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Several months passed by uneventfully at the institute, well on the X-Men front anyway. On a more personal level it was quite a turbulent time for most of the students. Jean and Scott moved in together into one of the larger suites with its own bathroom. Jean and I would spent much more time meditating and discussing the Phoenix with each other. As well as meditating out on the grounds, shrouded in our phoenix flames, from the building you could see us clearly, 2 beacons of light, one yellow the other blue. The bond between Jean and I continued to deepened and we were as close as any real siblings could ever hope to be.
My own relationship with Pete grew over that time as well. We spent most of our spare time together and spent almost every night in one of our beds together. We eventually decided to ask the Professor if we, like Scott and Jean, could have one of the larger joint rooms. He granted our request, and Pete and I moved in together. Our room was large enough to house all of our belongings, Pete even went as far as to let me decorate it. We would also go out much more regularly, every Friday it became our ritual to go out and go for a meal and then clubbing. Pete seemed to come out of his shell as the months passed by. He became much more social with people, the girls became very close to him and me and while we had free time we would often be found with them. When we went out together he would even spend much of the night on the dance floor with me, of his own free will. Well that was after I spent an entire weekend teaching him to dance in our new dance hall, which the professor had built in one of the spare galleries.
Storm stopped seeing Wolverine, which was awkward for several weeks as whenever Wolverine was in the same room as Storm, the temperature would drop significantly.
While Bobby and Rogue became an official item, this made it awkward for Kitty who generally avoided anyone. Then again Kitty was also in her own relationship with Peter Parker, Spiderman. They became official and she would stay with him in New York helping him fight crime over the weekends.
Kurt remained distant from both Pete and I. I never did bother to try and make an effort as I found out that he was quite homophobic allegedly anyway. From what the others told me about him, so I didn't care much to try and get to know him.
Dazzler remained in her coma, however, the Professor did say that her mental voice was growing stronger and she might come out of the coma soon. He hoped at least.
Elliott seemed to be trying to spend time with Jean and I, his reality warping powers were similar to mine so he trained privately with the pair.
Lessons continued and we had as close to a normal life as we could, well for a group of teenaged super powered mutants that is.
The training carried on and I gained more experience on the field, training in the danger room. I took more serious my academic activities then I did my field training. I got degrees in several different fields, I had PhD's in Biology, Genetics and electronics by the end of the first month and Physics and Mathematics by the end of the second month. I took up the position of chief engineer, similar to what Beast had done before his death. I made it clear to the Professor that I didn't have the same genius for invention that he had. However, I was good enough to maintain and slightly improve some of the systems that he had created. I also found massive files detailing plans for new technologies and expansions of the current hardware and software that ran throughout the school. I showed the Professor what I had found and he agreed that if I could build them then I was more then welcome to install them.
The school itself also expanded and several new mutants joined the school as underclassmen.
The first was Rahne Sinclair, Wolfsbane. Storm had been pushing the professor to go to the carnival at Coney Island and offer places to them in the Institute. Rahne was the only one to join. Her power was a limited form of metamorphosis, she could turn into a wolf like creature. With all the abilities of a wolf, however, her mind remained human. She could also assume a half-wolf, half-human form that gave her enhanced strength, speed, agility and heightened senses.
The next to join us was a Telepath called Jody Daniels. She was allegedly very talented, with a great deal of potential. She was five foot 2 with long blonde hair, 16 years old. Her parents had enrolled her to help her control her blossoming powers before they sent her insane. She had also trained for many years in karate, which made her a very talented hand to hand combatant.
The next were a set of twins, Max and Erica Fallow, both of them where mid class telekinetics. However, when they worked together they increased their power. They had been living on the street, as runaways after their parents had kicked them out. They were 15 and Erica had her auburn hair down to her hips. Max had his shaved. Both were five foot five.
