Voices of the Future

"Whose bright idea was it to let Kitty drive?" Rogue shouted.

Pietro stood before Rogue and Xavier. "Who do you think? That girl is so pushy!"

"Let me see if I get this straight," Xavier put his hand to his forehead. "Two hours before the second day of the hearings begins, both Misfits and X-Men decide to go out for breakfast?"

"Yeah," Pietro said. "Sorry we forgot to wake you Rogue. You were really out of it."

"The fact that I had an emotionally draining day yesterday would do it," Rogue glared at him. "Not to mention the fact that somebody snuck a sleeping pill in my drink last night!"

"Am I responsible for what Wanda does?" Pietro asked.

"Actually that was my idea," Xavier sighed. "I just wanted you to have a good nights rest."

"Well I'm not mad at you Professor," Rogue sighed. "Because ironically if you didn't I'd have ended up in jail too with the rest of them!"

"They're not in jail," Pietro told her. "They're just at the station…getting things settled."

"Yeah after Kitty crashes the van right into not one but three parked cars," Rogue groaned. "One of which just happens to be a secret service unmarked car!"

"Well in her defense it wasn't her fault this time," Pietro said. "The food fight Kurt started in the back seat kind of distracted her."

"Let's get back on track here," Xavier held up his hand. "In other words most of the X-Men won't get here until the hearings have started."

"But you and Jean are up first to speak," Rogue said. "What are we gonna do?"

"Well I can do my part but I'm afraid that you may have to say a few words Rogue," Xavier said.

"You gotta be kidding me?" Rogue gasped. "You want me to testify in front of all those people! No way! I can't do this!"

"Rogue you gotta stall them somehow," Pietro said. "What you'd rather I do it?"

"You have a point," Rogue sighed. "But I don't know what to say! What am I gonna say? It's not like I'm prepared or anything!"

"Just speak from your heart," Xavier advised her. "That's all I ask."

"Oh god I just hope I don't end up speaking from my stomach all over the floor," Rogue moaned.

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Xavier wheeled up to the podium and addressed the committee. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am Professor Charles Xavier. I am an authority on genetic mutation, a teacher as well as a philanthropist. I am also a mutant."

This caused a disquieting murmur among the crowd. Xavier sensed the discomfort of the committee and the spectators around him but kept going. "Many people worry about mutants and what they can do, but first we must ask the question what is a mutant? The dictionary defines a mutant as an individual or organism arising as a result of a mutation, or a genetic change. There are those who would have you believe that a mutant is a super powered sociopath devoted to the destruction of the human race. The truth ladies and gentlemen lies somewhere in the middle. To put it simply, a mutant is nothing more than an ordinary person with an extraordinary talent."

Xavier waited a beat before continuing. "These abilities make mutants different and those differences make people nervous in these uncertain times. The world is changing. Is it so surprising that humanity changes with it? It is understandable that change can be frightening, but it can be for the better and not necessarily the worst."

"True but the question is: Are mutants dangerous?" One senator asked. "That is what this committee is here to find out."

Xavier looked at him. "Well Senator, that's an unfair question. A person behind the wheel of a car can be dangerous. A person who carries a gun can be dangerous. Even someone who takes lessons in martial arts can be dangerous. It is simply a matter of the individual."

"Yes and some of these individuals are extremely dangerous," Another senator said holding up a file. "Just looking at the intelligence of the mutants we know about, your own students included makes me worry. You have a student that can shoot out deadly force beams from his eyes, another who can walk through walls…Yet another who has the same ability as you to read minds!"

"All have been taught to control their gifts," Xavier told him. "To use them for the benefit of mankind."

"Oh really?" The senator asked. "What about a certain Evan Daniels? May I have the picture please?" On a large screen in the back was a shot of Evan, fully spiked fighting with some people. "This Daniels character was a former student of yours I believe? And yet here he is brawling with several humans not even a few days after the incident in China! That's not exactly what I would call control."

"He was defending himself against a street mob that was harming mutants," Xavier explained. "You may recall the wave of hate crimes that also sparked Bayville during that exact same time. He was merely trying to protect those who could not protect themselves. Including an eight-year-old child that was nearly shot to death. It is a fact ladies and gentlemen that mutants who have been forced to reveal their identities are often met with hostility, fear and even violence. It is because of the increasing hostility that I urge you not to vote for mutant registration. Forcing mutants to expose themselves will subject them to unnecessary prejudice and most likely make them targets of those who might harm them."

