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Rogue was kind enough to call Echo a cab, since none of the other X-Men could be bothered with the chore. Beast had declared her well enough to leave and everyone couldn't seem to get her out of the house fast enough. When the Taxi pulled up, Echo walked to it slowly, still hoping that someone would take the time to say goodbye. Rogue had left, so she was excused but maybe someone else would. No one did though, and she left the mansion without saying goodbye to anyone. She only hoped that the reunion in Snow Valley would be better.GETTING TO KNOW YOU written by Echo
It wasn't. As the taxi pulled into the driveway, the students rushed out to meet it. As soon as they saw it was Echo, most of them left. Clarice stuck around and waited for her, Jono nodded a quick hello before following the rest of the group inside.
Echo paid the driver and then walked with Clarice inside. "So what happened to the welcome wagon?"
Clarice laughed, "I know your going to get mad but they weren't expecting you. They thought you were someone else."
Echo just shrugged, "I figured it was something like that." They walked through th inner lobby and up the stairs to the girls wing. Clarice opened one of the doors.
"Sean asigned this room to you. Is it OK?"
Echo looked around the small room with a smile. "All the comforts of home." She threw her bag on the bed and started to unpack her meager belongings. "So who was the pep squad waiting for?"
Clarice sat down next to the overnight bag. "We are aparently getting some new students."
Echo stopped her sorting and just stared at the other girl. "What? Do you mind repeating that?"
Clarice smiled at her surprise. "New students. Sean asked three other mutant kids to enrole at our school before we left for Xaviers. The arival of you and me are added bonuses. His words, not mine." She sighed and began to walk around the room. "You and I have got to add some color to these drab little spaces. At least that's what Emma said. Do you want to go shopping with me?"
Echo shook her head and threw the now empty bag into the closet. "I had a box with all of my stuf in it sent here from my old apartment." At Clarices disapointed face she smiled reasuringly. "Theres so much stuff that I won't be able to fit everything on the walls. I'd be happy to share." Clarice smiled and nodded her head. "That sounds great. Thanks."
Just then there was a soft knock on the door and it was opened slowly by Angelo who was leaning on the doorframe. Jono was standing behind him. "Buenos Dias Chica's. What's up?"
Clarice walked over and put her arms around him. "Nothin' much. What are you guys up to?"
//Pretty much the same. Glad to see you made it back ok, Echo. How are you feeling?// She heard the concern in his voice but smiled reasuringly.
"I'm feeling fine. It wasn't your fault Jono. My powers just freaked out a little bit. There was no permanent damage done."
The boys came into her room and she closed the door behind them. Jono made sure he was always facing her, keeping his back out of view with his hands behind it. It was obvious he was hiding something.
"So why did you boys decide to come and gift us with your presence." Jono stared at his shoes until Angelo elbowed him forward.
Jono took a bag from behind his back and handed it to her. //I thought you might want to borrow this until you get more stuff.//
Inside the bag was a diskman and headphones along with an Everclear and Oasis CD. Blink squeeled as she watched Echo pull out each item. Echo grinned at the two boys. "Thank you guys! How did you guess that this was what I really needed?"
Angelo retreated a step, pulling Clarice with him. "Don't look at me. It was Jono's idea." Jono turned red and stared back down at his shoes.
"Thank you Jono, I really apreciate it." He nodded at her, saying nothing.
Luckily, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway broke the short silence. Also Jubilee went screaming down the hall.
"Sounds like the new kids are here." Angelo hooked his arm with Clarice's and walked out into the hall. Jono was about to follow but Echo grabbed his arm.
"Jono, I just want to thank you for... well the CD's to start." She paused and took a deep breath. "I want to thank you and Angelo and Clarice for making me feel welcome. I know I haven't been here long, but I'm not nearly as overwhelmed as I was."
He seemed to consider what she had said and nodded his head again. //No problem, luv.// He motioned for her to walk infront of him out the door.
She set the diskman on her bed and walked with him downstairs. Sean was busy bringing in a handful of luggage, while the older students stood around, waiting for the first glimpse of the new mutant.
Paige caught a glimpse of Jono out of the corner of her eye and turned toward the stairs, unfortunately she didn't see Echo at first and her eyes widened as she saw the two of them coming down the stairs together, looking, for all the world, like best friends.
Instead of coming to stand next to her, Jono joined Clarice and Angelo on the other side of the room, still standing next to Echo.
Paige tried to catch his eye, but he was listening intently to whatever Echo was whispering in his ear. So Paige shifted targets and began to glare at Echo, hopping she would notice.
Echo did notice, but choose to politlely ignore the look Paige was shooting at her. If the blonde had such a huge problem, then she could march her skinny butt over there and settle it.
