Hello again readers! Welcome back - here's the first chapter of the sequel I promised. I'm pretty busy with Gishwhes right now, so the next chapter probably won't be out for at least another few days. If you haven't already read my previous fic Animals, you can read it here. This story might be a little confusing if you haven't read it yet. I'm really excited about this story, and hope you enjoy it as well! I'm a little less familiar with the X-men characters than the Blue Exorcist characters, but I'll try my best to keep everyone in character. If you have any advice or comments, feel free to include them in a review or inbox me. Whew! Sorry for the long message. With all that said - please enjoy this chapter, and thank you for reading!

Logan put the car in park, then sat there for a moment, staring at the old mansion. A few kids were wandering about outside, huddled around a boy with a video game, shooting hoops, or just talking. The scene, so familiar, seemed so strange after all this time. After everything they had been through, the world carried on. He hoped he still had a place in it.

"Are you sure about this?" Yukio asked quietly from the shotgun seat, wide eyes searching Logan's expression.

"Well, it's a little late to back out now, Wolf Man," Shura leaned forward, jutting her head in between the two front seats with an annoyed expression, "It's been a long day, and I'm about to pee my pants. So please, if you're done with your little moment, can we go inside?"

Logan glared at her, but she glared right back. It had been part of their arrangement with Mephisto that Shura come along to keep an eye on Rin. Logan had agreed for the kid's sake, but he was starting to regret that decision. Logan didn't mind Rin at all - well, mostly. He was a bit hyperactive, and twitchy - but Logan was glad to bring him along. Shura, on the other hand, had been a pain in his neck ever since the plane left Japan.

"Whoa! That kid just teleported!" Rin exclaimed from the backseat, pressing his face against the window, mouth open in amazement.

"Yeah, that's what we meant by powers, kid," Logan grunted, killing the engine and hopping out of the car. A few kids glanced their way uncertainly, then went back to their own business. He wondered if there were any students here who remembered him...

"Logan?"

He turned to see Storm standing on some stone steps a short distance away. She was frozen, staring at him as if looking at a ghost. He stared back, with a similar expression on his face. She had cut her hair short and spiked it up, but he recognized her instantly, even after all these years. A pang of nostalgia seized his chest, but he tried to shrug it off with a grin and a wave. Slowly, still slightly incredulous, she walked towards him.

"Hey, Storm. Long time no see," Logan half laughed.

She quickened her pace and then enveloped him in a embrace, squeezing him tight "Too long. I'm just glad you're home."

He raised his head and looked at the old mansion. It was strange, to call a place home.

"Yeah, I'm home," he answered under his breath. Storm stepped back but he kept his hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eye.

"I heard that the Professor..."

"It's true - he's alive. I'm sure he's already aware of your arrival. Come on, I'll take you to him," her eyes were still full of unspoken questions, and a bittersweet happiness shone in them. But she merely looked over his shoulder, "Mind introducing me to your friends first?"

Logan turned around, having nearly forgotten about the others, who were standing by the car. Yukio and Shura looked impatient for Logan's reunion to be done with, but Rin was distracted, watching the students play basketball. Apparently they were allowing powers this round, or the game had just gotten out of hand. Kids were teleporting, using sonic blasts, or snatching the ball with telekinesis. Rin was staring with round eyes, mouth slightly agape.

When Shura put him in a chokehold and rapped her knuckles on the top of his head, though, he was yanked unceremoniously from his reverie, "We got you a new student, lady."

Storm raised a brow at Logan, mischief in her eyes, "He yours?"

Logan nearly choked, and Rin squirmed in Shura's grip, "What!? No way!"

Clearing his throat, Logan offered a brief introduction, "This is Yukio, that's Shura - they're...friends. And the kid's Rin. He's a mutant we picked up in Japan, and we thought this would be a good place for him."

They had already decided to keep Rin's true identity a secret. Not only would that add unnecessary tension and confusion to their situation, but the entire point of this trip was for Rin to go undercover. Storm raised an eyebrow, but only said, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Rin. I'm sure you'll love it here."

Rin broke free of Shura's grasp and smiled sheepishly at Storm, his tail wavering shyly behind him "Yeah, I hope so. Um...does everyone here have powers?"

"You could put it that way, yes. All the students here were born with special genes that give them certain abilities - just like you."

"Yeah, well, I guess that much is true," Rin muttered under his breath, causing Shura to dig her elbow into his ribs. Storm glowered, narrowing her eyes at the scantily clad woman.

"I'm sorry, who are you exactly?"

"I'm this kid's guardian. I'll be sticking around to keep an eye on him."

"I assure you that won't be necessary. All our teachers are fully qualified to-"

"I'm staying. Now where's this professor everyone keeps yammering about? I'd like to talk to him directly."

Storm's annoyance was only thinly veiled as she led Shura and Rin towards the mansion, the kid's tail twitching nervously as he looked around in either excitement or worry. Logan and Yukio followed, quietly observing, different thoughts and doubts swirling distractedly in their minds.

"Are you sure this was a good idea?" Yukio asked, eyeing Logan's haggard expression with a mix of skepticism and concern.

Running a hand down his face, he sighed, "Well, it's like she said. It's a little late to back out now."

The halls were hauntingly familiar, once again filled with the happy faces of children. Well, happy was relative. Some were complaining about homework or still trying to fully wake up; but they were safe, and healthy, and overall living a good life. These halls were filled with hope - something Logan was just now learning to feel again.

Rin was walking beside Storm, listening with surprising focus as she informed him of various classes and facilities around the school, sometimes gesturing into a room or out a window. Occasionally a student with a physical mutation, such as blue skin or spikes, would pass by and Rin's eyes would go wide, following the kid down the hall until snapping back to Storm's voice.

It reminded him of the first time Logan had stumbled upon the academy. Of course, his arrival had been a lot more confusing and hostile - but the sense of wonder at discovering others like him was the same.

These kids weren't the same as Rin, though.

"The professor is going to know Okumura isn't a mutant, Logan. You said he can read minds," Yukio said softly, as if she were the one reading his mind.

"Yeah, I know that. Better than most," Logan responded curtly. He still hadn't wrapped his mind around the fact that the professor was alive and well. He had seen the man ripped apart on an atomic level. Disintegrated. Logan wasn't sure if even he himself could come back from something like that.

"What do you think he'll say?"

He took a breath to answer, but paused - they had arrived. Storm knocked gently on the familiar door, then pushed it open when a deep voice answered from within. A voice Logan never thought he would hear again.

Charles Xavier rolled his chair out from behind the desk, smiling warmly at their group. His eyes, crinkled up at the edges, met with Logan's - whose own eyes were widening with disbelief and relief.

"Hello Logan, it's wonderful to see you again."