WELCOME TO MUTANT HIGH

By George Cameron and Ryan Krupienski

“Welcome, everyone, to a brand-new year here at the Xavier Institute of Higher Learning!”

The voice was the baritone yet upbeat one of Doctor Henry McCoy, the Institute’s headmaster and the X-Man Beast. The blue-furred man stood at the podium in the school’s cavernous new auditorium, flanked by four young women standing in a row.

The first was the Cheyenne Danielle Moonstar, attired today in a crisp, fitted white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and left unbuttoned down to the top of her chest. She also wore a pair of tailored dark tan slacks, a woven brown leather belt, and a pair of black oxfords. Her lengthy, raven-black hair was worn in her customary twin braids, which were left to drape over her shoulders, and her upslanted, dark brown eyes seemed to radiate with confidence and wisdom beyond her years.

The second was the Vietnamese Xi’an Coy Manh, who was dressed much more… casually… than Dani. She wore a black T-shirt that clung to her frame like a second skin and left a portion of her midriff exposed., with a stylized purple image of Raven from the popular “Teen Titans” comic book. A pair of baggy brown cargo pants hung loosely from her hips, nearly covering her shiny black combat boots. Her own black hair, while having grown out somewhat over the summer, was still messily spiked and dyed with purple tips.

The third was the youngest of the four, the Scotswoman Rahne Sinclair. In stark contrast to her casually-attired friend, Rahne wore a professional forest-green women’s suit, complete with blazer, knee-length skirt, and fashionable pumps. With a collared white dress shirt beneath, Rahne looked every bit the career woman, despite the fact that she wasn’t even old enough to drink. She wore her fiery-red hair long and unbound, her bangs cut just above her eyebrows.

The fourth was the most exotic, the Nova Romanii Amara Aquilla. The statuesque young woman wore a cream, empire-waist blouse that seemed almost baggy and ill-fitted on her frame, and a pair of goldenrod bellbottoms with horizontal stripes and zig-zag patterns stitched across them. She wore gold Roman motif jewelry on her fingers, her wrists, her ears, and around her neck, and even her belt was accented with gold. Her wavy, golden-blonde hair was messily pulled back, the sidelocks held to the back of her head with a golden hair clip.

Hank continued, his eyes fixated on a point somewhere above the heads of the nearly three hundred students that were now attending the Institute. “For those of you who are new this year, I promise you that you’ve never attended a school like this before. Here, you learn not only academics, but about your individual mutations as well. What they are, where they come from, and how to control them, lest they control you.”

Pausing for only a moment, Hank resumed speaking. “And for those of you who are returning this year, well, you know what you’re in for.” He smiled, and the students chuckled lightly.

After the laughter had subsided, Hank continued. “In light of how many of you have chosen to attend the Institute this year, and how new this is to both the students and the faculty alike, we’ve chosen to institute a more fluid approach to learning. This will obviously necessitate some changes in how we do things here. And to talk to you about the change that will affect you the most, I turn the podium over to Miss Moonstar.”

Applause rose from the assembled students as Dani moved to the podium, Hank having stepped aside to allow her the floor. She gazed out at the students, and offered them a warm, genuine smile.

“Good morning, everyone. I’m Danielle Moonstar, and as many of you know, I teach American History here at the Xavier Institute. I’m here today to talk to you about a new program that the staff has decided to try this year, and answer any questions you might have.”

Dani paused, gathering her thoughts. She wasn’t one for lengthy speeches, preferring to get right to the point, but she’d do her best for Hank. “It’s a dangerous world out there. Most of you already know that, having experienced prejudice and even violence in the world when you discovered that you were mutants. And you’re going to need more than just instruction on how to control your abilities. You’re going to need to know how to defend yourselves.

“The world has come a long way since the X-Men were first formed years ago. And now, with the Institute having gone public and the X-Corporation setting up shop around the world, we finally have a voice in the world. But even these things won’t erase human prejudice, or human fear, or human violence. And all of you need to know how not only how to control your powers, but how to use them.

