Brody grinned at the rather stricken look on Todd's face as they landed where the boy had directed him. Todd had barely managed to give directions as he kept his webbed hands over his eyes. The boy recovered quickly enough though and gave the black furred mutant a slightly annoyed yet in some way grateful look.

"Uh, thanks again for the save, yo. And for the ride I suppose." Todd said, hand on the doorknob.

"You're welcome." Brody replied, glancing around cautiously.

Todd really looked at Brody for the first time. The boy looked to be more of a cat than a human with the black fur, ears, tail, and claws to prove it. His green eyes seemed to glow slightly in the dark and was practically all he could see of the mutant in the blackness of the night. Brody was shorter than himself yet looked built like some kind of weightlifter. A set of powerful black feathered wings were spread just slightly as if he was preparing to fly away at any moment. All in all Brody was actually very impressive sight.

Brody returned the favor and examined the boy he'd saved. Todd was slightly taller than himself with powerful legs making up most of his body. Shaggy brown hair looked as if it hadn't been washed in days and he had the smell of it as well. The mutant's eyes were a strange orange, almost red color. They were unique which he expected nothing less from a mutant.

The silence was interrupted by the loud growling of Brody's stomach. Todd smiled knowingly as his stomach rumbled in answer. He glanced at the house and then back at Brody, cocking an eyebrow at the smaller mutant.

"We, uh, we ain't got much to eat yo, but, uh you can come in and I'll see what I can find." Todd said somewhat nervously. He had never been good at being polite, though there were times he tried.

"If you don't have much to eat I don't want to be eating it." Brody replied just as nervously.

"Nah, least I can do fo' ya savin' me back there."

The door snapped opened and a tall, slender white-haired boy appeared. "Wouldyoutwostopyappingandgetinhere!"

Only Brody's super hearing allowed him to understand what the quick boy said seconds before both he and Todd were pulled inside in a rush. The door slamming shut sounded so final it sent a chill down the small mutants back. He looked around quickly feeling fear and suspicion rise inside him.

"Lookiewhatthetoaddraggedhome."

"Pietro, not that I care to hear what you're saying, but if you want us to understand you, you really should slow down." Another voice spoke.

Brody looked first at the boy that had pulled Todd and himself into the house. The boy was incredibly slender and streamlined, well suited for the quick speed he'd already shown he had. His white hair was smoothed and neat save for two bangs. Blue eyes filled with so many facets they reminded Brody of the diamond ring Dr. Mascaw used to wear, but so much more beautiful.

He then looked toward the other boy that had spoken. This boy was lounged on a couch watching TV. He had brown hair and matching brown eyes. He looked older than the other two, but not by much. He was relaxed, but Brody could tell the boy was ready for action at a moment's notice.

"I said look at what the toad dragged home." Pietro repeated, speaking like he was talking to a child. "Really Lance, you need to pay more attention."

"And you need to learn how to shut up. Do you think you can?" Lance snapped in return.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Yes, that's a challenge."

"Well fuck." And with a silver blur Pietro was gone.

Brody blinked, not quite sure what to make of their antics. He looked up at Todd who only smiled softly and shook his head. No more enlightened Brody looked back at Lance and found the boy staring at him.

*At least there's no screaming.* Normal thought.

*Yet.* Skeptic and Psycho said in unison.

*I hate you two. Why can't I get a personality that'll support me?*

*Grrrr.* Animal snarled, as if saying that he supported Normal.

*Child support.*

*Yeah, thanks.* Normal said somewhat sarcastically.

"So, you saved Todd, huh?"

Lance speaking to him broke Brody out of his mental battle. He looked at the other boy with a slightly confused look before he realized what had been said. Obviously Todd had explained him saving him earlier.

"Yeah man, you shoulda seen 'im! He had Duncan and his goons running like the devil was after 'em!" Todd said excitedly, bouncing a bit.

"They probably thought the devil was after them." Brody said sadly.

"Hmmm.well.let them think what they want. They're just a bunch of pretty boy jocks that have to pick on guys smaller than themselves to keep up some kind of reputation."

"That they're an asshole?" Brody quipped.

At that Lance and Todd both laughed.

"I like this guy." Lance said, still laughing.

Brody's stomach rumbled again, reminding him and Todd of why he was inside in the first place. Todd grabbed Brody's hand once more and pulled the smaller mutant into the kitchen, not sure if they actually had anything he could eat. In the kitchen was another mutant, one that Brody immediately recognized.

