His first class ever had gone smoothly. High school math really isn't so hard, and the explanations are easy. The students hadn't needed too much help, after he'd gone over the principles of of the formulas, explained the ideas behind everything. He already had plans for where they'd go, and how he'd teach it. There were some fun ideas in that brain of his. Things to get the students interested.

Some might think it easy, when you've got a mutation that aids you in maths. 'You're a walking calculator. That's cheating. Being a math teacher is a no brainer!' they might say. But just because one knows the answer, that doesn't mean they know how they got there. Showing one's work is important, and teaching is hard. There's a lot of information up there, in your head, and the goal is to get it out there, into the student mind. You have to develop good information transfer skills, or the download is a flop.

He had spent a lot of time practicing his communication skills. A brief foray as a Teacher's Aide had taught him a lot of the things kids do to avoid actual work. After leaving the police, he had spent time going to college to get a teaching degree, and done various sales and retail jobs to help support him and his wife. Now, he was a teacher. Math, and Japanese. Not as many kids took Japanese, so it was more of an extra. An easy one. Being Japanese made him an expert.

The Asian stopped a yawn before it escaped his mouth. What he really needed was coffee. He'd had to come in early, to get himself ready for work. Big first day, and all of that. He'd have to go to the kitchen, and --- no. Teachers didn't use the mansion kitchen. They had a teacher's lounge. A place to go when you had time, a thing he figured would become a rarity in future weeks. Probably some tables, a fridge, a sink, and microwave. Shin went to hunt it out.

Hazlenut creamer. Plain black coffee. Ambrosia. He held the white paper cup between his hands, and drank in the life-changing caffeine. He stood in the lounge, by the sinks. A window let in the sun, illuminating the room. Not many people standing around. Too busy. He'd said hello to one person as they breezed through. The headmaster (or one of him), getting a cup of tea. He figured they both needed energy. Now, he stood, enjoying his coffee before his next class in an hour.

She was behind on grading papers, but when one had been absent for a few days due to blood loss, one had to play catch up. She rarely ever used the teacher's lounge for relaxing. No, she preferred to be in the sanctuary that was the mansion greenhouse. The only reason she picked the lounge was to grade papers without students coming and going freely. She had a nice stack of paper tucked beneath her arm and a vintage lunch box dangling in her free hand.

She moved to take a seat at the table, dropping the stack of papers in front of her, lunch box next to that. Xavia nodded to co workers, giving an easy smile when regarded with a surprised expression or two. "Heya," she drawled as she eased herself into the chair she pulled out. She opened up the lunch box, pulling out the bowl of lentil salad and the bamboo fork she was going to use to eat it.

At first, Xavia was busy staring at the first paper, scanning to make sure the student explained findings on blood cells and dna and the like, when she glanced up. She caught sight of a vaguely familiar face, her brows lifting as she tried to place his face in her past. Who was he? Oh my god, why is he so familiar?! She wracked her brain for the answer, then looked back at the paper. She set it down, resolving to just catch up later.

She stood and moved toward the Asian man who was obviously a new teacher even if a familiar face. She made for the coffee machine near him so it wouldn't seem like she was going straight for him, and she said in his direction, "Coffee is good here, I suggest caramel creamer." The accent was a thickish Hungarian sounding thing, said in alto tones with a musical quality.

Her light brown eyes settled to study his face closer, and a sudden image from years before flitted through her mind. Wait, he looked like the guy who had helped her when she was about to be kidnapped again. He had been there the day that house got shot up. Her eyes widened when recognition and memory registered. "Woah, I remember now. You help me to get out of a house some time ago. Shin, yes?"

Of course, she would not make the comment that it was a small world; the mansion was the place she met many mutants over the years and she knew he was probably one who came and went. But it really had been a long time since she had seen him. Genuine pleasure lit up her face.

"How are you? It has been long time since I see you last. It really is nice to see you!" Hopefully he recognized her as well. She looked just as young as she looked when they had briefly met. She did not remember if they had exchanged words so much back then, but that did not matter.

The Asian's triangular pupils shifted towards the woman as she mentioned caramel creamer. "Mhm," he agreed. His voice was mildly amplified by the echo from the cup and the sip he was taking.

It had been a tiny while since he had interacted with mansion staff, other than the X-men and the headmaster, who had hired him. Having never taken classes at the mansion, he didn't know many people. The woman who spoke to him didn't trigger any memories with her voice. Even if he had met her years ago, he had met many people in his life. People just forget. It isn't personal. Because of that, the fact that she remembered him, a minute later, took him by surprise.

