Disclaimer: I only own the X-Men DVD's. I don't own any of the characters ('cept for Sophia) and I don't own the rights or the idea of the creation of X-Men. BUT, I am now the proud owner of an X-Men X-Box game and a wicked X-Men t-shirt. *Nods and grins* Yeah.
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The weeks passed quickly and soon it was a school night. Students returned from their summer vacations and once again the mansion was packed to its normal carrying capacity. The class schedules had been passed out earlier that day, and Rogue, Bobby, John and Sophia were sitting in the girl's room comparing their schedules.
"I've got art, mechanics, math, English, political science, chemistry, combat and history." John read off, his eyebrows raised.
"I have history, political science, art, English, mechanics, chemistry, combat and math." She looked over at John. "Looks like we have several classes in common." He nodded, secretly pleased.
In the past few weeks, a secret mutual attraction had formed between Sophia and John. Neither knew the other felt it and neither told anyone about it. Sophia had caught John looking at her, but didn't look much into it. She was the new girl and people had been giving her looks because of that.
"Math, political science, art, chemistry, history, combat, English and mechanics." Rogue read off and glanced at Bobby.
"History, English, math, art, chemistry, political science, combat and mechanics."
"Looks like we have several classes in common." Sophia said absent mindedly as she read something else off her piece of paper.
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Next morning, Sophia was nervous, but at the same time, excited. She was finally in a place where she would be considered normal. Or somewhat normal, she didn't know how many people had the same power that she did. She'd admit that she was scared. Rogue had assured her that she had nothing to worry about, but Sophia couldn't help but be a little nervous. She was the new girl and other than her small group of three friends, she knew no one. She took a deep breath, slipped into her sneakers and made her way out into the hallway.
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Bobby was in her first class, history, so they sat together. Amara Aquilla, also known as Magna, taught history. Her next class was political science, and that was taught by Storm. Rogue and Sophia sat together in the back of the class and quickly discovered that they had similar views on the subject. Art was next, she and Rogue walked to class together and took the table that was near the back of the room. Sophia found it amusing that Colossus, being as big of a guy that he was, taught art, but then again, this school wasn't exactly the norm. She and John met up outside the English classroom, and as soon as she walked into the classroom, Nightcrawler appeared in a puff of blue smoke, startling most of the class. After English, the three met up for lunch.
"How are your classes so far?" Bobby asked.
"Awesome. This is easily the best school that I've ever been to."
"Where'd you go to school before?" John asked. Sophia hadn't revealed much of her past in the last few weeks. John thought that it was odd, but didn't push. He wasn't that fond of his own past either.
Sophia froze slightly before opening her mouth and speaking. "I was at an all girls boarding school before here. I hated it. All the girls were bitches and the teachers were really strict."
"Fun." John noted sarcastically and Sophia nodded in agreement.
"But I'm out now, and this place is great."
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After lunch, Sophia made her way to her first solo class. Mechanics/Flight was taught by Archangel, and Sophia could quickly pick up on the fact that most of the girls in the class were swooning over Warren Worthington the third. She grinned and set down at a desk near the door. She liked to sit in the back. You couldn't receive dirty looks from other students if you sat in the back. After class let out, she quickly made her way next door and into chemistry.
"Once everyone arrives, choose a partner. This partner will serve as your lab partner until the end of the year, so choose carefully." Wolfsbane, also known as Rahne Sinclair, told the class. Sophia looked around as everyone divided into groups of two, no one even sending a glance her way. She let out a sigh and turned around when she saw John in the same situation. She slowly made her way over to him and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Looks like it's you and me, John boy." He whipped around, made eye contact, nodded slightly and then they both made their way over to a table.
"Everyone paired up?" Wolfsbane asked and she glanced around the room. "Good. Now if you would put on some safety goggles, we can begin." She waited for a minute while everyone in the room put on glasses.
"Bobby Drake was nice enough to help us out with this project. He provided us the ice that we need to complete this experiment." Wolfsbane announced before turning her full attention to the mechanism to her desk. "Set your work station up so that it looks like this." She placed the glass boiling flask on a metal ring. "And fill it half full with water. You should have a pitcher on your work station." She waited while everyone did so. "Now heat the flask with the Bunsen burner until it boils and steams."
Sophia reached for the burner but John grabbed her wrist. When she looked over at him, he smirked. "We don't need a burner." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his lighter.
