The Mutant Boarding School

[IssyEspeon]

The August day was warm, but not unbearably so. Freya sat on the wooden bench on the porch, her legs swinging as she waited. Inside, she knew her family would be sitting silently, glancing towards the door. Next to her sat a white envelope, her name written in clear and elegant ink. Under it was written “New Horizons Academy for Gifted Youngsters”.

She didn’t have any idea where this school was, nor what kind of people classified as gifted. What she did know was that there were two men in black suits standing near her, and that she had done something that had brought them. She could remember that part easily. The surprise and even fear on the faces of the people she knew. It had seemed like such a little thing, harmless really. Then again, she had shown her mutation, which wasn’t exactly a good idea.

She was broken out of her thoughts by a big black car rolling up to the curb. It seemed to be the cue to go, so she stood, and walked slowly towards it. They ushered her in, and she held onto her backpack as a sort of comfort. Her other things had been already sent before her, but she still had a few things on her then. She reached into her backpack, pulling out a candy wrapped in crinkly plastic. Looking out the heavily tinted window, she watched her house as they pulled away. She eventually lost it as they turned a corner, and began driving towards the highway. They had warned her that it would be a long drive, so she settled into the seat, wondering what the school, and the other students would be like. Surely, it couldn’t be that bad.

[Roughdragon]

Shaun read the note in his hand, skeptical. A “School for Gifted Youngsters?” A school for kids like him? Sounded more like a trap than anything else, especially with the black car parked suspiciously in front of his grandmother’s house. The man who held open the door for him looked more like a secret agent than someone who staffed a school. But maybe he was just being paranoid. Who knows? Maybe people looked at mutants differently now. Maybe he should stop looking over his shoulder all the time. But who could really blame him? Anti-mutant activists could get pretty damn hostile.

Well, it’s probably better than living in a city, where everyone hates you, Shaun thought. But it didn’t really help that he had no idea where this school was. He brushed the thought aside and grabbed his bag, in which he stuffed a couple of “essentials” for the trip: some comic books, a novel or two, candy, and a cell phone paired with earbuds. He walked to the car, waved goodbye to his grandmother, and got in the car.

“Hope you don’t mind, it’s going to be a couple hours ‘till we get there,” the driver said. Shaun nodded. He put in his earbuds, and stared out the window as the car began to move.

[SherbetTurtle]

Nikki had been at the school for less than a year, but she was already accustomed to the goings on around the school. She was quite friendly with everyone there, after all they all had at lost one thing in common. Today they would be getting some new students, one of the students had informed her, and she was very excited. It had been a while since they'd had new people, in fact Nikki had arrived in the last batch of people. She's already gotten permission for some of the teachers to show the kids around and help them out. That morning, she put on her best blouse and trousers, pinned her hair back in a plait and neatened up her room in case she had guests. After a few lessons she knew it was nearly time for them to arrive, and so hurried downstairs in order to meet them.

[ArcerianLover]

Her nerve ends were on fire as she slowly approached the large building that was to be her new home, for how long she was unsure something that a few months ago anyone that knew her would've thought impossible. Sparrow had always been sure. She had been confident, defiant in its right place, and quick both on her nimble feet and with her silver tongued wit. But that was before puberty lifted her mutations to the surface. Shape shifters were a large part of her culture, something she had never questioned as true but had also never imagined as something she might be.

As she walked now with, quite literally, her thick wolf-like tail between her legs she was a confounding mixture of elated and terrified. The closer she came the more her shape began to blur between human and not, her long hair shortened slightly her hairline over her brow begging into to blends from merely inches long and thick like a winter pelt back into her regular Crimson locks. She gripped her hand stitched leather bag tightly in her fingers, part of her wanting to turn and bite the men in their black suits who herded her towards the house, while a tall balding man opened the front door. Stress lengthened her canines no matter how hard she fought to control her own body. Sparrow thought she might actually give in and bolt to the comfort of the green forest-like area on the fringes of the property but curiosity too hold when she beheld a single small girl standing within the first room.

