I do not own claim to any of the X-Men or their universe (just Mimik and Isaac) and I make no money from this. Enjoy! The new cover image contains drawings of Mimik, Nightcrawler and Isaac consecutively credited to; artist and writer The SuburbanCoyote, the online artist Andie Tong, and myself.

A hand on my shoulder startles me awake and I sit up immediately preparing to stab the owner of said hand.

After a brief moment of panic I realize it's just Logan, claws out to deflect mine. "Sorry."

I lean back and notice Storm is gone and the jet isn't moving. "Are we back?"

"Yeah and the kid won't move without you."

I glance over at Isaac who's standing near the ramp watching us. I go to get up and find all my muscles have turned to jelly. Silently I ask Logan for help and he helps me to stand and then I put an arm around his shoulder and he helps me out of the jet with Isaac following closely behind us.

In the bay Jean and Xavier are waiting for us. I glance behind me at Isaac, "Isaac this is Professor Xavier he owns the school and the red head is Jean, one of his older students."

He seems to puff himself up and walks over to Xavier to shake his hand, "I'm Isaac Cornelius."

Xavier shakes his hand and at the name gives me a brief glance.

"Well if you guys are all peachy I think I should go talk to Beast."

Xavier nods, "I'll give Isaac a tour of the mansion and we'll meet you for dinner."

Logan and I walked out and as I glanced behind me I saw Isaac watching me with a look that accused me of abandoning him. He'll live, or Xavier is gunna end up with a big guy tearing up his mansion. Either way, he's not my problem right now.

.

As we enter the med lab Beast is talking to a student I don't recognize. She's a dark haired, tan girl probably around 15. She looks up; eyes going wide as she watches me limp in with Logan. Beast follows her gaze and then says, "It would seem we will have to continue our conversation another time Amara."

She nods and the hurries out of the lab. I sit down and force a smile at Beast, "Hi again."

Logan leans up against a wall and watches, nonchalantly. Beast rolls a chair over and sits down in front of me, "The retrieval went well I take it?"

"We got the target, ran into a little interference on the way back though."

"Oh?"

Logan answers for me, "Bucket head and his dogs decided they wanted to try recruiting our newest members. Kim chucked his ass at least 60 yards."

Beast eyes me with disbelief; I shrug, grimacing at the effort. "I don't like being told what to do, I guess. Teenage rebellion and whatnot…"

He smirks and asks, "So I assume he did not take your initial refusal with much grace."

"Grace went out the window; I got smacked in the face with a frog guy's tongue… He deserved to have his own powers used against him."

Beast suddenly sits straighter with interest, "And how did you use Magneto's power to your advantage?"

"Just like I did back at my old home, I reversed the polarity of the power that he was using against me and I launched him and his goons. Keeping his hold off the jet was a different matter…"

I show him the back of my and the still bleeding wounds, "And I bet the one's on my back are still open too." Out of the corner of my eye I see Logan nod. Beast frowns, rubbing his chin in thought. "Fascinating…"

"Yeah, real interesting…"

Beast rolls himself over to his desk and grabs something. Rolling back towards me I see it's my file from the facility. He puts on some glasses and begins flipping quickly through it. While waiting for him to finish perusing, I lean back, my body screaming to just stop moving and rest.

"Hmm… Well it would seem that this may have something to do with it. Did you know your mimicking ability was just a side effect of experimentation?"

"I thought it was the intended result of an experiment to unlock a dormant X-gene."

"Well not exactly, your ability to shape shift was the desired result, the mimicry came about from that experiment in combination with the radiation and other chemicals they were using on you."

"So what exactly is happening? In layman's terms if you can."

"Well if things are progressing as they are it may mean that you may be losing your ability."

"What?!" He frowns and nods, "The lack of chemicals along with the system shock started by the electrical device may have triggered deterioration. This would explain why you can't do as much as you are accustomed to and why the use of that power is causing your other mutations to react adversely."

