Chapter Eight

Holly pulled her hair up into a ponytail and grabbed a sweatshirt before leaving her room and following the little map that had been left on her desk. After a few minutes she found the elevator hidden in the wall and took it down three levels. When it arrived at its destination she stepped out and looked around cautiously before walking down the wide hall.

"Good morning Holly."

The girl jumped and whirled around to find herself face to face with the dark-skinned woman whom Logan had introduced as Ororo. "Oh, you startled me."

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect anyone to wake up this early. I was just going to have a session with Logan and Scott. Would you like to join Emma and watch?"

"Sure."

Ororo gave her instructions on how to take a small flight of stairs and another elevator until she reached the control room where Emma would be. Then the woman left through a pair of sliding doors and Holly was left alone. She climbed the stairs as instructed and after a few minutes found herself at the door of a room. She knocked and it slid open obediently.

Inside there was a large array of computers and a few chairs along with a mini fridge and several pieces of medical equipment, most of the top half of the room was covered with glass that looked down into a large room where Logan, Ororo and Scott stood. Emma was sitting in a swivel chair flipping switches and typing on a computer. "Come in Holly; take a seat anywhere you'd like."

Holly sat down in a chair next to one of the windows. Emma leaned back in her seat and brought a microphone to her mouth, "The sequence will begin shortly."

"Thanks Em." Logan replied through the intercom as he loosened his claws.

"What are they going to do?" Holly asked.

"The Danger Room is a sort of obstacle course for mutants to hone their abilities. It has all sorts of levels and different scenarios. It can be as simple as avoiding laser beams while trying to get across the room or as difficult as trying to rescue a group of 'people' from an army of robots."

"Am I going to have to go through it?"

Emma smiled knowingly, "Yes but not anything nearly as difficult as what you're watching right now. I think Logan is planning on putting everyone through a simple avoidance sequence and then after lunch we'll give all of you a scenario to see how well you can work as a team."

"Do you know when we're going to go to school?"

"Probably within the month, Charles will evaluate your progress and your schooling level before he makes any decisions." There was a small explosion below but the woman didn't flinch, "May I ask you something Holly?"

"Sure."

"What do you know about Raven? Has she told you anything of her past or how she was discovered to be a mutant?"

Holly shook her head, "I haven't really talked to her that much. The only thing I know is that her mother died recently and she lived in Gotham. Gar might know more but I don't think that she's ever talked about anything like that. Why?"

"Doctor McCoy did a routine physical on her last night and determined the possibility that Raven is not fully human."

"You mean like Shade and Xian?"

Emma nodded as she flipped a switch casually, "Very much so. Hank thinks she's at least partially human but I doubt she's half vampire. If that was the case she probably would've told you or Shade because they would've had something in common."

Holly pulled her knees into her chest to think. A few minutes later the door opened and Jean walked in with Todd hopping alongside. The amphibious young man grinned at Holly, "Morning yo. How'd ya sleep?"

"Like a log. Is anyone else awake?"

Todd hopped up onto a long sofa and crouched there watching the older mutants below, "Ya, I think I heard Remy in the bathroom yelling in French at Kurt who was yelling back in German and Gar was caught in the crossfire. I got out of there before I got hurt, dawg."

"Do you have any idea what they were arguing about?"

"I don't know and I wasn't about to ask. I think it was something about Kurt getting fur on Remy's toothbrush but French wasn't my strong point."

Holly giggled and curled up again to try and catch some sleep before everyone else made their way upstairs.

"Are you ready Raven?" Logan's familiar voice boomed through the speakers in the large circular room.

"Ready."

There was a loud click and several sections of the wall opened up. Huge steel pillars slammed outwards creating an immensely large wall that reached nearly to the ceiling. Raven shot into the air and flew over it without hesitation. At the top she had to slip through a narrow space without being able to see wait lay in wait on the other side. For a moment she paused trying to listen for any unseen dangers but she heard nothing except the constant hum of machines. Taking a breath and concentrating Raven let her body melt into its astral form. She slid through the steel with ease and flew out the other side into a bay of lasers that would've set of an alarm had she gone through the obvious way.

"Good job, Raven. Now things get a little harder. If you feel like you're in danger of getting hurt let us know or get out of there. Don't worry about damaging the equipment."

