The X-Men are on a mission and Shadowcat phases through the ground behind a security guard and sprays him with knockout gas that causes him to pass out.
"North perimeter secure." Shadowcat said into a walkie talkie that connected to the others
Spyke then gets his spikes out just in case and sneaks up behind another guard and sprays him with the same knockout gas
"These guys catching Z's, uh, I mean South perimeter secure." Spyke said back as he took the guard out
In the West perimeter, two guards are knocked out by Jean, using her telekinetic powers to bump their heads together
"West perimeter is secure." Jean said to the walkie talkie after she climbed up to the roof
"Okay make it a clean rescue." Cyclops said through the device
"JEAN!" Cyclops said as Nightcrawler teleported them into the building but in the air and they both started to fall
"Sorry you guys are heavy and usually Markus helps a bit." Jean said as she caught them but struggled to hold them. "Thanks."
"No problem." Jean said
"Storm, Storm! She's out." Cyclops said as he shot a few times to try and shoot the chains but missed
"Nice aim." Nightcrawler said sarcastically, as Cyclops finally hit the chain causing it to break
"Which one of you idiots has been putting on weight? I can hardly hold you." Jean then said as she now struggled to hold both of them
"It's Nightcrawler, burgers seven days a week will do that to ya." Cyclops said accusingly as someone started sneaking up on Jean
"Hey!" One of the guards said and it startled Jean and she let go of them, in which they hit the red beams causing alarms to go off.
"Let's grab her and port out of here!" Cyclops said as they got off the floor and went to the hostages aid
"Gotcha!" Rogue said as she grabbed his face and got his powers and shot Nightcrawler
"Hold it, hold it! Stop the simulation." Cyclops said as Rogue then went limp and eyes shut as Xavier, Logan, Shadowcat, Jean, and Spyke walked into the room
"Scott you are never to stop a simulation unless you are hurt!" Xavier said as he got closer
"Trust me that hurts." Nightcrawler said as he stood up
"Why's Rogue in this markup? She was not a part of the briefing." Cyclops said angrily at the Professor
"Come on Scott, you would do the same... Personally I got a good feeling she's not like that but how do we know this isn't some kind of a trap from Mystique?" Markus chimed in from a few feet away catching everyone's attention after he lands a few feet from the ground
"Precisely thank you Markus, plus the element of surprise is part of life so expect it on every exercise." Xavier said with a hint of annoyance in his voice at Scott." Well we're finished, better get to school but real quick Markus I would like to talk to you in private." He said as Markus followed with a confused look on his face.
"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about, professor?" Markus said as they entered a room and shut the door
"Well, Rogue seems to trust you more than anyone, so I am counting on you to talk to her more about us and change her mind." Xavier said with a hand on Markus's shoulder
"I'll try my best, professor." Markus said with determination as Xaiver dismisses him from the conversation to get ready for school
Outside Bayville high...
"Alright, double check your spelunking gear, make sure your packs contain a hard hat, spiked boots, rope, compass, rations, lamps, candles, and matches. Remember there are no sporting good stores in the Tapo caves. OH and I better not see any phones out during the trip." The teacher said as all of the students pulled out their devices as they moaned and complained about not being able to bring them
"So he threw off your game by sticking Rogue in a simulation. What's the big deal?" Jean said to Scott as they walked together
"Me fouling up isn't the problem." Scott said as Jean looked at him
"What then because he chose Rogue?" Jean said
"Yeah I guess, look how can we pretend she's the enemy in battle simulations while we're trying to convince her to be our friend, if we can't think of her as a friend she'll never want to join us." Scott said as he stopped walking and just looked at her
"Hey it was just a simulation Scott, nobody wants you to stop trying with Rogue." Jean said as she grabbed his arm and hugged it as they walked but Mystique eavesdropped on the whole conversation.
