Twice spoke she Welcome

[Emma Frost]

KNOCK-knock-KNOCK

"Excuse me, but this was actually expected. I know you're new but you are not alone in that." Emma said to the girl seated across from her. After the meeting she had returned to her office to find the new Acolyte had arrived and was waiting for her quite patiently as she had directed. ~* I Thank You For Your Opinion D'mnchyld, Yet I Hope You Forgive Me If I Chose To Form My Own *~ "It is open Kate, please, both of you come in." She called out to the inside of the door.

As it swung in she glanced up from the slightly over made up face of the young Cajun roller derby enthusiast and raised herself ever so delicately from her plush, high-backed, leather chair. With the grace of a prima ballerina she gently flourished her fingers beaconing the two New Mutants in. "Ahh, I was wondering when you would decide to head this way Kate. We have been waiting for you both." She smiled graciously and said by way of goodbye "Thank you, Kate... and I believe the Alphas will be returning from the grocery store within the hour, would you keep an eye out and help them.. that will be all."

Again with the hand, and much the same movement simply in the opposite direction, she gave D'mnchyld her cue to exit. "So, please do take a seat Donna. I must say the hair is quite eye catching, wouldn't you agree Madeline?" She let the two girls settle and become comfortable before continuing. "As I was saying to Madeline here a moment ago, welcome. I am Emma Frost and this might be the hardest day you will ever have to deal with... until tomorrow. It can be difficult settling in to a new environment, and yet here you both are..."

She sat back down and folded her hands together on her lap as she leaned back into her chair to get comfortable. ".. so I am thinking, why not do it together. Certainly being on different teams will make for interesting stories to share, and in my estimation sharing a room and spending every moment together in practice and class can be extremely trying on the patience. So as room mates you will have plenty of time to be apart. Donna, this is Madeline...Madeline, Donna. Apogee and Veil... Hmm not exactly ham and eggs or spaghetti and meatballs but close enough. Room inspections once a week, Thursdays, so keep it clean and Wednesday nights won't become the bane of your existence, laundry rooms at the end of the hall on each floor of the dorms as well as mops and buckets and other such cleaning accoutrement. You both have so many questions floating in your heads... oh my... one at a time, Veil- you first."

[VEIL]

Looking over at the green haired chick, Maddy's eyebrows rose as she looked her over for a bit. "Nice ta meet ya bebe," she said with an easy grin, her tongue ring clicking against the back of her teeth. It was a bad habit that she knew was really bad for her teeth and tongue ring, but she didn't care enough to stop. "Ah gots to ask ma'm, on mah school schedule and all that. Ah'm sure yah know, Ah haven' been doin' all that great in school an' Ah'd like ta know what ma classes will be like," Maddy said bouncing her crossed legs in the ripped fishnet tights. The trip here was long, and made her extremely restless, so much that she even put on her skates to skate around the airport, nearly knocking into several people and all the way out to the car with her bag slung over her shoulder.

"And also, well please humor me on this Ms. Frost, but mah pops wanted me ta ask for his sake. He wanted ta know how dangerous are the people at this school. Now ah personally arn' as concerned as mah pops, cause I ain't lookin' to get on anyone's bad side or nothin'," she said with a slight smirk, the bangles on her wrists jingling while she adjusted the skates that were slung over her shoulder. Her parents didn't want to send her out there in the first place, but Maddy saw the protests with her own eyes, and she didn't think it was smart to stay at home, at least not yet.

She pushed up her hair band, making her soft short red hair fall tickle her face. "Oh an' ya never finished tellin' me about them teams and my own team, ma'm. Ah am really interested ta know more about the whole thing here. Mah dad, the man yah spoke with I think, well, he's a bit of an old fashioned man an' he was too nervous ta tell me anythin' more than this place bein' a school that could help me." Her Cajun accent rang out, a mix of Cajun and Creole that stood out in Cajun Country. The way she held herself was completely at ease, and funny enough she didn't look like she was out of place at all. She spoke to Ms. Frost with the respect and decorum she used when speaking with any adult, and occasionally looked over at Donna to not let her feel excluded. "If it ain't no trouble o' course."

