Brotherhood Ascendant
Chapter Four: As the World Falls Down
CNN Breaking News Bulletin
“We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you the latest news from Washington, D.C. as Congress announces the passage of two new bills regarding mutants. The first is the Mutant Registration Act, requiring the documentation of every mutant living in the U.S. The second, even more controversial law, is the Mutant Group Act, which makes it illegal for mutants to gather in groups of three or more. The leading legislator of this act, Senator Kelly, firmly believes this is the only way to prevent terrorist activity committed by these dangerous individuals. All students and anyone seeking a job will be required to have blood work completed and mutants will be added to the Mutant Registry. Employers will not discriminate against mutants, this is just a measure implemented to register as many as possible. Similar laws are expected to go into effect worldwide in the next few months.”
1407 Greymalkin Lane
Charles Xavier put his head in his hands. “Then it is over… Erik was right… they will not give us peace.” He knew that breaking the laws was the fastest way to close human minds to his message of peace, and now he could not have his school without doing so.
Washington D.C., 2 days later
The capital was in an uproar. Magneto had revealed himself and his Brotherhood of Mutants in spectacular fashion, staging a protest at the Capitol building itself. The Senate and House of Representatives were trapped inside, held hostage by the powerful team. Magneto levitated impressively in front of the dome, loudly condemning the Mutant Acts and proclaiming it the beginning of a holocaust on his race of homo superior. He made it clear in no uncertain terms that the mutants would not accept these laws.
The police could do nothing, nor the army. The National Guard arrived, but were easily repulsed as well. Magneto and his team were just too strong for mere humans to deal with. So it was time to call in a team that were more than that.
The Avengers arrived to answer the call of distress. Magneto was forced to end his tirade in order to join the battle. The two teams were fairly evenly matched. No one could see a clear victor. Until it happened--the second life-altering event in Anna Marie’s young life.
She was fighting against Spider-Woman when she saw a blur out of the corner of her eye, heading straight for Mystique. Rogue had grown close to the woman in her time with the Brotherhood, and had begun treating her as an adoptive mother. Acting on instinct, she decked the woman in front of her and raced over to where Mystique was now struggling with Ms. Marvel.
“You leave mah mama alone!” she yelled. The other woman hardly noticed her, throwing a casual backhand in Rogue’s direction that left her seeing stars. The moment she recovered, she yanked off her gloves and leapt, getting a tight grip on the woman’s bare shoulders.
Carol Danvers felt her power begin to drain away. She stopped fighting and took to the air, dizzy from the strange sensation. But it continued. She struggled with the young woman holding on to her, thinking her superhuman strength would be more than enough to eliminate this unexpected threat.
Rogue, however, was now using that same strength as she was stealing it away. Ms. Marvel couldn’t get her off no matter how she tried. The two wove crazily through the air. As the other woman’s eyes fluttered, Rogue decided to let her go. But she couldn’t. The memories and powers continued flowing into her, her hands felt glued to Ms. Marvel’s skin. “Mama! Help me!”
Mystique watched from the ground. “Just keep holding on, Rogue… you’re okay… just hold on!”
So she held on, longer than she ever had before, until she felt the woman’s very psyche slipping into her own. She shrieked with the pain it brought, dropping out of the sky. Luckily, she finally let go of Ms. Marvel and fell straight into Pyro’s waiting arms.
When she eventually woke up, Mystique informed Rogue that she had stolen the powers of flight and super strength permanently, leaving the female Avenger in a coma. Anna Marie felt badly about it, and even worse feeling the woman trapped in her mind, but there was nothing to be done about it except to learn to use her new powers. The only visible sign that anything had happened was the pair of permanently white streaks in her hair.