Kate had been at the Institute for two days. Her first day was not really a day it was only a couple hours spent getting her fully enrolled. Most of which was spent hunting down Sam. The second day was spent coaming the shelves in the library for literary diamonds. She had found a few too. The third day started like any other. Kate got up, took a shower, got dressed, ate breakfast and then embarked on her quest. She had decided sometime last night that she was going to find a piano and if the school didn't have one within it's walls she was going to put one there. She had the number to the car service that had brought her here and she figured in such a large city there had to be at least one music store that sold pianos. Even if it wasn't a good piano, she could just bring a better one in later. All she really wanted right now was to play. She hadn't played in almost 5 days and her fingers were getting antsy.

After breakfast she exited the kitchen heading in the direction of the classrooms. There had to be some kind of music room. This was a school after all.

She slowly made her way down the hall stopping and looking in each room, taking care not to disturb any classes in session. When she was about to give up and go ask one of the greeters if such a place existed, she found it. A beautiful, shiny, black Steinway & Sons Piano. At this moment there was nothing better. It was as if she was dieing and this piano was the one thing that could keep her alive.

She slowly walked over to it and exposed its hidden keys. Sitting on the bench, she raised her hands and hesitated, terrified of what the thing would sound like. She had no idea how long it had been since it had been played let alone tuned. This could be a disaster for her perfect ears, she had always been overly sensitive to tuning.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as her left hand delicately came down on the keys. Pressing just enough to get the light perfect ring of the first notes. Then came her right, as it began moving smoothly across the keys. Left and right moving in perfect time with one another to create one of her favorite songs. It wasn't anything complicated or littered with runs and grace notes. It didn't move from one end of the keys to the other in the length of a bar. It was slow, simple and beautiful. Everything Kate loved most in the world.

This was what Kate lived for. The ring of the keys. The feeling you got as the music spread throughout your entire body spilling out of your finger onto the keys. This was bliss.

Kate sat there playing with her eyes closed. The entire world around her gone. It was just her and the notes. Just her and perfection.

Mama T took the morning off. There were no students in need of counseling, she'd already made and had breakfast, and since most kids were in class anyway, she decided to walk around. She'd already explored the Mansion, but she felt like she neededto be more familiar with it, so she could find any and every room fast in case she needed to.
And then she heard the piano.

It was beautiful music; she wondered if it was one of the staff members, maybe the music teacher playing, or if some kid had a special talent for music. She remembered one girl who had an ability like that; walking towards the source of the sound she tried to remember her name.

She pushed the door open very quietly; she didn't want to disturb her. There she was, a girl Mama hasn't seen before in the Mansion, and she was lost in the music. Mama made sure she stayed away far enough not to affect her. Folding her arms, she leaned against the doorframe, and waited for her to finish the song. Once it was over, she smiled, and clapped.

"That was beautiful."

>>That was beautiful.


Kate turned around startled and jumped out off of the bench, not wanting to step on any toes. How long had she this woman been listening? Kate had been so wrapped up in the music she hadn't even noticed her enter. By the looks of her she was to old to be a student, so naturally she must have been a teacher. Probably the music teacher come to get ready for a class or music lesson if they did that kind of thing.

"Oh sorry. Is this your classroom. I didn't mean to just use your piano without asking. It's just that the room was empty and the piano called to me. I haven't played in days and my fingers were getting antsy."

>>"Oh sorry. Is this your classroom. I didn't mean to just use your piano without asking. It's just that the room was empty and the piano called to me. I haven't played in days and my fingers were getting antsy."

"That's okay" Mama T shook her head "It's not my classroom. It's pretty much everyone's who likes music." she added with a smile as she walked closer to the girl "You must be new around here. I think I would remember music like that." she chuckled as she held her hand out "Gemma Taylor. I'm the guidance counselor. Most kids call me Mama T."

The girl looked a bit unsure; most students did in the first weeks, until they got used to the school, made friends, and learned more about the rules and the abilities. Gemma studied the girl who stood before her, mostly looking for signs of discomfort; she was not sure how her powers would affect her, so she was ready to step back if something happened.

Kate shook her hand, "Katherine Stanly Finch-Hatton. Nice to meet you."

Mama's hand was warm. Soft and warm. Kate was surprised at the sensation. Everyone felt cold to her and now Mama felt warm. Kate knew that most of the people even the teachers were mutants, so maybe Mama had a mutation like Kate's. Maybe she was warm as well.

Kate almost didn't' want to let go and didn't at first. She looked at Mama/s hand with surprise. Standing still for almost a min before she realized what she was doing.