[Emma Frost]

"Well all good questions Veil, and all very relevant. I know of your parent's concern and so let me start there because it is not without it's merit. However, even as there are some extremely dangerous individuals here, that could be said of anywhere, so what you need to do is learn how best you might deal with whatever dangers might present themselves... as far as staying away, well that is a good start for now." She looked back and forth at both ladies before proceeding.

"You will learn from the instructors here, X-Men one and all, and now they are in no simple terms your family." She thought back to the meeting and felt it best to start these new girls off on the right foot with the new focus of the school. "I say this because family is what we strive for and when it all boils down to the basics, family has your back through thick and thin. Your teams will be like your immediate family, with your team leaders as the parents... for lack of a better term, although they might seem or even interact with you on a level closer to older siblings or friends it is incumbent on you to treat them with respect."

"In the high school level, as you both are, you will be challenged not only with classes... which I will touch upon in a moment... but you now find yourselves in our introductory level of combat training." She paused to take in the reactions of the young ladies. Her expectations summarily met by each girl, as the looks on their faces were as predictable as the dawn of a new day, she pressed on. "Indeed, combat training. Well this is a dangerous world and we Mutants are not only in danger of attack by non-mutant but by our own kind as well. As your teachers and family, we would not want you to go forth without some modicum of understanding of your abilities and how best they might serve you if you should ever be faced with the ultimate challenge of a life or death situation. THIS is what the teams are for."

"With regard to classes, as we do stress the importance of education.. testable, real world practical, as well as theoretical comprehension of State and Federally approved curriculum, at a minimum." She said in the practiced tone and cadence of one who has said it to many a parent as well as those countless authorized members of any and all variety of Boards of Inquiry. Then her tone bent to being one of a more inspirational and subtly challenging feel.

"You will find that here at the Xavier Institute we challenge you to go beyond... in all fields, and you will look back on the start of this whole thing and wonder what you might have been afraid of. Each class you attend is done in a group setting. All levels are taught in unison yet from each with respect to his ability and to each with understanding of his needs. Your past is what you did before now, so that cannot be held against you.. not even by yourself. I will expect you to never again limit yourself young lady and Apogee, that does go for you as well."

[Apogee]

Donna had a strange tickle in the pit of her stomach as she sat with the Headmistress and Madeline. Her arms stationary atop her knees and her back straight. Something about the woman almost commanded respect, something she hadn't seen since she met her Dad's commanding officers before he got into Logistics. The kind of people that had an air about them which said 'I've seen crap that could turn your blood green'. Still, Ms. Frost was something of an angelic looking woman, if very powerful in stance.

The other new girl on the other hand just made Donna smile, in an instant she liked the look of her and the accent just made her grin. She loved listening to new accents, one of the reasons she liked Kate's man back in the horse stables. 'Ah damn, I better get it fixed with her before tonight. No point starting a first day on the wrong foot, plus; I won't touch the guy. Guess I gotta get my kinda 'girl-talk' fixed before I try it again.' She thought to herself as she listened to the information given to her.

From what she had got Veil was her room mate, something very new to her. It would be nice having someone to talk to 'though. Like a constant sleepover. And with the cleaning orders already handed out Donna was mentally making a list of what she could talk to the other girl about. Planning a rota for helping getting the room in top order. One thing about planning for the RAF meant that her Dad had instilled the absolute need too keep things tidy. Her own room was never out of place, but she would enjoy seeing how keeping it with another would fall about.

The only moment in which she showed some sort of shock and indeed confusion was the mention of combat training. Sure she had known she was in a 'combat team' but she had assumed it was some kind of nickname. Not actual combat training. 'Ah crap ... better now I guess. Physical training will help me get into a regiment. This might actually work for the best.' Thinking on the plus side of the slightly frightening concept. Then again, if it was to protect her classmates ... then there was nothing that really put her off. Was that not the reason she wanted to join a military force?