Paige Guthrie also joined us, after having a massive argument with her brother Sam Guthrie, Cannonball. Paige rejected Emma Frosts Academy, and took up the Professors invitation to join the Institute. Paige was a Transitional bodimorph. Which means she is able to shed the outer layers of her flesh at will, revealing a new skin underneath formed of different materials such as rubber, glass, diamond, and various forms of metal, or to achieve metabolic changes in her template form, such as removing caked up dirt and grime or shedding wounded layers of tissue. She took the codename Husk because of her powers. She was 19 and accepted into the underclassmen team, which was now nicknamed the X-in training by many of the students.
Amara Juliana Olivia Aquilla was the last student to enrol with the Institute she was a mutant with Pyrokinesis and Geokinesis. She could assume a magma form where her body was encased by a layer of flame. Hence her code name Magma, she was also able to manipulate the tectonic plates beneath her to manipulate and produced lava, which she could manipulate. She was beautiful Brazilian girl with long blonde hair, which would become a pyre of flame when in her magma form. She was 18 years old and stood at five foot six inches.
Jean became teacher of the newly formed Psionic class, to teach the new Psionics how to control their powers. Storm took Amara under her wing to teach her how to control her elemental powers.
The Professor asked me to teach Magician how to better use his reality warping powers. I was hesitant at first. However, he convinced me that even though our powers were different that I was the best candidate for the job. So grudgingly I took up the role of tutoring him in the use of his powers.
About a month later was when everything began to heat up in the Institute. S.H.I.E.L.D. requested the help of the X-Men in a field assignment. Apparently there was a new outfit of Mercenaries that had been illegally gene-modded so that they had super powers, they were then been rented out to the highest bidder for use in covert wars or black ops operations.
All the X-men sat in the War Room with the schematics of the complex we had been asked to cancel. Fury was also their, as it was going to be a S.H.E.I.L.D. ran operation, the only reason he was calling us in was because his Sentinel troops where away dealing with a splinter cell of the Brotherhood. So we where the only option left to deal with this illegal operation, that were available now that he had all the necessary data for the operation. The Professor had taken me aside before the meeting and told me that he wanted Wolverine and I to remain behind to look after the school. I agreed, as I didn't really want to be involved, however, I told him that I wanted him to use me as a consultant and to take seriously my suggestions. The Professor had formed the team with the people whose powers would be best for the mission. Colossus, Marvel Girl, Cyclops, Storm, Ice Man & Nightcrawler, The Professor was going to remain on the X-Wing and oversee the operation with Fury from there.
Fury started the meeting.
"Ok, I suggest that you land the X-Wing about a kilometre away from the complex, move in on foot to the location. Disable the security perimeter and enter the front of the complex. Colossus can rip apart the main door and you can enter through that."
I looked up.
"I don't think that that is the wisest course of action Nick, I suggest that you break down part of this wall"
I pointed to a large chamber at the rear of the complex.
"This seems to be a barracks. I believe that it would be wiser to enter here and deal with whatever troops are in the barracks. As it will maximise the surprise and allow you to deal with the off duty troops and lower the number of these augments that you have to deal with as you move through the complex. If you entered through the front they could call all their troops to fight you making it very difficult."
Fury looked at me, and then nodded.
"Ok a rear incursion might be more advantageous to the team. Work through the complex. Expect heavy resistance from strength, healing, speed and telekinetic type augments. Your main priority is to make sure you reprimand the scientists. Then it's the base personnel, finally close down the base copy all the records and wipe out the facility. Is that understood?"
We all nodded our agreement with his plan.
They began to prep for the mission and I helped pack all they would need. Most of it was electronic equipment to allow the Professor and Nick Fury to be able to monitor. I managed to slip in some of my equipment so that I could also monitor the situation without them knowing that I was watching in as well. The team began to board. Colossus came over and kissed me and told me not to worry they would be fine. I watched as the X-Wing took off and then went back to the mansion to find something to eat. I still had a bad feeling about this mission but I would try and ignore them as much as possible.