Curiosity washed away all other emotions releasing all of her bodily changes except the furry hairline, she kneaded the bag in her hands and sent a quick prayer to her ancestors for strength. Grabbing hold of the curiosity Sparrow moved forward. Glancing around the area to make sure no one was walking up who might accidentally startle her she walked slowly up to the other girl. Her nerves had begun their return in the face of greeting someone else so she did not initially notice the change, it was only when she went to speak that she realized her vocal cords had changed. Clamping her jaws shut before she made some sort of animal noise she opted instead for a small awkward smile and a slight wave of one hand.

[AvisCrown]

"Seraphina Marquel?" Came a man's voice as he entered the room. With Sparrow's delicate nerves he might have startled her if it had been anyone else but his voice had a sense of calm to it, that sent waves through the bodies of others when they heard it. He smiled kindly to Nikki. He knew she was looking forward to meeting new students, and was slightly surprised she arrived before him. "I'm Doron Massoud." He introduced himself. He spoke with an accent that was heard to place. He was obviously foreign, though the blend of Arabic and English accents made it hard to decipher to the untrained ear. He was dressed, like the other's in a suit, though his attire was slightly less 'professional', though calling it casual would be going to far. He was dressed down slightly, in a dark blue suit, instead of a stark black one, and he didn't wear a tie. He knew the suit could be a little intimidating so he tried to come off more approachable. He held his hand out to greet her.

[Dead Empty]

The sun warmed Talon's back as he sat by his family's mailbox, waiting to be picked up to begin the rest of his life. Though the pressure in his head was very uncomfortable, it was much better than the noise going on inside his house. Thankfully, that was something he could tune out. The light, however, was the light, and could not be helped. To keep himself occupied, Talon sat cross-legged in the dirt just off to the side of the road, watching a couple of ants wander their surroundings with a sort of measured curiosity.

Talon had already said goodbye to his parents, a quick, passing sentence that was a brief as it was passive. There were no hugs. No kisses. No wishes for good luck or safe travel. Just a simple, "I'm leaving now. Bye." Talon was out the door no more than three seconds later.

Eventually a vehicle appeared on the horizon, traveling toward Talon's house on the lonely old road that time seemed to have forgotten. It came to a stop in the gravel driveway, and out-stepped a pair of men in nice suits and ties. For a moment, the three simply stared at each other, as if sizing one another up. Being 13, Talon had become somewhat paranoid of others, but did not fully understand the complexities of human body language. The two men, however, seemed to understand him very well.

Before anyone could speak, the rear passenger door swung open. From under the vehicle he could see a pair of red heeled pumps touch the ground. Pale legs followed, which were eventually found to be attached to a young woman near her 30's, give or take a few years. She wore a red skirt and a light white blouse over her dainty frame, with red lipstick and dirty blond hair, which had been pulled into a neat bun on the back of her scalp. She smiled politely at Talon, taking a standing position a few arm-lengths away.

"Hi Talon. My name is Elizabeth Baxter. I'm here to take you to school."

'She's not lying, or she's really good at it.'

"How long will it take to get there," Talon asked while looking at the dark tinted windows. "I have a headache and I don't travel well."

Elizabeth maintained her smile. "Oh not long," she replied. "But I have some Dramamine in the car if that would help."

Smiling slightly, gratefully, Talon stood off the ground, dusted himself off, shouldered his backpack, and climbed into the still running black sedan. Immediately he put on his seat belt, accepted the medicine from Elizabeth, shut his eyes, and let sleep take him.

It had been so long since he'd gotten any sleep.

[SherbetTurtle]

The first few students stepped through the doors, she smiled and waved back at the first girl who entered, and it was not until a little later she noticed the girl's tail. However, it seemed like his girl was a little afraid to speak, but she'd soon speak she was sure. She heard a man enter behind her from the main school and waved at him slightly. Of course, she was here before him. Her eagerness knew no bounds and really she had nothing better to do but wait around and welcome people and perhaps one day she'd find her partner, someone who understood her better than the others. She didn't know who they were, but as soon as they turned up, she'd know who they were.

(Backstory: It's rumoured in the mutant world that every mutant has a partner, a partner in crime or a soulmate you may call them. This partner understands them over anyone else and it is rumoured that when two partners come together they are unbeatable. Of course, these are just myths that came from the stories of the heroes of the great mutant wars but Nikki, being the fanciful girl she is, waited in the entrance at every new batch of mutants to see if she could find her partner.)