In a room not far from where Jean and Scott were, Rogue was training but stopped for a minute to watch as Jean and Scott talked and how happy they looked when they were around each other and how she wished she could be like that with Markus someday when all of the sudden she turned and Mystique was standing there with her arms crossed making her jump a little
"Principal Darkholme!" Rogue said
"He's never going to be your friend, you know that." Mystique said trying to get to her head
"Who Scott? I aint interested in him." Rogue said as she walked over to the punching bag and started punching
"Really? Tell me dear, have you forgotten how Mr. Summers and his friends attacked you." Mystique said as she walked closer
"No it's just that-" Rogue said before she got interrupted by Mystique
"Just this morning I heard them discussing their simulated battle exercises with you as their target." Mystique said to her
"But why, why would they do that?" Rogue said as she turned her head to Mystique
"I think it's time that you are reminded just who your friends really are, enjoy the field trip dear it should prove most enlightening." Mystique said as she dropped a bag with Rogue stuff in it on the floor and walked out leaving Rogue in the room alone again until someone walked in looking for something.
"Oh sorry I thought no one would be in." Markus said when he looked up and saw her
"You're fine I was just about to leave anyway." Rogue said as she picked up the bag and turned to leave
"Wait, can I talk with you about something?" Markus asked as Rogue turned around
"I have to finish getting ready for the trip-" Rogue said before Markus interrupted
"I'll be quick." Markus said assuringly
"Oh fine." Rogue said
"I know you don't like me or my friends but we really want to help you." Markus explained to her hoping to make her think about her decision
"Look, I really don't want to talk about this right now." Rogue said thinking about what Mystique had said to her about their battle simulation
"I'll leave you alone but please remember what I said, I think we could really get along." Markus said as started to leave
"Wait!" Rogue said as he turned around and looked at her. "While we are on the trip maybe we could talk more then." Rogue said in almost a whisper
"Well whenever you feel comfortable I am always here to talk to." Markus said as he left the room to meet up with Jean to load up the bus with bags
"Jean! Bad news." The teacher said as he found Markus and Jean
"What?" Jean replied
"Seems administration won't clear your time off for the field trip, something about too many absent days in your file?" The teacher explained
"Wait a minute, those were all approved were they not?" Markus asked
"If we can call Professor Xaiver-" Jean was about to say before she was interrupted
"I wish we had time, Jean, but they've already filled your spot, I promise we'll clear this up when I get back." The teacher said
"Well... Have fun." Jean replied as she got her bag and left
"Well that sucks, who filled her spot?" Markus then asked
"New student." The teacher said as he gestured to Rogue whom was boarding the bus along with the other students and smiled when she saw Markus
Meanwhile at the Mansion...
Professor Xaiver was reading a book when the wind was picking up so he went to the opened curtain to close it when suddenly his wheelchair was pushed back as if someone was controlling his wheelchair
"Magneto! Why are you here?" The Professor asked demanding to know why his old friend was here
"I've come to pay you a compliment. Your young students. They seem to be... flourishing under your tutelage." A voice said but the person speaking was not seen
"Yes. They're doing quite well." Xaiver replied
"I'm referring to the growth of their powers." The voice clarified
"I am very proud of them." Xaiver replied
"Proud? Yet you don't trust them." The voice replied again
"But I do trust them. With my life!" Xaiver said
"But not with the truth!" The voice said as suddenly the Professor's wheelchair came back to the open window with a shadow figure levitating outside before crashing into the low wall.
Meanwhile on the bus...
"Oh, wonderful. It's starting to snow." The teacher sarcastically said as he started to see snowflakes but the students started to cheer "This isn't a snowmobile trip, people. Too much of the snow means we turn around." He replied, much to the dismay of the students except Markus who was sitting a row or two away from Rogue
Later as the bus went down the road, it began to slip on the slick road prompting Markus to use his telekinetic abilities to create a snow barrier to prevent the bus to fall of the cliff
"Everybody ok?" The teacher asked as the disaster was over before trying to start the bus again but failed. "Ok people who wants to get out and push?"
