PROLOUGE

"What the hell do you mean I'm adopted?!" I screamed at the woman I'd always thought was my mother.

"Well sweetie, about two years before we got you I was told I'd never be able to have children, so your father and I spent those two years looking for the right child to adopt and we found you."

I was pacing back and forth in the lounge while my supposed mother Sue was sitting on the couch with my supposed father Jack. They were holding a small envelope with my name on it and had just told me that I was adopted and that the envelope contained a very old photo of my other family along with a very old address of where they were living at the time of my adoption.

"Why did you never tell me this, I had a right to know," I replied fixing them with a glare.

"I'm sorry hun. Raven, that's your biological mother, didn't want you to know until you discovered your powers. She didn't want you to have to deal with being related to mutants unless you were one yourself and we didn't know when or if that would happen," Mum explained.

"You mean you always knew there was a chance I'd end up with these powers?" I asked getting more and more worked up about all the things they had neglected to tell me.

"Calm down Iesha," Dad interrupted. "We had no way of knowing if you would develop any powers, as the only one of you guys Raven definitely knew would was your brother."

"Only one, how many of us are there?"

"Three. You have a twin sister and a little brother, he's about two years younger than you," Mum replied.

"So what else do you know about this other family?" I asked sitting in the chair across form them and trying to calm down a little bit.

Mum sat forward and took my hand in hers. "That's about it hun, I don't know if your siblings got adopted out too or if she kept them, and we're not sure if she's still at the address she gave us. We never even opened the envelope because she made it very clear we were never to tell you about them unless you developed your own powers."

It started about two months ago. I was just thinking about this really cool outfit I'd seen on TV and suddenly I was wearing it, I've still got no idea how it happened but it's like my old clothes just morphed into these new ones. Luckily my mum has a friend called Stacy who's a mutant, and it didn't take long to figure out I had strange mutant powers. Stacy is a telepath and she went through my mind to figure out what was going on there and found out all I can do. Apparently I can change my appearance just by thinking how I want to look, I can teleport my whole self to another room, or just something from another place into my hands, and I can also steal other mutants powers by touching them and concentrating on what they can do. Once I have another's powers I have full control over them and I'll never lose them. Stacy said I would be an extremely powerful mutant once I have control.

"How are your lessons with Stacy going?" Dad asked.

Mum had arranged with Stacy and a few of her friends to teach me how to control my powers and was very impressed with my success. I have already mastered them all as well as the telepathy I got from Stacy.

"Great," I replied. "I already have complete control. Apparently I'm an extremely fast learner. Can I please have a look in the envelope?"

"Of course you can," Mum replied handing it over to me.

I just looked at it for about five minutes before I finally opened it. Inside it held one photo and a piece of paper with writing on it.

If you're reading this it means you have discovered your powers and the truth about your family. I'm sorry I couldn't keep you, any of you, but I hope this family has looked after you well. I'm not sure if you will ever find the rest of us but feel free to try if that is what you want.

Raven

I had a look at the photo. It had four of us in it. My mother was a tall pretty woman, but she was also blue and probably had a lot of trouble leaving the house with the way most people see mutants as something to be feared or destroyed. My sister was sitting next to me and she had this amazing two toned hair even at two years old, it was mostly auburn with these two white streaks at the front framing her face. I also had strange hair and eyes even at two as well, just like now my hair was dark brown with two deep purple stripes at the front like my sisters but also high-lighted through the rest of my hair and my eyes were also the same deep purple as my hair. My brother it turns out was also blue but he was furry too. He was still just a baby and being held by our mother, he even had a tail that was dangling down.

"How could I not remember any of this, two of them a blue for goodness sakes, even a two year old would remember something like that," I exclaimed after studying the photo for about ten minutes, taking in every detail of my family. "He even has a tail."

"We are not entirely sure about that but Raven said she had taken precautions to make sure you wouldn't remember in case you were to never find out about them," Dad answered, taking ahold of the photo to have a look at it himself. "But Raven was certainly not blue when she gave you to us."

CHAPTER 1

Well this must be the place, I thought as I looked at the rundown house. The garden had run wild, and the porch could use a bit of fixing up and a coat of paint but it was home to an old friend and at one point he had told me all the people he lived with were mutants so maybe they would accept me. Not to mention he might know how to help me find my family, I thought as I knocked on the front door.

"Allo Sheila, do I know you?" asked an orangey blond haired man after opening the door.

"I highly doubt it hun," I replied. "I'm looking for Lance Alvers."

"Alrighty then," he replied. "Lancey," he yelled back through the still open door, "there's a pretty lil Sheila at the door for you!"

"Pretty lil Sheila," I exclaimed just a little offended.

"Yeah," he answered looking back at me. "You're pretty, you're little, and you're a Sheila. He'll be down soon make yourself at home." He stepped back and pulled the door open wider inviting me in.

I stepped into the 'foyer' to find it completely empty of any furniture. There was one door leading to the right and a staircase leading up in front of me. Lance appeared at the top of the stairs and stopped short when he saw me standing there with his friend.

"Iesha? What are you doing here?"

"Was in the neighbourhood, thought I'd stop by," I replied vaguely.

"In the neighbourhood? You live in New Zealand," he answered walking down the stairs towards me and obviously not believing me. I couldn't blame him, I wouldn't either.