“This year, we’re going to be dividing all of you into groups of ten, and assigning each of you to one of the X-Men. The X-Man you’re assigned to will serve as your mentor, supervising you in all combat-relating activities, including weekly, mandatory Danger Room sessions. Together with the individual powers classes that al of you take, we intend to teach you how to defend yourself, as well as the value of teamwork.”

Dani paused once more, but only for a moment. “Now, are there any questions?”

“I got a question,” came a young male voice that the staff was very familiar with. Dani looked over to see Julian Keller, arguably the Institute’s most popular student, and suppressed the urge to scowl. On either side of him were Sofia Mantega and Laurie Collins, who apparently didn’t mind sharing his affections, and who regarded Dani with barely-concealed contempt.

“Go ahead, Julian,” Dani said.

“Are we being arbitrarily assigned to squads, or do we get to pick our advisor?”

Dani shook her head, anticipating the question. “If you’re not happy with the advisor you’re assigned to, you can apply for a change with either Headmaster McCoy or myself, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you. But right now, each of you are being assigned by the headmaster based on your needs.”

A hand was raised, this one belonging to the beautiful and mysterious Sophia Frost. Today, the girl sat with Carla Santini, who rivaled Julian in the popularity department and was quite well known amongst the returning students as being something of a bitch. Dani privately wondered why Sophia was associated with someone so socially carnivorous. “Miss Moonstar, what else will our squads be doing?”

Dani nodded as she articulated her answer. “Well, like I said before, you’re going to have a weekly, mandatory Danger Room session, as well as combat classes suited to each of your individual abilities. Also, we’re going to do our best to keep the squads in the same academic classes, though that’s obviously not going to be a given for everyone. Besides that, we’re still playing it by ear, but we’ll let you know if anything changes.”

Another hand raised, this one by Takuto Usami. Easily the highest-GPA student at the Institute, Takuto sat with Trent Cameron, who Dani had been informed would be assigned to her squad. “Are we going to be getting uniforms?” he asked, and Dani could see by the looks on their faces that many of the students wanted to know as well.

But Dani shook her head. “You’ll be getting a basic training uniform to wear for your Danger Room sessions, but other than that, no. We don’t want to encourage cliquishness any more than we have to.”

“Hah!” That was Julian. Dani ignored him.

“Any other questions?” Dani asked, looking around the assembled students and seeing no hands raised. After looking over at Hank, she stepped aside and let the headmaster have the podium.

“Thank you, Miss Moonstar,” Hank said as he smiled to her. “And with that, we’re going to begin squad assignments. We’ll start with Miss Moonstar’s squad, which she has chosen to name the New Mutants, in honor of the time she spent as a student here years ago. If the following students would stand when their name is called, Miss Moonstar will take you and meet with you privately as a squad.

“Tammy Lynne Baker, Bootylicious…”

The overweight Southern belle stood up from where she sat with her friends, including Arabella Carey and Judd Sandage, and felt nothing but fear as she was called into the attention of the entire student body.

“Shaquanita Jenkins, Milkshake…”

The obnoxious, overweight New Yorker stood up from her seat in the back of the auditorium, where she sat quite alone, and put her hands on her hips with hostility that she didn’t bother to conceal.

“Boyd Larraby, Air Force…”

The slender, blonde-haired young man stood up from where he sat, doing his best not to look bored by the proceedings as he let out an airy sigh and folded his arms across his chest and rolling his eyes heavenward.

“Ahmed al-Rashid, Sirocco…”

The Saudi mutant, clad in a black polo, black dress slacks and black dress shoes, carefully avoided the gaze of everyone else in the auditorium as he stood up.

“Sophia Frost, Fusion…”

The Institute’s dead ringer for Hilary Duff stopped chatting with Carla and Heather GioAvanti long enough to stand up, and cast an enigmatic smile in Dani’s direction.

