PROLOGUE...

Katherine 'Kitty' Pride tip toed down the hallway, her muted footfalls thudding gently on the carpet that lined the wooden floors. She carefully evaded pools of moonlight that poured through the thick glass of the window at the end of the hall, so she could avoid any possible patrollers in the shadows. She navigated through the darkness expertly, obviously having mapped out the course before hand. Kitty wore loose gray sweat pants, and a large t-shirt, belonging to her roommate Peter Rasputin, which she'd had to tie at the back to make it more form fitting. She'd tied her hair up in a sloppy bun, to keep it out of the way. Although she moved with caution, her determined pace implied that she was definitely on a mission. Finally the 17-year-old brunette reached her destination, coming to halt at the end of a corridor. Before her was a large painting of the building she was currently standing in, a stately mansion, surrounded by gardens, and bathed in sunlight: Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters.

To the public at large, Charles Xavier's establishment was just what the name implied, a distinguished, if not obscure boarding school for academically advanced students. However, unbeknown to most, the designation of 'gifted' had another implication as well. Almost twenty years ago, Charles Xavier opened the school as a place for the budding outcasts of society to learn and grow, as well as seek refuge from the world that labeled them freaks. A new race of individuals known technically as Homo Superior, A.K.A. mutants. Evolution had surged forward, and bestowed upon the chosen few abilities extreme enough to rewrite scientific history. The individuals considered these abilities both a gift and a curse. Xavier himself was an extremely powerful telepath, and arguably one of the strongest mutants in the world.

He had opened the school with an initial three students, Scott Summers, whose mutation caused him to absorb sunlight and refocus it as optic energy, an endless, and explosive stream of red light that emitted from his eyes. The stream was constant and could only be held in check by a pair of ruby quartz glasses created for him by an associate of Charles Xavier named Moira McTaggart. Because of the glasses, he chose the mutant code name Cyclops. The second student was a beautiful African woman named Ororo Munroe. She was rescued from her village in Kenya by Xavier. After discovering her abilities, the power to control the weather, conjuring ice storms, and droughts with ease, she was labeled a witch, and expelled by her people. She chose the name, Storm. And finally there was Jean Grey, who'd sought Xavier out herself. Already an accomplished telekinetic, she'd requested the older man's help at mastering her developing telepathy. Under his tutelage, her mental powers grew perhaps beyond his own. It wasn't long before the three students became inseparable friends, and soon after Jean and Scott were to fall in love.

But more to the point, these three initial students made up yet another initiative of Charles Xavier's establishment. For below the floors of the classrooms, and stables, and garages, utilized by the young mutants, there was a network of stark tunnels, and rooms, the home base for the driving force in Mutant/Human relations, the team Xavier had affectionately dubbed the X-men.

You see, not only are mutants taught traditional lessons and values, but also how to master their unique abilities. It was Xavier's dream for mutant-kind to use these abilities for good, showing humans that mutants were not monsters to be feared, but the next step in their own evolution. The professor's desire for peaceful coexistence with humans inspired his three students, and they were thoroughly trained and outfitted in leather and kevlar battle suits, to protect human kind, from more unseemly mutants that threatened it. This may help explain why young Kitty Pride was currently standing before the painting at what seemed for all the world like a dead end.

The teenager inhaled in an attempt to calm her nerves, and slowly lifted a hand to rest her fingertips against the picture. Concentration flickered across her face, as she triggered the ability given to her by her own mutation. Her molecules expanded, and fluctuated, causing an odd, but familiar fluttering in her stomach that spread throughout the rest of her body, all the way to her fingertips. Receiving the change in molecular structure, her fingers slipped right through the solid particles of the picture into the wall behind it.

"Wait for me!"

Kitty jumped, and snatched her hand back. The sudden whisper from behind had startled her molecules right back into place. She was too frightened to move, and didn't until a hand on her shoulder spun her around to face an out of breath Jubilation Lee.

