{4. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters}

Mystique's POV

"Did you know we're having a new student?" Alex asked. I whipped my head around, wondering how he managed to sneak up on me. I pursed my lips. I shouldn't allow myself to lose focus like that again, it's just one of the symptoms of having deep recollections.

I felt Alex stand next to me, merely a few centimetres taller, he mimicked the way my arms were crossed and gazed at the playing field of young mutants. Charles thinks he has created a paradise for mutants, but I'm viewing this school as an overly optimistic prison. We are segregated from the world. We deserve better than that.

"New student, new tour guide." I said, with a teasing smile. He shook his head. I remembered when the school first started with just ten people, we used to be overwhelmed when there was a new mutant. We'd all sit in a circle and share our abilities, make the new person feel welcomed. But over the years, being the tour guide had gotten repetitive to the point, nobody was as interested anymore so Charles set up a roster and Alex is next. "Oh please, admit it, you love showing off your powers to the ladies." I smirked at him. Since Alex was able to control his powers, he is more open with people, before when things were bad, he spent most of his days confined in a prison cell, at his own request. Since then, he has grown quite popular, and a positive male figure.

"I'd rather not." He turned to me. "Maybe you could pretend to me for a day?" I rolled my eyes. As much as I love to turn into Alex and possess his powers, if Charles knew that I had been shifting into someone else, he'd be pissed off that no-one appreciated his roster. But knowing Alex, he'd probably bail anyway, his not exactly patient or...compliant. Well who am I to judge? I can be a bitch half the time...most of the time.

Raven, meet me in my office. Come alone. That was Charles. Must be important if he had to communicate telepathically.

"Good luck with the newbie." I flicked my blonde hair up and shuddered passed Alex. As I danced up the stairs towards Charles office, I saw Hank making his way there as well. "You too?" I asked. He acknowledged me and nodded.

"It's the new mutant. She's special." He said. I rolled my eyes. Aren't they all? Charles babies them too much I reckon. They need the independence and freedom they deserve. This school is just containing them because the humans refuse to integrate because they're afraid. It's so frustrating and dumb.

When Hank turned the gold plated handle to Charles' office. I saw Erik leaning against the wall, arms crossed, face neutral and Charles was talking to a small blonde haired girl sitting on a leather chair. I looked at her suspiciously. Is she-

"Raven, Hank. This is Dreamer Verite. She's our newest student," Charles introduced her and my eyes widened when I saw hers. She's the girl from the train! I glared at Charles' amused expression. Hank on the other hand, looked at her with admiration. Come on, she's just a mutant with pretty eyes, seriously. Charles sighed at me.

I extended my hand for her to shake, I'm in my human form so I suspect she doesn't know I'm Mystique. When we shook hands I turned my smooth skin into a scaling blue. She looked at me with sudden delight. So this is why Charles wanted me to meet her? Humph.

"Dreamer is only enrolling as Mr Verite's niece because its crucial that we keep her identity confidential. Only the four of us know that she is a genetically engineered mutant. The rumours of Project GEM are true. Therefore we must keep a low profile." Charles continued. Now I understand Hank's sparkling eyes, must be a scientist thing. "Dreamer is under my custody but is our responsibility. If news got out, we could have a moratorium of protestors pointing fingers at us for playing God and creating more mutants. Even if we're not. We could lose everything. If the government or CIA were to take a glimpse of her portfolio they would shut us down and take matters into their own hands. So that's why I respect Mr Verite's decision to inform us first hand-"

"Wait a second, who's her scientist?" I asked. This time Charles sighed deeply and I have a feeling that it's been a difficult task taking Dreamer in. There were massive consequences. I just hoped this one girl doesn't jeopardise everything...

"That's something we all need to figure out.." He looked at me. "Dreamer has suffered from memory fragmentation, which means selected memories have been erased. She can't remember her scientist or what happened to the laboratory. She just simply woke up one day on a train somewhere in the Netherlands."

Dreamer kept her head down, fumbling with her fingers, innocently. I contained myself from rolling my eyes, for Charles sanity. I can't believe we all have some responsibility for this mutant. So she was conceived in a lab...that doesn't means she needs the extra treatment.

"Raven you are to show her around the school and help her settle into lectures," Charles interrupted my reverie. "Hank, you are to conduct Health Examinations everyday, because her powers have not developed yet, it's important that we keep tabs on her," Hank nodded, compliantly. You could almost taste the excitement radiating off him. "Erik, you are in charge of Training Dreamer, strengthening her physique and such," I turned to Erik and smirked at him. "And I will have daily Memory Recollection sessions with her." Charles concluded.

Hank was marvelling like an obsessed idiot, Charles seemed intrigued to have her on board but was also worried, Erik is...Erik, and I am...still containing myself from rolling my eyes at her.