“Eduardo Franco, Rock Hard…”

The Latino Texan, who was busying whispering sweet nothings in Irmina Riegel’s ear, cast an angry, irritated look at Hank as his name was called, and stood up after Dani narrowed her eyes at him.

“Trent Cameron, Integer…”

Once a handsome and academic young black man, the human mathematical concept stood up, understanding the words of those around him but physically unable to respond.

“Liam O’Keefe, Backdraft…”

Also sitting alone, the brooding Goth stood up slowly, his head lowered in a desperate attempt not to meet anyone’s pointed stare… and an attempt not to set the entire student body on fire.

“Ami Huo, Velocity…”

Everyone’s favorite overachiever stood up, a too-toothy-to-be-genuine-but-it-was smile plastered on her pleasant features as she stood up in the first row.

“And Ricky Calusky, Excavator…”

The son of Piledriver, who still insisted on wearing his foolish costume, stood up and puffed out his chest, posturing obnoxiously as he said something to the effect of, “Saving the best for last, huh?”

Hank smiled even as Dani stepped forward. “You are the New Mutants. Please follow your new advisor.”

Headmaster’s Office

“Welcome to the Xavier Institute, Miss Alcazar,” Hank said warmly as he finished shaking hands with the pretty young Latino girl who he’d just met a few moments ago. “Please, have a seat.”

Sage Alcazar nodded, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of Hank’s desk, and crossed her legs. She wore a white women’s dress shirt tucked into a black tailored skirt, with trendy black clogs completing the ensemble. Her midnight-black hair was pulled back into a severe ponytail, and she regarded Hank with dark, black-lined eyes that danced with sensuality and mischief.

“So tell me, Sage, why don’t you explain your situation to me. I spoke with your uncle at length on the phone, but I’d like to hear from you.”

Sage nodded. “Well, my power causes me a lot of problems, Doctor McCoy. My uncle says that I need to learn how to control it, or it’s going to control me… and I’ve already had one too many mishaps to feel safe anymore.”

Hank nodded in return. “Well, I’ve received the test results from Doctor Reyes-McCoy, and we’ve discovered the exact nature of your power. Ironically, your power is diametrically opposite that of one of our X-Men, Domino.”

“Really?” Sage asked. “So she causes good luck?”

“Yes,” Hank replied. “She alters probability fields, to cause luck to literally be in her favor. You, however, create what we call a pariah effect.”

“Pariah effect? What’s that?”

“Well, it’s a psionic emission that literally alters probability fields, causing bad luck to occur. This takes the form of heightened negative emotions in those in proximity to you, as well as small-scale telekinetic activity that can create anything from the movement of objects to the destruction of those objects.”

A look of horror crossed Sage’s features. “Oh my God! And I can’t do anything about this? It just happens?!”

Hank smiled. “Of course not. Here at the Xavier Institute, we can teach you not only how to bring this power under your control, but how to use it to your advantage instead of your disadvantage.”

Sage let out the breath she’d been holding, relief replacing horror on her face. “I thought I was literally cursed for the rest of my life.” She looked up then, meeting Hank’s eyes. “Thank you so much, Doctor McCoy. I don’t know what to say.”

“You can say ‘yes’ when I ask you to stay at the Institute and join the student body,” Hank suggested with a grin.

Sage nodded vigorously. “Of course I say yes! A whole school of kids who are going through the same things I’m going through… I didn’t think I’d ever get the chance to come here.”

Hank chuckled. “Well, we like to think we’re in the business of fulfilling the dreams of mutant children all over the world, Miss Alcazar. Our doors are open to any mutant who wishes to come here and learn. Yourself included.”

Sage smiled. “Thank you again, Doctor McCoy.”

Hank stood up from his seat. “We’ll have to get you assigned to a dormitory, and to a squad. I’ll talk to one of my faculty members, Miss Manh, and get you settled in.”

