X-Men: The Future of Evolution [M]

THE AWAKENING

It was silent in her room, it was always silent. Her parent's hardly spoke to her, and she hardly spoke to them. They were ever so proud of her older brother: who was two years into college, and only 18... but to them she was a failure. She scraped by with C's--and that was at the best of times. Her mother was the president of a mid-sized publishing house, her father was the executive scientist at an underground military facility. Her brother was studying to be an engineer... and here she sat, only good at drawing and painting, being the perfect scapegoat for everyone's disappointment.

She had very long, sweeping, choppy, swishy, dyed-black hair, most of her wardrobe consisted of mostly skinny jeans, band t-shirts, hoodies, and various colors of Chuck Taylor's. Her eyes were the color of the sky, and even though she mostly frowned her smile could light up any room.

She looked out the window as she drew a very pretty girl in her sketchpad, wishing, no, praying that someone would come here to sweep her away. A yawn escaped her lips, even though it was only mid-afternoon. She rested her temple against her hand as she sketched the shadows on the pretty girl's face, eventually drifting off into a light sleep.

It seemed, before her eyes fully closed she already had an idea in her head...her death... if she inflicted it... her dream drifted into space--she carved her wrist beautifully letting everything that was her come out of her so that she'd cease to be a failure to her parents. She watched herself slice into herself, multiple times, slashing her wrist. It didn't even seem to hurt. That would show them...or would it...? they probably wouldn't even cry...

In that moment a scream rang through the house--the epicenter starting in her room. She was abruptly jarred back into consciousness, staring at her mother, knelt in a pool of blood, clasping her daughter in her arms.

Her eyes grew wide as she wiped the sleep out of her eyes--it was there, sure as the sky was blue and the grass was green--she was laying, dead, in her mothers arms as her mother cried over her.

"...Mom...?" she whispered, putting her hand on her mother's shoulder. Her mother jumped and looked up at her... and just like in the movies... the horrific scene was gone, the blood on her mother's clothes, erased. She hardly could believe her eyes.

Her mother looked back down quickly, at where her daughter had been in her arms, on the floor, then back at her daughter.

"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!??! HOW DID... YOU... YOU WERE... YOU WERE... DEAD... COLD IN MY ARMS... BUT..." her mother shook her head several times, trying to make sense of it. "WHAT ARE YOU...?!?!" she screamed, accusatory, pointing a quivering finger. "HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!?!"

"Do... do what... I didn't..." her eyes became blurred with tears.

Her mother stood and shook her. "Tell me how you did it, tell me."

She began crying, afraid because her mother had never put her hands on her in a threatening way. "I dont know.. I dont know! leave me alone!!!"

Suddenly, as if she had a change of heart, her mother let her go and started crying to.

"DONT HURT ME," her mother called out, wincing.

She stared at her mother, eyes flowing with tears--was she... was she saying what... SHE was feeling...?


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He was having a bad day... and it seemed that everything in the universe just wanted it to get worse.

He was a handsome young man with a-typical shaggy dirty blonde hair found on the west coast, light blue eyes that seemed gray in some environments and green in others; he was athletic but not a bench pressing football player. He played soccer, did track, and enjoyed baseball. He wasn't excessively popular, just because he didn't accept the social status quota (and refused to date a dim-witted teenager). A lot of his peers thought that he believed he was too good for everyone there and... well... for the most part that was true... He was a 4.0+ student, on verge of becoming valedictorian, the world was his oyster... but today just... wasn't his day.

It all started with his car not starting. Then, of course, there was a pop quiz in physics which didn't go over well--no one in the class got over a 30! His best friend was being an absolute tool, and asked out the girl he intended to ask out to the prom. And, of course, as if everything couldn't get worse... it started raining on his long walk home from school. He stared at people walking by him--begging them to give him an excuse. He wasn't a naturally violent guy, not at all, he only had one fight in the history of his scholastic endeavors, and it was between him and his best friend...

Even though it was 90 degrees outside, it seemed at least 150, even with the rain, which made for a miserable walk home. Once he got home he found a letter on the counter urging him to cook dinner for him and his kid sister tonight. He really could not be asked, and wondered if he had enough in his bank account for pizza. He quickly checked his online banking account and cursed under his breath. Of course he didn't have enough money for pizza, he hardly had enough money for gas yesterday when he filled up!

