Chapter 1

Somewhere in Texas-

A flash ran into the girl’s head. A memory she wanted to forget. A memory that she had done. It was not a good memory, and it was what brought her here. To a tall building. She was at the top of it looking down to the streets below. She saw cars driving by, and people walking.

"These people are all peacefully going to work. They have nothing to worry about." She thought.

The memory flashed into her head again. It hit her as if a headache had just come on. She put her hands on her head trying to get it out of her head. But it wouldn’t go away.

" That’s it!" she thought as she started to step forward onto the ledge.

" It doesn’t have to end this way you know?" said a deep voice behind her.

The girl slipped and started to fall. She screamed as she closed her eyes. After a second she opened her eyes and looked around. She was floating in mid air.

" What’s happening?" she asked.

" I’ll be glad to tell you if you come up here." said the woman pushing up her glasses to reveal cold brown eyes that matched her tight fitting brown hair.

" How do I -" she asked.

" Elementary my dear. " said the woman holding her hand out to the teen floating in the air.

The teenaged girl closed her eyes and tried to fly up. It worked as she began to move up to the building again. She came up and landed softly onto the roof of the building with the help of the woman.

The woman smiled and walked around the teen, examining her.

" Nice. Very nice. You’re a very pretty girl." Said the woman crossing her arms.

The teen looked at her strangely.

" Who are you? What do you want?" she asked afraid she might be affiliated with the law enforcement.

" What do I want?" the woman replied as she came back in front of the teen. " I want to help you my dear." She said. " You’re not alone in this." She added.

" What do you mean?" asked the girl.

" I mean your new powers." replied the woman.

" My powers? How do you know? are you with the FBI? The police? Whatever it just leave me alone" said the girl frowning.

" No. I'm one of you. You're just like me." Said the woman.

" One…of…you?"

" Yes. A Mutant. You are a mutant. And so am I." Said the woman. She smiled a familiar wicked smile as she turned into a blue figure with red hair and sneaky yellow eyes."

The teen gasped and backed away.

" What the…?" she asked.

" Do not be fooled by my appearance my child. I am not a monster. I am a shape-shifter. I can change into anyone I want. My name is Raven Darkholme. My mutant name is known as Mystique." Mystique said.

" But how can you do that?" asked the girl."

" The same way you were floating in the air. I'm here to help you understand your newly found powers. I know you know of your power of electrical energy don’t you?" Mystique asked.

The teen lowered her head slightly and said yes.

" Well forget about that. If you come with me you won’t have to worry about that terrible incident with your powers. I can help you learn to use them, to control them." Mystique said.

" What do you say Annabelle?" she smiled holding her hand out. Her eyes gleemed at Annabelle.

Annabelle lifted her head and looked back at the ledge that she had slipped and almost plumitted to her death. She then turned her head back to look at Mystique.

" Fine."

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Bayville High School-

The Bayville High School bell rang as kids scurried to their classrooms.

Savannah watched this from her desk as kids ran into the classroom falling for their seats. She smiled and looked over at Jean who smiled back.

" Good morning class. I hope we had a fine weekend." Said the teacher; " We have a new student joining us today. She comes all the way from Texas. Madame would you like to come in?"

A 16-year-old teen with long black hair walked in. She was wearing a t-shirt that had the number 8 written across it with a pair of blue jeans and shoes. The only thing that looked a little strange, but nobody noticed, was that she was wearing black gloves on both her hands.

Savannah's eyes turned from the teacher to the new student. Eyes widening, she found she couldn't catch her breath. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes before finding her breath again.

" Students, this is Annabelle Crain. She will be joining our class so make her feel included. Annabelle you can sit behind Jean okay? Jean raise your hand so she can find you." Said the teacher.

Jean raised her hand and Annabelle went over and sat behind her. Annabelle took a good look at Jean as she passed her. As soon as Jean smiled to her, Annabelle took her eyes off of her and sat down without saying a word.

Savannah watched as Annabelle sat down too. Then she tried to get Jean's attention in her mind.

" Jean, Jean?"

" What is it Savannah?"

" The new girl, Annabelle? I know her."

" How?"

" She was my best friend back in Texas."

Jean's eyes widened as she turned her head to look at Savannah. Savannah didn't look across. Instead she kept here eyes on the teacher so as not to cause a disruption in the class.

