MANIFESTATION

Rochelle was pacing back and forth in front of the players bench. The game was starting in 10 minutes. What if the strange with the ball happened again? What if Chloe was watching the game? Rochelle couldn't think of anything good about this situation. Nothing at all.

"Oooh... you stupid girl"

Rochelle looked around. Chloe was standing right behind her with a cold smile that sent shivers down Rochelle's spine.

"You made a mistake!" hissed Chloe her voice shaking with rage, "A big mistake! and let me tell you: you will not be leaving this building tonight! You got that?"

Chloe's stormed out of the gym, leaving poor Rochelle shocked. Just then, the buzzer sounded.

"Thomas! What are you doing? Get out there! Now!" yelled Mrs. Tye.

The jump ball was won by her team and the ball went straight to Rochelle. Oh god! Please let this work! The ball was in her hands and she took off. She could dribble again! Yes! Perhaps things weren't going to be so bad after all.

About half way through the first half of the game, Rochelle couldn't dribble any more. Determined not to show Chloe that she would give up easily, she didn't say anything. Her team lost the ball but one of the guards picked up before the other team could score. She figured out a way of catching and passing the ball so that nothing went wrong, but didn't dribble at all. With 11 seconds left in the period, Rochelle found herself a few feet away from being within shooting distance, but there was no one to pass to. 10...9...8...7

"Thomas! Dribble, for god's sake. Dribble!" yelled her coach.

Rochelle held her breath and moved forwards. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. The ball was moving towards the floor.

6...5...4

It hit the floor and bounced! Rochelle bolted to the net and finished the period with a beautiful lay up, scoring just as the clock hit zero. The score was tied at 48 and the team left the gym for a pep talk.

"Oh fuck" said Rochelle under her breath, "This is NOT good." There were two football players stationed at every door. She stuck close to the coach; that would hopefully discourage them.

"Laura, good passing; and Tina that was an amazing defense move out there" Mrs. Tye rambled on, "Rochelle that was an exceptional lay-up, the teams little rock sure knows how to play"

Rochelle smiled weakly, but her mind was still on the big boys smirking at her from the doors.

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The second period started. Rochelle was put on defense. "Oh great" she thought, "No getting around dribbling this time." Fortunately everything seemed to be going smoothly. There weren't any problems. "Okay, I can do this" thought Rochelle.

Everything came crashing down when she waved to her fellow defense player. She prepared to catch it in one hand and take off. When the team member passed the ball, instead of moving through the air, the ball was repelled backwards, like it hit a solid wall at full force. It didn't even go forwards. Just back, with amplified strength. The referee blew the whistle, the girls nose was bleeding.

Rochelle stared at her hands. It had to be! No! It couldn't be! Whatever was going on, she was a threat. Completely forgetting about the football players, she sprinted towards the nearest door.

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At the Xavier Institute:

"X-men, Rogue will have to wait until another night, I believe we have a situation" said Professor Xavier as he entered the conference room, "The mutant we have recently discovered has been using her powers extensively. We have to move quickly and find her before she gets home"

"But why?" asked Scott, "Wouldn't home be the safest place for her and the best place to approach her?"

"Not in this case, Scott." replied the professor, "You see, Ian Thomas is a fierce mutant hater. I fear that Rochelle may not be safe at home at all."

"Okay team! Let's go!" said Scott.

"Oh, and Scott"

"Yes professor?"

"Remember, this girl can be rather... destructive"

"I understand professor"

He ran out the door, followed by Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, and Kurt Wagner.

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"There she is!"

"Get her!"

"We can corner her down this way!"

Shouts echoed behind Rochelle as she ran. She didn't know where she was going or what she was doing. Nothing mattered. She just had to get away. What had happened back in the gym? What had she done? What was she?

In all her confusion, she ran straight into a brick wall. Rochelle turned around to see a stampede of football players. She backed into a corner and put her hands in front of her face. Just as a huge fist was about to make contact with Rochelle's forehead, she tensed her hands to keep them from shaking. She made them as tense as she could, and suddenly she felt a strange pressure on her palms.

Rochelle barely even noticed her attackers fly 20 feet backwards through the air. It was like someone was pressing on her hands, but... how? How was any of this possible?

The football players advanced on her again. She knew what she had to do. She tensed her hands and aimed her palms at the boys. Once again they were repelled backwards and Rochelle ran.

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She ran and ran. Not exactly sure where she was going, other than away. Anything or anyone that got in her way, she pushed out of the way using the invisible force from her hands. Out of nowhere, a girl appeared. She was wearing a strange costume. Surprised, Rochelle ran right into her. No, through her.

