A/N: I mentioned two new mutants in the prologue and I introduce them here.
But after this chapter, they won't be in the story again.
Chapter One
The New Arrival
The young woman stopped her car outside the iron gates. She looked down at a piece of paper on the seat next to her, and then up at the plaque next to the gate. "School for Gifted Youngsters," she read softly, her voice containing a hint of an Irish accent. She honked the car horn a few times and waited patiently until the gates began to open. She drove through the gates, feeling a sense of anticipation. "Don't worry Atar, I'm sure we'll find a home here," she said to the Irish wolfhound lying across the back seat.
As she drove up the lane to the mansion ahead, she passed a field where a group of children were playing soccer. The young woman drove past the field slowly, and she spied a child who was transporting himself and the soccer ball he was dribbling. She smiled to herself and then looked toward the mansion, this would definitely be home.
~~~
Jean opened the front door of the mansion as the new teacher pulled up and turned off the car. "Theodora O'Malley?" she asked as the woman got out of the car.
Theodora nodded and opened the back door, letting a huge dog step out. She walked to the trunk and got out two large suitcases.
"Let me help you with those," Jean said, coming down the stairs and taking one suitcase. She glanced at the dog who was sitting next to Theodora.
"Atar comes with me," Theodora answered, following Jean's gaze. "The professor has okayed it."
"Oh, well then, let me show you your room," Jean answered. She turned and walked up the front steps and into the house. "There are about forty or so students here," she said to Theodora, who was walking behind her. "And there are seven teachers including the professor."
Glancing at each room they passed, Theodora could only nod in response to Jean's statement. They entered an elevator and started traveling upwards. She looked around for a moment and then said, "When may I meet with the Professor?"
"The Professor is in New York City. He'll be back sometime tomorrow and I'm sure you'll meet him then," Jean answered. The elevator stopped and Jean walked out first, Theodora close behind her. After walking down the hallway for a few moments, Jean stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. She stepped aside and let Theodora walk inside first.
Theodora walked inside and looked around the room in surprise. The room was opulent, done in shades of blue and very spacious. "It's wonderful," she murmured to Jean, setting her suitcase on the bed near the window.
"You have a great window seat and a nice view of the gardens and the forest that's at the edge of the field," Jean said as Theodora looked out the window.
"Such a lavish room. I'm not so sure if I should be in here," Theodora said softly.
"Why not?" Jean asked, surprised at the young woman's statement.
"I'm not even sure if I will be staying. That's why I need to see the professor, to discuss whether or not I'll be teaching here for sure," Theodora answered.
"I doubt that the professor would have you come all the way out here if he wasn't intending for you to stay," a voice with a very light British accent said from the open doorway.
Theodora turned around and was surprised to see a group of people standing outside her room.
"This is the rest of the teaching staff," Jean said, motioning for the people to come inside. "Oh yes, my name is Dr. Jean Gray." She held out her hand to Theodora who shook it quickly.
Theodora smiled softly at Jean and said, "What is your code name?"
Jean narrowed her flame colored eyes and looked back at the other teachers in surprise. Then she turned back to Theodora and said, "Phoenix."
"Because of your hair?" Theodora asked.
Jean reached a hand up to her shoulder length fire colored hair and said, "Something like that." Then she stepped back to let the other teachers introduce themselves.
"I'm Rebecca Perth, codename's Vite," a tall woman with short brown hair and black eyes said, shaking Theodora's hand.
"What do you teach?" Theodora asked.
"Chemistry," Rebecca said quickly before stepping back.
"Nice to meet you Miss O'Malley, I'm Dr. Price Lyndon" a tall man with spiked bleach blonde hair and pale, pale blue eyes said, nodding to Theodora. "My code name is Ghost."
Theodora stood and nodded to Price. "What subject do you teach?" she asked.
"Anatomy," Price said. "Excuse me," he said to the others before leaving the room.
"Price's got to make dinner tonight," Rebecca commented.
"I'm Scott Summers," a tall man wearing a pair of glasses with red lenses and dark brown hair said. "My code name is Cyclops."
Theodora nodded to him.
"I'm Ororo Monroe," the woman next to Scott said, holding out her hand. She had white hair and blue eyes. "I'm also called Storm." She had a very light British accent; she had been the one who had spoken earlier.
"What is it you teach Ms. Monroe?" Theodora asked, shaking Ororo's hand.