Sage rose from her seat as well, and offered her hand to Hank. He took it and shook it firmly. “Again, welcome to the Xavier Institute, Sage. You’re going to be very happy here.”

Moving to leave, Hank cleared his throat. “Oh, before you go, have you given any thought to a codename? Every student here gets to pick their own codename, and I think it might help you feel more comfortable among them.”

Sage looked over her shoulder at Hank, a mischievous smile crossing her pretty features.

“Yeah, I have. You can call me Jinx.”

Breakstone Lake

“Well, here we are, kids,” Dani said as she looked out over Breakstone Lake.

Her new charges weren’t enjoying the natural setting nearly as much as she was.

“Breakstone Lake is so pretty, Miss Moonstar,” Velocity said.

“Oh, shut up,” Excavator said, eliciting a chuckle from Rock Hard and a smirk from Air Force.

Dani raised her hands placatingly. “That’s enough, Ricky. You’re here to get to know one another, so you can work together as a squad, not to start fights.”

“With all due respect, Miss Moonstar, we didn’t choose to be here,” Air Force said.

“What’s your point, Boyd?” Dani asked.

“My point is that maybe you should be patient with us, because we’re obviously not going to hold hands and sing songs around the campfire,” he replied acidly.

“Fair enough,” Dani replied. “But you’re going to have to learn how to get along, because once you get in the Danger Room, you’ll wish you were a little nicer to the people who are responsible for watching your back.”

Dani sighed, and sat down on a large rocky outcropping. “With that being said, let’s get started. I want you all to give us your name, your codename, and a very brief description of your power.” Even as she said it, Dani felt like a 60-year-old schoolmarm. How the mighty have fallen, she thought to herself. “Tammy Lynne, why don’t you start us off?”

Bootylicious smiled and waved. “Hey, y’all, Ah’m Tammy Lynne Baker, and mah codename is Bootylicious—“

“Gee, I wonder why,” Excavator muttered, earning a dark glance from Dani before Bootylicious continued.

“Mah power is… well, Ah can create super-powered gas pockets.”

Excavator raised an eyebrow. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means that she has really wicked belches and farts,” Terra said, standing with Sophia, Rebecca, Alicia, and Amelia, the five-in-one that formed Fusion. They were each clad in a hot pink tank top, white tennis skirt, and white platform sandals, their hair pulled back into ponytails.

“And what about you, pichón?” Rock Hard asked, earning himself a look from all five “girls.”

“I’m Sophia Frost,” Fusion answered, her “sisters” deferring to her. “My codename is Fusion. And I’m a telepath.”

“You mean, we’re telepaths,” Rebecca said.

“Yeah, don’t forget about us,” Alicia chimed in.

“Don’t mind them,” Terra said to Rock Hard. “This is pretty much what they do all the time.”

“I don’t mind, nena,” Rock Hard said with a grin. Terra met his eyes, and gave him a mischievous grin of her own.

{Stop it,} Rebecca said to her telepathically. {You are not getting with that… thug.}

{The hell I’m not!}

{Will you two shut up? I can’t hear with you two yammering.}

“Who’s next?” Dani asked.

“I’ll go next,” Milkshake said. “’Sup, y’all. My name is Shaquanita Alize Jenkins, and my codename is Milkshake.”

“Like, the song?” Air Force said. “That song is already played out. Time for a new codename.”

“Shut up, fag,” Milkshake retorted.

“Oh, Milkshake? Mister Ed called. He wants his hair back,” Air Force taunted, pointing at her ponytail.

“My shit’s natural!” Milkshake yelled, gripping her ponytail defensively, even though she damn well knew it wasn’t.

“That’s enough, both of you!” Dani said sharply.

Suddenly, Backdraft stood up, the black-clad Goth running a hand through his dyed-black hair. “I’m outta here. You guys… suck.” And with that, he stormed off into the woods surrounding Breakstone Lake.

“Liam, wait!” Dani called. But he was already gone.

