Dr. Clarice Ferguson, or Blink as some of the people called her, stood by her office window, sipping her coffee and watching the new students as they showed up. Tomorrow was the first day of school and many of the students were moving in today. Many of the children, especially the younger ones, had problems there first day at the school, especially the ones that were being sent here so that their parents no longer had to deal with their "freaky" child.

She scowled. Every time she thought about parents rejecting their own children because they were mutants she remembered her own childhood, kicked out of the house by her mother at the age of 12 because her asshole boyfriend hated "Muties". At least they had other mutants around them now to give them the love and acceptance that they couldn't get at home. Now she just had to wait. Every year there were at least a half-dozen kids that needed to talk to her, plus she had to have an initial meeting with all of the brand new students so that she could get a handle on their unique situation.

---

Jose sat on his bed with his headphones in, listening to music on his phone and trying to ignore all of the new minds coming into the school. All of the emotion on the floor below him was starting to give him a headache. Thankfully Dr. McCoy would have his helmet done soon and he would be able to block them out when he needed to. Unfortunately, it wasn't done yet.

They hadn't assigned him a roommate, but he would probably have one before long. Hopefully they weren't a super-emotional person. After thinking about it, though, he was certain that Clarice wouldn't let them assign someone like that to his room.

Keeping away from the other students, Des look at the school with disgust in her eyes. School for the Gifted, pah. More like a place to shuttle the people like her. Her own mother hadn't even bothered to speak or look at her. Just shuffled her off to the easiest direction. The thing that scared Desdemona was how little that hurt. She had gotten over the rejection easily. There had never been any true love there. Simple suspicion and mutual resentment. Shifting the bag of clothes on her shoulder, courtesy of the police taking back to her 'home' and by sheer laziness of her mother not to have tossed anything out. Well, perhaps not laziness... Des still could smirk at the protests that she had cursed the room and her darling mother dare not tread there. She didn't even know her own daughter's powers.

Slipping between two chattering groups of mutants, she bounded up the steps with too long legs. Fifteen and only six inches shy of six feet. Des cursed her height as being the reason she got noticed. Shoving her way into the school she deftly followed the flow to the dormitories. Finding her room she tossed the bag on the bed closest to her as she flung the window open. Sitting in the window frame she swung a leg outside the other propped up with the rest of her. There really wasn't any danger of falling. Mussing over life she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. If she didn't like it she would leave. Wings and claws were all she needed. Light brown eyes softened slightly. She wasn't trapped, and that thought gave her comfort. "Perhaps this will be interesting." She mussed, watching the arriving students below her.

Shinah stared out his window at all the new arrivals. Every year, the fears of at least 2 new students would knock him on his ass for at least a day if he wasn't careful enough to shield himself from them. Chin in his palm, elbow resting on the windowsill, he thought of all the fears he'd encountered in newbies since he first arrived here. Erik's were horrible, especially for his first encounter with the man; being a 12 year old Jewish boy and experiencing real life encounters of the Shoah was more that a little nerve-wracking, and Erik had to wear his helmet around Shinah until the boy had gained better control over his powers. There was a boy here that he didn't talk to much, he was Dr. Ferguson's ward; the boy's fears- his memories that caused the fears- they, well...they sucked. Jose was another person who's encounter had ended up with Shinah in the Med-Wing for a day.

He looked up and out his window to the floor above, where a girl had just opened the empty room's window. 'Not empty anymore.' He thought, throwing up his mental walls and pulling his mind's presence back to block out any possibility of running into the darkest parts of the girl's mind.

"Perhaps this will be interesting." The girl spoke up to herself. Shinah smirked as he looked up towards her, half leaning out his window.

"Oh, this place is interesting alright." He announced loud enough for her to hear. "Welcome to Xavier's Home for Unwanted Mutants."

He really needed to work on his pitch. Some of the kids here had parents that openly excepted them.

Right?

"Welcome to Xavier's Home for Unwanted Mutants."

Hearing someone below her current perch. Des looked down, a arched brow raised in mock sternness. "I prefer 'for Tossed to the Curb Mutant' thank you. Much more accurate! Well, at least for the second time around!" Tilting her head in almost bird like manner, she studied the older teen. Was he a threat to her? Hardly, she scolded herself. She would be gone before he did a thing. Then again, it never hurt to check. "So what are you in for? Setting the neighbor on his roof? Making the furniture talk?" She chuckled halfheartedly. "Round us all up and toss us in this place for something." Des muttered under her breathe, more to herself than anyone else. Her eyes drifting from the students to the older boy and vice versa.

Shinah raised an eyebrow. He could handle cynical and sarcastic, he liked it.

"I'm here for what we're all here for." He answered evasively. "Did you freak out your family too?" He asked, twisting over so his back and elbows were on the sill and he was face up towards the girl. He thought of his baby brother's reaction to him and his face turned grim for a moment before he shook it off. "I'm Shinah." He added as an afterthought. "I'm a senior here." He tilted his head. The girl couldn't be any more than 16 if his assessment was correct.