"I teach History," Ororo answered.
The last person left was a tall man with wild black hair and hazel colored eyes. "Name's Logan, they call me Wolverine too," he said curtly. "I'm the instructor in charge of the danger room. Glad to meet you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Theodora said, smiling softly. "If I stay, I'd like it if you would call me Theo." She turned to her dog, who was sitting on the window seat. "This is my dog and protector, Atar. He's very friendly, unless I indicate to him that he is to attack."
"What's your code name?" Logan asked, jokingly.
Theo laughed. "I'm afraid I haven't got one. I'm not one of the X-Men after all," she said.
~~~
Ororo and Jean were cleaning the dishes from that night's dinner a few hours later while Scott was cleaning the counter.
"How does that woman know about the X-Men?" Scott asked.
"That woman's name is Theo, Scott," Ororo said.
"I don't think that she knows about the underground part of the school," Jean said softly, closing her eyes. "She only knows that the students refer to us as the X-Men."
"Do you think the professor will tell her about the lower levels?" Logan said, walking into the kitchen. He strode over to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of soda.
"That depends on if she's a mutant or not," Jean said.
"Is she one?" Logan asked.
Jean closed her eyes for a few moments then opened them. "I'm not sure; I can't really get into her mind to find that out."
The others were silent for a few moments when they heard the sound of a dog walking down the hall to the kitchen. A few seconds later, Theo walked into the room, holding a large bag and a blue dog dish, Atar at her side.
"I'm so sorry I didn't come to dinner, but I fell asleep and just woke up," she said softly.
"That's all right," Jean said. She turned to the refrigerator and held out her hand. The door opened and a plate floated out towards the microwave. The microwave door opened and the plate floated inside.
"Thank you," Theo said quietly, she set down the bowl next to a table chair at the other end of the kitchen. Then she filled the bowl with dog food. "I hope you don't mind that I feed Atar here."
"It's fine," Ororo said softly, smiling.
The microwave beeped and Jean got the plate out. The plate floated out of her hand onto the table in front of Theo. Jean also grabbed some silverware from a drawer and it floated from her hand to Theo, who grabbed it before it touched the table.
"Thank you Dr. Gray," Theo said and she began to eat.
All of a sudden, there was a -bamph- sound outside the kitchen and the smell of sulfur. A second later, a blue skinned man appeared in the middle of the kitchen. "Oh, guten tag," the man said with a heavy German accent to Theo. "You must be the new teacher. I am Kurt Vagner, but in the Munich circus I vas known as Nightcrawler."
"It's not for sure yet that I will be staying," Theo said in German.
"You speak German?" Kurt said in amazement.
Theo nodded and smiled. "My name is Theodora O'Malley."
"A pleasure to meet you," Kurt then switched back to English. "Jean, Scott, you must help me get the children to bed this night."
"Right, goodnight everyone," Scott said, and then he walked out, Kurt close behind.
"Dr. Gray," Theo said softly. "I will remain in my room until the professor comes tomorrow."
"I'll get you once he comes," Jean said, and then she left the kitchen, following Kurt and Scott.
Theo quickly finished her dinner and walked to the sink. She was about to start washing it when Ororo stopped her.
"That's all right Theo," the white haired woman said. "I'm sure you're tired from you trip here. I'll take care of that."
"Thank you Ms. Monroe," Theo said. She walked back to the table and took the dog dish off the floor. "Come along Atar." She then walked out of the kitchen towards her room.
~~~
The next day, Xavier returned to the mansion and as soon as he was inside his office, he asked Jean to send the new teacher down to his study.
As Jean walked up the stairs to Theo's room, she hoped that Theo would stay at the school. This woman intrigued her; she seemed so sad and withdrawn all the time. She knocked on the door to Theo's room and said, "The professor is here Theo, he wants to speak with you right away."
The door flew open a few minutes later and the young woman stepped out into the hallway. Theo hurried down the hallway, almost running, Atar close at her side.
Jean watched the woman, a smile on her face at Theo's eagerness to meet the professor.
Theo stopped short outside Xavier's study, a little out of breath. She knocked lightly on the door and then opened it, walking inside. Sitting behind a large desk was the professor, sitting in a wheelchair.
"Ah, hello Ms. O'Malley," Xavier said, looking up. "I am Professor Charles Xavier. I'm pleased to see that you arrived without any trouble." He moved the chair back and then around the desk, stopping just in front of Theo.