The girl barely had time to nod before a huge mechanical arm shot out of a hole in the wall and grabbed her around the waist. She yelped in surprise as smaller arms grabbed both of her wrists and ankles.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Black energy seeped over the arms and forced them open. Raven shot upward towards the ceiling out of reach, the arms followed only to be restrained by the black energy. Raven's eyes began to glow white as she manipulated the machines to tie themselves into knots.

Up in the control room Emma leaned over to whisper in Jean's ear, "Looks like you've got competition dearie."

The red head pulled away with a snort and went to check on some of the other controls.

"This has got to be illegal in some way." Todd groaned as slowly stretched his lanky form out on the sofa. He wasn't the only one who was suffering from bruises and aching muscles.

"Ja, my tail will never work the same. See? I can not even lift it." Kurt held the spaded appendage in his hands with a sorrowful look.

Raven rubbed her temples slowly, working in the drops of oil she'd placed on her fingers. "I just wish you would all stop talk so loud. I can't even think straight."

"You did get hit pretty hard." Gar muttered. He was curled up on the floor in the form of a green and black jaguar. He lifted his head and rolled onto his side, "I'm still seeing stars from that stupid wall thingie. No one told me stuff came out of the floor."

Jason made a muffled noise and threw a pillow at Gar. The changeling's head snapped up and he growled, "What'd you say to me?"

"I said shut up. I can't even walk. I'm hurting in places I didn't even know could hurt."

Wanda laughed quietly, "Logan did put you through a pretty rough fight."

"Rough? Rough is fighting a couple of gang kids down in the neighborhood. This was torture. I couldn't even feel my arms after the first five minutes. After ten minutes my legs were shot. I was just running on fumes the last half."

"I wouldn't whine too much. Logan went easy on you. The metal in his skeleton makes him pretty much impervious to normal pain. He must like you for some reason." Emma's voice floated through the room as she entered carrying bandages, ice packs and pain killers. "You are all to take two pills and no more. I'm assuming none of you have any kind of drug use history?"

Gar morphed into a human and wrinkled his nose, "Involuntary drug use history, I'll probably be better off to tough it out. I just want an ice pack and about a week to sleep." He grabbed two of the packs and stretched out on the floor with one on his head and the other on his lower back.

Emma nodded and passed the rest of the supplies out. "I'll make sure to tell Doctor McCoy to be careful about that in the future; anyone else?" When no one answered she left the room with the remainder of the things and closed the door behind her.

Remy yawned and stretched his arms above his head, "Well I ain't had a work out like that in ages. Hurts but I'll feel better in the morning."

"Shut up Lebeau." Rogue growled as she downed two of the pills without bothering to take the bottle of water that Pietro offered. "I'm gonna crawl into my bed and stay there, ain't no power on earth that can move me till I'm healed up."

"Oh I'm pretty sure I could think of something cheri." Remy said lurching to his feet. In one swift movement he grabbed Rogue and slung her up on his shoulder.

The Southern beauty yelled and gripped his other shoulder in fear being very careful not to touch him, "If you drop me I'll kill you one hundred times over Gumbo."

"Gumbo… now that ain't a very nice name is it?" Remy asked as he tipped his body to the left causing Rogue to slide off his shoulder. She screamed but Remy delivered her safely on the ground without injury.

"You're dead Cajun!"

"Hey now I didn't hurt ya did I?"

Amanda rolled her eyes as the twosome ran out of the room yelling at each other. "Well, no offense to any one but I'm doubly glad I'm just a computer mutant."

"Go hug a tree." Kurt grumbled.

Slowly Gar began to laugh and soon it spread through the whole room until all of the mutants were laughing, forgetting their injuries and worries.

(three weeks later)

"I don't know Herr Xavier. Are you sure this will work?" Kurt asked as he took the bulky watch from the man.

"I'm very sure Kurt. Just try it on, here you go Garfield."

The two young men strapped the devices onto their wrists and pressed a few buttons as they'd been told. Immediately a holographic image wavered over their bodies. Kurt jumped backwards onto the bed in surprise, "Mein Gott! I can't even… you're skin… it's not green!"

Gar looked at himself in the mirror and jumped a little bit. He now had blonde hair, lightly tanned skin and his pointed ears were rounded like a normal human's, his eyes were still the same shade of deep green. He turned his gaze on his friend and grinned, "You're not too bad looking yourself. Take a look."

