We open at a party. Music and dancing is going on inside, but a girl (Rogue) is standing outside, leaning against the deck railing and staring at the action inside. She sighs and looks lonely. Two guys come outside and are talking.
Ty: ... Body snatchers. That's the only explanation, man. *They see Rogue* My good buddy Cody is now a pod person. Gone in an evening from bad to sad, flame to lame. Nurse, he's coded! Personality paddles, stat!
Cody: Oh, come on. I'm just, you know, picking my moment. Taking it slow.
Ty: Cody, I've seen glaciers move faster. There she is, the girl you've been staring at all week. Please tell me you at least know her name. *Cody shrugs* You lame-o! This ends now, come on.
He grabs Cody's arm and pulls him towards Rogue.
Cody: Ty... I -
Rogue: *Seeing them* Huh? Can I help you?
Cody: Uh... Dance. I mean, would you like to? With me, that is. Together, uh...
Rogue: I'm really just hanging out here and...*Cody looks downcast, Rogue sighs* Aw, hey, why not? After all, where's the harm in one dance?
They head inside to the dance floor. Cody and Ty high five.
********************
We shift to a house. A woman, obviously blind, is sitting inside. Suddenly she has a vision of Rogue at the party.
Irene: *Gasps* No! Don't touch him! Oh, my dear child.
********************
Back to the party. Rogue is dancing with Cody.
Ty: Get closer. Make your move.
He pushes Cody closer, knocking him into Rogue. They fall down.
Cody and Rogue: Uh!
Cody: Hey, I'm sorry.
He reaches for Rogue's hand and touches her skin. Things start to flash and both Cody and Rogue scream. Cody falls to the ground in a faint while Rogue looks on in horror. Rogue sees flashes from Cody's life.
Rogue: My head. These images. What's happening to me? What am I? Who am I?
********************
(Opening Credits)
********************
Back to the party. Now a whole lot quieter.
Ty: *Shaking Cody* Cody? Cody? What's wrong? *Turning to Rogue* What did you do to him?
She runs. Ty blocks her at the door. Pulling one of Cody's football moves from her mind she pushes him out of the way. He falls.
Ty: Uh! Whoa. *He looks at she goes by* I thought only Cody had moves like that.
********************
Back to the house.
Irene: *On the phone* That's not what I said. I see pathways, probabilities. I predicted what form her mutant powers would take, Not when they would manifest. Yes, I did take precautions. The phony skin condition. The way she dressed. But she's a teenage girl, I couldn't keep her in isolation. Of course you're coming, I know. And the others? Xavier's team? They're coming too.
********************
Fade to the mansion.
In the attic, someone in a black ninja suit is crawling out of the air vents.
Storm: Impressive. You got past the automated defenses by using the air vents. By you won't get past me!
Wind blows in through the windows. He hops back into the vents.
Storm: Testing me, hmm? All right then, it's time you remember why they call me Storm.
Clouds form outside the mansion. Thunder, lightning, the whole nine yards.
Water flows down the chimney and into the vents, knocking ninja-boy into the danger room.
Logan: Whoa!
Storm: You look a little flushed. And the forecast isn't good.
She's inside the control room. He leaps, only to be pushed back by wind and ice.
Logan: Now that... was cold.
Storm: Then let's warm you up. *She pushes a button*
Cannons come out of the wall and start firing. He jumps on them with the claws a-flyin'. It blows up.
Logan: Gotta connect first. Got any other party tricks?
This time is's spinning things. Again with the claws.
Xavier: Stop! It is, at the moment, as much as we can afford, Wolverine.
Logan: *pulling off his mask* Hey, when I give a demo, I give a demo. *And the spinning thing falls to the floor with a crash*
Up in the control room.
Scott: Is that "demo" as in demolish or demonstration? What was the point?
Storm: The point, young Cyclops, was to teach you something about finding the weak points in sophisticated security systems.
Logan: *Entering, looking a little ragged* That's right, bub. And I'd say ours needs a little work.
Kurt: *hanging upside-down from the ceiling* That was tight! I give it two thumbs up.
Logan: The vents were pretty easily breached. Gonna need to fix that. Maybe electrify 'em or install posion gas sprayers.
Storm: Wolverine...
Logan: Alright, alright. Knock out gas then.
Kitty: Brr... is it just me, or is anyone else, like, seriously freaked by all this. *They all just look at her* Oh, right. It's just me? Great.
Kurt: Relax Kitty, you'll be fine. *ports to right beside her* We're right beside you. *ports to the other side, holding out his popcorn to her with his tail* Popcorn?
