Moving on

[James Adler]

James drove up the road the mansion looming in the distance. It had been a long night and has he pulled over his car to the side of the road it sputtered in agreement. It was about a 20 hour drive from Minneapolis to Westchester and factoring in stops for food and gas it had almost been exactly 24 hours ago that he began the trip.

He should have been exhausted, but he was too nervous for that. There would be time for rest later right now he had too much to worry about.

James looked distractedly back at his worn and ruffled red duffel bag. He smiled coolly has he realized with some form of self-depreciating humor that everything he owned now resided in that torn duffel bag. If it wasn't in there it was in this old junker of a car he thought as he unplugged his ipod from the council on the dash board and hastily put it into his jean's pocket.



This old clunker had done him well, despite being far older then he was it had very few problems since he got it when he was 16. When he took a moment to think about it, it was a miracle that this car was able to make this kind of trip in the first place. James tapped the car affectionately on the dash board before climbing out swinging his duffel bag over his shoulder has he walked down the street toward the ever present mansion.


He tried not to think too hard as he walked down the street putting one foot in front of the other. His drive here had already given him plenty of time to think about it all. He could only hope that all the promises that this 'school' supposedly offered weren't false. Nothing would suck more then to show up at the mansion only to find a snooty old man with a few rottweilers to meet him for trespassing on his property.

[Nickolass Elensar]

Nick was out in the field of the school with a soccer ball kicking it around with zoya his little dog just getting a bit of a work out because he was board he problully shouldn’t have been board being he was now a teacher and there where things to do but Nick was never one for paperwork and it get done sometime.

There wasn’t to many people outside at the moment so Nick had lots of room to run around with the ball Zoya would go and chase after it and then push it back it was funny to nick because she was pretty much the same size as the ball so the little papillon just looked to funny pushing it around. Nick kicked it one more time this time towards the gate alittle but this time Zoya started to go after it then something or someone had caught her eye and she went taking off after the new person she wanted to see who just happend to be James.

Nick droped his shoulders when Zoya took off “I tought we went over this already Zoya” and then took off after her untill he found her barking at James waging her tail trying to get some love form him.

[James Adler]

Despite his best efforts, as James got closer he could not help but to be overcome by last minute jitters. He had no experience interacting with mutants, or at least anyone he knew was a mutant. Maybe this was a mistake? an excuse to not deal with reality and come back home? Maybe all the stories on the news about mutants were often true after all? He didn't feel so sure of himself anymore. There was still time to go back...turn around walk back to his car...no one would have ever known he was here...

Just as James began to hesitate slightly, out in the distance he heard a high-pitched bark that he recognized as belonging to a small dog racing toward him. He crouched down to greet the pup has she reached him, and was met in return with a volley of licks and yelps.

"Hey girl...Yeah I'm a new person huh?...yeah." He said in a tone reserved exclusively for cute animals as he met her enthusiasm petting her in return.

This went on for a moment until James’s attention was finally turned to the person jogging toward him.

"This is your dog I take it?" James asked as he returned to his feet.

[Nickolass Elensar]

When Nick caught back up to Zoya and saw who he found Nick smiled at lest it was someone who liked dogs this time Nick remembered one time when she took off and found someone and they didn’t like dogs so they tryed to run away and well Zoya took it as a game of tag and went for the chase.

Nick smiled at the guy when he asked if it was his “yea she is and she knows better then to run off of the grounds” Nick sort of glared at her and then just smiled when she gave him a little look that she aways did when she was in trouble and she had lurened that if she just looked cute like that she’d get away with anything.
Nick looked back up at the guy and smiled “I’m so sorry anyway about that she just loves people and thinks everyone is her friend” Nick looked over the guy and saw his bag and raised a brow and gestured to the bag “you going somewhere like a trip or something” If nick knew this guy was a mutant then he was looking for the school then he would of invite him in right then and there asked the guy what he could do and all that fun jaz but Nick figured this was just one of the people who walked by the school on there walks and didn’t really know what was behind the gates that surrounded the school.

[James Adler]

"Ummm...actually I heard that the mansion behind you is a school?" James said half as a statement and half as a question. Scratching the back of his head awkwardly he continued:

"I heard about this place online...a-and I believe I meet the qualifications......if you know what I mean."James could not help, but to look around cautiously has he uttered the last line.

