Five minutes that was how long he would wait for them, the P.A. called his three students two newer and one far more practiced than the others. He looked at his phone and eyed the numbers and put it away, they still had five minutes. The clock however was ticking, he also made a call to the students three and sent out a text both expressing the urgency of them getting to the danger room. He smirked at the thought of the students three to pass the test, he had the utmost confidence in them they were after all his students so they should be able to handle the test with ease as long as they worked with each other.

It was a test of more than just physical competency any grunt could throw a punch or fire a gun, no this test was far more challenging, it would not only test their physical proficiency but it was to test their mental, willpower, and moral competence. It was a test to see if they were X material, it was a test to see if they had what it takes.

Sam already knew however the outcome of the test, if they applied themselves worked together and stuck to their strengths he had no doubt in his mind that they would make fine new recruits. Young a few of them might be but it was never too early to prepare them for the future, which was why he also sent out one more phone call to the students three. Another future prospect of his should be on her way as well though she wouldn’t be participating with the others. She was there to be more of a spectator more than anything, which was why he told her to go to the God Room instead of the danger room its self.

He told her not to let anyone know where she was going or not to be followed it was part of the test for the others. He didn’t want any outside distractions to prevent the students three from giving it they’re all.

His eye looked through the darkness of the danger room to where the door was it was hidden in the blackness of the room but he knew he would be notified when the students three entered. The light would cut through the darkness and their figures would not only be seen but felt as well for his newest ability was activated. It was a habit he had developed as of late when his sense of sight was hindered even more than it already was his mutation would compensate for it by lowering the temperature of the room. It was something he could easily correct but didn’t not yet anyway.

To those entering the danger room they too would see darkness except for the illumined center where Sam was standing with three chairs in front of him. The middle one was slightly in front of the others and they all faced Sam when his students three would enter he would direct them accordingly to where their respected seat would be. The seats like the test had meaning, the middle one was there to show that one would lead the other two. Now all he had to do was wait for his students three before explaining the rules and joining his newest prospect to watch the test unfold.

Maya merged out of a mirror and skidded to a halt on the hallway to the Danger Room. She had tried for reflecting surfaces inside, but there were none. Seemed like Sam had something special in mind this time, something that required her to enter the room the old-fashioned way.
Maya just really hoped she wasn't late.

She wasn't.
In fact, she was the first to arrive (three chairs huh), and from what she saw when she entered she could tell why Sam didn't let her arrive through a mirror. Theatrics. Maya smirked as she walked in and looked at the chairs, then back at Sam.

This could only mean one thing.
It was finally time for the tryouts.

For a moment Maya wondered if Sam put the tryouts on a Maya day on purpose just to mess with her.
Maybe he didn't. Maybe he wanted her to be Maya for some other reason.
...
No. He was probably just messing with her.

She also wondered who the other two chairs were for.

"Pop quiz?" she grinned, walking closer "I hope ya invited some good company."

Maya was wearing black pants and a black tank top, and since her hair got longer in the past months she decided to keep it out of her face with a bandana. She walked up to Sam, arms folded over her chest. It was not an agressive gesture. She had to admit she liked Sam; he was a good teacher, and just crazy enough to gain her respect.

Whatever he had planned for them (and whoever them was), she was sure it was going to be fun.

Koga was ignoring his phone, he was studying and he had it on silent. but when the little color changing light blinked for the third time in two minutes, he caved and looked at his messages, that was all it took for him at least. combined with who the message was from, he was up and running. Danger room now.

Today was the day!!! He ran fast as he could in what he had on, a bright blue pair of tie pants and his hair was pulled back with a white but simple head band. He managed to grab a white tee, that he was pulling on as he ran. He really did need to get a hair cut. As he ran he looked at the other numbers the message went out to and grinned, between the three of them, they would knock Sam on his butt. Koga went from running on the floor to running on the ceiling where he had much more room to work with and way less traffic, there was a couple of others to watch out for but, they tended to be a bit more cautious and had a neck for getting out of his way when he was in a rush.

