Alexandra put down the last of her luggage and turned back to the cab driver. She pulled out her wallet and paid him. She looked at the mansion, trying to look impressed. She wasn't but she was a damn good actress when she wanted. She heard the engine of the cab starting and threw a brief look at the car.

Slate threw her in business right after the training session. A mission to spy on the X-Men. She was anxious to start. A part of her was curious. How could these people think that mutants and humans could leave in peaceful coexistence? She sighed. Shouldn't someone come and greet her? All the fame they had and they lacked the hospitality.

It’s the eye of the tiger; it’s the thrill of the fight. Rising up to the challenge of our lives… And right now for Shin, that challenge was outracing Sam on a loop around the mansion. His feet pounded down on the melting snow, arms swinging into a full run. He glanced back at Sam, who was lagging ever-so-slightly behind him. The man seemed to be wearing a heavy backpack and ankle weights…

“That new training… must be paying off. Maybe some time, I’ll have to try weighted clothing. I can be like Goku.” He bit back a laugh as hit foot sloshed a pile of snow. They were nearing the mansion gates, when he saw her.

“Hmm?” Her bags sat near her on the ground, and a cab driver waited patiently as she dished out dollars. Shin slowed down to a jog as he approached her, shooting Sam a look that spelled possibilities.

“Greetings,” He smiled at the pretty girl, standing before her in his red and white track suit and white tennis shoes. “You need any help with those bags?”

Getting tired faster than usual was expected he was after all running with a hundred and twenty pounds of extra weight on his body, each one of the ankle weights were ten ponds each and made Sam feel like his legs were slow and made it seam he was moving a lot slower then he actually was. The weighted vest on the other hand made his posture slouch over a bit as he felt his lungs being constricted. It was a good feeling however and seeing how he was halfway through his first training session with Shin he didn’t really show how tired he was feeling in fact he acted quite cheerful.

“That new training… must be paying off. Maybe some time, I’ll have to try weighted clothing. I can be like Goku.”

‘Who the hell is go-ku?’ wondered Sam as he was looking at the back of Shin’s head trying to keep pace with the fast running razor sharp barrier manipulator. Sam looked down at the melted snow that seemed to splatter all about when his heavy weighted down legs fell down upon it. He could easily stop it but he decided that during this new training there was going to be no powers involved.

Sam noticed that instead of heading back to the mansion Shin made a beeline for the main gates. After a second Sam figured out what he was grinning about, she was a pretty girl. ‘All yours Shin’ Sam thought to himself wondering what kind of game Shin had.

“Greetings,” “You need any help with those bags?”

Sam noticed that despite the weather Sam always seemed to be inappropriately dressed whenever there was a cute girl that would show to the mansion, with Arielle he was shirtless just like he was now.

Sam wore running shoes black basketball shorts and his weighted down vest that had Velcro pockets that kept the sand in the vest, and nothing under it revealing some of his stomach and his muscles which looked bigger then they actually were to compensate for all the extra weight he was caring, “Welcome to Mutant Manor!” said Sam with a smile then added, “How can I help you…Miss…”

Circe still wondered where all the X-Men where when she saw two guys running around the mansion. Alexandra smiled as she saw that they were coming in her dirrection. One was asian, dressed in a white and red suit, the other, just in pants and a strange looking vest. As he approached, she saw that it was a weighted vest. Mhmmm... Show off. His face seemed so familiar but she couldn't remember where she had seen this man before. Until it hit her in the head. The guy that was left behind when she escaped with Slade. Damn. So this is where he got to... She wondered if he would recognized her but hoped he won't. It was much better for her cover.

She put on her goofiest face possible and smiled as the boys approached her.
"Greetings, you need any help with those bags?” the asian guy asked, a friendly smile on his face.
"Welcome to Mutant Manor!” said the other. “How can I help you…Miss…”

"Oh, hi! Thanks. I'm Alexandra Kettler, newest student of the Mutant Manor it seems." she said in a convincing tone as she looked around with that 'fear of being in a new place' face.

