Psyder-Girl

New York

The five students stood together in the crowd watching as the machine crackled and hummed. The science fair was showing off a radioactivity display which their school's headmaster, Professor Charles Xavier, had tasked them with watching.

"It won't be cutting edge science," Charles told them as they boarded the bus to take them from their elite school in Westchester into New York City. "At the very least you'll have a day in the city."

Peals of yellow electricity leaped about the room. Those gathered could feel the static buzz in their hair and on their skin. The air smelt strange but not awful. Unbeknownst to all, a small spider dropped down a line of silk from the roof. It abseiled down through the experiment, being bombarded by waves and rays, before settling into the strands of Jean Grey's mass of red hair and crawling in deep.

"OW!" She screamed and slapped the back of her neck as a sudden jolt shot through her. "Scott! Something just bit me!"

Scott Summers, a young man in strange ruby red glasses, tentatively moved her hair aside. "Looks like a bug bite or something, not really sure."

Jean tried to touch the sore area when Hank McCoy slapped her hand away. "Don't touch it! If it's a bee sting it'll need to be carefully removed as the stinger keeps burrowing after separation from the bee's body. On the other hand, if it's a tick..."

Warren Worthington rolled his eyes. "It's not a tick! Ticks are in the woods."

"Actually Warren," Hank said.

"Here Jeanie," Bobby Drake cautiously and quickly lifted a finger and froze the site with a ray of frost. "That should make it feel better."

"Could you all just SHUT UP!"

The group was taken aback by the young man in glasses who was standing beside them. He was a stringy sixteen-year-old in thick glasses with a name badge that read {P.Parker. Midtown High} "I am trying to watch the demonstration!" he hissed. "And all you're doing is talking and making a fuss!"

"Settle down, four eyes!" Bobby mocked. "Don't be such a...nosey Parker! Ha ha!"

"Bobby!" Scott snapped at him.

Jean reached out with her telepathy to her friends, speaking directly into their minds. -Can we just go? I don't feel so good-

Warren grabbed Bobby by the collar and reefed him away as Scott attended to Jean. Hank tried to apologise to young Mr. Parker but the kid simply huffed and turned back to the science show.

--

Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters, Westchester

"You have a slight fever, Jean," Professor Xavier said as he looked over his star pupil sitting on the edge of his desk. "Perhaps we should take you to the hospital?"

"No! No more hospitals!" Jean snapped.  "You wouldn't send any of the boys off because they got bitten by an ant, would you?"

"Hmmm okay but if there's any change..." Xavier looked at her and considered using his own telepathy on her.

"Yes Professor. But I'll be fine. Hank says it was just a wasp bite. What's the worst that can happen?

__

A few days later, Jean Grey stood inside a large metal room made up of weird plates. It was called The Danger Room. It was where they tested their powers in a safe, controlled environment.

"Ready when you are, Professor," Jean Grey shouted up to the control booth. Charles Xavier sat at a large control panel with his other students.

"We'll set the Danger Room to level three," he said pressing a sequence of buttons.