He pulled at the collar of his American Eagle shirt--it seriously seemed a million degrees in his house. He walked to the thermostat and stared at it... 70 degrees... it couldn't be... it couldn't be!!! He shook his head, deciding to take a cold shower just to get himself chilled out a little.

When he got out of the shower his little sister was home from her gymnastic practice. She promptly plopped herself down in his room to do her homewoork--which was typical of her, she'd often ask him for help with her maths, but, for some reason he was just not feeling it today.

"April, would you mind, I need some alone time, I'll help you with your homework later, I promise..." he said softly, as he entered his room, towel draped over his head--which made him feel like he was in an incinerator.

She quickly hopped up, pouting, and drug herself to her room to throw her books and bag down. He collapsed on the bed, throwing the towel across the room--it was steaming.

"Fine, Then, I'm going to Alisha's house... call me when you wake up, cranky ass." she giggled, popping back up in his doorway. "don’t worry about cooking or anything, either, I’ll eat there..."

"Yeah... whatever..." he replied gruffly.

”Love you big brother,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

“Mmhmm,” he grumbled.

Why was he so angry today?! He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down, surely a nap would help out... he wasn't one to be pissed off all day, even if bad stuff happened to him… it was actually quite strange.

As he slept, the temperature in the room began to climb. It wasn’t until his mother touched him—and burned her hand—that he woke up… his body felt, as he could imagine, like the sun. His mother clasped her hand, looking down at it, then at her son, terrified.

“You… have a fever,” she said, nervously, still babying her hand. “D… DAVID…?!!!! COME UP HERE QUICKLY!!!”

His father rushed upstairs and took a step back once he entered the doorway. "What the hell is going on... it feels like an oven in here..."

"It's... it's coming from... Avery... I think we need to take him to a hospital..."

"I'm NOT going to a hospital," groans Avery.

"YOU'LL DO AS YOUR MOTHER SAYS." replies his father in a raised tone, more out of concern than out of anger.

"I'm NOT going... I'm just tired... let me sleep."

"Honey, you're burning up... you're skin is so hot it scalded my hand, think of what is happening to your organs!"

"This isn't working... get me a blanket, i'll carry him over my shoulder if I have to..."

She rushes over to his bedside and wraps him with his blanket.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!?!" he yells, throwing the blanket off of him.

"DONT TALK TO YOUR MOTHER THAT WAY, YOUNG MAN!"

"I'm not going to let you die because you're too stubborn to go to the hospital." she says flatly, wrapping him with the blanket again.

"I TOLD YOU I'M NOT GOING, LEAVE ME BE!" he screams at the top of his lungs, shoving her away from him--in that instant a bright light appears in his chest, spreading rapidly over his body; he feels his fingernails and toenails begin to melt off--he screams in agony. He watches as his mother clasps herself to his father, backing up, away from their son, out of the door--then a huge flash of light encases him and begins radiating, melting things in the room, melting his parents who are holding each other, Within seconds an explosion erupts from his fingers, toes, and the top of his head. He falls unconscious in the final act, when he seemingly supernovas, the house is destroyed, as are the neighbors houses within a five-house radius, both behind, in front of, and beside.

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After a long afternoon with her best friend, she decides she’d better get home so her parents don’t get angry that she’s out so late on a school night. As her best friend turns onto her street the devastation comes into view.

“STOP THE CAR!” she screams, damn near jumping out before it comes to a safe speed. She runs towards her house, one of her shoes goes flying off, then the other, her long dirty blonde hair flows behind her as she pounds the pavement hard with the balls of her feet.

“Please…god…please…don’t let it be my house… please…” she begs in her head as she dashes—but it’s a false prayer, every step she takes closer to her home the damage gets more prominent. Police officers are assessing the damage—as are several firefighters—she has to push past them, violently, to get to her house. At last, she’s standing at the epicenter of the explosion; she looks around, eyes wide, lip quivering. It takes her a minute to realize there’s nothing left… no pipes… no walls… nothing… she falls to her knees in the circle of burnt earth and starts crying. Where is her mom? Her dad? Did… did they come home before this happened…? And her brother!!! Oh god, her brother laid down before she left the house!!!!

