Paige listened attentively to the woman, smiling pleasantly while she soaked her up, got a feel of who she was. Doctor Moira MacTaggert...Doctor Moira MacTaggert...now that she was thinking about it, she'd heard that name somewhere that wasn't here or out of the mouths of other students. She swore she did, and--gasp!--Doctor Moira MacTaggert, she was a top geneticist. That's right, she'd read about her in scientific journals! And...hadn't she won a Nobel Prize? The woman was a genius. Ugh, Paige could just blush.
The question (and subject) brought her back into focus and cast an excited gleam in her eyes. "Oh, Ah love it! This was what Ah was meant ta do, ever since Ah was younger Ah just knew it. It wasn’t enough for me ta be a mutant--” she laughed, “Well. Actually, when mah powers first manifested, mah silly little self was convinced that bein’ a mutant was more than enough. But then Ah realized there was no point really if Ah wasn’t gonna do anything productive with ‘em.” Paige shrugged her shoulders.
“It took a bit ta get here, had a lot of people doubtin’ me, but the challenge was nothin’ short of satisfyin’. And, y’know, that’s one reason why Ah love bein’ apart of the team, Doctor MacTaggert. We’re challenged on an everyday basis. Society, part of society anyway, can be real nasty with mutants, though that ain’t nothin’ new. And bein’ the X-Men makes us even easier targets, Ah think. But Ah look at other students, especially the young ones who are just beginnin’ ta understand themselves, and when Ah see the discouragement, it makes me work harder to be a better role model; ta bring some change about. They shouldn’t have ta put themselves down or hide who they are ta appease anybody.”
Brows furrowed, Paige nodded with earnestness, until her expression softened and she brought her fingers to her lips to hide her sheepish grin. “Look at me, a ramblin’ fool.”