Kate let go of Mama's hand and back away slightly looking at the ground, ashamed of her behavior. "Sorry. I didn't mean to stare. Did I burn you?"

>>"Katherine Stanly Finch-Hatton. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise" Mama T smiled "That's quite a mouthful, you know. Do you happen to use a shorter name?"

For everyone's sake.
She let the girl hold her hand for a few moments, and observed the look of surprise and awe on her face. She smiled; many kids had that reaction. Well, many of those who didn't collapse when she got too close.

>>"Sorry. I didn't mean to stare. Did I burn you?"

"No you did not." Mama T smiled and shook her head "Your temperature is perfectly normal. You can't burn me, my aura cancels out your powers." she explained "So, your mutation is fire based?..." she looked at the girl "That explains why you are all bundled up like that."

Kate had never met someone that could cancel out a mutation before. Granted she hadn't met many mutants at all, but she had never even heard of one before.

"You can call me Kate and yes my mutation is fire based. I am what you could call a being of elemental fire. My mutation's kind of complicated. My mother once told me that my father had this amazing way of explaining it but she could never do it as well as he did." Kate smiled at the memory of her mother trying to explaining what she was to her and failing, "Am I really that bundled up?"

>>"You can call me Kate and yes my mutation is fire based. I am what you could call a being of elemental fire. My mutation's kind of complicated. My mother once told me that my father had this amazing way of explaining it but she could never do it as well as he did."

Mama T smiled, and moved to sit down onto the piano bench. "I am sure you'll figure out a way to explain it yourself" she said "Fire is the element of constant change. If it's within you, I bet you would have a lot to say about it."

>> "Am I really that bundled up?"

"Yeah, you are" she chuckled "Are you cold?... I mean, when I am not around."

>>Yeah, you are" she chuckled "Are you cold?... I mean, when I am not around.

Kate smiled as the room felt warmer and warmer around her, "During this time of year I'm freezing most of the time. That's why my mother asked for a single room. That way I could have the room at about 100 degrees so I could sleep at night without needing to be bundled up. It is kind of an inconvenient side effect."

>>"During this time of year I'm freezing most of the time. That's why my mother asked for a single room. That way I could have the room at about 100 degrees so I could sleep at night without needing to be bundled up. It is kind of an inconvenient side effect."

"A hundred degrees?" Mama T arched an eyebrow "Fahrenheit or Celsius?" both were well above the normal temperature of a dorm room, and judging from the girl's accent, it might as well have been boiling temperature. "Well, looks like winter's not gonna be easy on you."

Neither would having an ice mutant for a principal, she added without saying it out loud. She'd worked with a few fire based mutants in her career, but this girl seemed to be made of fire, essentially.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked Kate. The girl looked a bit unsure, and a bit lost.

>>Is there something I can help you with?

Kate sat down at the bench and started playing scales very quietly, she might as well continue practicing while she talked to Mama, "Not at the moment, but I will make sure to find you if I do. I am sure I can't always ask Mr. Johnson for help and lets face it he can't always help a teenage girl." She looked at Mama as she talked, not even paying attention to what she was playing. She didn't remember when the movements had become second nature, but now they were and she spent all of her time just going through the motions when practicing her practical skills.

"Anything you would like to know about me? I know I don't exactly have a thorough file."

>>"Not at the moment, but I will make sure to find you if I do. I am sure I can't always ask Mr. Johnson for help and lets face it he can't always help a teenage girl."

"Isn't that right" Mama T grinned as she watched the girls hands play the piano. She really was talented. She was not even really paying attention, and she was still good. That meant a lot of practice... "That is why he hired me."

>>"Anything you would like to know about me? I know I don't exactly have a thorough file."

"Whatever you would like to share" she nodded, listening to the girl and her music "You came here from England, right? You are quite far away from home..."

>>Whatever you would like to share. You came here from England, right? You are quite far away from home...

"Yes. My mother wanted me to come here. She thought it was what was best. I'm not so sure." Kate started playing a piece, having gotten bored of the scales. It was quiet and subtle, not loud enough to drown out the conversation but still loud enough to fill the room with a light melody.

Mama T listened to the girl - both her words and her music. They went well together. The words told her what she was supposed to know; the music told her what she needed to know. It was not a happy story; then again, a few ever were. Kate was new to the school, almost as new as Mama T herself. She had some tough times ahead before she would find her place. Lucky for her, Mama was here. She'd help her.

They talked for a long time; neither of them seemed to notice. They learned about each other, through words, and music, and silence.