Wooo… I hate summer. It's boring. And there are mosquitoes. Damn Southern humidity too. And hey! A guy named Squirrel came and cut down some of our trees. That has nothing to do with the story…but it amuses me so XD.

P.S- Bungee jumping out of trees is insanely fun XD.

Multifan: I didn't necessarily forget Kurt… I just… totally forgot about him . Sorry! Umm… In Daytripper. I'm to the part where the FoH attacked the Seftons… so not too far. And… I think if Rogue ever catches Pietro, she'll kill him lol.

Agent-G: Rogue's just calling him a monster cause because of what she's seen him do, from living with him, and her way of thinking… add them all up and sure, she may be getting a little overboard, but it's how she's come to think of him.

Brandy Lebeau: Yes! Ahh! There always has to be a badguy in a story. Now, its Pietro… and Magneto. But still! Pietro had to be the badguy! Hehe.

Quillian: Woo! You're welcome! Glad you enjoy the story!

Howlerdrode: Lol Mary realized too late that Rogue knew best. And trust me, you'll love Rogue's reaction to the situation… as soon as I can think of what to write I'll get it posted hehe!

Fireinu: Psh… I don't feel sorry for Pietro either XD.

Chapter 23

Mary was awoken by a sudden jolt. She whimpered and opened her eyes, not able to comprehend anything in the lack of lighting and her wooziness. "Where… what? What happened…" She rubbed her sore throat and tried to recall the last thing that had happened. It was difficult with her psyches screaming, and she fought with them to silence. It took a few moments, but bits and pieces began to come back to her… the fight with Rogue. Pietro… "No… Not Pietro… God no." She begged herself as she remembered what he did to her. He had done this to her… he had put her here. Rogue was right… she had been right all along. "But… where is here?" She thought to herself, looking around her prison. It was smooth metal and there didn't appear to be a hatch or any means of escape. She heard heavy footsteps and began to panic. Not wanting to risk being abused for whatever reason, Mary decided to play possum. She figured her captors, whoever they were, wouldn't beat an unconscious child…hopefully. She closed her eyes again and seconds later, the sphere opened up and she heard a feral growl.

Mary would have cried out if she wasn't frozen in terror, but she kept her mouth shut as she was lifted carelessly and slung over a man's shoulder. Taking a chance, she opened one eye and spied a cold stainless steel floor. She was riding aloft a blonde man's shoulders, but she couldn't see his face. Mary knew he was a rough character though by the shape of his tattered clothes. She didn't know where he was carrying her… but she was sure she didn't want to go. "If… if I absorb him… maybe I can get an idea where I am… maybe I can get out…" She thought easily, although she was sure her body wouldn't cooperate because of her terror.

Taking a chance, she whipped her gloves off quickly and grabbed a hold of the man's arm. She heard him howl, and her mind was immediately attacked by crude and terrifying images. She closed her eyes as they burned themselves into her mind. Mary saw woods, a man… Logan! Her captor was stalking him… they were fighting. The young mutant was snapped out of her daze when she was hurled across the room. She opened her eyes to see a man… a monster… something. He was feral like Logan, but ten times as frightening. And from the looks of it, he was out for blood. Fortunately for Mary, he was weakened from being absorbed and was wobbling towards her menacingly.

The two-tone didn't stop to think, but ran. Only when she stood did she realize her shoes had been destroyed by her new clawed feet, and her hands had long nails on them as well. She let out a gasp and noticed the deepness of it… it sounded like a growl. She didn't pause though, but continued down a maze of hallways and only paused when she felt she had lost the mutant. She stared at her hands and hoped that the talons would disappear and she would return to normal, but right now that wasn't the biggest part of her worries. Mary tried searching through the memories, but they were erratic due to the man's mind frame and due to Mary's lack of concentration while absorbing. She caught glimpses of Logan and the other X-Men… but that was it. "Rogue…" She said to herself, her voice a low rumble. Would she ever see her sister again?

