X-Men Evolution: Rogue Evolution

Christmas Morning 12.4

A surge of energy traveled up and through their connected hands on contact. The form of Jean vanished into smoke, and Anna was thrown tumbling forward into an abyss. All structures and features around her faded as she turned end over end over and over again.

Next, she opened her eyes, the sun was shining high overhead, and it rained down a comfortable heat upon her. A gentle breeze swayed the trees, and the birds sang a summer song in chorus. Blades of grass extended through the spaces of her stubby fingers and curled over to tickle the back of her hand.

Her knee hurt, but she didn't want to go inside. Nan would be upset that she was playing so hard and probably wouldn't let her back outside. Sides, it didn't hurt too bad.

She rolled over to her rear and examined the brown and purple skin covering her knee. It was only a little worse than her elbow. She popped back to her feet with a little jump and looked back up at the tall oak tree. She got halfway to the top this time, maybe more!

Searching the secret compartment of her plastic riding car, she found the Swiss Army knife and unfolded the tiny folding knife. She jumped as high as she could and nicked the tree with the blade.

"Almost to the top!" She said, panting.

"What are you doing?" Anna's split mind was divided between feelings of the familiar voice. One of surprise, the other was stone-cold fear.

"N-Nothing."

"I said," a hand grabbed her by the shoulder and twisted her around. She looked eye to eye with a several years younger and full-haired Charles Xavier. "What are you doing?" He snapped the Swiss Army knife out of her hand. "Who said you could play with knives?"

"Give me my knife back!" She tried to reach but was shoved backward, nearly tumbling back to the ground.

"You're not allowed to play with knives, Cain. You're going to hurt yourself."

"Says who? I can handle a knife! Dad gave me that knife for Christmas!"

"This knife was supposed to be mine, but he gave it to you to spite me."

"What does that mean?"

"It means he doesn't like me, so he gave you what was mine to hurt me."

"No, he didn't!" She lunged at Charles, and he easily dodged her. She tumbled forward, landing back on her bad knee. This time, it was really starting to hurt. "S-Stop being mean!"

"I'm not being mean, I'm trying to protect you. Don't you get that?" Xavier folded the Swiss Army knife shut and examined the intricate detail in the handle.

"No!" She rolled over and felt her eyes and neck grow hot. "You're being mean! Give me my knife back. It's MINE!"

"Throwing a tantrum won't help -" The young Charles was cut off as he was tackled to the ground by her. She pinned him, hand to hand, leg to leg. "Get off me, you fat idiot!"

"You're being mean! You're always being mean!"

Xavier struggled under her but could hardly budge her. "Get off me you fucking mistake!" He spat in her face, and she reached for her eyes out of reflex. The smaller boy took the opportunity to throw him off. "Enough!" Xavier stood and dusted the grass off his kacky pants and caught his breath. "What do you think is going to happen when Dad and Mom die, huh?"

Anna furiously swiped away at her face with both hands to get the sticky spit off. "I don't know!" She said through tears.

"You're going to be my problem, Cain. I'm going to have to take care of you because you can't take care of yourself. So you better learn to respect me and my rules quick, or you'll be living in a home the rest of your life. Understand?"