Shana looked up at the mansion from just inside the gates. In front of her a bird cage was floating still. Shana had made good strides with her powers thanks to Hunter, her confidence was higher now and she was seeming to have less accidents with them, which was why she felt all right with keeping a bird cage with two, cockateils in it. Looking down at them she smiled, they were both a dull gray, female's she was told by the pet store keeper. The strong wind made her brace herself a bit and the cage jerked slightly but only enough so that a few drops of water spilled. Placing her hand on her hip she looked around, only hunter had discovered her secret, it seemed like everyone knew back home, but they had known her before as well. Pushing it from her mind she walked down the path, it was such a wonderful place filled with a subtle beauty that seemed to draw her back each time, despite her various attempts to leave, she just found she could not.

Running her fingers through her long silky blue hair she smiled at the two birds, who had started to sing some kind of song they had learned in the store. Raising the cage so that it began to float at eye level, she began to hum in a low pitch as she started off the path, deciding to wonder through the mansion grounds. Shana then smiled and out of her purse pulled a bag of bird seed she had bought that they apparently liked. Focussong more she used her power to open the food tray door and pull the food tray out, she spilled a bit of it by almost dropping it, but it was used seeds the birds would have just tossed anyway. Shana then poured the tray out into the trash and filled t with more seed, all while never lifting a finger. Setting the cage down she leaned against the tree she was near.

She felt a bit bad about using the bird's to practice her powers, but it was useful and gave her reason to concentrate, plus she was lonely now that most of her friend's had gone. SHe had no idea where kasumi had gone to and Juka would not be back for a long time if at all. She needed to make new friend's she knew but when she did, her old worries broke through her new found strength. Still she knew she had to do it, and she believed she could now, though the fear was still there. Still their seemed to be so few people out today. Biting her light pink lip she bent down by th bird cage and began talking to them, even as she made the cage rise in the air again, doing her best to hold the cage still for the birds, who began to squawk as they watched the cage rise suddenly.

Nathan was wandering. He did that a lot these days it seemed. It helped him to think, or perhaps allowed him to think. He wasn’t certain which…better wander some more. Today, he was wandering around the mansion grounds. It was early morning and the sun’s pink rays were slicing through the low-lying fog like a hot knife through sheets of ice. The grass underfoot was glistening in the morning dew and he had the satisfaction of a crunch of leaves underfoot. He hopped over a break in the path and began to walk around the outside of the house. He had heard the mansion had security systems, but wasn’t worried. He was wandering.

As he came around the house and onto one of the sloping lawns that ran down back towards the perimeter, he heard the squawking of birds. And a fragment of song. Intrigued, Nathan began to walk towards it, his interest piqued. It was early morning in the academy mansion, so he really didn’t consider whoever it was could be much of a threat to him. He wasn’t forgetting that nearly everyone here would be a mutant, just remembering that this was a place to learn and control powers. Unless someone wanted to use him for target practise.

Shivering a little, he made his way past the trees and shrubbery that stood between him and the singing, and emerged into a clearing, finding a bizarre sight. A woman with blue hair was levitating a bird cage. That had to be a mutation, or she was really really good at magic tricks. Possibly both. Anyhow, this seemed a serendipitous enough meeting, so Nathan decided to introduce himself. Not wanting to startle her, however, he proceeded cautiously, walking up slowly but not stealthily, making his presence known with a cough. “Um…hi?” was the opening he chose. Nice one, Nathan.

Shana stood and Turned slowly making sure to maintain visual contact with the bird cage the entire time. Her power required visual contact. Gently setting the cage down beside her, she considered the person before her. She assumed he was a mutant as it was a safe bet on these grounds. Smoothing out her short black skirt, she leaned back against the tree. "hello, My name is Shana, and you are?" she asked her voice softening after the first word or to. The young Israeli girl watched him for a few more moments before she chose to carry on.