"Yeah, that's my name." He replied, looking at her and trying to place a face. He'd helped her? It was a shame he had such a sketchy memory. It was consumed by memorizing formulas and equations. Her face was one in the many he had helped out during his time with the X-men. Unfortunately, that meant he didn't really recognize her. Which made the situation slightly awkward. It was one of those things. The person being affected remembers the person who changed their life a lot more than that person does. For them, it may have only been a job. Not personal. It's pretty unlikely a person remembers someone they met only a few times, years prior. But it really was a shame. He wished he did remember. He smiled politely, and played it off like he hadn't completely forgotten her name. "Hi."

She certainly seemed happy to see him. And she taught here? He bobbed his head at her. "I'm good. Just started teaching here. This is my first day. Math." He sipped at his coffee for a moment, and took the moment to try and think if he remembered what she had been talking about. A house. Helped her get out of it... "Please forgive me, but... I can't seem to remember your name. Sorry." He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "I know I helped you, but I've helped a lot of people. It's been a while since I was in the field as an X-men. It must have been a while back."

He wasn't going to pretend like he knew her, and play the game until he was forced to say her name and make them both feel awkward with lies. Maybe if she gave more specifics, it would jog his memory?

She didn't feel too bad he did not remember her. It had happened years ago. "I do not remember if I even tell you my name at t'e time, but I am Xavia. I was homeless back t'en, you help me get away from some bad guys. It was awesome." She smiled at the memory of jumping.

Oh, how the time went since then.

She made herself a cup of coffee with said creamy, nodded toward her mountain of papers to grade and said, "Break time is grading papers." And then gestured toward an empty spot at the table, "You sit over here if you like. I know t'e first day can be interesting to overwhelming, eit'er way, break time shoukd be enjoyed while you can do so." That was something she had learned quickly in the time she had been a teacher.

Xavia moved to reseat herself, setting her coffee down, balefully eying the papers, then chose to take bite of her lentils. Hmph, she could just pull an all nighter or something, she thought as she tried not to stare at the thing. After a moment, she sighed and moved the pile to the floor under the table.

If he chose to have a seat, there would at least be some friendly conversation. She hardly knew the other teachers, but was not opposed to talking to them, should they be interested. It was just that she happened to recognize Shin, which was easy for her to do since she had kind of a memory for faces.

Well, if they hadn't exchanged names it made sense why he couldn't remember hers. And fighting bad guys sounded like something he would do. Have done. Back then. He nodded. "Sounds like me," he smiled.

Shin sat down with his coffee, after the woman, Xavia. He really needed to invest in a mug with a comical cat or something. Something more personal than white paper coffee cups. Maybe Kealey would surprise him with one soon? A first day at new job gift?

Slurp.

Grading. He'd have to do some grading. Later. He wasn't going to lie and say it was going to be a breeze. His math, he could solve quickly. Another persons, he'd have to figure out where they went wrong, and whether or not they showed the right work.

He should have thought to pack something to eat. Maybe he could raid the mansion kitchen later.

"So, how long have you been teaching here?" Shin asked her. "You teach what exactly?"

"Biology and botany. Biology because botany was not yet a course here, Botany because I just want to. I am a plant manipulator, I t'ink t'ey call it? Grew up working in my papa's greenhouse, cannot get enough of plants." She took another bite of her salad, chewing and swallowing before continuing "Umm, I have been here for few years, I guess." Which was said honestly. She lost track of how long she had been in employment.

"I feel overwhelmed t'e first day I teach here. Sometimes still do..." She ket her gaze drop pointedly to that blasted stack of paper, then she gave an ironic smile. She took the last bite or two of her salad,before moving on to what loojed to be like a black bean burger, and it did not look too tasty even to her, if the look on her face was any indication. She took a tentative bite anyways, her expression went blank as she chewed, then she grabbed for her napkin and turned her head to get rid of the vile concoction. Whoever had made it had faiked to season it properly and they added too much balsalmic reduction.

She took a hefty sip of only slightly cooled off coffee to try and help the situation, and her lips nearly puckered as the drink tasted too sweet after the burger. Xavia cleared her throat, and put her dishes back into the lunch box, along with the horrid excuse for a burger.

"I am glad to see you back around here. I know we only meet in passing, but I know most of t'e teachers less t'an t'at, even. I stick to myself, most times."

Botany because plant manipulator. Made perfect sense. Like his math eyes and him being a math teacher. Shin had always liked biology. It was all so interesting, the science behind living things. And the math. It was always fascinating to him, studying about improbable animals like the bumblebee. The thing that shouldn't be able to do what it does, but it does it well. Or the hummingbird, also known as the living helicopter.

Did eating salads when you were a plant manipulator make one a cannibal? He supposed it wasn't unlike eating meat when one is made of meat.

The Asian nodded at her answer. A few years. "Glad to see you found a home," he chimed in, when she paused. The mansion was good at that. Finding places where people belonged.

It seemed she felt overwhelmed. Teaching could very well be overwhelming. Should he be getting scared? He glanced at the stack of papers that she was avoiding like the plague. Then she smiled at her little joke, and he smiled back, getting it. Overwhelming, yes, but not insurmountable... unlike the burger she did not like. That, she decided she just could not do.

