A new adventure!

[Kaiser Reed]

Kaiser stared with wide eyes at the school, his new home. It was a lot bigger than his old school...that was for sure. The blond haired boy hiked his backpack further up his back and grabbed his duffle bag full of clothes and a few personal items. He hadn't brought much, then again he didn't really have much. His father wasn't the type to spend money on Kaiser, so the clothes the boy did have usually came from a thrift store. Kaiser's mom had gone out and gotten a few nice outfits for the boy and promised to send more over time. A smile formed on his face as he thought about his mom. She was so much happier now, who wouldn't be? His dad was out of both their lives and things could actually be like they were supposed to be.

The kid took a few steps forward, but his smile turned to a frown as he felt the snow under his feet. Oh man. Snow wasn't an unheard of thing in Texas, but it didn't stick around long. This stuff looked like it was here to stay and that was never good for Kaiser. He glanced up at the gray, dreary sky and sighed. "I miss you, wish you would come back." He mumbled, shaking his head. You see, Kaiser has a very special relationship with the sun. He sees the sun as a friend, someone who will always be there for him, no matter what. He knows the sun can go away at times, which sucks, but the thought of it always returning and bringing happiness to his life...well that was fine by him.

He took a deep breath and put a smile on his face as he started walking towards the school again. There were students outside, some around his age and some older. It seemed like a pretty good mix. Everyone seemed pretty happy which was always a good sign. A couple of guys stared at him as he walked with his duffle bag and backpack, but Kaiser just assumed it was because he was the new kid. It was always kind of tough being the new kid, never knowing where you fit in or who might want to be friends...or who to not make friends with.

The boy just smiled and waved at the group and after a couple of head nods they returned to whatever it was that they were doing. Kaiser let out a small sigh of relief before brushing one of his gloved hands through his hair. The boy wasn't built to handle the cold very well, his thin body lost heat quickly. His mom had bought him the gloves, jacket, and scarf that he was currently wearing. The jacket was a deep black color, his mom said it absorbed heat or something...but the gloves and scarf were his favorite. They were yellow! His favorite color! Sure, he kinda looked like a five foot four bumblebee, but he was completely okay with that!

Alright, the moment of truth. Kaiser walked through the doors of the institute and gave a silent praise. It was warm inside. A shiver passed through his body, he was so happy to have made it out of that horrible cold. "Ummmm..." Kaiser said, looking around. Where was he supposed to go now? He figured he should probably learn where he would be staying, though he wasn't completely certain where he should go for that. Crap. Another reason why being the new kid sucked, not knowing where anything was!

Kaiser looked left and then right. "Hrm..." He quickly shrugged and went left, starting his journey to find out where he would be living.

[Paul Wilkerson]

Paul walked to school while listening to his iPod. He had his hands tucking into his winter coat pockets to keep them warm. He had the red knit hat that his grandmother made on to keep the cold air from nipping at his ears. The cold air nipped at Paul’s nose and cheeks. The cold didn’t bothered Paul one bit. He was born and grew up in Pilot Ridge, Vermont, so the cold wasn’t anything new, and the same with the snow. When living in Vermont, snow and the cold are no strangers. There’s not many snow days, but most of the students lived on campus. Paul continued his way through the wet slushy snow to school. It wasn’t a long walk, just a few minutes.

Paul turned the corner and entered through Hammel’s gates. There were some students gathered in clusters. A few people greeted Paul as he walked by, but most of the students didn’t say anything to him. That was fine by Paul. Not everyone at Hammel was his friend. And there were some students that Paul disliked very much and didn’t want to be friends with.

The teen walked into the school. The warm air greeted him. Paul took off his hat and stuffed it into his pocket. He unzipped his coat. No need to over heat. Paul walked through the familiar school hallways. He stopped for a moment to watch what seemed like a lost a black puffball. The puffball must be a new student. Paul had two options. One, to carry on his way. Or two, offer some help. Option two seemed like the better of the two. Plus it’s no fun being the kid.

“Lost? Want some help,” Paul walked up to the new kid, “Puffball?” Paul couldn’t help himself. He just had to call the kid Puffball. Hopefully the kid wouldn’t take it the wrong way. But that’s what the kid looked like to Paul, a puffball.

[Kaiser Reed]

Kaiser turned around when he heard the voice. "Puffball?" He asked with a small tilt of his head. The boy looked down at what he was wearing and then back to the other guy. A small smile formed on his lips. "Yeaaaaah, I just got here and I uh...I don't really know where to go. I needa find out where imma be staying I guess." Kaiser said with a shrug.

He grimaced a bit, his backpack was now starting to feel more and more weighted. The kid knew he definitely needed to take it off soon. "But yeah, I would totally like some help. I'm sure if I tried to find anyplace myself I'd get lost. I'm terribleeee with directions." Kaiser said with a small sigh.

"Oh!" He said quickly extending his hand towards the other male. How could he have forgotten his manners!? "My name is Kaiser Reed, it's nice to meet you!" The blond said with a large smile. "Thanks so much for your help!"

[Paul Wilkerson]

Paul smiled when the kid checked out what he was wearing. Whenever someone would compliment Paul’s shirt or something, Paul would always have to look at what he was wearing. You would think people would remember what they were wearing.

Paul shook Kaiser’s hand. “I’m Paul Wilkerson. Well, you’re in luck. I know my way around Hammel and I’ll be your guide. If you need help getting around Pilot Ridge, I’m your guy.” Paul mentally slapped himself. Why are you so stupid, Paul?

