The youngest member (X-Men Evolution)

The Hex Factor

-Bayville Middle School-

Marigold sighed as she looked out the window of her middle school class. The Professor had left a few day ago to see a mutant being held in some mental institution. He had gone before to see this mutant, so that wasn't the usual part. The strange part was that he had been gone for so long. Usually his business trips to visit this mutant only took two or three days tops. But he had been gone for almost a week at this point, and maybe Marigold was a little too co-dependent on The Professor (or maybe she had separation anxiety, with her past and all) Marigold was also on edge because...well she hadn't told anyone, but she was worried about her mind. There were things that she was forgetting, she would get confused. She would be doing something, then the next moment she was in another room, or another place completely and she couldn't remember what had happened. She didn't know what was going on, or if she could even trust herself. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the pieces of paper being thrown at her by her classmate, Mike. One hit her forehead and she looked up, her face must have shown her surprised because Mike started laughing with a few of his friends. "Trying to distract yourself from the fact you don't know how to do the math work Mike?" Sandy asked with a smirk. Marigold smiled to her friend sitting beside her, Sandy always defended Marigold when she was being bullied by Mike. Mike frowned as a few of his friends started laughing at him, "I'm surprised four-eyes over there can see the numbers on the sheet with how big her glasses are." Mike shot back. Marigold rolled her eyes. "Don't antagonize him. He just wants attention." Marigold whispered to Sandy, but it must have been loud enough for Mike to hear, his cheeks red as he turned in his chair more to faced Marigold. "If anyone is begging for attention it's you. Always showing off with those freaks at Xavier." Marigold frowned. "Don't call them freaks." She said, she wouldn't accept anyone talking badly about her. Before the situation could escalate anymore the teacher walked by to check on everyone's work, Mike and his friends turning back to face the front of the classroom. "Good work Marigold! Maybe you could help some of the other students out since your already finished." The teacher complemented as she walked by, she walked up by Mike's desk and tsk'd "Maybe you would be doing better if you weren't turned around in your chair bothering the other students Michael." The teacher said before walking away. Sandy laughed, covering her mouth with her hand, but Marigold didn't miss the glare that Mike gave her as class went on.

-Later that night, Xavier Institute-

The sounds of rolling thunder filled the Institute walls as Scott and Marigold got a late night snack from the kitchen. Marigold heard a bamph from behind her and turned to see Kurt. "Whoa! Watch where your teleporting!" Scott said, turning to get a face full of blue fur. "Hiding from Kitty?" Marigold asked. "V'ea, she's called me her 'official taste tester' and I need to v'ake sure I save my mouth from another one of her muv'ins." Kurt said looking over his shoulder, as if Kitty would sneak up behind him with one of her baked goods. "Kitty can't be that bad at baking!" Scott said shrugging his shoulders. "Have you tried one of her muffins?" Marigold asked with a raised eyebrow. Scott shook his head and Kurt frowned. "There you are!" Kitty said walking into the kitchen with a tray of muffins. "I need you to tell me how these compare to my last six batches." She said holding out the tray. Scott and Marigold watched as Kurt slowly reached to take a muffin. "Kurt, Kitty, Marigold, Scott. Gather the other students and tell them to meet me in the library...it is top priority." The Professor said as he wheeled into the room. "Professor! You're back." Marigold said running over to him. "Glad to see that you're happy to see me, but I'm afraid we don't have much time for greetings. Hurry and gather the other students. "Oh man! v'uch a bummer I can't try v'our muffin." Kurt said, before quickly teleporting out of the kitchen. Scott and Marigold held back their laughter as they went to gather the other students.

-Library-

"As you know I've had several sessions with this girl. She has a tortured mind." The Professor said as the students sat around her. "And when you add that to the large power of her mutant abilities...she becomes very dangerous." He said looking to his students with a serious glance. "What is the source of all of her anger." Jean asked. "Her father. He left her there years ago when she became unmanageable." Marigold frowned at the thought of being left behind like that, feeling sympathetic for the mutant. Marigold could relate to her. She had been left in a facility at a young age as well. "So now what? Maybe she just ran away." Rogue said, shrugging her shoulders. "No, I feel as if there is someone else playing a bigger role in this. Someone who is trying to use her for their own gain." The thunder crashed in the sky outside and the students all jumped. Seems like the perfect night to go looking for a mutant. "We are not going out to find her. I'm bringing you all together to let you that we will be on-call. Once Cerebro is able to find her we are going after her, but we don't know how long that will take." The Professor told the students to be ready to go at a moments notice, then let them go about their day. Marigold walked up to the Professor and he let out a sigh of contempt when she held his hand. "If we do have to go out and find this mutant...what are we going to do once we find her?" Marigold asked. "We will do what we always do. Extend an invitation to the Xavier Institute, the ball will be in her court once we do that." He explained. Marigold nodded and turned to leave, but the Professor gripped her hand, pulling her back to him. Marigold looked at the Professor with confusion. He didn't say anything for a few seconds, his mind focusing in on hers. He felt something...off, and he didn't like it. "How are you feeling Marigold? Everything alright at school and all that?" He asked, stalling for time as he poked the girls mind. He could feel a slight anxiety from her as Marigold answered. "Everything it great! My after school lessons with Mr.Wade and fun, and my friends are all nice to me...my grades are good too!" She said with a convincing grin. The Professor hummed thoughtfully. He didn't know what he was sensing in her mind. But something was off with Marigold. Maybe it was her trying to hide the fact from them that she was being bullied occasionally (which he already knew about), but maybe it was something more...something related with the winter soldier program. Either way he didn't have time to dwell over that at the moment with the Scarlet Witch hunt going on. "Alright. I just wanted to check in on you. If you do feel like something is going on you know you can tell any of us here at the Institute right?" He asked Marigold. The girl nodded, then the Professor let her hand go and she left the library.