Velocity chimed in, doing her best to keep Dani’s effort alive. “Can I go next, Miss Moonstar?”

Dani sighed, and nodded. “Sure, Ami, go ahead.”

Velocity regarded the other members of the group. “Well, I’m Ami Huo, but most people know me better as Velocity. I can think, move, and heal thirty times faster than normal people.”

“That’s cool,” Rock Hard said, regarding the Asian girl like a cat watching a mouse.

“Thank you, Ami,” Dani said. “How about you, Eduardo?”

“Heh, well, my name is Eduardo Franco,” Rock Hard said, heavily accenting his name. “My codename is Rock Hard, and I can make my body as hard as rock.”

“Oh really now?” Terra said, eyeing Rock Hard.

“Fun and games,” Air Force chimed in, standing next to Terra and leaning with her like a conspiratorial girlfriend.

“Yep,” Rock Hard said.

“Every part of your body?” Terra asked.

{Terra!}

{Like you weren’t thinking it!}

“I guess I’ll go next, then,” Air Force said. “My name is Boyd Larraby, and–“

“Boyd?” Milkshake said.

“What a fag name,” said Excavator.

“Yeah,” Rock Hard agreed.

Air Force regarded each of them with a baleful stare. “Anyways, my codename is Air Force, and I can control the wind.”

Excavator laughed. “The wind? That’s totally lame.”

“It’s better than pushing rocks around, shovel boy,” Air Force snapped. “And a hell of a lot more effective on a breeder like you.”

“Oh, what would you do, queer, mess up my hair?” Excavator jeered.

Air Force clenched his fist, and in that instant, Excavator felt a sharp pain slash across his cheek. Reaching up to his cheek, he felt blood. Excavator’s mouth opened in surprise, and he regarded Air Force with new interest.

“What the hell did you just do to me?”

Air Force laughed. “Ever felt that before? A wind so sharp it could cut you?”

“Don’t do that again, Boyd,” Dani warned sternly. “You know you’re not allowed to use your powers on each other. But I’ll let it go this time.”

“Why?” Excavator whined.

“Because, frankly, you asked for it, Ricky,” Dani replied. “Now why don’t you go next?”

Ricky grinned. “I’m Ricky Calusky, son of Piledriver—“

“No one cares,” Air Force said.

“Quiet, Boyd,” Dani said.

“Anyways, my codename is Excavator, and I have the power of gee..geo…geo-neesus.”

“You mean geokinesis?” Velocity offered.

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Very cool, Ricky,” Dani said, doing her best to keep her new squad peaceful. Spirits knew that they all pretty much hated one another, with very few exceptions, and she’d have her hands full just getting them to be civil to one another.

“Miss Moonstar?” Terra asked.

“Yes?” Dani replied, turning to face the five-in-one Fusion.

“May we do the honors?” asked Amelia.

Dani smiled, pretty sure she knew what they were referring to. “By all means.”

While Sophia stayed where she was, her “sisters” moved over to Integer. His appearance was humanoid in shape, but he seemed to be made up of fog or mist that somehow stayed in a human shape. He was easily the most mysterious of the new New Mutants.

“This is Trent Cameron,” said Rebecca.

“His codename is Integer,” said Alicia.

“He is a living mathematical concept, and he thinks and speaks in binary code,” said Amelia.

“And if he wants to, he can download numbers into your head telepathically, overwhelming you,” said Terra.

“Thank you, girls. Now there’s one member here who hasn’t added anything to the squad,” Dani said, looking pointedly at Sirocco. The Saudi boy avoided her gaze, knowing what she wanted.

“Come on, Ahmed, join the conversation,” Velocity said.

Sirocco turned to them then, looking not at Velocity, but… through her. “Why?”

“Because you’re better off with friends than alone,” Bootylicious said. “Trust me. Ah know.”

