Chapter Three: "The Guys"

The next morning, Lumina awoke in a room she didn't recognize. Then she recalled the events of the night before. She got out of bed and examined her appearance in the full-length mirror that was standing by her dresser. Her hair was sticking out in various places, giving her the frizzy look. She sighed when she looked closely at her eyes and realized she had dark circles underneath them. I have to meet some important people today and this is how I look. Like crap. She turned with some determination towards the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Fifteen minutes later, as soon as she got out of the shower, she heard a knocking at her door. Wrapping her hair up in one towel and draping the other around her body, she answered the door. There stood Logan, looking very much the same as he had the night before.

"Good morning," he said. "I see you're already up." She saw him give her a once over in her towel, even though she was trying desperately to hide herself behind the door.

"I'll be down in a minute." She said simply.

"Do you know where the kitchen is?" He asked pointively.

"Well, no…"

"It's settled. I wait to walk you down there." He said with a half smile.

"You don't have to do that. Really."

"You're wasting time. Hurry up before the breakfast gets cold and everyone leaves." He grabbed the doorknob and shut it for her, so she could change. "I'll wait out here." He said, his voice muffled a little. She hurriedly dressed herself in the clothes she had been wearing the night before, seeing as she hadn't quite been expecting to be staying somewhere else and hadn't packed any other clothes. She was used to it though. She hoped her jeans and her tank top weren't so dirty that they were offending to anyone. She pulled the towel off of her head and shook out her hair a little. She then formed a rather large ball of energy, which she then made surround her head. Her hair was dry in seconds. She flung open the door to a surprised Logan.

"I'm ready." She said, trying to hide her enthusiasm in meeting others like her. Since she was seventeen, she had known she was different and thought that she was all alone in her struggles, but finally, five years later, she was meeting people who could understand her, accept her, and maybe even call her a friend. "Here we go…" she muttered under her breath.

"Don't worry, kid, everything'll be fine." Logan reassured her. She looked up at him and realized he must always look scruffy. "Hey, if they can at least tolerate me, they're gonna love you." He said as they headed down the stairs. They walked into a large formal dining room, and then into the kitchen. There was a huge table, with about twenty people sitting around it. "Good morning, guys." Almost everyone either raised a hand in salutations or mumbled something in between bites. "This is Lumina." Once again, same reaction. "Come on, I'll introduce you to some of 'em and we'll squeeze you in somewhere." They walked behind some interesting looking characters.

"You can sit here." A large blue man scooted over a little bit, allowing her to wriggle between him and a young woman with red hair. Lumina gave him a look of appreciation, and sat down. The woman with red hair turned to her.

"Hello, Lumina," she said politely. "Since Logan was rude and didn't introduce us, my name's Jean." Lumina saw her glance over at Logan, who had taken his seat across from them. He just smiled at her.

"I knew you could handle it yourself, Red." He said before he started to wolf down his breakfast of eggs and pancakes. The blue man turned to Lumina and gave her a toothy smile.

"I hope you slept well." He said. Lumina was surprised that he sounded so elegant and polite. It completely contrasted what she had expected him to sound like. She expected something more like 'ooga booga.'

"I did, thank you." She replied with a smile.

"Little Boy Blue here is Hank." Logan said. "The one sitting next to me on my right is Cyke, or Scott as everyone else calls him…" Logan went on to introduce everyone, Nightcrawler, Kitty, Storm, Gambit, Rogue, and various other mutants. Logan went on to explain that most of the group were new additions, and had only been there for, at the most, six months. Professor Xavier rolled into the room and took a spot at the head of the table.

"Good morning, everyone." He said to the crowd. Everyone stopped talking and ate more quietly, waiting for Xavier's announcement. "We have a newcomer among us. Her name's Lumina, and I'm sure that you've already met her. She hasn't decided just yet what she wants to do, but she'll know by the end of today. Logan is going to go with her to either collect her belongings or to simply take her home safely. The rest of the day will be normal; training, schooling, and relaxation. Have a good day." He turned his wheelchair to leave, but stopped midway and turned his head back towards the crowd. "Oh, and Lumina? Can I see you and Logan in my office before you leave? I have something for you." With that, he turned and wheeled out the same way he had entered.

Lumina, having her conversation with the radiant Jean Grey and finishing her filling meal, went with Logan to the professor's office.

"Logan, I want to be extra careful in the part of town you're going to." Xavier advised. "The anti-mutant factions have been gaining power in that section."

"Gotcha." Logan said.

"And Lumina," the professor turned to her. "I didn't mean to put any pressure on you. I just want you to make up your own mind. Here, take this." He handed her a small, black cube. "This contains vast information about mutants. Their origin, where this cube came from, and even some interesting tidbits on various powers, such as telepathy." She took the cube from him and looked at it. It was polished and smooth. It glinted in the light as she examined it more closely.

"How does it work?" She asked.

"Just give it a command, but not here." He said. "I want you to look at it when you reach your home."

"Okay." She said. "But, why are you giving me this?"

"You have an interesting power, and it's described in that cube." He said as he rolled around behind his desk. "I wish you two a safe journey." Logan nudged her with his elbow and they left the room, heading towards the garage.

"That cube's kinda important," Logan said as they walked. "We found it in a plane wreckage that was carrying mutants to a safe-haven. Kind of an interesting gadget, but most of it I can't understand."

"But Professor Xavier hardly knows me." Lumina wondered. "Why on Earth would he give it to me?"

"Like he said, he wanted you to see it. He probably didn't mean for you to keep it." Logan replied. "Anyway, let's get out of here, we're running a little late." They went into the garage and loaded up in a car instead of the motorcycle. It was a cherry-red '67 Corvette, and Lumina almost squealed with delight when Logan revved the engine. He peeled out, and took off down the driveway, and headed back into town.