Kind of a short filler chapter....but I felt it necessary

Makoto pressed a button on the base of the compact. The button that looked like it should have been pink blush. It took a few rings but then a familiar face appeared. "Hello Daddy." Makoto said with a smile.

"Makoto. I hope this call means you are coming home soon." Kurama said green eyes glinting with good humor. His red hair was slightly mussed, Makoto noticed. Meaning he either just finished a training session or just got in from working in their green house.

Makoto sighed; she hated ruining her father's good mood. "Sorry Daddy, something's come up."

"What kind of something?" Kurama asked eyes narrowing slightly.

"This case is just a little more complicated than we thought. I'm going to have to infiltrate an entire organization it looks like." Makoto said rubbing a leave between her index finger and thumb. "You know I wouldn't do this if it wasn't necessary."

Kurama sighed. "Yes, I know…just…be careful, little one."

"Then I have your permission?" Makoto asked just to be certain.

Kurama frowned a bit. "I suppose. But I want to know what's going on. If I don't hear from you routinely I'll come myself…or send Hiei instead."

Makoto winced slightly at the not-so-subtle threat. "I understand Daddy. I'll be sure to keep you updated. I'll talk to you soon, I promise. Love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, little one." Kurama said with a smile. Makoto closed the communicator and headed towards her lair that she had made near the Xavier Institute. She had some things to gather still. Not to mention the wonderful experience in the pocket dimension of Middleverse had left her wanting to get some sleep.

Makoto woke fairly early the next morning and gathered all of the things she didn't wish to leave in the small cave she had been camping in. Changing into her Chinese style top and long white skirt she packed the rest of her clothes into the duffle bag she carried. She set her hair in a low ponytail, held there by thin vine, she tucked the hair that wouldn't stay back behind her ears and pulled on her white ankle boots.

By her estimations it was only 9 or so when she left for the Xavier Institute. Being as close as she was it only took a few minutes for her to reach the front gate with her duffle bag over her shoulder. She pressed the intercom button and waited. A crackly voice of a woman came from the speaker. "Can I help you?"

"I met a bunch of your students yesterday, they said I'd be welcomed here." Makoto answered.

"I'll buzz you in." The woman said. There was a loud buzz and the main gate opened to let the redhead inside. This should prove interesting… Makoto thought as she walked towards the large mansion.

Three people were waiting for her when she got to the front stairs. "Hello there. I'm Charles Xavier. I own this school." A bald man who was sitting in a wheelchair said amiably. Makoto felt the stirrings of a strange presence testing her mental barriers and reflexively tightened her shields. The man's eyebrow rose but made no other indication of anything out of the ordinary.

"I'm Minamino Mak-I mean…Makoto Minamino. It's so hard to remember that." Makoto said rubbing behind her ear nervously. These three were a bit unnerving as they studied her. She was at least discreet when she examined someone; they were most decidedly not.

"This is Ororo also known as Storm. And the man beside her is Logan or Wolverine." Professor Xavier said gesturing to the other two adults standing next to him. Ororo was a rather statuesque African lady with long white hair and smart blue-grey eyes. Logan was a bit…rougher. With blue-black hair, stubble and heavy muscles he looked more at home in the forests than a manor. "Please come inside and we can talk."

Makoto nodded and let herself be lead inside. The main lobby of the manor was taken up by a large staircase and was drenched in rich colors like the red carpet. Fancy sculptures and paintings decorated the room, as did a large chandelier and several comfortable looking couches. But they lead Makoto to a small office off one of the side hallways.

"I take it you were the one that was with Kurt yesterday in the so-called Middleverse?" Xavier asked as Ororo closed the door behind them.

Makoto nodded. "Indeed I was. Quite an…interesting experience. I'm sure that Forge would have won the science fair…had he been around to compete in it."

"What were you doing there anyway?" Logan asked sounding just as gruff as Makoto had imagined.

