Prologue
�1034, 1035, 1036, 1037, 1038, 1039, 1040,� counted off the assistant. She paused at the next one. �There is a problem with this one, Sir.� She stated matter-of-factly.
�Really? What�s the problem? Which one?� he wondered with an air of superiority, an air that annoyed her.
�Number 1041. She is... well, somehow, she seems to have some free will left.� She said slowly.
�How? All of our machines have been stripped of their free will.� He said motioning to the rows and rows of shells that contained humans.
�We don�t know. No matter how many times we tried to strip her free will, she would get it back.� She answered.
�Kill her tomorrow.� He demanded without emotion.
�But sir! She�s one of out strongest. There is only one other in this field that has strength to match hers. She is important.� The assistant pleaded. She didn�t want to take the life of any of these humans. They were pretty much machines, but they still were living breathing humans and shouldn�t be killed on a whim.
�She may be important, but she is strong enough that if she has her own free will, she could turn on us and ruin the entire operation! Kill her tomorrow! I want it done!� he yelled at her.
�Yes sir.� She conceded. She knew better than to disagree. She took a last look at the creature in the shell and walked off, continuing to count off the numbers.
Where am I? I-I feel so weak. I can�t move. I�m-I�m in some kind of gooey substance. I can feel it, but I can�t open my eyes. Why? Where am I? I�m scared. What has happened to me? Mama? Papa? My brother. Where are all of you? I want to go home. I want to be with you.
Number 1041 heard conversation going on outside her shell. �Number 1041. She is... well, somehow, she seems to have some free will left�
Number 1041? That�s me? But, that�s not my name! Is it? What is my name? I don�t... remember.
A few more things were said before something caught her ear. �Kill her tomorrow.� Said a gruff male voice.
Me? Kill me? Why? What have I done?!
The woman assistant protested to this and the girl felt a strong sense of appreciation for her. Finally the man rounded on her and began yelling that she would endanger some kind of operation or something of the sort. Finally the woman unwillingly conceded and the two continued down the row of humans.
I don�t understand. I don�t want to die! I want to live! I want to get out of here! I want to get back to my dad! I want to see my mom, my brother! They must be so worried about me.
The girl stayed still until nightfall, hoping that it would help her to regain her strength. It didn�t. She still felt extremely weak when she finally managed to open her eyes and look at where she was. The gooey substance that she was suspended in didn�t hurt her eyes in the least. So, she preceded to cut herself out of the shell. She dropped to the ground and pulled the oxygen mask from her face, breathing in fresh air for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. She stood on her unsteady legs and stumbled over to what she guessed was some kind of closet. She walked in to find thousands of identical outfits on one side, obviously for males, then on the other side, identical costumes, but suited for females. She grabbed the only female suit that was different from all the rest. She slipped it onto her bare body, then tried her best to find a door. She stumbled around blindly, her eyes not working correctly before finding a door. She pushed the door with all her might, just bearly getting it open enough for her to get out.
None of her body was working correctly. She apparently hadn�t used it in a long time. I need to find someone. I don�t remember who it is I need to call, but I need to find someone. I need to find my parents! I need to find my brother! I... need to... find... someone...to... The girl trailed off in her thought as she dropped unconscious onto the ground just as she saw the lights of a large building in front of her.
Ororo Monroe strolled around with two of her friends, Kitty Pryde, and Rogue. They laughed and chatted as the just walked about the grounds of the Xavier mansion. The Xavier mansion was a school. But not just any school. This school was for a new breed of person, mutants. People who contained genetic mutations that gave them certain abilities. There, the mutants could be protected and accepted to escape the harsh tongues of the government, normal kids and even some parents. They were taught just as normal kids were, but hey were not singled out for what they were as they would be in any normal school.
Ororo Monroe was a mutant who could control the weather. Her alias was Storm. Many of the older students had developed their abilities to the point that they could help if people were in need of assistance. The children at the school affectionately called these mutants X-men, and waited on the day when they, too, would join the ranks of the X-Men.
The two that Ororo was talking with were also X-men. Kitty, nicknamed Shadowcat, was a mutant who could pass, or phase through walls, or just about anything else. Rogue was simply Rogue. A mutant who�s ability kept her physically separated from everyone else. Anyone who touched her skin would be drained of their life force, or in the case of mutants, she would absorb their power for a short time.
Kitty was gracefully slender and had dark brown hair about down to her mid-back that was always held in a ponytail. Her eyes were a deep rich brown. Rogue had short brown hair with white bangs and forest green eyes. Ororo had long white hair that reached to the small of her back and dark tanned skin. Her eyes were usually light brown in color. The three walked and enjoyed each other�s company until Ororo stopped the other two.
�What�s wrong, Ororo?� Kitty wondered in her usual light-hearted voice.
�I heard something coming from the bushes over there.� She said, caution evident in her voice. She and the other two snuck toward the source of the sound slowly. When they were right in front of it, Ororo drew aside the branches to see what was causing the noise.