He made it down to the danger room and entered breathing carefully as an athlete moderating his breathing for maximum calm down time. He grinned as he saw the pair in front of him Sam looking dramatic as ever and Maya standing arms crossed in front of him defiant but agreeable all at the same time. He still had to try to get the thought that he was cute as a chick out of his head, it was just awkward. He was proud of Twyla for being able to look past something he would have trouble doing if the role was reversed and his girlfriend turned into a dude. He felt hypocritical, because he certainly didn't have any problem with homosexuality, but he found himself having trouble with what he thought he would do. oh , well as far as Gawain and Maya were concerned he doubted it ever be an issue.

He was grinning and he couldn't help it, if they told him to stop he would just have to change the color of his skin to look more serious. He hesitated at the door a moment and took a final deep breathe settling his lungs into calmness and took a much more steady stride. Koga walked up and stood to Maya's Left.

Twyla had been in her room when her tiny phone had gone off. The noise of the vibration on her desk made her jump--no one texted her, ever. With a little blundering she managed to get the darn thing opened (technology: not her strong point) and read, it was a text from Sam saying she needed to get down to the Danger Room ASAP. That was all the motivation she needed and the girl quickly spun on heel to face her chair and the things already lying in wait for her next class with the self defense teacher.

Changing and grabbing a hair tie had taken all of about two minutes and getting down to the room itself took about the same amount of time. In the elevator Twyla had started to pull her hair up into a high and tight ponytail and she was just finishing it as she stood in front of the doors. I was hoping for a day off... With a sigh the girl pushed open the door with her shoulder. Any complaints or chipper greetings died in her throat at the sight of the darkened room. Something was different in the air, maybe it was just the mood lighting, but something definitely seemed different than usual--much more serious.

She almost turned and walked out--she was unprepared for the abnormal conditions.

Brows crinkled. Sam wasn't the only occupant in the room. Dance sneaker clad feet padded quietly forward, to get a better look at the other figures in the dim light emitting from the center. Is that..? It looked like Maya, no, it definitely was Maya after Twyla took a few more steps. Maya and, some more squinting, Koga--the first student face she'd met at the Mansion. There were three chairs in the pool of light that her teacher was standing in. Slowly, brown eyes turned between the man, the boy and the girl. The blond was suddenly nervous or at least more nervous than she'd been when she initially opened the door.

"Um...?" Her nerves showed in her voice, but she walked closer to the light anyway. A hand came down to pull at the black spandies that she was wearing over her green leotard, the nerves making her self conscious. After her first experience in the Danger Room with Sam she'd decided that jeans were never a good option. Despite being less covering, her leo usually made her feel more confident--she could move in a leotard and that was a fact. Her leotard was familiar, it was tried and true no matter if her arms were bare and the spandex shorts gave minimal protection. Normally she wasn't embarrassed about it but suddenly the game had changed and she wondered if her dress was wrong for this different version of training.

Was it training?

No, the feeling in the room wasn't right--this was some kind of test, she could feel it. "Sorry if I'm late." Twyla tried her best to smile and she calmed the nerves with some breathing. Don't get worked up till you know what you're getting worked up for. Arms crossed her chest and the girl came to a halt at the edge of the light, behind Maya and Koga, jutting her hip out in a casual stance that was only a tiny bit forced. No worries.

Within seconds the students entered the room, Maya was the first to arrive. A grin on her face and absolutely no idea what was going on. He smirked and nodded in return, ”Something like that,” pause. ”Company yes, good all depends on how well you work together…” he left it at that and continued to look at Maya not really intending to plan the tryout session on a Maya day but was confident that Maya was just as capable as Gawain. Sure she lacked the natural strength a male possessed over a female but they thought the same and had the same skill, she just needed to be faster than Gawain to compensate for the lack of power. Something again he was confident in.

Next was Koga, his oldest student other than the disciple whom Sam was the most proud of. No other student showed as much commitment as Koga, he was the one who Sam had the highest hopes for. It wasn’t that he didn’t have high hopes for Gawain/Maya or Twyla it was just that Koga showed the most interest and commitment with the subject something that Sam was fond of even if he would never admit it to Koga. A teacher wasn’t supposed to deal out compliments all the time right?