Tears started streaming down her face and she screams loudly. An officer tries to take her up from the ground, warning her that there are trace remnants of radiation so close to the explosion, but she pulls away from him, slamming her fist in the ground.

“NO!!! NO! NO! NO!” she screams at the top of her lungs, slamming her fists on the ground over and over again. After about the seventh fist slam onto the ground the earth starts to shake a little—which isn’t all that common—earthquakes in this part of the States are so common that it hardly makes the locals nervous. But, as it rumbles it also crumbles, and out from the ground materializes a sand creature with humanoid shape and characteristics. She is too busy sobbing, hunched over, on the ground to see the creature, though she is shaded by its shadow. Police officers begin to step back slowly, their hands cautiously on their pistols; one grabs her up from the ground, which she writhes in his arms. Her eyes open and she stares, blury-eyed, at the sand creature, which falls back into the earth.

“W…what was that…?!” she asked. “Is that… is that what did this…?!”

The police officer offers no answers—he doesn’t even know what happened, as it all happened so fast.

“Were… there…” she can’t bring herself to say it. She swallows back tears and shakes her head, raising her hand to her mouth as she holds back her sobs. “…did anyone…survive…”

”Yes… a young man… but he was in critical condition when we got here…”

“THAT’S MY BROTHER, YOU TELL ME WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW!?” she cries.

”I’ll take you to the hospital,” says the police officer, escorting her to his car, allowing her to get into the back seat.

She watches out the window as they drive through the neighborhood; she feels numb, she feels absolutely empty inside… what happened? Why her? Why her family…? What’s the meaning of this…?

It felt like an eternity to get to the hospital which was only about 10 minutes up the road on a normal day. He was in critical condition... how bad does that mean? She knew it meant that he wasn't doing too well, but... why? was he burnt? she felt herself feeling sick as they got closer as she put different scenario over in her brain.

When the cop pulled up to the emergency side of the hospital and opened her door she ran out and dashed through the emergency waiting room. She banged on one of the windows until someone came to her.

"Where is my brother... he came in here a while ago... critical condition... he was in an accident up Billings Street." she said without a breath. Her eyes began glistening with tears. "I want to see him, where is he?!?! WHERE IS HE?!?!"

The person behind the window quickly looked it up.

"He's in the ICU," she said. "room three. fourth floor."

She rushed to the elevators pressing the up button quickly over and over and over again.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," she mutters under breath, slipping through the smallest available space as soon as she gets into the elevator. She presses the fourth floor button and crosses her arms, waiting for the contraption to take her a few steps closer to her brother.

As soon as she arrives on the fourth floor she glances at the signs, rushing towards the ICU. She has to ask a nurse to open the door for her--but she gets in without much hitch. She prepares herself as she rounds the corner to see her brother laying in bed three--he is wrapped head to toe in bandages--but...curiously...his chest is glowing a white-yellow color, and as she approaches him she feels heat radiating off of him.

"W...what's happened...?"

"We don't know what happened... but he is running an impossibly high fever for him to be functioning... but... he's here, normal brain activity... his body is horribly disfigured by some sort of burn... they look chemical..." explains the nurse.

"Why is his chest glowing...?"

"We...we aren't sure..." she says.

"Well... WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!?!!!" She cries, flinging herself in the chair beside her brother's beside. She wants to hold his hand, tell him it's okay... but he doesn't seem to be conscious at the moment.

"I'll leave you be... if he begins groaning let us know" says the nurse softly, walking away.

"I'm here, Avery... I'm here," says April softly. "It's going to be okay, I'm here..."

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It was Thursday night. He had planned on this party for weeks and weeks. His father suggested he didn't go, but his mother encouraged it. he hardly got out of the house as it was, he was so busy studying for the SAT--which was this weekend.

