Chris walked down the long narrow lonely road that led to the mansion. He carried everything that he needed in a large duffel bag that he'd managed to buy from a military base. Chris didn't have many belongings that he couldn't carry with him. He'd spent a long time figuring out what he could take and what he could leave behind. It was a nice sunny day, with a cool breeze penetrating the heat and keeping it cool enough that one wouldn't break a sweat. It was a nice enough day that Fission even noticed it. He enjoyed the isolation. With it he knew that no one could be hurt by him. Chris would have enjoyed the sounds of the birds chirping and flying around, or the the rabbits and other animals scurrying around, or even the way the trees swayed this way and that way without a care in the world, if he wasn't so nervous.

However much the walk towards the mansion calmed him down the thought of being around people everyday kept his nerves on edge. Fission came around the corner and saw the gates to the mansion. He stopped, dead in his tracks, at the sight. The gates themselves were huge and well built, like they were from a castle. After about a minute of talking to himself, trying to encourage himself to go there. He wasn't sure where he would go if the people here didn't accept him. He'd been rejected from every other place that he'd tried to stay at. Finally a nice person suggested that he try the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. The women who'd suggested it said that she went there when she was younger and it helped her. So here was Chris standing far enough away to see the gate at a distance but close enough that he wasn't sure if there was any turning back now that he was here.

Fission took a few steps slowly at first, his nervousness holding him back. Then he started walking at his original speed. He was getting more and more nervous with every step he took closer to the mansion. Chris finally got a view of the mansion. It was enormous, grand, and even elegant looking, like he'd come to someone's house by mistake. Chris was about to turn around when he saw a placard on the bricks that said 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters'. "Well this must be the place." He said to himself as he walked around the gate looking for a door or something to let him in. Finally Chris saw an intercom and pressed the button. It gave an audible, 'buzz' and Chris wondered if anyone was home. Fission spoke into the intercom, saying a bit nervously,"New student. I...I think." He took the bag off his back and set it down, leaning it against the gate and pacing back and forth, waiting for someone to arrive at the gate and let him in.

Neena walked around the Danger Room, collecting the discarded bo staffs from a class dismissed moments ago. She was replacing the weapons in their locker when her phone buzzed on her hip, announcing someone at the gates.

"Be right there." She spoke into the phone held in one hand, while the other kept the wooden bos from falling, then used her hip to bump the locker door closed. A number of clatters from the other side indicated a mess-in-waiting for whoever opened that locker next.

Then she slipped on her sunglasses and headed outside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neena approached the gates at a jog, pausing just before reaching them to catch her breath. She smiled at the youth on the other side, and waved.

"Sorry!" she apologized. "Just finished a class. Gimme a sec!"

She inhaled deeply to replenish her oxygen supply, and let it out slowly. Straightening, she walked the last few paces to the gate.

"How can I help you, m'friend?" she asked with a smile.

Chris waited, very nervously, for someone to arrive. He stared through the gate looking across the grounds looking for people on the other side. It didn't seem like a very active day for a school. The intercom buzzed to life with a female voice on the other end. He felt a little more nervous now that he knew there was someone actually there. After a while a dark skinned women appeared from the mansion. She seemed to be running towards the gates, until she got closer when she slowed down.

"How can I help you, m'friend?" The women with sunglasses said to him.

"I heard this was a place to train mutants. Am I right?" Chris asked her. He worried about her reaction. What if this school doesn't accept dangerous and uncontrollable mutants like me? he thought. A little more confidently he said to her, "I just want to get better control over my powers. Can y'all help me?" He picked up his duffle bag and waited for her reply expectantly.

The youth seemed quite nervous as he asked, "I heard this was a place to train mutants. Am I right?"

Neena lifted her glasses for a moment, squinting in the sun.

"I just want to get better control over my powers. Can y'all help me?"

"We can certainly try. Though I suppose it really depends on your mutation."

She punched in the security code to unlock the gates, which swung silently open. Smiling, she held out her hand to shake.

"I'm Neena. And you are....?" Her eyebrows rose slightly and she tilted her head forward, in an invitation for him to finish her inquiry.

