When she got down to the ground floor Agent Spaulding was waiting for her just outside the stairwell. "The news media and a lot of onlookers are still outside," he said by way of explanation. "The police are keeping them outside but the front of the building is glass and they can still see in through the and film what goes on. Agent Whitfield has gone off with the state troopers to take that fake vampire to the nearest federal detention center rated for mutant criminals of her calibre and agent Smith is staying with agent Lopez until the docs can make sure he doesn't have a cracked skull or something. In the meantime I've contacted your mom and she will meet the two of us and someone who has gone through her own mutant manifestation and will be able to give you her perspective and maybe help you deal with things better." He grins, "There won't always be super-villains around on whom you can take out your frustrations."

"Let's go then. I ... well I really want to see my mom right now."

"Understood," he nodded and we headed for a side entrance far the circus out front. There was a beat up brown sedan parked at the curb and Akira had to ask, "Is this it?"

He smiled back, "Hey, it's not mine. It's government issue," he shrugged, "I guess somebody decided black was too cliche."

They got in and soon they were at the diner set just off the main road out of town. Akira looked at her watch, ill fitting like everything else but still working, "It's three A.M. are you sure this place still open?"

"Yeah, it's open and empty. I checked with the owner before we came. As soon as everyone gets here Iris will hang out the closed sign and lock the doors. She'll probably lose a little business, this place normally runs 24 hours a day, but she's an old college friend and she has other reasons to help." He smiled and led the way inside.

Inside it was like any other diner, formica tables with anodized metal tops and cheap looking chairs, an opening in the far wall where you could see the kitchen and from which the food would come. A waitress in a pink and white uniform with a nametag that said "Jo" walked up to us. She looked normal for a diner too, until she opened her mouth that is.

"Iris said to seat you and take any food orders then go take a break in the back until she came to get me. I dunno what's going on but she's a good boss and it's a paid break so I'll do it." She looked at Spaulding in his black suit and shades and frowned at him, "I hope you don't plan on making any trouble for her. She's a great boss and a nice lady regardless of what else she may be. The cook and I'll be in the back but we'll still be able to hear if she screams."

Akira gaped at the waitress in shock, and the woman stopped frowning and pasted a fake smile on. "Well I guess you won't be doing nothing too bad with a kid around and I don't want to go spooking her so I'll just do as I'm told." She walked to a booth in the back and laid down some menus. "I'll give you a few minutes to decide if you're hungry before I go." With that she walked off to sit a few tables away.

Akira looked at Agent Spaulding for a clue, but he just shrugged and picked up his menu so she did the same. Quickly deciding on a four egg omelet with bacon, cheddar, onions, green peppers and tomato along with hash browns and sausages she signaled the waitress and ordered adding, "and a glass of orange juice."

"Very good." the woman turned to the government agent. He smiled and said, "I'm not sure I should order anything, from the way you greeted me you might put something in my coffee."

"Like I'd want to be arrested for poisoning the MCO," she scoffed.

"I'm not the MCO," he said and showed her his badge. "See? Department of Paranormal Affairs. We're one hundred percent American. I'm here to help this young lady and help her and her mom do some planning. Iris agreed to help as well because she trusts me and because she knows how hard it can be to be in this girl's shoes."

The waitress' expression cleared up fast and a real if small smile appeared on her face, "Oh, then I owe you an apology. I'm sorry if I jumped to conclusions." She patted Akira on the shoulder, "Don't you worry honey. I'm sure Iris will help you. She's been real good to all of us."

Spaulding smiled, "In that case I'll have a tuna on rye and a cup of coffee." Then he gestured towards the door and added, "the kid's mom is coming and might be hungry so can you stick around a bit after you give the cook our orders?"

She shrugged, "Well I'm supposed to get everyone's orders first so yeah I can. How many are you expecting?"

He shrugged, "Just one more." He turned to Akira, "It's just your mom coming."

Akira nodded swallowing, "I think I understand."

Jo traded a compassionate look with Spaulding and said briskly, "Well I'll get these orders in and go sit until she gets here then. You'll like the food, people come here from all over just to eat." Then she walked off to put their orders in.

Before the food came her mom did. She was a petite asian woman named Mihoshi Kagurazaka and dressed in an oversized sweater and sweat pants. The waitress went to switch the sign to closed and Akira got up and waved.

"Is that you honey?" her mom said in a small voice.

"Yeah mom," Akira nodded and they shared an awkward and hesitant hug. "It's quite a shock huh?"

"Yeah, I mean they called to tell us but seeing it is ... different." She hugged Akira tightly, "I'm just as glad to have a daughter as a son though." She pulled back and looked her over, "You're going to need new clothes."

Akira nodded, then seeing her mom sort of staring at her shirt blushed and added, "And a bra I know."

Her mom smiled, "Yes, but I what I was just noticing is that you look like her almost exactly." She was pointing to character on Akira's shirt. It was Asuna from his favorite manga Mahou Sensei Negima.

"Really?" Akira asked. "I haven't really looked in a mirror yet."

