During last hour, an announcement came over the PA system telling everyone about the assmbly that period, welcoming our new principal. Our old one had retired the previous year. Kurt and I sat with my friends Andy, Good Dan, Jenn, Liz and Staci, but some of the other students from the institute were nearby. They were whispering something about on of their old principals and someone named Mystique. I leaned over and whispered to Kurt, "Who's Mystique?"

"Shes the leader of the Brotherhood. Well, second in command. She watches over the guys there and gives them orders and they occasionally do stuff for Magneto, the true leader. And, well, she's also kinda my mom." He didn't look to happy about that.

Before we could continue our conversation, someone walked up to the podeum and put up their hands for quiet. I shifted in my seat and accidently brushed my arm against Kurt's. I got a clear picture of a very strick looking woman and a name, Raven Darkholm. I somehow knew that this was his old principal, this Mystique. It must have been one of Kurt's memories. The lady they were introducing looked a lot different. She had long blond hair, blue eyes, and a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. They called her "Ms. Victoria Baxter."

She chatted a little and then dismissed us back to class. I could still hear the others wondering in whispers if she was Mystique or not. She was busy shaking hands. This gave me an idea.

I gave Kurt a quick, "Meet you on the bus." Before running towards the new principal. I was the last person she shook hands with and I managed to get a few of her memories before she broke the handshake. I wondered if she knew that these sudden memories were brought on by me. She might recognize the signs of being a mutant, since she had dealt with so many.

I rushed out to the bus where Kurt was waiting. "It is Mystique." I confirmed.

"How could you tell?" he asked curiously.

"I stole some of her memories when I went up to shake her hand." He seemed curious so I continued. "I only got a few and they werent very clear. One was here transforming into Darkholm, one was her bossing around the Blob and Avalanche. But the last one was really weird. I looked around to make sure no one was looking, then put a hand to his forehead. This time, instead of letting his memories flow into me, I pushed mine back into him. It was like fighting against a current while swimming, but it worked.

There was a blue baby laying on a metal table. Magneto floated over and injected a red chemical into him. The baby began to scream and flail. Mystique looked horrifyed. "You said it wouldn't hurt him! You said it would just make his powers begin." She picked up the baby, who was still howling. "It will, but we must give him more. Suffering is nothing compared to the power he could have." Mystique ran out with the baby, through a few dark passages and outside. A strange howl filled the air and wolves appeared seemingly out of nowhere and chased her onto a bridge, where the baby fell into the river. It was about to his the rocks at the bottom, when it disappeared with a bamf. Mystique began sobbing. The memory ended. "Kurt, was-was that you?"

"Yes. And that was my mother." He looked sort of upset. People were getting off the bus around us. We saw Rouge walking by and she poked us. "Our stop." We got off too. Kurt was silent as we walked home. When we walked in the door, a large group of students were telling the professor about the new principal. "We think she's Mystique." One put in.

"I know shes Mystique." I told them. I launched into my story of how I found out. When I finished, the professor looked thoughtful. "Well, now were positive the Brother has followed us from Bayville. Hmm, I was hoping we wouldn't have any more conflicts." He called Logan over and they went off somewhere discussing plans. The group that had surrounded him scattered again. I went off upstairs to read some French textbooks and hopefully learn French by the next day.

That Friday, the professor called some of us into his office to tell us about some new activity on cerebro.

"Cerebro has detected a new mutant in Lisle." No…It couldn't be…

"She goes to Naperville North." It *Couldn't* be, could it…

"Her name is Priya." I made a small noise like an "Arn." It *was* her.

The professor looked up at me, as did the rest of the team. "Uh, I kinda know her." That was an understatement. The only way this could possibly get any more interesting was if…

"There's also another new mutant in Wheaton, named Jenn."

It just got interesting. The professor seemed to notice and looked at me again.

"Uh, I know her too."

"Great, you can be in charge of recruiting them."

"So, uh, can they come over tonight and I'll explain things to them?"

He nodded and I grinned. A sort of unintentionally evil grin. Oh, chaos will reign tonght…