"Shit, so I won't be able to copy powers at all pretty soon?"

He nods. I grin, "Good riddance; it's been nothing but a pain in the ass from the start."

It's just one more step towards normalcy… Beast and Logan share a worried look over my head.

"So if I keep trying to use my diminishing powers I might end up dead?"

Beast rolls away putting the file back on his desk, "I don't believe so; as long as you aren't in a dangerous situation if you try using them again. I would suggest refraining from any use at all and just let it fade away, but being an X-Man makes life a little unpredictable." Logan nods in agreement.

"Well until my healing kicks back in can you wrap me up Doc, don't need to get any stains on the carpets."

"Of course, I apologize that should have been my first priority." I shrug, it's not like I haven't sat there bleeding out before…

He began to wrap my wounds in bandages, not bothering with sewing anything because he said my healing is already starting to kick in, but it's moving at a much slower pace.

He gave the analogy f a computer starting back up, needs a bit to warm up before it'll run efficiently or whatever.

Logan just stands there against the wall, pretending to be serious and stoic about the situation, but I can tell he's worried, which is an odd feeling. Beast finishes taping up my back as Gambit walks in, "Logan de Professor would like to talk to you."

I turn, quickly, to face him, "Is it about Isaac? He didn't tweak again did he?"

Gambit shakes his head, "No, de boy is fine mon chere. De Professor just want to discuss de pick up wit him."

Logan grunts, "I'll be up after I've helped Kim upstairs."

Gambit grins, "Gambit can take care of Kim, mon ami. You go on." He winks his red and black eye at me.

Rolling my eyes at Logan's growl I say, "Go on, and make sure Isaac doesn't go all big and bad."

Muttering to himself Logan walks out. I swear I heard something about the Cajun's hands being removed and relocated to somewhere much more unpleasant.

Still grinning Gambit offers a hand, "If you are done mon chere, Gambit can take you back up to your room, you would like to change out of dose clothes, no?"

The devious grin earned him a flat glare.

"Gambit just trying to be considerate chere."

I roll my eyes and take his hand he helps me up and I cringe slightly as my whole body feels like it is on fire.

Beast frowns, "Have you regained any energy at all?" "A bit, but I still feel like I got ran over by a mac truck carrying a whale."

I go to put my arm around Gambit's shoulder as I had done earlier with Logan when I realize it'll just be more of a pain in the ass. "You're too tall."

"Gambit tinks dat maybe you just too short."

"5'3" is a perfectly normal height for a female."

He holds up his hands in front of him, "No need to get upset chere. You just like your daddy, he have a SHORT temper too."

I go to pop a claw just to emphasize my point when I remember the bandages. Sighing I give up the argument, "Are you gunna help me or not."

"Anyting for you mon chere."

Before I could protest he quickly picks me up and holds me in his arms. Beast laughs at my angry glare and has to step back to avoid a smack from my tail.

"Can we just get to my room as fast as possible? I would rather not be seen like this." Beast chuckles, "If I thought you would listen I would suggest you stay here until you have recovered more. But alas you are far too much like your father. Although I don't think Logan would ever allow himself to be carried in Gambit's arms."

I cross my arms and glare at him. He shrugs and Gambit says, "Shall we go now chere?"

I nod, still pouting. We leave the med lab and he takes me upstairs via the elevator. This is humiliating; he's too tall to walk properly with. I swear that bald jackass must've planned this.

We almost made it without being seen, but as we were going down the hall to my room Kitty, Boom-Boom, and Jubilee walk out of their room chatting away. Once they spot me and Gambit they go silent, mouths agape.

After a few seconds of silence they burst out laughing. Between gasps for air Kitty says, "Kim, you look like an angry little kid who's being sent to bed."

I growl and after a second of hesitation they start right back up laughing. Gambit walks by the girls and says, "Gambit heard dat dere is a new mutant boy in de mansion, meybe he tell him you all wear culottes mamie?"