Kurt bounded over to the mirror and crouched below the dresser for a moment before rising up so that the tip of his head could be seen. Then he jumped up with a wide smile, "I am…I am not a fuzzy elf! This is the most wonderful present I could ever ask for. Danke Herr Xavier, Danke, danke, danke!" He turned in a circle in order to see himself. His 'skin' was pale and he had long dark hair, much like that color it normally was only blacker. His eyes were dark brown instead of glowing yellow and his fanged teeth were rounded normally.

Charles smiled in acceptance, "Now boys I want you to promise me that you will only use these when you are outside the mansion. When you are here you may not wear them unless we have visitors. These are not meant to be used as cover-ups for who you truly are. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Ja Herr Xavier."

"Raven! Raven, are you in there?" Gar pressed his ear to the door of the girl's room. "Raven, I know you're in there I can hear you breathing."

The door opened and Raven's pale face appeared, "May I help you… Gar?"

"Ya it's me. How'd you know?"

Raven turned away from the door leaving it open so Gar followed her inside. "I sense things, it's difficult to explain but basically I can tell the difference between people's…souls if you will."

"So that's how you can tell Xian and Shade apart without looking at them."

"Yes." Raven sat on her bed and looked him up and down, "It's very… different. Does Kurt have one?"

"Ya, now that's a weird sight." Gar sat on the floor and turned off the image inducer, "So you ready for tomorrow?"

"I don't know. I think I am but… I'm a little nervous I suppose."

The changeling smiled up at her, "Why? You'll have all the football players wrapped around your finger within the week."

Raven flushed red against her grey skin, "I've never been to a real school. I was taught at home and I've always been sort of isolated from people. You're the first real friend I've ever had."

"Well I'm flattered to have the honor Miss Roth."

The girl smirked and got to her feet, "Well Mr. Logan are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Are you kidding? I'm terrified."

Raven laughed, "Well that makes two of us. I think I hear a carton of ice cream calling my name in the kitchen. Will you join me sir?"

"After you milady."

Wanda shifted the fine dirt through her fingers and leaned back on her heels, "Thanks for letting me help you Ororo. Scott said you don't like people in your garden usually."

The weather witch smiled from under her baseball cap, "I don't like people who don't listen to me. You have a way with plants Wanda. Besides, the only person I really don't like in here is Logan. He tends to stomp right over my little ones without even noticing. But that's his nature and I can't change it. I can only keep him away."

Wanda laughed and ran her fingers through her now short black hair, "Ororo I'm going to go inside and take a shower if it's alright with you."

"That's fine dear, just take your tools back to the shed and put them back where you found them and please tell Emma if you see her that I want to talk with her in the library after dinner."

"Yes ma'am." Wanda said as she gathered up her borrowed things and left for the garden shed right outside the back door. She opened the door and started putting tools away. Suddenly someone ran in and slammed the door shut. Wanda screamed and whirled around only to find herself pressed up against Xian.

"Oh Wanda!" The mutant backed up a step in surprise, "Forgive me if I startled you. I'm hiding from Todd and Kurt."

Wanda nodded wordlessly. She moved away to put her other tools away. She could hear Xian moving around behind her and when she turned around to leave she found him standing right over her again. She stifled a yelp and looked up at him, "You are in my way."

"Sorry." He moved aside and pushed himself up onto the workbench. "Promise not to tell them where I am?"

"Ororo will kick you out when she finds you."

The young man sighed dejectedly, "I suppose that is true. Well then I'm off to find another hiding place. Please excuse me."

He vanished in a puff of smoke that blew over Wanda's face then went under the crack of the door and was gone. Wanda pressed a hand to her chest and took a deep breath. After a moment she shook her head, " Schizophrenic half-vampire mutants, I've seen everything."

Charles Xavier looked over the table of mutant teens before him and felt his heart swell. This was the second largest group they'd ever brought in at once. Of course there would be questions at school but everyone was prepared with a false past and in a few cases a false identity. He smiled as Rahne and Pietro bickered about the way Pietro held his silverware. Raven and Rogue were in a deep discussion that involved short glances at Remy and laughter. The Cajun was pretending to ignore them but everyone could tell he wanted to know what the girls were talking about. Kurt was chattering endlessly about some of his plans while Amanda just rolled her eyes and picked at her food.

Xavier leaned back in his chair and let them eat. He'd been planning on giving some sort of talk but right now it didn't seem as if it was needed. They all knew what they had to do and they would do it as well as they could. That was all that mattered.