Xavier smiled. [color=#7393B3]"Mutants simply being themselves."[/color]

Though Ryder's comment may've been from the mutations not being on full display in that moment. 

The pre-teen could stretch their arms, but hadn't needed to much when they were in the middle, as the older teen who'd thrown the ball hadn't managed a good toss. "I won't be here long," the older teen could be heard saying cockily from their place now in the middle, "I'm much better at catching." They began rubbing their hands together, as if in anticipation.

Older Teen #2: "You can try." They held their hand up as if in prep for a throw, yet made no other arm or hand movement. Instead, the ball was propelled by a jet of air from their palm.

Older Teen #1 reached up, using their built up static electricity to easily attract the ball directly into their own hand. "Ha ha, told ya'."

The older teens swapped positions.

Stretchy Kid: "Catch [i]this[/i]!" They stretched their arm unnaturally back, and lobbed the ball as though they were a catapult.

The static electricity teen made a no-way-it-was-gonna'-work attempt even as they joined in with the air-jet teen in protest:
"Come [i]on[/i]! Didja' have to go [i]that[/i] far?!"
"Not just 'out of' -bounds [i]obliterated[/i]!"

Yet before the ball got lost in the glean of the sky, it could just be seen halting, then coming back down in a gradual manner.

[color=#DAA06D]"Maybe you guys should try breaking personal records,"[/color] Jean commented with a smile, presently levitating the ball in front of the kids until one took it.

Air-jet Teen: "Thanks, Dr. Grey. Not a bad idea."
Static Teen: "Better than 'not bad'! You guys throw and I'll grab 'em. Let's start close."

They rearranged themselves into position side-by-side, looking out towards the breadth of the grounds. Though while Air-jet Teen was starting things off, Stretchy Kid twisted around to look at the new kid with Xavier, having noticed them when the three had turned to face Jean.

The older teens' "close" starting round hardly went the length of a person. They noticed Stretchy Kid wasn't paying attention, but themselves didn't seem too interested in a new kid.

Air-jet Teen: "You wanna' lob one, Dr. Grey?"

Jean declined, instead stepping over to Xavier and Ryder.

Static Teen: "Hey Cyclops! How about you? Let's see you hit it!"

Cyclops looked towards Jean, Xavier and Ryder, then stepped towards the kids. [color=#0096FF]"Well then you guys wouldn't have a ball."[/color]

Static Teen whacked Stretchy Kid to get his attention back: "C'mon, give 'em another lobber. Let's see if he can get it from as high as Jean could."

[color=#0096FF]"Maybe once you guys are tired. Let's see what you can do a little more."[/color]


Meanwhile, Jean spoke to who essentially had been her charge these past three weeks: [color=#DAA06D]"Hello, Ryder. It's good to meet you properly. . .I'd like to apologize for barging into your mind earlier, and before then. My telepathy's been off."[/color] Jean wasn't going to be surprised if Ryder didn't take this as the truth it was, but whether trusted or not she felt it should be said. [color=#DAA06D]"It's possibly from seeing -from [i]feeling[/i] how your existence has been."[/color]

[color=#DAA06D]"I found the secret rooms at Umbra,"[/color] she added, in case Ryder might think Jean had gone deeper in her mind than she'd realized, which of course Jean hadn't.

[color=#DAA06D]"[i]Naively[/i], I thought you might've been opening the connection when I found myself in your mind without intending to be. . ."[/color] Her gaze fell briefly at this admittance, but then met Ryder's directly: [color=#DAA06D]"I know what it's like to have your mind invaded,"[/color] Jean's gaze held as she spoke earnestly, [color=#DAA06D]"it's one of the last things I'd want to do to another person."[/color]