Pushing the negative thoughts away, she continued running. She made her way into a large room, and began to panic. How would she find her way out? She didn't absorb the right memories… She cringed as the man's… Sabertooth, she discovered, presence ravaged her mind and upset the other psyches. Mary put her head in her hands and clenched her eyes shut.

"Bonjour, petite." An amused voice called from the shadows. Mary's head snapped up, her new senses trying to locate the owner. "Big cat scared yah, non?" The voice asked again. He sounded French… no… Cajun. She heard the Southern accent in there among the French.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Mary snarled, spinning around, her eyes continuously searching.

"Dat be up tah Mags. Ah just do what Ah'm told." The voice explained. "And, Ah was told tah retrieve yah." He told her, walking out from the shadows. Mary growled ferociously, trying to terrify the man. Truth was, she was scared of him. She didn't know how old he was, although he looked to be about 20. Brown hair, goatee, trench coat, fingerless gloves. Mary took all that in without a problem. It was his eyes that terrified her. Red iris on black. He looked like a demon… but at least he was amused. "Yah think dat scares me, petite? Ah live wid tha big hairball. Yah're nothin'." He chuckled.

"Don't be causin' me no trouble now, come along." He ordered her, stepping forward. Mary took two steps back and looked for an exit. "Whatcha gonna do?" He laughed again. "Yah won't be gettin' past ol' Remy. Ah'm more experienced than yah." He assured her, whipping out a deck of cards.

"In poker, maybe." Mary agreed, snarling again. She was swept up by Sabertooth's anger and pride. She began to pace near the wall, not liking the feeling of being trapped.

"Yah don't want tah anger Remy, petite." He warned her, the card in his hand beginning to glow. Mary gave no response, but growled. Remy hurled the card at her feet and it exploded. Besides giving Mary a nasty shock, it through her into the wall and she fell to the ground. She tried to scramble up, but Remy had whipped out a steel staff and jammed it against her chest, effectively pinning her.

Mary saw an opening and took it. Her clawed foot shot up and pegged Remy in the groin. He cursed in French and his staff clattered to the floor. She smiled to herself as the adrenaline pumped through her body and she picked herself up and tried to run. She made it all of five feet before Remy was on her again. His staff came out of no where and cracked her in the side of her head, causing her to drop to her knees. He was behind her in an instant and had pinned her neck between his staff and her body. "Yah gone messed up, now." He whispered in her ear as pressure increased and effectively staunched her breathing.

"Don't kill her, Gambit." A voice boomed from behind them. The Cajun released her and she tried to run again, not caring who the new voice was. She wanted free. Before long, she felt something wrap around her ankles and she was lifted into the air and hung upside down. Mary was rotated to see a man in a cape and red uniform. He held his hand out, as if holding Mary in place. "Child, escape is impossible here. As long as you're wearing metal, even if it's just a scrap, you'll be in my hold." He assured her. Mary looked down…er… up at her feet and saw a thick ribbon of metal wrapped securely around each ankle.

"Magneto…" She realized, a wave of sick terror washing over her. He knew she had figured it out, and chuckled.

"Welcome to your new home. Over time, I'm quite sure you'll love it." Magneto greeted coldly, nodding to Gambit. The Cajun nodded, a bored look on his face, and raised his staff. The last thing Mary saw was a steel staff glinting in dim lighting as it was propelled towards her temple.

&&&&

"Hey, have y'all seen mah sister?" Rogue asked Kurt and Scott at lunch.

The two looked at each other for a moment and turned back to the two-tone girl. "Not since this morning… why?" Scott replied.

"Nothin'," Rogue lied. She didn't want Scott to know of the fight this morning yet. She needed to talk to Mary first. "Ah just needed tah talk tah her." She told them.

"We'll steer her in your direction if ve see her." Kurt smiled. Rogue thanked them and continued on, not wanting to join their company. She was still brooding. Rogue scowled at herself. She should have known. She had seen in her sister's eyes how much she like Pietro. She should have known something like this would have happened. She should have remembered that everybody would bring disappointment at one point, whether the person is family or not.