"I am telekinetic" she explained figuring he likely had seen the cage levitate before. This was also a mutant school and though she had learned most of what skill she had with her off the campus, which she was a bit old for anyway she guessed. still she enjoyed the environment it brought however. She had also met both her best friend's here. Running her fingers trough her hair again, she ahd to admit to herself that she was curious on what the boy could do.

"A bit cold" she said as the breeze blew by them, still she kept up her smile. She wondered if the boy was new to the mansion. He could have been there a few months, she had been largely off campus after all. It was hard to believe she had been there a year now, longer she thought to herself. She kind of wish she had dressed a bit better for the weather but the truth was, she had not brought anything warmer and it was not so cold that she wanted to go in quite yet.

>> "hello, My name is Shana, and you are?"

“M-my name’s Nathan” he said, watching the cage lower to the ground and looking slightly perplexed. “How…did you do that?” he asked, thoroughly confused. All the mutations he’d seen to date were physical. He knew it was possible to have other mutations, he’d just never met someone who did. Until now, it seemed.

>> "I am telekinetic"

Oh that was so cool! She could move stuff with her mind? That was awesome. Nathan’s expression was utterly approving and almost one of awe. That had to be so useful. Floating birdcages seemed…an odd application, but she had her reasons. And blue hair, he noticed. Funky. “Colour me impressed, Shana. That’s a seriously handy power you have there. I wish mine was as useful.” He said, a little enviously. It seemed everyone had powers that were strictly ‘better’ than his. Lame.

>> "A bit cold"

Nathan nodded. It was early morning and the campus wasn’t the warmest of places. It was the breeze, he thought shaking a mental fist at the wind. It seemed to listen to him and backed off a little. Score one for weather control, he thought. Then, just on the offchance he did have weather control, he asked it to snow. No dice. Well, some you win and some you lose. “You a student here, Shana?” he asked. Safe bet said she was, but she could also be a crazy lady floating birds in the school grounds. You just never knew. “I just got here the other day.” he said, indicating the mansion. “How long did it take you before…well, before you felt at home here?”

She could not help but laugh a bit as his response, she guessed her power was useful, she did use it to help her complete many tasks when she was sure using her power would not cause an issue. Still her power certainly had many drawbacks, one's that she was happy she was starting to over come. "Our Powers have their strong and weak points. Up until recently my powers lacked control, even now it is hard. Before going to bed i must secure any object in my room that is sharp or when i wake up, knifes and the like could be dangerous. When i first got here my powers threw a wagon high into the air and almost hurt someone as well, i still have accidents every now and then" she said honestly. "Luckily a good friend recently began to show me how to over come my personal issues and better concentrate" she went on. "I still have no idea why my hair turned blue" she said shaking he rhead.

"No, but i do live here, the teachings here were not as useful to me as a friends private sessions were" she explained hoping he understood. She did not want to speak badly of the mansion as she disagreed with their way's of training. She knew it worked for some people though, and was happy about that. "it took me quite awhile to feel at home here, i am not the most.....social of people" she said looking away a bit as she said it.

"can i ask what your power is?" she said not wanting to pressure him into telling her if she did not want to. She was trying to make conversation more then anything else and she was curious. "If you don't wish to tell me that is all right" she said trying her best not to pressure him. She also nervous about being to nosy or asking to much at the wrong time.

Shana looked down at the birds and kneeled down again. "Picked them up today, i can't touch living thing's with my powers but the cage as you saw is easy" she said looking back at him.

Nathan listened with interest to her power description, and mentally kicked himself again. Every time he heard someone’s power all he saw was the good. There was no such thing as a power without drawbacks. Every mutation had its weaknesses and the more useful they were, the more dangerous the limitations. He was beginning to notice this, but it still surprised him when he heard that someone else’s mutation wasn’t as cool as it had first appeared. “Well I like your blue hair.” said Nathan with a small smile.

