"Hi, Donna!" Kitty waves to the dorm manager as she wanders into the housing office to grab a snack from the vending machine. 
"Hi, Kitty. How're classes?" 
"OK. I think I'm realy gitting the hang of Photoshop." 
"The Digital Creativity class? I didn't know you were an artist." 
Kitty pulls the knob above the Twix bar and watches as it flips back and down into the reciving slot and another drops in to take it's place. a relitively old fasioned vending machine... she hadn't seen one like it in years. 
"I'm not.. not realy." Kitty responds as she opens-up the Twix. "I had a friend that was an artist... he was spectacular." she answers as she takes a bite. 
"Was? What happened? did he loose his muse?" 
"More like she lost him. He died." 
"Oh. I'm sorry..." 
"It's OK. I'll catch you later." As Kitty head out the door, she hear's Donna's voice. 
"Oh! Wait! Kitty?" 
Kitty pauses, turning back around. "Yeah?" 
"It seems we have an unusualy high influx of new students this comming semester..." 
Kitty didn't like where this was going, she highly valued her private dorm room. Not that she was a loner realy, but aspects of her past made privacy quite the valued treasure. 
"And?" Kitty inquires, a slight tone of hesitation in her voice. 
"And, I'm afraid you're going to have to get a roomate in a few days." 
"BUT..." 
"I realize you value your privacy, but we need the room. If there was anything I could do, believe me I would." 
"Yeah, well, thanks anyway." Kitty mumbles as she heads out the door back to her room. 

"Here ya go, pal." Kitty tosses the other half of her candy bar to one of the stuffed animals filling the spare bed. The little dragon takes flight snatching it in mid air before alighting on Kitty's bed. 

Well, Lockheed, we're in quite the pickle now." Kitty offers plopping down on her bed next to Lockheed. 
"Urff?" grunts the little dragon in a questioning tone as if urging Kitty to go on. 
"We're getting a roomate in a few days." 
"Urrrr." Lockheed groans. 
"Tell me about it. We've been lucky sofar that dorm monitors havn't caught on to your E.T. camofauge." Kitty comments smiling slightly as she gestures across the room to the pile of stuffed animals. 
"Well," commets Kitty, "it's off to class. See you in a coupple hours." as Kitty grabs a notepad and few disks before giving her little purple friend a scratch under the chin on the way out the door. 

A few minutes later, Kitty's seated at one of the computers in the new digital media building. She couldn't help but smile at the appropriateness of the building's palcement, exactly halfway between the traditional art and computer sciance buildings. 
"Alright people, you're final projects are due at the end of class..." Professor VanKhort announces. "disks must contain both before AND after images for comparison. And PLEASE be sure to LABLE your disks when you turn them in. Elsewise, I naturaly can't give you credit." 
Before AND after... so much for the idea of slipping in some of her old X-men class pictures. Dodge for highlight, burn for shadow... Kitty's almost done armoring-up a powered down picture of Collossus when she heres a voice behind her. 
"Wow... that is SO cool!" 
Kitty turns a bit so see her classmate, Sammantha. Samantha was a little taller than Kitty, with long black hair, and the apperance of a goth, pale face, black clothes and lipstick... but for a goth, she came across as unusualy bright and cheereful... for a NORMAL person she came across as unususaly bright and cheerful. 
"Isn't that one of those X-men guys? Yeah! I remember him! Collossal!" 
"Collossus." Kitty corrects. 
"Right! He was like, SO cute. What ever happened to him?" 
"Not sure." Kitty lied. "Those X-men kind of have a revolving door membership wise. Maby he's passed on. To other things, that is." No, not other things, he was dead. Dead, creamated, and his ashes scattered to the winds across Siberia. Dead AND gone. But her memory of him remains. 
"Well,I've gotta run, Kitty. Toodles!" Sam smiled and departed with a flighty little wave. 
Kitty waves and smiles. Once Sammantha is out the door, she just shakes her head. 

"BUSTED!" Kitty thinks with a smile. The guy on the computer across from her had been sneeking glances at her all semester, but this time he hesitated a little longer than usual in turning away, and she had caught him. 
She gives him a warm smile before brushing a few strands of hair asside with her fingers. her hair... it was recovering... slowly but surely from the buzz cut she had given it a few months back. Hey, even geniuses are prone to the occasional stupid mistake. 