Kitty seemed to be the only one who understood French and she blanched. He puts me down outside my door and winks at me again. "Gambit wait here while you change."

I unlock my door as I hear Kitty whisper to the others what Gambit had said and as I close the door I hear Jubilee say, "You wouldn't dare!"

I slowly make my way across my room to my dresser and pull out a pair of jeans and a random t-shirt. I glance at the door and grin; I'm gunna make him wait for a while. I gather up my clothes and toiletries and head into the bathroom, locking the door leading to the girls' room and hop in the shower to wash off all the blood and dirt.

.

Opening the door I smirk at Gambit leaning against the wall next to my door. "Wasn't too long was I?"

"Nope, just on time."

I raise an eyebrow and he says, "Come one chere, Xavier is waiting for you for dinner."

He offers a hand and I put up my own, "I can walk this time." He shrugs and grins, "You know de way den."

We make our way down to the dining room where I can smell some sort of seasoned meat and cooked vegetables among other foods. There is also the din of a bunch of students in there all talking and stuffing their mouths. At the door Gambit stops and says, "Gambit don't eat wid de kiddies, he have a date wid Rogue he has to get ready for anyways."

"Thanks for the help, however annoying it was." He walks off chuckling.

I try to slip into the room unnoticed but unfortunately a certain fuzzy blue mutant spots me, "Kim! Hey, sit here!"

I wave stiffly at him and then look for Xavier who is sitting with Storm, Logan, and Isaac at a separate table. I point to that table and Kurt frowns.

I make a way through the students; some of them were staring at me, but most just ignored me. Glad to see I'm no longer the new buzz, most were talking about the mysterious new mutant sitting with Xavier.

As soon as I get to the table Isaac grins and says, "Kim! You look a lot better!" "I heal."

Xavier waves a hand at an empty seat, "Please sit, have some dinner."

A plate is already piled with food and suddenly my stomach growls. Sitting I eye Xavier with his constant pleased silence. I wonder if that ever bothers anyone else?

Isaac breaks the silence at the table by saying, "This place is awesome Kim! You didn't mention that there were video games and TV! I haven't seen a gaming console since I was 14!"

"So you like it here then?" He nods, "And you were right, no one seems to care that I look like a freak."

I twitch my tail and glance at the groups of kids all eating or talking. "Yeah we all fit in just peachy."

Xavier buts in, "You are not a freak, you are a human being, we have discussed this Isaac."

Jeez, he's been here only a few hours and is already getting lectured…

He shrugs and continues, "I might do a year of classes here to get a high school diploma and then who knows." He leans in close, "They said that the doctor here may even be able to reverse my mutation, make me human again."

I saw the desperate hope in his eyes and I didn't say anything. My mutations seem to be going crazy maybe his will fade too…

Xavier looks at me, the same thoughts flashing across his face.

"Kim, I would also like you and Isaac to begin therapy sessions. I would like to help you deal with these traumatic events and maybe even recover some lost memories on your part Kim."

Ah ha, so that's his goal… "No thanks, last time you went near my head I got stuck as a four year old and found out that one of the men who tortured me my entire life was my uncle."

Isaac nearly chokes on his food, "Uncle? Who?"

"Did you ever meet Sabertooth?"

"No, but… Wait HE'S your uncle?!" His raised voice draws attention from the nearby diners who all begin to whisper among themselves about who he was talking about.

I'm sure most of them already know the dark parts of my life thanks to the wonderfully charming Cyclops.

"Yeah, that bas- jerk is my uncle." A sharp look from Xavier had me censoring myself.

Isaac looks at me in awe, "So Wolverine is your dad, Sabertooth is your uncle… Are you related to any other infamous mutants?"

I shrug, "Wouldn't know." Seeing an opportunity Xavier butts in, "If you would let me help you we could work together to recover your lost memories."