When he heard that she’d found the teachings of a friend more useful that the teachings at the academy, he nodded slowly. Obviously one-to-one tuition would be more effective, but it was still not the most encouraging of starts, to hear that someone living here had turned elsewhere for instruction on how to best control their powers. Still, he figured that that option was always available to him. Not the most social of people? Here she was chatting away to him just fine and dandy, but he knew the type. Probably wouldn’t be at home in crowds, even of her own age, might feel distinctly uncomfortable asking probing questions, or being forwards with anything.

>> "can I ask what your power is?"

…or not. Nathan smiled and replied “Sure! I turn into metal. I touch it and I…change, for want of a better word. You know, I’ve been telling people about this for a good few days now, and I really need to find a simple way to say it. Telekinesis. One word. Telepathy. One word. Phasing. One word. Mine needs a sentence to explain it…I’ve got to think of a better term.” he said with a laugh.

He looked at the birds as she mentioned them. He wasn’t good with birds. Not that they didn’t get along or anything, he just couldn’t tell a cockatiel from a cockatrice. One of them was fictional, he was pretty sure of that. Probably the cockatiel. She couldn’t lift living things? Well that made for an interesting limitation, though as she’d shown she was capable of cleverly not lifting the living things themselves. Some people here had thought of intelligent applications. “What kind of birds are they?” he asked.

"thank you" she said though honestly she had a love and hate relationship with her hair. it drew unwanted attention to her. made people look her over closer, that they might discover her secret and her mutation as well. "still.....it draws attention" she said with a small sigh. Shana hated being the center of attention in crowds and had only recently gained the courage to be as social as she was now. Taking a deep breath she continued to listen to her new found acquaintance.

"that sound's interesting" she said unsure what to say about his wanting one word for his mutation, she sure did not have one for him. She was unsure how to reply at all to that and spent a few long moments considering it. "maybe... make your....own word?" she said slowly afraid the idea sounded as dumb in words as it did her her head now that she said it. She was sure that the English language, or any language lacked words for most mutations that were out thare.

"cockatiels" she said "I figured something small would be good" she said more afraid of hurting herself or the bird's if the cage was to large and went flying. as it was she figured she would find away to bolt the cage in place at least while she was sleeping. "here at the mansion, i feel more free, it's easier to talk with people" she explained before going on. "I had more personal issue's that interfered with my powers" she went on looking rather embarrassed by the issue that had been at the core of the problem. "they do help many here though" she said looking back at the mansion, more to hide her embarrassment then anything else.

>> "Thank you. Still.....it draws attention"

Boy did Nathan know what she meant by that. Mutants didn’t have an easy life. It was like having a disorder that you had to keep hidden. Even if you could embrace what you were and didn’t consider yourself a freak, you had to deal with 99% of the world being afraid of you. In such a cruel society, the last thing any mutant wanted to do was draw attention their way. Especially if, like Shana, that mutant was shy and didn’t like social attention. Blue hair drew people’s gazes in any community.

>> "maybe... make your....own word?"

Nathan tilted his head to one side as he thought about this. He ran through some potential names for his ability in his head. Metalitransmogrification. Lame. Amalgametalicism. Lamer. Nice idea, and it was on the right train of thought…what he needed was not necessarily a new word, but a better phrase…He’d give this some thought later. “Yeah…I think you might be onto something there.” he said ponderously as he continued working on the problem in his head.

Aaaah. She had to go seek tuition outside of the Academy because of her personal problems that interfered with her powers. Well that made Nathan feel both relieved and then awkward at the same time. And then bad, because he’d felt relieved at hearing someone else had had issues dealing with a power. “I’m sorry you had a rough time with your power.” he said, meaning every word of it. “Believe me, I know what it’s like having a power that’s…problematic.” he said, sympathising. “You know, it’s still a nice morning and I seem to have interrupted your walk. Don't stop on my account.” Nathan snapped his fingers as an idea struck him. “How about we go for a walk together? You could show me around the grounds?”

