there are the ones like us that will use our fears to make us their slaves. Use us until they decide to slaughter us."

Basil's hair reacted to the growing build up, but only he himself would notice.

"Well, there's no one like that here. " He replied in a reassuring tone. He didn't address the rest. He didn't feel it was appropriate at this juncture. Anything Basil had to say on the topic clearly would fall on deaf ears until the other boy had time to heal.

His response was casual enough that if Basil was bothered by Franklin's heightened emotions, he didn't show it, not even in his body language.

He simply continued to smoke his cigarette.

Suddenly the static electricity ceased when Franklin realized the build up. Did he do that? If he did how? "What was that?"

"You." Basil replied. "Emotional responses often provoke abilities. This is likely why when she beat you, it seemed to make it worse. Your body responded to the stress."

Franklin instantly filled with terror and dropped his cigarette. "I need to leave! It's not safe for me to be here. You are all in danger!"

"We're not in any more or less danger than we were before you arrived." Basil replied in a calm, confident tone.

His leg stretched smoothly to put out the dropped cigarette, and he held out his handkerchief to Franklin so he could collect up the now ruined remains.

"Best pick that up. Smoking isn't exactly banned around these parts but it could be if we make a mess."

Again, Basil didn't seem particularly bothered by any of this. Except the mess.

"Why aren't you scared of me?"

"Mate, since I started here a little over five months ago, I've been shot at by laser eyes, been chased by robots and Mongols, met an alternate universe version of my lady who was a rather uncouth stripper, met an alien, had my brain fucked with so many times I've lost count, and probably some other weird shit that I'm not remembering due to my repeated visits to the infirm.

You're not even pinging my radar."

Basil's tone was tired sounding now, but not mad. Not with Franklin anyways.

All of this happened at this one school? What had he walked into? As he struggled to process all the information he had just been told, one question rose above all others. "How did you visit another universe?"

"I didn't. The alien came here with their people, then defected upon arrival. They go to school here now."

"There is an alien student here?"

"Yep." Basil replied. "Don't bother trying to find them though, you'll never guess unless they identify themselves. "

"How has this school managed to remain safe from the humans?"

" Sticking together. Safety in numbers and all that.

Yet another part of my hesitation to leave. My mutation can't be weaponized. I have no way to defend myself."

"But you can hide. They can't hurt you if they can't find you. Can't you girl fight?"

"My ladyfriend is almost invincible.

But you yourself can see how well my hiding works for things that aren't human. It's not just them out there, unfortunately. "

"What else is there?"

"Anything you've ever been told doesn't exist exists. At least, something akin to it does, which means for all effective purposes, it does."

"How do you live in this world?"

"Mostly I spend the whole day distracting myself from an oncoming panic attack with drink and sexual activity." Basil answered honestly. His tone didn't sound joking.

"I wouldn't know anything about sexual activity, but I've been known to enjoy a few drinks myself. Where does one go to get some booze?"

"There's a bar right here in the Union Building, and some go off campus to the Rose and Crown. As I understand it, a superhero team from back in the day used to hang there so I imagine it's most likely the teams."

"How about a, what do you guys call it? A pint?" Franklin reached into his pocket and pulled out am assortment of bills. "I'm paying, as long as we go to the Rose and Crown."

"Sure!" Basil replied. " Though... how old are you mate?"

"I'm seventeen, but they won't have to know that if it's a problem."

Basil laughed.

"It's not, if I buy, we have one, and there's food involved.

Save your cash mate, you might need it for incidentals."

"Lead the way then."