A flash back lasting a moment of his days back as a child training in the mats getting thrown around till he couldn’t move any more, his body would ache until he couldn’t move, and not the good ache the bad kind that required you to see a healer and or doctor after every session. Pain, that was what he remembered the most about those days, pain and fear even if he didn’t know what it was he was feeling back then those feelings were what he associated his memories with. The kids now a days had it easy…

He blinked when he heard the door open and close again, Twyla entered next closest to the five minute mark, good they all passed that part of the test, of course he wouldn’t forbid them to test if they were late but it would have certainly have counted against them. When she arrived she looked a bit nervous and unconfident in front of him as usual, it seemed that his lessons with her haven’t been as effective as he would have hoped never the less he was sure that her feelings would pass in time. He smiled and looked to Twyla his arms still folded, ”You were close to being late but you arrived, you all arrived…” Sam said shifting his attention from just Twyla to everyone else that had gathered.

He un-folded his arms and took a step forward his right eye locked on Koga first, ”Koga, take that seat…” Sam pointed to the three legged stool that was the closest to them. A seat of power one that symbolized leader ship, the three legs themselves weren’t as stable as a four-legged chair but if one had the right balance they could sit in it no problem. ”Maya … Twyla….” Sam pointed to the two other chairs to the left and right behind Koga’s chair all three having the same three legs making it difficult to sit in unless you had the balance needed.

When they were seated Sam placed his hands behind his back and took a few steps to the left and then to the right in a pacing motion as he contemplated how to phrase what he was thinking. ”The three of you, are exceptional students and I have high hopes for you in the future, expectations I know you’ll surpass in due time. I watched some of you struggle and grow as not only physically but a person in general…” he smiled and turned to face them, sure he hadn’t been teaching Gawain and Twyla as long as he had Koga but in time he would know them like he did Koga.

”And while we are no where near the end of our lessons I think it’s time we take the next step… Some of you might know what this means others you might not what…” he looked from one student to the other his right eye taking in their facial features reading their current emotions, ”I think your ready to be apart of the X’s apart of the team…” he smiled and looked to Koga, ”Which leads us to why the three of you are in the danger room…” eye to Maya ”The three of you here and now will be partaking in a tryout for the team…” eye to Twyla, ”Even if you don’t think your ready for it I know you are, and while I’d like to just let you on the team I need to see how well you work in a team…”

He paused and breathed looking up to the light over head and continued his head lowering to the three, readying for the small pep talk before the test, ”Koga, you have been one of my first students and seeing as how long you had been a student of mine and how much you had learned with not only me but everyone else around you it’s only natural you take lead on the team, you have the potential to lead with the best of them… but remember if you don’t respect those you lead and vise versa you’ll never become a good leader also remember they will be counting on you, but I think you already know that…” he smiled and blinked with his right eye trying to make it come off with a wink.

Turning his attention over to Maya he smirked, ”Then there is you…” he adopted more of a playful tone as he looked at the girl who is always accompanied with a smirk and a sarcastic comment, ”The jokester of my students, and while you haven’t been with me long you are quick study and can be serious when need be but remember on this team, it isn’t all fun and games, sometimes you’ll need to make a call that goes against everything you stand for but you’ll make the right call, just make it doesn’t involve a decision that ends with a shiner… less we have to deal with Twyla’s wrath…” he nodded his head to Maya and smiled before turning his attention to the final member of the group.

”And that leads me to you…” he smiled and nodded his head and took a few steps towards her, ”You’re a kind person with a big heart something the team can’t do without… I expect great things from you…” he took a few steps closer to her and leaned in to the ear that was further from Koga and Maya and whispered so none could hear him, ”Remember to breath you’ll do fine, you wouldn’t be hear if I didn’t think you were ready…” he reached up and patted her on the shoulder and then leaned up and took a few steps back to face the group.

”Now before we begin are their any questions?” he hadn’t told them what they were doing or what positions they were playing other than Koga who he said would take lead. But that was the plan wasn’t it? To see what they were capable of in a situation they weren’t informed with until the last minute because on occasion that’s how it went.

