A/N: Okay, so yeah…This is set a year after the end of the series…I've gotten a lot of inspiration to write, so forgive me for the speed in my fiction creating…but you know…the chances of me updating are better if people review! I take comments, criticism…I am a writer, so anything that helps me grow in the art is welcome. I may place an application for OCs in this story later on, but I need to at least get a couple of reviews to let me know that people are interested. - Sorry if I'm being difficult. But anyway, I don't own X-Men so please don't accuse me of having the honor.

Picking a Fight

A new school year begins as the summer ends, but this school year was different…this was the first year where mutants had been forced into their own 'private' schools. The mutant protests and violence toward their kind had heated greatly in the previous years. Not even Xavier could have foreseen the severity of the issues placed on mutants now, more importantly the teenagers and young adults that were enrolled in schools and colleges. Rumors were being spread of mutants not being allowed into certain colleges, universities, and even some technical schools. Needless to say, things were getting far out of hand and no one seemed to be able to make a difference.
Now, onto the matter of the 'schools' for the mutants. They were pathetic facilities, but many mutants had switched to the schools willingly in order to protect themselves from the enraged people that called them monsters, 'muties'. Some, caring, parents had resorted to home schooling their children in order to protect them. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters was in almost a total chaos, it seemed that there had been a 'baby boom' and as more and more of these children hit puberty three out of five were mutants. But I suppose that this would be an appropriate time to begin introducing the characters to the beginning of this story, so on we go…

Erin shrugged his backpack over his shoulder as he walked toward the subway, jet-black hair falling into his face as the autumn wind blew across the street. His ebony eyes searched the edges of the street for any sign of someone that wanted to pick a fight. Other than his eyes there was nothing odd about him that could cause people to accuse him of being a mutant, although if they did…they wouldn't b wrong. He felt his shirtsleeve being tugged, causing him to turn his head to smile at his twin sister. A smile crossed his lips as he made contact with her blazing red eyes, her short blonde and black hair spiking into her face and out behind her head. He knew that she wasn't going to open her mouth to say anything, but her voice rang out clearly in his head. 'Erin, can you wait up for me…I want to go and buy a coffee first.I'

"Sure thing…I'll wait here." He smiled at her as she grinned and walked into a small coffee shop that was on the corner. His attention lingered on the door for a moment before he looked up at the sky. Was there really a God, and if there was, was there truly a purpose to there being mutants…or was this simply something that happened by chance? Erin had never really been one to believe in heaven or hell, but it was beginning to seem that things were turning into a hell on earth. He glanced to his sister as she walked back out of the coffee shop, with her drink in hand, smiling widely. "What did you do, Erica?"

'Nothing…the lady just saw my eyes and it took her forever to read my order.'She looked up at him innocently as she sipped at her coffee. His laugh was all she needed to hear before the two of them began walking again.

Erin and Erica had been around for each other ever since they were little, the fact that they were twins only helping matters. They had seen their own tough times, Erica's change into a mutant had caused Erin to worry about their relationship but he had gone through his change only a few month's after hers. After that they were inseparable. Erin had always kept a close eye on his twin, and at times the term 'protective' could have been considered an understatement. He was the only one that could understand her without her having to write her words down on a piece of paper or sign out her thoughts, at first he had thought that it was her mutant gift, but when they realized that he was the only one that could hear her he began to wonder if that was caused by them being twins. Erica had never been able to speak, the umbilical cord had wrapped around her neck and nearly killed her, causing her to not be able to speak. Granted she could make a few sounds, her laughter sounding like hushed and labored whispers, but somehow it pained him to hear her like that. After their gifts had emerged their parents hadn't really disowned them, instead they feared them. The twins had never even shown their parents what their gifts were, they had only told them, but they were still feared by their parents just as how society feared mutants in general. Luckily the twins had graduated high school a year previous to the new changes in schools 'preferences', but the students in the college classes were the same as everyone else.

As the two walked down the steps into the subway station they stuck close together, Erica's arm wrapped around Erin's tightly. People glared at them as they walked by, pushing by them harshly and some even shooting threats at them. They did their best to avoid eye contact, ignoring the people as they waited for their train but their efforts proved futile when a woman screamed bloody murder behind them. The twins turned and looked, catching sight instantly on what had caused the woman to scream. A large man, probably two feet taller than Erin was standing in the archway gripping at a woman's neck. They could hear his snarls as he yelled at her. "What did you call me you bitch!?"
"N-nothing…nothing, I didn't call you anything…please…put me down!" The woman was crying and she screamed again when she was pushed up against the wall.
"Oh yes you did, you called me 'mutie'…that's not nice…calling people names." He grinned as she squirmed against his grip, her tears staining his dirt-covered hands. His long blonde hair was tangled behind him, matted over his black coat.

'We need to do something…he's gonna kill her!' Erica tugged at Erin's sleeve again, looking up at him as she bit at her lip. Her hands were already shaking as she prepared to use her powers against him.
"I don't think that's a good idea…look at him…he's huge!" He shook his head at her hands but sighed when she gave him her 'honor' look, he could never turn her down when he knew that she was right. Smiling at her he'd look back to the man and shout over the growing crowd. "Hey! Blondie! Pick on someone your own size!"