"So what does that mean for like, stuff we were doin' in school before? I mean, just askin' for askin's sake, but I was doin' pretty well in Philosophy and I dunno if you all teach it here." Shrinking back a little she played with a fraying strand of green hair. Before long it would run out into blonde again. Not as bright as the Headmistress' but it was sunny. Maybe she should go purple next time. Or go ginger. Who was to know. "And like, what's the protocol on like these combat session things? Is it like a sort of P.E? Or martial Arts? Self-Defense? I'm curious." 'Petrified more like',

[VEIL]

Throughout all of Emma Frost's explanation, her tongue clicked the against the back of her teeth, taking in everything that was being said. "Philosophy? That's some fancy college stuff there bebe," Maddy said with a raised eyebrow at Donna, grinning a bit to tease her. "Ah would like to know about all that gym stuff. Ah never run from a good workout. Pardon me ma'm, but would there be a ring around here so Ah can stay in shape for my team? Ah gots to stay in mah game yah know." The Roller Derby was her life up until now, and though Maddy was never one to shy away from anything life threw at her, she wasn't totally ready to give up her old life and the parts of it that she loved.

"Ah will admit, Ah'm likin' the sound of these teams. It looks like it'll be some fun right there. Might Ah ask ma'm, what's mah own team like? Ah know Ah tend ta ask alotta questions, but yah won't believe what Ah had thought up 'bout this place on the way over-," Maddy stopped herself mid sentence when she realized that this was THE Emma Frost. "Mah God look who Ah'm talkin' ta, of course yah know the stuff that Ah thought up 'bout this place. Pardon me, Ah forgot for a moment there." She giggled to herself and shook her head at her little moment right then. On the way over, she imagined that this place was like some total military kind of school were people march in a line everywhere. Then she discarded that idea and imagined it to be more of a zoo where everyone uses their powers for everything and it would be like Mutant Hogwarts, but no ridiculous outfits and silly accents, and pussy students. She was eager to learn more just to have her imagination sated.

"Again ma'm, pardon mah long line of questions here, but there is so much Ah'm jus' dyin' ta know. Like are all the X-Men really here? And is one of them really mah team leader? Ah just couldn' believe Ah would actually get a chance ta meet yah'll," Maddy said with her light green eyes lit up in total excitement. Her team were big fans of the X-Men at home, watching them whenever they were on the news with fascinations, Maddy being no exception. She was just as fascinated with the Fantastic Four too, but one team at a time.

[Emma Frost]

Emma chuckled at the sheer volume of the stray thoughts rattling in the skulls of the two new girls. They would learn soon enough to discipline their minds and their bodies and to hone their abilities. "Indeed questions galore. And yes Veil, I know what you are thinking.. in fact I know what you are both thinking." She tilted her head forward, nodding slightly. "Tisk-tisk-tisk, such untidy minds, but.. focus of thought will come in it's due time. In fact consider today as the start. The start of your new lives, of something that you will look back on the rest of your lives as a foundation for what you will become. So, lets talk about your thoughts, your questions, and we'll see what we can discern, alright?"

"First of all take a breath and relax, and know I am not discounting what you have done before, nor would I encourage you to unlearn all you have learned even if you could, and please know that I do not as a rule of thumb 'pry into other's minds' for recreation. Certainly, with regard to what you do here, you will be building on the knowledge you already have and exploring new territories of thought. You will see how it goes and what is expected of you, we all know you're new here so it'll be fine, trust me. This academy is akin to a launchpad for your futures. Your instructors here, as well the friends you make and even your enemies, will all teach you something... help you to grow. In short what I'm saying is that you both will need to, from this point on, strive to make for yourselves the lives you choose to make... whatever they may be... or find yourselves with lives that are decided for you by others. Should you be so foolish as to ascribe to the latter however, I will be greatly disappointed. But your studies, at least your class studies.. well, they are only one component" She reached a hand over to take up her tea and took a sip. Placing the cup down slowly and deliberately she then looked at one girl and then the other.

"Now, for the training sessions... you will see what they are first hand soon enough, aaand it's probably best to experience some things with open minds and without any preconceived ideas I think. In the case of team practices.. well, lets just say they can be an altogether out of the ordinary experience. As for the particulars of the teams let's take for example.. your team Madeline, the Acolytes, since you were asking. They are a far cry from a roller derby team, tight knit to be sure and yet with each of the teams getting new additions made to them they must do their best to adapt and to change, the Acolytes do that in their own way, which you will soon see. With regard to that team of yours back home Madeline? Well, the commute would be, how shall I say it- exhausting- so best I think, to make the most of your life here and your team here. You may skate to your hearts content on your free time, and who knows, if you present it to Colossus he might incorporate something of it into a team practice or two."

