X-Men:
And Back Again

They were coming.

"Marie D'Ancanto! Stop running! You're under arrest!"

The policeman's voice rung out loud and clear in the crisp autumn air, but Rogue kept on sprinting. That wasn't her name anymore.She had given up on that life a long time ago. Now she was Rogue; simply Rogue, and no one would change it. After all, it had been two years since she'd been called Marie by anyone. Now she was different.She was a mutant.

"You want some of this?" she screamed. Rogue backed against the alley wall and looked the trailing policemen in the eyes. "Come and get it!" Surely enough, the team kept on running towards her. Rogue snapped her gloves off and stuck out her right hand. One of the police stepped forward and looked her over. Rogue noted that he was the bravest-looking man of the four others that stood in a line behind him.

"Okay, Miss D'Ancanto," he said slowly. "We don't want to cause any trouble here. Just hand over the stolen property, and we'll take you down to the station. No hassle, all right?"

Stupid men, Rogue thought. They think they can handle me, they've got another thing coming. However, she put up her hands and allowed the man to put on the handcuffs. Just as she planned, he had made contact with her skin. Immediately he fell to the ground lost in a coma, earning the terrified glances from the other policemen. They instantly made a move towards Rogue, advancing slowly upon her.

"What did you do to him?" the second one yelled. "You're in serious trouble now, missy! Put on those gloves and come with us!"

Rogue grinned.

Four hours later, Rogue was walking casually out of the police station with Logan, a friend of hers, and Professor Xavier, her headmaster. Logan, also known as Wolverine, looked at Rogue with the angriest stare he had ever given her. "You know," he said, "this is the second time in the past two months that we've had to bail you. Just stop stealing and save up your money, 'kay? You cost us more when you get off on bail than what it would've cost to actually buy the thing in the first place."

"Wolverine is right, Rogue," said Xavier. "You should really stop. It gives the school a bad reputation as well as yourself. You don't want your classmates thinking you live up to your name, do you, Marie?"

"Don't call me Marie!" Rogue snapped. "And besides, our school hardly even has a reputation. It's practically hidden in complete secrecy, anyways, so I really don't see how you'd get the impression that we had a status on these things."

Xavier gave Rogue a look that suggested he had had enough of her back- talk, and that she shouldn't speak any more until they got back to the institute, but his lips remained silent as the three of them got in the car. The drive back to Xavier's Institute was extremely short, but it remained prolonged, at least to Rogue, who took everything as either black or white.

As soon as Xavier set foot inside of the building he was consulted by Ororo Monroe; "Storm," who said that she had urgent news and needed to speak to him immediately. She allowed Rogue and Wolverine to accompany them as they spoke, but she insisted that they kept their lips shut about what they were soon to overhear in Xavier's office.

"We're about to have a new student," Storm informed them. "Her name is Aysel Mithren. Information says she was born in Cardiff, England in 1987 to parents Lillian Porter and James Mithren. She's currently attending Middlebrooke High School in her sophomore year, and has recently discovered her powers when attending a football game as a cheerleader. Luckily, we have her with us today; she's waiting outside." Storm looked to the door. "Aysel, could you please come in here?" she called.

A sixteen-year-old girl entered the room. She was tall, thin, and fair, and had dark brown hair and electric-blue eyes. Her hair was slightly bushy, and a little in front of her face, but enough so that one could see her complexion and details. Aysel looked particularly nervous as she took a seat next to Xavier and Storm, who were smiling politely. "Rogue, Logan, Professor Xavier-this is Aysel Rhaea Mithren."

"Welcome to my institute," said the Professor, shaking Aysel's hand. Rogue looked at her, expressionless. Sixteen.a couple years younger than Rogue, but no serious problem. She might even make a friend out of Aysel, if she had the chance, and she'd be able to teach her what she knew (so far) about Xavier's Institute. Xavier continued speaking to Aysel. "Here, I'm very glad to say that you'll be welcomed, and you'll be around people more like yourself. Now, Miss Mithren, would you care to tell me any of your special-er-talents or powers?"

"Elements," muttered Aysel. "I can summon the Elements."

"And how did you discover this at the football game?" asked the Professor politely, nodding his head at Aysel, who sat still in her chair next to Rogue's. She took a moment to think, brushing her hair out of her face every now and then, and then she finally looked at the Professor and said,

"It happened unexpectedly," she said, wiping back tears, which were brimming in her eyes. "I didn't mean to.It was so fast. One of the football players for our high school team, Adam Grint, was making fun of the cheerleaders' uniforms after the game had ended. He was a little disorientated, because he had been playing hard, and his team had lost. Anyways, he was really making us angry, and I kept thinking how much I would like to hurt him. I was focusing mainly on fire, how it symbolized hatred and anger.And frankly, pissing people off.and then it happened."

"What happened?" said Xavier kindly, as if he were a shrink.

"The fire," Aysel whispered. "It came. I created a fire in the locker room.It burned everything. We all managed to get out all right-except for Adam. He was trapped in there, and he didn't make it out alive. I kept telling myself it was an accident.But it's not.I know for some reason that I created that fire. And.that's how I knew. I knew there was something wrong with me then."

"Aysel," said Storm, "there's nothing wrong with you. You're just like all of us. It's evolution. It's like puberty, only more intense. A lot more intense, when it comes down to it-so you can summon the four Elements? That's wonderful. I can create storms. Professor Xavier has the ability to read minds. Wolverine has adamantium claws and exceptional abilities with sensing things. And our Rogue has the ability to put anyone into a coma for two weeks." Storm let out a laugh. "Be sure not to touch her.

"My point is, Aysel, is that we're all different. We all have our own powers. There's no need to be scared of this. We'll help you. You can learn to control the Elements in any way that you'd like.With our help, that is. Without help.you could end up on the streets-or dead."

"Comforting," said Aysel, smiling.