Dum de dum dum. Thanks fur the reviews, and if I'm not lazy later…I may respond…but, Cheesy, you did get the first! ^_^

"Can you hear anything? What do you hear?"

"What's the news?" The younger mutants were all grouped around the door to the professor's study.

"Quiet! All o' ye! I canna hear if ye' all yellin' in me ear!" Rahne shushed the group, and returned to her were-form, pressing her ear up against the door.

"Well?" Bobby whispered.

"Either the Prof wants Jubes t' stay, so she can learn how to control her powers better…or…he wants her parents t' stuff themselves with peppers." Rahne whispered back.

"Well, which is it?" Jamie asked. Ray whacked him over the head, and with Jubilee inside the study with her parents, the multiplying Jamies knocked Amara over.

"So this is where y' all are." The mass of mutants all jumped at Logan's words. "Did y' ferget about the training session you have with me?"

"Uhhh…Mahbe…" Sam stumbled over the words.

"Loosen up Badger! We're waitin' to find out with Jubilation is bein' pulled out, or if she gets to hang for a bit longer."

"It's Wolverine…and you'll find out when you find out. In the mean time…training, outside, now." The group groaned and began to trudge away, more than a few looking back at the locked door.

"And this will be your room." Ororo gestured to the half empty room. "That half belongs to your roommate, Rahne Sinclair." Jess walked in, and threw her bag on the floor and jumped onto the bed.

"Nice bed. Big room. Who's Rahne?"

"Rahne Sinclair, one of the younger mutants. I think she's around your age, her parents recently agreed to allow her to continue to attend the school. They were going to pull her out."

"The Sentinel junk?"

"That incident scared a lot of people Jess, it was understandable that her parents would rather have her close to home than an ocean away."

"Wouldn't she be safer here, than somewhere where she's the only mutant around?" Jess asked, still bouncing slightly on the bed. Ororo didn't reply. She turned and began to leave. Jess jumped up to follow her. "So, what's left to see?" In response, Ororo opened a door. Jess stared. It's one thing to see things on television, but something entirely different to meet a furry blue ape in person.

"Jess, this is Henry McCoy." Jess just stared, speechless. "Hank, Jess Hadyn."

"Nice to meet you, I'm sure, but if you'll excuse me, I'm still involved in a training session." Jess edged toward the circular window. Looking down, her eyes widened even further. The older mutants were heavily involved in a Danger Room session. Kitty was shorting out the machinery, while Scott and Evan covered her. As Kitty deactivated the final drone, the small group began to celebrate. Hank smiled slightly, and toggled a few switches. A brand new threat appeared. As did another blue guy. Jess stared, riveted to the action below her.

"Jess? Come along." Jess dragged herself away from the window. She ran to catch up to Ororo. Once Jess caught up, she was bursting with queries.

"What the hell was that?!?"

"Language. That, was the Danger Room. It is where the students train. One of the places."

"Train?"

"To learn how to control their abilities. Which reminds me, what is your's?"

"My what?"

"Your mutant power. Your talent that makes you different."

"Ummm…I can stare at someone for ten minutes without blinking…" Ororo stared at Jess. "Not what you meant?"

"No."

"I dunno…last night…really late, Chrome Dome and Mr Mean showed up. They said I was a mutant, and here I am today."

"You must have some sort of ability that makes you 'special'."

"I dunno…maybe my ability is to cause a rash on other people. If that's the case, I've already caused one on myself." Jess proffered her forearm, pulling up the sleeve on her sweater.

"It looks like you just need a good moisturizer."

"That's what the doctor said…until it spread over half my arm when he stepped out to answer a phone call. Nice park." Jess said, suddenly realizing that during the conversation, Ororo had lead her outside.

"These are the other training areas. Within the walls, you can use your abilities with less restraint. Outside…"

"Lid on the can?"

"Right. Right now the younger mutants are in the middle of a training session. Watch yourself. They aren't exactly known for their ability to be careful. I've shown you everything you'll need to know right now, so I'll be leaving you here, at some point, when your mutant abilities are clearer, you'll be expected to join in these training sessions." Jess watched as Ororo walked away. Jess turned back towards the training. The same group who had earlier been huddled around the door to Xavier's study were now engaging in a series of drills designed to hone their control over their abilities. Although that's what the drills were meant to do, their minds were elsewhere, and therefore, the accidents that were commonplace wherever the younger students happened to be where doubled.