"So, if you could show me where to apply or register, or whatever that would be great...I mean I already graduated from high school a few years ago...but I heard that's not a problem? " again with the half statement half question has he shuffled his feet and began to look at the ground has often as he looked at the man, visibly nervous

"And its not like I'm having any trouble or anything...I mean not really...Am I making any sense? I'm not rambling too much am I? I tend to do that when I get nervous....but this place is a school right?" James caught himself, took a breath, and tried to relax now smiling awkwardly, but genuinely at the man and his dog standing before him.

[Nickolass Elensar]

Nick smiled slightly drooped when he said that he herd that the mansion was a school “O yea its a school I went there my self for a few years I’m the umm P.E teacher” Nick slightly smiled when the guy acted all awkward almost like he was nervous unsure of what he was talking about Nick had to admit when the xmen first came to him and told him about the school he thought it was a big joke and it took a lot of work for them to drag his but to the school.

Nick smirked thinking about the experience man back when he was a kid a little messed up kid who thought he was the king of the world because he had a power and was using it for the wrong reasons. “hey fallow me you know once you get inside the gates of the school your going to have to show me what you got we only take gifted students you know so you are going to have to past the test “Nick smirked cool this guy was a mutant. “Zoya what do you say if we throw him in the danger room and set it to the highest setting we can see if he gots what it really takes”

Nick was jokeing he just wanted to see what the guy could do he wasn't about to put anyone in the danger room who hadn't been threw any training at all

[James Adler]

James, still a little shaken, followed the man in relative silence as they headed onto the mansion's grounds. A test huh?...seems fair enough I suppose. It would definitely clear out anyone pretending to be a mutant....But then again this could still be anything....It would be best to keep my guard up.

James considered preparing himself, but then decided that now was not the time, after all who knew how serious this guy really was? they could be going anywhere as far has he knew.

Sure enough though, as they continued into the mansion and through its seemingly maze like structure James soon found himself in a large elevator heading far underground.

How they got there and what exactly was going on was all a blur to James. His mind struggled to grasp all that was happening around him as he attempted to prepare himself for whatever lie ahead.

Soon he found himself standing in front of a large steel door obviously meant to contain something dangerous as the room's name might imply. James smiled faintly, sure a good portion of him was scared out of his mind right now, but this was a chance, a chance to see what he could really do. Something inside him was finally home, and it had been away for a long, long time.

[Nickolass Elensar]

Nick smiled just outside the danger room and smiled at the guy he wasn't going to let him go in there he need a little out side training before he went in there besides there was people training in the danger room at the momnet. Zoya sat looking inbetween the two boys. suddenly the guy would of been flown up in the wall the gravity changed around him to nothing so he was floating in the air.

"O.k dude if your so gifted why don't you show me how gifted you are get down" Nick was going to have to much fun with this not that many people new how to get down when there was no gravity around it wasn't like this happened everyday to everyone well if you where nicks friend then maybe and well one of nicks students then maybe more so "You said you where gifted so that you are" even if he couldn't get out of this just to show that he had power of some sort even if it chouldn't get him down.

Nick was sure this might count as bullying of some sort but the guy looked to be in his 20ish and nick was 25 and was a teacher it was a test and nick was just having fun.

[James Adler]

James suddenly found himself floating in the air. It was an interesting feeling being weightless and he would have enjoyed it more if the situation wasn't so dire to him. After all this was a test, who knows what would happen to those who failed this academy's tests. He shivered slightly, he didn't want to think about it, but if it was anything like the stories you hear on the news (mostly fox news) everyday it sure wasn't good.

"Alright, you may want to shut your eyes though, this is going to be a bit bright...!" there was a sudden blinding flash of light after, which James appeared on the ground unharmed. "that was fairly easy, but if you wouldn't mind I feel a bit more comfortable outside." he said raising his hand in a wave. "Meet ya there." after saying that James disappeared, slowly shimmering out then was gone in a blink.

In reality though things were not nearly as simple as he let the man believe... that was a rather difficult maneuver and James just hoped it would all ultimately work out for the best.,if not he did not want to think about the consequences

[Nickolass Elensar]

Nick did what he was told and closed his eyes for the guy and then opened them to see the guy standing infront of him Nick started to laugh a little. Nick loved seeing other people and there powers when the guy waved and disappeared again Nick burst out laughing. Zoya looked at him a little odd when she did “Come on girl, lets go meet up with him” Nick ran off and caught back up with the guy with a huge smile on the guys face.