I glare at him and stab a piece of broccoli. I am not going to get angry… I swear this crippled asshole is trying to piss me off though.

Again silence falls over the table as Isaac munches away on his food and Xavier keeps glancing at me with an annoyed yet concerned look. Storm, who's been quiet the whole time, finishes her food and silently slips away.

Shouting from the other end of the room gets my attention and I see a small colored ball being tossed up and down Kurt and Kitty's table.

The mutants are having fun tossing it between each other until it gets tossed a little too hard, flying across the room and nailing Isaac in the head.

Kurt bamfs over to retrieve the ball and startles Isaac, who's eyes go wide in fear. I watch as he struggles to calm down but his adrenaline has gotten the better of him.

Grabbing Kurt's arm I say, "Way to go fuzzball. We need to get him down to the danger room. Now!" Isaac bends over in pain and I push Kurt towards him, who places his hand on Isaac's growing shoulder and teleports us both.

Isaac lands hard on his knees and says "Run…" I point to the observation room and say, "Go get Xavier and until he's either back to normal or unconscious; don't come back in here."

Isaac yells in pain like he did back at his hideout and I watch as his wings fold in on themselves, disappearing.

I glare at Kurt who looks upset, "Did I stutter?" He shakes his head and bamfs.

I hope he's not in an angry mood; I'm still not up to par. Isaac goes quiet and I can see he's done transforming.

He growls and gets up, "Hey bub, you ok?" He looks around at the metal walls of the Danger Room before redirecting his attention to me.

A mix of emotions floods through him; the strongest being fear and anger. "Isaac, I'm a friend remember?"

He yells wordlessly and charges. Damn it! I guess all logic goes out the window when he's like this and he's not terrified of me like before…

I duck his attack, but he whips around and I get slammed in the shoulder, sending me back several yards. He chuckles and charges again.

We dance back and forth like this for a few minutes and his attacks keep connecting. I'm gunna end up black and blue after this…

I'm trying not to hurt him, hence the dodging.

After a particularly painful punch I struggle back to my feet and growl at him, wiping blood off my lip. "Listen bub, you need to cool it before I have to do something you're gunna regret."

The comm crackles to life with Cyclops' voice, "We're up here, what do you want us to do?"

Like an idiot I glance up at the control room to see three shadows before being thrown halfway across the room.

I struggle to my feet and say, "I don't give a fuck what you do, but I'm not gunna last too much longer as his punching bag. Last time I just scared the shit outta him."

Cyclops is silent a moment, "How do you propose we do that?"

I nearly miss another flying fist and shout, "How the fuck should I know? Just think of something!"

I duck under a kick and sweep my foot under his leg, dropping Isaac. Unfortunately that just pissed him off more.

While waiting for Xavier and One-Eye to come up with something I just continue evading Isaac and his well-aimed punches.

.

"We have to something Professor!"

"Just give me a moment Kurt; I am trying to break through his mental defenses. It would seem that his mutation gives him a natural mental barrier…"

Kurt paces back and forth as Scott watches Kim duck and sidestep Isaac, "She is slowing down."

Xavier nods, "She is still recovering from the power struggle with Magneto. There… His strongest surface fear that I can surmise is that of the facility they were in."

Scott nods and begins programming the Danger Room as Kurt takes his place watching Kim. "Professor, she's going to get seriously hurt! Why did you even let him in a room full of people if he was capable of THAT?"

"Now is not the time. Scott?"

"Here we go." He activates the hologram and both Kim and Isaac freeze as they watch the facility form around them.

"I could only program in what parts the Blackbird recorded…" They were in the courtyard, lit by the false daylight.

Both of them have a horrified look on their face. Isaac recovered from the shock first and growls at Kim and shouts, "Lies! You Bitch!"

He charges her and Kurt, seeing that she would have no time to react, teleports down there directly in the path of Isaac's fist.