"Thank you sir," Theo said softly.
"Have a seat please," Xavier said, motioning to a chair near him. "Jean has told me that you wanted to talk with me about your teaching position."
"That's correct," Theo said, sitting down. "I want to make sure that my staying will be definite before I even begin to think of settling down here."
Xavier sat back in his chair and said, "I have already decided that your teaching position that I offered you is certain. However, it is up to you if you stay."
Theo opened her mouth to speak when Xavier held up a hand to stop her.
"There is more to this school than meets the eye Ms. O'Malley. And I must show it to you before you decide on joining us here," he said. With that, Xavier turned his chair towards the door and said, "Follow me please."
~~~
The elevator doors opened and Xavier pushed his chair down the hallway of the lower level of the mansion.
Theo stepped out of the elevator behind Xavier and stopped short, looking down the hallway. "Amazing," she murmured, walking down the hallway.
"These are the uniforms that the X-Men wear," Xavier said, stopping in front of the uniforms.
"So they're not a myth," Theo said, looking at Storm's uniform.
"Where did you hear about them?" Xavier asked.
Theo just smiled and shook her head.
Xavier then pushed the chair to the door that was behind the uniforms. It opened and he motioned for Theo to walk inside ahead of him.
Theo gasped in shock when she saw what was inside the room. A large jet was inside the room, it was sleek and looked like nothing the military had. "Absolutely incredible," Theo murmured. She walked forward and ran her hand along the bottom of the wing.
"The X-Men fight to protect humans from a mutant called Magneto," Xavier said, watching Theo. "How do you feel about humans and their view of us Ms. O'Malley?"
"I believe that they are misinformed about us, and that is why they fear us," Theo said. "I would give anything to show them that we are not evil as we are portrayed to be."
"Then join the X-Men and you will be able to do just that," Xavier said
Theo turned around and said, "I shall stay then sir."
"You can call me Professor, Ms. O'Malley," Xavier said.
"Then call me Eleanor," Theo said, smiling. Seeing Xavier's questioning look, she quickly said, "It's my middle name."
"Welcome to the X-Men Eleanor," Xavier said, holding his hand out to her.
Theo walked over and they shook hands quickly.
Chapter One
The New Arrival
The young woman stopped her car outside the iron gates. She looked down at a piece of paper on the seat next to her, and then up at the plaque next to the gate. "School for Gifted Youngsters," she read softly, her voice containing a hint of an Irish accent. She honked the car horn a few times and waited patiently until the gates began to open. She drove through the gates, feeling a sense of anticipation. "Don't worry Atar, I'm sure we'll find a home here," she said to the Irish wolfhound lying across the back seat.
As she drove up the lane to the mansion ahead, she passed a field where a group of children were playing soccer. The young woman drove past the field slowly, and she spied a child who was transporting himself and the soccer ball he was dribbling. She smiled to herself and then looked toward the mansion, this would definitely be home.
~~~
Jean opened the front door of the mansion as the new teacher pulled up and turned off the car. "Theodora O'Malley?" she asked as the woman got out of the car.
Theodora nodded and opened the back door, letting a huge dog step out. She walked to the trunk and got out two large suitcases.
"Let me help you with those," Jean said, coming down the stairs and taking one suitcase. She glanced at the dog who was sitting next to Theodora.
"Atar comes with me," Theodora answered, following Jean's gaze. "The professor has okayed it."
"Oh, well then, let me show you your room," Jean answered. She turned and walked up the front steps and into the house. "There are about forty or so students here," she said to Theodora, who was walking behind her. "And there are seven teachers including the professor."
Glancing at each room they passed, Theodora could only nod in response to Jean's statement. They entered an elevator and started traveling upwards. She looked around for a moment and then said, "When may I meet with the Professor?"
"The Professor is in New York City. He'll be back sometime tomorrow and I'm sure you'll meet him then," Jean answered. The elevator stopped and Jean walked out first, Theodora close behind her. After walking down the hallway for a few moments, Jean stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. She stepped aside and let Theodora walk inside first.
Theodora walked inside and looked around the room in surprise. The room was opulent, done in shades of blue and very spacious. "It's wonderful," she murmured to Jean, setting her suitcase on the bed near the window.
"You have a great window seat and a nice view of the gardens and the forest that's at the edge of the field," Jean said as Theodora looked out the window.
