I seriously don't understand. Why are only two people reviewing for me! It's so unfair… (Lips trembling and eyes growing big and watery) Aw, come on! Take pity on me! Anyway I'll continue writing…in the hope that someone will take pity on me and also, I'm annoyed, frustrated and itching to write! Oh, and also, I'm bored.

Thanks to you two reviewers:

CrazyGirlHaley5555: Did I get your name right? Well, thanks! Say, you wanna be my friend?

yaya bitchy fish: Like I said. Great reviewer. Want to be my friend?

On with the story! Giddyap!

"Yes, Professor, Kitty says she saw Lance and Anna heading into Principal Darkholme's office," Scott said patiently. He didn't know why the Professor was so slow today. He also wanted to hurry things up a bit. After all, he had a class to go to. Jean watched him, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, her foot tapping against the floor. She was keeping watch, in case the teachers came out and gave them detention. Then again, it technically wouldn't be their fault, since the Professor was taking so long.

Scott slipped another quarter into the machine, restraining another sigh of exasperation. Finally, the Professor's voice came over the receiver. "I was afraid this would happen when we went after Anna," he sighed sadly. "Mystique was lucky this time."

Scott sneaked a glance at Jean, who was observing the banner opposite them before lowering his voice. "Mystique? As in Professor Darkholme?"

"One and the same," Professor X agreed. He gave another gusty sigh. "We went after Anna too early. She was scared off and now that she's come to terms with the fact that she has these powers, the Brotherhood is free to go after her."

Scott groaned. "Anna with the Loserhood?" he asked, earning a stern clearing of the throat from Professor X. "Isn't that a waste of her talents when she could be with us?"

He fumbled in his wallet for more coins when suddenly, Jean cleared her throat softly and beckoned to him to quickly hang up. "I gotta go, Professor, there's someone coming," he said quickly and hung up. He dived into the storage closet after Jean but he didn't make it quickly enough. The intruders turned out to be Lance and Anna walking to their respective classes. Anna looked slightly dazed as she stumbled, Lance helping her.

"What are you doing here?" Scott demanded, one hand flying up to his glasses. Lance looked him coolly up and down. "I could ask the same of you," he replied, helping Anna regain her balance. Jean frowned. Something wasn't quite…right.

"Scott," she said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Let it go."

Scott lowered his hand. "This isn't over, Alvers," he growled with a snarl even Logan would have been proud of. He turned to walk away after holding Lance's gaze for about ten seconds, but not before Lance whispered, "On the contrary, Summers. It is over."

What really happened a few minutes ago:

"Principal Darkholme?" Lance called, stepping into the darkened office. Anna gulped again as she glanced around the office. "Should we really be here?" she asked uncertainly, her heart beating so fast and loudly that she was sure that everyone could hear it.

"That's the second time you've asked that question," Lance pointed out as he closed the door softly. The secretary hadn't been at her desk, so the two of them had been free to walk around the desk and into Principal Darkholme's office.

"There's no necessary need to snap at our…esteemed guest, Lance," a cold voice said from a darkened corner in the room. Principal Darkholme stepped out and smiled a wintry smile at Anna. "Why don't the both of you take a seat?"

Lance sat down in one of the two seats offered to him but Anna remained standing. She rubbed her arms uncertainly. "Is it really okay?" she asked in a nervous voice. Lance knew exactly why she was so nervous. She was uncertain and unsure that their principal could help them.

"Yes, really," Principal Darkholme told her, her voice carrying just the faintest hint of warmth. "Sit."

Anna nervously lowered herself into the seat next to Lance. She wrapped her arms around herself as if she was chilled. Noticing this small movement, Professor Darkholme asked with a small smile, "Cold?"

"Yes, just a bit," Anna admitted in a small voice.

"Why don't you conjure up a bit of that fire that's hiding inside you?" Principal Darkholme invited warmly. Anna frowned uncertainly. "Fire?" she asked, confused. "I can create earthquakes, but I can't conjure fire."

"Oh yes, you can," Principal Darkholme replied, turning back into her real form. Anna stifled a gasp as she saw Mystique's blue skin. Lance grinned at the furtive movement. Everyone who saw Mystique's transformation always had that reaction. "You see," Mystique continued. "You're one of the most powerful mutants on this earth. You have the powers of fire, water, earth and wind."

"No I don't," Anna said, feeling the familiar anger and denial rise within her. She tried to control it, but she couldn't. She didn't understand, couldn't understand. I've always been able to control my temper, why not now? She couldn't restrain it any longer. She finally burst out, "I'm not a mutant!"

Suddenly, fire whipped out of her hands and curled itself around some papers lying on Mystique's desk. Some of it escaped and landed on Lance's jacket, who yelped and tried desperately to flap out the fire on his jacket by beating his fists on his chest. The effect produced was one akin to King Kong. Anna wasn't paying attention to him, though. She was gaping, slack-jawed, at the fire still churning from her hands. Her shock replaced her anger and the fire abruptly disappeared.

"You see?" Mystique proclaimed triumphantly. "You do have the power of fire and earth!"

Anna stared at her hands in amazement. There were no burn marks or scorch marks on her hands. She raised her head and stared at Mystique. "The scorch marks on my walls from last night," she whispered, not spotting the flicker of alarm that rushed over Mystique's face. "Last night, the X-Men came to find me…"

"No, they didn't," Mystique said soothingly, her hands giving a signal to someone in the shadows. Lance, having put out the fire, saw it and turned his head towards the shadows and saw a figure with a hunchback moving his hands, making strange patterns.

Lance turned back to Anna and saw that she had a dreamy look on her face as she stared into space. "What are you doing?" he demanded, leaping to his feet and glaring at Mystique. She forced him down again. "Nothing," she spat at him. "We're just altering her memories slightly."

"I'm done," the strange man said at last, his voice breaking the silence that lay in the office. Mystique nodded at Lance. "Take her back to her class," she commanded. "Find an excuse that will explain her absence. Her recent altered memories will keep her in this dreamy state for a few minutes. She won't remember last night's happenings and she won't remember the X-Men ever helping her in her whole life. To her, the X-Men are enemies."

Lance helped Anna out of her seat, and she looked dazed. "Whatever," he muttered, walking out of the office.

"Did you erase all the memories properly?" Mystique asked the man when Lance was out of the office. He nodded. "Altered completely," he replied.

"Good," Mystique hissed menacingly. "Last night she could still remember certain details!"

"I promise, this time I have done a complete job," the man said calmly, stepping out of the shadows. Mystique nodded.

"Whatever we do, we need to keep a close watch on her…Mastermind."

Ooh, another cliffy! Please don't kill me, but this is the only way I can get you guys hooked! I hope so, anyway! Now, review and VOTE!