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It was time for an X-Mission!

Rather, it was time for an X-Men Fact-Finding Mission. Significantly less exciting, in Praxi's humble opinion. That didn't mean it was not important, especially when the information they were looking for was important.

Praxi was not big on watching the news after noticing the correlation between watching news channels and a weird existential depression in her core. She still absorbed enough of the goings-on in New York and the world through ClikClak. She heard how, after a period of keeping a low profile, the Welldrinker Cult was popping up again with more frequent incidents. With everything the Trainees were told about X-Men running in with Cult Mystics, following a lead to figure out their big plans would be a big deal.

The uncertainty came with the one-two punch that the lead they were following came from one of the heads of the Welldrinker Cult and it led them to Atlantis, Praxi's least favorite place.

Coming along on the trip was optional, but Praxi was here to prove she could handle a stressful environment for the sake of the X-Men. Maybe she was also hoping to prove to herself that Atlantis was not a point of trauma for her anymore. She was not a kid, so it was time to put on her (metaphorical) big girl pants and (literal) X-Uniform and confront her fears.

That did not mean she was above sliding close to one of her seniors as they walked down the streets of a part of Atlantis she was never allowed to traverse as a kid. "And we're sure Atlantis really holds some kind of important details about the big bad's plan?"

Ms. Grey sighed, not exactly inspiring confidence. "There's nae saying for sure, but supposedly, the last time mutants crossed paths with Mystics, it all ended here."

Praxi accepted that as the best thread the team had to tug on. She was still skeptical of its source, being Ms. Grey's insane Culty sister, but what benefit did the Cult have sending them to Atlantis? Ms. Grey wasn't a mutant anymore, but Praxi chose to believe she was still looking out for mutantkind.

The Scottish teacher nervously tucked her hair behind her ear when they met with Queen Achlus. She bowed, so Praxi followed suit. "Your highness."

The Queen narrowed her eyes, examining Ms. Grey. "I hope you understand your time on this island is solely being granted because of your service to Atlantis in the past, Rebecca. Let me be clear; Mystics will not be welcome in our borders after you leave." The tone implied Rebecca would not be an exception, and she begrudgingly nodded. Queen Achlus' expression did soften from her regal mask; Rebecca was not a threat, but she had a Nation's safety to protect. "Very good. X-Men, if you would follow me to the Royal Library, our scholars will answer questions you may seek so you can deal with your own Mystic problems."

Carrick had some audacity giving grief to Mrs. Grey's accent when his was so similar. With English being her second language, all the weird regional dialects took time to get used to, particularly with Praxi's watered-down sense of hearing. It was just Carrick though; he always needed a quip. She was glad he knew he was a rascal because she would never peg as someone lacking self-awareness.

To give him credit, he knew how to play his cards right, agreeing with Praxi to butter her up. She was stubborn, but it was nice when people said nice things about her. Would she admit that? Never. But it did give her the swirls. "Fine, I'll be right down, showboat. Let me go put my stuff in my room first!" Gathering her custom-made school supplies into herself and ignoring the curious stares at the act, Praxi glided out of the classroom and toward the dormitory wing.

Arriving in front of the Mansion, Praxi still wore her hoodie, but she also had something sitting in what she associated as her tummy. As expected, the cocksure Irishman was waiting. "For the record, the others would 'jump' at the chance to fly with you because they're basically kids and don't know better," she taunted. "Still, you've got me. Where are we going? Also, I brought something."

Pulling a knapsack out of herself, she elastic-tossed it over to the griffin. "I can go in there mostly, so you're not dropping globs of me around New York. So yeah, spill; what do you need me for?"

The weather was getting cold. Years after leaving Atlantis, Praxi was still learning to deal with cold weather. She learned about "standard" human anatomy in her science lessons, and skin was an important human organ because it protected the rest of the body from the outside world and mitigated temperatures. Without skin, it made sense that Praxi's body got sluggish and stiff in the winter. Fortunately for her, her training to hold her form was paying off and she could wear some items of clothes now.

Praxi did not "need" to be in Mansion lessons, but she was taking classes to catch up on her understanding of the world. School was not a thing for a gorgon in the Atlantean slums, so learning more about History, Science, and Math helped catch her up with her peers. Most of her lessons were one-on-one or assignment-based, but she was learning to enjoy sitting in on classes, even if the classmates were a year or two younger than her. She was committed to being an X-Man, and part of that meant acting like the adult she now was.

Sitting in on an Algebra class, covering most of her form in a warm hoodie with hydrophobic interior lining, she was doing just that when she heard her name muffled by a window.

Praxi's eyespots widened, surprised by Carrick and his attention-grabbing entrance. It was very him. It was brash, presumptuous, yet oddly charming. Gliding out of her seat to the window, she shrugged. "Carrick. I'm in a classroom. So I'm probably sitting in on a class soon. Love." Praxi smiled, because his smile really was contagious.

To her credit, Lunda took the slime splashing in stride. Praxi would be more embarrassed about the collision if they did not have a bigger problem at hand. It was convenient how little her social anxieties mattered when she had a mission on her mind.

Luna was firing off something with her tail, and while Praxi lacked a real sense of smell, the tactic seemed effective against Saph. Not a terrible idea! Just because he could not take damage, that did not mean his senses had any kind of immunity of their own.- She was having better luck than Praxi, who needed her slime to stick to be effective.

Thankfully, the pretty pink-haired girl had a solution. Could Praxi be a backpack? ”Sure? I can hold my shape and make myself sticky and—oh, I see your point.” Plopping down to the ground as a ball, Praxi bounced herself up and landed on Himari’s back, sticking herself to the other girl’s back and shoulders. ”Sorry, it’s weird.” But once again, no time for shame! Only the mission!

