"I can't believe we're in detention our first week in high school!" Tina moaned, slumping her head onto her desk and messing up her already fluffy hair more in the process.
"You'll get used to it." Tabitha shrugged to the newbies, smirking at the agony of the freshman with a pop of her bubblegum.
"Noni should be used to it." June all but sang, laughing merrily as a paper-wad pegged the side of her face from Noni.
"Who'd you get in a fight with this time?" Tina was happy to shift the attention to someone else, and the fire-tempered red head was a perfect target.
"None of your business!" Noni shot back, crossing her arms and slouching in her chair to the laughter of the others.
"Scrappy," Toad acknowledged, "I like it!" Noni only groaned and put her forehead down with a heavy thud compared to Tina's dainty pout.
"Now now, settle down!" the teacher of the week hosting detention strolled in with a click of her heels, no one here had her classes before. The brunette teacher set her files down on the desk at the front and grabbed the glasses on the chain around her neck to set back on her nose. She regarded the room with a severity that demanded respect without question and snatched up a piece of chalk for the front board.
"You're in detention, and we're going to use that time productively. With some extra lessons." All of them groaned in unity now.
"Miss! The least you can do is let us, I don't know, quietly contemplate our mis-behavior?" Toad offered up, only to get a raised brow so severe he gulped and sank into his chair.
"Today's extra-curricular lesson plan is going to be on the application of physics in relation to-" but everyone in the room tuned out at the word physics. A few at extra-curricular.
"Oh my god I thought that would never end!" Tabitha rushed out of the doors in front of the rest, stretching her arms above her short blonde haircut.
"It wasn't too bad..." June hummed, holding out her note-book and turning it this way and that.
"I thought you were taking notes, did you just doodle the whole time?" Blob noticed, getting a vapid smile.
"Not bad at all." June answered.
"Well, ladies, detention is over, and the world is ours!" Toad declared boldly, he was honestly pretty glad Lance and Pietro, the prettier of their group, were nowhere to be seen.
"What do we want to do with our weekend?" he turned back with a lop-sided grin, but Noni answered quick,
"Not you, that's for sure." which earned a round of snickers from the others.
"Now that's just mean!" he slid over between Tina and June to put a hand on each of their shoulders, "What about you ladies. You seen the rest of town yet? You should come by our pad, we can borrow Lance's car if you want to hit the town!" Toad didn't really know anything but laying it on thick.
"Sur-" Tina interrupted June's easy answer,
"Maybe some other time. My cousin and I have plans." she tugged the other girl out of Toad's grasp and started walking off with a swish of skirt. June turned back a wave to the group, that Blob returned.
"Oh my god," Tabitha laughed, "You boys are sad! Going after the freshmen? I guess that would be the only way a girl would tolerate you!"
"You're just jealous!" Toad shot back without thinking.
"Yeah!" Blob wasn't sure why or how but it sounded good to agree.
"Sure I am. You have fun with that losers." Noni was already halfway down the sidewalk, and Tabitha wasn't sticking around either.
"Well who needs them!" Toad kicked at the air and hopped up to Blob's shoulder with a grin, "It's just you and me, big guy!" They were used to that by now.
Back at the Mansion:
Aida had made it about halfway up the main flight of stairs on her own, and already she had to stop and sit down to catch her breath.
"Hey! You're Aida? Did I get that right?" Jamie found her first, quickly sprinting up with a grin. She nodded her head and offered a smile back.
"I thought you were in a wheelchair like the professor?" she shook her head.
"You can walk! That's great! Hey how do you like it here so far?" She gave a thumbs up, still fighting to catch her breath.
"Hey, Jamie-" Scott paused when he saw Aida, "Aida, right?" she nodded again, "Jamie, Ororo wants to see you. Something about the potted plants she was setting up in-"
"Uh-oh. You didn't see me!" Jamie tried, scrambling up the stairs the rest of the way.
"Jamie, come back! You know that's not going to-" but Scott didn't feel like chasing him, stopping instead. "She's going to find you eventually..." he shook his head and glanced down at Aida.
"Are you alright?" She gave another thumbs up.
"They've still got you on physical therapy, hu?" she nodded.
"But you made it most of the way upstairs." she nodded again, but slumped with a pout.