Kitty: Aah!
Kurt: Heh, sorry. Next time I'll honk before I port.
Whatever. Look, guys, it's late. If it's no biggie to you, I'm gonna, like, drop out. *she phases down through the floor*
Kurt: Ach. She's fully not into the fuzzy dude. Not that I really blame her.
Jean: Aww, she just needs time, Kurt. She'll come around.
Xavier: *entering through the door* X-Men, we have an emergency. Scott, get the blackbird prepped for launch and since it's the weekend, assemble the full team.
Scott: Yes, sir. What's the mission?
Xavier: Cerebro has detected a new mutant in Caldecot County, Mississippi. *flashes of Rogue running through the streets* My mental impression of the scene indicate a highly disturbed individual. Our mutant is a danger to herself and possibly others as well.
Rogue runs out in front of a car. It swerves and hits a lampost. The driver gets out and it not happy.
Driver: Hey! What are you, nuts? Crazy kid!
Xavier: We have a Rogue.
********************
The blackbird takes off, flying into the night.
Kurt: Stealth mode stable, levelling off at 10,000 feet.
Scott: Steady. Now hold it right there, and... you've got it. Nice job, Kurt. You'll make a pilot yet.
Kurt: Thanks. *And he begins to fly with his feet, resting his hands behind his head*
Scott: *Just staring* Or maybe not. *shakes his head* I've logged our flight plan with the FAA. We're cleared through to Jackson. We'll take the van from there.
Xavier: Good. You're picking up logistics quickly, Scott.
Kitty: *talking to Jean* Scott seems so, like, together. So cool, and he's kinda cute.
Jean: Cute? Uh, stiff, maybe, exacting, definitely, but -- hmm, you know... from a certain angle...
Kurt hears this and is not happy. He ports to the nose of the blackbird, falls, and has to port back in.
Kurt: Aaahhhh!!!! *and ends up in Kitty's lap*
Xavier: Kurt, the blackbird is not the place to be fooling around. You frightened Kitty.
Kurt: Sorry Kitty.
Kitty: Eww! Just, like, stay away from me! *She gets up and walks to the front*
Logan: Kids.
********************
A plane lands and taxis over to a limosine. The door opens and Raven Darkholme gets out and into the car.
Irene: You made good time, Raven.
Mystique : Our organization's mysterious founder has certain resources, Irene. *morphs into Mystique* What happened? I left the girl in what I thought was your safekeeping.
Irene: At the school dance, her mutant powers manifested and she accidently made physical contact with a local boy.
Mystique: Absorbing his memories and physical abilities. Wonderful. We keep her hidden away in this backwater for the better part of 5 years and in 5 minutes it all falls. We cannot lose her, especially not to Xavier. She possesses the potential for limitless power. You can see the future, Irene, where will she go?
Irene: Home... or what she thinks is home...
********************
Fade to the ouside of another house. Rogue is outside having more flashes of Cody's memories. She walks up to the door. She reaches up to where she knows the key is hiding. Using it, she let's herself into the house.
********************
The X-men are sitting in a car outside of the hospital.
Logan: This really necessary?
Xavier: Yes, Logan. The boy, Cody, is the key to finding our Rogue, but he's unconscious and his mind is elusive. To isolate his memory patterns, I need someone on the inside.
********************
Jean walks into Cody's hospital room wearing a uniform. He is lying in bed, his parents at his side. Ty is pacing around the room.
Ty: He'll be okay, right? You'll help him?
Jean: *Her hand on his head* Yes, we will.
********************
The limo pulls up ouside Cody's house.
Irene: Now what? You won't hurt her, will you? After all, Raven, she's your--
Mystique: I know, Irene, I know. Trust me, she will come to us willingly, *morphs into Wolverine* given the right incentive.
Rogue is in Cody's room, looking at his yearbooks.
Rogue: All this is me? Uh, mine? *She puts the book down and walks to the mirror* But which me am I? *Knocks everything off his dresser* Uhh! Uhh! *The door bursts open in walks Mystique!Wolverine* Who, who are you and what do you want?
Mystique!Wolverine: You, girlie! I want you. *He jumps at her and lands in a closet*
Rogue: Aah!
Mystique!Wolverine: Stand still and I'll make it quick.You're dealing with the X-Men now.and you ain't got a chance.
Rogue: *picks up a board as a weapon* X-Men? I don't understand. I just want you to leave me alone. *hits him/her with the board*
Mystique!Wolverine howls and chases Rogue down the stairs.