Megan was an assistant, though Praxi still believed she did not want to be, though she did soften once she got her assignment. Months ago, that would have been the slime girl’s attitude, but that damn blonde giant and his infectious enthusiasm got to her. She wanted to do something good again, and Saph calling her an example made her figure balloon slightly with pride.

Apparently the challenge here was to fight the teacher. That was a set-up! They did that in movies when they knew the teacher could kick all their butts! That said, Praxi didn’t have a butt! Well, not really. She was also not much of a puncher, so she would have to get creative.

There was a chip on her metaphorical shoulder now that Saph pointed her out, because Praxi was sure she felt multiple sets of eyes watch her. That was intimidating enough, but one of those sets of eyes was attached to a mouth that called her cute. Eyes and a mouth and a young woman with distinctive hair and a body that looked lean and hard in all the ways Praxi was soft. And gosh, did a comment like that make her soft. And swirly. So much internal swirling. ”I, uh. Training. The training. For X stuff…” Was that a dumb answer?

Suddenly, fighting the teacher seemed like an easier task to focus on. Conveniently, Hiyori wasted no time jumping into the action, getting them started. Realizing things were starting, Praxi’s body dropped to the ground, not like a fall, but as a thick liquid pooling immediately at her base until she was a green puddle.

This definitely didn’t count as being “sent to the ground.” She put herself there. It was easier to move as a puddle, and she wasted no time chugging toward the nearest wall. One of her eyespots moved to her front to keep an eye on the path, but the other stayed toward the rear, watching the “team” approach their instructor. Hiyori summoned a surprising ally from nowhere. Hopefully that would distract the man. Luna and Himari ran in to get involved in melee combat, so as expected, the man should have his hands full as Praxi used her stickiness to climb the wall she found, wasting no momentum in shifting planes.

It took more effort to be sticky enough to cling to a ceiling, but not much more. Unless Saph had some kind of super-spatial awareness, he could not look everywhere at one time. Who kept track of the space overhead? Certainly not Atlantean Guards. The bubble of a girl chugged along the ceiling until she was in a good enough position. She let herself go slick.

Her form released from the ceiling, dropping at an accelerated pace, aiming square for Saph’s head and shoulders. At this speed, sure, some of her would splash away, but she was already focusing all her attention on making her body denser, stickier. If she could land cleanly, she could wrap most of her around his shoulders, arms—maybe even his head. It would be harder to fight the other girls if he was fighting against her to move or breathe! (Note to self: Do not suffocate the teacher, though.)

Denser, stickier, denser, stickier. Stick. The. Landing.

Eupraxia could practically hear previous conversations with Miss Grey discussing tone and common courtesy. The young gorgon was not exactly drilled on manners in the streets, but in this moment she wanted something. Best to be on good behavior. She bent at her waist area, little globs of her hair-section dropping to the floor to be subtly picked up by her lower half pooled on the floor. "It is nice to meet you, Miss Sundance. I promise to be good in whatever thing you lecture about." There, that should suffice.

Indeed, Miss Grey did listen to her request. Based on the way those eyes widened, the slime girl guessed her interest caught the English teacher by surprise. "The X-Men? Really? Ye know it can be dangeroos, gang it there tae protect people-- mutants and humans."

Praxi's eyespots and features scrunched closer like a wince. "I understand. But, I mean, I'm really hard to break. I can get places most people can't! I'm not much of a fighter, but I can save people-- even humans! Honest."

The teacher's expression warmed. "Praxi, ye dinnae hae tae sell yerself here. Ah know whit kind ay lass ye are. Ah've been waitin' til ye were ready."

That caught the young woman off guard. The teachers expected her to sign up?

"We'll gie ye taken care of officially on Monday, bit in th' meantime, Ah say ye shoods consider yerself In Trainin' wi' th' X-Men."

The way Praxi vibrated was visible, like rain hitting water. "Tides! Ah, thank you, Miss Grey!" Not sure of what to do, Praxi saluted like she saw in videos. She even offered the salute to Miss Sundance. Even if she was not an X, she was a teacher, right? "I've gotta tell Xavier. It was nice to meet you, Miss Sundance! Thank you again!" And like a green blur, the slime girl was out of the door.

Once she was out of earshot, Rebecca allowed herself to chuckle. "Ah was wonderin' when that one woods ask me abit that."

Carrick was distracting as a person. Something about the way he carried himself seemed tailor-made to capture attention, to the point where Praxi could be oblivious toward Amethyst’s annoyance. Her friends were disgusted by the prospect of Praxi being tasted, but she was literally bubbly and giggling at Carrick’s slights.

Talking about Atlantis was easier the further she got from her time on the streets. The memories hurt, but they were starting to feel like a different life. With the nobles here for a party, those memories were creeping closer, but champagne kept it at a distance. ”Yeah, well, Atlantis was sort of a tale of two worlds,” she muttered.

Sipping her drink, Praxi needed an extra second to process Carrick’s request. May he? ”Wha? Oh! Um.” The inside of Praxi swirled nervously, but she offered a finger. Her surface rippled as a droplet of Praxi rested on Carrick’s tongue.

She had never been complimented for her taste before, but now she was suddenly going to have to be more conscious of her consumption habits. ”Well, thank you. Good to know I’m… er, tasty? Though…” The dark greens of her eyes shifted to look at Amethyst and her party, ”maybe we should get going, curious kitty? Amethyst and her friends seem bothered by things they can’t understand.” Oh, she had tried so hard to be polite for so long, but that one definitely slipped.