"Alright, people, time's up. Let's see what you've got." Professor VanKhort announces. Disks are turned-in, and transfered to the instructor's hard drive before being opened one at a time projected onto the wall. 
"Ed, looks like you're first... Beore is an empty room, after... Ed? you sure you gave me the right files?" the instructor inquires as the manipulated image reveals an identical scene. 
"Yeah, man. It's the Invisible Woman... from the Fantastic Four." Ed offers. The class erupts with laughter. 
"Very ammusing, Mr. Kramer. But it shows no skills with the program." "Next up, we've got... Kitty." 
"My piece features Collossus, from the X-men." She offers. 
"Very good... you seem to have picked-up the program quite well. Good use of light and shadow." "Next file... Ryan... and this would be...?" 
"Shadowcat, also from the X-Men." 
This cirtainly caught Kitty's attention. 
"Yes,that would expain why half of an arm and leg are missing. Good rubber stamp work." comments the instructor. 
"'nother piece of mutie trash." mutters the guy next to Kitty. 
"Sige hiel to you too, shit-head." Ryan responds just as loudly, not looking to create a scene. 
Kitty's scoul toward Alex turns into a smile in Ryan's direction. 
"Mr. Holloway, you seem eager to speak. Let's have a look at YOURS, now shall we? Well... what have we here..." 
"It's She-Hulk. A REAL hero, not some freak of nature." 
"Mr. Holloway, that will be quite enough. Your piece is clearly a ten-second re-coloring. You didn't even bother to de-saturate first." 
"Mutie lover." 
"ONE more remark like that, young man, and I use the term losely, and you'll be spouting off to the Dean of Students." 
A few minutes later, class is dismissed. 

"Nice crack back there." comments Kitty to Ryan on the way out the door. 
"What? The Alex thing?" 
"Yeah." 
"Wonder how he feels about classical composers... many of them were doing spectacular things at early ages. Dosn't seem all that different to have the talant to play the piano extrordinarly well verses say... walk through a wall." 
"Actualy, most people can learn to play the piano like a pro, or paint a masterpiece with years of patiance and pratice. People can't develop mutant powers by shere pratice. That makes people nervous." 
"So, where you off to now?" 
"This was my last class for the day. How 'bout you?" 
"I was concidering heading to 5 & Diner for lunch... Hungry?" Ryan offers. 
"Sure!" Kitty smiles. 
They walk to his car and he opens the door for her before going around and getting behind the wheel. 
"A gentleman... how refreshing." 
"It used to be concidered COMMON curtasy." 
"Well, it's still sweet of you." 
A short drive later they're sitting in a small booth reviewing the menu. 
"So... What looks good? Besides you, that is." Ryan grins. 
Kitty lets out a sweet little laugh. "Well, let's see..." 


"Hey, guys!" someone calls out from behind the counter. 
"Hey, Reg. How's it goin' ?" 
"Can't complain... well, actualy I COULD, but who would listen?" Reg says with a grin. "I mean, finals are blowing my mind, I work at a dead-end job for less than minimum wage, I can't get a pice of @$$ to save my life..." 
"Reg..." Ryan motions toward Kitty. 
"What?" 
"Watch the language... particulary in front of the lady." 
"Dude, what are you trying to say?" 
"He's saying don't be a jerk, Reg." Kitty chips in. 
JUST the opening Reg was looking for! He leans in and points at Kitty. "That's SODA jerk to you, Missy!" he grins. 
Kitty shakes her head, with an embarased smile. She had walked right into that one. 
"So, what can I get you guys?" Reg offers pulling out his order pad. 
'"What sort of specialty shakes do you have?" Ryan queries. 
"Oh... ya know what? I highly recommend the grasshopper shake... Caught 'em fresh this morning!" Reg grins. 
"Oreo mint." Ryan clarifies seeing the stunned, yet sceptical look on Kitty's face. then, turning to Reg, "Sounds good." 
"Two straws?" Reg checks with Kitty. 
"Sure, why not? Splits the calories." Kitty smiles. 
"Anything solid?" Reg proads. 
"Hmmmm... chicken fingers?" Offers Kitty. 
"Sounds good." Ryan adds. 
"Two chicken fingers... hold the thumbs... comming right-up!" as Reg heads off to deliver the order to the kitchen with a grin. 