Shin grimaced. "That bad?" He said.

The woman, Xavia, recovered. Shin smiled at her, and it was genuine. "Well, it's nice to meet you formally." He said. "And I'm glad I was able to help you, back then. I think..." He paused, tilted his head to one side, and tapped his forehead, think, think, think. It came to him. "Plant manipulator. I remember something. Guys. A plant. A friend. I think I kept their attention so you all could get away?" It had been a long time. He'd just been starting out back then. "I was out jogging... and then I got to practice flying, which was pretty cool." That had been a new trick.

"Well, I commute here. I fix t'e house up t'at you help me out of and offer rooms for homeless mutants like I was. But yes t'is is kind of home in a way, I suppose." As she pushed the burger in a box away, she made a rather comical face, "Yes. Pretty bad. Too much balsalmic, not enough salt and pepper. Really dry too. Such is life for herbivore like me t'ough. Hard to find good burger substitute."

She was unaware of his funny thought about her possibly being a cannibal. That would have been a funny joke, but one she had come to expect. As he recalled the passed, she smiled.

"Yes, t'at was t'e one. You did help. Eventually t'ey get taken care of altoget'er, totally different story. I am glad you came and help back t'en because I did not wish to be dead back t'en and I would have missed out on my daughter." Which was totally true. If she had been killed, she would never have known the joy of her little girl, and neither would the world. It might not matter so much if she wasn't around now, but her kid was a bright spot the world would have missed out on.

She got a tender look on her face as she thought of her kiddo, who was staying in Michigan for a time with her grandmother until Xavia was ready to move her to ÑYC. She really did miss them.

Yeah, a vegetarian bean was patty that wasn't seasoned right had to be bad. Just like a carnivore meat patty that wasn't seasoned right. The difference was that meat patties offered their own seasonings, in the forms of juice and fats. Beans just had beaniness going for them. If they were dry and bland, there wasn't much saving grace. And that much vinegar would just make it taste sour. He fully understood the discerning herbivores tastes.

Frankly, living a life of salads would be hard for him. Wasn't Ranch dressing illegal for Vegans? Something about eggs? He had no idea. Did they do milk and eggs? Vegans and vegetarians were different. One was more strict. It was probably the vegan... Such was the blazing salvo of thoughts that ran through his head at her harmless reply. The fact that the woman was living in that house he had saved her from, and renting out rooms, apparently wasn't a strange enough detail to set his mind to whirling like a life without ranch dressing. Inspiration is a fickle thing.

When he had finally remembered the incident where they had met, it seemed to please the plant woman. Her comment made him smile. Yes one would assume no one would wish to be dead. And she had family. That made the fact he'd saved her all the more potent. He wasn't sure he'd even been an X-man back then. Just a random guy doing random heroics on a flying tortilla chip of brain razors. Life can be quite random, the way things play out.

"It always amazes me how things that seem small play out into something more." Shin mused thoughtfully. "I stopped to help you. Not thinking much of it. And because I did, you got to be with family, and sort things out, and wound up working here... where I work now. Hm." He paused. "I don't mean to make that sound weird, like some sort of 'fate' or something. It's just that it's really a small world and coincidences like that are crazy fascinating. I guess The Mansion is kind of like a vacuum cleaner. It sucks people in."

He sipped at his coffee. He might just need a refill here, shortly. The way he was slurping it. "I might be asking teacher tips some time in the future," he noted casually. "You seem like you know what you're doing." He nodded to the papers she was avoiding. A wise move.

"No, not weird. Awesome," she commented in good cheer. She grabbed the stack of papers, eight or nine assignments thick. "First word of advice, do not get sick for two days after fighting bad guys... T'is happens." She indicated the stack. At least they were organized, each set of papers were clipped together with brightly covered binder clips, and sticky notes were dotting the top sheet, which was just a piece of yellow paper.

"Second... Binder clips are awesome." She chuckled and whipped out her handy, dandy pen... The kind with the different color inks to pick from. She clicked down the little green button and grabbed the top section, unclipping and pulling up the first assignment. "And enjoy your student... T'ey can be hilarious." She flipped the paper so he could glimpse the smart assed answers one of her favorite students always seemed to give her.

"I encourage t'e kids to write answers in t'eir voice, t'eir point of view, since science is not a favorite subject. I try to keep it fun and exciting so t'ey pay attention instead of sleeping."

She set the paper down, circled a few incorrect key words, then wrote notes telling the kid he got things switched around, please refer to his textbook, but good job on the rest!

The Asian listened to the advice, taking it to heart. Tips, he could always use. He'd gotten some, when he'd been a teachers aide briefly, but those had been simple, practical things about communicating information. Hers were too, he supposed. Don't get sick, get good teachers supplies. Binder clips are awesome. He chuckled with her, and made a little sound of acknowledgement. Mhm.

