"Welcome to Mutant High." It was a guy that looked like a boy band reject with two other teens. He continued, "I'm Bobby a.k.a. Iceman, and this is Rogue and that idiot with the constant smirk is John, a.k.a. Pyro". Right away I noticed that Rogue hadn't been introduced by her given name and scented a good story. Putting that aside, I introduced myself. "Hi, I'm Alicia, but my friends call me A.J. At least they did when I was still normal." I laughed bitterly, wondering how they would respond to that.
Rogue looked at the other two and told them to scram. "So what's your story?" she asked. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me your's." When I nodded she started. "I didn't realize that I was mutant till I kissed my boyfriend. I put him in a coma for weeks. When we kissed I had sucked the life force out of him. I ran away wound up with Logan. He's the Wolverine, you'll meet him later. When I got here, I stayed for a while, and then ran away again. This time I was abducted and almost died when a rival mutant group made a bid for power using me. I was rescued by Jean, Storm, Scott, and Logan. So here I am. Your turn." I looked at her, feeling that she was remarkably well balanced for what she had gone through. I shook myself out of it and began.
"I didn't know till two days ago. I was with two friends of mine at a concert and we left late. As we walked out to the car, we were accosted by some assholes on something. They tried to rape us and had torn the skirt of my best friend when something in me snapped. Somehow I slid out of the guy's hold. I slapped him, but somehow, my nails had become claws and I took both his eyes out. I didn't stop there." I paused, my dry recital bringing back memories. I continued, "I tackled the others. They were slashed across the faces and crotches." Rogue snorted with appreciation at that touch. "But one guy, he tried getting away. He was the last, the others were still in shock and then they were down. But this guy… he tried to run for it. I pounced and went for the throat. He died; I ripped his throat out with teeth that were very different from what I had brushed this morning. My hearing was so sharp, I heard sirens coming from a mile away and ran. I slunk back into my house at one in the morning. When I awoke again, I saw seven cops at the end of my bed. Six had guns pointed at me, and the other held cuffs. Needless to say, I went peacefully. I had just given them the story when Wolverine came for me. He got me off, and I left with him, but as we left I saw my so called friends. They couldn't look me in the eye, they were scared of me! I saved them…" I broke down, the first time I had since what had become memorialized in my mind as The Incident.
Rogue exhaled slowly. "Wow. That's… That's… I don't know what to say. But they were wrong. Your friends, for being scared, and the cops for coming on like that. But what about your parents? What did they do?" "I was in college, in fact, technically I'm out of it. I graduated last week with a Biochemistry degree. My parents died last year in a hurricane. They refused to leave their house and the island flooded. They never found the bodies. They left me enough to keep me, and I worked at Victoria's Secret on the side. Every little bit helped. I went to college at 16." "Oh. Well, not to be insensitive, but it's dinner time, and you must be starving. I know Logan and I doubt he fed you did he?" I wiped my tears away, disgusted with myself, but feeling better when I saw Rogue's eyes were wet too. I laughed softly and nodded, intending to lead the way. Then I turned and asked sheepishly, "Where exactly is this food?"