It was a general elective but it was a good one. BIOL-GA 1002 was a 4 credit course detailing genetics, biological systems, and evolution. It was a survey of the various modern biological topics, again namely genetics and evolution but also neurobio and genomics. Tempest thought it would be fascinating.

Yes, it was, but not simple either. He was enjoying the class but the reading was a bit heavier than he'd been prepared for. So many research papers, articles, and even reports that it was getting difficult to keep the theories separate. He was glad at least that the mutant evolution was a major topic. He was certainly interested in that.

Most days he wore a nice button down, usually black or grey, and black slacks as he was either running to the new station for work or volunteering over at Sanctuary. He kept jeans and a t-shirt in his locker there in case he had to do some dirtier work. At least he cut a professional look while in class that he hoped would garner some respect from his teachers.

As the class began to filter out with Dr. Yamadal cleaning off the black board, Devon sighed as he stood. The worry over getting the first research paper down was plain on his face. It was due next week as the Doctor had reminded the class. He had an outline but no idea how good it was. It would have helped if he knew if Yamadal was pro mutant or not.

Serena gently slid her notepad into her bag, no need for it now that the lecture was finishing. She was nearly done for the year, it felt like she'd been working non stop for months. A little break would be good for her, maybe she could catch up with a few old friends. She saw the college ones frequently enough.

She started unwrapping her headphones and pulling her bag over her shoulder. The blonde reached down and picked up her nearly empty travel cup of coffee, downing the rest of the contents. She'd had a late night writing, having another work related deadline coming up so decided that she would need a large dose of caffeine during the lecture. She knew pretty much all of the content already, but still. And as with most lectures she attended, she completely forgot about her drink as soon as she got absorbed in taking notes, thus she drank the last portion of the now luke warm beverage.

She threw the cup into a nearby bin and stretched her arms out with a yawn. She'd probably brainstorm the topic with some friends later and have the paper done in a night or two.

"Anticipating a long night?" Devon asked the woman as their professor headed out the door. The woman was a honeyed blonde with eyes that reminded him of the sky. He didn't know her name but she was usually quite attentive in class, not like some of the others busily browsing the internet on tablets or fielding text messages. Did people forget they were paying for this? Well maybe some of them weren't; maybe their parents were.

Devon sighed again. He should have tried to meet a few people sooner but that was never his forte. "I am. I jumped into these classes a bit late and I'm trying to field everything up as I've got summer classes too. Problem is," he threw his backpack over his shoulder, "I'm not a bio guy. I'm using this for my gen ed."

He rolled his eyes, shook his head, and chuckled uncomfortably. "Sorry, I'm Devon."

The girl shook her head and smiled. "Just coming off of one is all, though I might just get this essay done tonight." She admitted. It wasn't terribly hard if you knew what you were doing, and it would free up more time for her to do some more novel work before her editor got on her case about deadlines. She seemed to be quite pushed for them recently.

She smiled sympathetically at the man. "I can imagine you must have been struggling quite a bit then." She responded softly. The blonde chuckled. "Oh lord, that's even worse. You certainly picked a complex subject for that." She really wasn't one to talk, she was taking modules on everything from genetics to literature this year, the University hadn't really argued with her grades though.

Serena held out her hand to shake his. He seemed to be friendly enough, though she had pretty much hit her quota for her ability to socialise with new people this year, she had so much work to make it through she barely had time. Still, no point in being rude. "It's a pleasure to meet you Devon, I'm Serena." she responded in her gentle English accent.

"Was there any particular reason you chose this subject then or...?" She asked out of curiosity.

Get it done tonight? He knew this girl was studios. Good for her. Devon needed that kind of influence.

Devon gently took her hand and shook it firmly but not harshly. There was an odd mix of strong but not rudely hard when shaking a woman's hand. Granted, he'd met plenty of women who could crush his hand. Devon wasn't the strongest bloke on the block after all. "Thanks Serena, yeah it's been a challenge to jump into class but it's worth it."

He grinned at her accent and trailing question before nodding. "Yeah, the idea of genetics is personally important to me." His blue eyes glanced back and forth as he hunkered down, grinning, as if divulging an epic secret. "You see," he whispered, "I'm a mutant." Quiet laughter left his lips but he continued with a jovial tone, "Honestly, not sure I would have said that openly a year ago and I'm sure some still wouldn't but I'm pretty proud. I think we have to be else people will never really come to embrace such among even their own families."

"I'm just wondering if Doctor Yamadal is. I'm wondering how accepting he is of mutants. I'm hoping he's fairly positive about the whole thing considering his career and academic specialties but you never know," Devon explained. "My outline is about the nature of a species to genetically mutate and evolve with lasting change due to survivability. I'm trying to keep it scientific and note the environmental stimulus, not that we know if it's really growth hormones or cell phone signals triggering it as much in people. Still, my paper will likely remark on evolution in favorable ways and I'd prefer not to remove that kind of persuasive undertone."

