Convocation & Post Ceremony Refreshments

[Narrator]

The Convocation is held in one of the few buildings large enough for the entire student body, on the evening of the school's first day. The concert hall is decorated with red and gold, with plenty of seating for all, though the staff are not nearly naive enough to believe that all the students will attend.

Over the stage hangs the Seal of the University, with the motto, "Ad Agusta per Angusta" translated, "To High Places by Narrow Roads".

The Convocation is opened officially by Lumis, who welcomes all the students to the University, and shares his hopes that XLU will become a springboard for their dreams, and forge a community among exemplary Mutants that will never be forgotten.

He speaks also about the school itself, and how it will hopefully be the first of many. At the end of his short speech, he introduces the Convocation's keynote speaker, Charles Xavier.

Xavier, though looking old and somewhat tired at the evening hour, has lost none of his ability to speak. He too welcomes the students, but he encourages them to seek understanding with the world around them. He asks them to reach out to the city, and to all people in the world, regardless of the state of their X-Gene, and to be an example that will inspire others. He expresses his hope that XLU will one day be host to students without an activated X-Gene, and that other Universities will start to adopt programs to help mutants train their abilities.

"The improvement of human endeavor, all humans, is the goal of this University. As we encourage you to reach for the stars, teach you how to make that leap, you will become the next generation of Mutants that the world looks to for examples and guidance. Celebrate your differences, but remember your similarities. We all come from a common past, a shared family of generations of evolution. You have the chance now, and every day of the rest of your life to make a difference in the world, and it is up to you to use that chance to it's fullest extent.

I have never been so fulfilled in my life as I have been watching over younger generations, and helping them reach their potential. I have never been happier then when I see a student of mine do great things. Teaching is my calling, each of you will find yours as you pass through this new institution. When you do, seek after it, take up the call with all your energy, all your drive, all your passion.

Aristotle had a word that is often translated to mean happiness. Eudimonea. But it means more than happiness, it means fulfillment. It means the satisfaction that comes at the end of a life well spent. It is the idea of that priceless state that comes from looking at yourself, and your life, and thinking, 'I have done well, my life was a good one'. Eudimonea for Aristotle was Activity in accordance with Excellence.

We can teach you Excellence at this University. You have some of the finest minds and most subtle powers here to guide you on the faculty. But it is up to you to provide the Activity. It is up to you to step forward and serve humanity, and in so doing, serve yourself. I have faith in all of you. I look down at your faces now, from this stage, and I see enthusiasm, purpose, vigor, and curiosity. I know that you can all do what you set out to do. So I urge you today, on the opening of the University, make this school's first class a memorable one. Make this inaugural student body one that will be remembered forever in the history of the school.

Make yourselves into the stuff of your dreams. Then share that dream with the world, enriching the world, and yourself. Congratulations, to the first class of the Xavier University. I wish you well this year, and envy the good times you will have. Now we've had enough with speeches, there are refreshments outside. Please, feel free to go out and enjoy them. Take a moment to meet your classmates, and some of the faculty."

Xavier ends his speech to polite but enthusiastic applause.

[Narrator]

After that, there's a lot of racket as the students make their way to the doors. Jean Grey, present for the ceremony, stops to check on Xavier as his chair carries him off the stage, a slight look of concern on her face.

In the meantime, the Quad is brightly lit with lamps and tables of snacks are set out. There's beer, juice, and wine to be had, and plenty of space for people to mingle.

[Domanic Taylor]

Lumis walks out on the Quad after the bulk of the students have made it out of the Concert Hall, and collects a glass of wine. He stands by himself for the moment, available for any students who wish to get to know him, or faculty who have something to say. He sips his wine, and enjoys the happy antics of the kids as they chat, greet each other, and grab food.

[Anita Fernandez]

Anita had enough school spirit and respect for tradition to go to the convocation, and is now at a snack table investigating the little sandwiches, with a beer in one hand. She's wearing tight jeans and an XLU t-shirt, with her hair tied loosely back.

[Chloe Grant]

Chloe had sat with rapt attention as Professor Xavier spoke and then headed to the refreshment table to get a bite to eat.

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan sat politely through the convocation, paying attention even while surveying the crowd and the staff. Then, like everyone else, he made his way back to the refreshments, picking up a beer and some food. He was milling around a bit when someone caught his eye. "Anita? Anita Fernandez?"

[Anita Fernandez]

"Ryan!" Anita turns and gives Ryan a vigorous hug, without spilling so much as a drop of her beer on him or the ground. She pulls back from the quick embrace to look up at Ryan.

"How've ya been? Wasn't that an awesome speech?"

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan laughed holding his beer out of the way and using his wings rather than his arms to return the hug. "Well, no one's ever said that Xavier doesn't know how to motivate a group. I've been good, a lot of the usual. What about you?"

[Harold Marks]

Harold came out of the convocation thinking mainly of when the X-team program was to start. Heading to the refreshment area, he grabs a beer and a sandwich and does some people watching. He's wearing a nice shirt and tie, underneath his dad's old bomber jacket.

[Rachel O'Brien]

Rachel had been getting some food and a beer after the speech and worked her way over to where Ryan was standing "Yeah, it was a good speech." she agreed, taking a sip of her beer.

[Anita Fernandez]

"You know me, I'm always doin' great." She smiles at Rachel. "Hey there, I'm Anita. You a friend a' Ryan's?"

[Madrox Saavedra]

"Well I'll be damned to Robot Hell," Madrox smirked as he neared Anita.

[Rachel O'Brien]

"We just met." Rachel said, holding out the hand that didn't have the beer. "I'm Rachel."