At that moment a knock came to the classroom door. It seemed to wake up the students and set their minds onto what was really going on instead of what was going on in their heads. Jean knew this. She was a telepathic after all.

" Just a second class." Said the teacher as she went to the door and opened it. The door made a creaking sound as it opened. No doubt that the it was a sign that the school was old. As the teacher went out into the hall to talk to someone, Jean turned around to look at Annabelle. Her green eyes meet with the top of Annabelle's forehead.

"Hi." Jean said as polite as she could without frightening her. She could tell that Annabelle was not happy. She didn't have to use her powers to know that.

Annabelle only gave a small smile that didn't even look like she was smiling at all.

" So your Annabelle huh?" Jean asked. " My name's Jean. Jean Grey. It must be a little hard coming to a new school with no one you know." She said.

" A little." Annabelle said softly in her little English accent.

" Why should you be scared?" Jean asked.

Annabelle looked up at Jean in a puzzling manner. Her hair fell back as Jean saw the rest of Annabelle's medium skinned face. She had beautiful brown eyes as well.

" You have friends here. I can be your friend. Oh and so can Savannah over there siting across from you at the other end of the classroom. Isn't she your friend as well?" Jean asked.

Annabelle's eyes widened as she looked over to her right to see Savannah sitting there, looking out the door, and trying to avoid eye contact with her.

At that time the teacher came back into the classroom and tried to shut the door. Jean turned back around before the teacher saw her.

Annabelle was shocked that Savannah was there, but made no eye contact to her for the rest of the class period or even try to get her attention. However, she couldn't stop thinking that Savannah was here. Here at Bayville. She knew that Savannah moved to New York, but why was she here in Bayville and in this exact same school Annabelle was in? "As if things can't get any worse." she tought. Savannah wasn't a mutant, and Annabelle knew that since Savannah wasn't a mutant, she couldn't tell her that she was. Mystique told her to keep her powers a secret towards non-mutants. She knew she had to be careful around Savannah and if possible, avoid her. However Annabelle didn't know that...

At the end of the class period everyone raced to get out of there. Including Annabelle. Except she power-walked more than ran.

Savannah decided to try and talk to her after class and spotted her walking away. " Annabelle, hey Annabelle!" Savannah yelled trying to catch up to Annabelle in the halls.

Annabelle stopped into her tracks and looked back at Savannah with no facial expression.

" Hey! Anna how are you? What are you doing here in Bayville?" Savannah asked laughing a bit.

" Uhm... I... uhmm..." was all Annabelle said. She couldn't find the exact words to use.

" Did your dad get transferred again?" she asked.

At that moment Annabelle had a vision of her father laying on the ground unconscious. It hit her like a bullet as she closed her eyes and put her hand to her temples.

" Annabelle?" Savannah asked as she stepped closer.

Annabelle opened her eyes and ran away from Savannah.

" Hey! Anna!" Savannah yelled.

" What happened? Did you try to talk to Annabelle?" Jean asked as she came out of the classroom.

Savannah watched as Annabelle ran away from her and disappeared into the hurds of students roaming the halls.

" I don't know. Something's strange with Annabelle. She's acting weird... or, scared."

" Want me to find out? Jean asked starting to put her hands near here eyes.

" No don't," Savannah said as she grabbed Jean's hands and put them back down." At least not yet."

Savannah continued to watch as Annabelle left her sight. She had a sick felling in her stomach that seem to twist it and turn it, and the only way it would go away ,was if she found out why Annabelle was here, and for what cause.

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After Annabelle had lost sight of Savannah she stopped running and walked again. She became a little more calm and looked at her schedule to see her next class. After seeing what class she had, she headed toward the classroom. As she got there she went up to the teacher.

" Excuse me?" she said softly

" hmm?" the teacher turned around from the chalkboard to look at Annabelle. She was rather petite with short blonde hair that curled at her shoulders. She wore glasses attached to a cain around her neck.

" Hi. I'm new here. My names Annabelle Crain. I was just wondering if I'm in the right place?" Annabelle asked after she stopped staring at the teacher.

" Well let's see your schedule shall we?" The teacher asked as she put the chalk down and placed her glasses on.

Annabelle got out her schedule and handed it to the teacher with her gloved hands. The teacher examined it and nodded, " Yes you're in the right place. Welcome Annabelle, I'm Mrs. Brown. Let's see here... you can go sit at that front desk over there." She said as she pointed to a desk. Annabelle walked over to it, put down her backpack by the chair, and sat down.