Mystique!Wolverine: One more turn of the screw *hits the floor and morphs into Storm* and you'll come running into my arms.
********************
Logan, Kitty, and Kurt are walking through an alley.
Kitty: So, does this, like, bite or what?
Logan: The prof says the girl's mind is confused and difficult to pinpoint. So keep lookin'. *sniff, sniff*
Kurt: Vas? Got a scent?
Logan: Yeah, I smell fear.
********************
Shift to Rogue running across a backyard to hop a fence.
Mystique!Storm: One well-placed lightning bolt *she throws some little explosion device* one ex-mutant. *It barely misses Rogue as she hops over*
Rogue: Ahh!
She hits the ground and rolls to Irene's feet.
Irene: Rogue, it's me Irene. Try and remember.
Rogue: Uh, who? Wait--Irene, yes, but... I'm so confused. Strange thoughts in my head *Flashes of Mystique as Wolverine and Storm chasing her* People chasing me.
Irene: Easy, easy, honey.The police are coming. The X-Men will not risk a confrontation.
Rogue: The X-men?
Irene: Yes, mutant hunters. Now hurry! I have a friend who can help you. I'll take you to her. *she holds her hand out to Rogue*
Rogue: *Taking her hand* I don't know, all this is happening so fast. I don't -- *sees Logan, Kitty and Kurt running towards her* It's him! The one who attacked me! Run, Irene, run! *She pulls her hand away, leaving her glove in Irene's hand*
Logan: *running by* Yeah, that's gotta be her!
Rogue: *going back over the fence* Please leave me be!
Kurt: *ports in front of Logan* Wolverine, wait! She seems to be terrified by you. Let me try.
Logan: Ah, okay, kid. Just don't mess up, capice?
Kurt: *saluting* Yes, sir!
Logan: I'll go find the prof. And squirt, put on your best face. *Kurt smiles and gives two thumbs up* No sense freakin' the poor kid out any more than she already is. *Kurt turns on the image enhancer* And keep an eye on the half-pint here (referring to Kitty).
Kitty: Hey!
Over to Rogue. Kurt ports to the tree swing right beside her.
Kurt: Guten tag, frauleine. *Rogue gasps* Please, don't be frightened. *He ports to right beside her*
Rogue: What do you want?
Kurt: To help you. We're the good guys, especially me.
Kitty: *phashing through the fence to where the others are* "Half-pint"? I'll show him.
Kurt: I was like you once: Alone, unsure of what I was, afraid to show my face.*grooms himself* Can you believe it?
Kitty: She doesn't look so tough to me.
Kurt: Kitty, no!
Kitty grabs Rogue and pins her to the ground. Flash to Cody's wrestling days and Rogue gets free. Kurt rushes over and grabs Rogue. She hits the image inducer and he's back to his original self.
Rogue: Oh! Uhh! *She reaches out and touches his face* Ah!
She teleports away while Kurt drops to the ground.
Kitty: Ahh! Nightcrawler? Nightcrawler? Kurt! Kurt!
********************
We are in a cemetary. Rogue ports in.
Rogue: What just happened? Where am I? And ich verstenen deutscher. I can speak german? The fuzzy one -- Kurt. I'm him. Just like I was Cody. I think I'm catching on now. But how did I--?
She begins porting around the cemetary at will. And even laughing. Suddenly, where she ports to collapses.
Rogue: Ahh! Uhh! When is this all gonna end?
********************
Back to Kitty and Kurt:
Kitty: Say something, Kurt, please. Tease me, scare me, anything.Oh, please... don't be dead. Come on, Kitty, okay... what would Wolverine do, besides dice up, like, half tha landscape? Wait, the professor can read minds right? *thinking* Maybe he can hear my thoughts.
Back over to the alley with Xavier, Scott, Jean, and Storm.
Xavier: Odd, the trail seems to have gone suddenly cold. I can no longer read Cody's brain wave patterns.
Jean: But if he's gone, then--
Xavier: Then it may simply mean that the effect of transferrence is temporary. Our problem now is how to find the girl.
Logan: *hopping over the fence* Try about 10 gardens due west. Kurt's trying to keep her from bolting.
Xavier: Then we must--
Kitty: *thought projection* Professor!! Professor!!
Xavier: Aah! *thinking* Kitty? Kitty? Not -- not so loud. Slowly, please. Order you're thoughts.
Kitty: *thinking* It's Kurt. She hurt him. She did something to him.