"Like whoa" said the girl, "You totally gotta chill Rocky."

Rocky? Only Rochelle's Dad called her that. How did this girl know her nickname? Wait a minute. How did she even know who she was?

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?" said Rochelle in a panic.

"We're the X-men and we just to, like, want to help you. That's all." said the girl, "No need to have a total freak out."

"But...but..." Rochelle began.

-BAMF-

Rochelle turned around and stared into a set of blank golden eyes looking at her.

"Get away from me you freaks!" she said as she took off, once again.

Rochelle started to feel faint. She had to stop. She collapsed against a tree. She was in the demonstration forest about a 5 minute drive from the school. That meant she was also halfway from home. That's where she would go. That's where it would be safe. She would have to get there soon, but she couldn't bring herself to move yet.

When her breathing had almost returned to normal, she could see four figures coming towards her out of the dark. Rochelle held her breath, maybe they wouldn't see her. There were two shorter figures and two taller ones. As they drew closer, she could see them in detail. They were all wearing costumes like the girl she had seen earlier.

"Wait a minute!" thought Rochelle, "The girl! She's there and the creepy one with the blank eyes."

One of them spoke; it was a boy's voice, with a strong accent- German or something.

"Ve're here to help you, Rocky. Please don't be afraid."

As the boy approached her, she could see that he was not human at all. He was the demon with blank eyes. She screamed and pushed the strangers away. She kept her hands up, ready, but not tensed. If they came back, she'd be ready. What were these "beings" trying to help her with? Could it be the strange power her hands possessed? No! They wouldn't know about it. But then again, how did they know her name?

Meanwhile, about 40 feet away, the X-men where all lying on the ground in pain.

"Like whoa!" said Kitty as she staggered to her feet, "What happened?"

"The professor was right" said Scott, "She is powerful, very powerful."

"Poor girl" said Jean, "All this power and all at once must be really scary."

"Well, we have go back and try again" said Scott.

"Vell then, after you" said Kurt, "Vhat are ve vaiting for?"

"I...I can't move forward" said a rather confused Scott.

"Neither can I" said Kitty, "This is totally weird."

"Kitty, vhy don't you try phasing forwards?" suggested Kurt.

"Okay, I'll like give it a try" said Kitty

Kitty advanced a few feet and stopped.

"Aaaaaaaaah!" yelled Kitty, "I am like totally not doing this. It hurts like crazy, like I'm splitting in two!"

"Don't worry, Kitty. You don't have to." said Jean, "There's obviously not going to be any getting close to this girl. I'll try contacting her telepathically."

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"Rocky, my name is Jean Grey. I know you must be..."

"WHERE ARE YOU?! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Rochelle tensed her hands and a wave of energy knocked the X-men backwards.

"I'm in your head; I'm not going to hurt you."

"NO! Get out! NO! NO!"

"Rocky, calm down. I'll answer all your questions. Just think what you want to know"

Why not? It would be more information to give police. She knew that her Dad would go to the police the minute he found out about this.

"Who are you and how do you know me?" thought Rochelle.

"We are the X-men." said Jean telepathically, "We're like you, different. With special abilities. We have a computer that picked up your mutant signature. It told us everything about you."

"Mutant? What's that? I'm not a mutant, am I? Isn't that a bad thing?"

"No, no!" thought Jean, sounding as comforting as she could with her telepathy, "Yes, you are a mutant. No, that's not a bad thing. It makes you special. It means you have special powers. It makes you what everyone else dreams of being. Do you trust me?"

Rochelle thought hard. She didn't want to believe it, but she did. She was scared and confused. She really wanted help, and nobody else was offering it. Yes, she trusted them.

"I trust you." thought Rochelle, as she put her hands down, "You can come."

"Okay, we'll be right there. Just stay where you are." thought Jean in reply.

"She's going to let us come." said Jean to the other X-men.

"Great! Lets go!" said Kurt, as he prepared to teleport the team to where Rochelle was waiting.

"Whoa, hold it right there, Kurt." said Scott, "I wouldn't go back there looking like that if I were you."

"Oh ja!" said Kurt with a laugh, "Zat could cause some problems."

Kurt activated his image inducer and the team disappeared in a cloud of sulpher smoke.

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-BAMF-

The X-men appeared in front of Rochelle. She shrieked, but stayed more or less calm. She had braced herself for anything. The blank-eyed demon was gone, and replaced with a black haired boy.

"Rocky!" said Jean, "Oh thank god you're still here!"

"Okay, just tell me everything." said Rocky.

"Yes, I will" began Jean, "This is Scott, Kitty, and Kurt. We are from the Xavier Institute. Now, the Xavier Institute is a place where we, mutants, can learn to control our powers."

