Ok, I just realized that some of my information is a bit…well, wrong. Kurt doesn't take Sociology, for example, and Rogue is a tad too friendly. Sorry. I tried to fix some of the big stuff, but w/e. Use your imagination and take it as it is. Thanks, and enjoy.
Word travels fast in the mutant community at Bayville High, it appeared. Most of her new acquaintances had seen or heard of her arrival the night before, and it seemed her residence in the Institute proved she was one to trust.
Clara had formally met no less than 7 new people today, including Rogue and Kurt, many of whom were more than happy to show her to a class or introduce her to their circle. Clara ran into relatively few problems that day, other than the common query about her mutant ability. These she avoided by either changing the subject or hurrying to her next class. She was off to a good start, and not about to risk it. She'd had no taunts or jeers; the mutants seemed eager enough to help her settle in with few questions, and the "normal" teens were mildly accepting. She also assumed this might be because they knew little of the genetic makeup of part of the student body, but as they say, ignorance is bliss and all that.
The last bell rang, and Clara was pushed through the surge of students streaming down the hallways. She smashed both hands into her locker door, and it swung open neatly. Clara managed a slight smile. She was getting the hang of things. Collecting her things and shutting the locker door, she turned to see Rogue at her side again, accompanied by Kurt and a boy she had met who called himself Spyke.
"So," Rogue began, "how was your first day?"
"Alright. Much easier than I expected, anyway."
"How do you mean?"" Rogue asked.
Clara replied, "Well, there were so many people willing to help. You two," she nodded at Rogue and Kurt, "as well as some other kids."
"Who?" Kurt asked, although he could probably guess a couple off the top of his head. It never hurts to be polite.
"Spyke," she grinned at the boy clutching his skateboard, "a girl called Kitty. Amara, Bobby, Ray. Real nice group."
"Yeah, well, we like to help out those in a tight spot, starting out fresh. We all know we've been there," Spyke said.
"I got that impression," Clara said, quieter.
"So, are you heading back to the Institute now?" Rogue asked. "We're heading that way, you can walk with us if you like."
"Yeah, that'd be cool," Clara said, and the four turned to head outside. As soon as the double doors opened onto the sunshine, Spyke's board hit the pavement. He ollied into the air, did a nosegrind across the rail of the steps, and zoomed down the sidewalk.
"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Clara asked.
Rogue laughed, and shook her head. "Nowhere," she replied, "he's just showing off. He'll be back."
Sure enough, Spyke was waiting for them at the beginning of the student parking lot, talking to a pretty redhead next to a young man in the driver's seat of a red roadster. Clara didn't recognize the boy, which was surprising- there would be no mistaking those red sunglasses if she'd seen him in school.
When they reached the car, Spyke introduced Clara.
"Clara, this is Jean and Scott," he motioned to the redhead, then to the boy.
Clara shook Jean's and then Scott's hand, commenting "Nice car," to the latter.
"Thanks. So, you managed to get through your first day in one piece. You like your classes and all that?" Scott asked, being cordial.
"Yeah, I guess. I'm sorry I missed the journalism unit in English, but at least I made it into Sociology. I would have been really ticked off if it was full."
Jean looked up at this. "Sociology, huh? Any fields you're interested in, in particular?"
"Civil Rights," Kurt piped up, grinning. "She was talking about it all through lunch."
Scott arched an eyebrow.
"Civil Rights and journalism? Someone like you could do some major good for us mutants if they made it in the so-called 'real world.'"
"No kidding," Rogue said. "Maybe she should try it here. The school newspaper could use a good healthy dose of equality."
"Why hasn't anyone else written anything?" Clara asked. "It doesn't have to be me. I just got here."
"Some of us are a bit well known for being...different," Scott grimaced.
"I see," Clara said, solemnly. "So I'm a better writer because no one knows who I am or...what I do?"
"Yeah," Scott retorted sharply. Jean shot him a look, and he mumbled something that sounded like "Sorry."
"No, don't apologize," Clara said. "It's not his fault. It does make some sense...in a twisted kind of way. Maybe I will write something. Something small though," she added. "Something recreational. Hey Spyke, you mind if I take some action shots of you skating?" she finished, with a slight laugh.
"Sure, why not?" he chuckled. "That's about as recreational as you can get."
They joked for a few more minutes about how interesting could an article about Spyke could really be, anyway, when Kurt glanced at his watch, and teasingly announced that they were going to be late, if you don't mind, so stop distracting them with small talk, thank you very much.
Rogue leaned over, playfully grabbing his wrist.
"What are you talking about? You don't even know what's going on half the time, look- your watch is ten minutes fast-"
She jabbed at the face of the watch just as Kurt tried to pull his hand away...
...when Rogue's gloved hand slipped, hitting a button.
Kurt turned blue.
Blue, Clara noticed, and furry. All over.
With a tail, three fingers on each hand, and pointier teeth.
Everyone gasped, so she knew she wasn't just seeing things.
Luckily for him, Kurt's hand was on the watch in an instant, and in a shimmer, he transformed back to his tail-less, un-blue self, avoiding a commotion in the parking lot.
Everyone knew Clara had seen Kurt in his natural appearance, she had to. It was impossible to miss. But how would she...?
People usually freaked out even with prior notice.
But Clara just grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"That," she beamed, "was the coolest thing I've ever seen. Was that a tail?"
Kurt seemed stunned at her reaction, but then the corner of his mouth quirked up into a half smile, and he said simply, "Yeah."
She extended her hand, which Kurt shook, now fully smiling.
The rest of the mutants let out a sigh of relief. Clara was fine with even the weirder physical aspects of mutants. It had been kind of like an initiation. She was cool.
Welcome to the club, Clara.