Scene: The mental institution.

Xavier and a guard are going through a high-security type area. The guard leaves Xavier in an empty cell.

Elsewhere, orderlies are attempting to transport Wanda. They can't let her hands move, even a little.

But, of course, she manages to wiggle a little. The buckles on her straitjacket-type-thing melt. She starts zapping lights, then melts the door to go out. Orderlies try to block her way, and she drops parts of the ceiling on them. She comes to the cell where Xavier is. He uses a psychic attack to calm her down.

Xavier: Wanda, I'd hoped we'd made more progress towards controlling your anger. Aren't they treating you well here?
Wanda: Just get me out.
Xavier: You know there's a place for you at my Institute, but right now I just can't risk it.
Doctor: Sorry to interrupt, but we're going to have to cut this meeting short. Radiology needs some additional MRIs.
Xavier: Wanda, I expect you to go quietly. No more outbursts.

The guard takes Wanda away. She looks at radiology as they pass it, and starts to get nervous. Unlikely things start happening. Soon they come out into the alley, where the witch-lady Agatha says some junk and Wanda goes calm again.

The Doctor turns back into Mystique.

Mystique: Excellent. Just keep her under control. I have other business to attend to.

She transforms into a guard, and goes back inside.

Scene: Bayville High.

Kurt is banging on his locker.

Kitty: Hey Kurt. You and you locker not speaking?
Kurt: It's holding my history book ransom, and I'm late for class.
Kitty: You just have to know how to negotiate. *phases in, gets the book*
Kurt: Thanks Kitty! I owe you one.
Kitty: Actually, I do need one teensy favor: your unbiased opinion of these muffins I made in Home Ec. *offers one*
Kurt: Uh, okay. *tastes muffin*
Kitty: Well? What do you think?
Kurt: It's... hard to describe.
Kitty: What does it need?
Kurt: Something to wash the taste away. Sorry Kitty, gotta go.

He drops the muffin, and it bounces, complete with little boingy sound effects.

Later...

Scott: So, has Duncan been around?
Jean: Yeah, he's been... around.
Scott: How are things with you and him?
Jean: He's not the guy I thought he was. It's not great. Not like it is with you and Taryn.
Scott: Yeah, Taryn's - great. Listen, Jean, I think we need to get things out in the open.
Duncan: *drives up and honks for Jean*
Scott: Oh, there's Duncan. You should go.
Jean: No, no. You were saying?
Scott: Well, it's just that *honk* we *honk* I think *honk* All right already! Look, we'll talk later. *leaves*
Jean: I'm coming, I'm coming! *joins Duncan*

Scene: Brotherhood boardinghouse.

Mystique opens the door.

Mystique: Guess who's ba-ack?

Takes of all the boys.

Todd: Yo boss-lady, is that really you? *Mystique throws him across the room* Yeah, that's you.
Mystique: Look what you clods have done to my house.
Fred: We were thinking about cleaning up...
Mystique: You do that. And while you're at it, grow some backbones. Where's the team of tough mutants I assembled?
Pietro: We're as tough as ever!
Mystique: Really? When was the last time you beat the X-Men? ... That's right, never. They've outshined you on every level. One of you even tried to join them.
Tabitha (comes down the stairs): Oh, you must be Mystic.
Mystique: Try *Mystique*, *Bam-bam*. This is my house and my rules. Rule number one: move out of my room.
Tabitha: Sure. *makes an energy bomb*
Pietro (trying to stop her): Not a good idea.

He throws the bomb to Fred, who gives it to Todd and pushes him into the kitchen. Pietro zips back to his place in line.

Tabitha: Whatever. I was getting tired of living in Moron Manor anyway. *goes back upstairs*
Mystique: She learns quickly. Unlike the rest of you.

Todd comes back with funky hair.

Pietro: So, what brings you back here now?
Mystique: Boys, meet your new secret weapon.

Wanda enters.

Pietro: Wanda?
Wanda: Pietro?

All sorts of undesirable things start happening. The boys run for cover.