He was dressed nice--he bought a new pair of really classy looking top-of-the-line jeans, he wore a zumies shirt, a hoodie and a pair of vans. He looked really suave, his dark brown hair swished in just the right way, his light grey eyes were just barely covered by the swoop of his fringe. He smiled at himself in the mirror, then turned to leave the room. He shoved his wallet and keys in his pocket as he made his way down the staircase. His mother was making dinner--but he would skip it tonight, so he said his good-night's to his family and walked out of the house.

Once he got into his car his anxiety started to increase. He turned the ignition and glanced out of rearview mirror. He sighed a couple times, closing his eyes, shaking his head.

"You can do this, man, you're going to pick her up, you're going to have a good time.. and... you'll be fine..." he breathed in slowly, backing out of the driveway.

As he made his way to her house he jammed out to his playlist on his ipod. He mostly liked modern rock songs, but he also divulged into the classics. The music calmed him a little, but, once he pulled into her driveway he felt that rush of fear fall over him again. Should he honk? Should he walk up to the door? He turned off his lights and then the car. He stepped out, rolling the wrinkles out of his shirt. He wandered towards the front door, his heart pounded in his ears.

He could do this... He could do this...

He nervously knocked on the door, three knocks would suffice, he stood there, pulling at the back of his hair, glancing around down the street--she lived in a very nice neighborhood, better than his, in fact.

She opened the door and smiled--she was wearing teal halter-top dress that had a frilly asymmetrical cut that went from her knee to her mid-thigh. She was cute, he hair was half tied up, the rest of it dangled down in brown bouncy curls.

"H-hey..." he said, taking her all in, he felt himself blush as she giggled.

"Hey yourself," she said with a grin. .

They had been best friends for as long as he could remember--he was actually shocked when she siad 'yes' to him taking her out tonight... but she did say yes... and that was the first step. He smiled at her as she smiled at him, and offered his arm for her to grasp and follow him to his car.

They went to the party in silence--well, other than the music playing, of course--the only real movements she made was to look out the window or pull at her curly mane. He wondered if he was making it awkward by not talking, opened his mouth to say something, then decided against it, instead, turning the music up a little louder as they cruised into the neighborhood where the party was meant to take place.

He quickly got out of the car and opened the door for her, she shrugged on a little shawl and they made their way into the mansion that Jessie Moldaire's parents owned. It was a beautifully ornate styled 1700's manor styled home, but the inside was tricked out for the party. Music blared as Jeremy and his date, Katie, snaked their way through the gyrating party goers.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked her in her ear, speaking soft enough not to scream, but loud enough for her to hear over the sound of the party.

"Punch will do," she responded, bobbing a little to the music.

He made his way into the kitchen where a punchbowl sat on the floating island. He poured two cups of the punch, sipped it to make sure it didn't have any alcohol in it, and walked it back to her, taking great care not to spill it on himself or anyone else as he went.

She smiled and took it, sipping the drink. She moved her body to the rhythm of the music, her eyes keeping constant contact on him, as if she were waiting for him to ask her to dance.

Funny story, really, he was a horrible dancer... he wasn't actually sure he even knew what rhythm was... but he took the cue.

"Would you like to dance?"

"yes," she said, pulling him closer to her, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck

He swallowed hard and forced a smile. How as he going to do this? He tried to move to the rhythm of her body, placing his hands firmly on her waist. She seemed to know what she was doing, though, because she took the lead, dancing seductively against him. He could feel a blush run through him, his cheeks began to redden as she continued her seductively lewd act. Half the kids were too drunk to notice him feeling out of place, but she didn't, She giggled and gave them a little more space, eventually stopping dancing altogether.

"Lets find a quiet place," she whispered in his ear, taking his hand. She lead him upstairs, the second floor seemed to be almost as loud as the first, so she decided to go to the third floor where plenty of empty rooms lay vacant, as if anticipating their arrival.

He licked his lips as they entered a bedroom. What was going to happen now?

She flopped down on the bed with a sigh, glancing back at him. she took down the remainder of her hair and tousled it about and giggled.

"You seem so tense, Jeremy." she said with a pout. "Come here, I don't bite..."

