Henry was a stocky but short man, built like a gorilla, with enormous arms and feet. However, his feet, in particular, were very large, suggesting a physical mutation, which was a rarity. Charles closed the door and led Jean into the library. She whistled, marveling at how big he was.
"Have you read all this?" he asked.
"There are quite a few. I didn't read much as a kid; some are even in other languages. Scott has read a few," Charles said.
Jean looked up at one of the platforms. There she saw a thin, brown-haired boy reading one of the books. He was wearing strange, ruby-colored glasses. Scott was so engrossed in his book that he didn't notice Bobby sneaking up on him, gradually transforming his skin into a snow-like substance, turning into a snow monster. Bobby puffed out his chest, sneaked up to Scott, and prepared to roar.
"Don't even think about it," Scott said.
Bobby blew a raspberry, causing Scott to slam the book down to prevent the snow from covering it.
"What are you going to do, Cyclops?" Bobby asked.
"Bobby, ten demerits, and you caused the mess, clean it up," Charles said.
The boy snorted at Charles's fatherly tone. But it made Jean feel even more at ease with the idea of staying there. Everyone was relaxed and comfortable; Scott was a bit unsociable, but Charles made everyone feel welcome and part of the family. After showing Jean to her room and letting her leave her bags there, they walked to the hallway, where Tessa was waiting with a wheelchair. Charles sat in the chair and pulled it closer to Jean. The boys also began to gather around.
"One thing we do when a new student arrives is take down the old class photo and replace it with a new one," Charles explained.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Grey, Henry McCoy, but you can call me Hank," said the big-footed student.
Jean smiled as she shook Hank's hand. Then she crouched on the floor and put her arm around Bobby. They held the same pose while Tessa set up the camera. Warren and Scott stood near Jean, though Jean noticed Scott had his hand on Charles's wheelchair.
"I'm Scott, Scott Summers," he said .
"Jean Grey," he smiled at her.
A slight smile spread across his face before he looked at the camera. Unlike the others, his face seemed more serious, as if he were taking a profile picture. With a flash, the photo was perfect.
"Welcome to Xavier School for the Gifted. We hope that..."
—Yeah, I did that part, Hank, Bobby laughed .
Empire University State
The mutation was first recorded in Genosha in the 1910s, when a young man generated an electromagnetic energy storm. Initially, it was believed to be an isolated case in Genosha, leading the global disaster response agency to treat it as an epidemic. However, cases of the mutation began to emerge around the world.
There are three types of mutation: mental, projective, and physical. Mental mutation leads to the formation of an altered brain, capable of enhanced perception, senses, and, in some cases, abilities comparable to telepathy and technopathy (brain control). Projective mutations alter the body itself to absorb and produce energy, whether solar, electrical, or sometimes kinetic, such as the body's own movement or the impact of an object on the skin. Then there are physical mutations, which alter the body's very shape.
The mutation can occur as early as puberty, but some cases have been known to appear as early as eighteen. They often manifest during times of great emotional stress, whether anger, joy, or grief. The DSSO has formed a subdivision, known as the Mutation Response Division (MRD). They are specifically trained to handle incidents that may arise from mutations.
The manifestation or awakening of a mutant is considered a serious incident, as it usually results in death. Eighty percent of mutants with any of these mutations die due to the inability to control their new abilities. Physical mutations cause the fewest deaths, as most result in bodily expansion or disfigurement. Those who survive the physical mutation are disabled for life. Projection and mental mutations are considered the most dangerous, as affected individuals are unable to control energy projection or their heightened senses. Projection mutations usually cause severe loss of life, but there have also been cases of mutations involving a form of telepathy that can cause death or brain damage in several people.
People have been accused of intolerance, but only because they don't understand the details of mutation. Once you understand the science, and even the morality, you can understand that mutation is a dangerous phenomenon, not a disease, but a condition that must be controlled; otherwise, people will die—and they have died.
Six years after the Great Cataclysm, Sarah Rushman , a Brooklyn-born teenager, manifested her physical mutation abilities. The bones in her body began to change shape; first, her spine produced several spikes on her back; she was disfigured, but that was not the worst of it. These new bones detached from her body, causing several casualties, including numerous civilians and a handful of MRD agents.
Two years ago, Boston-born Kevin Ford developed a projective mutation. His body generated a biofield that, upon contact with any organic material, could wither him. This led to the death of his father and many of his neighbors and public employees before the MRD could incarcerate him.
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