It's a mutantfull life

By Todd Fan

Disclaimer: "We're not just doing this for us. We're doing it for the kids. For every kid who ever sat on Santa's lap. For every little girl who left cookies and milk for Santa on Christmas night. For every little boy who opens a package Christmas morning and finds clothes instead of toys. It breaks my heart"

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Hi all, I appologise for this being updated so late, but between uniwork, one of my cats becoming sick, and me having to nurse her back to health, then me getting sick myself, well...I've had nooo time.

Draco luver - Yes, I do have a break, unfortunately I have alot of coursework and revision to do during the time, ho hum.

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Chapter 3 -Change of sides

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When the light faded again, Todd found himself in front of the Xavier Institute. Todd blinked, looking around.

"I thought that we were goin' ta see a team mate of mine", he said,, confused, "none of mine live here".

"None in a world of your existance"

"Avalance, you're wasting time!"

Todd blinked in suprise, watching as Lance ran past him, dressed in a black and grey uniform, X's attached to the shoulder and his yellow belt. Without his 'fishbowl' helmet...he looked quite....out of place.

"Lance is an X-Man?", he asked, blinking.

"Yes", replied Percy, "without you as her first recruit, a series of...misfortunes took place, in which Mystique left the Brotherhood early. Lance, drawn to Miss Pryde, joined the X-Men only a few months after being recruited by Mystique. He's been here ever since".

The ground started to shake, before forming under Lance's feet, propelling the geo-kenetic mutant along the ground, as if he were riding on a wave.(1)

"I 'aint seen Lance do THAT before", said Todd in suprise.

"That's because in your world, he CAN'T", said Percy, "here in the X-Men, he learned to master his powers and see his true potential".

Todd crossed his arms.

"I thought you were tryin' to show me things that were bad without my existance, ta convince me life is worth livin'", he said, "from what I can see, Lance's life is better here than it is with me around"

"That's where you're wrong", said Percy softly.

The ground beneath Lance's feet grew level again as he stepped off, right in front of Cyclops. Scott Summers did not look happy, his brow furrowed above his visor.

"Any sign of her?", he asked.

"No, the trail went cold", said Lance with a shrug, "she's been long gone".

"Damnit, Avalanche", snapped Scott, "you were supposed to be monitoring her movements!"

"Hey, don't yell at me", growled Lance, the ground shaking benath them, "I'm not perfect"

He curled his lip.

"Unlike you", he added under his breath.

"I'm the field leader!", said Scott, "I have to make sure everything runs just right. I don't have the space to make stupid mistakes"

He smirked lightly.

"Unlike you".

The ground began to shake more violently as the two squared off. They were only seperated by Jean floating down between them.

"Will you two QUIT the macho act and get on with the mission?", she asked, exasperated, "where is she supposed to be NOW?".

"A few miles north of here, my guess", replied Lance.

"Who are they lookin' for?", asked Todd, frowning softly.

"I will show you", replied Percy, waving his hand as the scene changed around them.

Todd blinked as they reapeared a few miles out of Bayville. His eyes caught a flicker of movement in one of the alleys. He frowned, edging forwards, straining his eyes in the darkness. Curled up next to a couple of trash cans sat someone he knew only too well. Her grey eyes were wide with fear, her clothes tattered and torn, her hair hung around her face, a dirty white streak running aross either side of her fringe.

"Rogue?", said Todd, blinking.

He reached out a hand to put on her shoulder, only to have it pass right through. He blinked numbly, before looking at Percy.

"Why is she hidin'?", he asked, then frowned, "and why are the X-Men after her? She's one'a their own".

"Not here, she isn't", sighed Percy.

"What?", muttered Todd, "you're gonna tell me I dorve her ta join the X-Men?"

"No", said Percy, "but your absence in this world caused her to become the X-Men's enemy".

Todd glanced back to Rogue as she huddled terrifed in the alley.

"How?", he asked quietly.

"There was an incident while Rogue was a member of the short-lived Brotherhood involving the X-Man known as Nightcrawler", said Percy, "they both stumbled across a lab, this ring any bells?"

"Yeah", said Todd, "that's when the Elf got zapped by that thingie-majig and got stuck in that pocket dimension with the hippie guy".

Percy nodded.

"Well....close enough", he said, "without you around to..err...aquire the device"

"You mean steal?", muttered Todd, "and I did give it back, I only had fun with it for a while!".

"Indeed", said Percy dryly, "well, without you 'having fun' with it, none of the X-Men learned of what had happened to Kurt. He was never freed. The telepaths of the X-Men finally learned it was Rogue whom had hit Kurt with the ray, and she has been on the run from them since"

"What would they do with her if they found her?", asked Todd, "I thought the X-Men weren't the kind ta be tough and nasty".

"You are about to find out", said Percy.

Todd looked up as the sound of a jet landing filled the air. Rogue's eyes widened as she whimpered, huddling herself closer into the alley, trying not to be seen. The alley was soon darkned by the shapes of several X-Men as they entered.

"She's in here", said Jean, her hands to her temples, "I can sense her".

"No use running, Rogue", said Scott, stepping in front, "we have you cornered, you might as well come out"

Todd glanced over to Rogue, who was covering her head in her hands.

"Not cooperating?", asked Scott, tilting his head to the side, "have it your way then"

Zaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap! He released an eyeblast, throwing aside the trash cans hiding Rouge.

"Leave me alone!!!", she shouted, getting up, looking around for an escape route.

"Don't even think about it", said Lance, encasing her up to her neck in earth.

Scott walked towards Rogue.

"Rogue, you are charged for the murder of Kurt Wagner, AKA Nightcrawler", he said, "you will come with us and you WILL recevie a suitable punishment. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Rogue opened her mouth, onyl to give a silent scream. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she fell unconcious. Jean smirked lightly from where she stood, having just 'switch off' the captured mutant's mind.

"She's led us a merry chase, hasn't she?", asked Kitty, phasing the unconcious girl out of the rock prison.

"That she has", came another voice as someone else stepped into the alley.

"Should we put her into the containment unit onboard the Blackbird?", asked Scott, snapping to attention.

"Yes, we wouldn't want her leeching any of our powers now would we?".

Todd yelped in shock as the speaker stepped out of the darkness, her blue features in a twisted smirk, her yellow eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Well done", said Mystique, "my X-Men".

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(1) - The cannon Avalance could do this, and would do so quite often.

Dun dun duuuuuun! Did I shock you? DID I? Anyway, do review, until next time....