"Kyran?"

The brown headed mutant spun at his name and a smile spread across his face to find a familiar face there. "Bird-cat what's up? I didn't think I was going to see you again!"

"Neither did I. I didn't expect to see any mutants from.the hellhole." Brody replied, his fearsomely hungry stomach forgotten.

"Hellhole huh? Accurate description." Kyran said with a laugh. "Hell man, last I saw of you you'd been ensnared in one of those damn nets they were trying to catch us with."

"Yeah, and the man holding it got a nice shock. Pardon the pun."

Todd looked back and forth between the two mutants, surprised they knew each other. "Alright, someone wanna tell me what's goin' on here?"

Brody looked toward Kyran. "How much have you told them?"

"Not much. Suppose it's time to explain it considering they're going to be coming after us." Kyran replied.

"What? They're coming after us?!"

"Hold on, yo. Who's coming after you?"

"Todd, go get Cody, Pietro, and Fred would ya? If we're going to have to explain this I only want to do it once." Kyran asked.

*We shouldn't do this Normal. This is a bad idea.* Skeptic said.

*Kyran's older, he knows what he's doing.* Normal replied.

*Does he? The fool lost us when we were escaping.* Psycho retorted.

*And that was our fault anyway.*

"Brody? Having problems with the voices again?" Kyran questioned with a knowing smile.

"Always." Brody grumbled.

"Voices?" Todd questioned, eyes getting wider and wider.

Kyran rolled his eyes. "Just fetch the boys would ya?"

Todd grumbled something about not being a messenger boy and then left the room. Brody looked over at Kyran and took in the appearance of the older boy. He was quite a bit healthier looking, that was for sure. His short brown hair was gelled into spikes and his brown eyes were just as soft as ever looking very much like those of a puppy trying to look innocent. A friendly smile was fixed onto his lean, strong face that held two claw-like scars across his right cheek.

"How many from the hellhole are here?" Brody asked.

"Just Cody. I only managed to keep Cody with me." Kyran replied softly. "Travis got stunned, Helen, Jack, and Allen got lost."

"So they could be out there somewhere?"

"Somewhere. If they haven't been captured."

Kyran led Brody back out of the kitchen into the living room where the rest of the household was gathered. In a silver blur Kyran was suddenly sitting on Pietro's lap with the younger mutant's arms wrapped around his waist and chin on his shoulder. Brody stood awkwardly looking back at seven guys, two of which already knew the story about to be told.

"Sorry babe, there'll be time for lap sitting in a minute. First Cody and I need to finally tell you where we came from." Kyran said, pulling out of his boyfriend's arms.

Cody and Kyran moved to stand beside Brody, facing the other three Brotherhood members. Cody and Brody exchanged quick hellos as they had not seen each other in several months.

*Slimy snake.* Psycho hissed.

*Psycho! Don't call him that!* Normal snapped.

*Why? He looks like one.*

It was true. Cody had dark green skin that had a very scaly look to it. His eyes were yellow-green, slanted with slits just like snakes. On each of his cheeks was a bright yellow diamond and there were yellow, red, and blue strips on his arms and legs. His face was blunt and his ears were small and he had very short black hair, the only hair on his whole body. When his mouth opened one could see fairly large fangs which were capable of spitting and injecting poisonous venom.

*He's not slimy.* Normal retorted. *And he's not a snake. He just looks like one.*

*We're not a panther.wing cat.gargoyle thing, but we look like one.* Skeptic offered in way of making Psycho understand.

*Hey, I'm an evil, mean, insulting, rude personality. I ain't supposed to be nice.* Psycho explained gently like he was talking to children.

"Brody?" Kyran prodded his friend in the side.

"Sorry, voices."

Kyran smiled knowingly, and then addressed the Brotherhood boys. "First off, this is Brody. He can produce electricity and he has multiple personalities."

"Multiple personalities?" Lance repeated.

Kyran looked towards Brody as if asking permission before explaining. "See, he has four--"

"Five." Brody cut in.

"Five different personalities in his mind. Basically it's like having five people running one mind. Now there's the one he was born with, who I believe is in control now." Kyran explained. "There's four other that just live in there basically and talk. However, they can take over at times of extreme emotion." He looked toward Brody. "Who's the new one?"

"Skeptic." Brody answered flatly.

