Disclaimer: Dun own it, Want it, Life is tough. We'll all get over it one day.

Freddy Dukes was tired of it. All he had ever wanted was a little affection and a bit of help. But no, instead he was currently stuck in this hell whole, getting treated like a dumb sack of shit.

And he could tell you—Fred was not dumb. He seemed it, yes, but not really. The only reason he was getting the marks in school that he was were because of his actions—certain actions he took when he got mad.

What could he say? He had just never been able to handle his anger. It was, however, the only emotion he had not been able to handle. He was very strong unless he didn't watch his temper, and had proven it—except in Jean's case.

He still blamed the X-Men for most of his problems. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't help but believe that it was Jean's fault he was so hated by the "Institute Gang"—and by Scott especially. He would never be accepted by the X-Men, and was doomed to live by Brotherhood standards.

Not that the Brotherhood were really so bad. Hell, Lance had even proved to the goody-goody Kitty Pryde that he could be a good guy—he just chose not to. Fred was the same way, if you stayed out of his way. Yes, he admitted—the fights with the X-men were pointless and mean, but they were fun nonetheless. Fred was almost sure the X-Men felt the same, at least on Brotherhood terms. However, the Acolytes were not as nice, nor were they quite as harmless. Sure, if Fred threw you into a wall, you'd be sore for a few days, but never would he try to kill you.

The Acolytes would.

Even Fred's deep animosity for Scott Summers, long-time boyfriend of Jean Grey, couldn't bring him to do what the Acolytes had done in the past. Why, he and the Brotherhood had eventually even joined the team of X-Men to help fend off the Acolytes, who seemed to want nothing more than to rid the world of the "evils" of humankind and dominate it with what Magneto had so infamously dubbed "homo superior."

Homo superior: a term Fred had come to love and to hate at the same time. A term that meant genetic advances such as his super strength—which was really rather cool—but that also meant isolation from the rest of the world. Isolation because they thought he had no feelings, when he did. Because they thought he could not think, but he could.

Oh, could he ever think. He was quite intelligent, as a matter-of-fact, but nobody could ever see that. He would get pissed off before they had the chance to.

But where had he meant to begin?

Oh yes, from the day all that began to change.

***

Nadine was a fat girl. She could tell you that. Hell, even her parents could tell you that. She couldn't hide it. You could reach out and find a roll of fat anywhere on her.

It was disgusting, and she knew it. She needed to do something about it. It was ruining her life. And it really was. She was the nicest girl at Bayville, but nobody was willing to give her a chance because of her immense size.

She mostly blamed the only other larger person at her school for that one. His name was Fred Dukes, and he was an asshole. At least, what Nadine had seen of him. She had seen his attack in the cafeteria his first day of school, and when he had attacked the football field that one-day.

Yes, she remembered that day well. Nobody else seemed to, but she did. She had left the moment danger seemed to arrive, and had run home, telling her mother the game had been postponed. It had mysteriously rained that night anyway…

But she did remember it, at least. She remembered when Lance Alvers had announced the Institute's mutants, and when Fred himself had ripped the school mascot from its proud place and had meant to throw it. She had just caught a red beam of light destroy the giant hawk before she had slipped from the stadium.

She couldn't help but wonder what had caused had driven the Brotherhood to do what they did. She didn't really much care, but she was curious.

She was curious as to why Lance insisted on being part of the gang but still flirted with Kitty. She was curious as to why Pietro Maximoff insisted on being such a jerk to that Evan Daniels. She was just plain freaked out by the way Todd Tolensky acted.

But mostly—mostly she wanted to know why Fred Dukes could not control his anger. And heaven help her, she was going to find out if it was the last thing she did.

Because she was sick of putting up with people who assumed she was the same as he. Because she wasn't. She was different. Very different.

But that would change. And if it didn't, something would. She wasn't going to take this shit anymore.

~~~

Urg. I was hoping I could at least get 1000 words. It didn't work well at all.

Anyway, this was just the prologue, so I hope ya'll enjoyed it!! I implore you to leave reviews, and I PROMISE you the rest of the story won't be half as bad and mush less redundant! As a matter-of-fact, it'll prolly be better with MORE reviews! And I won't continue unless I have at least three. So PLEASE review and lemme know what you think!

Ja, ttyl!

Bai!!!!!!!!