I do not own claim to any of the X-Men or their universe (just my girl Mimik) and I make no money from this. Enjoy!

I look away from what I'm doing; stretching my arms and back and readjusting my eyes.

I look back down at the small device covered in soldered wires and lenses; my pet project since that whole thing at the cabin.

I turn to look at the older Native American mutant sitting next to me, "How's it looking Forge?"

Forge leans over the device checking my work, "You mixed a couple wires but other than that, pretty good."

I frown at the mess in front of me, "Told you I wasn't any good at this…"

"You were the one who wanted to say that you made it. Here let me fix it for you and we can keep going."

I sigh and slide my chair over so he can get at it easier.

I'm not technologically inclined unlike Forge, but then again his mutation helps him with that.

Give me any sort of gun and I can have it apart and back together in seconds, but ask me to wire up anything and I'll be at a loss.

I can't even defuse a bomb without someone guiding me or schematics of it at least. Hell I don't even know how to wire a light socket…

But that's why I'm having Forge teach me as we go.

Since we all got back I've been avoiding as many people as possible, which is how I discovered Forge's tech lab.

.

The day after we got back I was sneaking around and found this room in a corner of the basement level.

It was a tech lab, used to develop equipment for the mutants like Cyclops' visor as well as upgrades for the Blackbird.

I soon discovered that an older mutant named Forge kept his room right off of it.

He's a black-haired, Native American guy in his 30's and he has an affinity for technology, he was the one who developed the entire security system for the institute, he pretty much designed the Blackbird and he also made himself a robotic leg and hand to replace the ones he lost in some accident.

Seeing as how I was trying to come up with something to keep me preoccupied while Logan taught his classes I figured I'd ask and see if Forge would help me with a couple ideas I had and he whole heartedly agreed and so we got to work.

It took Logan a whole day to find me down here and when he did he was stunned when he saw me and Forge working together.

Forge is great company, he never asks any personal questions, he didn't flinch when he saw my green form, and he plays amazing music on his radio.

I've heard music before mainly the classical the lab boys played or the older rock that the guards played, but I've never listened to anything harder.

Forge is a big fan of metal and hard rock and when he first played it for me I was entranced; it sounded like the songs were filled rage or hatred, but the lyrics would sometimes be very deep and pretty.

Now whenever we're down here working, I make him play his music.

I glance over in the corner of the bright room, over the tables covered in metal, wires, and magnifying glasses, at our first finished project.

It's a new 'wheel' chair for Xavier, modified to make him a little more mobile.

We made an electrical hover chair; its seat like a kayak's where you slip in and slide your legs out in front of you. Of course it's much more compact and physically similar to a chair than a kayak. The controls are a small panel near where is right hand would be and we even put a little boost ability in it for emergencies.

We even painted it steel gray and gave it a red and black X symbol on one side.

Forge was all for making it and said he didn't know he hadn't thought of making one sooner.

The second project is one he's been taking notes on so he could build a complete duplicate if need be.

I designed what Forge described as an image inducer, it's a small device that a person would wear like a watch and when turned on it would project a pre-programmed image around the person.

So if there was a mutant with a physical deformity who couldn't hide their appearance, wearing this could give them the appearance of a normal human.

When I had asked him about whether it was possible or not to build, he looked at me funny and asked me who the intended recipient was.

I shrugged saying I wasn't sure and he just smiled. What was I supposed to say? I wanted to help out a friend, so he didn't look like a freak all the time?

I just wanted to repay the kindness I've received since I've been here…

He glances up at me, "Ready? We just got to get the connection to the image projector to work properly and then we'll add the micro power supply and then we should be able to seal it up and I'll set up the programming for you."

Only half comprehending what he said, I nod and slide back over as he being to coach me on what wire needs to go where and where to place the other tiny components.

.

I'm actually kind of shocked that everyone has pretty much left me alone.

Logan and Nightcrawler come down here only to bring me food because I refuse to go back to the dining hall and possibly run into some nosy, questioning kid.