“So you want to know what I can do?” Ahmed asked, his voice rising with every word. “What my power is?” With that, his body seemed to explode, becoming billions of particles of sand in an instant. The living sandstorm raged through the air, swirling around each of the students and even around Dani for several long seconds before recoalescing into the form of Sirocco.

“I am Ahmed al-Rashid. My codename is Sirocco. And that is what I can do.”

Cafeteria

A few hours later, Dani sat with Rahne and Xi’an in the faculty section of the cafeteria, nursing a cappuccino with her two oldest friends. The Institute’s cafeteria was an impressively large room, with room to seat five hundred people with room to spare. A few of the other faculty, namely Colossus, Jubilee, Cyclops, Domino, Beast, and Cecilia, were also in this section of the cafeteria, talking amongst themselves. And there were the students as well, who were all enjoying their lunch period between classes.

“So how was your first day with your squad, Dani?” Xi’an asked.

Dani sighed heavily. “Exhausting. They’re… a handful.”

Xi’an laughed. “If anyone can handle that particular group of kids, it’s you. Besides, at least you don’t have the Bohemians.”

“Earning their name already, are they?” Dani asked with a smirk.

“Yeah,” Xi’an replied. “I should possess Henry and make him dye his fur pink for assigning me this particular group of students.”

“Who did ye get?” Rahne asked.

“Rubbermaid, Trance, Match, Preview, Dryad, Specter, Pixie, Quill, DJ and Anole,” Xi’an replied with a sigh.

Dani knew most of them well enough. Rubbermaid had powers almost exactly like Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four. Trance created astral projections by releasing her own consciousness. Match had powers like the Human Torch… from the neck up. Preview was a powerful precog. Specter could shift his body into pure shadow-stuff. Pixie had rainbow-colored, butterfly-like wings and the ability to produce a “pixie dust” that could cause people to hallucinate. Quill was literally the human porcupine, and a frequent visitor to Hank’s office. Dryad could speak to and control plant life. DJ could control music to produce various effect, depending on the style of the music. And Anole’s reptilian mutation gave him a lizardlike countenance, a prehensile and elastic tongue, and the ability to camouflage himself. Shan really does have her hands full.

“What about you, Rahney?” Dani asked, looking at her best friend.

Rahne smiled. “I have th’ lower class, the wee ones,” she replied. “Shan’s siblings, Melody Guthrie, th’ St. Croix twins, Artie, Leech, Wiz Kid, Squid Boy, wee Bridgit Shane, and this adorable beauty named Molly. She’s a right fit one, too!”

Dani smiled. “I’m glad Hank has you mentoring the younger children, Rahney. You are the best choice for the job, and I know you’ll do wonderfully.”

“Och, thank ye, Dani,” Rahne replied with a smile. “I’ll certainly do m’best.”

“And I hear Hank asked you to be the school’s nurse,” Xi’an added. “Are you going to do it?”

Rahne shrugged. “I’m thinkin’ about it… but I’m not certain if I’m up to th’ task.”

Dani knew that Rahne was doing her best to deal with the tragic and senseless death of her surrogate mother, the inimitable Moira MacTaggert. And from what Amara had told her, Rahne might be feeling more than grief. She was likely feeling guilt, as well. She reached out to give Rahne’s hand a squeeze.

At that moment, Amara joined the group, sitting down almost imperiously at the table next to Rahne. She looked up at Dani, and offered her a smile. “I have been given command of the Hellions.”

Dani, who had been in the midst of a sip of her drink, nearly gagged. “You—what?! The Hellions?!” She regarded Amara incredulously. “What were you thinking, naming them that?”

Amara’s smile faded, and her gaze became iron. “I was thinking that perhaps I could redeem the legacy of the Hellions by leading my squad into the ranks of the X-Men.”

“Mighty ambitious of you, ‘Mara,” Xi’an said, regarding Amara carefully.

“Who d’ye have on your squad, ‘Mara?” Rahne asked.

“Hellion, Wind Dancer, Wallflower, Prodigy, Elixir, Surge, Rockslide, Tag, Mercury, and Twang.”

