Day One: Introductions

[Drake 53]

Kurt and Hailey looked around as the students in the quad got up from their tables and started filing out toward the parking lot.

"Some first day," said Kurt.

Hailey nodded in agreement, as she watched Lila walk away. "And I'm going to guess that our miss Mercer probably had something to do with it."

***

"Wow, first day," said Marcus, completely forgetting about the topic on Trent. "Must be a record. Usually it's a week before someone pulls the fire alarm."

He got up to join the mass of bodies making their way out.

[Vergere 1]

"Don't tell me you let Trent get to you, Kelly."

Kelly spun, then sighed. "Brett. Will you please stop sneaking up on people like that?"

He just shrugs, and walks with her and the others on outside. He glances up at the building as they walk away from it, and smirks as what looks like flames begin to flicker at the windows. Kelly looked up at the building as well, and gasped. "Oh my God... it really is a fire..." She moved a bit quicker at that realization.

****

Catalina and Joseph also got up and headed out, Catalina haiving grabbed her food as they did so. "I can't believe it. First day of school and the alarm is pulled."

Edited May 4, 2008 by Tyche

[Rogue 4]

Everyone was paraded on the front lawn, told to get into orderly lines by homeroom so that the teachers could do attendance to make sure everyone was alright. Soon the Greendale fire department was there, searching the school in full gear. Mr Warren stood in front of the school, seemingly angry and annoyed for a half hour before one of the firemen came over to talk to her.

There was an electrical fire in the computer lab. Most interesting.

One of the teachers came over and asked what they should do about the children. "Send them home." A slow smirk spread across Mr Warren's face. "They worked hard for this one."

***

When the afternoon classes were cancelled, Natalie began to make her way towards the parking lot. A fire on the first day. She didn't like fire at all, and found herself always being the most jumpy whenever a fire alarm was pulled. Then again, that's how it was even before the accident.

She pulled her keys out of her backpack as she reached her red four-door hand-me-down pick up truck.

[Ayingel 24]

A fire in the lab? That wasn't what was planned at all. Lila shook her head and continued walking. She really had nowhere to go, and knowing Greendale pretty well, she was pretty sure of where the Institute was. Along the way she stopped at a gas station to pick up a bottle of water. As she was grabbing the bottle, a headline on a magazine caught her attention. "Mutants among us, eh?" She flipped through the magazine and found the article so she could see the pictures. Girl with third eye. Ha. Woman kills herself when she sees her son levitating. What a bunch of freaks. Lila grabbed the dollar from her pocket and headed up to the cashier. As she was leaving the store, she saw the ATM. Lila laughed, remembering the first time she had used her ability. After all, that ATM was how she got her laptop in the first place. Lila continued on towards the Institute.

[Andy 60]

As Danny and Chase got into their car, they spotted Trent and his gang glaring at Danny.

"Friends of yours?" Asked Chase.

"Yeah," Danny said, "something like that. You fancy going down to the beach in a bit?"

Chase thought about his meeting with Kurt earlier, and looking for the Institute. " I don't know..."

"Come oonnn," Danny pleaded, it'll be fun. Plus we have invites."

"Invites?"

[Rogue 4]

Natalie saw Danny and Chase get into their car, and decided to pull up beside them. "Hey Danny. How's it going Chase? You guys heading down to the Cove?"

[Andy 60]

Danny nudged Chase in a way that said 'told you so'.

"Yeah, sure," Chase said finally, "we'll be there."

"You heading down there now?" Danny asked.

[Rogue 4]

"Definatly. I told Kelley I'd meet her there after class." She smiled. "And I'm dying to catch some waves. I'll buy you each a cup of coffee, or tea...whatever you drink." She winked teasingly. "Why don't you guys follow me so you don't ge lost?"

[Vergere 1]

Catalina laughed as they let school out, and nudged Joseph. "I'm going to head to the beach... see you later?"

****

Brett sneaked up on Kelly again, making her yell in suprise as he spooked her once more. "BRETT!"

Unapologetically shrugged. "You going to the beach, Kelly?"

She sighed, "Yes, Brett."

He looks around, "Can you drive me?"

"Fiiiiine. Hop in." She motions to the topless Jeep nearby. "Well, go on."

Brett grinned and did as she said, and Kelly just rolled her eyes and got in the drivers seat, turning it on and heading on out of the parking lot.

"Brett..."

"C'mon Kelly. Please?"

She sighs, "As long as you promise not to scare me any more today."

"Yeah, I'll try. No promises."

[Andy 60]

"Sure, we'll be right behind you," Danny confirmed.

[Rogue 4]

Natalie backed out of the spot and headed out of the parking lot, keeping up a steady pace so she wouldn't lose the two on busy streets as she headed down to the beach. The closer to the water she got, the less fire anxiety she had in her mind. It wasn't long before she was pulling into a parking lot beachside.

[Vergere 1]

Kelly was getting out of the jeep just as Natalie was pulling up. She grinned and waved, and then seeing the twins in the car behind her, waited for them to all get out before she headed on over to where her boyfriend was working.

"Hey guys..." She grinned at Nat. "Figured you'd be here soon."

Brett just raised his hand in greeting, but never said a word.

