The bus trip had been long, and tiresome. Eyes puffy from her farewell tears, Adeline had spent the entirety of the trip wondering what life was going to be like in New York City. Despite traveling around most of the southern and middle states, the family circus had never made it to the Big Apple. Curiosity and nervousness gnawed at Adeline's heart, but Basil and Mega Mouse Man managed to keep her company and help distract her mind from the daunting nature of this new adventure.

Even if they did earn her some mean looks from the other bus passengers.

They hadn't heard of New York City, but were excited about the new destination. Basil was curious to see new sights, and meet new mice. Mega Mouse Man had accused Basil of only wanting to try new foods, which he of course, denied. Mega Mouse Man said she only wanted to go where ever Adeline went, but Adeline could tell that she was as eager to explore as Basil. When he finally woke up, Speedy asked Adeline if she had any food, before telling her to wake him once they had arrived.

So far Adeline wasn't too sure how Speedy felt about the whole situation. Or if he even knew there was one.

When they finally arrived to the city, Adeline could help but feel like...well...a mouse. She was so small compared to the city, and it's buildings. Stepping from the bus terminal to the street, towing her suitcase along behind her, her mouse friends eagerly perched on her shoulders and head, she felt the city swallow her up. Like a mouse colony, people swarmed to and fro, pushing, and weaving, and shoving. Scrambling to get over, around the others. Skyscrapers loomed over her, making her feel smaller than she already was.

{"Where do we have to go, Adeline?"} asked Mega Mouse Man. She was too eager to explore now, to try and hide the fact.

"We have to find the School, Mom told us about..." She put her hand in pocket of her jeans, feeling the scrap of paper with the details written on it. Adeline's mother had strictly told her to find a taxi and head to the school.

But surely she didn't mean on an empty stomach?

"But I think we should get something to eat first. What do you guys think?"

A trio of squeaks chorused their joy as Adeline wandered down the street, head swiveling, as she searched for somewhere to find food.

Leon had been wandering the streets of New York for a few hours now, at first it had seemed like a daunting task to try and find his way back to the mansion on his own but after a while he started to get the layout of the city a bit more. fortunately while he was wandering he had found a place to change the remaining £50 he had from England into dollars. and had been pleasantly surprised when he received around $70.

After passing what seemed to be the same corner for what must have been the 100th time now Leon thought that he had best get some lunch, after all you cannot be expected to work at your best on an empty stomach. Of course wanting to eat and eating where two different things, so he set off in search of a place to get some food. 

After wandering for a while he noticed that he seemed to be moving a bit slower than usual probably down to the fact that he hasn't been sleeping well since his arrival in america. With this he thought that he should probably find something to eat and fast before he walked into someone or the middle of the road. As he looked up he noticed a small decently quiet diner that seemed to be empty enough. Minus one or two people sitting around.

Once inside he got a simple Burger and fry's before slinking down in the corner to eat his food in peace, hoping that he would not slip off to sleep whilst he ate.

She found herself further away from the bus terminal, too wrapped up in her surroundings to care. Even her apprehension about coming to the city was beginning to disappear. There was just so much to see here. Not to mention the smells. They had begun their taunting almost as soon as Adeline had started walking. Various tantalizing scents, both familiar and foreign.

Her stomach growled in anticipation.

She wandered for a while, dragging her luggage along, the hard plastic wheels grinding along the pavement. There seemed to be quite a lot of food places. So many, that Adeline was having a hard time choosing.

"What do you guys think? Where should we eat?"

Before she could hear a response, she felt a tiny pressure on the top of her head, before seeing a small flash of brown scurry off, through the crowds, towards  a door. {"Something smells good!"} was all Adeline heard before she saw Speedy disappear into what seemed to be a diner.

"Speedy, wait!" Ignoring the strange looks pointed towards her, Adeline rushed after her wayward mouse. "Darn it..." she muttered to herself. Pushing through the doors, Adeline glanced worriedly around the diner. Speedy...?" she whispered, hoping he would return to her, unconcerned with how strange she may seem.

He was far too rash!

As it was, Speedy had found just what he was looking for. The delicious burger and fries he had sniffed out. An inattentive human seemed to be the owner of the delightful smells. Which meant that, if he was going to get to the food, Speedy was going to have to live up to his name. Quietly, carefully, he leaped up onto the table, and quickly scurried towards an AWOL french fry.