He nervously made his way to the bed, sitting on the very edge on the very corner. His mind reeled--he had planned on kissing her for years... since he figured out he liked her--but...somehow...this wasn't it... he glanced down at her and she smiled at him, rising up and scooting closer to him. His heart began to rush as she rested her head gently on his shoulder.

"I... never thought you'd ask me out..." she admitted with a giggle, taking his hand into hers, lacing her fingers with his. "...But I'm glad you did..."

"Me too," he managed to say. She looked up at him and bit her bottom lip, as if she were expecting it... was that the cue? Was it time to kiss her? He leaned his head down to her level and she smiled, raising hers to his--letting him take the last little bit to kiss her. When their lips met it was... electric. He felt a little surge of excitement run through him, then subside. She reached her hand up to his face and pulled him closer to her, before leading him to fall back on the bed with her. Her lips were soft like rose petals, and continued their assault on his lips. They made out for a few minutes until--well--until he stopped it. A sudden jolt-like sensation rung up through his back. She looked at him, confused, as if she did something wrong. He stood and rushed to the nearest bathroom, staring at the mirror. Good god... god good... something was happening.... he threw up, violently in the sink, his body rattled and shook... then... like the sun had just rose in the bathroom, the entire bathroom lit up. It took him a minute before he realized that... well...that it was him doing the lighting. He stared at the mirror, through squinted eyes as what appeared to be tiny electric currants flowed through his flesh, causing him to glow.

"Oh... fuck me... now? Of all times... really? goddamn it..." he groaned, pulling his cellphone out of his pocket and dialing his dad. It took all of two rings for his father, THE Iceman, to answer. "Yeah... dad... it's me... it's happening... I need your help getting out of here."

His long white hair flows down his back blood running down his face yet again as he staggers home from school. He knows it wont be much better for him there. Its been like this for as long as he can remember. He was born different with white hair jet black eyes and skin the color of snow. Other than his eyes the only splash of color about him are his blood red lips that stand out boldly. He knows he's a mutant yet other than his physical differences he's yet to show any unusual skills. He pushes the door open smiling briefly as he recognises instantly that his father isn't home yet. He runs upstairs to wash off the blood from his body and face. Its not long after he cleans up that he hears the slamming of the door. Barely seconds pass before

"OI SPECTRE GET YOUR FUCKING SPOOK ASS DOWN HERE" screams a voice from downstairs

He heads downstairs head downcast knowing what's coming though he hates it he knows if he tried to avoid it it would be worse for him. he walks down an uncommon anger burning within him. he starts to think things he's never been bold enough to think before maybe he should fight back maybe he wont stand for it this time. "what?" he says darkly surprising himself with the venom in his voice

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD HOW DARE YOU FUCKING SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT" his father swings at him

he ducks under the fist swinging at his father. the blow connects and he feels an odd jerking sensation and once its over his body feels different he looks down and see's not his own hands but those of his father. In seconds he is assaulted by memories. he's thirteen and it starts the blows the lock ups trying to force out the mutation out of him. His 'parents' for that is how he recognises them at this point are mutant supremisists who loathe the fact that their son is 'normal' every time their friends come over he's hidden away locked in a cage in the basement so that his normalcy wont embarrass them. Years pass from the abuse and he runs away as soon as he's able. though he got mediocre at best grades at school he finds himself getting an easy job as a used car salesman. Despite how impossible it seems he never misses a sale with a non mutant, though any mutants are far harder for him to sell to. Specter slowly realizes that, whatever others think, his father does have a subtle mutant power. the shock of the realization pushes him back out of his dads body. His eyes go wide. "Dad you're a mutant" he says softly

"what?" asks his dad

"yeah you have hyper persuasion it just doesn't work on other mutants. you can persuade normal humans of anything. think about it" he says

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Tina, her black hair in pony tails, walks into school today was going to be the day. Today she'll make him notice her, she's wearing a lolita dress glad they are having a non uniform day for valentines day. She smiles though it quickly fades as she spots HER wearing the same dress only in white. "fucking Emily" she mutters under her breath her thick birmingham accent showing through due to her anger. She marches over to Emily. "WHAT THE FUCK BITCH WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE WEARING MY DRESS. I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR WEEKS WHAT I'M WEARING" she yells shoving her.