Enjoying your student. That was something that a teacher he'd aided hadn't spoken about. Sure, he'd talked about how teaching gave its own rewards. But not about deriving amusement from his students. Fascinating. He supposed their snark had style, sometimes.

"Story problems," Shin noted with amusement. "Might be my only source of amusement, I fear. I don't see how one can be a smart ass with basic equations." They'd probably find a way. Who was he kidding?

"I'll have to keep their interests up. Amusing scenarios. Without trying too hard. I find math fascinating, and my power helps, but I don't imagine they'll have the same enthusiasm for imaginary numbers and theorems." Shin smirked.

There were so many permutations to a good story problem joke. He let them all flash through his mind, but didn't go into details on a single one. Xavia would probably find her head spinning, if not at the math, then at the references. He'd have to keep the camp in check. He had this problem with referring to things people had never heard of in their lives.

"My power helps wit' biology... Sometimes... I just took some of my own blood to put into slides for t'e kids to look at, seeing as my blood cells have cell walls same as plants." Which is why she was subject to being a human lab rat. Ugh. But it was nice to know that she was among fellow nerds now and she was safe.

"Science and Mat'ematics do go hand in hand. Story problems are not new to me, t'ough mine are more science and yours are more mat'ematics. I am sure t'e kids will get wit' t'eir wits. Pretty sure you will have a few of my kids in your class. T'is guy inparticular is ahhh... Very grumpy but very smart. If he can get his homework done and remember t'at I do have limits and he shall respect t'em... He can answer as sarcastic as he likes. Some of t'e kids are just really needing t'at." She said all of this kind of solemnly, because it really did suck to have the stigma of being a mutant in a not so accepting world.

Hell, she thought, she wished she had this school when she was a teenager. Maybe she could have avoided being kidnapped or some of the choices she made that got her into big trouble. A good chunk of her life had been spent not even knowing her own name, not knowing how to properly harness her powers, not having a stable place in the world... She still was struggling to find her place, truth be told. That was why it was so blasted important to her to help as many of their kind as she could; perhaps point them in the right direction if she couldn't do more than that.

She lapsed into a thoughtful silence, clearly thinking about her own words. One day, she thought, we will find equal footing and not have to deal with the nonsense of the stigma.

"My power right now is doing math super fast," Shin laughed. He was sharing details about his mutation since she had shared about hers. Hers was interesting. Plant cells, huh? Neat.

Shin nodded at what she was saying about story problems and sharing students. "I'll keep an eye out, and remember that." Shin said. Sarcastic kid. There were probably 100 like that. He'd have to guess.

His stomach rumbled, all of a sudden. Hmmm... he had about thirty minutes to nab something. The question was, what?

Shin tilted his head slightly up and to the left. "Man. I wish I could just fly down to the kitchen still. God I miss that some times."

"You cannot fly anymore?" She asked out of curiosity, both brows lifted some in surprise. That was one thing she did remember, that night was something that stuck with her even after she forgot everything.

"I feel you, t'ough. I need food, t'is burger stinks." She chuckled and then said, "But my next period is in t'e greenhouse, just getting some fat tomatoes in and some strawberries. I t'ink I might just raid t'e greenhouse." Her mouth watered at the thought of some nice, hot house berries. Mmmm.

Another thought randomly popped into her head... Food... Wonder if they would approve of some farm animals for the kids to take care of... Some cows, some chickens, goats, and maybe a few pigs. She would be more than happy to fund the project, she thought. She grabbed for the blank sheet of paper she always kept on top of each class of assignments, then scribbled the note to herself down: Write up draft on animal husbandry for biology, pros and cons, offer to fund project.

The last two words are underlined.

His head bobbed up and down in the affirmative. No flight. He wished it weren't so, but he didn't dwell on it. At least, most of the time. You lose the joy of flying and it's gonna feel bad. You're going to miss it, no matter how you spin it. He wasn't sad, more reminiscing. "Mental block, maybe." He shrugged. "I haven't had it for a while."

Her talk of food was absolutely killing him! He had no idea why he'd failed to pack a decent lunch. He wouldn't starve, true, but only just.

Tomatoes, strawberries, bacon, lettuce, tomato... the mind wandered and ran off on tangents about food. Well, there were two courses of action he could do. Distract himself, or leave and get good food.

Distractions, it is. "I tried using that evil hat. The one psychics use? But i wasn't a real psychic, so it hit me with a hard mental block and now I can't summon any new shards. Just," he focused and his wedding band flew off his finger, did a loop de loop in the air, then slipped back on his ring finger. "Control what I already made. And math eyes, which are useful. Sometimes. So no flying." But at least he still had his wedding ring going for him, which was nice.