But other than that it's just been me and Forge down here.

I have been meaning to talk to Beast though. Ever since what happened at the cabin I have been wondering if anything bad will happen now that I'm off Cornelius' drugs.

I haven't felt any different but it's better to be safe than sorry. I keep getting this feeling like something bad is going to happen, but I think that's because this place is so dull.

Back at the facility I was always on edge; ready for Wraith to pop up with a mission or start beating me. Now that I don't have to worry as much, it's gotten almost boring here, in comparison.

I don't know what to do with myself now; I went from constant action to having nothing to do at all…

Once I get done with this little project I think I may talk to Logan about their little team. Maybe I could help them out or something.

I'm sure Cyclops would be all for that idea… Heh… It'd be fun just to piss him off.

I also need to talk to Logan about getting me clothes.

Yeah I know I'm a shape shifter, but in my green form I don't have the guts to walk around naked like that blue chick from the cabin. And my clothes would start to smell eventually anyways.

I always had to beg to be allowed to wash my black uniform back at the facility. One of Wraith's guys always had to guard me and he would stare as I stripped down naked. It was awkward, but they knew if they tried anything they would end up a bloody mess splattered throughout the room, like the one guy who did.

His name was Carter, Lyle Carter. He and his buddies had got drunk one night and they convinced him that I was an easy piece of ass, as long as you held me at gunpoint. He got in my cell while I was asleep, put the gun to my head and put a hand on my breast.

That was the last thing he did before I was up, cutting his dick off and gutting him like a deer.

He made two mistakes; startling me awake and then thinking he could touch me.

I was beaten severely for that, but none of the goons came in my cell after lights out again.

Thankfully Wraith never even thought about hurting me that way. Doing anything with a mutie disgusted him, just like anyone with a skin color other than white.

I was surprised when he let Storm be, being both a mutie and African American. The last one that came in was beaten and then taken outside and shot execution style.

That racist bastard didn't give a shit if he was useful or not, he just wanted him disposed of as soon as possible.

I'm so glad that sick bastard is dead, but I definitely did not hurt him enough…

.

After a few days Forge and I were finally finished.

I wanted to surprise Xavier and Nightcrawler, so I convinced Forge to set off the fire alarm for the tech lab.

Within minutes the entire X-Men team had showed up, looking around wildly for a fire; Iceman was ready to put it out.

I'm sitting on one of the metal tables with Forge near me, waiting for them to realize that there isn't any fire. As they did, their attention fell on me and Forge and I smiled innocently at them.

As soon as Cyclops and Iceman spotted me and saw my grin, they glared at me and stormed out.

Logan crosses his arms, "What are you two doing?"

I glance over at Xavier who is starting to look a little agitated, "The fire alarm is not a toy, I'm surprised that you would condone this Forge."

Forge raises an eyebrow at me and I hop off the table, "Forge and I have a surprise for you."

Forge holds up his hands defensively, "Hey this was all her idea; I just helped her a bit."

Xavier looks at me intrigued as Jean, Storm, Colossus, and Nightcrawler all look at each other confused and shocked.

I walk over to the tarp covered hover chair and with a mock flourish I yank it off.

"You pulled the alarm for a chair, kid?"

I glare at Logan, "It's not just a chair…"

This is the most attention I've had since the gate incident and he's not helping me at all. I think this is the first real gift I've given; I don't normally thank people so I had to work up a lot of nerve for this.

Forge helps me out, "We developed an electronic hover chair with built in propulsion. It'll help out with missions and travel in general."

Xavier smiles at me, "Well that is quite the gift!"

I rub the back of my neck, "Well I saw how hard it was to maneuver in the woods back at the cabin and I kinda wanted to say thank you for helping me out and all…"

The others are all looking at me like I've grown a second head.

"I'm not technologically inclined, so Forge helped me out a lot."

Another alarm sounds, a much different than the fire alarm and I look at Logan questioningly.

