Xaviers!

A giant banner of some strange material displays the message "Welcome, New Students!". Contrary to most banners, the image isn't static an occasionally small, happy animations play beside the message or in the margins.

Tables of refreshments are laid out and people are milling around them. Tereza is off to one side, having a conversation with a girl about 13 or 14. The girl bears a family resemblance to Tereza though her hair is pixie-short. A few more stern directives from Tereza and the girl bounds off to talk to some of the other new students as Tereza crosses her arms and watches.

A familiar, unusual figure strolls about leisurely until it eventually makes it's way to Tereza, but it doesn't look at her. Merely joins her side to watch the new students.

"Fresh fish." She states plainly, as is her straight-man way.

"If you want to look at them that way," Tereza comments. "They'll at least get the start that some of us didn't."

Her nihilism hadn't gotten better with age. Quite the opposite actually.

Still, with age came wisdom. Wisdom to know when to keep her mouth shut and not to shit all over Tereza's optimism.

"Perhaps, yes.

Except for me of course. My life was always awesome. None of them will get to have my level of life experiences." She gloated playfully with a big stupid grin from behind her round lenses.

"Well, of course," Tereza says, absently rubbing the tattoos on her left hand. "Looking forward to teaching chemistry?"

"Yes, especially the part where one of them inevitably goes against my advice about mixing an acid and a base.

What about you? Your job is going to be a lot harder than mine. Sure you are ready to lead the charge against giant robots and space aliens?"

"With teenagers to look after, no, I'm not. But this pays better than the non-sponsored hero gig. And she needs this," she said, nodding her head in the girl's direction.

"How old is she now?" Chisaki asks.

"Fourteen, as far as we can tell. I'd like to show Russia a few new sanctions for that program they had her in," Tereza says as her fingernails sharpen slightly. She goes back to rubbing at one particular tattoo on her left hand, a stylized raven resting on the hilt of a sword.

"Aye, but we can't go running off in the Blackbird like we used to," a tall redhead says as she walks up.

"Yes, we have to be responsible now," Tereza says, sliding an arm around Sam's waist.

"You realize she's going to ignore about half what you told her, right?"

"Counted on it, but I had to try," she says with a shrug.

"If it is any consolation, she will be making the same dumb mistakes as the rest of them." She replied, tilting her head to watch the new students mingle.

"Tereza's not afraid she'll make the same mistakes as her classmates. She's worried the girl is going to be like her."

"Well, she's a total pain in the ass, so she's halfway there."

" That is a coincidence. Your genes are not that strong." She laughed.

"I don't know. I think I'm starting to notice a trend."

"And what trend is that, dear?" Tereza raises an eyebrow, smirking.

"We've got something like three generations of troublemakers now, haven't we?"

"Something like that. That's not *always* a bad thing. Just most times."

"Perhaps she will surprise you and make all new trouble that is not really trouble at all?"

"If she manages that, I'll teach her to ride a motorcycle," Tereza mutters.

"That seems like it would defeat the purpose."

"I'd have to award the ingenuity I think," Tereza says.

"If you reward her too much, she might come to expect it.

Then you will be buying trips to Disney World every week.

Wait do I get to come? If so, forget I brought that up."

"What kid doesn't expect some form of reward?"

"Guess it all depends on where you want to land in the relationship. There's being her mum, her sister, her cool aunt..."

"I'm angling for 'Mom', since that's otherwise unlikely with the curse and all. Her genetics make it hard to tell whether she's mine or another attempt at recreating my mother, so it's probably just easier to assume."

"Can't say it's how I pictured having children either, but I'm here for you, and her."

"Plus, I'd kind of like to give her what I didn't have until much later."

As if on queue with the topic of children, a little blonde gremlin that had been sneaking up behind the group of women drew close enough to give Chisaki a kick in the tush. Though at her small size it didn't carry a whole lot of force. Her successful ninja attack resulted in a lot of stifled giggling. Who left Abigail unattended?

Well her mother was busy carrying in boxes to resupply the snack table, because an occasion like this warranted colourful treats. Many students had never been this far away from home before, they needed a little something to smile about.

Chisaki simultaneously made a face that would curdle milk while the grass around Abigail's feet swallowed up the offending appendage to the ankle in a sinkhole.

"Speaking of troublemakers-" She said to Sam and Tereza.

"-Tiny Rosenhof did not have the good fortune of X-Team members as her parents, so she does not understand how to attack and retreat. She has been trained poorly." Chisaki states as if she doesn't realize the child is still there trapped behind her.

The girl in the pink framed glasses squealed and giggled as she was caught in more ways than one, though it wasn't too long before that gave way to frustrated grunts in her attempts to escape. And then came the whining.

"Nnnggg! Lemme goooooooo! S'not faiiiiiiir!"

"But if she lets you go, however will she eat you?" Sam deadpans.

"She can't eat me, 'mnot organic." The little girl furrowed her brow as she looked up at Sam. "You're a grown up, yer s'posed to act mature."

"Of course you are organic." She replies with her back still turned. Now though she was doing it so that Abigail didn't catch on that she was being messed with.

"All little children are. Just like eggs."

"Nuh uh! Eggs are grain fed and got no antsy bionics. I'm full of dino nuggies and I got a needle two weeks ago 'cause I stepped on a nail." Well one couldn't blame Abigail for being argumentative, it's not like there were many other options for her right then.

"If you eat organic chicken dino-nuggies, and you are what you eat...

What do you think you are made of my dear?"

"Besides, you wouldn't believe the ingredient lists in the things Miss Watanabe eats."