Basil was going to be so jealous!

As Leon ate his food his mind started to wander slightly, he started to think about the city as a whole and how he should get back to the mansion from here, slowly plotting a route in his head that he was 50% sure would work possibility 60% sure.

He was only half aware of the door opening and paid little attention to the whispers in the diner after all why should they involve him? well sure enough they did as a small flash of brown made way towards one of his fry's! Leon watched in amazement and surprise as a small brown mouse started to attack one of his fry's. It looked a little two small to be a rat so he assumed that it was a mouse and hoped that it was a mouse as he had no intention of dealing with rats.  

As the mouse ate he looked at the rest of his food, it wasn't that the food was nasty as it was delicious it was just that he was used to less filling food and way smaller portions. having only eaten half of the burger and a few fry's and he was nearly at his limit.

Picking up a few more of the fry's he put them down for the mouse to munch on after all he didn't need them so why not let the mouse have them? "There you go little guy, I don't need them anyway." He said to the mouse as he put down the food in front of it. Looking up he saw a girl who had...whiskers? at least that is what it looked like to him. From the looks of it she was a mutant and he would bet that this mouse belonged to her, with a small wave of his hand he motioned to her to come and sit with him.

This human was a good find. In fact, he was such a good find that Speedy didn't even have to run away. All he had to do was stand where he was. The man was giving him food! Cheerfully greedy, Speedy obliged the man by eating a much of the salty potato goodness as he could manage.

Adeline, meanwhile, was wondering what the best way to look for her runaway mouse without gaining too much attention, when out of the blue a strange boy waved to her. She blinked, and stared at him, slightly puzzled. Did he know her? It wasn't until she saw his 'dinner companion' that she realised why he was waving. Obviously, he had picked Speedy as one of Adeline's friends. Clucking her tongue like a disapproving mother, Adeline walked over to where the man sat. She crossed her arms over her chest, before glaring sternly at the small brown mouse.

{"Look, Adeline! Food!"} Speedy squeaked, eagerly. He looked up, and saw Adeline's disapproving expression, before guiltily turning his attention back to his stockpile of French Fries. At least he had the decency to look a little bit ashamed.

"You have to be more careful, Speedy! This is a big city, and it's dangerous to run off like that!" She glared a moment longer at the truant mouse, before letting out a sigh. She turned to the man, and offered a sheepish grin. "Sorry, Mister... He should know that he's not supposed to be so rude when people are eating..."

From her right shoulder, she could hear Basil laughing at Speedy being told off. She also felt him stirring impatiently. Clearly he wanted to join in on Speedy's acquired feast.

He just didn't want to get told off by Adeline for it. 

He was pleased when the girl wandered over at his signal, at least she had understood what he had meant with his wave. Now that she was closer he could clearly see that she was a mutant with whiskers and slightly enlarged ears, she also appeared to have at least one other mouse on her shoulder. 

"Don't worry about it, there was way to much food anyway" He said warmly, looking at the mouse eating. "If the others are hungry they cam the rest I don't mind." He added after all it was only food and there was plenty. getting a good look at her he couldn't accurately put an age on her, but if he was to guess he would say a teenager no older than 15. She also appeared to be traveling or in the process of traveling by the look of her suitcase.

I wonder if she is from the mansion, I haven't seen her around but still. He thought as he looked her over, after all she was a mutant he was sure of that much, and by the looks of it she either just got kicked out or was in the process of moving.

"OH sorry manners, I'm Leon nice to meet you, and if you don't mind me asking are you going somewhere?" He said motioning to the suitcase. If she was from the mansion then maybe she was running away, but if not and she was heading there then he should tag along after all his own trip turned out quite eventful.

The two hungry mice on Adeline's shoulders looked at her with hungry expectation. The man had given his permission for the others to join Speedy, but they didn't want to upset Adeline like he did. Adeline did her best to give an exasperated sigh, like one of her Mom's, before nodding. "Okay guys, but you say thank you to the man! He shouldn't have to give up his lunch because you're all too greedy." She placed her hands on the table, and as they scurried down to join their brown companion, the two mice squeaked excitedly in unison.

{"Thank you!"}

As the mice did what they did best, Adeline smiled at the man. She wasn't sure how old he was, but he didn't seem old enough to be a proper grown up. "Sorry about them. They're not usually this bad..." She scratched the back of her head.