"We can certainly try. Though I suppose it really depends on your mutation."
"I'm Neena. And you are....?"

"Oh, right. I'm Chris. Or Fission I guess some might call me." He shook her hand quickly before letting go and returning it back to hand by his side. "All I can ask is that we all try." Chris walked through the gate and stood next to Neena with his bag in his hand. He wasn't sure what she wanted to know about his mutation, since he didn't know much about it himself. "What do ya want to know? I'll tell you what I can but I don't know hardly anything about it." Chris said to her, waiting for her to lead the way up to the mansion.

"Nice to meetcha, Chris-or-Fission." Neena took note of the quick-release handshake.

"All I can ask is that we all try. What do ya want to know? I'll tell you what I can but I don't know hardly anything about it."

"Then let's start with what you do know. Beginnings are always good starting places." She smiled at him in an attempt to put him at ease.

Although she had her breath back now, she set a somewhat slower pace across the lawn, and toward the front door. This was, by far, her favorite part of her job at the Mansion; meeting and greeting new people and learning about their various 'gifts'. Maybe she was simply nosy by nature.

((Hope it's alright that I joined. If not, just let me know.))

Gargoyle sat above the entrance to the Mansion watching over the yard since before the sun had risen. He had lost track of time easily, as he did often when he was alone. As his gaze crossed over the gates, he noticed someone pacing back and forth. 'How long has he been there?' He asked himself. 'Maybe he wants to come in..Is he allowed to? Should I let him in?'

Before he could decide what to do, Neena had come rushing out of the Mansion from the doors below him. He moved his eyes and head to follow the woman. His movements were so slight and slow that if anyone would have been watching him, they would have been second guessing themselves if he had actually moved. His brow furrowed slightly as he watched the scene unfold, unsure if everything was okay and what he should do. When Neena stopped suddenly before she reached the gates, Jeramya tensed slightly, leaning forward over the ledge just slightly. 'Patience.' He had to remind himself that things can easily be different than what he perceives. 'Just watch...'

As soon as Neena opened the gates and let the man in, Jeramya relaxed and settled back in place, glad that things seemed fine and that he had not acted rashly. Neena and the man spoke to eachother shortly, and were heading towards him slowly. When they got within 15ft of him, he 'walked' himself head first down towards the ground. He grabbed hold of the underside of his perch and swung his legs over the edge until they touched the ground. When they did, he released his grip and crouched on the ground. While the way he crouched may have seemed odd to some, he felt the most balanced and comfortable in the position.

He tried to smile as friendly and disarmingly as he could manage, considering his physical appearance. Some people didn't take to well to a walking, talking, breathing Gargoyle, the large horns and wings, not to mention his dry, stone-looking skin. "Good morning Neena." He waved to the woman. After doing so, he made it a point to look the man in the eyes. "Hello there. Come to take a tour of the school?" His head was tilted just slightly at an angel, similar to the way a bird turns their head.

(ooc: It's fine Gargoyle.)

"Then let's start with what you do know. Beginnings are always good starting places." Chris noticed her air of lightness and yet caring about her that seemed to relax him if only a little. She probably wont be so happy and carefree once she finds out what your powers are... Shut up. I at least want to give this a try first. A tiny voice in his head was saying to him. As he reprimanded the voice for being so pessimistic.

He then explained from the beginning what happened, trying to not skip any detail. "Well, I only found out I was a mutant about a year or so ago." He took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He hadn't told anyone what had happened that night, not even the doctors that examined him or his parents. "It all started about a week before my birthday." He smiled a bit because it sounded like there should be flash back music going a long with his story. "During that week I was feeling very stressed because of a major gymnastics tournament that was occurring that weekend. You've heard the story. Big college recruiters, perhaps even a few Olympic athletes and scouts there. Ya know it was the big leagues. And this determined who offered what and yadda, yadda yadda." He felt he was getting a little off topic so he went back on track, "Anyways, needless to say, I was having a hard time eating, sleeping and focusing on school work because all I could think about was the competition coming up. Well, after a while of stressing I started feeling sick."