“Dorms are that way,” Paul pointed down the hall. “I think. I’m a local so I live with my family.” Just shut up already! He mentally yelled at himself. “Need help with your bags?” Paul offered a hand to take one of Kaiser’s bags.

[Kaiser Reed]

Kaiser smiled when Paul shook his hand. "Oh gosh! Thank you sooo much, like you don't even know. I know I'd just end up walking around in circles or something if I tried to do this myself." The kid said with a sheepish grin. "Pilot Ridge, okay." He said nodding. "I'll make sure to remember that!" Kaiser loved exploring new places, but having a guide would be much easier than just wandering around and trying to find places on his own.

"Oh, that's really cool. I'm definitely not a native, I'm from Texas…its a lot different here." He said with a small sigh. He wasn't sure how long it would take for him to get used to his new home, but he hoped it would be a smooth transition. When the other boy asked if he needed help Kaiser nodded his head. "Ummm…yeah, if you don't mind." He handed over the duffle bag to Paul and thanked him for his help. "So do you like it here? At Hammel? It's so crazy to think that….that everyone has like…super powers here. It's like something out of a comic book!"

[Paul Wilkerson]

Texas. That explained the puffball look. He chuckled. It wasn’t a chuckled to make fun of Kaiser. It was that Paul found it amusing how people from out of state dealt with cold. “Not used to the cold then, Puffball?” If the new kid really disliked Paul calling him Puffball he would say something, but for time being Paul was going to continue with Puffball.

Paul took the duffle bag Kaiser handed. He smiled at the other boy. His smile faulted a little bit when Kaiser mentioned super powers. It was quite clear that Paul didn’t like his power, but he wasn’t going to say anything. Kaiser was the new kid and didn’t know that someone people here hated their powers with a fiery passion. Paul being one of those people.

“X-Men. That’s what I think of. Hammel’s good. Like any other school. Classes, teachers, homework, ect.” Paul smiled warmly. “Where to first, Puffball.” The teen wondered how far he could go with calling Kaiser Puffball.

[Kaiser Reed]

Kaiser shook his head. "Nuh uh. Not used to it at all...at least not this type of cold." He said with a small frown. "I like when it's summer...the sun is always out and it's just so waaaarm." The frown that he was wearing a moment ago disappeared and turned into a large smile. "I can't wait for the summer again, specially cuz I won't have to wear stuff like this." The kid said as he poked at his jacket.

It was warmer in the school now, but that didn't help Kaiser. He was still chilled to the bone by the temperature outside. He gave a soft sigh and shrugged. "But I shouldn't be complaining, at least I have stuff to wear in the cold now. I could be out in it with like a tshirt and shorts." Kaiser laughed a bit.

"Yeah! Xmen! It's kinda like that!" He exclaimed, his cheery signature smile plastered on his face. "It's just so crazy, ya know? I never woulda thought that I would have ended up at a place like this..."

When asked where they should go first Kaiser shrugged. "I dunno really." He supposed he should go find out where he would be staying...then he could put all his stuff away. "Is there like...an office that has all the dorm information and stuff?"

[Paul Wilkerson]

“There are crazy people here who wear a t-shirt and shorts in the winter. I’m not one of those people. Plus my mom wouldn’t let me out of the house.” It would take a few winters before Kaiser would get used to them. In some places, mainly down South, snow would shut down the town for a day or two but in Vermont the world keeps moving. Vermont doesn’t stop for snowfall.

That was kind of a stupid question Paul asked. Of course Kaiser would want to go to his dorm first to put everything away. Being a student who lived off campus wasn’t one hundred percent sure where to go. Most likely someone in the dorms would be able to help. Paul was positive where the dorms were even though he never been there. He had no reason to. Now he does.

“Like I said earlier I live off campus,” Paul started in the direction of the dorms. He turned around to make sure Kaiser was following. “I know for a fact the dorms are this way.” Paul led the way to the dorms. “After you get settled in I can show you around the school, if you want.” Paul hoped that he wasn’t coming across too strong.

[Kaiser Reed]

"T-shirts and shorts!? Oh my gosh! I would freeze to death...Id be like a Kaiser Popsicle!" The boy said with a small giggle. "I know whatcha mean about your momma though, mine wouldn't let me out the house without making sure I was wrapped up tight!" Kaiser said with a bright smile.

He started to follow Paul, happy that he had someone to show him around on his first day. "Oh yeah! Totally! That would be awesome, I would love that." Kaiser kept his pace behind the other boy, though he made sure to look around and try and remember where he was going and what he was passing.

[Paul Wilkerson]

Paul led the way with the puffball following. Paul felt good about him self when Kaiser said that he would love for Paul to show him around town. There was A question was itching for Paul to ask, but he didn’t want to. He knew if he asked the question Kaiser would ask the same question to Paul. And Paul didn’t want that. But the curiosity was there. Paul bit his tongue. Which was stronger, his pride or his curiosity?

Paul sighed. “What’s your power?” Paul hated him self for asking. But it was now out there. Plus it was a very common question to hear around Hammel. He knew that at some point Kaiser would ask Paul that question.

Besides the two boys needed something to talk about. What if Kaiser hated his power too? That would be something to talk about. How much they hate their powers. But what if Kaiser didn’t hate his power? Paul snapped out of his thoughts when Kaiser spoke.