Before long, the lower grades had all cleared out.
The field filled with upperclassmen on the verge of graduation.
Every gaze fixed on Hayashi Ren.
"What is going on? Why did the headmaster gather us all of a sudden?"
"Hiring? What hiring?"
"Is this an X-Men tryout?"
"Do we get to join the X-Men and run missions like the teachers?"
"If it is, why is Ren doing the selection?"
"Where are the teachers?"
Whispers rippled, and then the sky cracked with thunder.
A white-haired figure in black rode a rush of wind and dropped before them in a blink.
"Ms. Ororo!"
Cries rose all around.
Many eyes shone with awe and envy.
Storm had arrived.
She landed, gave Ren a very strange look, then swept the crowd. "This is not an X-Men tryout. Ren is about to undertake a confidential mission. The headmaster asked him to choose a few teammates from among you."
"A secret mission?"
They blinked, and then excitement stirred.
In their minds, pulling a secret assignment from Professor Charles now would be a huge plus when real X-Men selection began later.
Even John, Pyro, had light blazing in his eyes.
"Ren, pick me."
"And me."
Volunteers called out at once.
Ren smiled faintly.
He knew a few of them by sight. Not close like Kitty and Ichikawa Chika, but they exchanged greetings when they met.
Most would pick the familiar.
Ren would not.
A startup team needed reliable members.
He valued character, brains, and obedience more than raw power.
Which is why someone like Pyro had been out from the start.
Under the weight of every stare, Ren swept the crowd and spoke evenly. "Besides Kitty and Chika, anyone who earned a B in last night's dream exam, step forward. The rest can go."
"How do you know I took an exam in a dream last night?"
"How do you know…"
The same bewilderment flashed across several faces.
They broke off, stunned.
"You dreamed too?"
"You had an exam too?"
"What did you take?"
"Hard to recall. I think it was apocalypse survival."
"Humans used a new weapon to purge mutants. The survivors hid in a secret base. We were the last soldiers, taking an instructor's test."
"The test was to leave the base, enemies on every side, fight to live."
"Shit."
"What the hell!"
Voices rose and fell as everyone realized they had all dreamed the exact same exam.
The only difference was the final grade.
"Dream testing?"
Storm was floored as well. She shot Ren a look full of disbelief.
The professor had told her Ren had been hiding his true ability, but it was hard to believe he could manipulate the dreams of more than thirty mutants at once.
It was not about strength.
It was about where this had happened, under Professor Charles's nose.
Storm knew that at least until this morning the professor had shown no unusual regard for Ren. Which meant whatever happened last night, Professor Charles had not known.
And he was one of the world's greatest telepaths.
How was that possible?
"What happened in those two hours Ren spent in the headmaster's office…"
"He clearly only just arranged something with Professor Charles, yet last night he ran a dream test on these students…"
"What does that say?"
"This young student had foreseen this scene."
"He was sure the headmaster would agree."
The thought made Storm draw a breath through her teeth.
They were all her students, yet Ren was calm, steady, and hidden in depth, while the ones before her were flustered and noisy.
A prickling sense of shame rose in her.
"Quiet."
She snapped, and thunder boomed overhead.
Every scalp tingled, a halo of static shimmering around them as they fell silent and looked to Storm.
"Do as Ren said. Anyone with a grade of B or higher, step forward."
They glanced at one another.
Figures began to move.
Iceman Bobby, Colossus Peter, Sunspot Roberto.
The Mimic Calvin, the Shifter Kevin.
Lucas Bishop, who absorbed energy, and Petra, who commanded earth and stone.
Seven in all.
Every one a future X-Man, elites among mutants.
It made sense. For all his saintliness, Professor X was steeped in elite education. The students he rescued tended to have solid potential.
There were no Epsilon level mutants whose abilities were weak or fatally flawed.
That was why so many grotesque-looking mutants gravitated to Magneto instead.
From that angle, Xavier's was rich with talent.
"Bobby, Peter…"
Storm watched Iceman and Colossus step out and smiled, but the smile tightened into worry.
She looked quickly to Ren. "Ren, you cannot take all seven."
Be serious. The X-Men needed new blood too. If Ren walked off with the seven best, what were they supposed to do?
She knew that once they left, they might not return.
"Do not worry, Ms. Ororo. I know my limits."
Ren's smile deepened as his gaze moved over Colossus and the others. "I never force anyone. Accepting this mission is voluntary. If you are in, go pack. If not, you can walk away now."