Tap tap tap. Pause. Tap tap tap. "Umbra. Wake up or Ah'm comin' in! You're gonna be late!" Umbra twitched a pointed aud and sat up. She glanced over at the clock: 7 A.M.

"I'm up!" She called to the closed door.

"Get dressed and come on down to breakfast," Rouge said, and then Umbra's sensitive ears heard the soft pad of bare feet as she walked away. Umbra stretched towards the ceiling, listening to various joints pop. Just then, something in her mind audibly clicked. School! She thought excitedly. She jumped out of bed and grabbed the contents of her nightstand, hurrying to the mirror.

Umbra came padding unbelievably softly down the stairs, especially since she was wearing her boots. Her waist-length raven tresses were brushed straight, feathering out lightly from her face. She had on the clothes Rogue had given her yesterday, and her green eyes were lined as if an expert had done them, in ink-black. Crimson lips twitched upward in a smile as she entered the kitchen and took the empty seat next to Rogue. "Everyone," began Professor X, waiting until he had their full attention. "This is Umbra," he gestured towards her with a slight smile. "She's a member of the X-Men now, so I want all of you to make her feel welcome. And to start, why don't you all introduce yourselves?"

Umbra's eyes followed the circle around the table as each person said their name, starting with an older teen in sunglasses. "I'm Scott." Next to him was a girl most likely the same age, with long, fiery hair.

"Jean," she smiled. Next to her was Kurt.

"You've already met me," he gave her a grin.

"And me," added Kitty.

"I'm Bobby," the guy next to Kitty smiled, before tapping his glass of milk, freezing it.

"Sam," muttered a boy with shoulder-length hair sleepily.

"Rahne," came an energetic reply from a girl with auburn pig-tails.

"Jamie," a boy who looked no more than twelve said shyly.

"And ya know me," Rogue smiled at Umbra. "The other four students are around somewhere, probably gettin' ready."

"Or sleeping," Kitty added with a giggle. Umbra sipped from the glass of milk in front of her, unconsciously flicking her tail behind her through the bars of the chair. "So, Umbra, like, what are your powers?" questioned Kitty.

"I really don't know," Umbra shook her head and took another sip of milk.

"Then what is it that shows your classification as a mutant?" Jean asked.

"This," Umbra tapped the button on the image inducer, and with a fading beep she watched many of the eyes around the table draw to atop her head, where her two triangular auds perched. She switched the inducer back on.

"Way cool!" said Jamie. Rogue nudged Umbra in the arm.

"Hey, we better get goin' or we'll never find your classes." Umbra nodded in agreement and the two girls got up and left the table.

"So, this is Bayville High?" asked Umbra as she and Rogue stood there, looking at the school.

" 'Fraid so. It isn't really that bad, I guess. What've you got first?" Umbra held out her schedule, and Rogue took it, reading over the list of classes. "Geometry," she groaned, handing the schedule back, along with a slip of paper. "They assigned you a locker already. It should be near your first class." Just then the bell sounded. Rogue gestured for Umbra to follow. "C'mon, we're gonna be late!"

Umbra slid into the chair next to Rogue at the lunch table with a sigh. "Rough day?" inquired Rogue. The cat-eared teen nodded, her glossy locks sliding over her shoulders.

"These classes are crazy. My mom used to teach me every weekday at home, but it feels like I just skipped a few grades. Not a lot of homework tonight, though."

"Well that's good. It'll take a while to get used to public school, trust me. But you'll get the hang of it. At least your last class is Gym." Umbra nodded, opening her milk carton and unwrapping a straw. She sat there a moment and sipped at the milk thoughtfully.

"Yo, who's that chick sitting with the Rogue?" Todd asked, not directed at any of the other members of the Brotherhood in particular, just whoever would listen to him.

"Beats me," replied Lance, pushing a piece of his dark hair out of his face. "I don't keep track of the X-Geeks." Todd was about to ask if Lance thought this girl could be a new recruit, but decided against it, instead walking out of the lunch room to the trashcans to look for his own lunch.

Umbra stood in the gym, dressed in a white T-shirt and red shorts like most of the other girls, waiting for the coach's instructions. "Okay, ladies. Today we're going to try the balancing beam. When I call your name, I want you stand on it and try walking across it and stretching your legs." He called the first name, and the girl hurried up. Two seconds after she got up on the beam, she fell off. Giggling hysterically, she went and sat down. The next few girls the coach called lasted a bit longer, but not by much. "How about the new girl?" The coach asked. "Umbra." Umbra walked up to the balancing beam and took a small breath. She stepped up and began walking slowly across it, perfectly steady. She began to pause with each step, holding herself on one foot, arms spread out to keep a balance that had not yet faltered. After a few minutes of this she cart wheeled perfectly across the beam, and then jumped off. "Excellent!" The coach told her as she went to sit down. "You've got the balance of a cat!"

Umbra walked into the mansion, books in her arms. She was humming under her breath, and so absorbed in her thoughts that even her sensitive hearing did not pick up on footsteps racing down the hall. She was almost to the stairs when she noticed it. Too late. One of the students crashes right into her, and both went flying backwards. Umbra's books fell out of her arms, and the student landed on his backside on the ground. But, completely defying all rules of gravity, the cat-eared girl managed to get her feet under herself and catch her balance before she hit the floor. "Sorry," said a blonde-haired boy. He scrambled up and bent to help Umbra gather her books.

"Don't worry about it," Umbra smiled, taking her books from him. "I should have heard you, so it's partially my fault."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confusion marking his face. Umbra clicked her image inducer off and swiveled a black triangle at him.

"Sensitive hearing," she replied and moved onto the first step, looking back over her shoulder. "Thanks for the help... um, Sam, isn't it?" Sam nodded.

"Sorry again. I left my history book at the school and am trying to get back before they lock me out." Umbra simply waved her hand to show him no damage was done, smiled again, and began going up the stairs as Sam took off at full speed out of the mansion.

Umbra was sprawled across her bed reading a poetry book from the library when Rogue appeared at her door. She had a black plastic trash back in once gloved hand. "Got some stuff for ya, if ya want it." Umbra closed her book and Rogue sat down on the bed, throwing the trash bag in between them. "Ah was sortin' through my closet and found these in a box," she handed Umbra a few CDs with the word 'Metal' scrawled across them. "Ah managed to end up with two of 'em. Oh, and this." She pulled out a CD player.

"Thanks, Rogue," Umbra smiled and set them on her night stand. Rogue took a minute to look around Umbra's room.

"Man, your wall is plain. You want a poster? I've got a few that won't fit on mine."

"Sure." Rogue walked across the hall and came back a moment later carrying a rolled up posted. Umbra unrolled it; there was a picture of some heavy metal band on it. "Wicked," Umbra breathed. She took the roll of duct tape Rogue handed her and stuck the poster to her wall. "Thanks a lot."

"No problem. Sounds like you've been sheltered way too long, so you should get introduced to some new stuff." Umbra nodded her agreement and took off her image inducer, slipping it into a drawer. Suddenly, Professor Xavier's too-calm voice came on the intercom.

"Attention students. Scoot, Jean, Kitty, Kurt, Rogue and Umbra assemble in the Danger Room for a training session."

"See you in a few," Rogue got up and left to change, closing the door behind her.