"Boom Boom! You nearly took Amara's head with that one! Be careful!" Logan was bellowing at all of the students. "Icepick! Quit with the frozen flora! Last thing we need is iced fronds! Sunny! How many times do you need to be told that lifting the stone benches is not an acceptable method of training? All right everyone…get over here." The newbies gathered round. "Look, will help you to focus on training if I said you could throw a party for Jubes if she can stay?" There was a rousing chorus of yes. "Alright then. Obstacle course, and no mistakes. Hayseed, yer up first."

Jess watched as a tall guy with blond hair stepped up to the beginning of a path. He began to run, and stuff began to fly at him. Just as it looked like a ball was about to hit him, he lifted up off the ground and went flying. In a straight line. Towards Jess. She ducked, and Cannonball hit the tree behind her.

"I'm getting' outta here before anyone else runs into me!" Jess began to run, stumbling slightly. Once out of sight of the newbies training, she reached into on of her sweater sleeves, and pulled out a small reptile. "Hey Saundr, how's been your day? Probably better'n mine." The gecko crawled over her fingers until Jess finally lifted him onto her shoulder, where he sat very content. "Let's go find the kitchen." Walking into the mansion, Jess was confronted with the sight of six kids walking and collapsing onto various furniture. 'Are they wearing spandex?' was Jess's first thought, and her second was along the lines of hide. She slowly inched her way towards the staircase, and made good her escape. Once in the hallway, she let out a small sigh of relief. Until one of the said spandex wearing teens rose up through the floor in front of Jess.

"Whoa! Hey! Who are you?" Kitty asked, slightly surprised. She became even more surprised when Jess turned tail and ran the other way. "Hey! Wait up! I don't want to, like, hurt you or anything!" Jess kept running. She ran until she found herself cornered. Kitty caught up easily. "What are you doing here? Are you the kid the Prof and Mr Logan went to get last night? Why are you running?" Jess couldn't answer any of Kitty's questions. She was too busy looking round trying to find an escape route. Kitty took a step forward, and Jess panicked. Darting forward, meaning to tackle Kitty, Jess hit the ground and rolled. Kitty had seen Jess dive and instinctively phased. Turning, Jess was already getting up and running again. Skidding around a corner, Jess ran until she hit the door she was looking for. Diving in, Jess shut it behind her and sat down on the floor with her back against one of the beds.

'What is with me? Why was I so scared?' Jess looked to Saundr, in the hopes he might have an answer for her. All Saundr did was lick his eyes. Jess laughed. "Hungry? Let's see what kind of food I have for you guys. Jess crawled over to her bag, and rummaged around a bit. "Here we are. C'mon Rattler, no one's around."

Jess just finished when the door banged open. Rahne Sinclair came running in, and almost didn't notice the other girl. Jess on the other hand did notice Rahne. Grabbing the small gecko on her shoulder and pushing him up the sleeve of her sweater, Jess looked towards Rahne. Rahne turned around, and saw the other girl sitting on the floor.

"Who are ye?"

"Jess Hadyn." Jess shot back, looking at Rahne levelly.

"What are ye doin' in here then?"

"Sitting." Jess replied.

"Sitting."

"Sitting."

"Why in here?"

"I was told this was gonna be my room…you must be Rahne Sinclair."

"What happened to yer hair?" Jess reached up and rubbed her scalp.

"I shaved it off."

"Why?" Rahne couldn't quite help but stare. It was one thing to see the Professor bald…but a young girl?

"Cuz I felt I needed some shock value." Jess shrugged.

"Rahne!! Hurry up already!! We gotta set up the rec room!!" Jess looked out towards the hall, from which the guy's voice had come from.

"Keep yer shorts on!! I'll be out in a second!" Rahne shouted back. "Are ye comin'?" She asked Jess.

"Comin' for what?"

"A party. Jubes' parents are lettin' her stay." Jess thought about it.

"Maybe." Rahne grabbed her arm and dragged Jess down with her.

Chapter End!

STOP!! Yes!! You can stop reading now!!