The key clicks into place in the lock to Kitty's dorm room, and a dark silloett framed by the hallway lights stands looming in the doorway as it stuffs something in it's mouth before staggering in. It's enormously disproportionate hands nearly dragging on the ground. Lockheed, ever vigilant, watches carfuly from his hiding spot among the stuffed animals on the spare bed. 
" 'ight... 'ere's 'he 'ight?" the the lumbering thing grumbles, one of it's enormous paws clumsly sweeping aginst the wall just inside the door. 
A blinding flash signals the flow of electricity through the bulbs overhead as the creature makes contact with the switch.  " 'ere. 'at's 'etter." the creature, now revealed to be a human female, mumbles around the keys clenched in her teeth as she waddles in, suitcases gripped in her slender hands. 
Great... the roomate's moving in already. Lockheed dosn't somuch as twitch, maby this strangely colorless human will go away and his friend, Kitty will return before his cover is blown. if he continues to hold PERFECTLY STILL... Lockheed recalled an incident some years ago where his friend and her roomate at the time, Illianna, had a bunch of friends sleeping over. He had been perched on 'Yanna's head for a time, the other girls actualy thought he was a HAT untill he took off. A shame all humans arn't as bright as his friend. 
" 'et's see..." she mutters dropping one suit case beside the bed and flopping the other one on top. On top of Lockheed's tail ! He couldn't help himself, what was she carrying in there? Bricks? Lockheed jerked his tail out from under. Fortunately, the new girl was to bussy turning toward the desk removing the keys from her mouth to notice. 
the new girl turned back, poping the latches on the suitcase, opening it up to reveal it's weighty contents. 
BOOKS! that would explain why it was so heavy on poor Lockheeds still throbbing tail. The new girl hauls the books out of the suitcase, placing them on the shelf one at a time before closing it up and sliding it off the edge of the bed. 
"Ho-boy! I'm pooped." the new girl anounces to no one in particular as she plopps down next to the stuffed animals. It only takes her a moment before she starts pickeing them up one by one inspecting them. Teddy bears, stuffed white seals, a Pink Panter, Tweety bird, Tazmainian Devil... it was a good camoflauge while it lasted. Then it was Lockheed's turn, he had been sitting upright on his haunches to better blend-in.  "A Dragon! How CUTE!" Her hands wrapped around his small torso and began to lift. A look of delight quickly gaveway to puzzled concern as the expected feeling and weight of cloth and stuffing met the reality of scaly skin, flesh and bone. Lockheed quickly wiggled free of her grasp and shot under Kitty's bed. 
The new girl blinked a few times in stunned silance before her black lips parted in a big smile. "How NEAT!" 
Slowly lowering herself to the floor on her hands and knees, she leans over to the edge of the darkness under Kitty's bed. Two yellow eyes pear out at her from the darkness. "Hi, there..." she says sweetly. reaching out a little toward Lockheed. "C'mere little fella." She coaxes, "I'm not going to hurt you." not that this human COULD even if she wanted to, Lockheed fondly recalls his encounter with Arcade, but sencing her sencerity, he sticks out his toungue and gives the tips of her fingers a friendly lick. The girl pulls back a bit, unusre if that was a firendly gesture, or if this little dragon was taisting her for it's next meal. She decideds to error on the side of friendliness and extends her hand again with more gentle coaxing words. Another lick across the back of her hand this time. She dosn't flinch... but poor Lockheed starts coughing and spitting. "You alright, sweetie?" She coaxes, reaching her other hand in. Lockheed alows her to slide her hands under him and ease him out by the shoulders. 
Back in the light they could both see what had caused Lockheed's fits. Along her hand where Lockheed had licked was a distinctivly flesh-tone stripe. "Awww... you poor baby!" She coddles the little dragon. "Did my make-up make you sick?" 