"I just assumed it was some bug. Well we celebrated my birthday with a few close friends from the gym and school. I was feeling pretty good the entire day, so we had the party.. Anyways long story short." To late. the nagging voice in his head said to him, "I didn't feel well after the party, people went home and while I was home alone, My body set off a nuclear explosion that killed everyone in the neighborhood. All I know is that I can control radiation, and apparently if under enough stress can cause a nuclear explosion." He stopped talking for a second. It felt good to get this off his chest and tell someone that could hopefully not only help but relate to his story in one way or another.

Just then another person, if you could call him that appeared from out of no where. He looked like a gargoyle that you see on old churches or scary buildings. However this one could walk and talk to people. It had to be a mutant.

"Good morning Neena."
"Hello there. Come to take a tour of the school?"

"Uh... Uh.." Fission popped out of his dumbfounded stare, "Hi. Ya, I uh...I think so." After telling Neena his story he wasn't sure she would want him around the mansion in case he exploded again or something like that.

(OOC: Welcome aboard.

Neena listened to Chris's story, nodding and "Uh huh"ing at appropriate intervals. When he reached the nuclear explosion, she tilted her head to look at him over her glasses. Seeing his unease, she held back making a quip about a new meaning for 'bug bomb'.

"All I know is that I can control radiation, and apparently if under enough stress can cause a nuclear explosion."

"Hmm, interesting. So then, my next question is, how easily do you get stressed?" she asked nonchalantly, but it raised a valid concern.

"Good morning Neena."

She glanced up as they approached the school, to see what appeared to be a stone statue walking down the wall. She grinned.

"Morning Jeramya."

"Hello there. Come to take a tour of the school?"

"Uh... Uh.. Hi. Ya, I uh...I think so."

Neena attempted not to chuckle at the teen's surprise. Naturally it didn't bother her any, but she guessed that the stone mutant's grin could appear rather unsettling to the normal person.

"Chris, this is Jeramya, our resident gargoyle. Jer, this is Chris, a possible resident and... student?" Her sentence ended in a question, as she wasn't sure if he intended on taking classes, or simply needed a place to stay for awhile.

Not knowing what their conversation had been up until he said hello, Jeramya thought the man's hesitation was because of him. Not one to take it personally, he knew how he appeared to others, Jeramya paused only for a moment before he took the appearance of a farmer. He smiled, the first person to see this form was Neena. A straw-like hat sat apon his head, a pipe in his mouth, loose looking pants, and a very think shirt with a V-neck down to his sternum. "I hope I didn't startle you too much Chris." Jeramya held his hand out towards the man. "I highly recomend a tour. It's a beautiful place, calm and peaceful. Well outside at least." He winked at both of them. Turning his head to look up at the roof. "I spend most of my time up there. Great view." A simple smile never left his face.

"Hmm, interesting. So then, my next question is, how easily do you get stressed?" Neena asked Chris as he finished his story. Once he had gotten over the shock he listened to her question that Neena had posed to him.

"Well, because of gymnastics I can handle lots of stress very well. I've had lots of time to think about it and the thought occurred to me that what happened could have had nothing to do with competition or stress in general. So, I guess what I'm saying is that I have no idea what caused it and I have no clue what may trigger it again. I came here because I hoped y'all could help me get a better understanding of my powers." Once he'd answered Neena he turned to Jeramya. Chris was a little taken aback by a moving and talking Gargoyle, but after listening to him he was pretty sure that Jeramya was a good person and friendly enough.

"I hope I didn't startle you too much Chris." Jeramya held his hand out towards the man. "I highly recomend a tour. It's a beautiful place, calm and peaceful. Well outside at least." He winked at both of them. Turning his head to look up at the roof. "I spend most of my time up there. Great view."

"No you didn't really startle me, it was more the fact that a talking gargoyle popped out of no where. It was very different and caught me off guard." Chris quickly shook Jeramya's hand, letting go as quickly as he did when he shook Neena's hand. "Thanks I'll keep that in mind." Fission actually smiled a little at the comment. When Jeramya looked up to the roof Fission followed him quickly glancing up there. He then turned back to Neena and said, "That is if Neena, will allow it." He still wasn't sure if his powers were to dangerous for him to live there. It wouldn't have been surprising to him if she turned him away, it wouldn't have been the first time and probably not the last.