Koga.
Maya grinned when she saw him. They agreed right after Chtulhu that they'd go into the superhero business together, and here he was. Maya wondered if Juka was going to be their other teammate, just like they'd agreed. Because she had seen Koga fight, both against the elder god and in the Danger Room, and she already had a good feeling about this test now that the lizard boy was next to her.

And then, the third teammate walked in.

"Twyla?!" Maya stared, truly and honestly surprised. Sure she knew Sam started training Twyla some time ago, but... she really didn't expect to be teammates with her at the tryouts.
What do you know.

Maya shook her head with a smile as her cheeks turned pink - she felt herself react the same way she always did when her girlfriend was around. She'd have to get over that, at least as long as the test lasts.
Focus, Maya. Focus.

Then Sam started to talk.

Maya sat down on the chair pointed out to her, one foot tucked under her tigh as she balanced playfully, listening to the teacher. Balancing was easy.

Koga would lead them. Surprise, surprise. Maya sighed, relieved that she wouldn't have to call the shots. Tricksters were not meant to lead. She didn't know Koga all that well, but she could tell from the three of them he was the best qualified to lead. At least, Maya was more than willing to give him a chance to prove himself. Even if he was the youngest of the three.

Maya stopped balancing and sat still when Sam turned to her.

>>”Then there is you… The jokester of my students, and while you haven’t been with me long you are quick study and can be serious when need be but remember on this team, it isn’t all fun and games, sometimes you’ll need to make a call that goes against everything you stand for but you’ll make the right call, just make it doesn’t involve a decision that ends with a shiner… less we have to deal with Twyla’s wrath…”

Maya grinned and nodded. "Aye aye Capt'n."

He might have been right - they were training to be serious adults here. but, for her, right now, it was all fun and games.
Maya glanced over at Twyla and winked.

>>”Now before we begin are their any questions?”

It was one of those situations where you either ask a few hundred questions, or you ask none. Maya went with the latter. Shaking her head, she kept balancing on the chair, waiting for the test to begin.

Even after living with them for two years, even after listening on several meetings, and joining the X-kids, Katrina still didn't really understand exactly what the X-men did. They were trained in combat, and they were generally good, and they went on missions, sometimes in the jet; that was about all she really knew about them. That, and the fact that her self defense teacher had a pretty high rank amongst them, possibly even the top rank.

The other thing that she knew was that she was almost old enough to be a trainee. That seemed really crazy to her, even crazier than the idea that pretty soon she would be able to start learning to drive or that she'd already started learning how to fly. She wasn't sure what she would do, when she hit that magical age, whether she would try out or not.

Somehow the subject had come up during her self defense lessons, and Katrina had jumped on the opportunity when Sam had suggested that she watch the upcoming tryouts. Yes, yes, and yes. She was so totally there.

The day arrived and Katrina followed her instructions very carefully: go to the god room, don't tell anyone, don't be followed. Those were easy enough directions for someone who could turn invisible. Silently and sightlessly, she made her way down to the basement, dodging out of the way to avoid the three students who rushed down one after the other. Mayawain first, then Koga, and finally the girl with pink streaked hair, whose name Katrina thought was Tanya or something like it. They each had an expression that combined seriousness with excitement, and perhaps a little worry.

She had really wanted to wish Koga good luck, but Sam had said she shouldn't be seen, and so she wasn't. Besides, she didn't want him to get nervous or anything, knowing that she was watching. Not that he had any reason to be nervous or anything, since they were just friends.

The computer control room door opened for her, though to anyone else she made it appear as though nothing at all had happened. No one here, don't mind me. She found a seat, and sat, invisible, in it. Down below, the players were taking their positions.

Koga glanced at the sit in the middle, not quite comfortable with the assumption that he was the most prepared as he didn't know that the other two weren't. He did however know he was at the very least, prepared. He nodded simply, glancing at the others to check whether thet seemed to approve or not, the sooner , that he had their confidence the easier this would flow, though if he had time, then he would definitely leave the floor open to brainstorming. he looked at the chair with three legs and sat down spreading his legs to make up for the wobbly balance of the silly thing.