Okay, so maybe they were usually that bad.

As the boy introduced himself and gestured to her suitcase, Adeline slipped into the booth across from him, pulling her luggage up next to her. "Nice to meet you, Leon. I'm Adeline! And this is Speedy, Basil, and Mega Mouse Man." She pointed out each mouse, who were all far too busy to notice her introduction. "My parents enrolled me in a special school for mutants," she answered, in regards to his question. She frowned to herself momentarily. "I'm not sure if I want to go, though..." she admitted outright, wrinkling her nose. "I don't like townie schools..."

Her whiskers twitched as she wrinkled her nose. A curiosity itched at her. "Can I ask you about your accent? Is it a British accent, because I think it sounds British..?"

....Did she just say Mega Mouse Man. that was by far the weirdest and most amazing name for a mouse he had ever heard. Then the conversation wheeled around to his accent as most conversations with new people do, it wasn't like being British changed him in any major ways but still people liked to ask. "Yes I'm British, born in London and moved here not long ago." He said to the girl with a smile.    

And then the conversation took the turn he hoped it would take, as she mentioned that she had been sent to a school for mutants. Even if she didn't sound to enthusiastic about going but hey he was here now and determined to help her reach Xavier's. "Well to be honest I was a bit worried when I first went looking for the school. After all I had just come from England so it was a bit of a change. Oh I probably should have mentioned this before but I live at the school your talking about."  He said with warmth. Thinking on it what where the chances of two people looking for the same place meeting in the same restaurant? The answer would be slim so he had a good feeling about this. 

"Anyway the school is great. Big mind you, but great. There are so many different people to meet and things to see." He continued, shifting his looks from the trio of mice with the amazing names to the girl who was obviously their owners. As he talked about the mansion and all it had to offer he hoped that this girl was taking in what he said, and not just letting it fly over her head. After all finding a place to stay would be top on his list of priority's and as far as the mansion goes accommodation is pretty good.

"So has that changed your mind about townie schools?" He asked with a playful laugh.

Adeline's eyes widened in surprise. By some freak chance, she had stumbled across somebody who knew the place she was supposed to go. Not only that, but he was enrolled there too. She looked at him, and decided that he did look like a school senior. Mega Mouse Man, having overheard the man, stopped her eating and perked up to listen as well. After all, somebody else had to pay attention, and the other two were too busy gorging themselves. Then the man asked Adeline a question.

"You're trying to convince me, aren't you!?" She let a grin slip through despite herself, the older boy's good humour too contagious for her. "I don't know... The last school I went to was horrible. I was lucky because I didn't have to go all year like the other kids, but when I was there, people just picked on me," she said plainly. Hard as it was, she didn't mope over her time at the last school. It was done now, she didn't have to go back. As far as she had been concerned, it was simply a time-filler while waiting for the next season's tour.

She scratched her nose, and looked down. Mega Mouse Man was watching her, and Adeline giggled before shooing her back to her food. "Mom and Dad told me that this school wouldn't be like the last one, though. They said that it was full of people with special powers. They told me I shouldn't judge it until I see it for myself." She leaned forward, lowering her voice conspicuously. "Is it true that the school is really a mansion?"

That's what her parent's had told her, but she suspected that it had been a trick to convince her to want to go.

Then her eyes widened once more as a thought sprung to mind. She glanced around the diner, before lowering her voice even more. In case he didn't want to draw attention. "If you go to the school, does that mean...you've got a special power too?" She stared, eager for his answer. Even the three mouseketeers stopped their eating, to look up at him.

Adeline had never met another person like her before...

He nodded when she asked if the school was a mansion. "Yeah I didn't believe it either but yes it is a mansion." He said keeping up the smile, it was best to keep going with the nice smiles and kindness after all she was just a kid and the mansion would do her some good. The question about whether he had any special powers threw him off a bit, if he was going to a school for mutants then it will make sense for him to have powers. "Yeah I have a mutation I just don't show it around people." This wasn't entirely true as he had no objection to using it in front or on people. Just he thought it would be best not to use it here.

"And to answer your previous question yes I am trying to convince you" He said with another little laugh, one of the main reasons he was trying so hard to convince this girl to come to the mansion was because he didn't know if there was anywhere else in New York to go, but that wasn't it in some way he felt sort of drawn to her in the way that he had been in her situation. The one where you have been kicked out and sent some where else, he couldn't claim to know her story neither did he want to claim to know it. He just arrived at that conclusion by the way she looked...and the suitcase without her parents.