meanwhile... 
*Urp!* "Whew! 'cuse me!" giggles Kitty. 
"So how was it?" 
"Not bad... But I'm thinking maby pizza next time." Kitty smiles. 
"Next time?" Ryan thinks... "That's a favorable sign." 
"Of course, that'll mean more time in the Danger Room..." Kitty mutters under her breath. 
"Danger Room?" 
"OOPS! Think fast Pryde! You're not an X-man any more..." Kitty's thoughts scramble, "but you've still got to keep that identity secret!" 
"The, uh, gym! It's just a little nickname I have for it. You know how dangerous some of those machines and weights and stuff can be if you don't use them right." Kitty stammers. 
"Right, the gym.... makes sence... I suppose." 
"Well, I suppose we should get going. I'm supposed to be getting a new roomate soon, and I need to tiddy the place up a bit." 
"Alright." Ryan drops a few dollars on the table as a gratuity before escorting Kitty back to her dorm. "We'll have to do this again sometime." Kitty offers with a smile. 
"Sure! Deffinately!" 
"Look, here's my number, give me a couple days to get settled in with the roomate situation and give me a call." As Kitty scribbles out her number on a scrap of paper before handing it over with an affectionate squeeze. 
"Great! Talk to you later then." Ryan smiles and waves as Kitty turns the knob of her dorm room door. 
"Strange..." Kitty thinks. "I'm sure I locked the door..." 
Kitty peers in cautiously..."Hello?" 
In the dim light of the room, kitty sees someone sitting on the far bed. "Oh-no... the roomate... Lockheed!" Kitty's thoughts race as she bursts into the room. 
The girl sitting on the edge of the bed, cradeling Lockheed in her arms looks up. "KITTY! HI! YOU're my new roomie? This is GREAT!" 
"Sam?" Samantha, the perky goth from digital art class... With Lockheed in her arms?! "Uh... hi.... I see you've uh, you've met Lockeed." 
"Is that your name, sweetie?" Sam addresses the little dragon who had become little more than a relaxed lump of purple flesh quite content to lay there having his tummy scratched. "He's SO neat! Where did you get him?" 
How much to tell her? ANY concivable way of avoiding the actual secret identity revelation? 
"Ya know, He's just like the one I used to see on the news with the X-Men." 
"Ok," kitty thinks, "no hiding it... if she hasn't put two and two togather already... even a total ditz would likely figure it out sooner or later." 
"No, no, totaly different purple dragon... realy!" Kitty stammers. 
Sam gives her new roomate a very skeptical look. 
"Alright, " Kitty relents, running her hand through her hair in fruitless furstration. "As you've proabably guessed from my little friend there," she says gesturing toward Lockheed, "I used to be with the X-Men. I went by the code name of Shadowcat." 
"You're the ghost girl!" Sam exclaims, almost giddy with excitement. "This is SO COOL! I've got a celeberty roomate!" 
"Well, at least she's mutant frendly." Kitty thinks. "Far better to be refered to as a 'celeberty' than a 'mutie'." 
"Say... Sam," Kitty starts. 
"Yeah?" 
"You understand, of course, that this whole X-Men thing has to be our little secret... Right?" 
"Oh, of course! Sure! No problemo! Your secret's my secret! Won't tell a soul! Hmmm-ummm!" as Sam pulls an imaginary zipper across her mouth, pretends to lock it and throw away the key. "And Kitty?" 
"Hmmm?" comes Kitty's reply as she's turned away setting books down. 
"THINK FAST!" Sam giggles as she launches a pillow through the air straight at her new roomie. 
thinking FAST isn't something Kitty has had to do in some time, her schollarly persuits have led to far more deep thinking than the quick reactions used as an X-Men... she phases instinctivly, the pillow passing harmlessly through her. 

Sam just grins. "That was too cool." 
Kitty, however has a VERY serious look on her face. "Are you trying to instigate a PILLOW FIGHT with ME?!" she says menacingly. "I'll have you know my previous roomates have been a demon sorceress and a cosmic entity... and I've bested them BOTH! YOU, little miss. perky goth, are going DOWN! " Kitty warns before breaking out in a giggle and grabbing the pillow. 
As the pillows and soon feathers fly, Lockheed wisely takes cover back under Kitty's bed. he'd been caught in the cross-fire ONCE between Kitty and Illyana... he was coughing up feathers for a week. All in all, Lockheed decided it was good for his Kitty to have another human friend... even one as strange a Samantha.