A young girl, probably in her mid-teens lay in the bushes, unconscious. She had long dark brown hair and had a gracefully slender figure. She had on a red and black leather one piece suit. Ororo realized that she was no threat to the mansion. �Kitty, run inside and get the professor. This girl needs help. Rogue, help me get her inside.� Ororo carefully lifted the girl into her arms and Rogue watched to make sure nothing went wrong.
Kitty started toward the mansion, but then stopped. �But it�s 10:45 at night!�
Ororo threw her an �I-don�t-care-look.� �It doesn�t matter. She needs help. Go!�
Kitty raced toward the mansion where she phased through the doors and into the livingroom. There she found Kurt Wagner, a mutant who had blue fur covering his body and could teleport from place to place. Now, however, as it was on a daily basis, he was not �fuzzy� as he dubbed himself. He looked perfectly normal because of a watch he wore called his inducer, made for him by the Professor. It made him look completely normal. Kurt was sitting on an armchair in the living room. The others that were in the large room were Logan, and the Professor.
Kitty phased through the wall and began to speak rapidly. �Ororo, Rogue and I found an unconscious girl out on the grounds! She�s hurt and we need to help her.�
Logan immediately stood. He was not the tallest man around, but his heavy built more than made up for his lack of height. He had dark brown, almost black hair and black eyes. He had a strong chest, powerful arms, and muscular legs, an extremely well built man. His mutant power was incredible healing abilities. His own wounds would heal within minutes or seconds of receiving them. His skeleton had an indestructible metal called adamantium surgically grafted to it, keeping his bones impossible to break. When he wanted to, he would extend three metal claws, set in between his knuckles also made of adamantium. �Are you sure it�s alright to bring her in? She could be working with Magneto.� He suggested. Magneto was a powerful mutant bent on destroying all of humanity for hating mutants.
The Professor waved the thought away and told Kurt to teleport the girl into the livingroom. Kurt nodded and disappeared in a small puff of smoke. A few seconds later, he reappeared in the room with the unconscious girl in his arms. He lied her down on the couch and stepped back as Ororo and Rogue entered the room. Scott Summers, a mutant with lazer eyes entered as well, his usual ruby sunglasses over his eyes. �What�s going on?� he wondered.
Ororo answered for the Professor. �We found this girl in the bushes outside. She�s apparently hurt in some way, so we brought her in.� Ororo turned to the girl. Her hair no longer seemed to be brown, but red. She seemed almost familiar to her.
The professor wheeled his electric wheelchair around so that he was at her head. He put his hands on either side on her head and used his own powers as an extremely powerful telepathic mutant, to scan and read the girl�s mind. What he found was not what he expected. Her mind was like a black abyss. There seemed to be no end to the questions that she had for herself. She had no memory of who she was. The only thing that the professor could figure out was her first name, and that she was a mutant. Unbeknownst to her. She had no idea.
The professor retreated from her mind and looked around at the group that was watching suspensefully. �Well?� Ororo wondered.
�I can only figure out two things. One, she is a mutant, but she doesn�t know it. And her first name is Victoria. That�s all.� He said quietly.
�Vere is she from?� asked Kurt in his thick German accent.
�She doesn�t remember. She only knows that she has parents somewhere and a brother. That�s all.� The Professor answered. �Other than that she knows nothing about herself. It�s like she was created with no idea of what she is.�
A groan came from the couch, and all eyes turned to see Victoria roll herself off the couch, and weakly stand up. The group focused on her, but none came foreward, to not scare her.
�W-Where am I?� she wondered, extremely weak. Her legs shook and seemed about to give out, but she held her ground.
The Professor rolled foreward slowly and spoke in a kind, gentle voice. �You are in Xavier school for the gifted. It is a school for people like you. Mutants. People who have had some kind of genetic mutation. It�s alright, settle down.�
�I don�t know what�s going on... I-I... I need to find my parents. I-I don�t know who I am. I don�t know what my name is... The man... he...� she trailed off as if trying to remember something.
�Man? Vere you hurt by zis man?� Kurt wondered, unraveling the possibility that she could have been attacked.
�I don�t know. He called me something. I think it�s my name. It was...� Victoria held her head for a few minutes, trying to get the facts swirling in her head straight. �It was... 1041. That�s it. He called me 1041, and he told this lady to kill me tomorrow, or something like that. I was going to endanger the operation... I don�t know! I don�t know who I am!� Victoria held her head and groaned as she dropped to her knees, the questions driving her insane.
The professor rolled over to her and put a hand on her head. She stopped moving and just looked at him for a moment. The Professor then spoke. �I know what your real name is. I have the power to read people�s minds. Your first name is Victoria, but I don�t know your last name, so it might be hard to find your parents without your last name. But we will try. Until then, you are free to stay here until you are ready to leave.�
Victoria closed her eyes about halfway. �Thank you.� She said quietly.
�We�ll take you to your room. Can you stand?� the Professor wondered.
Victoria smiled weakly. �I think I can make it upstairs.�
The Professor smiled back. �Good. I will see you tomorrow, then. You need a good nights rest.� As soon as she was out of hearing range, the Professor called Scott over who was also heading upstairs. �Will you make sure she makes it? She needs to get to the extra room at the end of the hall. Could you make sure she gets there?�
Scott smiled. �Sure thing.