The bell rang as the last kid sat down in his chair. The teacher was still writting something on the board when her chalk broke in two. She dropped the broken piece and began to look for another one when she couldn't find any.

" Looks like I'm all out of chalk.." She said. She turned to her desk and began writing something on a slip of paper.

As she wrote she eyed Annabelle for a split second and spoke, " Annabelle, can you take this to the office for me please? Tell them I only want white chalk, none of that colored stuff. This'll be good for you so that you get use to where things are here at Bayville." Said the teacher as she handed Annabelle the slip she wrote on.

Annabelle got up from her seat and took the piece of paper from the teacher and headed out the door. The halls were quiet. No one was around and the only thing you heard was Annabelle's shoes hit against the marbled floors of the school ground. As she turned a small corner she saw Savannah walking out of a girls bathroom. She was hoping that Savannah wouldn't notice her and keep walking trying not to make eye contact.

"Annabelle, hey what are you doing?" Savannah waved

"DARN!" she thought, "She saw me."

"Annabelle, I need to talk to you." Savannah said as she headed towards Annabelle.

Annabelle panicked and started running away.

" Wait," Savannah said chasing after her. " I need to talk to you about a very important thing."

"Oh no! She knows!" Annabelle's eyes widened as she ran faster. Savannah picked up her speed as well.

" Annabelle wait!" Savannah now screaming and getting a bit agitated caught herself floating by her wind powers. She stopped herself to put herself back down.

" I hate when my emotions get out of control!" She said as she began running again.

Annabelle turned a corner and saw a dead end. She could her Savannah coming closer. Just before Savannah turned the corner, clear smoke came all around Annabelle and it cleared just before Savannah came around making Annabelle invisible.

Savannah stopped in her tracks confused.

" Annabelle?" Savannah said to herself. So very confused Savannah turned back around and left back for class.

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A clear smoke began to come through the middle of Principal Darkholme's door.

She looked up and watched as the smoke mad its way to the floor and twirled around in a cyclone. In the middle started to appear Annabelle. As the smoke went away Annabelle quickly ran to Raven's desk.

" I have a problem Ms. Darkholme!" Annabelle said in a panic.

" Annabelle what in the world?" Raven said putting down a manilla file she had been looking at.

" I think someone's on to me. I think they know that I'm a m-u-t-a-n-t." said Annabelle wispering the word "mutant".

Raven's eyes widened as she looked at Annabelle.

" Do you know who it was?" she asked.

" Yes. They were my best friend and-"

" Who is it Annabelle!" Raven interrupted.

" Her name's Savannah, Savannah Caughlyn."

Raven's eyes changed from widened to sneaky look. She gave a huge smirk as she started to get up from her leather chair.

" Okay thank you Annabelle. I'll handle this."

"But how Ms. Darkholme?" Annabelle asked.

" Don't worry I can do it. After all I'm the principal. I'll make her stop without using my powers." She said as she stood next to Annabelle.

" Now you just go back the way you came, and make sure no one sees you, got it?" Raven said shooing Annabelle away with her hands.

" Yes Ms. Darkholme." Annabelle said as smoke came around her and made her invisible again.

Raven Darkholme turned to look out her window, " However, I choose to use my powers." she said smiling.

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" Would Savannah Caughlyn please come to the front office please?" Raven said over the intercom.

" Huh?" Savannah said as she looked at the teacher.

" Go ahead Savannah." Said the teacher.

" Thanks." She said as she headed out the door and into the hallway.

As she was walking towards the office, Raven waited at an intersection of the hallways. She smiled as she saw her come closer to her. She changed herself into Annabelle, but forgot one thing, the gloves that Annabelle had been wearing. As she watched Savannah pass her she came out.

" You know Savannah, I really don't like you stalking me." She said in the exact same English accent as the real Annabelle.

Savannah turned around and saw Annabelle stand behind her.

" Oh Annabelle, I - I'm not." Savannah said being rather peculiar about why all of a sudden Annabelle was talking to her and not running away from her instead.

" Then why do you keep trying to talk to me and ask me so many questions?" she asked.

" Because I'm your friend. I haven't talked to you in awhile, and you never told me that you were moving." Savannah said in fury.

" Maybe I don't want to tell you!" Annabelle screamed.

" Why?"