Xavier: *thinking* Stay where you are, Kitty. Help is on its way. *out loud* Wolverine, it's Nightcrawler. The Rogue has his mind and his abilities.
Logan: Grrr. *pops his claws* This is my fault. I shouldn't have left the little squirrel in charge. *hops back over the fence* Unh!
Xavier: I'm getting a clear reading now on Kurt's brainwave patterns.She's more focused each time she uses her power. You three go ahead, I'll guide you.
They run off.
********************
Back to the cemetary. Mystique is walking around in the shadows. Jean approaches Rogue.
Jean: Hi.
Rogue: Do, do I know you? Uh, these memories, I'm so confused.
Jean: Yeah, I know. I can relate to what you're going through.
Rogue: Jean. You're Jean Grey. You're like the others!
Jean: Relax! If you know who I am, then you know I won't hurt you. Look, it's tough to go it solo. Hey, zero pressure. But if you want to talk more, you can reach me anytime with this communicator. *she floats it over to Rogue*
Rogue: *taking it* Latest fashion accessory, huh? *seeing Storm* You, you... no, you won't take me! *she turns and runs*
Scott: No! Wait! Huh! Uh! *he tries a tackle and ends up in a mud puddle*
Jean: I don't get it. We were connecting and then --
Storm: Then she saw me. For some reason, she's afraid of me.
Scott: Well, she looked pretty beat, she can't have gone far.
********************
Back to Kitty and Kurt.
Kitty: Come on, Kurt, wake up. You know, I'm still not big on facial hair, but, like, the pointy ears are starting to work for me.
********************
Back to Rogue in what looks to be a crypt of some sort. Mystique, disguised as Cyclops, drops in.
Cyclops!Mystique: Thought you could escape us, did you? The X-men don't leave loose ends.
Cyclops!Mystique advances on Rogue. She runs outside into the real Cyclops. She pushes him to the ground where he accidentally lets loose a blast which hits some power lines.
Rogue: *panting* Aah! Uhh. Huh. Unh! Aah!
She runs. Mystique, now disguised as Jean, appears.
Jean!Mystique: I tried, I really did, but some people just won't be helped!
Rogue: Ohh! *She ports to some place above the ground. She falls, then ports to a place closer to the ground, and then hits.* Aah! Aah! Uhh! Unh!
Jean: Are you hurt? Lie still. Don't try to move.
Rogue freaks.
Storm: Child, what is it? We are your friends.
Rogue grabs Storm's arm.
Rogue: Ohh! Unh!
Storm: Oh! Aah!
Scott: Hey, what's with the effects? Is--oh, no. No!
The weather goes nuts. Rogue rises into the air, with thunder, lightning and all sorts of other weather being chaotic around her.
Jean: I can hold it off a little.
Scott: Give it up. She's got storm's powers, but not her control. *Lightning hits the power lines, causing them to spark* The power lines! If they hit that water, Storm'll be fried!
Jean: *she raises everyone into the air* Unh! I can't keep us up for long.
Rogue: Too much power! I can't control it! I have to--aah!
She ports away. The weather calms. Everyone else arrives.
Scott: Wh-what do you think happened to the Rogue?
Professor: Uhh, she's gone... Somewhere. Her mind is a jumble. I can't trace it. But I strongly suspect the hand of another at work here.
Logan: Hmm. *sniffs* Mystique. She can change her body, but not her scent.
Kitty: Then we have to go after her!
Professor: There's been enough damage done today. And the girl must come of her own free will or not at all. And we must first tend to our own.
Storm and Kurt begin to stir.
Storm: Ohh.
Kurt: Unh. Huh? Looks like I missed quite a party.
Kitty: Kurt, you're all right!
Kurt: Uhh, unh.
Kitty: Easy, you fuzzy elf. Everything is going to be just fine.
Scott: *whispering* Fuzzy elf?
********************
Over to Cody's hospital room.
Ty: Whatever this was, try to shake it off quick, ok? The game against Jackson is next week, and the last thing we need is Stevens taking your position.
********************
Now to Ms. Darkholme's Office.
Ms. Darkholme: Welcome to Bayville high. I'm sure you'll be very happy here... Happy and safe.
Rogue: Sure. Thank you.
She leaves.
Magneto: The girl has great power. She is a fine addition to our side.
Mystique: Yes. We were lucky to get to her first.
Magneto: Indeed. You are certain any residual memories of the true X-men have faded?
Mystique: Positive.
Of course, as she is reassuring Magneto, Rogue looks at the communicator that Jean gave her. We all know she's just dying to join the X-Men :)