"BITCH PLEASE" yells back Emily in her thick Scottish accent "I FILL IT OUT BETTER THAN YOU ANYWAY MOSQUITO TITS"

"OH HELL NO MELONS" screams Tina backhanding her the slap resounding through the dining room. This wasn't the first time they had thought and they both know full well it wont be the last time either. They are the best of frenimies both having moved to the school at the same time sometimes they are the best of friends other times they are at each others throats.

"WELL LOOK WHO'S JEALOUS BET YOU WISH YOU HAD TITS LIKE THESE. DO YOU EVEN HAVE A BRA" taunts Emily grabbing Tina's boobs "WHAT ARE THEY LIKE AN AA CUP" she jumps back dodging the next blow her long red hair flicking infront of her has she does. She's about to launch another again when she stumbles clutching her head. she cries out in agony as tables chairs and pens begin to pull towards her.

"what the fuck?" says Tina as a chair comes flying knocking her over she almost hits the floor as she feels something in her head shift and she begins floating until she regains her feet. she feels disoriented as memories begin to trickle though her that aren't her own.. items begin to waver between them and they hear creaking before suddenly the walls and even the roof begin to crack and fall in collapsing around them.

'quiet your minds' comes a voice echoing in their heads 'if you don't it will be cataclysmic and could destroy both of you'

slowly the items that were caught in between them begin to hit the floor as they both close their minds calming their newly awakened powers.

she walks towards them her long blond hair flowing free down her back. "Tina you must focus your mind. we have a school where you can BOTH learn to control the gifts you have been given."

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Mina hops in the car her long brown hair flowing down her back grinning today was one of the few days she'd have with just her mom and non of her brothers. Her mom comes out hopping in. She's taking her out dress shopping for her eldest brothers wedding. They head off to the first store chatting about when Mina will find herself a nice boy. They pull into the lot and Mina looks nervously at a group of guys lurking around near the entrance. She can feel the trouble brewing but her mom doesn't seem to notice. They head on up her mom taking the lead. As they approach the group of guys start walking towards them grinning and nudging each other.. they haven't gone more than a few feet from the car when they are surrounded.

the apparent leader pulls out a knife "give me your bag and no one gets hurt bitch" he says sneering.

"you picked the wrong 'bitch' to mess with" says the mom kicking for an ankle, she just happens to be a black belt.

"fucking bitch get her" calls the leader as the rest of them flick their knives out. one of them gets a lucky shot stabbing her mom in the back

she lets out a scream of rage and agony at the sight of her moms blood her body warping she finds herself feeling more of the floor her eyes seem unfocused and she can taste more than she can see. to anyone looking they would see a jet back giant hooded cobra. she hisses at the crew who are already scattering to the wind. not truly knowing whats going on she strikes out at the one who stabbed her mother grazing his arm with her fang as he escapes her. little does she know then even that graze was enough to inject him with her venom.

THE FIRST DAY OF "SCHOOL"

She walked with little confidence off of the bus. She had been sitting in the back, not making any eye contact with anyone. She was sure to wait as long as she possibly could to let the other students leave—if there was an off chance of touching one of them she wanted to avoid it at all cost, for it seemed her powers had increased exponentially since her awakening. She quickly pulled up her hood as she bowed her head, being sure to still see enough of her peers to ensure that they did not accidentally bump into her. She made her way, silently, onward towards the mansion. Her peers gasped at the impressiveness of their new home, but she didn’t bother looking up or dabbling in conversation with anyone… it was only a matter of time that they’d weed her out to be a freak, even among such ‘gifted’ youths.

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It was his first time out since the incident. He sat beside his sister in what could only be defined as a coach. His sister purred as she slept, leaning up beside him, making small strange little breathing sounds. She was still, but he was stiff from sitting up so straight. He was wearing a grey hoodie with black checkers all over it, the hood was up—more for his protection than the rest of the bus. Since his ‘accident’ he hardly came out of the house—how the mutant teacher… what’s-her-face… convinced him to venture out of the apartment he had gotten for his sister and him was beyond his wildest imagination…. But here he sat… disfigured from his incident, scars riddled his body, his nails never grew back, his hair had, which was strange, but it was shorter than he would have liked. The only things that remained the same were his lips and eyes—even his ears were damaged. He wasn’t quite the looker he once was, not that he was vain or anything, but it was a little disconcerting looking in the mirror.