"And, yeah, some help with the bags would be really appreaciated." She continued, looking briefly at the huge amount of luggage she had brought with her. Her eyes returned to the two boys as she shrugged.

"But first I would like to know your names." she spoke her eyebrow rising. Slate forgot to mention that the Mansion had cute boys. She laughed in her mind at her thought. Like Slate would mention that in a mission briefing. Heh, who said she couldn't have her fun while on mission?

“This is Sam,” the Asian smiled, waving a sweeping hand gesture towards Sam, then pointing to himself. “And I’m Shin, honorary mansion greeter for the day, tasked with the job of getting the newest student of the mutant manor settled in, although it isn’t much of a task~” He grinned, stepping forward to grab a bag in each hand. Shin turned his head back to Sam, nodding towards the other bags. “Be my guest.”

“So, Alex. Tell us about yourself while we walk. Where are you from?”

If it weren’t for the weights, which entrapped his torso Sam would have let out a laugh at the eagerness, he felt from Shin. ‘Got pep give him that’ thought Sam as he waved to Alexandra when his name was mentioned by Shin. Sam also neglected to mention that he held the title of greeter and decided he wanted to see how well Shin was at this, if he was as good as he started off it might be an actual title waiting for him in the near feature.

Sam just waited till Alexandra and Shin passed him before he would follow. ‘Cute’ was one word that could describe her looks the next one would be… well Sam couldn’t place the word but he had a certain amount of déjà vu when he looked at her, her face had been familiar but he was sure he never met here before…

Snapping his finger Sam let out a small ‘ahh’ sound, “Tell me Alex have you ever fought a stalker robot before? Or ever had a run in with one?” he was sure Alexandra was one of the mutants that was there when him and the shadowed mutant that works for the order took down one of the stalker bots.

“This is Sam,” the Asian guy stated as he gestured toward the other guy. Sam waved at her and Alexandra returned the gesture, accompanied by a smile. Then she looked back at the other boy. “And I’m Shin, honorary mansion greeter for the day, tasked with the job of getting the newest student of the mutant manor settled in, although it isn’t much of a task.”

Alexandra smiled again and nodded. Shin took two of her bags and then looking at Sam gestured toward the others. “Be my guest.” he spoke then looked back at Alexandra.

“So, Alex. Tell us about yourself while we walk. Where are you from?”

Sam took the rest of her luggage and they began to walk towards the mansion. She was about to answer Shin's question when Sam spoke.

“Tell me Alex have you ever fought a stalker robot before? Or ever had a run in with one?”

Alexandra froze for less than a second but luckily, none of them could see her. Damn. She turned back to Sam with a confused face then blinked rapidly, just like she had remembered him in that moment.

"Oh, I know you now!" she exclaimed. "You are the hero guy I told to run and didn't. God, those were horrible moments. I thought I'll die that day. That was the day when I arrived to America from my home country to escape the Registration Act. Who could have imagined that I'd run in that creepy thing?" Alexandra rolled her eyes, like she was living again that terrifying experience. "Can't say I wanna go trough that again." She looked at Sam with a brief smirk. "Never thought that I'll run into you here. I felt bad that the car mutant didn't wait for you and the other guy to jump in. " She paused for a second and took a deep breath for the dramatic effects. "But I'm glad I ran into somehow a familiar face now."

She knew she sounded sincere. Lying...oh well, she spent a whole life pretending to be what her parents wanted her to be. Who said she couldn't do it now as well?

Alexandra preffered not to mention Slade's name in her babbling. It was better for her cover to pretend she didn't know anyone in New York. The backgound she was about to tell to the X-Men was good. Too damn good. And it was because it represented her real life story. She wasn't lying the X-Men. She was just hiding the fact she was working for the Kabal from the first day she got to America.

