Disclaimer: We the koosh balls of the United States do grope and rescue this balcony for the United States of America. To put or keep it in useful order for wisdom or insanity. All is greasy. We don't own X-men.

*Telepathy*

[Thoughts]

\\Tree Talk//  

Emerald: Uhhh…some of you might have noticed that my paragraphing bites and I was wondering if any of you knew how to fix it. If you do, please help me! Anyway thank-you for the reviews, it makes me and Zozma very happy to know that you guys like this story so far. I swear there will be tree conversations in this chapter!

Zozma: Yeah!

Emerald: Here it is!

Scene: Institute: Night

\\Annie? Something bad is going to happen// An acorn tree warned.

Anne sat up sleepily. It was one in the morning. \\What do you mean?//

\\She means that we've heard some news and it's not good// A spruce explained.

Anne woke up more. Glancing at the sleeping Ivonne, she grabbed some clothes and hurriedly changed. \\Okay, wait couple of minutes and I'll be outside and you can tell me what's going on//

Ivonne opened the balcony doors and went out, shutting them behind her.

\\What's the trouble?// She asked

\\Well, another acorn tree, my brother, heard, from an apple tree, who heard from a willow tree, who heard from an office plant who heard that the humans who owned the office were planning something against the mutants// The first acorn said.

\\Wha? What did the office plant hear?// Ivonne asked

\\The humans called themselves the…Friends of Humanity…and they were talking about a Mr. Trask// Acorn1 answered, recalling what her brother had said.

\\Mr. Trask? Wasn't he the fellow who created the Sentinels?// Acorn2 thought back to the many battles the X-men had fought.

\\Yeah, large robots programmed to annihilate mutants// Ivonne muttered. [Now would be the time to tell the professor] she thought. Unknown to her, Amara came up behind her.

"Umm…Anne? What are you doing out here?" Amara asked softly. She had looked out her window and saw her friend standing on the balcony, not moving.

"'Mara? I didn't see you! I'm talking to the trees." Anne turned around to face Amara.

"Oh. Is something bad happening or do you make this a nightly, never-noticed ritual?" Roberto came out in his boxers with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

"Arehn't yah three supposed tah be in bed?" Rogue asked.

"I could say the same to you." Anne teased.

\\Annie, you should tell them// Oak1 suggested.

"I should tell them." Anne agreed out loud.

"Tell who, what?" Roberto stared at Anne in confusion.

"Oops! I was talking to the oak tree. I should tell you guys something. I should actually tell the whole team something." Anne explained. *Professor? Are you awake?* Amara telepathically called.

*Amara? What is it?* The professor, who had been discussing something with Ororo and Hank, asked.

*Err…I have some news from the trees* Anne said.

*Come to my office immediately, you four*

Scene: Office Building: Same Night as Above

                "Mr. Kelly, sir?" A soldier walked into the room.

                "Yes?" Edward Kelly looked up from his papers.

                "We've contacted Mr. Trask, sir." The soldier looked down on the ground.
                "Ah, and is it possible for him to work with us?"

                "Yes sir. The police seem to believe we can keep him under control."

                "Under control? We will have him continue building the Sentinels. I do believe that this move against mutant kind will help the FOH greatly."
                "Yes sir."

Scene: Brotherhood House

                "Well, well, well. Yah cou' of tole' us yah have new recruits." Remy chuckled. He and the rest of the Acolytes, not counting Pietro, had been ordered to round up the Brotherhood. Magneto thought something was going to happen.

                "We thought Pietro told you!" Lance exclaimed. Bill went to get Mystique.
                "Hey!-What-do-I-look-like?-A-squealer-or-something?" Pietro yelped.

                "Yeah!" Todd, Mike, Bill who was just coming down stairs with Mystique, Wanda, Tabitha, and Freddy all shouted at the same time.  Ryka and Kyle stayed quiet and Mystique wasn't sure what the conversation was about.

                "Owww! You don't 'ave to screech!" St. John rubbed at his ears, like Remy, Piotr, Jennifer, Amy, Chloe, and Charisma were doing. (Zozma: Sabertooth was assisting Mags during this mission!)

"What are you doing here?" Mystique walked in front of all the 'Brothers' to stand regally as their leader. Ryka came to stand beside her, a little behind her.
                 "Magneto sen' us." Remy leered at Mystique.

"Ya think, yo." Todd exclaimed.

"Watch it Frogger!" Amy glared at Todd.

"Lay off!" Bill snapped back at her.

"Both of you stop!" Mystique turned her attention back to Remy.

"We nee' yah an' de Brot'erhood tah join up wit' us Acolytes foahr awhile." Remy said.
                "An' we don't even want ya on th' team! Mags says we need you lot!" St. John added.

"Ummm…Pietro? What's the deal with these two teams? Aren't we supposed to be on the same side, against the X-men?" Jennifer muttered to Pietro as the two teams argued.

"From the looks of things, we won't get along very well." Mike answered for Pietro, who was staring at the two teams.