Todd: That your girlfriend?
Pietro: Worse. She's my sister.
Todd: Your *sister*?
Lance: You guys need some serious family counseling. Make her stop!
Pietro: You make her stop!
Lance: Fine, I will.

He makes a crack in the floor to unbalance her, but Wanda sends it back along the ceiling, dumping junk on the boys. Todd jumps up and spits slime at her, but she reverses it in the air.

Todd: Oh, gross! I slimed myself!

Agatha comes in and makes Wanda stop, taking her out of the room.

Pietro: Are you nuts? She's like a witch with those powers!
Mystique: That's precisely why she's so valuable to our cause. As you see, I've brought a friend, Agatha Harkness, who can help her channel her anger.
Pietro: It's too dangerous. What makes you think she'll cooperate with us? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not one of her favorite people.
Mystique: Oh, she'll cooperate. *flashback* When I downloaded Xavier's files from Cerebro [in "Fun and Games"], I got a complete psychological profile from his sessions with Wanda. She'll cooperate because I can give her the one thing she wants most: revenge.
Tabitha (passing through): I'm outta here. Definitely too many women for this house. Room's all yours, *Miss-teek*.

Mystique's room explodes.

Scene: Institute kitchen.

Scott is getting a bottle of water from the fridge. He closes the door to find upside-down Kurt hanging from a lamp.

Scott: Gah! Kurt! What are you doing?
Kurt (teleports down): Hiding from Kitty. She's made me her official taste-tester. The last muffin still hasn't made it through my system... I don't know if it ever will.
Kitty (entering): Have you seen Kurt? Oh, there you are. How do these muffins compare with my last six batches?
Kurt: *takes one*
Professor (entering): Scott, Kitty, Kurt. Assemble everyone at once for a meeting. It's top priority.
Kurt: Well, better do as he says!

He lets go of the muffin and teleports. Then it falls, making a hole in the floor.

Kitty (to Scott): Heh... muffin?

Scene: Xavier's study.

He tells them about Wanda, their sessions, and her power.

Jean: What is the source of this anger?
Xavier: Her father. He left her at the institution when she became too dangerous.
Rogue: So, maybe she just ran away.
Xavier: No. I sense the hand of someone else in this. Someone who may try to use her power against us.

Scene: Brotherhood boardinghouse.

In the backyard, Wanda is surrounded by a ring of green flames.

Agatha: Focus only on your breathing. Make that your whole being. The flames are your anger. They are extinguished with serenity.

Wanda has flashbacks. The fire grows, and Agatha waves it away.

Inside, they're sitting at a table. Wanda is focussing on a crystal, making an aurora of light above them.

Agatha: That's it. Resist the darkness. See only the light.

Wanda has more memories of going into the mental institution, and the aurora falls.

In the bathroom, Wanda is cutting her hair.

Pietro: Looks nice.

Wanda rounds on him.

Pietro: Whoa. I just want to talk. I mean, you're my sister.

Wanda reigns in her powers.

Pietro: Thanks. Listen, I know you're angry about what happened to you -
Wanda: You don't know anything.
Pietro: I didn't want him to leave you there! He convinced me it was all for the best. You were so... out-of-control.

Wanda has clearer memories now. As she is dragged into the institution, Magneto and Pietro stand out in the rain. After the doors close, they return to the car and drive away.

Young Wanda: Father! Don't leave me!

Pietro: I'm not saying he was right, just try to see it from his point of view.
Wanda: Monsters don't *have* a point of view. And you're just like him. You always were.
Mystique: Which begs the question: where *do* your loyalties lie? Me, or him?
Pietro: You. Definitely you. Magneto's been no father to me either.
Mystique: Then I think we're ready to move forward with our plan.
Pietro: You think we're ready to take on Magneto?
Mystique: I've arranged a little test, first.

Scene: Institute kitchen.

Kurt and Jean are on dish-duty.

Xavier: I need your attention.
Scott: Sure Professor, what's up?
Xavier: I've found Wanda using Cerebro. She's with the Brotherhood. And I've been able to track their movements. They're at the Bayville Mall.
Evan: So? Maybe there's a sale on "I'm With Stupid" shirts. *general laughter*
Xavier: The mall's been closed for hours.
Scott: Don't worry, Professor. If the Loserhood is up to something, we'll find out and stop them.
Kurt: Without even breaking a sweat.