[IssyEspeon]

Freya honestly had lost track of what was going on. She had fallen asleep actually, and was woken none to gently by one of the men who had escorted her to, here. Shaking the grogginess off, she grabbed her bag, and jumped out of the open car door, her energy quickly returning as she looked around with wide eyes. "Wow..." She whispered, turning slowly to take in her surroundings. There were some others arriving, and that reassured her somewhat. At least she wouldn't be alone. A smile came to her face, and she started heading towards the large building, or perhaps a collection of buildings, that she would be staying at. She caught a glimpse of a girl with a fluffy looking tail between her legs vanishing inside, and made a mental note to definitely talk to her.

She couldn't help but pick up the pace, skipping forwards really. A few others entered in front of her, but she paused at the sight of a tan skinned girl smiling and waving slightly at the doors. She beamed back, and waved before deciding to walk up to her. "Hi!" She chirped happily, bouncing in place slightly with the energy that always came with her being excited. "I'm Freya, and I'm new here! What's your name?" She asked, looking hopefully up at the taller girl. She wanted a friend, and this girl certainly seemed nice.

[Dead Empty]

Dreams flooded Talon's mind as he slept, a torrent of varied images and emotions that would only make sense until he awoke. A feeling of dread grew within his gut, likely corresponding to the slight nausea he still felt, despite the medication he'd taken earlier. He ran, but his progress was slowed by what felt like tar weighing his legs down and pasting them against the cold stone floor. Talon bent forward, clawing at the rocks as if he intended to climb horizontally, trying to escape an unseen force that loomed menacingly behind him, threatening to swallow him whole. That monster, the beast that chased him, had no form, but spoke his name in a sort of roar that shook every cell in his body.

Talon awoke with a start. There was a hand on his shoulder, dainty but firm, trying to shake him free from the clutches of his nightmare. The young boy's eyes shot wide open, and for half a moment he was confused. It didn't take long for him to remember what was happening. "Talon... Talon we're here. Time to wake up."

Still groggy in the eyes, Talon unbuckled his seat belt, grabbed his bag, and stepped out of the sedan. Gazing at the school, he was filled with nervousness and apprehension, both emotions tearing at his torso, threatening to cause him to dry-heave before taking his first step. Elizabeth could see the pain in his body language, so she placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke through a small smile. "You're going to be fine. You'll see. It's always hard to start at a new school, but there are some really nice people here."

It felt odd to be consoled by a total stranger, and Talon felt a bit like a child for needing to rely on her tender words and touch. But at the same time, he felt as if he could not get enough of it. It was foreign, that feeling of security, and he knew full well that she hadn't just taken a liking to the young man. Talon knew it. She was trained to talk to young people... how to make them feel safe... how to get them to conform. She probably had a propensity for it before seeking out education. He didn't care. She was nice to him, and that was good enough for him at that moment.

"Thanks," he said to the woman before starting toward the door. Talon kept his hands tucked into his pockets, trying to make himself a small as possible so as not to draw attention to himself. Ahead he could see other kids roughly his own age, talking and laughing, throwing their arms around each other as they shared stories, and shaking hands as they introduced themselves. If it hadn't been for his mutation, the noise might have gotten on his nerves quickly. But it was easy enough to form a small bubble around himself to suppress some of the ambient sounds. Slowly he approached the doors, completely uncertain of what would happen once he crossed that threshold.

[Roughdragon]

Shaun stepped out of the car, scanning his surroundings.
"Eh, doesn’t seem that bad", he thought. He looked around, seeing a whole bunch of students walking through the door, including one with a tail.
A tail? Weird. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised though. He realized that there were so many mutant kids here, why not one with a tail? He slung the bag around his back, and headed for the door. A girl was waving at the students who entered the school. Shaun smiled and waved back, disappearing into the crowd, like he was used to doing. He saw that this seemed like any other high school, only with more kids who could probably level an entire building if they wanted to. Well, at least he’d be safe here, or at least more safe than back at his grandma’s house, where his community's anti-mutants were more than vocal about their hatred of Shaun and anyone who was like him.