Later that day, after school was complete, a group of students made their way towards the kitchen for an afternoon snack. Accompanying them of course were Rogue, Bobby, and Kitty. As they passed the entrance hall Wanda was just entering through the front door. Everyone stopped to stare. Wanda smiled, turned to hang up her coat, and faced the students. She stood with poise and with an air of self confidence. Rogue was incredibly taken aback from this apparent change and a bit jealous. Rogue remembered her first days at the Mansion and how awkward she had felt, why did Wanda make it look so easy? Wanda slid off her gloves and stuck her hand out to a boy on Rogue's left.
"Hello there, I don't believe we have met, I'm Wanda by the way." She won them all over with a gorgeous smile and unending charm within minutes. Other students started to introduce themselves as well, and after Wanda was well acquainted with everyone Bobby was the first to speak.
"So have you settled in?" He asked her. She nodded with a smile. "Great so would you like to get a snack with us and then afterwards we'll go ahead and give you a tour of the place?"
"That sounds wonderful," she replied, grabbing his hand and tugging him gently forward.
Rogue was furious. Not willing to admit it to herself, but she was not only a bit jealous she was a lot jealous. She followed closely behind the group seething from head to foot.
"So have you found out which room you'll be staying in?" asked Jubilee from the corner once they had settled in the kitchen with snacks for all.
"Sure have. I'll be staying on the roof. Professor Xavier has already set me up with something that is more than comfortable."
"The roof?" The students gawked together.
"Yes, well I've been backpacking throughout the Midwest almost for the past year and a half so the set up I have here is more like a Ritz Carlton than just a school rooftop," she explained. "You see I've been looking for Professor Xavier's school for a very long time. He used to be a good friend of my father's." (Rogue was almost certain she saw Wanda wince a little, but she let it go) "So I've been searching for this place ever since, a place where I can be comfortable with myself and enjoy my powers to their full extent."
Enthusiasm covered every students face. Finally Bobby got the courage to ask the question on everyone's mind. "What exactly is your power?"
A smile crept over her face. "Come here and I'll show you." He moved forward and you could almost hear the students holding their breath. She slowly reached for his hand and just sat there for a moment. A few seconds later she let go and cupped her hand over the kitchen counter. When she removed it, there sitting before the children was a perfectly carved ice rose. She looked up at Rogue and said, "Much like the one he made for you two years ago on your first day of school, if I'm not mistaken." Her smile increased and Rogue had to sit down.
"How did you know that?" questioned Bobby. "More importantly how did you DO that?"
The students were in shock, but in the best of ways. "Well firstly I absorbed your power, more like borrowed it." Seeing the horror in his eyes she quickly added, "oh well you still have it, go ahead try it out."
He grabbed a warm coke from the cupboard and chilled it instantly liked he had done a thousand times before. "You didn't even feel it did you?" she asked with a smirk.
Looking back up from his coke he asked, "So how did you know about the rose?"
"Easy, I'm telekinetic and with that ability I've learned to also control my absorbing powers. I can borrow your powers, your memories, in essence you if I wanted to do some damage." She laughed at this, "Of course that's the last thing I'd use my powers to do."
No one had noticed Rogue get up half way through Wanda's explanation. Before anyone could stop her the kitchen door slammed shut and she was gone.
"Was it something I said?" asked Wanda.
The students searched each other's faces for an answer but Bobby spoke first again. "That's a lot like Rogue's power except she can't control it just yet. That's why she wears the gloves. Her skin could do a lot of "damage" as you put it."
"Well I didn't mean to offend her, tell her that when you see her, will you? My rooftop seems to be calling my name. I'll see you all tomorrow for class. Goodnight."
Wanda walked outside, put her hands out to her side and began to float upward. The younger children ran to the window with astonishment in their expressions as the older kids stood frozen with wonder at the island in the kitchen. Bobby turned to leave and whispered under his breath, "Is there anything that girl can't do?"
"No, there isn't," came Wanda's voice from inside his head.