Kyran shook his head and Cody snickered softly. "Figuresss."

"So, anyway. A long time ago Brody, Cody, and myself were given to what we believe is a secret government institute. We were kids. They treated us like shit, Brody worse than us. They ran tests on us and made us fight each other. We were stuck in there until a few months ago when one of the other mutants there decided she had enough. When she made a break for it we all did." Kyran explained. "I led a group of younger mutants since my Shadow Armor enabled me to be basically invincible. However, a few got lost or captured and only Cody made it out with me. Brody got separated from us early on."

"I got snagged in a net, but Animal took over and got us out. I had a hard time getting away, but I fell in with a group of four other mutants that were getting away. Once we were free and safe they turned on me because of how I look. They ran me off and for the past few months I've been living like well.an animal." Brody explained, his voice cracking at the last bit.

"You're not an animal." Kyran said immediately. "I don't want to hear you call yourself that, ever."

Brody shifted his eyes to the ground and became silent. Kyran had been one of his only friends in the hellhole as he termed it. Most people, even mutants, treated him like a monster, like an animal. What made Kyran sick was that Brody had come to accept being a called an animal. He thought he was an animal at times.

"Yo, havin' fur an' wings don't make you an animal. It's what's inside that matters, yo." Todd said.

Lance, Fred, and Pietro looked at him like he had grown another head. It wasn't like Todd to come up with statements like that.

"Todd?"

"What? I'm physically mutated too if you've forgotten. I do know some things, yo. I ain't as stupid as you think." Todd said angrily. With a huff he leapt off the couch and bounded up the stairs.

There were a few minutes of silence before Brody spoke up. "A bit touchy, ain't he?"

"He'sss got every right to be." Cody replied. With that the snake mutant went up the stairs as well.

Again there was silence, rather uncomfortable silence. Brody felt mixed feelings standing in front of a group of boys he didn't know not knowing what they were thinking or feeling.

*They hate us.* Skeptic quipped. *They're going to jump us any second now.*

*Shut up you. It's bad enough I have Psycho going on about shit, but I don't need you too.* Normal snapped. *Why can't I develop a happy personality, or a reasonable personality? Someone I can agree with.*

*If you haven't realized yet, dumbass, we are a reaction to your environment. You're not exactly in a happy environment, now are you?* Psycho sneered. *And you probably never will be.*

*Hey, that was my line! I'm the Skeptic around here!* Skeptic cried indignantly.

*I can say what I want, I'm the Psycho remember? I'm here to drive you guys nuts and try and kill everyone else.*

*ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR*

*And I believe that was Animal's way of telling you to SHUT THE FUCK UP!* Normal roared.

"Brody, internal problems again?" Kyran's soft voice broke into Brody's thoughts.

Black fur hid Brody's blush as he shot his friend a sheepish look. "They don't shut up, y'know. Got them constantly goin' in there."

"I know buddy." The older mutant said with a smile. "These boys were just offering you a place to stay."

"Y'mean here? I can't do that Ky. I don't deserve to have a place to stay. I keep causing trouble everywhere I go." Brody replied.

"Kid, I don't want to hear you saying you don't deserve something. I gonna start pulling out a feather every time you say something like that." Kyran snapped fiercely.

"Sorry." Brody said meekly. "But I already have a place to stay."

"You do?" Kyran asked in surprise.

Brody nodded. "These people from the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters saved me from some rednecks that just about killed me. I think I'll be safe there. Plus there's someone like me there. Y'know, another physically mutated kid."

"Figures the X-geeks would get a hold of him first." Lance grumbled. "Well, don't let us keep you from getting back to your goody-goody friends."

Brody shot Kyran a confused look to which he only received a disappointed look. Apparently his being with Xavier's people was a bad thing in Kyran's eyes. That hurt to have Kyran disappointed in him as the older mutant had been like a big brother to him for years. It hurt him enough he felt the need to escape, to get away from those big disappointed brown eyes. To never be seen by the boy again.

*Great going Normal. You ruin everything for us.* Psycho snapped.

*It was doomed to fail anyway.* Skeptic replied.

*Both of ya shut the hell up!* Normal roared.

Kyran grabbed hold of Brody's shoulder to make sure he had the smaller teen's attention. "Listen to me Brody. When you go back to the Institute, you tell them everything. You tell them because they're coming for us Brody. They're coming for us and they won't stop until they get us back."