"I'm here for what we're all here for." The boy's answer just made her roll her eyes. What they were there for. They did not mean she, in her opinion. Desdemona noted the grimness that crossed with face as she watched him warily. "Who doesn't?" She aims the conversation back at him with her reply. "Des-" She cut herself off, he didn't need her full name. Des was always enough anyways. Letting her other leg fall outside of the sill she rolled her shoulders in practiced motion. "It's more of a question of what happened after people freak out. Still, it's usually the same. You usually watch them come in?" Des gave a quick nod to the ground below.

Appreciative that Des didn't push the subject- and really, most mutants don't, it's a sore subject for many- Shinah nodded and looked back to the grounds.

"Gotta get used to everyone somehow; knowing the newbies before they come in gives me a chance to get ready to actually meet them. Depending on the year, the Professors will hold a seminar introducing the newbies to some seniors. Sometimes there's power demonstration or just Q&A, depends on how they decide to swing it, if they hold the seminar at all." He tilted his head. "I think there are more than usual this year but I'm not sure. Eri- uh, Professor Lehnsherr is gonna be thrilled."

He looked up to her once more and smirked. "I can tell you one thing: My power's aren't telekenesis or flight, so I wouldn't recommend falling."

He's on first name basis with a professor, was the raised eyebrow that Des held for long seconds portrayed. There other things as well, but her eyes were highly amused as she held back a bark of laughter. "Nor are mine!" How tempting was it to take flight now. But anonymity was needed, it was always a preference. Giving him a smirk, she lowered her brow. "So when is this seminar? It sounds incredibly-" She mocked a yawn. "-bothersome and tiring." Plus it was pointless, she reasoned. Weren't classes for that? Why bother with some giant gathering?

"Ah, like I said, I don't know if they'll do it this year. It's been really on and off. I think it just depends on how Dean Munroe feels each year." He shrugged, catching himself when he tipped a little to far back. "And yeah, it gets to be really annoying since if someone wants to get to know you here, they will one way or the other. Friendship. Yay~" His eyes were smiling even if his mouth was only smirking. It was true; even the most reclusive students at least get introduced to someone one way or another, all the seminar ever did was put the students to sleep.

Stretching Des chuckled in amusement. "And who needs friends?" Her sarcastic tone cutting. Shifting her weight, she pulled herself into the room. Glancing at the bag she looked back to the sky. "Blast it all." She swore lightly. "I might as well stretch." Crumpling in on herself, pain bloomed across her skin as feathers sprouted from her under it and hands disappeared into wings. With a croak the Des-Raven flapped her wings with a expert stroke, looking at Shinan with amusement. Using the razor sharp beak she gently ran it through the ruffled feathers preening them back into place with the care of a practiced surgeon with all the time in the world. After she had been nabbed there were few chances for change and fewer chances to preen the feathers into their proper places.

Shinah grinned at the girl as she used her powers. 'Shifter, huh? fun. Wonder what her limitations are.' He winked at the girl. "See ya later, Polly."

Retreating into his room, Shinah traipsed out his door with his hands in his pockets. He walked down the halls, avoiding the new students milling around, and headed towards Dr. Ferguson's office. He knocked on her door.

"Hey Doc, you got a second before the newbies swarm?"

Shinah grinned at the girl as she used her powers. 'Shifter, huh? fun. Wonder what her limitations are.' He winked at the girl. "See ya later, Polly."

Retreating into his room, Shinah traipsed out his door with his hands in his pockets. He walked down the halls, avoiding the new students milling around, and headed towards Dr. Ferguson's office. He knocked on her door.

"Hey Doc, you got a second before the newbies swarm?"

Dr. Ferguson got up and greeted the student. "Of course," she said, "what can I help you with?"

---

Jose got up and left his room, taking the elevator down to Blink's office. He'd taken Ibuprofen but the emotion of the new students was giving him too bad of a headache for it to help. Maybe she'd give him something stronger. If not, he'd go see if Professor McCoy was finished with his helmet.

He exited the elevator and walked to her office, though there was a student there. Hello, he thought-spoke to him.

"There are more students this year." Shinah answered. "More fears...I can already feel some of the pains and worries...they're bad." He mumbled the last part, scratching the back of his head and looking down. Dr. Ferguson and Erik were the only teachers he let his emotions openly show to; his worries about losing control, or his walls not being strong enough.

'Hello.' The voice cut passed his mental walls so easily it caused his eyes to widen and walls to drop for a second before flashes of fear reminded him to bring them back up even stronger. The throb behind his eyes showed him that that split second was enough.

"Oh, hey man what's up." He mumbled, rubbing at his eyes.

'Headache,' responded Jose to both of them. 'I sensed it too. So many fears, so much pain. I was thinking of going downstairs to Dr. McCoy's lab, see if he had any way to help block them out. At the very least, it's further away, so it will be quieter.' He looked at Shinah. 'You want to come too?'