"Such a lavish room. I'm not so sure if I should be in here," Theodora said softly.
"Why not?" Jean asked, surprised at the young woman's statement.
"I'm not even sure if I will be staying. That's why I need to see the professor, to discuss whether or not I'll be teaching here for sure," Theodora answered.
"I doubt that the professor would have you come all the way out here if he wasn't intending for you to stay," a voice with a very light British accent said from the open doorway.
Theodora turned around and was surprised to see a group of people standing outside her room.
"This is the rest of the teaching staff," Jean said, motioning for the people to come inside. "Oh yes, my name is Dr. Jean Gray." She held out her hand to Theodora who shook it quickly.
Theodora smiled softly at Jean and said, "What is your code name?"
Jean narrowed her flame colored eyes and looked back at the other teachers in surprise. Then she turned back to Theodora and said, "Phoenix."
"Because of your hair?" Theodora asked.
Jean reached a hand up to her shoulder length fire colored hair and said, "Something like that." Then she stepped back to let the other teachers introduce themselves.
"I'm Rebecca Perth, codename's Vite," a tall woman with short brown hair and black eyes said, shaking Theodora's hand.
"What do you teach?" Theodora asked.
"Chemistry," Rebecca said quickly before stepping back.
"Nice to meet you Miss O'Malley, I'm Dr. Price Lyndon" a tall man with spiked bleach blonde hair and pale, pale blue eyes said, nodding to Theodora. "My code name is Ghost."
Theodora stood and nodded to Price. "What subject do you teach?" she asked.
"Anatomy," Price said. "Excuse me," he said to the others before leaving the room.
"Price's got to make dinner tonight," Rebecca commented.
"I'm Scott Summers," a tall man wearing a pair of glasses with red lenses and dark brown hair said. "My code name is Cyclops."
Theodora nodded to him.
"I'm Ororo Monroe," the woman next to Scott said, holding out her hand. She had white hair and blue eyes. "I'm also called Storm." She had a very light British accent; she had been the one who had spoken earlier.
"What is it you teach Ms. Monroe?" Theodora asked, shaking Ororo's hand.
"I teach History," Ororo answered.
The last person left was a tall man with wild black hair and hazel colored eyes. "Name's Logan, they call me Wolverine too," he said curtly. "I'm the instructor in charge of the danger room. Glad to meet you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Theodora said, smiling softly. "If I stay, I'd like it if you would call me Theo." She turned to her dog, who was sitting on the window seat. "This is my dog and protector, Atar. He's very friendly, unless I indicate to him that he is to attack."
"What's your code name?" Logan asked, jokingly.
Theo laughed. "I'm afraid I haven't got one. I'm not one of the X-Men after all," she said.
~~~
Ororo and Jean were cleaning the dishes from that night's dinner a few hours later while Scott was cleaning the counter.
"How does that woman know about the X-Men?" Scott asked.
"That woman's name is Theo, Scott," Ororo said.
"I don't think that she knows about the underground part of the school," Jean said softly, closing her eyes. "She only knows that the students refer to us as the X-Men."
"Do you think the professor will tell her about the lower levels?" Logan said, walking into the kitchen. He strode over to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of soda.
"That depends on if she's a mutant or not," Jean said.
"Is she one?" Logan asked.
Jean closed her eyes for a few moments then opened them. "I'm not sure; I can't really get into her mind to find that out."
The others were silent for a few moments when they heard the sound of a dog walking down the hall to the kitchen. A few seconds later, Theo walked into the room, holding a large bag and a blue dog dish, Atar at her side.
"I'm so sorry I didn't come to dinner, but I fell asleep and just woke up," she said softly.
"That's all right," Jean said. She turned to the refrigerator and held out her hand. The door opened and a plate floated out towards the microwave. The microwave door opened and the plate floated inside.
"Thank you," Theo said quietly, she set down the bowl next to a table chair at the other end of the kitchen. Then she filled the bowl with dog food. "I hope you don't mind that I feed Atar here."
"It's fine," Ororo said softly, smiling.
The microwave beeped and Jean got the plate out. The plate floated out of her hand onto the table in front of Theo. Jean also grabbed some silverware from a drawer and it floated from her hand to Theo, who grabbed it before it touched the table.
"Thank you Dr. Gray," Theo said and she began to eat.
