The youngest member (X-Men Evolution)

Fun and Games

Marigold blinked her eyes open, her room dark. She sat up in her bed rubbing the sleep from her eyes, wondering what had woken her up in the middle of the night. "Students, please I must ask you to gather downstairs immediately."  The Professors voice rang inside her head and she grabbed her glasses from the desk beside her bed and quickly hopped out and joined her fellow students in the hallways who were all headed downstairs. Her training in the facility helped her in these types of situations, feeling her body and mind wake up quickly as everyone gathered downstairs. She couldn't say the same for a few of her friends, such as Kurt and Evan who looked like zombies as The Professor started addressing the group. "I apologize from the late meeting, but I just received an urgent alert from Captain Stone." He said as he looked at the group he had gathered, Scott, Jean, Rogue, Kitty, Kurt, Evan, and Marigold stood before him confused. "Stone? From the Mutant holding facility?" Scott asked. Everyone knew of the Mutant holding facility, it was like a jail for criminal mutants. "Whoa whoa, were not talking about another Juggernaut breakout are we?" Evan asked, suddenly seeming more awake then he had been a few seconds ago. "No, at least not yet. But his containment unit has begun to malfunction." Scott stood straight. "We will be suited up and ready to go in five minutes. Let's go." Scott said turning to everyone. We all turned to get our suits on, but the Professor held his hands up saying, "No, I'll only be taking Marigold with me on this mission." The young girl looked just as surprised as everyone else, Scott and Jean even looked worried about the idea. But the Professor didn't let them voice their opinions and continued to speak, "With Ororo currently out of the country and Logan out on the open road somewhere I am faced with a dilemma. Scott, Jean, I'm placing your in charge. Can I count on you?" He asked. "Without a doubt Professor." Scott said shrugging his shoulders. "We will hold down the fort here. You just worry about your brother." Jean said as Marigold stepped out from the group and stood beside the Professor. "If I may ask, why are you only taking me?" The young girl asked, pushing her glasses up her nose. "It's mostly for the protection of the people working at the mutant jail. If Juggernaut does get out, your shields could save a lot of lives from his wrath. And even contain him better than any of the other mutants powers. I want to avoid you fighting him head on at all costs. Your going with me to protect the others. Understand?" Marigold nodded, showing the Professor that she in fact did understand. The first time that she went up against Juggernaut had been by herself as well. She was able to guard from direct hits from the man, and she had only grown stronger with her powers sense then. "Are you sure you don't want to take a few more of us with you?" Rogue asked folding her arms, sounding skeptical as she gave Marigold a worried glance. "I'm sure. I'll be relying on all of you to hold down the fort here. So that means following Scott and Jean's orders and even helping them with the new mutants." The Professor said. "Don't v'orry Professor! We v'ill make sure to be on our best behavior." Kurt said with a smirk that said otherwise. If the Professor noticed he didn't say so and thanked the others before he and Marigold went to get ready to leave for the mission. "I know that Marigold is tough and all, but is she really strong enough to take on Juggernaut?" Kitty asked as the others went to go back to bed. "It isn't about her being strong enough to fight him. It's about her protecting everyone who works at the mutant jail. The Professor wouldn't take her if he didn't believe she was capable." Jean said so all the students could hear. "For now let's go back to bed. I have a feeling we are going to need all the rest we can get for the next few days."

-Mutant holding facility, Marigold's Pov-

"I don't like this idea. It's too risky." Captain Stone said as he stood in front of the holding chamber Juggernaut was currently sleeping in. I was standing beside of him, looking over the sleeping man as The Professor wheeled up to the other side of the Captain. "Shutting down the security grid is the only thing that makes sense." He explained. "Yea, but what happens during the 20 second re-booting sequence?" Stone asked. "His paralysis from the chamber shouldn't wear off that quickly, and if it does Marigold can hold him until he is asleep again." The Professor said, Stone turned to face me and I could see the doubt in his eyes. "She's a mutant? A bit young isn't she?" He asked. "I am. My mutant abilities were active from birth. With due respect Captain, you read my file so you know that I've done more dangerous stuff that this." I said, looking him in the eye. With the X-men uniform on, in the middle of a mission, the shy middle school girl was gone. I understood that I couldn't let a sliver of doubt be in these men's minds or the Professors plan wouldn't work. It was in times like these that I quickly turned back into the girl who had been raised to be a weapon and I was able to turn off all those shy feelings and emotions and focus on the mission at hand. Captain Stone paused for a few moments before breaking the staring contest we were having and turning to a few of the workers. "Okay, alert the base to a code 12. Let's get ready for anything." He said as he left The Professor and I to our own devises as the workers got ready. "Marigold. How are you feeling about all of this?" The Professor asked as the workers ran around us. I shrugged my shoulders, not really feeling anything. "Marigold, don't do that. While I know that it is your instinct to turn off and focus on the mission, you do not need to do that anymore. You have a team, you have me." I blinked as the man rested a hand on my shoulder and it felt like a string pulling me out of the dark. "Being here. It reminds me of the Facility. How I had to act and behave so I wouldn't get in trouble and be punished. If I ever failed a mission I would be punished." I admitted, looking down at the floor. I felt the Professor gently cup my chin with his hand and pulled my face to his. "You do not need to feel any shame over your natural reactions to situations. It was how you were raised. No matter how you do today with this Juggernaut situation I will be proud of you. I have full confidence in you, and I know you can handle it. But even if something goes wrong, you do not need to worry. I know you will do your best." The Professor said and I nodded. "We all will Professor." I said.