“Dude!! that was so cool” Nick was still laughing witch was making it a little hard to breath at the moment Zoya was yipping and acting all happy she had luren over the years that when new people used there powers they normaly stayed for a bit and she liked James cause he had pet her and let her lick him.

Nick smiled and then just relized something he didn’t know the guys name “O by the way i’m nick or Mr. Zachausson if you ask my students” Nick kinda pulled a face a little when he said he’s last name it wasn’t that he didn’t like it just sounded odd beign Mr. Zachausson he was still geting use to it “so besides being an mutant what brings you to are neck of the woods dude"

[Hadley Van Horn]

Sitting on the edge of her bed Hadley quickly pulled on her cleats. Even though she could have just put on some regular tennis shoes, she was just going out for fun and cleats weren’t really required for what she was going out to do, there was just something comforting about wearing her cleats. As soon as she finished making sure that the laces wouldn’t come loose she jumped off her bed heading to the corner of her room where she stashed her soccer balls before heading out the door and starting down the hall of the girl dormitories and down toward the front door.

After stepping out of the institute Hadley started down the steps of the front porch as she scanned the yard for a place to practice some of the soccer drills she had learned. Very few people were out here, not that Hadley expected there to be, it was one of the reasons why Hadley liked to come out to the front of the school instead of the more spacious back of the institute since less of the student body would be out in front giving Hadley free reign instead of having to worry about what other students were doing.

Switching the ball from one hand to the other Hadley finally found a spot she liked. Placing the ball on the ground Hadley started going through a few basic defensive drills, though about a half an hour later she became bored with doing simple drills. Deciding on what she wanted to try she used her knees to kick the soccer ball into the air before jumping to kick the ball hard, right towards where one of her professors was busy talking to someone who, by the looks of it, was a newcomer.

[James Adler]

Those last couple seconds felt like hours 'James' it seemed had disappeared and for a brief moment the man stared in awe as James tried hard to hold his breath and hug the wall the best he could. James could have sworn that Zoya was looking straight at him, the real him , the one who now was completely invisible trying desperately not to give himself away.

“Come on girl, let’s go meet up with him.” The little pup looked at her master for a moment confused, but soon she was too caught up in her master's excitement to care much about anything else.

A few moments after they left the room the gravity returned. James had tried to prepare for this ahead of time, but its suddenness had caught him off-guard. James did his best to try to fall down with his back against the wall, so that when he fell he could land as safety and quietly as possible, but about half way down he slipped causing him to land hard on his right forearm as it smacked the ground.

That hurt...it hurt a lot....James bit his lip to stop himself from voicing the few choice words that came to his mind. One thing was clear though, it wasn't broken, bruised maybe, but not broken. It could wait he had more important things to worry about at the moment.

Luckily the dull thud the impact had caused was quiet enough to stay unnoticed allowing James the cover he needed to catch up to the man and his dog. Staying some 10 to 15 feet behind them he followed them throughout the complex.

Everything was going smoothly, that is until they reached the elevator. James waited patiently for them to get in and push the button, not wanting to take the chance of trying to cram in there with them; he thought it would be simple enough to just take the next one. Upon trying, he realized he didn't actually have the authorization to activate the elevator. De-cloaking, he tried it again hoping that this time the elevator would recognize him from his previous trip and allow him entry: no dice. He was stuck down here unless he could think of some other way out.

Re-cloaking James began pacing back and forth. Come on, come on, have to think! Can’t stay stuck here, if they find me I’m probably dead meat for sure! I don’t care how nice they say they are no one lets invisible people walk around secret bases and get away with it. Come on, Come on, Think, god damn it, think.

Of course! He had been so stupid! Wherever there was an elevator there were stairs in case of an emergency. All he had to do was find those stairs and he’d be scot-free. James began running through the adjourning hallways looking for any sign of an exit. If he was going to pass this test he would have to get outside before that man got suspicious. He just needed to….There! He was in luck; someone had left the door propped open to the stairwell. Now all he needed to do….was climb a ridiculous amount of stairs.

There was no time to think, James just ran. Step after step, flight after flight, James made a steady ascent toward what he could only hope would be the outside. His legs burned and his arm ached as he made his relentless climb, by the time he got to the top he was drenched with sweat and his breathing was heavy. Opening the door at the top of the stairwell, James felt immense relieve has he felt a cool breeze touch his face.

He was now somewhere on the school’s field just to the right of the main entrance and several yards back. Taking a careful look around, James de-cloaked in the frame of the doorway before stepping outside. Walking comfortably through the grass James took a look at his already discolored arm. It would probably be a good idea to have that looked at later just in case.