"I don't think we should team up." Ryka murmured to Todd. She was once again holding Ginyu.

"Yo, I think you're right, yo!" Todd sighed.

"This'll never end." Bill groaned.

"We just have to deal for now." Lance grumbled back.

Scene: Institute: Later on That Day. Victor's Point of View

                "Shuddap, Runt!" I exclaimed. Me and Magneto came to the Institute to ask Xavier what the deal was with the FOH. Of course the Runt had to put his two cents in before he even knew why we were there. Most of the X-Brats had taken off earlier so I don't have to deal with them. Stupid brats.

                One brat stayed behind. Damien is what the Runt called him. The kid was pretty good at fighting. Maybe another Weapon X mutant?
                "Logan, maybe he's not here to cause trouble." Ah! Now I know what's strange about him, his skin's grayish, like metal-laced. Admantium (Emerald: SP?)  perhaps? Or those maybe it has something to with those blades of his. Interesting hair color too, probably a result of his mutation. Was it natural? Or did it change when his powers officially developed? Goddamn brat got me curious.

                "Damien, you don't know Sabertooth like I do!" The Runt is starting to get my damn nerves.

                "Logan, perhaps you and Damien should leave so we can discuss this." Xavier asked the Runt and the Brat to leave. Good idea. The Runt started to say something but the Brat grabbed his arm and lead him out of the office. Smart move, kid.

                "Charles, the Friends of Humanity are acting up. They have a lot of their people in the government. Not to mention a bunch of other countries getting upset at the rising amount of mutants. Neither you nor I can recruit every mutant safely." Boss said.  We never could recruit mutants safely.

                "Magnus (Zozma: is it Eric or Magnus?), I know that we can't recruit anymore new mutants. As it is I'm out of room. That's why I was thinking we could set up more schools. The best from each of our respective teams could run them and take care of mutants that they receive." Great idea, who would want to run these schools?

                "That's an idea. It all depends on who we want to run the schools."

                "Count me out!" I said immediately. I'm sticking with the Boss. At least that way I can run off on my own.

                "Victor, you were a choice of mine." Xavier, have you lost it? Damn, me run a school for mutant brats. Maybe if they were all like that Damien kid or the Runt or Pyro or Colossus. I could deal with them.

Scene: Mansion

                "Y'know kid, if Sabertooth goes ballistic in there, I'm holdin' it against you." Logan and Damien were sitting in the hall waiting for the meeting to end.
                "Logan! Don't be silly! If Charles trusts Magneto and Sabertooth, we have nothing to worry about." Ororo came down the hallway

                "Ya sure are optimistic, 'Ro."

                "Someone has to be." Ororo said teasingly.

                "What's the deal between you and Sabertooth?" Damien asked.

                "There's jus' some bad blood between us, kid." Logan growled and walked off.
                "A very detailed explanation. Why aren't you out with the others? Kitty invited you and Rogue said she wanted you to come." Ororo leaned against the wall.

                "Was gonna go but I thought it would be a great time for training. I don't want to fall behind everyone."

                "You have no chance of doing that, your skills are splendid."

                "Thank-you. Have you seen Scott, Rogue, and Kurt in there, though? They are great at the X-men stuff."

                "I think you were just looking for an excuse to be a loner. I've noticed some of the younger students are a little nervous around you."

                "Bobby, Jubilee, Rahne, Athena. Yeah they're nervous around me all right." Damien sounded bitter.

                "They aren't used to unique mutations. I think you and Damen and Alexandria shocked Scott and Jean in your first Danger room session." (Emerald: I will write this up. However I'm not the greatest so I'll get Ildon to help me. Mind you he's in the hospital.)

                "We didn't mean to hit Alexandria that hard. I swear it was an accident."

                "She got right back up and grinned. At least I think she grinned."

                "I thought she was growling."

                "Who was growling?" Desiree asked as she came down the hallway.

                "Alexandria. Are you sure you should be walking?" Ororo asked as Damien nodded at them both and left.

                "Yeah, I'm fine!" Desiree rolled her eyes.
                "Hey! You are up! Are you okay? Ve vas vorried about you. I vas." Kurt bamfed into the room.

                "Who are you?"

                "Kurt Vagner, at your service!"

                "Oh, I thought you was related to McCoy. He's blue and furry."

                "Fraulin, I am blue and fuzzy!"

                "Whatever. So I'm your new X-man?"

                "Vell, not exactly. You are one of the new X-men. All though it is great to have you aboard, fraulin."

Zozma: The next chapter will be closer looks at each character. And some relationship development between Trey and Rogue. Something bad will happen to Miss Small. Will the new recruits be able to save her? And will Desiree fit in? Oh yeah what about the Brotherhood and Acolytes teaming up? Will anything good come of it?

Emerald: Will Zozma ever shut up? Find out next time on-

Zozma: HEY!!! *Exit Emerald* Chicken-wuss! Tch, review folks. If there isn't any tree talk, please tell me 'cause there is supposed to be some! Sorry it was short. *Exit Zozma*