He quickly told Blink about his headache, and how he had tried Ibuprofen but it hadn't worked. "Do you need something for the pain too? Do you want to talk about it?" she asked Shinah.

Shinah shifted to get a better look at Dr. Ferguson's ward, blinking. "Uh, no thanks, Dr. Ferguson; Any meds I could take end up messing with my abilities, and I might shift by accident." He rubbed at his eyes again with a grimace. "I'll head down to Dr. McCoy with you though, man. It's a good idea to get further out of range. Doubt he's got anything for me though." He grinned. "I'm not gonna wear a helmet like Erik." He flinched and tiled his head. "Like Professor Lehnsherr." He corrected himself.

You spend holidays with the guy and are still expected to call him professor as a default. Shinah shrugged mentally. What can you do.

Flapping her wings the raven took flight. The air was perfect for flying. Each beat of her wings made her want to shift again, to take the form of a larger raptor. But that would not be a pleasant idea, the raptors were largely unknown to her. Bodies would have to be studied, along with their habits and how they flew to the precise detail. Perhaps her powers worked in another way. Copying the form from her will, but it was not a chance she wished or desired to take. Circling the school several times to learn it's basic lay out to her satisfaction. Landing on a window sill of opportunity, she ran a beak through the black wings, correcting minor details and fully admiring herself. If there was one thing she liked about her forms, it was that they all were magnificent according to her. Narcissism became her.

New people coming. Great. Jack groaned and put in his earbuds, planning to stay out of sight until everything calmed down. With this aim in mind, he was currently sitting in the top branches of an oak, listening to Blackmore's Night. Not what people expected of him, but he liked it anyway. "I've been here for a million years, through the joy, through the tears, but when I am gone this will go on, and the circle starts again." He sang along quietly, eyes closed and ignoring the world.

Esme had been watching the school for a couple of weeks now. She had managed to hide from the townsfolk just outside of the school's grounds before she began to evaluate her choices. She was not one to throw herself into a situation without fully scoping it out first. Call her paranoid but that was why she was still unregistered and alive. She had been watching the limited number of students around and they all seemed relatively happy. Now masses more were arriving and she had a decision to make. If she was going to get in with only limited questions then it would be best to do it quietly and while they were busy. There were probably too many mutants there for her to live on the grounds without someone noticing and soon she would need to find somewhere to get more money and food. It was the turning point. Maybe walking in the front door wasn't the best idea, she would have to be registered and her parents contacted. They wanted nothing to do with her but they wouldn't want to have it known that their only respectable child was also a disgrace. She could sneak in while everyone was distracted, the locks would be no problem but going undetected would be. Maybe if she found a place far enough away from everyone and kept her mental signature unsuspicious then she would have enough time to spend their restocking and resting before heading out again. That was a plan. And if they found her she would be able to get away before the Mutant Task Force arrived to cart her back to that place she used to call home.

Esme shrugged her ratty old backpack on and slid through the bushes. Mingling with the crowds she managed to sneak through and with a quick scan of the building she found and entrance below ground level that had an obstructed view of the main doors. Pulling her glove off, she pressed her hand against the door scanning for electrical activity. There was the usual background humm but nothing major indicating there was not much use of whatever space was behind the door. With a quick pick of the lock she was inside and in a dark corridor. Thankfully it was empty behind the first door and looked like a lesser used store room, with a quick sigh of relief Esme slid her glove on and settled down on the floor of the room. It was cold but she had slept in colder, within minutes she drifted off into a light sleep.

Noting a odd figure moving about the grounds, as she rearranged her feathers. Des spread her wings, taking flight as she watched with sharp, black eyes. Swooping down to land on a high branch, the untrusting mutant watched and the girl, perhaps older, pick the lock and slip inside. Stepping from the tree to the ground, she pressed a hand to the earth as she landed heavily in a crouch. Looking about warily, she eased into the door behind the girl. Keeping her tall form moving slowly and quietly as she looked down the hall. "Where did she go-?" She muttered sourly. "I'd duther not sniff her out." Looking about, she puzzled over her options before slamming the door shut with a ominous clang. Shock and startle the prey into bolting. It work quite often which surprised Des to no end still.

The long bang startled Esme out of her sleep and panic rose to the forefront of her mind. She hadn't expected to be found this quickly and she hadn't had enough time to restock and such. Static electricity crackled at her finger tips and she tried to calm her heart enough to think properly. She had to get out of her before someone started checking all the rooms. She was a fool to think that she could sneak into a school of mutants.

Slowly Emse picked up her backpack and reached for the door, inching it open. At first she couldn't see anyone but as soon as she stepped out into the corridors he spotted the girl stood blocking her exit. Once again panic flooded her system and she made her biggest mistake yet. When she spun round to flee from the girl, she accidentally leant against the light switch. Power flow through her body and the lights flickered. She fired at at the feet of her captor but it was too late. The lights flickered off