Scene: Bayville Mall.

Sign: Bayville Galleria

Kitty phases through the front door, opening it for everyone else.

Evan: This place looks so different at night.
Kitty: This will be my first time here that I don't buy a pair of shoes.
Scott: Jean, Spyke and I will take the first floor. The rest of you check the balconies.

Kitty goes upstairs. She sees a human shadow and phases through a window to tackle it. It's just a clothing dummy.

Lance: It's not your color anyway.
Kitty: Lance? What are you guys doing here?
Lance: Kitty, I want you to leave. Now.
Kitty: Why?
Lance: Let's just say things are going to get wild, and I don't want you hurt.
Evan: Back off, Blob!
Kitty: Out of my way, Lance.

He tries to block her, but she phases through him.

Fred throws a TV at Evan, but he dodges. So Fred tries to throw another. Evan flips a switch, causing Fred to be projected on all the TVs in the store. While Fred is distracted, Evan shoots at all the screens, causing them to explode.

Fred: Aah! I can't see!

Kurt goes into a store. A wind surrounds him, and there's Pietro with a tape measure.

Pietro: Welcome to the Style Pile! You've come to the right place, and not a moment too soon. *takes Kurt's measurements*
Kurt: Hey, what do you think you're -
Pietro: Just as I thought, 32-short with a prehensile tail. Tough fit, but I've got just the thing.

He starts throwing clothes on Kurt, ending with a big heap of stuff.

Pietro: *Per*fect! Y'know, not everyone can carry off that look.

There's a *bamf* in the pile, and Kurt reappears behind Pietro.

Kurt: You forgot the hat!

He jams same over Pietro's head, and kicks him into the shoe rack.

Downstairs, Jean is looking around. Lance makes an earthquake at the fake mountain. Jean diverts the boulders and Scott blasts some. Todd uses his tongue to steal Scott's visor, causing him to blast a hole in the roof before closing his eyes.

Todd (hopping around): Hey Summers. Why don't you open your eyes? Afraid you'll bring down the whole house?
Scott: Yeah, keep talking and I'll look right at you, bug-breath.
Todd: Oops, missed me.

He hops up to the balcony, where Rogue drains him. She takes the visor and jumps down, landing safely with her borrowed powers.

Rogue: Think you lost this.
Scott: Thanks.

Jean uses her powers to roll the rocks back at Lance, who runs. Scott blasts Fred into the wishing-well.

The X-Men regroup, thinking they've won. Then the escalator starts and Wanda comes down.

Evan: Uh-oh... bad vibes.

Wanda warms up her powers, exploding stuff. She levitates the piano and Scott shoots at it, but his beam goes all crooked. Then he starts shooting all kinds of stuff, including Evan and part of the stairs.

Jean: Scott, what are you doing?
Scott: I can't control it! I can't close my eyes!

Jean levitates Wanda to distract her, but Wanda uses her powers to throw Jean across the room. Evan, suddenly with skateboard and helmet, shoots at her, but she reverses that too and he has to dodge.

Kitty phases up through the floor behind Wanda, but gets stuck.

Kitty: Help! I can't move!
Kurt: I've got you!

He teleports with her, and they wind up upside-down above a tree outside.

Kurt: How'd we get out here?

Jean: She's too strong! We have to retreat!
Scott: This isn't over!
Jean: Yes, it is.

The X-Men run away, and the Brotherhood gather around Wanda.

Fred: All right! We beat 'em! We finally beat 'em!
Todd: Thanks to our new secret weapon: the Scarlet Witch.
Pietro: Wow, Wanda. I never knew you could be this in-control. If our father had known -
Wanda: Your father. Not mine. He'll pay for what he did to me.

Outside...

Jean: We didn't have a choice, Scott. She was too much for us to handle.
Xavier: It's as much my fault as yours. I should have been training you on how to deal with someone like Wanda. ... You know, how you bear defeat is as much a mark of your character as being the victor. And from what I see, this was a lesson much needed.

The End

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