A/N: once again, completely AU and I've taken liberties with the characters.

Words inside of :: mean thoughts or telepathic communications, italicized words are words spoken in another language and words in quotation marks are normal conversations.   Also, I know that one has to be 18 before becoming a member of the X-Men but I've changed the age to 16 to 17.

Chapter 1

Westchester, NY

1998

Twenty year old Scott Summers listened patiently to Professor Charles Xavier's explanation of the newest student's abilities. "She can shoot plant life from her hands, heal plants and other vegetation, and hear what the earth is saying?" he asked incredulously. While each mutant had an ability that was unique, he'd never even heard of any mutations similar to this one. 

"Yes," his mentor said simply. "I just can't figure out why she has escaped being detected by Cerebro before now.  She seems very powerful—and in control of those powers."

"Which indicates that she has probably been a mutant for a while and hidden it," Scott finished. "When is she supposed to be here?"

"Willow is due to arrive in half an hour." Xavier paused, trying to figure out how to explain to his foster son that she was a street kid, much like he had been when he'd first arrived at the Institute, except, Xavier knew that Scott had abhorred selling himself and had tried to avoid it as much as was possible.  As far he knew Willow had been a hooker for quite awhile and had even objected when Social Services had pulled her off the streets.

"What's her background?" Scott asked, knowing that most mutants lived on the streets for a couple of days, but some were there much longer.  One of his favorite students, Rogue, had been the former; he'd been the latter.  He had been a street kid from the time he was fourteen until a month and a half before his sixteenth birthday. His parents had tossed him out after he'd burned down the gym, and every time he'd opened his eyes, he'd shot laser beams from his eyes. Where else could he go?

 "I know, Scott," his mentor's voice broke his concentration on the past. "I really don't know much about Willow but I do know she has been a prostitute for a few years.  I also know that at the very most, she's sixteen."

"I'm turning fifteen in three months," a female voice interrupted them. Standing in the doorway was a slender teenager, her red hair straight but slightly messy.  What really bothered both adults was the blatant weariness in her eyes. "I'll come right out and tell you that my given name is Willow Rosenberg, I have a fraternal twin, and I've spent long stretches of time on the streets since I was six."

Scott and Xavier's mouths dropped in unison, even before her next words. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't know exactly what the…the…THAT SYSTEM…is like.  And yes, I want peace as much as the next mutant, but I don't believe in giving the villains second chances."

Although Xavier was completely taken aback by this blunt, to-the-point teenage mutant, Scott couldn't help but be drawn to her.  "I'm Scott. Have you always been so straight forward, Miss Rosenberg?"

Now she blushed, and stammered, "I was just trying to prevent confusion. And please don't call me Miss Rosenberg. I haven't been a member of that family since I was six years old, and I'm not going to go back to being a Rosenberg nine years later. Willow is just fine.  Absolutely, positively fine, umm hmm."

The older mutants had to laugh at her babbling explanation. Professor Xavier smiled at her, which instead of calming her, terrified the teenager. Scott noticed Willow's reaction and observed, "You couldn't possibly have been this frightened of men your entire life.  But even if you don't believe us, no one here will ever hurt you.  Please trust us."

"Trust you?" the jaded redhead asked scornfully. "Why should I trust a member of the sex I have nothing but contempt for?  I don't believe the words of men, and I don't believe that I should."

"Fair enough," Scott nodded, "but will you at least give the female half of this school a chance?"

As Willow contemplated his proposition, Ororo Munroe walked in. Storm looked strange to Willow, with her white hair and dark skin, but her presence seemed to comfort her.  "Hello," Storm greeted her. "You must be the new student. I'm one of the professors, Ororo Munroe. The students here—"

"We call her Storm," a teenage girl broke in. "She can create storms, so the nickname fits.  I'm Rogue, you are…?"

"I'm Willow but I don't give a damn what you call me."  The street girl that hovered right under the surface of her façade emerged again, her manner cold and unyielding.

"What's your mutation?" Rogue tried again.

"I've got a way with plants.  I can heal them, shoot 'em out of my hands and hear what da earth is saying."

Storm looked at Rogue, wondering what the 15 year old would pick for Willow's code name. "Well," she drawled, "What about Nature?"

"Hell no!" Willow exclaimed, her eyes wide…with fear? Scott realized.  He recalled the legends he'd heard about a mutant street gang during his time on the street. The leader was a young girl called Autumn and her second-in-command was a mutant by the codename of Nature.  Could this girl have been a…what had they been called again…a Scooby? That was it. Could she have been a Scooby, or even less likely, the mutant called Nature?

"Alright," Storm said, "if you don't like that name, how about Forest?"

"Forest," she said, trying it out. "I like it. Thank you, Professor Munroe."

"Forest, call me Storm. As Rogue said, it's what everyone calls me."

"Agreed, Pro—Storm," the girl who'd once been Nature grinned for the first time in more years than she could recall.