"Mr. Redetzke, why not take our snowmobiles to the cave and wait out the weather there?" Rogue suggested
"Wanna test your mettle tough guy?" Rogue said challenging Markus to a race with their snowmobiles
"I'm up for it." Markus replied as they started their race but eventually Markus lost sight of her and met with her at the cave everyone was
"No trophies for second place." Rouge smugly said
"How does one southern gal like you learn to handle a snowmobile?" Markus asked as he walked up to Rogue
"Let's just say I'm full of surprises." Rogue replied
"Apparently." Markus chuckled as they both went into the cave
Meanwhile at the Mansion...
"Why not tell them the truth?" Logan asked as he and the Professor were talking near a fire pit
"How do you tell students that their principle, whom they're supposed to respect, and their enemy, are one and the same?" The Professor asked
"If there's anything these kids are good at doing, it's keeping their cool and their secrets. '' Logan replied
"I don't know about this." The Professor said unsure of what to do
"They'll deal with it, trust me, you've taught em a lot." Logan said before Ororo and Jean entered the room
"Troubles brewing, a blizzard in the mountains." Ororo said
"The Geology Club left for their trip up there this morning. " Jean said
"Jean, I thought you were going with them." Xaiver said with some surprise
"Yeah, so did I, but I found out, Darkholme deep-sixed me at the last minute to make room for her little Rogue." Jean explained
"Rogue... You're right, trouble is brewing." Xaiver said as he also knew that Markus is on the trip also
Back at the cave...
"Ok, we're stuck here, so might as well make the best of it, so in review, metamorphic rock... Question: What has altered it from its original state? Answer: Heat, pressure. Or chemical change. It was one thing, now it's another, a mutation." Mr Redeztke said as he made a lecture out of the situation until Markus saw a figure go deeper into the cave and he followed
"Wow." Markus said as he found a waterfall within the cave but freaked out when he saw Rogue out of nowhere
"I need to know, Markus... What is it you want from me?" Rogue asked
"What do you mean?" Markus replied confused on what she was trying to say
"I'm talking about the truth, Am I a target for your X-Freaks?" Rogue asked desperately
"We, ah-" Markus tried to say but Rogue interrupted him
"It's true, isn't it? I know all about your battle simulation, the one where I'm the enemy." Rogue said as she left Markus alone
"It's complicated, Rogue, we are not what you actually think we are, we never even thought about hurting you, you've been lied to somehow." Markus explained
"Yeah? Well sorry, I'm not interested." Rouge said as it did hurt her to say these words to him but she felt like as long as he was with the X-Men, she could not fully trust him but as she turned around she saw Scott's friend Paul
"Hey, everything alright? Redetzeke's looking for you." Paul said
"Paul, here's your friend, but I bet you've never practiced fighting him." Rogue said
"I'm afraid you'd lose that bet, Rogue." Paul said before he somehow transformed into Principal Darkholme "Hello Markus, are you more surprised to see me... Or me?" Principal Darkholme asked before she revealed her true identity: Mystique to a shocked Markus
"So you are Mystique? Huh, I thought you'd be taller." Markus quipped
"Something your precious Professor neglected to tell you, nice of him wasn't it? You have no idea what he's been hiding from you... Let me fill you in: You X-Men are nothing but puppets for Charles Xaiver, and I'm the sharp blade cutting your strings, just so I can watch you fall!" Mystique said as she pushed Markus off a cliff
"NO!, Markus." Rogue shouted with pain as she ran to the edge of the cliff, heartbroken that the boy he had feelings for was most likely dead "Why did you do that?" She asked after she turned to Mystique
"I'm protecting you, dear, from his lies, he only wants to hurt you, just like Charles Xavier and the other X-Men." Mystique said while justifying her actions
"And you dont? What did you do to Paul?" Rogue replied with questions
"Let's just say he missed the bus, thanks to a little miscommunication about the departure time... Now let's rejoin the others and break the tragic news." Mystique replied while transforming back into Paul
"No more secrets." Rogue said as she took off one of her gloves to use her power absorption ability to peek into her mind in which she saw her meeting with Destiny, her attack on Rogue as Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey and her meeting with a shadowy figure, when she was done Mystique collapsed to the ground rendering her unconscious but she remembered Markus