" Because well... Savannah, times change, people change, and so do friends." Annabelle said starting to walk away, "Sometimes friends grow out of each other and they don't stay friends for very long. Which is what has happened to us. We're not friends anymore." Annabelle added as she turned back around to look at Savannah.

Savannah frowned and stared at her. Something wasn't right and she started to become suspicious of her.

"Fine." Savannah said. She started walking away from Annabelle. As she turned a corner she stopped immediately and peaked her head around to watch as Annabelle left. Carefully, she started following Annabelle. Without Annabelle seeing her, she saw her turn around into another corner leading into another hallway. She watched closely hoping for something to happen. It did.

Annabelle began to turn into another figure. After the transformation was complete, a lady with a brown suit, glasses, and short brown hair appeared before Savannah's sparkling violet eyes.

Savannah gave a small smirk as she saw her Principal leave to go back to her office. She waited a little bit and then started heading that direction towards the office. As she got there she smiled once more and then entered the office.

" Can I help you miss?" said a woman at the front desk.

" Yes, The Principal called me to see her?" Savannah said in a sweet innocent voice.

" Really?" said the lady puzzled, " Okay I guess you can go in." she said as she watched Savannah go inside and shut the door.

Raven Darkholme was writing something as she looked up to see Savannah standing there.

" Hello Ms. Darkholme, you needed to speak to me?" Savannah asked sitting down in one of the chairs.

"No not anymore Savannah. You can go now." Raven commanded.

"Well in that case I need to speak to you." She said sarcastically as she walked towards her desk.

" Uhg! Two interruptions within fifteen minutes. What is this about miss Caughlyn?" Raven said putting down her work once again.

Savannah only smiled as she walked back towards the door. She stared at it for a second and then responded.

" You know it's funny... Mystique." She said as she turned to face her. Raven knew she wasn't talking to her Principal to student anymore, but rather mutant to mutant.

" It's real funny how I remember that Annabelle and I said that we'd be friends forever no matter what the cause, and no matter where we are, and no matter what we are."

Raven's eyes widened as her glasses fell to her nose. She took them off with her hand and spoke.

" Really? How interesting." She said smiling her familiar evil smile.

" You know what else I noticed?" Savannah said as she walked back to the desk, " I also noticed that Annabelle was wearing black gloves with a very cheerful and yet normal outfit. Which kind of look silly, but no one noticed it but me. However in the hall just before I came to see you she wasn't. You really need to do your research before trying to be somebody else. Especially around me."

Raven exploded as her eyes frowned so badly she had wrinkles on her eyes and her whole body tensed up.

" You listen to me Savannah Caughlyn and you listen to me well!!" she said standing up form her chair, "You stay away from Annabelle! She is mine! I found her first and she belongs with me and the Brotherhood! I'm not going to have you X-Freaks get involved and take her away! She is a very prized mutant to me and the Brotherhood and I will not loose her to you or any other member of your silly team!" she said in an outrage.

Savannah's eyes didn't widen, her mouth didn't drop, her skin didn't even become pale, and she didn't tense up. Instead of being shocked or even surprised that Annabelle was a mutant, Savannah Caughlyn's eyes only gleamed with pride and joy. The sparkled so brightly and she gave a huge smile.

" Mystique, Annabelle is my friend. There is no way that she could want to join the Brotherhood and even be known as a member. Annabelle is just like me. She is a good-hearted-good-spirited girl who has a loving family and in no way would she want to live a life of crime and be known as a murder later on in her life, if that's what you plan to do with the other non-mutants in the future. And to add it all I couldn't imagine Annabelle living in a dump like yours when that isn't what she deserves out of life. So don't tell me that I won't stay away from her because I won't. I'm her friend and friends are there for each other no matter what the cause!" Savannah said as she opened the door and left without slamming it.

" Hmmf. How funny that she knows so little. Annabelle is already a murderer, and she wont be good-hearted after I'm done with her." Mystique said as she sat back down. Then a shadow appeared at her window.

" Mystique, that girl is trouble." Said a deep voice.

Mystique looked up and at the figure.

" Oh...sir...I." she said starting to sound frightened.

" We must keep her from getting to that girl. She is ours and is an enhancement to our team and I don't want to loose her to Savannah!"

" I'll try and keep her from getting to her sir." Mystique said a little shaky.

" Good. See to it that you do." Said the voice as the shadow disappeared.