"Hey, that's progress though! Exploring the mansion?" she nodded.
"It's a pretty big place. Do you want some company?" she peaked up at him with those big black eyes, and after some thought nodded. Her breathing had calmed down, so she pulled herself up by the railing and put on her determined face to climb the rest of the way up. It was slower going than most, but Scott didn't rush her, and they made it to the top.
"Great job." he encouraged instead, glancing down the hall to see Jean coming the other way with several books in her arms.
"Hey Jean!" he waved with a smile, causing her to glance up from her stack of books.
"Oh, Scott! Hey! And Aida! Giving a tour?" She smiled down at the mute girl and reached out telepathically.
"I'm glad to see you're feeling better." For a second there was telepathic silence on the other end, then a whispered out loud response.
"I can...talk." just not very loudly.
"So you can!" Aida's smile stretched, though her posture slouched with timid resolve.
"Everyone is so nice here..."
"Well..." Scott and Jean exchanged a glance, "Not everyone. And not all the time. But everyone means well." Jean picked up the next line,
"Are you going to transfer into the main school once you're well enough?" that made Aida's face drop and her gaze jump back and forth, her hands fidgeting with each other anxiously. She nodded. Jean didn't have to be telepathic to understand the response.
"It's normal to be nervous, you know. Everyone is at first. Anyways, I've got to meet up with the Professor, I'll catch you two later!" she passed by and spared a wave that Scott returned with a lop-sided smile.
"Sure, Jean, have fun!" he watched her go, and turned back to see the biggest grin yet on Aida's face.
"What? What's that look for?" he picked up quick, a wave of giddy emotion rushing over him.
"What? No! We're not...well I mean, Jean's incredible. And Beautiful. And a great friend. But we're just...it's nothing like that." he waved it off, but Aida's nod was less agreeing and more missing a sass-filled hum. She wasn't buying it.
"It's true! We're not...wait..." the feeling sank off him, a physical sensation like water evaporating off skin when he steps out of the pool on a hot day. Replaced at once with realization.
"Is that what you do?" she glanced back and up over her shoulder at the taller boy, "you share emotions. I guess you prefer that over talking out loud?" she nodded once. A shiver ran through him with the next thought, "can you...sense what other people are feeling too? Like how telepaths can read minds or speak to them?" a second nod made him sigh and one hand move to rub the back of his neck.
"Ah...about Jean...can that stay between us then?" Her smile came back with a wave of reassurance. It wasn't like she was making him feel anything. It was very clear it wasn't his own emotions. It was more like...a suggestion. Like watching a movie, and feeling for what you see the characters going through on the screen. He knew it was a feeling outside of him, barely touching his skin instead of coming from inside. But he knew the answer was yes. That Aida wasn't going to run around spreading other people's feelings around or sharing what wasn't her business. It was as uncomfortable as knowing someone could read your thoughts, but then most of the students here were used to that. He was sure if they could get used to telepathy, they could get used to...what ever you would call this. Empathic reactions both ways.
"Thanks."
"There you are, kid." Logan's voice interrupted, his head appearing from the flight of stairs as he climbed them, "keep up this progress and I'll see you in class in no time." Aida shook her head no quickly, a brief wave of trepidation tingling over Scott's skin before it disappeared.
"Yeah. Well, maybe you'll change your mind when you're feeling more up for it." she shrugged her shoulders, "Anyways, you seen Jamie? Ororo's looking for him." They both pointed in the same direction down the hall and Logan gave a gruff nod, setting off after the boy. He barely turned the corner, when a puff of brimstone scented smoke alerted the two to Kurt's appearance before they could turn and see him.
"Hey! Have you seen-"
"Jamie? That way. Logan's on it." Scott pointed with a thumb behind one shoulder. Kurt nodded and was gone as quick as he had appeared.
"You'll get used to the craziness around here." Scott half-apologized as Logan finished climbing the stairs.
"You're part of the family now, kiddo." Aida smiled with a nod, reached out for Logan who took the hint.
"Lets get you to your room." He offered a supporting arm and nodded to Scott, the two moving off.
AN: BTW: not all of these OC's are mutants! And a few others will be showing up soon! Feel free to take guesses on who has powers, who doesn't, and what the ones who do might prove to have as it goes on! :)