Behind the Mask

Author: Illusssen

Chapter 5: Surprises

Three weeks had passed since Anna made peace with the X-Men. Things settled down at the Institute. Slowly, the X-Men, began to accept her and finally consider her a member. Anna forgave her sister and Rogue for abandoning her. She learned to accept Logan's bad days and they were the ones that were fighting all the day. Despite the fact that he didn't trust her, Logan was now over protective with her. Her little comments didn't mind him so much and now he was like a father. Annabelle had forgiven even her parents for banishing her but she was still holding a grudge towards them. She couldn't forget what happened. Storm became her best friend, Annabelle respecting her because she always supported her even in her Brotherhood days. Scott and Jean simply ignored her, they couldn't forget she was the enemy once. Sincerely, Anna didn't care, it was better than Jean's earlier attempts to befriend her. Finally she joined Scott and ignored her. Although Anna had some bad days or some very bad days the X-Men have learned to deal with them. Unfortunately, this was one of those days. It was a gloomy day, the sky was dark and the rain was about to begin. At exactly 6 A.M. that damn alarm went off. Anna kicked it and unknowingly used her powers short circuiting it.

"Fuck." she muttered and got up. She looked around the room sleepy. "This is going to be an awful day." she added and went to the bathroom. After suiting up in her uniform, that was changed, by the way. She didn't like the other so she changed it opting for a sleeveless body suit (like Rogue has in the future uniform), black combat boots, the x-men belt, navy arm bands (those things that Mystique wears in season 2 and 3, don't know how those are called exactly), black gloves. Today was Friday but school was somehow canceled and the good Logan decided to torture the X-Men with hand-to-hand combat training. A firm knock came at the door that startled her a little. "Come in." Logan entered, already dressed in his uniform.

"You're late." he said. She looked at him. Anna always thought that his uniform was funny, that stupid hood was making him look like someone that just got out from the circus.

"Buy some clothes." she replied and got out hitting the door frame in the way. "Shit."

"Bad hair day." Logan muttered following her.

Outside the mansion

Logan lined all the X-Men and was explaining the plan for today's session. Anna fought to keep her eyes open but occasionally she fell asleep, her head leaning on the shoulder of her teammate Dean Anders. He was the one that was waking her up before Logan could notice her.

"...and the most important thing is that you never have to –CIRCE!!!" he shouted, Anna waking up with a gasp.

"What, what?" she said confused looking around. The X-Men laughed.

"Would you be so nice and try to listen what I'm saying." he said. She nodded."As I said..." he continued "the most important rule is that you never have to let your guard down. You'll need a demonstration." he added "But not with me. I have more experience than you and I'd beat you."

"So full of y'rself..." Anna muttered under breath. Logan threw her a dirty look and continued.

"So it has to be two students. Volunteers?" he asked. Dean raised a hand.

"Okay, you. Someone else?" he asked. Nobody said anything. Dean was a good fighter, he was trained before he could come to the Institute and his feral instincts were making him stronger. Logan scanned the students, his eyes stopping on a certain sleepy student who was now dozing peacefully on Rogue's shoulder.

"And CIRCE!!!" he yelled. Anna jumped startled and looked at Logan.

"What did I do this time?" she sighed rubbing her eyes.

"You have to fight with him. No powers." he explained. Anna made a face.

"Why me?" she asked herself and went forward. She closed her eyes the opened them widely seeing Dean coming to attack her. The instinct that she gained living on the streets for almost two years made her dodge his kick. He kicked her legs making her fell down with a thud. "Ow..." she muttered. Unfortunately for Dean, Annabelle just noticed that she fell into mud. And she just had it clean. "Why you-" she said and from that position kicked him in the legs, making him fall next to her. She rolled and pinned him to the ground.

"Y'had to do this, didn't you?" she asked pressing harder.

"Little girl fell into the mud. Why, that was so ugly from me..." he teased as he rolled over pinning her down. Annabelle looked angry at him and kicked him between legs. He fell down and she got up.

"Anna, what the heck was that?" Logan asked making a face. Dean got up, probably hurting cause he made some funny face that Annabelle was unable to keep her smile hidden.

"It was unfair." Dean said walking next to her, looking angry.

"Life is unfair." Anna replied. "Well, Logan, I'm heading back to bed..." she added starting to walk away.

"Where do you think you're going? Get back here immediately." Logan yelled after her.

"I'm too tired. I'll make it up to y'another day." she yelled back.

"I don't think I can fight like this." Dean said and left Logan with the other students.

"Why me?" he muttered and turned back to the other X-Men. "Okay, back to work."

Dean caught up with Anna and walked along with her.

"I'll get you for that." he said.

"I'm looking forward to it." Anna replied yawning. She opened the doors of the Institute and got in.

"Tell me, it was really necessarily?"
"Yep. I was too tired to fight and I had to think quickly. It was the only thing that came into my mind."

"Your pervert mind." he muttered. "What did you do anyway that you haven't got enough sleep?"

"Stayed up late to watch a movie. I didn't know Logan's plans for morning but at 3 A.M. he came and told me." she said heading for her room.

"Anna." Dean called after her.

"What now?" she asked annoyed turning around.

"Your room is the other way." he explained. Anna looked around and saw that he was right.

"Yeah, I knew that." she said and began to walk on the right way. She entered her room and when she wanted to stay on the bed professor Xavier called her.

"Anna, could you please wait for me into the kitchen?" Anna made a face and she headed back to the door.

"Yes, professor."

In the kitchen

Anna got into the kitchen and since the professor wasn't there yet she wanted to make some coffee. She finished it and when she was about to drink it professor Xavier came in.

"Annabelle." he said making her to spill the coffee.

"Today is definitely not my day." she thought and turned around to face professor x. "Yes, professor."

"I'm sorry to disturb you but I have a mission for you." he explained.

"Only me?" she asked.

"Yes. I think you're the best."

"Great." she muttered.

Later that day

Annabelle walked on the road that was taking her to the mansion. She wasn't far from the Institute, probably in 10 minutes she would be there. She was walking and thinking how much she hated the professor for giving her that stupid mission. She had to chase some stupid man half of New York because it was supposed that he knew something about that woman in her dreams. In the end, he didn't, he was a lousy bank employee that knew someone similar to the woman. But Anna found out this after 16 hours of following him everywhere. She couldn't realize why the professor hasn't send Logan or anybody else; no it had to be her. Thunder began rolling as she walked home. "Figures." she muttered. This day was so awful. As if the mission and all wasn't enough the cab that was driving her home broke half a mile away from the Institute. And she simply 'loved' walking. A cold rain began to pour over Bayville as she continued walking. "And when I thought that things couldn't possibly get any worse, the sky opened up and God said 'I hate you Annabelle Kettler!!!'" she said to herself and hugged the trench coat that was carrying with her. After five minutes she finally got to the gates of the Institute and put her hands on the scanner. "MALFUNCTION" appeared on the screen. Great, she short-circuited it. "God really hates me." she said and touched the gates that melt down. She walked trough the opening finally reaching the mansion. She opened the front door, everything was dark, not even a light was on. "All I need now is to fall and break my neck." she thought and looked for the switcher. Light filled the foyer revealing the X-Men smiling. "Surprise!" they yelled as she looked confused at them. They remembered her birthday.

A.N.: Okay, chapter 5 is up. In chapter 6 it begins the hunt down so keep an eye open for it. Thank you for the reviews, I love when I check my email and I see Review Alert subject.

Anyway, Anna had a really bad day because I had a bad day and this influenced my writing. Now I'm heading back to write chapter 6. Bye.