"So to recap, The school is awesome with loads of places to go and things to do, Its a mansion. You would be with other mutants me included, and... I fed your mice." He let the simile grow slightly larger as he said the part about her mice. Now he didn't care what country you came from who you where or what you looked like, if that couldn't have convinced someone nothing will. 

Adeline's jaw dropped ever so slightly, leaving her mouth agape. So her parents were telling the truth. The place was a mansion, and it would be filled with people just like her. People with special gifts and superpowers. Even Leon, it seemed, had an ability, even though he didn't look any different from a normal person. Maybe that was why he didn't like to show it around people.

"When my whiskers grew, Mom told me that there were people out there who had all sorts of powers. She said she had worked with some of them before, before I was even born. But I always thought they looked..." She wriggled her nose again. "Different. Like me." Mutant, Leon had called it. She wondered now whether she had met another mutant without even knowing about it?

He admitted to trying to convince her to come to the school. She wasn't sure why he was trying so hard, her parents had already told her that she had to go. But his smile and easy manner were starting to make her doubt her own doubts about it. Leon made it sound like an exciting place. It didn't even sound like a real school the way he was explaining it. He commented on the fact that he fed his mice, as though that were reason enough to listen to him.

It was.

"You know, they'll never leave you alone now. Especially Basil." The small grey mouse squeaked in resentment, before stuffing his face once more. "Are the teachers at the school nice? What sort of classes do they have there? Are they normal classes, or...mutant classes?" The term 'mutant' still rested awkwardly on her tongue.

A sly grin began to creep onto her face, and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, cradling her head in her hands. "So...what's your special power?" He might not have wanted to talk about it, but that was irrelevant.

Adeline was curious.

Well I guess there's no harm in showing her. He thought warily, if she went to the mansion then she was bound to find out anyway. "Well If your sure..." He said leaning back to give himself a bit more room. As ever it started with the small spicy tickling at the back of his throat, this increased in intensity to a very hot burning sensation within a split second. The sensation although hot was not unpleasant most likely due to the amount of times he has used it in his life. 

Then came the small amount of ash he had wanted, only a little amount as all of it would be a bit chaotic in this enclosed space. almost catching the ash with his mutation he willed it to expand into a thin cloud and do a figure of eight around their heads. making sure to do it quickly so that the flames on his body didn't set anything on fire. Once it reached his head he drew it back into his mouth and down into his reserves. "I can also do it with any ash just laying around." He added hoping that he hadn't creep-ed her out, after all it wasn't everyday that someone gets small flames shifting over their body and breaths ash.

"Anyway back to your questions. Yes they do both normal classes and special classes, such as mutation control. Personally I have yet to enroll in any classes, partly because I'm having a break and partly because I'm deciding what to take." When he said this he was telling the truth, he hadn't enrolled in any classes as of yet and was deciding what to take. Thinking about it he was taking a break as he had just moved to a new country and needed some time to get his head straight. Their was also the personal problems that he was having such as mild insomnia and doubts about himself. But he was not going to mention them, and if this girl was a telepathy he was not going to talk about it. Unless they have already learned about it in which case.... Don't mention it. 

"As for your mice, I'm sure that they will be fine at the mansion you may need to clear it with some of the staff, but the ones I've met are nice and will be fine with it. As to Basil he can visit anytime." At the comment about Basil coming to visit him he gave another laugh. Which was true he was starting to like these mice. 

He relented, and with a grin, Adeline watched in eager excitement. She had never, ever seen another superpower before. But as the small licks of flame began to creep over Leon's body, her jaw dropped, and her eyes popped. The trio of mice all stopped their eating to stare, except Basil who was running around in nervous circles. Then the ash.

In her favourite cartoon, there was a ninja who could blow ash from his mouth. That thought came unbidden to Adeline's mind as Leon caught the ash, and it began to swim around their heads. She gave an excited giggle, as he inhaled the ash, and the flames disappeared. Adeline and the mice all gaped at Leon for a moment. Then the mice began chattering away excitedly. Even Basil, who was now bravely claiming it was the greatest thing he had ever seen.

{"More! More!}

Adeline, sat speechless. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but it wasn't what she had just seen. Something more...docile, perhaps. This sort of thing...