"But mutants might harm us," Another panelist spoke. "If you mutants are not the threat you claim you are, what have you got to hide?

"This might surprise you ladies and gentlemen," Xavier said. "But the majority of mutants are composed of people under the age of 21. Over 70 percent of the mutant population are merely children. Exposing such vulnerable people to this type of intolerance will have drastic repercussions."

"Vulnerable?" The Chairman asked. "We're talking about kids who can shoot out death rays or fly or god only knows what else they can do. From what we've seen there's very little that's vulnerable about mutants."

"That's because you're looking at their powers, not as individuals," Xavier said. "I have one of my students with me. All I ask is that you listen to what she has to say."

"Very well," The Chairman nodded his head. "We will allow this."

Xavier made a motion for Rouge to come to the podium. Rogue swallowed inward as she began to speak. "My name is Rogue…" She began nervously. "Nothing else. Just Rogue. Kinda fits my powers. If you haven't figured it out before…I'm a mutant."

"I see," The chairman looked at her. "And what exactly are your powers?"

"Well it's kind of complicated," Rogue sighed. "Mostly…If I touch someone, even accidentally, my skin absorbs their life force as well as their powers if they're a mutant. If I touch them too long I could put them in a coma." This caused a stir. "There's more…Everybody I touch…their thoughts and memories get stuck in my head. Oh yeah the Professor can help me remove a lot of them, but part of them is stuck inside me forever."

"So basically you're some kind of psychic vampire," One man frowned at her.

"I don't try to hurt people on purpose!" Rogue protested. "I…Do you mind if I talk a little bit for a second?"

"Go right ahead," The Chairman nodded.

"Well to be honest with all of you," Rogue fidgeted. "Sometimes being a mutant kind of sucks. I mean, I always have to be covered up, even in the summer time. I can't even kiss anyone without wearing a veil or something. Of course on the up side I guess I don't have to worry about getting pregnant."

This was met with a slight chuckle. "The point is, it's very hard for me to get close to anyone considering. People don't seem to want to have anything to do with me, for obvious reasons. It hasn't been easy but I've found people who've become my family," Rogue said. "That's real hard for someone like me. I'm always afraid that something will happen and I might accidentally hurt them. I dunno, a sleeve can rip at the wrong time or someone brushes up against me accidentally…Do you have any idea what it's like to live your whole life not being able to touch anyone? I mean to worry about something as simple as a hug or a handshake? I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. It's awful."

The entire room was silent listening to Rogue's every word. "Sometimes I do wish I was like everyone else," Rogue continued. "Then I wouldn't have to worry about people trying to experiment on me or use me as some kind of weapon for my powers or anything like that. It would be so easy if I could just get rid of my powers, even if it was for only one day. But the truth is, these powers are a part of who I am. Nothing can change that. Look I'm not on some big power trip like some mutants are. All I really want to do is put my powers to the best use I can to help people. My friends taught me that."

"And she teaches us the importance of being ourselves every day," Jean walked in with the X-Men and Misfits. "Even sometimes we don't always listen."

"Rogue means a lot to us," Kurt said. He wasn't wearing his holowatch.

"Yeah she's like part of the family," Kitty said.

"Yeah a pretty dysfunctional one," Todd remarked. Althea elbowed him. "Hey come on, like every family's perfect."

"We may fight with each other," Pietro said. "And cause the occasional explosion or two. But deep down we…well tolerate is a pretty good word…"

"Pietro do us all a favor and keep your mouth shut," Wanda groaned. "What my idiot brother is trying to say is that we all we have is each other."

"Frightening but true," Pietro said.

"Didn't somebody tell you to shut up?" Althea snapped.

Xavier smiled to himself. It was slow but the crowd was being won over even if only a little. However he sensed that some minds were clearly set on the matter.

"A touching display…" The Chairman looked them over. "However, it still does not answer the question if mutants are a threat to the human race."

"We're not because we're part of it," Scott told him.

"Despite our gifts we're all human," Jean told them. "No matter what we can do or look like. We only want to use our powers for good."

"But all we have is your word for that," The Chairman said. "What's to stop you or any other mutant from using his powers against humanity?"

"Very little…"

They looked up and saw a figure floating in from the open window. "Magneto…" Xavier looked at him.

"Oh great…" Rogue groaned. "Just when I thought this day couldn't suck any more!"

"I believe I would like to address the panel," Magneto spoke.

Oh boy this is not good. And if you think what Magneto does is gonna cause trouble, wait until some more news gets unleashed!