*

Dreamer's POV

I was really quiet throughout the meeting with Raven and Hank. I can't believe Mystique has a human form, who cares if you're blue. But I do make a mental note of her blonde hair and brown eyes. Charles mainly did all the talking and I was thankful, because I really didn't want to saying anything as he went though my portfolio with everyone. I like Hank, he seems very friendly and he's also a scientist. Erik also didn't contribute a word, though he has fleeting glances towards me and Raven. I'm supposed to train with him tomorrow morning and I can already feel my body rejecting the impulse to exercise. It's already healthy without the strenuous activity. But it was mandatory to train...so I guess I just have to tolerate it.

The school is very regal and modern. There's technology I don't recognise but the place has been beautifully furnished with leather chairs and oversized curtains. I walked passed many mutants, who only don't look at me twice. Good. Low profile. I'm with Raven at the moment. She's taking me to my first Genealogy class.

"This is an advanced lecture, Charles said you shouldn't have any trouble, considering you probably already know a lot about the study of genes." She said, making no eye-contact with me. I nodded, absently. She guided me to a large classroom in the shape of a semi-circle facing a projection screen. "Hank runs this lecture so you'll be under his supervision until it ends." And with that she disappeared into the corridors, leaving me to my own devices.

I shrugged.

As I walked into the room, about fifty heads turned in my direction. I have gotten used to being surrounded by a crowd, take New York for example, but to have the attention shift my way...now that's something else. I felt my anxiety rise and the best I could do was keep my head down. Low profile, Dreamer, low profile.

"Everyone we have a new student named Dreamer Verite. She is Mr Verite's niece, you may know of him from the Mutant Embassy of New York. Please make her feel welcomed." Hank announced. I smiled at him before taking a seat between two girls. One had fiery red hair, it honestly looked like two slabs of lava on either side of her face. The other had dyed her hair and lips blue. I avoided eye-contact with them because they were such intimidating people. I don't know if they noticed, but their glares were deadly.

"What kind of name is Dreamer?" The redhead one scoffed. I ignored that. There were whispers travelling around the room and I can guarantee most of them are critiquing the new student. Me. They will get over it. Hopefully soon.

"Today we are going into depth about genetic mutation and inspired by our new student, we will focalise on Heterochromia." Hank winked my way. He set up the projection and the screen illuminated with my discoloured eyes...for the whole class to speculate. I didn't appreciate him going through with this without my consent. He might as well dissect me.

"Well I think her eyes are retarded," the redhead blurted out loudly. I looked at her, astonished. "One green, one blue. How indecisive can you get?" It was the eruption of childish laughter that provoked me to shoot back.

"I could say the same thing about your unnaturally bright hair pigment. How attention seeking can you get?" I honestly didn't know I had it in me to say that without stutter. The whole room just looked at me, some impressed, some with raised eyebrows and some like the redhead and her friend...just glared at me with scheming eyes. I gulped. I shrunk innocently in my seat as Hank tried to regain control of the class.

First day and you've already made enemies....well done Dreamer. I shook my head in discontent.

The bell was like music to my ears. I made sure to file out fast but I couldn't find Raven. I panicked and followed random people on their diverging paths. I had a feeling redhead was going to gang up to me. My legs instinctively picked up its pace and I was running down the corridors, past courtyards and I only looked back for a split second before I felt myself impact with something hard.

I almost fell back when hands caught me and steadied me to my unstable feet. I looked at him, stunned.

"Are you alright?" He asked. His eyes were looking deeply into mine and I shied away, feeling my cheeks redden. What is wrong with me? I don't usually feel this way. I guess it was because he was very good-looking, ruffled blonde-brownish hair, angular jawline, sly grin and piercing eyes. It was difficult not to think about how attractive he was.

"I'm fine." I replied in a small voice. He scrutinised me, having to look down upon me because he was so tall. Where. Is. Raven?

"You're new...aren't you?" I nodded. "Well, I'm Alex, your tour guide." He smiled at me. Tour guide? I shook my head.

"Actually Raven is. I was just looking for her." I explained. He gave me a knowing look but gestured for me to follow him.

"Well Raven isn't doing such a good job, is she?" But before I could say anything else, Alex shaped shift into a blue slender figure and faced me with a smirk. Mystique, really? I felt somewhat humiliated. "You like him, don't you? Everyone does, Alex is a sweetheart." She said.

"Why did you do that?" I asked her. I was curious. Why play games with me? Mystique stopped and looked at me with her yellow cat-like eyes. They were startlingly beautiful.

"I wanted to show you how naive you are to deception. You trust too easily. I don't. Trust is a mutant's nemesis and Charles is pathetically trying to make it a friend. I don't trust you, Dreamer. You seem so innocent now, but we have no idea what you can do. You're unpredictable." She leant closer to me and I watched as she slowly transformed into a shoulder length blonde haired girl, with a small build and expressionless eyes that also turned into one blue and one green.

Those eyes are what defined me and as 'indecisive' as they are...I wouldn't change them.

"I'm not dangerous," I told her. "You can trust me."