Chapter 4

After a hot breakfast of waffles covered with apples, Storm led Elizabeth around the mansion in a tour: they covered the library, the playing fields and pool, and the Danger Room. They watched a training session of the senior students through the glass of the observation deck, and Ororo could tell that their newest student was impressed. At lunchtime she was introduced to the rest of the students, and she actually smiled at Logan's complaints of how noisy a Saturday was around the mansion.

"They should lengthen the school week around here," Logan muttered, sipping at his afternoon coffee. "Then maybe we could have a quiet Saturday once in a while."

"Bite your tongue," Kitty said, glaring at him. "We've got enough to do without an extra day of school!"

"It's just a suggestion, half-pint," Logan said, matching her glare. "No need to take it personal."

Kitty went back to her meal.

"Is the high school nice?" Elizabeth asked, poking at a meatball on her plate. She liked spaghetti and meatballs, but she had never had these kind of meatballs before. What if she didn't like them?

"It's great, except for the other students," Kitty said. "They tend to try teasing us. If it were just us, it'd be perfect."

"Try?" Elizabeth asked, perplexed.

"They kind of keep away from us and tease at a distance, since they can't always count on us not to use our powers," Kurt said after slurping up some spaghetti. "Most students don't tease us at all since they don't want to risk it. Only a few blockheads try it."

"Elf!" Logan snapped. "Mind your manners!"

"Sorry."

Elizabeth giggled. She really liked Kurt since he was so funny. He didn't know it, but he had a blob of spaghetti sauce on his chin, and it clashed horribly with his blue fur. Jean noticed, however, and handed him his napkin and pointed to his chin.

"Thanks," Kurt said, folding his napkin over so that the soiled side was hidden, as was polite to do. Elizabeth felt another smile starting. Her grandmother had taught her good manners, but the rest of her family had failed to remember their lessons in the same subject. It was funny: He slurped spaghetti, but he remembered what to do with his napkin once he had used it. Maybe he was minding his manners now?

"So, what do you feel like doing after lunch?" Jean asked.

"I don't know," Elizabeth answered. "I still feel kind of adrift. Is there anything that I should do?" she asked, directing her question to the Professor.

He seemed to consider it. "Not unless you feel it's necessary to do something," he answered. "Do you have a daily practice routine that you put yourself through, or a meditation time set aside?"

"Not really," she said, thinking about it. "Could I try practicing though, in the Danger Room? I don't want to hurt or scare someone inadvertently."

"That room was built for practice," Logan said. "Knock yourself out, kiddo."

Looking to the Professor for confirmation and seeing it, she smiled.

"Would it bother you if you had an audience?" Scott asked wistfully. "We'd like to see what you can do, if that's all right."

A wave of shyness overcame Elizabeth. They were curious? About her? She could hardly believe it. The last group of people to see her in action had gone berserk. What if the same thing happened here? What if her powers were too creepy for them?

"Don't be self-conscious or anything like that," Kitty said, smiling reassuringly. "We all have powers that are kind of weird, and don't worry that we'll freak out about them. The last time we freaked out about anything was when Kurt had a burrito marathon at the Taco Palace and came home only to lock himself in the bathroom for three hours."

Everyone at the table started laughing while Kurt stared at Kitty in dismay. "Kitty!" he wailed, embarrassed past description.

The Professor merely smiled. "Kitty," he said, trying to be stern, "that was not polite or kind, or even tasteful for the table. You should apologize."

"I apologize, everybody," she said, still smiling. "And I apologize to you too, Kurt. I didn't mean to embarrass you or gross anybody out."

Kurt's only reply was a muffled "Okay," and slipping further down in his chair so that only the top of his head was visible. "Apology accepted."

Elizabeth helped with the cleaning up and followed the other students to the Danger Room afterwards. They took their places in the observation deck while she went into the main part and prepared to practice. Scott offered to run a Basic Program for her, one full of small dangers and obstacles that she could pit herself against, and she agreed.

It didn't last long. A tentacle wrapped itself around her right ankle, and a moment later, it had rusted right off into flakes. More tentacles took hold, but they were turned back or broken with apparent ease. A laser tried to stun her(the most she would feel would be something like the tingle a static shock gave) and a moment later, it was disabled. More lasers met the same fate as she dodged and tumbled through them. An obstacle course was navigated without much effort on her part, and a booby trap of a trap door was stopped before it could even open. That was where the program ended.

"That was impressive," Scott congratulated her on the intercom. "Could you show us anything else?"

She nodded and waved to show that she would. Sitting down on the floor and concentrating, she focused her mind on a single picture. The kids up in the observation deck gasped as the Danger Room turned into an English garden, complete with a fountain, lily pond, statuaries, and a swing. After a moment, that picture faded as another one formed. This time, it was the inside of an old but gorgeous theater in which a ballet was being performed. The next image was of horses cantering about in a ring, and the last was of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

"How was that?" she asked, waving up to them.

"Amazing," Kurt said, taking the microphone away from Scott. "How do you do that?"

"I just imagine it around me, and it's there," she said, shrugging. "It tires me out, though. Would it be all right if I went and lay down for a while?"

"Whatever you like," Jean assured her. "We'll see you later, and thanks for showing us!"

Elizabeth waved one last time and left the Danger Room. Scott turned off the programs that had been on standby, and turned to face the rest of the students.

"Anyone else amazed?" he asked.

"I think everyone is," Kurt said, smiling. "She's totally awesome!"

"Yeah, but I hope that she never loses control or gets lost in a daydream," Rogue said, folding her arms. "If her power's driven by imagination, she could wreak havoc and not even know it."

"Well, that's the Professor's job, to worry about teaching her control if she doesn't have it already," Jean said, tucking her hair behind her ears. "But I'd say she already has it. Did you see how well she handled the program and how sharp those images were? Those are sure signs of control."

"That's good, then," Kurt said as the left the deck. "She won't have to worry about keeping herself under control at school. I wonder how she'll handle that?"

No one answered, for they were all thinking different things. All of them, though, were optimistic.