Echo quickly pushed aside those thoughts and watched as a tall boy in a black letterman jacket walked in. His face was partialy blocked by Banshee's head, so all she saw was light hair.
Jono had a better view and stood up straighter as he recognized the boy. //Hey Ev, isn't that the kid from the club?// Everett nodded his head from across the room.
"Do you know him?," Echo whispered in his ear.
//Sorta, do you?//
She shrugged, "I can't see past Banshee's head. Your taller so you have a better view." She peered around his shoulders and finally caught a view of the new student, just as he caught sight of her.
//Hey, Archer. Did you miss me?// She heard the familier voice in her head just as Banshee started talking.
"This is Zack. He's a low leval telepath with some other powers were going to help him use. He'll be staying with us for awhile. I hope you will all make him feel very welcome. There will be a small welcoming party for him at Proudstar hall."
"Great," Angelo whispered. "The last student we welcomed in that hall left us with such warm fuzzy feelings, why not try it again?" Jono shot him a look and Angelo shut up. //Bad joke.//
Banshee was still speaking, "the party is also for Clarice and Echo." He mumbled the last name which made Jubilee snicker.
Echo just rolled her eyes. As if she didn't have enough problems, now the teachers hated her. As soon as Banshee stopped talking, Echo sprinted for the stairs. She needed to get a wall, or a building, or a small country between herself and Zack. One of the other powers Banshee forgot to talk about was Zacks control over emotions. He could amplify them to suit his own needs, which he usually did.
She was almost to the top of the stairs when Emma called out a reminder. "There will be a danger room session for everyone after lunch. Make sure your there." Echo caught the last of the message and then sprinted to her room, closing the door behind her.
Only two people noticed her hasty departure. Jono watched her but then went to meet the new kid. Zack watched her run, keeping his face blank, only smiling during the introductions.
Monet smiled up at him brightly. "I'm a telepath too," she bragged.
Zack just nodded and stared at he stairs. "I'm sure we'll be great friends."
"Excuse me?" was all Echo could say, she was shocked that she was required to wear this atrocity.
Blink just stared at it and shrugged. "I'll go try mine on and you try yours on. Maybe they look better when you wear them."
They didn't, of course. Echo groaned when she saw how the skin tight, red and yellow costume accented every extra piece of skin she had. She sat down on her bed and stared at the ceiling in defeat. As she watched, a large black circle formed on her ceiling. She moved, just in time, because Blink came falling out of it to land on her bed.
"This does not look good." Echo had to agree with her. The red and yellow of the costume clashed with her hair and her skin. The oufit looked weird on her friend. It looked weird on her too. "So what are we supposed to do?"
Echo shrugged and rummaged through her closet. Her boxes had arived an hour after Zack, so she had spent her lunch hour unpacking. After rumaging for awhile, she finally found what she was looking for.
Blinks eyes widened when she saw what it was. Two capes. One black and one a deep forest green. Each cape had a hood that buttoned below the neckline. Clarice put the green one over her costume. It didn't quite reach the floor, but it was able to cover her head to her ankle.
Echo draped the other cape around her shoulders. The two sides were held together by a gold string. Her cape fell all the way to the floor. Both girls spun infront of the mirror admiring the fact that the ugly red uniforms couldn't be seen.
Blink smiled as she swished around the room. "These are great! We can face the world now." She smiled and formed a large black circle underneath them. Slowly, they sunk into the floor.
The rest of GenX were beginning to stretch for the workout. Zack looked uncomfortable in his outfit and looked enviously at the capes.
Sean clapped his hands together in the universal sign for 'shut up.'
"Ok, here's how you'll handle this exercise. Everyone has to use their powers once. Call eachother by your code names. Except for Zack." He smiled kindly at the boy. "We'll pick his name sometime later. Alright, we'll start!"
Sean and Emma stepped outside with the doors closing behind them. Monet, Jubilee, Everett, and Paige formed a small group which Zack joined. Jono, Angelo, Echo, and Blink formed their own group.
"So what do you think is going to happen?" Clarice asked nervously.
They got their answer as the scenery changed. They were set into a night setting. The buildings were broken and deserted. There were piles of debris through out the street. Suddenly a wall was thrown up between the two groups, seperating them.
"Hey!" Blink started banging on the wall. Angelo tried to push on it, but shrugged when it didn't budge.
"Maybe they wanted to seperate us?" They didn't get to ask any more questions as the ground started shaking.
"What the-" Echo grabbed onto Jonos arm as she lost her balance. Suddenly a huge Sentinel loomed around the corner.
Halt mutant. Prepare to be detained.
//I hope the other group is having fun.//