Rogue was so angry right now. Angry at Mary, angry at Pietro, and angry at herself. She shouldn't have blown up like she had. She was just… hurt. She had put her faith in her little sister, and Mary had gone behind her back and blatantly lied to her. Still, Rogue had added to the wall Mary had laid the foundation for with her outburst. She wanted to find her sister to talk. She didn't know what would happen… she just needed to find her sister.

"Tabitha?" Rogue tried to grab the girl's attention, but it proved difficult as the blonde had her eyes closed and was listening to her CD player. The two-tone scowled and whacked the younger mutant with her history book.

"Whoa, rude much! Babe, what's your problem?" Tabitha exclaimed, rubbing her head.

"Have yah seen Mary?" Rogue asked, not bothering to apologize.

"Nope, but if I had to guess she's probably avoiding you cause of that fight this morning." The blonde shrugged, causing Rogue's cheeks to redden with embarrassment and anger.

"Yah heard about that?" She asked quietly.

"Kitty was warning everyone to stay out of you guys' way cause you would both be on the warpath." Tabitha replied. "So… whatcha need her for?" She pried.

"Tah talk. If yah see her, just tell her tah find me, Ok?" Rogue asked, scooping up her bag and moving on. She was beginning to worry. Where was her sister? Surely someone from the Institute should have seen her since this morning? Maybe she went home… Maybe Mary was avoiding her. "Ah'll find her." Rogue muttered to herself, trying to put the thoughts out of her mind as she headed to class early.

&&&&

Mary groaned as she slowly came to. She first noticed that her voice wasn't a growl, and wondered how long she had been unconscious. Her head was pounding, and she instinctively reached up to massage it but found her arms were restricted. She opened her eyes and winced at the bright lighting. Mary realized she was laying on a metal slab, her arms, torso and legs pinned with metal bands. She groaned again and tried to loosen them.

"Quickly, she's come to. Do it now before she puts up her shields." She heard a cold voice order. Glancing up, she saw Magneto and another, smaller figure walking toward her. She whimpered and tried to pull herself free. "Don't fret child… the more you struggle the more it will pain you." He informed as the smaller man extended his hands and placed them on the sides of her head, right above them temple where hair covered her bare skin.

She tried to yank her head away, but the man had a firm grip on her. He glanced into her eyes for a moment and then concentrated on his hands again. Before long, his eyes began to glow and Mary began to panic. "Please… please let me go…" She begged him, earning no response. Suddenly, the pain hit her. She felt a cold presence digging through her memories. Her mind felt as if it were about to explode. Mary cried out in pain and confusion.

Magneto stood back, his arms crossed, as he watched Mastermind to his work. He surveyed his new Acolyte and made mental notes to himself. She wasn't the most prime physical specimen, but he was sure that with training she could become quite deadly. She was small, but her size would allow her to be more agile. Her main flaw he had seen so far was pride, but that didn't surprise him seeing as she was Rogue's sister. Despite the few flaws, he was happy with what she was. And soon, she would be his puppet; her memories of the X-Men would be totally distorted and she would see them in an odious manner. Memories of her sister would of course be erased, and memories of Magneto and the Acolytes would be put into a lighter view.

After what seemed an eternity, the girl's sobs quieted, and she lay still. Mastermind removed his hands and turned to Magneto. "She had an exceptionally strong attachment to her sister. It took work to shield those memories… and I was bombarded by two strong psyches… the teleporter and the psychotic blonde. I'm assuming you know who they are?" He was answered with a curt nod. "But, over time they weakened and I was able to subdue them and shove them into the farther corners of her mind. They won't escape from there. Everything else, though, went easily enough." He assured his boss.

"So, when she wakes?" Magneto asked.

"She will be loyal to you, and only you." Mastermind replied.