He frowns, "Looks like we got us a trouble maker."

Xavier turns to roll out of the room and then stops and glances back at me, "Thank you very much for the gift, Kim. I will have to try it out later though."

I watch as the X-Men all run out, leaving me, Nightcrawler, and Forge.

"What just happened?"

Nightcrawler teleports, or 'bamfs' as he has taken to calling it thanks to Kitty, closer to us and says, "That alarm means that they are needed for a mission. The Professor's computer has picked on some emergency news reports or maybe a new, potentially dangerous, mutant's power emerging."

"So they go out and stop the bad guys and save people huh?"

Forge nods, "That's what we do; we help those who can't help themselves. We show others that mutants aren't people to fear. There are mutants who like to believe that we are the superior race and deserve to be treated as such."

Nightcrawler frowns, "You met one of the mutants who fight for that cause, Magneto."

"The magnet guy?"

He nods, "He recruits mutants who hate humans or are afraid of them. Telling them that humans just want to hurt them, lock them away, and then treat them like slaves or worse. Then there are mutants who join his cause because they like hurting people. Your unc- I mean Sabertooth for example."

"Well I can tell you from experience he's right. Human's are more like monsters than we are."

"You cannot let a few people who have harmed you lead you to condemn a whole race. God made us all equal."

I go to retort, but I remember the other gift I have.

"Oh! I forgot! I have something for you too."

His face lights up, "You made me something as well?"

I nod and pull the watch-like device out of my pocket.

"It's called an image inducer. Here."

I grab his wrist and put it on him. I twist the face and press a couple small buttons and the hologram flashes to life.

I grin at Forge as it works flawlessly.

He looks exactly like himself, but with white skin, instead of blue fur, and black hair, and blue eyes and no tail.

Forge wonders off and comes back with a mirror, handing it to Nightcrawler. He looks in it and his eyes go wide.

"Mein Gott! I look- But how- What-"

I laugh, "It projects a hologram around your body to make you look normal. To help you blend in better than your trench coat and big hat. You can change the looks too, so if someone spots you like that then you can make a quick change."

Forge presses the buttons in a different combination, "I can program only five different looks in here at a time, so if you want to change them up let me know and we can make a new one for you. You just have to make sure you don't let anyone touch or else they'll realize you don't have five fingers and normal skin. And Kim suggested you keep your tail wrapped around you leg so that doesn't give you away either."

He looks himself over and then grins at me, "This is wunderbar! Thank you so much, Kim!"

He hugs me tightly and I just stand there and wait for him to let go.

When he does I smile and shrug my shoulders, "It was just a little idea I had, seeing as how not all of us muties can change shape."

I glance over at Forge, "Well… Thanks for all your help on this stuff. I think I'm going to try out the danger room seeing how nobody else is here to use it."

Forge nods, "Have fun, kid."

Nightcrawler looks at me then at forge, then at his new toy, "I think I should stay here and learn how this thing works. But I'll come get you when it's time for dinner if you want."

I shrug, "Sure."

I walk out of the tech lab and Forge proceeds to show Nightcrawler how to turn it on and how to change the holograms.

I turn down a hallway to the right, following the scents towards the danger room.

I pause outside of it, checking the monitor and looking for the door up to the observation room.

I enter in the pass code that I had seen Logan put in and walk into a small elevator, going up a floor to observation room, a room full of computers and charts to keep track of the students' progress as well as a whole reinforced set of windows where you can look down and see the entire room.

At one of the computers I hack into the system and begin searching for the programmed simulations; all of which are far less deadly than the simulation back at the facility.

I finally spot one that seems like a proper challenge. It required me to put in a code that said that I was ok with turning off all safety parameters.

I hacked through that and put it into motion.

I may not be good at technical engineering but the boys at the lab made sure I could hack into almost any computer; even the FBI and Pentagon were no match for me.

I quickly teleport down to the steel floor before everything changed.