Neena resisted the urge to find Jeramya a pitchfork to hold as he morphed into a farmer statue.

She listened once more to Chris's reply, sticking her pinkie nail between her teeth when he claimed he didn't know what could set him off again. That could be a problem. She'd need to see if the DocProf could take a look at him. She wasn't sure if it would help, but it was the first option that came to mind.

"I highly recommend a tour," Jeramya remarked. It's a beautiful place, calm and peaceful. Well outside at least. I spend most of my time up there. Great view."

One corner of Neena's mouth curled upward. "Indeed. Best place on the entire property."

"Thanks I'll keep that in mind. That is if Neena, will allow it."

The dark-skinned teacher took her nail out of her mouth to reply.

"Well, we'll have to get the DocProf to give you a once over, at the very least. We definitely don't want you to get sick again, just in case." She smiled at him in a reassuring manner.

"Tell me, have there been any other explosions since that first? Or anything else odd?" She asked the question so matter-of-factly, they could have been discussing the common cold rather than a life-threatening bomb.

"Tell me, have there been any other explosions since that first? Or anything else odd?"

Chris answered Neena's last question first. He thought it would be more important. "No. I haven't had any more explosions since then. So what I've also thought is that it was a catalyst for my mutant gene to kick in. I've been to afraid of what could happen with my powers to really know what I can do, what all my powers entail, or even the how far I can push my powers."

"Well, we'll have to get the DocProf to give you a once over, at the very least. We definitely don't want you to get sick again, just in case."

After a while he returned to Neena's first statement. "I don't think that I will get set off again but I'll do whatever you need done to make sure that people will be safe. If you need me to go see this DocProf to make sure that Everything will be okay then I'll do that." He was definitely surprised at how calmly Neena was being about the whole thing. Especially since they were discussing his unknown explosive nature.

Jeramya stood silently listening as Neena asked Chris questions and he answered. His reason for not speaking was two fold: 1) He didn't want to interrupt what seemed to be quite important, 2) He had no idea how Chris could 'explode', or how he would. He did realize that it was something not to be taken lightly though.

"I don't quite understand what you mean by explosions, but," He smiled an innocent, ignorant smile, "I hope the DocProf says everything is okay. You seem okay to me." Jeramya relaxed his posture, seeming to lean against an invisible pillar as he took the pipe from his mouth. Even if DocProf didn't give Chris a green light, Jeramya had a feeling Neena and the others at the Mansion wouldn't turn him away just for that. While he was thinking he had been looking at Neena, wondering if he was right. He wanted to say his thoughts to Chris, but he knew better than to give someone hope before knowing all the possibilities.

"No. I haven't had any more explosions since then.”

Neena nodded once. ”That’s a comfort.”

” So what I've also thought is that it was a catalyst for my mutant gene to kick in. I've been to afraid of what could happen with my powers to really know what I can do, what all my powers entail, or even the how far I can push my powers."

She tilted her head as he paused, and seemed to consider how to answer her first statement.

"I don't think that I will get set off again but I'll do whatever you need done to make sure that people will be safe. If you need me to go see this DocProf to make sure that Everything will be okay then I'll do that."

”Good call, kiddo.” She smiled, and reached out to clap him on the shoulder. ”It won’t take but a moment, and hopefully will put your mind at ease at the same time.”

"I don't quite understand what you mean by explosions, but I hope the DocProf says everything is okay. You seem okay to me."

Neena chuckled at Jeramya’s confident expression. She guessed that between the two of them and their easy-going acceptance, Chris might be fairly confused by then. It wasn’t that Neena took the situation lightly; quite the contrary actually. However the fact of the matter was, should he explode right then and there, or even start to ‘charge up’, there was precious little to be done in time. So, in the meantime, best to let the local medic have a look.

”Best we get it done quickly then, kiddo. C’mon, I’ll give you a tour along the way.” Neena motioned inside, and lead the way in.