Koga thought for a moment and initially seemed to agree with Maya's assessment, it struck him as useless to ask questions when they didn't even know what test they were taking. would he ask about math if he was given a history test. no. but he might as k about the premise. he then opened his mouth to speak. questions might help his team out and if he was given the chance to help, then he had a responsibility to ask, not just for himself but for them all. what are the rules and how is this challenge graded, pass or fail? like usual? somehow he thought Sam would have something special up his sleeve, something dastardly and tricky.

Time, would tell.

A strange sense of relief flooded the girl with the blond and pink hair when she was told she wasn't late. She didn't know what she'd almost been late for but based on the vibe in the room it was decidedly good that she hadn't been late for it. Shoulders relaxed a little, nothing to worry about...yet. All three of them were pointed out seats and Twyla took hers, noticing as soon as she bumped the chair with the back of her leg that it was wobbly. The girl sat in the edge of it, bracing the legs with one of her own while the other foot curled around the bracing ankle. She was still a bit nervous and that dictated that she didn't get comfortable in her seat.

At first when Sam was talking Twyla watched him pace, not totally sure what he was getting at. At the mention of being 'apart of the X's' brown eyes looked down at her lap and the hands clenched together there. This was what she wanted--the chance to be part of something useful and good and...What if I'm not ready? A voice in the back of her mind interjected. She looked back up at her teacher and his words echoed what had been going through her mind. Either way...it's too late now, youhave to be ready, make yourself ready Twyla. This is what you wanted. There was some peace in knowing that you didn't have a choice--that it was better to just do it and see where it took you. Twyla could feel her nerves mixing with an excitement that made her jittery, there was a small smile on her face.

The man turned his attention to Koga and Twyla let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding when he was proclaimed the leader in their tryout. There was more relief, leading was not her strong point when she was nervous or most of the time, really, she'd never had to take charge of anything as important as what they were about to attempt. She could live with Koga leading the team and she tried to make eye contact with him to tell him that with an encouraging smile. Things were looking more doable already.

It was then Maya's turn under Sam's words and the blond watched Maya's face carefully as she listened. It was a comfort to note that she didn't look worried at all, just her usual self. On Sam's part it was a frustrating move to pair them together for a tryout--Twyla already noticed the typical worry for her girlfriend frothing up when she watched her. Just keep your head, focus. She can handle herself...probably a lot better than you can. Eyes traveled back to the dark haired girl in time to catch the wink--her smile broadened by itself. More and more doable.

It was her turn for some words before the session and Twyla's nerves flared up again but she managed to maintain a smile when Sam walked towards her. A slight blush painted her cheeks at the praise. She swallowed any arguing or displaying of her fear when Sam leaned towards her and reminded her to breath, she just looked up at him and nodded. He thinks you're ready. Even if you don't Ashby you need to suck it up--just do it. It was a good strategy for the most part if you looked at Twyla's history.

Time was given for questions. Did she have any? Try a million and a half but they all had to do with the premise of the tryout. She couldn't ask one without asking them all and that seemed to undermine the point of the exercise. What with all the secrecy and everything it seemed like they weren't supposed to be totally aware of everything that was going on. Maya seemed to agree, or she had her own reasons, because she didn't ask a thing. Koga, on the other hand, had a good question that she found herself nodding too. And then something occurred to her, something very important since she was on a team. "Are we all passing or failing together--I mean, if one of us messes up do we mess up the other two's chances?" A quick glance at Maya and then at Koga. She'd feel awful if she ruined the tryout for her girlfriend or for the boy who'd first introduced her to the idea of the X-men. More than awful, probably.

