*Notes*

-I do not own x-men evolution or its characters in any way, shape or form

-This is my own personal fanfic; please don't re-post it as your own… thx

-I'm twisting it up a little bit and making all those who are assumed to be seniors (Scott, Lance) actually juniors so now they'll be seniors and able to be in school for another year. I'm also making Bayville a year-round school. I know it's a stretch but all the kids have been in the same grade for so long I wanted to change it a little. Plus it goes along with my ideas for the story and I wanted to explore the kid's reactions in school more.

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5/27-Monday

Dear Diary,

School has always been a breeze for me but today it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to go thru. The people in school I considered friends who use to talk with me and walk with me now call me freak and avoid me like the plague. Kids I don't even know are turning around in opposite directions when I'm approaching. A ring of empty seats surrounded me in every class. A lot of teachers wouldn't even make eye contact with me. Some kids even refused to be in the same classroom with me and were excused for the day. All day long I heard "freak" and "mutant" mumbled, whispered, yelled… I felt like I was on display. None of the others fared much better. Amanda was harassed when she spotted me between 2nd and 3rd period and came over to give me a hug. Some guys called her a "mutant lover." It's around school that anyone who lived at the Institute or the Brotherhood house is considered a mutant. I was hoping that maybe Scott or Kurt or the few others who weren't caught on tape would be able to escape the harassment and "freak" label but that's not so. And now anyone who associates with us is considered a mutant lover. There were a few kids who didn't treat us too differently… but overall no one was happy we were around.

The Brotherhood laughed it up. They enjoyed terrorizing those who were afraid. Lance used his power at the beginning of lunch to scare off a couple of football jocks looking to start trouble. I wish those football guys had more guts and would have pulverized Lance. He looked over at me twice during lunch with these pathetic little puppy-dog 'I'm sorry' eyes but I just shot him a death look both times. I wanted to go over and smack him so bad but Scott wouldn't let me. Imagine that! Scott of all people stopped me. He reminded me that we have to show our up most self- constraint at the moment till things settle down. So I sat and fumed, picturing in my head over and over how the scene would play out when I finally get to confront Lance.

Principal Kelly made an announcement over the intercom that if there was any more trouble during the last few days of school, "and you know who you are," expulsion was the only option. I knew he was talking about Lance. Good, I hope the jerk does get expelled! Serves him right! We only get a one month break till we have to come back but I'll be a sophomore then. I wish this school didn't have the year-round policy.

During last period, a horde of news vans and such bombarded the school. Scott was right on the nose when he said it was going to be the Brotherhood who made that public mutant statement and call for a world-wide "coming out."

I missed the very beginning of it all. After last bell rang, I stopped by Rogue's locker to see if she left anything in there and I found her book of poetry. It means so much to her and I'm glad she'll have it when we get her back. I caught the action when I left the building. From afar, I could see Jean and the others gathered and were listening. I joined them just in time to hear one reporter ask what they had to say. Todd spoke up first and said that mutants shouldn't be afraid to hide their true nature anymore. He said he was sick and tired of humans thinking they were better than him and it was time to put a stop to it. Another reporter asked what he meant by that last statement and Todd said his whole life people despised him because he looked and acted different. He said that mutants were the new future and humanity had it coming to them. Lance chimed in that mutants out there shouldn't be afraid anymore and should make themselves known throughout the world. It was time to take their rightful place in the world, at the top. The crowd and reporters went absolutely nuts! Another reporter yelled over the noise, "What do you plan to do about it?" Lance smiled and looked ready to demonstrate his power when Scott yelled out, "That's enough!"

The crowd hushed and all eyes and camera's turned towards Scott and our group. Something snapped in Scott and I've never seen him look more determined. He raised his voice so the whole crowd could hear and then gave the most heart-felt and beautiful speech I've ever heard. He said word-for-word:

"Not all of us are like you, Alvers. Some of us believe in peacefully co- existing with humans. Not all of us use our gifts to torment and bully others. Charles Xavier has a wonderful dream. Mutants should use their gifts to help society, not destroy it. I, along with these people who are surrounding me today, believe in that dream. We believe in the greater good of things. We are not like you and your band of misfits. We want to help people. We want peace and harmony between humans and mutants. How dare you try and ruin my dream and the dreams of all the other mutants who share it! Some of us are fighting the good fight. Deep in our hearts lies a hope that one-day humans will be able to accept us without fear and prejudice. It's sad that you Brotherhood members don't share that hope. Regardless of how long it takes, we're going to work towards that goal and never give up. We're going to prove ourselves to this world, prove that in reality we're not that much different from everyone else. I'm not going to let a bunch of bad apples like yourselves ruin the whole bunch!"

The best part was each of the remaining X-Men stepped forward and one by one said, "Me either." I had tears running down my face when it was my turn. I looked Lance right in the eyes and said, "Me either," with the most determination I've ever felt in my life. Jean laid a hand on Scott's shoulder and mouthed 'I'm so proud of you' when he looked at her. Kurt gave Scott a thumb's up. We stood united in front of everyone. We stunned the crowd. A few seconds of silence passed before one reporter found his voice and asked, "Who are you all?" Scott smiled and replied, "We're the good guys," and then he started to walk away. We all followed. I was the last to go and I gave Lance one more glance before I left. We shocked the Brotherhood to say the least. As I was walking away, reporters and bystanders exploded into a million conversations and queries amongst themselves. The Brotherhood left the press without saying anything else.

I was so proud of everyone today. It brought our group closer together. I wish the Professor and all our missing teammates had been here to see it and join in. We got back to our new home and Ororo nearly tackled us with hugs when we entered. She saw the live broadcast of what just went on and she was crying with happiness. She said she was so proud of us for standing up for our beliefs. Hopefully we made a positive impact.

Everyone is downstairs watching the aftermath now. Kurt and I are gonna take a nap because tonight we're going back to that underground facility with Forge to hack into the computers and hopefully find out at least where those people took Logan and the others.

Night for now…

~Kitty~