Sophia laughed slightly. "Are you allowed to do that?"
John shrugged. "No one said I couldn't." He flipped the lighter open, created a small ball of fire and sent it under the glass flask, all the while watching Wolfsbane for a potential negative reaction.
Wolfsbane looked up and the two locked eyes. The teacher scowled slightly but nodded, indicating that it was fine.
John quickly reached the required temperature, but continued to heat the flask to allow the other students time to get there as well. When everyone else had reached a constant boil, Wolfsbane spoke again.
"Everyone who used the Bunsen burner," She sent a pointed look at John, "remove the burner and put the rubber stopper in the top of the flask. Also, tape the stopper to the neck of the glass. If the stopper falls out, you could get burned." She waited while everyone did so before speaking again. "Now turn the flask upside down in the ring. The flask will be hot, so do it fast, but do not drop it." There were chuckles throughout the class while everyone turned the glass upside-down in the ring. Wolfsbane went around the room handing out little bags of ice to each station. "Place this bag on top of the flask and write your observations in your notebook. I want each stations observations on my desk by the end of the class!"
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Next class, the four friends met up in combat where Wolverine was the teacher. The class was in the basement in one of the simulation rooms, one of the only rooms big enough and it was the only room Storm, the new headmaster, allowed Logan to smoke in.
"Today," Logan began, his cigar still in his mouth, "we are going to learn about pressure points. Now because Storm doesn't want any casualties, you are to use as little pressure as possible. Clear?" Everyone in class nodded. "Good. Now pair up into groups of two."
John turned to Sophia after everyone else was paired up. "You and me?" Sophia smirked slightly and nodded.
"Who would like to be demonstrated on?" Logan asked, he scanned the room for raised hands, but found none. He sighed and spoke again. "Who would like to demonstrate on me?" He glanced around again and saw that there were still no hands in the air. "Someone's gotta volunteer."
Sophia began to raise her hand but John grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?" He whispered.
"Volunteering." She whispered back, stating the obvious.
"Why?"
"Because we're here to learn!"
John appeared to have an internal debate for a second before releasing his hold on her arm. "It's your funeral." Sophia rolled her eyes and put her hand up in the air. Logan quickly noticed and nodded in approval.
"Looks like the new girl has guts." He quickly crossed the room and stood in front of her. "First on the list, the neck." He put his hand on the back of Sophia's neck and gently pinched a section of skin with his thumb, pointer and middle fingers. "Okay." He took a step back and put his hands down at his side. "You try."
With a determined look on her face, Sophia raised her arm and put her hand on the back of Logan's neck. She pinched the area of skin that he had pinched on her, and felt a wave of satisfaction when his face distorted into a painful grimace. After a minute, she released her grip and brought her hands back to her sides.
Logan smirked slightly as he cracked his neck. "Very good." Sophia grinned proudly before Logan turned on his heel and headed back to the front of the classroom. "Now, practice on each other, but don't paralyze your partner."
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After class ended, four very sore students made their way out of the classroom.
"Last class for the day!" John cried, a grin on his face. Sophia chuckled and held her hand up for a highfive which John gladly gave her.
"Don't celebrate yet," Bobby began, "the teachers are normally just as tired as the students are."
"And just as cranky." Rogue added. "We'll see you two later."
--
Math always brought back bad memories for Sophia. She hated the subject. She hated the teachers. But Emma Frost was different. She had actually found a way to make math enjoyable. Whether it was just an act for the first day of school, Sophia didn't know, but as soon as class began, she felt relaxed. When class ended, she was slightly disappointed, but after she reminded herself that she'd be back the next day, she was back to normal.
After dropping her books off in her room, she made her way downstairs and out into the bright sunlight. She made her way around the basketball court and the pool and began to approach a tree that was on the banks of Breakstone Lake, that was shading her friends. She sat down next to Bobby and sighed, looking over the dark blue water.
"How was your first day?" Rogue asked curiously as she studied her friends face intently.
John looked up from his place on the ground where he was building a small fire out of sticks, leaves and any other flammable thing he could find.
"It was great." She smiled at her friends. "I think this year is going to be awesome."
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A/N: Dudes! That was 1,813 words! Almost 9 pages! *Does happy dance* Hehe. I am proud. Please review/comment and tell me what you think! I really do care what you think!