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She stirred as the bus began to slow, stretching her long lanky arms upward towards the ceiling of the coach. She smiled at her brother, pulling his hood down.

“Stop playing shy,” she giggled.

It took some time for her to understand that she was the one to create the dirt golem, and even longer to come to grips with the fact that… well… her brother and her were… absolutely opposite to their ‘normal’ parents, but she tagged along, more for her brother’s emotional support than for her own advancement in mutant arts. She giggled again as she watched her brother yank his hoodie back onto his head. It was starting to become his security blanket, which was both hilarious and extremely sad. She wasn’t used to seeing her brother so low on himself.

“He’s so vain… he probably thinks this song is about him… he’s so vainnnn” she sung obnoxiously loud until her brother clapped his hand over her mouth. She pouted. “Won’t let me have ANY fun!”

She was the first to stand once the bus came to a complete stop, she yanked her brother up and they began to exit the coach, looking up at the great, beautiful legacy of some telepath named professor Xavier. She smiled at her brother, wrapping her arms around him in a protective way as they took their first few steps towards their new home.

“Well, looks like we’ve found a home, at last,” she breathed outward in relief, looking up at her brother. He merely nodded.

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His father stopped him in front of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youths. He sighed and leaned his arm around the back of his son’s seat.

“I’ll be fine, dad,” he assured his father, looking up at the building, licking his lips nervously. “I’ll stay focused, I promise, I won’t cause another incident…”

”Even if you did, it wouldn’t matter, Jeremy… you’re safe to be yourself here, don’t hold back, but don’t go zapping out either…” the man known as Iceman replied, in an attempt to sound both caring and kind towards his eldest son.

“This is it,” he breathed.

”Yep… it’s okay to be nervous, I was…” his father smiled warmly as his son looked back up at him.

“What if… What if I…” he sighed.

“You’ll be fine… don’t worry, you’re in the best hands here…”

“Right…” he responded, hesitating as he opened the door to the car. “I’ll see you soon, give all my love to everyone…”

“If you ever need me… I’m only a call away,” his father said gently.

“Yeah… okay… see you dad…” he said, walking away from the car.

He quickly rolled his window down and shouted at his son: “DON’T FORGET YOUR FOOTLOCKER!”

He quickly spun on his heel and darted back to the hatch of the car.

“Oh god… I’d lose my head if it wasn’t attached…” he shook his head as he pulled out his wheeled footlocker. “See you dad…”

“See ya, good luck!”

He watched his father drive off before starting up the hill to the front of the school where there was already a gathering of his peers and perspective classmates.

Specter left for the mansion not long after he awoke wanting to find a home where he belonged. He'd often considered joining the morlocks yet he had no idea where to truly find them. there were rumors but never anything concrete. He smiles as he looks down at the rest of the newcomers entering the school. He comes down from his room when he spots someone looking as shy and nervous as he was his first day. He know's he'll find a way to comfort her. He slips through the crowd as silent as his namesake and avoided as though he were one. Most of the other students move out of his way flowing like water while trying distinctly NOT to look at him. Silently he slips behind her grinning to himself knowing she's not noticed him. "pretty impressive huh?" he asks smiling softly. "The names Specter by the way I would offer you my hand but... yeah I cant always help myself when I touch someone."


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Tina smiles to herself gazing out the window of the car as they head towards the school she was kinda tired but jetlag will do that to you. After all a flight from Ireland will do that too a girl. This is her second new country. She glances to her left at Emily, since their little fight they are closer. Still not exactly BFF's yet but not likely to go for each others throats anytime soon. Even if they are wearing almost the same outfit AGAIN. "ready to be the new girl again?" she asks smiling, as they round the bend the mansion/school comes into view.