Shin raised his eyes at Sam’s question. Giant… robots…? Was it a Gundam? His heart skipped a beat compensating for the thought. Alexandra hastily answered Sam’s question, though. So they knew each other, if vaguely? Hmm… “So you know each other? That’s nice.” Shin smiled, dismissing his suspicions at a wave. He glanced at Sam hoping that was good enough for the ice mutant too.

“And you moved from your home country? Mind if I ask where that is?” Not that he couldn’t see the European heritage in her face. He just wanted confirmation.

Picking up Alexandra’s bags Sam let out a small grunt as he felt the extra weight from the bags add on to the weight that was already on his body. ‘what the hell are in these?’ Sam thought as he put on a fake smile and trailed after Shin and Alexandra.

Letting out a small and pained laugh from the weight Sam said, “Well me and the shadow guy both turned out fine, glad you and that car thing made it out okay, “ shooting her a involuntary wink Sam just said, “Sorry if I made you worry, have a hero complex.”

Trying to play off that Sam didn’t wink he just looked down at the ground and thought, ‘really bad habit to have…’ he was of course regarding the wink. Sam then waited to hear Alexandra’s response to Shin’s question trying to remind himself that he wanted to see how Shin would run the introduction.

“So you know each other? That’s nice.” Shin said looking at her then at Sam. You can say that. Fighting Stalkers was a really great way to meet people and make friends. While trying to save your behind you could chat about what you've been doing lately, love life or anything else you can come up with. Much more interesting than a cafe. Alexandra smiled at her thought.

“And you moved from your home country? Mind if I ask where that is?”

Shin's question brought her back from her own dreamy land to the reality. Mansion. X-Men. Mission.

Her eyes turned to Sam and wondered if he could manage to get to the mansion with her luggage added to his own weights. He seemed fine, a smile plastered on his face. Unless ice powers gave him some super strength she doubted that he was doing that fine. Well, you had to pick those bags. Sam let out a small forced laugh, as he answered her own question.

“Well me and the shadow guy both turned out fine, glad you and that car thing made it out okay." He winked at her then added. “Sorry if I made you worry, have a hero complex.” He then looked down at the ground, pretending that he didn't do it.

Alexandra let out a small laugh. She wished she could fake a blush right now. Sure, from what she was seeing now the guys in the mansion were pretty but she wasn't here to make friends... or boyfriends. But a small flirt never hurt anyone.

"Maybe one day I'll need a hero." she said with a smile. One of her charming smiles. She then returned to Shin, just like nothing happened and answered his question.

"Oh, I'm from Romania, Shin. European girl all the way." she stated with a smile. "So, guys, tell me about what am I going to do here? I really don't have a clue. I had this friend of mine, Julie, who convinced me to come here. I stayed at her place all this time and since the Regitration Act ended she's been trying to convince me to apply here. Tell you a secret," she spoke, her voice lowering while looking at both of them for few moments "I was scared. Registration Act left really big scars."

Alexandra stopped from her talking and waited for one of the boys to answer her question. She was actually interested in that answer. She's been briefed about background, name, mission but no one mentioned how things will go on around here. Probably for the authenticity of her actions and speeches. She sighed. Life never got too boring for a mutant.

“Ah, I had a feeling you were from Europe.” Shin smiled. His smile fell a bit at the mentioning of the Registration Act. That was a sore topic for most of the students at the mansion. “As for what you’ll be doing here,” his voice replied with a restrained tone. “It’s a school. We have teachers, and if you want to take a class or two that’s fine. Otherwise, it’s just a nice place for mutants to live peacefully. Kind of like an outreach program. We’re here to help you if you need it. If dealing with powers is an issue, we can teach you control. But really,” he brought back up that cheery tone and smile. “It’s just a nice place with a friendly face.”

And of course, if she wanted to join the X-men as a trainee, there was that… but he felt like what he’d given her was enough for now. She’d probably find out about that side of the mansion soon enough. To mention it now might be overkill. Shin shot a grin at Cold Steel. “Anything I’ve neglected to mention, Sam?”