Xavier and Scott watch as the blue mutant flies back into a wall and crumples to the ground, unmoving. Kim stares at Kurt for a moment before turning back to Isaac visibly shaking with anger.

"You wanna play? How bout this then?" She shifts, her form shimmering and becoming larger and more masculine.

Isaac stops mid motion, mouth agape as he sees Colonel John Wraith standing before him. Kim/Wraith stomps up to Isaac and grabs him by his stretched shirt, "What the hell do you think you are doing mutie? Does this look like a mutie day camp where you can go wander around as you please, doing whatever the fuck you want?"

Isaac gulps and drops to his butt staring at the image of the man in front of him. Kim/Wraith sneers and pats a gun on his hip, "Do we need to go visit the interrogation room? I'm sure you know what that is."

Isaac shakes his head and begins to hyperventilate. He yells in pain and rolls over as his wing burst from his back, spattering Kim and the ground with blood, as he begins to steam, shrinking.

Isaac rolls back over and as soon as Kim sees that he is completely normal she shifts back. Seeing her face Xavier looks at Scott and says, "We need to go down there."

Scott nods, "She looks ill professor." Xavier nods as Scott disable the hologram and they hurry to the elevator.

.

Isaac looks up at me and his horror changes to relief as he sees me shift. He falls back, sighing in relief.

I feel numb and yet very sick…

A moan from behind me is a welcome distraction from the war being waged in my head right now.

I turn and see Kurt getting to his feet, his nose bleeding and swollen.

He grins painfully and says, "Dib we win?"

I could tell that he is a little dazed and I don't know why but I just got really mad at him, maybe it's my brains way of shutting out the recent horror.

"YOU JACKASS! Why the hell would you just put your face in front of him?"

He looks taken aback, "But I was trying to help you!"

"By getting knocked out and distracting me? Some help!"

He gets defensive, "It's not my fault he got all big anb mean!"

"Actually it was! If you hadn't of been acting like a child and then scared him then we wouldn't have been in that situation and I wouldn't have had to become that- that monster!"

"What are you talking about?"

I snarl and say, "I need to go and take another shower before I throw up."

I storm towards the doors that are now opening and brush past Xavier and Cyclops holding onto my anger to keep my thoughts in check.

I rush when my skin begins to go cold and clammy and starts to feel like it's crawling, making my stomach do flips.

.

Xavier and Scott watched Kim rush down the hall, obviously upset. She rounds the corner and they redirect their attention to the two young men now standing a few feet apart glaring at each other.

"Way to go blue boy, you pissed her off."

"I dib not! Ips your fault! If you hadn't ob changed we woubn't be here right now!"

"Do you even know what she just did?"

"Beat you up for one."

"The room changed into the facility courtyard and to scare me back she changed into Wraith."

Kurt goes silent and sensing a lapse in the tension Scott and Xavier step in to separate the boys. Scott escorts Isaac to the med lab to meet Beast and have him look over Isaac to see if there was any way to prevent the changes.

Xavier stops Kurt from following, handing him a handkerchief to clean his bloody face. "Before we have Hank fix your nose I want to talk to you, Mr. Wagner."

"I'm sorry for acting wibout thinking Professor, I just got worrieb."

Xavier nods, "I understand that, but you must remember these two; Isaac and Kimberley, are both people who have had their lives radically traumatized. Although Kimberley has the deepest issues, Isaac has strong emotional issues as well. These issues are possibly why his mutation has such a strong connection to emotions."

"I understand Professor."

He frowns, "Then you realize what this incident has done to Kim's progress?"

Kurt looks at Xavier, confused. Xavier sighs, knowing he wouldn't fully comprehend what just occurred. "I just ask that you help us keep an eye on Kim and ensure that she understands that if she needs it we are here to assist her."

"Ob course."

"Then you may go see if Hank can help you with your nose and please don't instigate Isaac. We don't need another situation."

Kurt nods and they both leave the room, it going dark as soon as the doors close.

culottes mamie = granny panties