You only saw them in cartoons.

"Wow! That was amazing! How long have you been able to do that? How much ash can you control? Can it do anything else, like, explode when you click your teeth?" She drew her legs up under her, and perched up, leaning close enough that her excited questioning would not bother the other customers, who so far hadn't seemed to take much notice of what was happening in the corner.

He told her about the classes, and her ears perked up at the mention of the special classes. There hadn't been anything like that at her last school. Only grumpy teachers who didn't like her mice, and other kids who said she stank. She wondered what sort of classes there were for powers like hers. He mentioned that her mice wouldn't be a problem, and she wondered whether her parents had mentioned her three friends to the school. She couldn't see why they wouldn't. Then Leon said that Basil could visit at anytime ({"No fair!"}), and she giggled at the implications he had just unleashed upon himself.

So far, he was doing a good job of making her feel eager to see the place. Suddenly, things did not seem so grim.

"So what else is there to do there? Is there, like, a pool? A gymnasium? Tennis court? Are we allowed to leave the school grounds whenever we want?" She hoped so. She didn't like the idea of being caged up.

The comment about his mutation was a pleasant surprise, It was normally greeted with suspicion or trace amounts of fear. And some of the things he had used it for where not pleasant or exactly legal. But the comment on it was nice to receive, then she asked about what else he could do with it and his limitations which given the comment he was not about to refuse her an answer. "Um, well I'm not entirely sure how much but I would say allot more than I can hold in my lungs, and although I do get covered in flames so far nothing has happened so no, no explosions." he said keeping with the smile.

So far he was thoroughly enjoying his conversation with this girl and her mice, but there was a tugging sensation at the back of his mind that was telling him to get moving after all it would be a decently long walk to the mansion. He decided to push it out though given the fact that he wasn't done explaining some of the mansions quality's and he would only leave when the girl did. 

He nodded at the comments about the mansion's other places. "Yeah it has those, at least I think it does, but anyway yeah you don't have to stay cooped up in the same place. Take today for example I decided to take a walk around the city and no body stopped me." He said, understanding the fact that she may not want to stay inside all the time, he was like that in some way. Not liking to be told what to do or being forced to stay at a place. 

"Of-course there will be some paper work and rules to abide by whilst there, but nothing to serious like at the moment I just live there." He said wondering if someone had explained to her that the mansion had multiple types of people there. Some people who wanted to use it as a home and some as a school, and those in-between. Although looking at her and the way she acts, he thought she would fit in just fine. 

All in all, today had turned out to be both an educational day. Adeline had entered New York City wishing she was still amongst the people and the animals of the circus, traveling from town to town, and dreading the prospect of a new school. Now, here she was sitting with someone who had both impressed her with his power, as well as started to change her mind on the whole school thing. From what he was saying, the Mansion actually sounded pretty awesome. Not to mention she had met somebody who didn't tell her she smelled like mice, and who actually got along with the mouseketeers! And he had a superpower, like her!

Adeline sat back, and sighed dreamily. "It almost sounds too good to be true." Before she could say much more, a waitress approached the table. Her jaw worked in circles as she chewed gum, reminding Adeline of a cow she had once taken a liking to on her Uncle's farm. Norman Blindcow, his name was. The woman had wrinkles under her eyes, and was looking down at Adeline with a very unimpressed expression on her face.

"Those yours?" she asked, pointing a long fingernail at Adeline's mice. She wrinkled her nose sourly, which Adeline didn't like very much.

"Yes..."

The waitress glared at Adeline. "They can't be in here. This is a restaurant, for God's sake, not a pet store."

Adeline stared up at the woman, slightly puzzled. "But...they aren't bothering anybody. And besides, there are other mice here already." Adeline looked up at the ceiling, and pointed a finger helpfully. "I can hear them in the roof and the walls."

She had hoped that she could convince the woman to let her mice stay if she pointed out that there were already some living in the building. Adeline could hear them squeaking away to each other, soft little high-pitched calls. It made sense to her. What harm could three more mice minding their own business do?

"I think you should leave, Missy. You and your friend here."

Apparently, the waitress didn't agree.

Blinking slowly, Adeline stared at the woman, slightly bewildered. "But... I haven't even ordered yet..." She looked over at Leon, as though doing so might tell her what was going on. She was new to the city, and not entirely familiar with townies and their rules.

Was she being kicked out?