Magneto's Base

Victor Creed growled as he paced back and forth. "What the hell is this about, anyway?" he demanded.

Remy LeBeau shrugged as he idly built a house of cards. "Dunno. Pietro just tell Remy to show up. Remy don't know any more."

Peter Rasputin ignored them while he bent over a sketchpad, drawing a cartoon-strip for his younger sister, Illyana. In it, she was the super-heroine known as Magik, and he was her sidekick. He smiled, remembering how she has first paraded into his room, wearing a towel-cape, and telling him she was there to save him.

The door opened, revealing Magneto, dressed in full armor. "What is going on?"

"That's what we were hoping you'd tell us, Dad," said Wanda dryly as Pietro zipped in with her in his arms.

Had his upper face not been hidden by his helmet, his Acolyte's would have seen Magneto's eyebrows rise dramatically. "Oh?"

"Yeah, we made a little disco-where's John?" Pietro interrupted himself.

"He's out shopping," said Peter with a shrug.

"Oh. Okay, then. Anyway, we have a new teacher at school, Dad," Pietro said, glaring at his father while crossing his arms across his chest.

Magneto stared at him. "You called me and my Acolytes here to tell us you have a new teacher? After all this time, Pietro, I expected better of you." He turned on his boot heel, stalking out, but stopping when Wanda called after him.

"Her name is Anya Lehnsherr."

Erik stopped mid-step. Slowly, he turned to face his children, cheeks taunt and pale. "What?" he forced out.

"Her name," Pietro replied. "Is Anya Lehnsherr. And…" He hesitated, glancing at Wanda, who barreled ahead.

"And she's a mutant. Who claims to have a mutant father named Erik Lehnsherr who manipulates magnetism. Care to explain?"

Then Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, survivor of the Holocaust, self-proclaimed Master of Magnetism and Savior of Mutanity, surprised them all, including himself.

He passed out.

"Papa," said a little girl with wavy brown hair.

"Yes, Anya," said a man with white hair.

"Are you a superhero?"

Erik chuckled. "No, sweety. I'm a mutant. That's why I have powers."

"But you could be a superhero, right?"

"Maybe. I do hope to help lots of other mutants."

"Will I be a mutant and have cool powers too?"

"Maybe. We'll see when you're older. You're too young to have powers now."

"Why do you hide your powers from other people, Papa?"

"Because some people don't understand things and people that are different. They fear and hate what they don't understand."

"Why would people hate you, Papa? You're the best papa ever."

"That's just how some people are, Anya."

Anya's Birthday

"Happy birthday, baby," said Magda.

"Happy birthday," said Erik.

Anya made a wish and blew out the candles.

"What did you wish for?" asked Magda.

"I can't tell you, Mama, or it won't come true," giggled Anya.

"Oh right," said Magda, smiling.

"Here's you present, baby," said Erik.

"Oh, Papa, I love it!" said Anya, hugging her new doll close.

She went to her papa and he picked her up for a hug.

The Fire

"HELP ME, PAPA!" screamed Anya, trapped inside the burning house.

"ANYA!" cried Magda.

"LET ME GO! LET ME SAVE HER!" yelled Erik.

"Don't go! You'll die!" said the people trying to stop Erik from running into the building.

"I HAVE TO SAVE HER!"

"PAPA! HELP ME! HELP ME, PAPA!"

Then Anya jumped out of the window. She leaid there on the ground. Not moving. Dead.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Magneto jolted up out of his sleep.

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