Like Kitty, Jubilee was about 5'6, slight of build, 17 years old, and a mutant. Her Asian eyes burned with annoyance, as she doubled over to catch her breath, still looking up at her friend. Jubilee's clothing contrasted violently with Kitty's plain sweats and shirt, and blared through the darkness like a pylon. She wore a bright yellow baby t, and a pair of orange track shorts, neon leggings matched her painted nails, and ended with very plain, out of place looking, white sneakers she bent down to tie. (For the sake of 'sneaking' she had discarded her many bracelets and rings to prevent possible clanking and alerting older house mates to her night time wanderings) Her short black hair was parted and tied into two bobbing pony tails, held by frizzling bands. Her style of dress easily echoed her personality as well as her mutation: explosive. Jubilee had the ability to create 'fire crackers' of light energy, of varying levels of intensity. She'd yet to master the explosions of light completely, but the sheer pride of her ability, and of course stubbornness, didn't allow her to admit this to herself.

"I thought you weren't coming." Kitty whispered, willing her heart to stop beating so fast. "Are you insane?" Jubilee hissed back. "I'm not gonna let you do this alone and get all the glory. No one has ever snuck down to the tunnels. It just took Siren an extra long time to get to sleep. You know how she gets."

Kitty nodded, thinking of the younger mutant girl, whose ability was to emit a high powered sonar screech, effectively disabling anyone in the vicinity. Kitty wasn't sure if her mutation caused the younger girl's incessant chattering, but she was glad Jubilee was Siren's roommate, and not her.

"So you couldn't get Pete-y Pure-heart to come, huh?" Jubilee asked flashing a grin. Kitty was immediately defensive. "Don't call him that! And obviously not. He tried to talk me out of it." They alluded to one of Kitty's four roommates, Peter Rasputin, who was their age, and had the ability to sheath his skin with organic metal, quadrupling his already impressive strength, and stamina, as well as making him impervious to physical attacks, including high velocity bullets. Jubilee chuckled silently. Kitty saw her sides shake with laughter, and felt herself blush. "Told you he wouldn't come. So much for bravery impressing the Colossus." To divert Jubilee from further comment Kitty quickly spoke up. "Come on, Jubes are we gonna do this or what? The X-Juniors will be by here before long, and you know Iceboy would just love to snag one of us." Jubilee frowned at the mention of the two youngest X-men, referred to by the older students as the 'X-Juniors', Rogue and Bobby Drake, who's ability to create and manipulate ice earned him the title Iceman. Rogue's mutation was one of the more dire abilities, the power to absorb the life energy, of any other human she comes in physical contact with. In the case of mutants she takes on their powers, while also, rendering them momentarily comatose. Because of her effect on others, she will be forever unable to touch any other human being, including her boyfriend, Bobby. Despite them both being only 19 the two had been made official X-men six months ago, when the entire community of Xavier's school for gifted youngsters was racked by the malicious plans of the late William Stryker, an ex-military anti mutant fanatic, who'd attempted to eradicate mutant kind. Stryker had been taken out by the X-men, with the recent additions to their ranks, an intense, animalistic man named Logan, codename Wolverine, and an odd German mutant named Kurt Wagner, known as Nightcrawler. Wolverine had been scarce, and something of a legendary figure at the school. Rogue was openly admired for having such a close relationship with the enigma, but then the two had arrived at the school together in the first place. Nightcrawler, who bore physical signs of mutation, including indigo blue skin, bright yellow eyes, fangs, a tail, and three digits on each hand and foot, was enigmatic as well, rarely daring to venture outside of his room. Few had managed to sneak peaks at him, but when they did, it was discovered that he was extremely kindly, and gentle, a stark contrast to his appearance.

"You're right." Jubilee breathed. She inhaled as Kitty had moments before, and extended a hand to her friend. Kitty took it, and together the girls faced the picture. Kitty rose her free hand and placed in on the picture again. Her friend's presence beside her would not allow for hesitation, so Kitty concentrated, altering her molecules again, feeling the energy pass from her into Jubilee, and together they walked through the wall, and into an elevator compartment. The girls broke apart, both seeming relieved that they'd been successful. The walls and ceiling of the elevator were white and smooth. Bright white light emanated from the lit floor beneath.

"Which floor?"

The electronic voice of Moira McTaggart asked them politely. The girls exchanged glances. "Flea said he overheard Bobby saying it was on Sub level B." Jubilee offered.

"Sub level B." The electronic voice confirmed their destination, and down they went.

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Sorry it's so short. This isn't even the whole prologue. Future chapters are long, and fun, then angsty, then action packed, then fun again. Just puttin' out the bait and seein' if anyone bites. PLEASE REVIEW! Flames are welcomed.