After walking around for a few more moments James spotted the man and his dog in the distance. “Dude!! that was so cool” James smirked at the idea of taking the undeserved praise if he only knew...

The man's question brought him back to his senses. "Wha- Oh hey Nick, I'm James, James Adler. I'm here because.......you know what? I don't even know. I guess I came here just to get a sense of who I really am...to meet other mutants, and to get an idea of what I want to do with my life." Then James added almost as an afterthought: "I take it this means I passed the test, right?"

[Nickolass Elensar]

Zoya went up and sniffed James still confused about what had happened but waged her tail Nick seemed to see him now so everything was right again. powers tended to confuse Zoya sometimes like they did most people but she was perty smart she new what she saw and Nick was happy she just kinda wanted to play right now and she was hoping James would play with her

Nick laughed “There is no real test just wanted to see what your power is so you can telaport using light or something” Nick shoved his hands in his pocket and smiled at James “Well its nice to meat you James” The idea that he didn’t know really why he was there made nick smile a bit he need to get a real reason on wanting to be hear if he planed on staying with all the shit that happened all the time between the drama of the school and the drama of the world Students disappearing Nick wasn’t going to bring all this up no need to scare the guy first day hear.

“ No there no real test, we expect all mutants young old you name it we have one little girl who i has the power to mess with your senses, A staff member who can control the weather, a few telepaths, lets see a student who can control fire,I mean you name it they have lived hear or at lest gone to school hear, If you don’t want to stay we have guess rooms that are always open” Nick smiled “In this world there isn’t alot of places a mutant can call home we try to...”

Nick saw form the corner of his eye a ball flying towards them quickly around Nick and James the graviy changed being slightly heaver dropping the ball hard on the ground not enough to hurt the ball the gravity quickly went back to normal when nick turned around picked up the ball and saw Hadley he knew Hadley well she used the gym all the time during the winter she loved sports one of the few girls at the school who really loved sports with out having a power involving sports also it was her fault most of the time if a window broke and if it wasn’t her some students like to blame her.

“Hadley hate to break it to you school field not to your self there are others people hear”

Nick said with a smile knowing she didn't mean to aim towards them.

[James Adler]

James smiled weakly at the girl in the field, the signs of exhaustion beginning to show as the adrenaline wore off and his nerves began to take their toll on him. It had been a long, long, day, and James was more high strung then he could remember being probably since the time he first discovered his powers in high school. His body began to physically ache as it slumped slightly failing now to hold him upright properly. It was painful but somehow satisfying...

"Listen...its been a really long day...to be honest I do have a ton of questions for you, but right now I'll keep it to the bare essentials: First, do you think this is the right place for a mutant to mature? i.e. is it safe enough? supportive enough? all that jazz, second, and possibly even more important, Do you guys have any job openings available? Honestly, I'm flat broke, my gas tank is empty and i got about a dollar fifty to my name right now...I couldn't leave if I wanted to. Third and most importantly" he said holding out a finger and falling forward some from the effort "Where are the guest bedrooms?"

[Hadley Van Horn]

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes Hadley just watched as the soccer ball hit a gravity well created by Nick, falling harmlessly to the ground not three feet away from where the two boys were standing. Of course Nick would do that what had she been worrying for? Stupid Professors being able to use there powers without getting in trouble, although she knew why she shouldn’t use her powers outside of class. Her powers were destructive and expensive after all, not that she could fully control them anyways.

Letting out a sigh Hadley started to walk over to her professor and the new guy. At least she assumed that he was a new guy. She had no idea why he would be here if he wasn’t. When Nick started to reprimand Hadley about how she wasn’t the only to use the grounds she folded her hands and tried but failed to hide the slight deviance that appeared in her eyes as she looked at her professor and spoke up in her defense. “When I started you weren’t there, and the last time I checked I was the only one out here.” Hadley was known to be very stubborn and wasn’t one for backing down to anyone. Even though that landed her into more situations then she would like to remember.

When James started to speak Hadley turned her deviant gaze to him instead, but it instantly melted into mild curiosity as she got a good look at him. “You don’t look so well.” She then turned her attention back to Nick. “What’d you do?” She then rounded on James again. “Who are you?” Hadley was often impulsive and would occasionally spit out the first thing that popped into her head. “As for your questions yes, most likely, and do you want us to take you there?”