"we could do that" she said though he had not really interrupted anything at all, in fact she had been mostly done with her walk by the time he had even shown up. still she had nothing better to do and other then her own nerves could not think of a reason not to walk with him. He was new to the place after all and it would be the kind thing to do. He rmind Made up she looked down at the bird cage and decided it would not be ebst to bring it with her while her focus would be elsewhere.

Stepping back she looked over the tree and finnaly found a branch she could use. Useing her power she raised the cage into the air almost thirty feet and slipped the handle onto a sturdy branch. Watching for a few moments she looked back at Nathen. "Did not want to keep them a long with my focus divided, my powers might decide their cage needs flight lessens" she said shaking her head. She could not affect the bird's them selfs but the cage could certainly hurt them if l, lobbed through the air.

As they walked a short distance Shana rounded a corner on the building and pointed. "These are the basketball court's pool area" she said as they walked closer to them. Shana had never used wither but she felt both were well made and maintained. "The place has almost everything" she commented recalling the old apartment she used to live in with ehr mom, true they had more room to them selfs thare but nothing was nearly this elegant. "With so many mutants around im not sure how the place stays in one peice" she tried to joke.

>> "we could do that"

Nathan smiled and stretched. He oughtn’t be up this early, but he was and there were advantages to doing so. Such as meeting new potential friends. New potential friends who were telekinetic. He watched Shana float the birdcage up and lock it securely in a tree.

>> "Did not want to keep them along with my focus divided; my powers might decide their cage needs flight lessens"

Nathan smiled at her description. He had to. He had no doubt that her powers had horrendous potential, and if she weren’t focused and controlling them, then she might struggle to keep it in check. All powers had drawbacks. He didn’t envy anyone their power, since even the most apparently innocuous kept the wielder ostracised and removed from the rest of humanity. Even if they could hide their mutation, they couldn’t deny what they were. It was a burden.

He allowed himself to be led around the campus, grateful of the tour and the company. He had been going to explore on his own, but he knew better than anyone what he was like. He got lost following straight roads.

>> "These are the basketball court's pool area. The place has almost everything. With so many mutants around, I’m not sure how the place stays in one piece"

Nathan laughed with her joke. It was funny, but served as a reminder that mutants had powers that were dangerous to themselves and to others. All the more important, then, if they were ever to be accepted by the mutant-fearing populace at large, that they should learn to control these powers in a safe facility. Like the institute.

“Are you allowed to use your powers when you play?” he asked, looking at the court and smiling as he imagined the potential madness.

"I...have no idea, but i would...hope not" she said thinking about the chaos that would come from several mutants playing any sport with powers. She had no idea on basketball but she would imagine a flyer or telaporter could win the game pretty easily. As would a fish mutant in a swimming contest. It would be hard to have any contests among mutants for that reason and even if they did not use their power the speed mutant can not prove otherwise.

She lead him over to the gardens and the grass maze from the sporting area's. She liked these area's more so when she could be alone in them. It was often easy in the maze as many seemed not to like the idea of getting lost in them. She had several times taken hours to find her way out of them.

"Kind if stink's, im not sure we could reasonablly play a sport with human's after all how cam we prove we are not useing out powers in the match?" she said aloud thinking of the question with interest having gone over the idea more now that they had made it here. They were always so well maintained, it was almost uncanny. Maybe Kai helped them out though, he could control plants. Plants were nice, she had an orange tree in fact, though it would be ten years before it ever gave her anything.

"Like a flyer in a maze" she said as they got closer to the maze area. "It's almost hard to know how we could play anything with our powers with one another, someone would always have an advantage" she said tilting her head. It was a tough thing to think about becuse she could see whare it could draw so much conflict. "do you think we will see the day when people don't hate us?" she suddenly asked him. She was less sure then she had been even weeks ago.