Maya had no questions he already knew this, she was more of a go with the flow kind of girl anyways, very much like him. Koga and Twyla however had questions, which they voiced freely even though one didn’t sound as confident as the other. He smirked and lifted a finger pointing upwards to the god room, ”Good, your already formulating ideas on how this could go…” he nodded his head, ”Pass as one or fail as one, this is to simulate real life team missions, and when one member of the team loses the entire team loses there isn’t a I in team…” he paused and looked to Maya and decide to beat her to the argument for her last statement. , ”Yes, there is a me but that defeats the purpose of the exercise if it’s just one person pass or fail…”

His smirked widened, ”What’s more is if you fail this chance you won’t get any others… meaning this is your one shot to become part of the team…” it was a lie but they didn’t need to know that, this was a way of getting in their head a means of distraction one that they would have t work through together. His smirk faded to a more serious look, ”Pass or fail as a team join the team or never be able to attempt it again. This is a team of the elite after all not everyone can join it…” he looked to the three of them and smirked, ”It seems cruel but we can’t let anyone join the team and the chance of multiple attempts would only hinder the group…” said Sam not really going into the explanation behind it.

”It’s the way it was when I joined up and I decided to keep it the same way…” lie… ”Any who the rules are simple,” he started to pace again lifting his fingers counting each one of the rules, ”they are quite simple, a game of capture the flag, your time limit is a half hour, however in this game, you will not know where the flag is, it looks like this,” Sam waved his hand and the danger room created a flag in the palm of his hand. It was 2x2 and had a picture of an Awesome face.

”You’ll also have a little competition what they look like, I won’t say for now but you’ll know when you see them…” Sam let out a small evil chuckle as he continued, ”Oh and there will be a lot of obstacles, falling ceilings, falling floors collapsible walls, giant boulders and lasers of doom… you know the usual.” Sam smirked and then looked to the three, ”This is for you my students three, a test to see what you have what it takes…” Sam walked took a step into the darkness, and added, ”Be careful of the competition they will do what it takes to keep you from the flag…” now submerged in darkness Sam continued, ”Oh, and I’ll be watching!”

Within a few minutes he was up in the god room, he didn’t give much information to Koga and the team but again that was part of the test. He smirked as he entered the room with a chill feeling the heat signature of a little illusionist that was in the room. ”Glad you could make it…” Sam said as he walked to the controls and turned off the spotlight making the danger room completely black.

A second later it lit up as the simulation was forming. Intricate hallways winding pathways, mirrored floors and walls and two levels. He smiled as he looked on the scene before him. Koga, Maya, and Twyla were in the dead center of it, surrounded by walls of mirrored surfaces. The reflected the image of the three thousands of times over in a mirror effect in hopes to confuse them.

By no way was this meant to be an easy test and this was the first of many they would have to go through as a team. There was no ceiling that was above them specifically so they could see the stairways and the second floor in the distance, it was where the flag was it was his way of saying ‘Hey this will be the most help I can give you!’ He hoped they would appreciate it.

He shifted his gaze from the camera’s that were focused on the students three to the competition five that were located on the second floor, only he and Kat could see them for now. They would all look familiar to Kat and in time to the students three. In fact he picked them for this reason. A Ghost with blue hair, a Sam with white, a Shin with green, a Streak with yellow and a Jewel with red hair. Each had their own specific abilities different from the real ones.

Each one of them had elemental abilities that corresponded with their hair color, blue haired Ghost had the power over water and ice, white haired Sam controlled the winds, green haired Shin controlled the ground he stood on, yellow haired Streak could produce electrical currents and could shock those he touches and then there was red haired Jewel, who wielded the power over fire. None of them were very friendly but had explicit rules and guidelines in their programming. Don’t kill, just hinder, they all had the ability of long range but none of them were immune to their own powers which was why once they were in close distance with the students three they had to challenge them with fists and kicks.

This was the reason he was so confident of his students three, his lessons had taught them how to close the distance and what to do once the distance was closed, his lessons also taught them how to watch their surroundings and how to use them to their advantages. What’s more the competition five all lacked in the area of physical combat, they were fast but weak. He knew his students could handle them when they encountered them.

Clicking a button a large clock formed on the bottom of the god room that could be seen all over the maze. Clicking the intercom Sam called out, ”Begin!” and with that the clock started the count down they had a half hour and a maze to maneuver. If Koga was smart he would take advantage of the lack of the ceilings in certain areas and the fact that most of the walls were mirrors.