Makoto sighed a bit. "I was investigating." She answered honestly. She had decided last night that she would try to be as honest as possible, though she couldn't come right out and say she was looking for demons among them she had to give a viable reason for her being there. "I had heard about strange happenings and was curious. At the time it was my job to make note of such things that were out of the ordinary."

"Job?" Wolverine growled. "Who do you work for?" He demanded.

"Nobody. At least, nobody that had any idea that mutants even exist. Just a detective agency that I've taken a leave from. Secrets are hard too keep. As yesterday showed me quite clearly." Makoto answered carefully.

"They didn't know what you were?" Ororo asked curiously.

Makoto smiled at her, a smile well practiced to throw people off their balance. "Does everyone know what you are?"

"…I see your point." Ororo said.

"Kurt said something about a seed when I asked him what happened. Would you care to elaborate?" Xavier asked having accepted Makoto's story as close enough to the truth. Makoto didn't fool herself into thinking he'd accepted every word she'd said. He seemed too smart for that.

Makoto reached into her hair and detangled a seed from the strands. "I use my energy to control plants." She said as she urged the plant to grow. It sprouted immediately, covering her hand and arm with vines. Makoto held rigid control of the plant however; it was one of her more dangerous ones and could easily kill the humans that were around her. "Making them grow is one of the easiest things I do, so I decided to show Kurt that power so that he'd know I wasn't going to tell anyone about his blue fur and tail."

"That elf needs to be more careful." Logan stated.

"We already know about what happened with that, Logan." Xavier reminded the other man. "We can't help it if the image inducer breaks. I take it you've discussed this with your father?" Xavier asked turning to Makoto.

"Yes. He was not happy at the distance that would separate us but he realizes that right now this is where I need to be." Makoto answered.

That strange stirring entered the edges of her mind again but this time Makoto was slightly better prepared for it. She realized that the bald man was the one probing her thoughts, though he only seemed to be reading the surface thought and not probing into her memories. Makoto fashioned a few thoughts for him to read and he withdrew almost instantly. "Well then, welcome to Xavier Institute Makoto."

"Alright!" Someone shouted from the other side of the door.

Makoto laughed a little "Kurt…eavesdropping is very rude."

The door opened and Kurt stuck his blue head in. "Sorry, but I saw you come in so I thought I'd see if you vere staying."

"You need better excuses." Makoto said before tossing her duffle bag at him. Kurt nearly fell backwards at the sudden force of the bag hitting him in the chest. "Come on, Taisei, show me where my room is."

"Uh…right." Kurt said throwing the bag over his shoulder. He led the girl up the grand staircase and down the hall of bedrooms. They were filling up in a strange pattern. All the girls were on the right side of hallway and all the boys were one the left. Makoto was the third door on the right. "Here you go. Home sweet home." He said opening the door for her.

Makoto walked in and took a survey of the room. It was nice. Wood paneled walls with a large window that opened up to a balcony. A double bed with a red comforter sat against one wall but there was still plenty of room for a vanity across the room, a dresser by the door, and an oak side table. There was a radio in one corner as well as a small bench at the foot of the bed. "It's not home." Makoto said before going to the balcony. "Not yet anyway."

Kurt looked confused as he looked around. He had been ecstatic when he had seen the room he would be staying in. Makoto gave a small smile. "I'm used to lots of plants in my room. Once they're here…then I'll be home." She explained.

"Oh, I get it."

"Why aren't you in school? That's where the others are now isn't it?" Makoto asked as she picked up her duffle bag and pulled the top open.

Kurt sighed. "My inducer is still broken. I can't go to school until it's fixed."

"I see…such a hassle. It's unfortunate people aren't mature enough to handle such a little thing as fur." Makoto commented. "At least it's a good color."

"Really?" Kurt asked sounding a bit shocked.

Makoto nodded. "Think about it, Taisei, you could have gotten pea-green fur instead."

Kurt made a face. "I see your point. I'll leave you to pack then. I'll be in my room if you need me. It's da second on the left." Makoto nodded in understanding as Kurt left the room.