"And... you want me to come with you there?" asked Rochelle.

"Yes," said Scott, "But first we need to talk to your parents."

"Okay, that's not a problem!" said Rochelle excitedly, "I'll take you there right now! It's not that far from here."

The X-men looked at her awkwardly. Rochelle stopped smiling, and resumed her stone face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Well, you see" said Jean, "It's not exactly the safe for you at home."

"Um... am I missing something?" said Rochelle, now rather frustrated with these people.

"Rocky, your Dad knows about mutants." said Scott, "In fact, he was a well known mutant hater. So, we don't know how he will react when he finds out about you. It could possibly put you in danger. That's why we have to wait for the professor."

"Ve know vhere you live. " said Kurt, "I'll port us there..."

Rochelle gasped. "You! You're... you're the demon! I'm not going with you, do you think I'm crazy?!"

Kurt suddenly got very quiet and looked at his feet.

"Rocky, Kurt may look totally creepy but he's actually like really sweet." said Kitty sweetly. She pressed a button on Kurt's watch and hugged the blue creature. "He's just a cute, fuzzy elf."

Kurt gave Rocky a weak smile, showing a set of fangs. Although she was scared, Rocky managed a small smile as well.

"Okay, then! Now that we've got that over with, let's get going." said Scott.

-BAMF-

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An instant later, Rochelle was standing outside her house.

"What the hell was that?" she asked.

"That" said Kurt cockily, "Vas teleportation, courtesy of the fuzzy dude!"

"Cool" said Rochelle, "I like it!"

"Rochelle" said a voice coming from behind her. A bald man was coming towards here in a wheelchair. Finally! Someone calling her Rochelle.

"Rocky, meet the professor." said Scott.

"Nice to meet you, professor." said Rochelle politely, offering her hand.

The professor shook her hand and went straight to business.

"Rocky, I would like to offer you a spot at my institute. Are you interested?" asked the professor, "I believe my students explained the concept to you."

"Yes, yes they did" said Rochelle, who was starting to get nervous, "and I definitely want to go. I just walk around this town being a nobody. I'll go anywhere that I'll be accepted."

"Very well" said the professor, "Now we must talk to your father. Whatever happens, we'll be there to help you. Are you ready?"

"Yes" said Rocky, "Yes."

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When Ian Thomas opened the door, a horrifying sight met his eyes. There was Rocky, his little girl, standing there beside a man in a wheel chair. Behind them was a group of four teenagers in uniforms. They had to be mutants.

"Rocky" he said, "Get inside."

Rochelle just stood there.

"Dad" she said, "Give them a chance, please."

Ian grabbed his daughter, pulled her inside the house and slammed the door.

"Rochelle Thomas! What in the world gave you the idea that you could bring that mutant scum here with you?! Why were you with them? Are you out of your mind?"

"Dad!" screamed Rochelle, almost sobbing, "I know you hate them, but do you hate me? Do you hate me now that I'm a mutant?"

"You're what?!" yelled Ian. He had never been so mad in his life. This could not be happening. He never should have kept Rocky. How could he ever have thought that he could save her by sheer isolation?

"Dad, I am a mutant, whether you like it or not. I want to go to the Xavier Institute to get help." yelled Rochelle, "It's the best thing for me!"

"You are not going!" shrieked her father, "You will not be living that long."

Outside, the X-men could hear shouting, but they couldn't make out words.

"I'm getting concerned" said the professor, "Kitty."

"I'm on it!" she said.

Kitty phased through the door just in time to see Rochelle being thrown through a sliding glass door. Rochelle tried to run back towards Kitty, she was bleeding badly. Her dad cut her off; he had a piece of broken glass in his hand and was advancing towards his daughter, preparing to stab her.

Kitty screamed, "Rocky! Use your powers! Now!"

Rochelle tensed her hands and like before, energy emerged from them, pushing her dad back through the wall behind him at full force. Just then, Scott blasted the door open with his eyes.

"Rocky! Get your stuff, we'll hold him off." said Scott, "We're getting you out of here!"

Rochelle sprinted to her room and dragged the big suitcase out of her closet. She stuffed in all her clothes, her laptop, her special blanket, and the picture of her mom. The whole process took about three minutes. She didn't want to keep the others waiting so she ran down the hall as fast as she could with her heavy suitcase. When she got to her front door, Scott took her bag, in order to save time. Everyone ran into the black van that the professor had arrived in, except for Kurt who simply teleported. As soon as the door was shut, the van speeded out of the driveway and they were free of Rochelle's murderous father.