All of a sudden, there was a -bamph- sound outside the kitchen and the smell of sulfur. A second later, a blue skinned man appeared in the middle of the kitchen. "Oh, guten tag," the man said with a heavy German accent to Theo. "You must be the new teacher. I am Kurt Vagner, but in the Munich circus I vas known as Nightcrawler."
"It's not for sure yet that I will be staying," Theo said in German.
"You speak German?" Kurt said in amazement.
Theo nodded and smiled. "My name is Theodora O'Malley."
"A pleasure to meet you," Kurt then switched back to English. "Jean, Scott, you must help me get the children to bed this night."
"Right, goodnight everyone," Scott said, and then he walked out, Kurt close behind.
"Dr. Gray," Theo said softly. "I will remain in my room until the professor comes tomorrow."
"I'll get you once he comes," Jean said, and then she left the kitchen, following Kurt and Scott.
Theo quickly finished her dinner and walked to the sink. She was about to start washing it when Ororo stopped her.
"That's all right Theo," the white haired woman said. "I'm sure you're tired from you trip here. I'll take care of that."
"Thank you Ms. Monroe," Theo said. She walked back to the table and took the dog dish off the floor. "Come along Atar." She then walked out of the kitchen towards her room.
~~~
The next day, Xavier returned to the mansion and as soon as he was inside his office, he asked Jean to send the new teacher down to his study.
As Jean walked up the stairs to Theo's room, she hoped that Theo would stay at the school. This woman intrigued her; she seemed so sad and withdrawn all the time. She knocked on the door to Theo's room and said, "The professor is here Theo, he wants to speak with you right away."
The door flew open a few minutes later and the young woman stepped out into the hallway. Theo hurried down the hallway, almost running, Atar close at her side.
Jean watched the woman, a smile on her face at Theo's eagerness to meet the professor.
Theo stopped short outside Xavier's study, a little out of breath. She knocked lightly on the door and then opened it, walking inside. Sitting behind a large desk was the professor, sitting in a wheelchair.
"Ah, hello Ms. O'Malley," Xavier said, looking up. "I am Professor Charles Xavier. I'm pleased to see that you arrived without any trouble." He moved the chair back and then around the desk, stopping just in front of Theo.
"Thank you sir," Theo said softly.
"Have a seat please," Xavier said, motioning to a chair near him. "Jean has told me that you wanted to talk with me about your teaching position."
"That's correct," Theo said, sitting down. "I want to make sure that my staying will be definite before I even begin to think of settling down here."
Xavier sat back in his chair and said, "I have already decided that your teaching position that I offered you is certain. However, it is up to you if you stay."
Theo opened her mouth to speak when Xavier held up a hand to stop her.
"There is more to this school than meets the eye Ms. O'Malley. And I must show it to you before you decide on joining us here," he said. With that, Xavier turned his chair towards the door and said, "Follow me please."
~~~
The elevator doors opened and Xavier pushed his chair down the hallway of the lower level of the mansion.
Theo stepped out of the elevator behind Xavier and stopped short, looking down the hallway. "Amazing," she murmured, walking down the hallway.
"These are the uniforms that the X-Men wear," Xavier said, stopping in front of the uniforms.
"So they're not a myth," Theo said, looking at Storm's uniform.
"Where did you hear about them?" Xavier asked.
Theo just smiled and shook her head.
Xavier then pushed the chair to the door that was behind the uniforms. It opened and he motioned for Theo to walk inside ahead of him.
Theo gasped in shock when she saw what was inside the room. A large jet was inside the room, it was sleek and looked like nothing the military had. "Absolutely incredible," Theo murmured. She walked forward and ran her hand along the bottom of the wing.
"The X-Men fight to protect humans from a mutant called Magneto," Xavier said, watching Theo. "How do you feel about humans and their view of us Ms. O'Malley?"
"I believe that they are misinformed about us, and that is why they fear us," Theo said. "I would give anything to show them that we are not evil as we are portrayed to be."
"Then join the X-Men and you will be able to do just that," Xavier said
Theo turned around and said, "I shall stay then sir."
"You can call me Professor, Ms. O'Malley," Xavier said.
"Then call me Eleanor," Theo said, smiling. Seeing Xavier's questioning look, she quickly said, "It's my middle name."
"Welcome to the X-Men Eleanor," Xavier said, holding his hand out to her.
Theo walked over and they shook hands quickly.