"I might just leave you two to it," the other guy said and disappeared laughing loudly through the left hand door.

"He seems a little strange," I commented changing the subject.

"That's just John, you get used to him," Lance replied. "So what exactly are you doing here then?"

"Well that's an interesting story. I was wondering if maybe you might have a spare room for an old friend?" I asked hopefully.

He stopped and looked at me with just a little disbelief on his face. "I did tell you this was a house full of mutants didn't I? And these particular ones aren't too fussed on normal humans, I don't think they'd be too pleased with you hanging around," he explained slowly as if not too hurt my feelings.

"Oh come on Lance you know I can handle myself. Even against a house full of mutants. Kicked your arse didn't I?" I argued.

"Yeah the seven odd years of training in Brazilian Jujitsu and Mauy Thai Kickboxing might have had something to do with that," he grumbled.

"Besides I've learnt a few tricks since you last saw me, I could be useful to have around."

"Oh come on mate," John said as he walked back into the room with a couple more guys in tow. "Let her stay, we got a spare room and I don't care if she aint a mutant, do you guys?" He asked the two guys that had followed him in.

"Nah man, she's hot, why would I care?" replied a gangly greenish looking kid before catching a fly buzzing past with his tongue, much like a frog would. "Not like you guys listen to me most of the time anyway."

"I don't care but Pietro will be pissed," answered the really big guy, and I don't just mean tall.

"Oh who cares what speedy thinks, we can shut him up easy enough," John added, then with a smirk, "and you just know Gambit will love having her around."

"Gambit aint getting anywhere near her," Lance replied defensively.

"Gambit aint getting near who mon ami?" another guy said walking in the front door. "Why bonjour cher, and who might you be?" he asked taking my hand and kissing it.

"Iesha," I replied pulling my hand away from his. "And who are you then?"

"Remy LeBeau, at you service," he answered suggestively, giving a little bow.

I looked him up and down. He was tall with a rather toned body if the tight shirt he was wearing was any indication, with a ruggedly handsome face and chin length auburn hair falling in his fascinating red on black eyes. You could get lost in those eyes, or terrified depending on your taste. It was easy to see he was a ladies man through and through. Most likely the love 'em and leave 'em type.

"Yeah," I drawled sarcastically, "I don't think I'll be in need of your particular services."

"That's my girl," Lance said with pride.

"I aint your girl Lance. I'm just the girl who can kick your arse, now can I stay or not?"

"Sure you can shiela," John answered putting his arm round my shoulder and turning me to look at his friends. "That's Todd aka Toad," he said pointing at 'green and gangly'. "That's Fred aka Blob," he pointed at 'larger than life'. "You've already met Lance and Remy or Avalanche and Gambit. And I'm St John Allerdyce also know as Pyro."

"Pyro huh? So you do what? Play with fire?" I asked.

"I do more than that. I control it. Wana see?" he replied.

"Nah, I'd rather do," I answered. I turned around and grabbed his bare hand in mine for a couple of seconds, then clicked my fingers and watched in amazement as my hands were engulfed in flames that didn't burn me at all. With my absorption ability I only need brief skin to skin contact to pull some ones power and all knowledge that goes with that power from them. The other mutant won't feel a thing or even know what I've done unless I use their power in front of them.

All the boys just stared at me in shock as I played with the fire in my hands. I've always been a bit fascinated with fire so this power rocked.

"I thought you said she was just human man," Toad finally said after they'd all just gaped at me for a few minutes.

"I thought she was," Lance replied. "Why didn't you tell me you were a pyro kinetic?"

"I'm not," I replied absently still fascinated with the fire in my hands.

"Then how are you controlling the fire?"

"I stole it form him," I replied pointing in Johns direction.

"Wait like Rogue does?" Toad asked backing up a few steps.

"I don't know who Rogue is but if she can absorb other mutants powers and then use them herself then yeah, like Rogue does," I answered and everyone except Gambit took a couple steps back like Toad did.

"Tell me petite, if you absorb people like mon chéri, does then how come Johnny boy isn't unconscious on the floor?" Gambit asked taking a step closer to me.

"Why would he be?" I asked. "It's not like I hurt people, I just absorb their power and any knowledge they have of that power. He wouldn't have even known I did it if I didn't use it."

"It's true. Just felt like she was holding my hand," John added as he took control of the fire I still had and put it out.

"So you didn't get any of his life force or memories?"

"Nope just his power, and all info he had about it."

"Then how come you could create fire just by clicking your fingers, I can't create it I have to use a lighter," John queried.

"Oh yeah. I have full control over any power I take, and can use it to it's fullest potential," I explained.

"Well then there definitely aint any reason she can't stay with us then man, Mystique will definitely be pissed if we kick her out," Toad said.

"Good, so where's my room then?"

"You can always share with me cher," Gambit suggested.

"Yeah I don't think so sweetheart, I'm interested in sleeping at night."

"You're gonna have to share with Tabitha," Lance piped up. "She shouldn't mind but I'll warn you she's kind of a free spirit, comes and goes as she pleases, real party girl."

"All good, we should get along quite well then," I replied. "I take it she's not here at the moment though."

"I think she's visiting the x-geeks," Toad answered.

Chapter Two