He sighed, "Sorry I'm running on... I enjoy talking but I don't do enough interacting. I'm also probably a little tired."

Serena smirked at the boy as he responded. He certainly seemed relatively new to all this, the way that he mentioned that he was a mutant also amused her, he did it in such a way that reminded her of a child boasting about something quietly to a friend, as if they were telling them something super awesome, that could get them into trouble if others found out.

She tilted her head with a small giggle. "Fairly recent manifestation then, I take it?" She responded. He may have just been from an environment that mutants were less accepted in, but with the X-men working out of New York city she still felt like this was one of the safer places to be one on the planet. If you were being picked on for it, there were enough people around that would rally to your defense, thankfully.

Serena smiled. The boy was cute, in the same kind of way as James. If a little nerdier in the more stereotypical studious kind of way. She was okay with that. "Don't worry about it, I used to interact with night owls all the time, so I'm fairly used to that sort of thing happening."

She smiled soothingly at the other student. "Well, I can tell you for a fact that he's an academic first. If something is interesting and unique he's very interested in it. And he also appreciates enthusiasm about a topic, if that comes across you have a better chance of getting a higher mark." She responded, not quite revealing that the reason she knew this was she was writing a dissertation on her mutation.

"Fairly recent arrival to the city," Devon clarified with a grin. Well that was embarrassing. She thought he was a total newbie! Ah well, sometimes playfulness and him didn't mesh. He didn't communicate it well enough. He was probably stressed. She didn't say anything bad after all; he needed to relax.

"Well I'm glad to hear he values the topic and a passion for it," Devon said, maintaining that grin. He wanted to come off as positive and friendly as possible when he was trying. "I've lived a hidden, private life for a while focusing a lot on me, my growth, my development but not in the community way. I'm trying to do that now and reaching out..." he glanced upward, bobbing his head from side to side, "Is part of that. Take care of yourself and then help take care of others."

"I recognized I needed to step out of my comfort zone and really embrace all I am. This paper is a part of that, hopefully translating in scientific terms what I think is important to a species and important for all of us to recognize. Let alone, think of the future implications of study."

Serena nodded in understanding. "I've lived here since I was a teenager I think, so I know the city pretty well if you've got any questions. I practically live on campus too, so if you ever get lost or need any help with stuff I'd be happy to give you a hand, I know that it can feel a little disorientating at first." she sometimes wondered why she didn't got to a different university. Hell, the girl had options. She could have even gone to Cambridge if she'd wanted, but... something about New York just drew here to stay.

A chuckle followed his response. "Well, it's certainly good that you're making an effort to reach out and learn more about community. College is a really good place to start too, have you signed up to any societies yet?" She asked with a soft smile. She knew a few friends were into video gaming and tabletop ones, she herself was on the committee for the literature society. NYU was huge, so it was pretty big.

She nodded again. "Well I can assure you that if you're thinking of writing anything mutation related, he'd be interested. Most people in the community are. I've not thought up a topic for this one yet, I'm saving my best ones for the dissertation next term." She smirked. And boy, did she have a fun topic for that one.

"Great well you can maybe teach me a bit about the subway, good holes in the wall to go too, and the right groups to look into here on campus," Devon smiled. "I'm working some temp jobs too so my free time is stretched thin, but I'd like to use it well when I've got it! Haven't signed up for any society at all really." He was quite appreciative of Serena; he'd been right to ask her about this paper.

"I'd most likely be interested in any explorer clubs, psychology since it's my major, and any lit based. I do a lot of reading. Something about hiking through a forested mountain to read for an afternoon is quite appealing to me," he chuckled. Oh to fly up that mountain, soaring over the tree tops...

"But I'm glad you think he'll be into my paper. What's your dissertation on if I may ask?"

Serena let out a long and hearty giggle at his comment. "My goodness, I can't believe I'm offering to show somebody around New York city." She smiled again and laughed. "I'm sorry, it just feels like such a short time ago that everything here was Alien to me and I was just a teenager." She added with a soft smile. Serena had been thinking about the past, her past, a whole lot recently. She'd been thinking of family, her family at the mansion, her power and her friends.

She nodded gently. "I'd be happy to introduce you to the literature society, I'm on the committee." She didn't mention that a published Author was pretty much a free way onto the committee, especially if the people on it already liked your writing. She smiled to herself as well. "There are all kinds of fun movie ones too. I hear there is even one for cheesy B movies, I need to check that out at some point." She admitted.

She gave the man a slightly lopsided smile. "Well, obviously I've not actually started drafting it out yet, just very rough planning and conversation with the lecturers about topics..." She paused before going on. "But right now the focus is on how different human's bodies react differently to properties of blood, transfusions and blood borne diseases." She smiled, knowingly. "And obviously mutations come into this." She added.