After the intercom was off he sat down in a chair and turned off the his cooling aura and spoke to Kat, ”You can appear now… what do you think?” Sam asked hoping she would be honest. He knew it wasn’t an easy test and he didn’t give them much information but again, that was sometimes how it was, if they didn’t have any information improvising was a big part of missions.

[OOC: you have any questions feel free to PM me, Kat and I will be making post from time to time, so there really isn’t much a posting order at this point, and feel free to control the competition five, remember they might have range but they are programmed not to kill you just slow your way through the maze, and stairs to the second floor wouldn’t be that far from you guys so have fun! *hands out cookies to slow them down after wishing them luck!*]

" Ok, Sssso capture the flag it isss, the return will be easssy hand it off to you mirror, and we win." he gestured to the fact that they were walking in mirrors hood. a couple of questionsss guys, do you reflect while in a mirror? For inssstance if you are in mirror A and it isss facing mirror B will you show up asss in both? and Twyla can you do mirror ssskin if ssso, you are invisssible asss sssoon asss you get next to a wall. If we are willing to sssplit up I can get to the top of the ssstairsss, by climbing up, and over if we are willing to sssplit up, a maze is alwaysss easssier to sssolve from the other end. If the view isss messssing with you guys find a wall and follow the edge. What do you think? any ssssuggestionsss?

Koga spoke quickly yet calmly to the pair of females , he would have nomally made sure to watch their back, but with all the mirrors there was no need.

Pass as one or fail as one, and no second chance.
It was only fair, considering what they were aiming for. Real superheroes don't get second chances either. People rarely ever do, out in the real world.
When Maya signed up for the tryouts, she had a lots of things in mind: it was fun, why the heck not, interesting challenge, Sam's influence, Twyla's ambition to become an X...
She never thought of it as something deadly serious.
So why did the idea of 'no second chance' bug her so much?
She also had a suspicion that Sam was bluffing. But she was in no position to call the bluff. She'll just have to go with it.
And they wouldn't fail anyway. No way, no how.

>>”You’ll also have a little competition what they look like, I won’t say for now but you’ll know when you see them… Oh and there will be a lot of obstacles, falling ceilings, falling floors collapsible walls, giant boulders and lasers of doom… you know the usual.”

Maya grinned.
All right, so maybe it was fun. Among other things.

Once Sam left the scene and the maze was set and ready, Maya turned her full attention to Koga. No time to mess up now.

"Yea I do, I merge with only one reflection but I guess I'll show up in the other mirrors too." she answered "I'm also faster in there, if you want me I can run a few rounds, see if I can find the flag or the competition." she nodded "If one of us can find higher ground we could find out way easy. Just be careful with the competition."

She glanced at Twyla. She could certainly be useful in this. If Koga and Maya could make a big enough show of themselves, she could sneak up to the flag easy.
Also. Mirror skin?
Maya wondered how that would work.
Then mentally slapped herself back to attention.
Hm.

"I'm also great at drawing attention" she grinned "So, are we doin' this or what?"

Pass or fail as one? The logic behind it made sense and Twyla knew that in the back of her mind but she still tensed up a little at the answer to her question. What if I fail? What if I mess it up for Maya and for Koga? What if-- Her train of thought was abruptly halted at the station as Sam continued to speak. Our only shot? The tenseness from a moment ago doubled and the blond bit her lip as a slight panic bubbled up inside her. One shot? That's all and then--

Is that the right attitude to have?The lip was released and her breathing slowed down to a much calmer level. If this is really what you want you're going to have to make it work--that's your only option. Just do it Ashby. If this is your one shot then you take it and make the most of it. She was still nervous but stopping and thinking about the choices she had did wonders for her thinking process--she only really had two of them and curling up in a ball and dying wasn't really going to alleviate her stress about messing things up for Maya and Koga.