"Oh, Markus! I'm sorry." She said as she saw over the edge of the cliff and Markus was holding on for dear life, but as he thought he saw Mystique jump to his location, he almost slipped before Rogue revealed herself and caught Markus's hands and pulled him back
"Thanks for the lift, Rogue." Markus said expressing his gratitude
"Don't thank me yet, look!" Rogue said as she saw Mystique push a huge boulder to their location but they jumped just in time to avoid it and land into a river
"Hang on to me!" Markus shouted as he saw a waterfall coming up then Rogue held on to Markus's back as he then jumped to safety but Markus landed hard, injuring him in the process
"Markus, Markus listen, just hang on, your gonna be ok, your gonna be-" Rogue said as she crawled over to Markus
"Rogue... Thanks. You saved my life." Markus said
"I owed it to you." Rogue replied while Markus passed out due to the cold and his head injury
"Markus, don't pass out, come on... w-wake up." Rogue said as she didnt want her possible friend to be asleep leaving Rogue alone
A little bit away from them, the X-Jet is trying to search from them with Wolverine and Xaiver piloting the ship and Storm using her weather-controlling abilities to clear the way for them
"We're moving too slow, spread a little more sunshine would ya?" Logan said annoyed that they were moving slower in these conditions
"I'm not a snowplow mind you, and I'm trying the best I can." Storm replied, as Mystique looks on Rogue and the unconscious Markus she transformers into a wolf and makes her way to them
"It's Mystique!" Rogue gasped as she tried to drag Markus away from her
"Markus, Markus, I hope you can hear me... we're on our way, we're- Markus!" The Professor said telepathically but there was no answer "He's hurt."
"Great. How're we gonna find him in this whiteout?" Logan asked
"X-Men... they're coming." Markus said groggily
"What? They are? Great!" Rogue said expressing her relief
"They- They can't... find us." Markus said
"Figures." Rogue said as she dragged Markus some more before an idea came about "Then we'll give em something they can find." She said as she used a flare gun and shot it at the sky hoping the X-Men see it
"There! Charles, take the controls." Logan said as he prepared to help the teens and the X-Jet was close to the flares point of origin
"Some friendly advice, teach... Don't mess with the Rogue!" Rogue said as Mystique tried to pounce them before Rogue did a super kick, leaving Mystique flying out of the ice bridge before transforming into an eagle and retreated as she saw the X-Jet
"Hang on." Logan said as he jumped out of the X-Jet and grabbed Markus over his shoulder and Rouge then jumped into the jet, after they entered the jet they prepared to leave and left the job of caring and healing Markus to Storm
"Where's your allegiance, kid, us or them?" Logan asked as he went up to Rogue who was in a seat
"If I don't say "you", will I get thrown out of this jet?" Rouge asked as she was shivering
"Nope. Not our style, we've either earned your trust by now or we haven't." Logan replied and as Rogue thought of this, she looked at Markus who was recovering pretty well and took the chance as she felt safe and was treated as an equal when she was with Markus
"You." Rogue said
"Welcome to the X-Men, kid." Logan replied as he stood his hand out to shake in which Rogue did
Later that night at the Mansion...
"It's the same as lying to us, we had a right to know who our principal really was." Jean said
"Yeah, man. What did you think we were gonna do? Go after her?" Kurt said
"We know better, she wants to play mind games against us…" Ella said as she comforted Markus which made Rogue a little jealous but she hid it well from everyone else
"It's like playing with fire and didn't even know it." Kitty said
"Rogue?" The Professor asked, wondering what Rogue thought of the situation
"It's... not my place." Rogue said
"Sure it is, you're part of the family now." Markus replied which made Rogue smile a bit
"I think- No, I've learned that honesty is very important between people you care about, at least it is to me." Rogue explained
"You're right, all of you... I must apologize for keeping this secret from you, but please understand, there are many challenges in your future. Secrets, elements of surprise... some you're ready to deal with, and some you're not. In the future I will try to do better in knowing which is which." The Professor apologized