[Rogue 4]

Natalie smiled, breathing in the sea air. "Well you know me and the ocean can't stay apart for very long."

[Vergere 1]

"Don't I know it." Kelly just shook her head. "Well, I'll let you introduce our newest members to the Cove, and I shall go meet up with my ocean." She stuck out her tounge playfully and jogged towards the open-sided building near the parking lot, and tackled a worker from behind.

Lance laughed and set her back down before turning and kissing her sweetly. "Hey beautiful. Why is everyone out so early?"

"Mmm. Fire alarm went off, the new principle sent us home. So, of course, most of us are coming here." She raised an eyebrow. "That isn't a problem, is it?"

Lance laughed and hugged her close, "Of course not." He looked up to see who else was coming in, and waved to Natalie when he saw her. Keeping his voice quiet, he spoke to Kelly again, "Though, depending on how busy it gets, I might need an extra hand to work."

"I'm sure I could help with that."

The Cove itself was comprised of several open-sided buildings, including a place for food and drink, a place to rent surfboards, a place to rent watercraft of various sorts, and a place to rent umbrellas for when it got too sunny and hot.

****

Brett just avoided the Cove buildings and went to go lie out on the beach and work on his tan some more.

****

Catalina, on the other hand, just went home to have lunch with her mother, and generally helping out around the house.

[Drake 53]

Hailey and Kurt bamfed in front of the Institute after leaving the school. Peter was standing on a step ladder, adjusting the security camera outisde the front door. Without looking back at them, he asked, "Kicked out so soon?"

"Hey muscles," said Hailey. "There was a fire in the school so we got sent home early."

"Da," Kurt added. "However, we don't think it was an accident, if you know what I mean."

Peter turned to look at them. "You think it was other mutant student at the school?"

"Yeah, we do." Hailey started through the door. "And we invited her over to visit."

The Russian said something in his own language that sounded bad. "Go on. Tell Jean and Scott."

***

The hawk swooped down from the sky, coming to perch atop a telephone pole near the Cove. With its superior vision, it watched Natalie park her car, meet up with Kelly, then head towards the building.

[Rogue 4]

Natalie waved back at Lance, showing the twins around before heading back to her truck to get her bag. She removed her shorts and top, setting them on the bench seat of her truck. Beneath she had been wearing a yellow halter-top bikini with boyshort bottoms. The last time she had surfed had been in Hawaii, and she was eager to feel the California waves once more. She went to the back of her truck, pulling out her surfboard before heading towards the beach.

[Drake 53]

Finding Jean and Scott in the den, Hailey and Kurt explained to them what all happened on their first day, covering the opening pep rally, their 'meeting' with Principal Warren, the talk with Lila and Chase, the confrontation with the football players and, lastly, the mysterious fire.

"Things have progressed much faster here than in Bayville," said Kurt.

Hailey nodded. "These kids are already using their powers. We need to get to them right away. However, I think we may already be too late for some of them."

[Vergere 1]

Kelly and Lance came over to the twins after a while. Lance smiled and held out his hand, "Lance Elliot. I run this madhouse. Kelly tells me you're both new here?"

[Andy 60]

"Yeah that's right," Danny said as he shook the newcomer's hand, "just moved over this summer from London."

[Vergere 1]

Kelly, having been looking down as she played with the sand between her toes, looked up and held out her hand. "Hello Chase... I'm Kelly. I met your brother earlier..."

"London?" Lance grinned. "That's awesome. Kelly's from Sydney..."

She rolled her eyes. "They know, Idiot. I have an Australian accent." She looked back at Chase. "How are you liking it here?"

Lance just grinned more at Kelly's response, looking amused. "Here... come on in, you guys have lunch yet? If not, I'll give you lunch, our treat, for making it through your first half day of school here in the states!"

[Andy 60]

"Hmm, I'll give it time," Chase told Kelly, "I preferred home."

"Chase is boring like that," Danny joked, "as for lunch, I didn't get a drink cos of an, err, incident."

"Yeah well I'm starving I didn't get anything because of that stupid fire."

[Vergere 1]

"I don't think he's boring." Kelly shook her head and looked over at Chase, and spoke in a sort of conpiratory tone, "I hated it when I first came here. I don't blame you for giving it time. It's a culture shock." She smiled, "Come on, let's get you fed. We can't have you passing out here at the Cove. It's unacceptable."

Lance raised an eyebrow as they walked, "Oh? And what incident was that?"

[Andy 60]

"I'm sure I won't pass out," Chase said.

"Oh, it was nothing," Danny shrugged it off, "just some bully and his cronies trying to act big around the new kid. Didn't count on me being stronger than I look."

[Vergere 1]

"It was Trent."

"...Oh." Lance grimaced slightly. "Hasn't he been kicked out of school yet?"

"Lance, he's the captain of the football team! He could commit murder and he still wouldnt' be kicked out." She rolled her eyes. "You know that." She led them through between the tables to the kitchen. "Jose, Diaz. Fix these gentlemen some lunch - whatever they want." She grinned at the twins again, and held out two menus.

Lance rolled his eyes. "Sometimes, I'm not sure which of us actually owns this establishment."

[Andy 60]

Danny and Chase selected what they liked off the menu, and thanked Lance.