"As for the X-Men being here, well as one who is sitting right here and talking to you I hope you believe it. It is a reality, and please..." she smiled "..asking for autographs is not going to earn you any brownie points, so leave the hero worship behind. We are just people with extraordinary abilities much like the both of you, and we do what we do because we have to, not to be heroes. You will learn to do it too before you graduate. It's what this whole thing is about- passing on to the younger generation what has been learned, a sense of responsibility and self preservation as well as preservation of our species, so that younger generation can be better prepared to face a world that is far from fair or kind to mutants."

"We rely on one another, we are as I mentioned, a family after all." The thought of injecting this bit of warmth into her ordinary welcome would have been anathema before the teacher's meeting, yet now she felt she would be remiss without a grand welcome talk. She knew she would grow accustomed to it, yet this being her first stab at really selling the 'family' angle, well she would have to confess to Scott later she felt a bit odd and for now do her level best to make it to the end of her speech as smoothly as possible. "So why not watch out for one another, yes? If not us then who? For I have seen far too many -but I wont go there.. No, let me just say that we are here for one another because we wish to be and we know that we cannot trust anyone else to do for our kind as much as we can trust ourselves to do. So, this school is born out of a sense of responsibility but in it's halls we have found a sense of family, of respect for one another and of love. But do not be fooled ladies, mutants are people first and foremost so please be ever on your guard, idyllic as the concept is... this is after all a school and as such filled with kids, and you do know how cruel kids can be ...Don't you? So please do be careful, and be strong."

"O.K.... Here are your class schedules." she said passing them some papers. "Oh, and I have written your room number on the top there as well. As you go and get settled in try and feel at ease girls... you have come on a great day. This afternoon is our annual spring cookout so I hope you ladies enjoy a good bit of fun in the sun and some barbecue with all the extras, because that will be the order of the day. See you there... now go on and be off, unless you want to ask about ...?... yes that?" she raised her eyebrows awaiting them to voice aloud any other of the hundreds of random thoughts and concerns in their heads, yet hoping they might have enough information to feel safe and to bravely face their futures.

[VEIL]

In quiet and polite fascination, Maddy listened to all that was said, still getting increasingly more excited. She knew that she'd have to leave her team behind when her dad told her she was coming here. They threw her a huge going away party two nights ago, which was definitely one of the wildest parties had been to probably ever. With a bit of research on her new laptop, she'd probably be able to find a more local team that she could perhaps join up. Roller Derby had been her life since she was thirteen, and Maddy was not going to give it up for anything.

"Thank ya very much ma'm... an' well any questions Ah got are more musings than anythin' else," she said with a grin, looking over her class schedule, her tongue ring clicking his teeth. She wasn't the best with school, going only for the sake of her friends and the cute guys. How much that would change at all was questionable, but if the guys were anything as cute as the ones she saw working outside earlier, she'd have more than enough entertainment in class.

"Well Ms. Emma Frost, thank ya so much for your time. It was truly one of the biggest pleasures Ah coulda thought of ta meet ya an' ta be here with ya'll." Maddy stood up and smiled at gorgeous Headmistress that the television gave no justice. She may not plan on going around and ask for autographs, but she sure as hell was gonna be starstruck inwardly for at least awhile. She grew up hearing about most of them on the news, it was only natural for her to be excited.

Maddy grabbed large beat up duffle bag from the ground and hoisted it over her free shoulder. "C'mon bebe, looks like we got a room ta set up before a big cookout. Ah wonder if there be some time for me ta whip up somethin' for this here little shindig. Ya eva' had some good ol' spicy red beans and rice in a beer bread bowl? Or some spicy jambalaya? I can make a mean jambalaya," she said walking with Donna out of the room so they could get set up. She was really looking forward to the cookout and the chance to meet more people, maybe get some skating time in at some point.