“Wow,” Dani said. “I’m surprised Hank kept them all together.” The members of the Hellions, ironically enough, all happened to be friends, anyway, and the Institute’s most exclusive clique. Even in an all-mutant school, it seemed, there was those who were accepted, and those who were not.

“You’ll do fine, Amara,” Xi’an said. “If anyone can whip those punks into shape, it’s you.”

“Thank you,” Amara said, casting a dark glance at Dani.

“Oh, Rahne, I meant to ask you for a favor,” Dani said, ignoring Amara’s spiteful look.

“What is it, Dani?” Rahne replied.

“Well, one of my students took off in a huff this morning, and I haven’t seen him since. Would you mind…?”

Rahne smiled. “Sniffing him out for ye? Not at all, Dani. Who is it?”

“Liam O’Keefe,” Dani replied.

“Backdraft?” Xi’an asked. “The kid who can set fires?”

Dani nodded. “He’s not exactly what you’d call a social butterfly. I’m not sure if he’s going to work out on the squad…”

Epilogue

Rahne, in her lupine form, raced through the forest on the swift legs of a wolf. Despite all of the trials and tribulations in her life, Rahne felt truly… happy… when she was the wolf. She didn’t have to think about everything she’d experienced, especially recently, with her mother’s death…

No, Rahne told herself. Find Liam. Dani is depending on you. Rahne’s thoughts were blessedly uncomplicated when she was the wolf. And she would find Liam.

She thought about what she knew about Liam. He’d been at the Xavier Institute for about eight months now, and in all of that time, he’d never really come out of his shell to socialize with anyone. Dani and Shan had described him as a goth, a social status that Rahne wasn’t particularly familiar with. He dressed morbidly dark, kept his normally-red hair dyed black, and even wore black eyeliner… she’d never understood such things, and she doubted she ever would.

There! As she passed yet another copse of trees on the Xavier Institute’s expansive grounds, she picked up a very faint scent of him. And she could smell his frustration, his anger… it was all there, clear as day to one with senses such as hers.

She quickened her run, lithesome and slender legs carrying her through the forest along the trail that only she could follow. And as she ran, the scent became stronger. Soon enough, she would find the boy, and then she’d have the Herculean task of getting through to him and having him come back to Dani’s new squad.

Then, she stopped very suddenly. Something was wrong. She could sense it only ephemerally, but it was there. She sniffed the trail again, and then she knew what it was.

Ash. And from what she knew about Liam O’Keefe, she knew that he possessed powers not unlike her own new charge, Bridgit Shane. He was a pyrokinetic, and his power worked by agitating the molecules of other objects that he touched, causing them to ignite if they were flammable.

I pray he hasnae not done anythin’ foolish, she thought to herself as she continued her run.

After another fifty meters, the smell of ash and burning grew stronger, and so did Rahne’s sense of foreboding. The smell was… burning flesh! Or, more accurately, burnt flesh.

Please dinnae let the lad be hurt! And in the back of her mind, Rahne prayed that he hadn’t hurt anyone else.

Bounding over a fallen log set amidst a group of bushes, Rahne entered a clearing. And as soon as her eyes took in the scene, she almost instinctively gagged. There, in the middle of the small clearing, the ground was charred completely black. And in the midst of the charring, there was a body… or rather, most of a body. Rahne knew instantly who it was, and what had happened.

Liam O’Keefe had burned himself alive.

With that realization firmly in her already-fragile mind, Rahne cast her head up to the sky and began to howl.

NEXT ISSUE: Liam O’Keefe, the New Mutant known as Backdraft, is dead… and his death will rock the Xavier Institute to its core. Be here for the next issue, as Moonstar, Karma, Wolfsbane, and Magma figure out what to do next, as well as how to manage their new squads. Also, Jinx joins the cast, but what is her hidden agenda? Something is very wrong in the house of Xavier…