I was shocked to say the least, that these children would see me as a mother. "Are you sure that last hit didn't fry your brains somehow?" I asked suspiciously. He shook his head vehemently. "Positive."

We continued on to where Jean was repairing a casualty of over-exuberant power use by one of the students. She set the satellite dish back in place, and we heard a cheer from a group of students gathered around a T.V. inside. Turning, she asked, "How was practice, Mama?"

I must have looked confused, because she continued, "We saw your dance from the fourth floor window." I nodded, and replied, "It was pretty good, though my ego was rather deflated when Logan escaped me."

She laughed, and then turned as though she heard a voice calling her. "The professor is calling. Excuse me." She ran off to see what he wanted.

Logan went to check on a student he had left trying to flame away a bowl of water. I walked on, looking to see where I could best perch to watch all the classes. Finally, I spotted a perfect cubbyhole high on a far wing of the mansion.

I flew up and over the students, who stopped their play for a moment to watch me, then resumed, seemingly at ease with "Mama Aqua" watching over them.

I suppose I will have to get used to that name. I told myself. I squirreled myself away back into the cubbyhole, and set to gaze out over the countryside of the school. The children shouted and played 300 feet beneath me. The sun shone in a dazzling halo over the trees.

What a paradise! I thought. The only thing that would make this day more complete would be if there was someone to share it with. In my secret heart, I knew there would never be; even if such a person could be found, it would never work.

A great golden hawk flew down from the sun and perched above my head. I craned my neck to catch a glimpse of such a beautiful creature, and it swooped down into my cubbyhole. I froze hoping against hope that this was not her nest.

Her nest? Now how do you know that she is a she? My inner self demanded to know. There was no way to know, but I could tell from her eyes and bearing that she was a stately matriarch.

She crouched before, stretched out her head, and pecked at my hand. She swiveled her head around to the entrance and pecked my hand again. She did that three times before I realized that I was to follow her, or move.

I unlimbered myself, and dove out the opening, following her. She fell in a spiral down to the basketball court, and took a rolling dive to the ground, landing gracefully. I matched her every more to perfection, and she took off again, only to land heavily on my unprotected shoulder. Her claws drew blood, but I didn't notice.

I heard voices calling my name, and trailed them back to the clearing where I had practiced earlier in the day. Logan came over to me warily, apparently unsure as to who or whom I was. "What's wrong?" I asked him.

He came closer, searching my face, and, satisfied that I was his little sister, handed me a small note that looked as though it had been written with a quill and inkwell.

"Your sister is in Magneto's hands. If you want to see her one last time before she is gone forever, come to the York State High School within two hours. Otherwise, be prepared, for you won't like what you find in the floor of your school, where I've been informed that he will dump her body. I can help you, but you must follow my instructions to the letter.

-A friend."