Devon's brow knit together in confusion when she laughed, but then she clarified. He figured most New Yorkers has that feeling. Everything was huge and confusing, then suddenly they knew up and down the town. The grid based pattern of streets and labeled boroughs along with the subway stops certainly helped. Devon was getting the hang of it.

"I'd love to get into the lit group, thanks," he smiled and nodded encouragingly. "The movie ones sound good as well, but let's start with one. I read often." He's not sure he had time for more than one society any way. He had some big plans for volunteering his time.

Her dissertation topic quickly changed the subject. It wasn't what he'd expected, even a little creepy but some of those sciences would seem that way. Not many bragged for working on cadavers in a morgue doing autopsies for example. The interest in the affect of mutation on the results further peaked his interest anyway. There was usually an origin at such a path of thinking that followed.

"Wow, hematology? That's different, cool," Devon said with a slow, approving nod and an impressed smirk. "Clearly the genetic marker angle makes sense then. How different DNA sequences would differentiate that and of course then, various mutations. Are you hoping to simply remark on the variance of outcomes or suggest further studies for vaccines and cures?"

This girl was different and now he was wondering just how different.

Serena was happy that Devon seemed to be responding fairly well to the greeting. She thought for a moment about suggesting a Cafe they could continue the conversation at, but then mentally scolded herself as she'd just finished a cup of coffee, she didn't need to have another one this soon. She nodded to him. "They are always interested in new members, especially eager ones." She responded.

Serena pulled a mirror out of her handbag and quickly checked her hair. She'd been in a bit of a rush this morning so she'd not had time to do anything special with it. She sighed. It was fine. Replacing it she looked back up at the boy and smiled, and gestured to the exit to the classroom, beginning to walk in that direction.

Devon seemed to be fairly intelligent, that was good. Of course, most people who ended up in the higher level university classes here tended to be, but there were quite a few people who just stumbled through most of it. She gave off another genuine, laugh. "Wow, I'm impressed by your knowledge." She responded with a grin, most people really didn't understand most of this stuff, even some other genetics students struggled.

"You know that dissertation is a long process, I've not started yet either, most of it tends to be research" She winked at him. "I don't know the content until I've started the process." She teased.

"They are always interested in new members, especially eager ones." She responded.

"Great, I'll enjoy that," Devon smiled. "Thanks."

He pulled his backpack up tighter along his chest as she checked her hair before following her to the exist. He smiled and chuckled, nodding. He hadn't realized how long they'd already been standing with the classroom now completely empty.

"Wow, I'm impressed by your knowledge."

Devon grinned, not that he felt particularly intelligent. "Thanks, yeah, I mean I'd be shocked by any mutant who didn't do at least some basic level research on genetics," Tempest shrugged. "Even if I weren't a mutant between stem-cells, chemical genetic influences, and manufactured organic matter, genetics is a major scientific topic now. Mutants just make it more so."

She went on, noting quite reasonably she was still in the research phase. That made sense. He would be surprised if she didn't come to some interesting conclusions. She seemed quite smart.

"That's more than fair," he nodded as they went down the hall. "I'm going for a psychology degree, and I want to help mutants come to terms with their abilities. More than that though, after some of the abuses and other difficulties at home, mutants need someone to talk to. It's just one idea for practice one day soon," he nodded. "I've done some certification classes so I can lead group and individualized, though un-led therapy, where you talk things out but don't really push a treatment. Can't really come to any conclusions til you finished the research, and talking that out with a person can take quite a while."

It was always enjoyable to see when somebody was interested in something that you had a vested interest in, even more so when you had a part in organising whatever it was that had peaked a person's interest. Of course, a great many people were into writing, from various angles. But not that many had enough of an interest to donate their free time to a club about it.

She shrugged in response to Devon's comments. "You'd be surpised how many of them can be a bit dense. They're just people after all." Serena smiled. "I'm of the opinion, that is apparently quite rare that mutants and humans aren't really all that different." She winked. It was true. 100 years ago somebody would be freaked out by an albino, but now it was mutants that were the issue.

She smiled broadly at him as the two of them exited the lecture theater, tilting her head and listening. "Well that's actually quite wonderful, there need to be more people who are placed in situations to deal with sensitive people." She smiled. "I think that mutant psychiatrists, and also probably those trained to deal with children who have learning difficulties would be a very good thing indeed." She added softly.

"Everyone's different," Devon said, "And a few matters of genetics shouldn't separate people. Yet, it causes fear, hatred... People will learn in time and I just hope it doesn't take too long to get them there." He nodded decidedly.

He nodded as Serena spoke, walking after her, down stairs, and out into fresh air. It was about as fresh as you got in New York City, especially having the joy of some green spaces around the NYU campus. "I agree with you there," Devon nodded. "I'm not going the psychiatrist route though I don't disagree they're needed. I'm just more the approach the behavior, help the person. Psychiatrists can be a bit too drug-focused," he shrugged.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out to glance at the message and time, "Ah seems I should be going. Can I get your number, do you mind?"