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria, in the meantime, was hovering around the tables, looking somewhat disdainfully at the beer. Well... it's free. Can't complain much about getting what you paid for, she mused as she reluctantly picked up a glass.

[Narrator]

Several members of the faculty are in the area, just meeting students and enjoying the refreshments. The rest have gone off to prepare for the upcoming term. Xavier does not make an appearance.

Some of the faculty are obvious mutants, and some not. In fact, though there's never been a press-release to this effect, it's said that many of the faculty for the non-mutant specific subjects are not mutants at all.

A group of students have inflated a large beach-ball, and have lofted it into the air over the crowd, where it gets bounced up and sent further along.

The place is buzzing with people talking and having fun.

[Anita Fernandez]

Anita shakes, "Good ta meet ya."

She turns to Madrox as soon as he speaks, grinning. "Maddie!" She hugs him too, again, without the slightest spillage. "How the hell are ya?"

[Domanic Taylor]

Lumis, watching the crowd of students, nearly does a spit-take when he catches sight of Victoria. Unable to quell his curiosity, he takes a moment to compose himself, and then walks over to her.

"Excuse me, miss..?"

[Madrox Saavedra]

He grinned. "I'm good. You?"

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria looked up, seeing Dom. Aside from the absence of the ever-present pink-lensed glasses, she looked exactly like Becca had at 19. "Yes, sir?" she said politely.

[Ryan Gabriel]

"Madrox, this is Rachel. Rachel, this is Madrox." He nodded at both of the other two. "These guys went to Xavier's with me, back in our young and less wild days."

[Anita Fernandez]

"Good as always. Maddie, this is Rachel, if ya haven't met. I'm sure ya remember Ryan, what with that super memory of yours an' all."

[Madrox Saavedra]

"A pleasure to meet you," Maddie smiled to Rachel.

[Domanic Taylor]

A ripple of some very complex emotion passes over Lumis's face. Even her voice is the same.

"I'm sorry, but you have an uncanny resemblance to an old friend of mine. You aren't related to Rebecca Valentine, are you?"

[Rachel O'Brien]

"Madrox, this is Rachel. Rachel, this is Madrox." He nodded at both of the other two. "These guys went to Xavier's with me, back in our young and less wild days."

"Nice to meet you" Rachel said amiably

[Charlie Wallace]

Charlie went to the convocation, but stayed in the back after he saw a few familiar faces. Last thing he wanted to do was disucuss his life after Xaviers. After a while, he got bold enough to walk over to the refreshment table for a beer.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria nodded. "She was my mother," she answered.

[Domanic Taylor]

Unlikely that she was just your mother... the resemblance is too exact. Damn that's disturbing.

Little of that thought crossed Lumis's face, though Victoria would notice a reaction of some kind, just a very ambiguous one. Lumis's mannerisms betray a lot of social control.

"Ah, I see. I was a friend of your mother's, a good one, for my part. I'm Lumis." He offers Victoria his hand.

[Simon Kipling]

Simon clapped enthusiastically at the end of Prof. Xavier's speech. At the school he'd only seen him a handful of times, his speech hitting him a little harder as he observed THE Professor X. Afterwards he headed for the snack area where everyone else was milling about. Dressed in a long sleeved cream sweater (emphasis on the word "long") and jeans he didn't look too much different from most of the other kids. At least until his tail snaked around a bottle of Smithwicks.

"Geeze, it's like starting high school all over again" he mumbled to himself. It didn't seem like any of his old friends had wanted to come to school here, or if they had he'd yet to find them. He decided to socialize a bit, popping the bottle cap off with the tip of his tail so that it landed in his palm, tossing the cap into the garbage nonchalantly.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria studied him for a moment, then smirked. "So that's what they're calling it these days," she said. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Lumis."

[Domanic Taylor]

Lumis laughs. "Well, I didn't know how much she shared with you. And just Lumis is fine. No need to attach an honorific. How are you settling in at the school?"

[Anita Fernandez]

"So Rachel, what's yer power? If ya don't mind me askin'."

[Rachel O'Brien]

"I'm a telepath." Rachel said, having discovered that even other mutants, especially other mutants tended to be freaked out but a more detailed explanation.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Oh, she didn't share anything, but she's much easier to read than you are," Victoria answered. "I'm settling in well. London is a pleasant change of scenery from Paris."

[Simon Kipling]

Simon wrinkled his nose and let out a soft gag after swallowing his mouthful of beer, his tail dropping the bottle into his hand so that he could get a better look at the label. "Geeze, that was a bad choice." Looking around he spied a slim blonde girl who was also holding a beer, though it looked different than his own. He walked toward her with a smile.

"Hey, hope you had better luck than I did" he said, raising his beer slightly.

[Domanic Taylor]

"I'll have to work on that then. I like Paris, but I know what you mean about needing a change. Parisians will eventually wear me out."

[Anita Fernandez]

Anita nods. "Awesome. Telepathy is a cool power. Hey, maybe you we can practice on each other sometime."

[Chloe Grant]

"I'm not a big beer drinker, but this is ok." Chloe replied, taking another sip

[Rachel O'Brien]

"That could be fun." Rachel said to Anita "What do you do?"

[Simon Kipling]

"Me either, the limit's 21 back home." Simon took another sip and tried not to make a face.

"I'm Simon."

[Anita Fernandez]

"Oh, well my power doesn't fit in ta telepathy at all. I'm just sayin' you could practice scannin' me, and I could practice keepin' ya out. My power is sensin' stuff around me, where everythin' is. Superpowered sense a' touch."