Sam nodded to Shin who gave a grin, “Almost perfect Shin you forgot to mention one thing,” turning to Alexandra Sam said, “There is a bit of paper work that we need you to fill out before you are consider an actual resident, mainly asking for name, D.O.B., Allergies and of course your mutation, you know things that we need to watch out for and help you with if you need the help.” Opening the front Door to the mansion Sam set turned a corner and headed for his office, “And the my office along with the paper work is this way.”

Upon entering his office Sam placed Alexandra’s bag off to the side by the entrance as he began to unfasten his weighted vest. Holding it in one hand now Sam tossed it over behind his desk and let it fall with a loud thud. He walked over to his big leather chair and sat in it facing the two chairs in front of them, one was for shin one was for Alexandra.

Opening a drawer Sam pulled a shirt and a folder with some papers on it, he passed it forward and then put the shirt on, after the folder was passed out and the shirt was on Sam undid his ankle weights and let those fall with a loud thud each.

“Ah, I had a feeling you were from Europe.” Shin confessed with a smile, then proceeded to explain what was the mansion about. Circe listened quietly but couldn't help to nottice that the X-Men part was't mentioned. Ah, secrets make the world go round.

"It’s just a nice place with a friendly face.” Shin concluded as they got to the mansion. He then looked at Sam and grinned.
“Anything I’ve neglected to mention, Sam?”

“Almost perfect Shin you forgot to mention one thing,” Sam replied with a nod and turned at Alexandra to tell her about the paper work she needed to do to actually become a mansion resident. He opened the front door and entered. And the my office along with the paper work is this way.”

Alexandra followed Sam, her eyes checking her surroundings while being leaded to his office. It didn't take long and they found themselves in Sam's office. As Shin and Sam were leaving her bags next to the door, Alexandra proceeded to take a seat on one of the two chairs placed in front of the desk and waited for the papers to be handed to her.

Sam took off his vest and sat in the chair in front of her. He got a folder from one of his drawer and handed to her.
Her attention focused on on the papers in front of her. She checked the desk for a pen with a quick look and got one. She wrote down her name, her birth date, birth place, the usual information found on a form. As she got to the mutant power field she decided to play the stupid. Raising her head she looked at Sam with a confused face.

"How do you call my power?" she asked chewing on the end of the pen. "You know, I can change the form an object, things like that."
Blinking rapidly she turned to Shin, then back to Sam, waiting for an answer.
Molecular manipulation. Only God knew how many times she had said these two words. But Alexandra Kettler was supposed to be a mutant scared of her powers.

Shin took his seat after setting down the bags, picking up a pen from the desk. As he waited, he clicked it patiently, depressing the plunger every ten seconds. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.

"How do you call my power?” Alexandra asked. "You know, I can change the form an object, things like that." She blinked back and forth between the two of them, gnawing on the pen’s end like a beaver would a log. Shin paused his clicking to tap the pen on the side of the desk and think.

“Hmm… maybe molecular manipulation? Or maybe we could call it ‘transcendental transformation’ of an item.” Yeah. That last one was good. He patted himself on the back over that one.

Sam was about to answer Alexandra’s question when Shin beat him to it again, “Well I was going to mention Alchemy, but Shin I think I like your description better.” Giving Shin a small nod Sam moved his weights that were now under him off to the side behind him where the vest was. He had seen what the students called Alchemy and he liked it, in fact the frames that built the hidden section of the office.

Looking back to Alexandra he said, “Well if you don’t mind I would like to see what exactly you could do, not here however, new office and all…” Grinning Sam motioned to his bookcases, “We have a controlled environment where we can see what you can do, so after your done with the work we can find you a room for your bags and then we can see what you can do?” asked Sam but the way he phrased it, it was more of a rhetorical question, he needed to see what she could do for the safety of the mansion.