"Well let's sit down and I'll lend you one," Mrs. Kagurazaka said.

As they made their way back to the table Akira noticed that the waitress was gone and was glad. She didn't really want anyone watching this reunion. Spaulding sort of had to be there she guessed but more was definitely not merrier.

Once they sat down her mom handed her a compact. "I guess I'll need to buy one of these soon," Akira said.

"One thing at a time baby," her mom said. "Look first."

When she looked she saw her mom was right, she looked like the spitting image of Asuna. "Wow," she said, "you are what you read I guess."

"Not usually," agent Spaulding added, "but there is still some argument as to why exemplars end up looking like they do. You're not the first to end up looking like a different ethnicity. You're not even the first to end up a different gender."

"I'm not?" she said surprised.

At that an older woman stepped in from the kitchen with plates balanced along one arm and in her off hand and said, "Sugar, you ain't the first from this county!" She put down the food they'd ordered and offered her hand, "I'm Iris, the owner of this place but I was born Adam. I graduated Whateley in 1987 and didn't think I could fit back in my home town and I didn't have the power or the inclination to be a superhero so I went to college for restaurant management and opened this place with some money I got from my family. I get to stay close and make some money and they have a reason to visit and chat with a stranger that no one back home would recognize."

"I met her in college and we dated a bit. After awhile we shared life stories," Spaulding said as she sat down next to him in the booth.

"I was worried what he'd say but I couldn't keep it from him. I'm only an Ex-1, En-1 ..." She was interrupted by Akira.

"What?" he asked confused.

Iris said "I'll explain later sugar but the important point is that he could have kicked my ass even before he got all his secret agent training and I was worried he might."

"Oh," Akira nodded. "Sorry to interrupt."

"No huhu Lulu, as we used to say. So I screw up my courage and tell him and he doesn't mind. In fact even after we broke up we stayed friends because he's a nice guy."

Spaulding takes it from there, "What talking to her showed me was that not all mutants are powerhouses flying around in primary colored spandex. A lot of them just want to be normal citizens no different than anyone else. They deserve the same rights as the rest of us and many have special challenges but also unique things to offer. She is the reason why I wanted to work for this agency in particular." He smiled, "You've seen part of what we do when we caught that woman attacking the hospital. This is the other side of the coin, helping mutants find the training and assistance they need to be productive parts of society."

Iris nodded, "And I'm here to tell you how I did it and about a school that helps all mutants learn what they can do and how to do it." She then told Akira and her mother about Whateley and about Poe cottage with asides and extra info from Spaulding. Akira ate while listening and asked occasional questions. Her mom just listened until they were done and then asked two questions, "Will my baby be safe there?" and "How much will it cost?"

"She'll be safer there than hiding at home and pretending to be a cousin or something while trying to learn to control her powers. Especially after the news footage," Spaulding said.

"I saw that," she grimaced. "I couldn't sleep so I was watching tv and I saw it but I didn't realize at the time it was my ... child on the news." She pressed on hoping nobody had noticed the pause. "I agree it's the best place for her but what does it cost?"

"It is expensive," Iris said, "but there are extensive scholarships."

"Actually that is the next point I wanted to make. The DPA is one of the funding sources. The federal government helps fund it and our budget is one of those that is tapped for such funds. We get information through normal official channels and we also get information through informal channels such as through people agents know or meet such as Iris and we hire some of the graduates of course but we haven't ever put a student through ourselves. At least not as long as I've been with the agency. We do have the option though. We're allowed and do send the occasional observer but that's not the same as seeing from a student's viewpoint."

"You want me to be a spy?" Akira asked.

"Nothing so dramatic or glamorous I'm afraid." He smiled, "We want you to be a high school student. Just one who occasionally, say once or week or so, calls this number." He dug out a business card and handed it to Akira, "That number reaches a phone that is always within reach. If we sponsor you to Whateley will you call me every week and tell me what you've been seeing? We don't want you prying or poking mind you. That would make you both less safe and less effective. Just give us the view from the ground floor, so to speak. If you do happen to see something we should know and it's urgent you can call me anytime, we'll get you a phone with a built in scrambler, but please let me stress that you are not to go looking for any danger nor are you to hang around any that comes your way solely for us. We have other sources as I've said and we won't be able to get there fast enough to change anything in most cases. If something big or dangerous happens you call Campus Security first and if after that you run away and call us from under your bed I'll not say anything about it other than thank you."

He grinned, "Of course we're hoping nothing of the sort happens so I'll tell you about the good stuff next. We'll pay all of your tuition including any lab fees and book costs. We'll also buy you the new wardrobe you need, send you a bi-weekly allowance, and provide you with the MID you'll need. We can also issue new regular ID to fit your changed circumstance, even under a different name and do it legally. If you want to come back during Christmas Break and pretend to be a cousin from out of town you'll have the documents to prove it and they'll stand up to scrutiny because they'll be official and real. Now I'll go to the other side of the diner and catch up with Iris while you discuss it with your mom." Then he and Iris stood up and went off to far table bringing their coffee mugs with them.