Half an hour. Capture the flag. Obstacles. Maze. Competition. Got it. Soon their teacher was gone and then the lights came on, revealing the maze around them. Instantly Koga began talking--a good strategy considering the fact that they were on a timer. Mirror skin? "Reflective surfaces aren't my best but I can do them. I got it--no worries." So long as I don't actually have to reflect something... Twyla didn't go into a lengthy explanation of the way her powers worked (or at least the way she assumed they worked), there was no time. I'll just make it work. That was her only option, after all.

Koga suggested splitting up and Maya agreed with him. The blond bit her lip again for a moment. She didn't like the idea of splitting up very much but they only had so much time--they'd cover more ground in three units rather than one. "Splitting up makes sense, but we need to be able to communicate." A glance around them and the upwards, she could see the stairs to the second level in the distance. Brown eyes came back down to the boy and the girl in front of her. "I'm game for anything so long as we get going as soon as possible." The statement was an honest one and it came with a small smile.

Without thinking about it the girl's feet were toeing the floor, Twyla was anxious to get started.

Up in the computer control room that overlooked the training area, Katrina reappeared sitting in her chair.

“How did you know I was actually here?” She asked her question with a slight pout. If her invisibility had holes in it, she definitely wanted to know about it.

As for the tryout session so far... she wasn't sure yet.

The little illusionist looked down at the holographic walls and mirrors and the three prospective X-men trying to figure out the way through the maze. She could see through the holograms as if they were illusions, half in and half out of existence. It was interesting to see the inner workings of things; which parts were real and which weren't.

“Interesting,” she responded. It was a fairly non-committal answer to his question though. “How do you decide if they pass or don't pass? Is it really just getting the flag at the end, or is it more about how they go about getting it? How does an obstacle course help you choose who will be a good X-men? What do the X-men even do?”

A lot of Sam's speech the the other students had her worried. She didn't think she'd ever be cut out for an 'elite team' of ... whatevers. She didn't know if she could make it on a first attempt. She didn't even know if she would want to join, when the time came. Luckily, it wasn't her time yet and she could still think about it and find out more before her one and only attempt.

Nodding his head silently as he watched Koga take the lead and start ordering them about he looked back to Katrina who seemed to be full of questions, as she should be it was one of the ways to learn what was happening. ”I wouldn’t be a very good teacher if I didn’t know when one of my students were hiding right next to me would I?” Sam asked choosing not to tell her it was because of her body heat that he knew she was there. ”Besides I told you to come here…” Looking to Kat he smiled at the questions she had each would be answered in turn however maybe not as straightforward as she would have liked.

”It’s not always the destination that is key, but the path you take to get there…” Sam said with a mystic tone in his voice as he looked over to the television screens next to them and toggled through each camera that was located on the floor to make it easier to see everything that was going on. ”The obstacle course is a way to bring out the teamwork between them because the X-Men are first and foremost a team above all else, sure we might have individual missions from time to time, but all of it is done for the team.”

He looked from one screen to another toggling the camera angles to get a view of everything and make sure everything was in working order before he leaned back in his chair and gave Katrina a quizzical look. ”Thought you knew what we were all about… wasn’t to long ago when I noticed an over egger girl pouting outside of the war room because she was too young to join the team…” it was in fact not long ago when he Ghost, Streak, and Shin were asking similar questions to Tricity as she held her meeting. ”Peace…” Sam said simply as he looked back to the screen before him.

Looking through the computer screen Sam continued, ”The X-Men do what they can to help strive towards a peaceful co-existence between humans and mutants, and by doing this we need to set the curve be an example, We are mutants, yes but we still have the same basic wants and needs as humans, we want to live in peace not in fear of the unknown.” he paused and then looked back to Kat, ”We lead by example showing that not all mutants need to be feared and mistrusted and not all obstacles can only be overcome with out mutations, think of us like problem solvers, our biggest problem is bridging the gap in understanding between humans and mutants.”

Looking back to the screen Sam smirked, ”And I already know the answer to the question you asked not to long ago,” he paused for dramatic effect, ”These three are my students, they have what it takes to become X-Men, otherwise they wouldn’t be here, and you wouldn’t be here…”