"I got your back girl" Emily laughs "I wont let the nasty boys and girls pick on you"

"oh don't start if I remember correctly wasn't it ME saving YOU from the bullies?" she plays back hopping out the car. "oooooo who's tall dark and creepy" she says nodding in the direction of a guy in a hoodie"

"either he's taken or that's his sissy either way good luck getting close look at how she's being with him." says Emily thinking to herself 'though I bet she's quite the looker'

"lets go" she laughs grabbing hold of her arm as they walk together into the school

"this is gonna be FUN" laughs emily blushing a little trying not to let on just how much she's enjoying Tina holding her arm


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Mina is one of the last off the coach herself. she still feels overwhelming guilt over what she did in anger though she knows there's nothing she can do about it now. She keeps her head downcast ever since her powers bloomed her eyes have set her apart from others. green with slits rather than circular irisis far more snakelike than she would like. contacts don't last with her probably because of her poison. She keeps away from the others as she wanders up towards the school, pausing nervously before the door though not quite ready to be the first one to enter.

She jumped at the sound of his voice--it was a shock after listening to her savage thoughts. She stopping dead in her tracks, which only made a kid in the back of her bump into her; she fell over onto the ground, scraping up her hands. Wincing she looked down at her bloody palms, then up at the white man with white hair and the dark eyes. She blinked a few times and stood slowly, trying to figure out where to wipe her hands.

"Hi..." she responded quietly, looking him back in the face. She didn't mean to stare, but he was so fascinating looking. "yeah... Impressive..." she said absently--a quirky, strange smile flirted over her face. Her cheeks grew rosy and she bowed her head in shame--she knew he was talking about the building, not him... how stupid of her.

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He pushed his sister away from him playfully, taking a good look up at the building--he felt someone's eyes on him, glancing towards that direction he saw two girls, dressed very similar, arm in arm, walking away. It must have just been his imagination... he was convinced that people were staring at him often... yeah... it must have just been another one of those times.

He continued walking with his sister and his peers towards the entrance of the institute. Many people whispered and laughed about what they had heard about what typically happened here. Everyone around seemed to be enamored with what they were talking about, but, suddenly, people up ahead began branching off to different rooms. He looked down, pulling his paper out of his pocket... 4-A... he was meant to go left... he glanced at his sister who looked right, then looked back at her brother.

"Guess we're going to different classes,' he said observantly.

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"Yep, guess so, see you later, big brother" she grinned, patting him on the shoulder gently. She skipped off to the right to 3-C where other people started to gather. She glanced around cautiously, trying to get a read on the people around her. Some of them looked strange, where others looked just as normal as she was. She smiled a little, this was going to be an experience, indeed. The first time she had to move away and go to a new school. She took a deep breath and smoothed out the wrinkles in her cute little blue bubble-cut skirt. She was wearing a soft colored top that complimented the electric blue skirt, and blue chuck taylor's. She wasn't much for the height of fashion, but she surely liked to feel comfortable in what she wore.

She stood beside a girl that was wearing a cute ensemble, who was glancing people up and down just the same. She swayed beside her in an awkward shy girl sort of way and bit her bottom lip.

"You have really pretty hair," she said to the girl with a fiery red mane. "I wish my hair curled like that..."

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He stood as far away from the building as possible. His mouth was dry, he licked his lips and shook his head.

It was going to be okay, surely to god... His dad went here, after all, he was almost a... well a legacy, right? But that would mean that all of his teachers would be comparing him to his father... that would get old really quick...

What if he pretended to be the bad boy? It wasn't really his style. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black and red striped v-neck t-shirt... it wasn't all too bad boyish... but if he spruced it up a little, punched out one of the bigger looking guys...

He shook his head again--he would be content being invisible.

He adjusted his dufflebag on his shoulder and began the slow walk up to the school, being one of the last to get separated into the correct class. He lingered outside of the door before entering the classroom, taking a deep breath--it was going to be okay... everything would be fine... he'd miss home for all of two weeks and get accustom to living here... by then he'd have new friends... but... he had to be sure to contact his girlfriend.... definitely.

In his absentmindedness, he bumped into a tan-complexioned young lady on his turn into the classroom. They were slightly wedged between the door frame, he was first to move, bowing his head, embarrassed.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to... i wasn't paying attention..."