Sikudhani McCoy took a bite into her fresh apple, dangling her feet off the wooden bench as she waited for her ride with Cierra. "Wanna bite?" she offered, extending the apple in front of Cierra.

She shook her head. "No thanks."

"Okay." Siku muttered, munching on her apple. "Did you see Bethany today?"

Cierra chuckled, staring at the trees across the street. "Who didn't? She was practically a living time bomb today."

"Isn't it weird?" Siku queried. "She just came to school today, and for the first time, she hasn't even made a single remark about me."

"Us." Cierra grinned.

"I mean us," Siku smiled back at her, then stopped, staring at the familiar figure coming to them. "Look, it's her."

"Hi Bethany." Cierra greeted, trying to get on her good side.

Bethany passed by them, not bothering to face the girls. "Don't talk to me."

Her remark made Cierra and Siku sit still, in awe. Sikudhani's eyes widened, then gave a snicker. "Oh, so 'Miss Popular' doesn't want to talk today." she said, mocking her.

"I said I don't want to talk, you mutie!" she snapped.

Cierra winced, she gasped. "Uh-Oh."

Siku placed her bag beside her, on the bench. Slowly, she got up and stood in front of the angered Bethany, a wicked look on Sikudhani's face. "Quiet, you dope!"

"Freak!"

"Dummy!"

"Dirt!"

Siku clenched her first, face burned with anger. Suddenly, Siku felt her muscles tense, and without hesitation, she shoved Bethany down with all her strength. The girl fell back several feet, landing on the pavement, bottom first. Sikudhani had used her developing mutant strength against her.

Bethany was teary eyed, but surprisingly, she did not burst out with a yell. Staring at Siku, without saying a word, but began to cry. As she continued to sob, Siku's heart raced, realizing what she had done. At the corner of her eye, she glanced at Cierra, who had been observing the events all this time, too shocked to move.

"Sikudhani, what have y' done?!"

Siku turned towards the voice's direction, only to find a tall, red haired man standing at the distance, his eyes narrowed. "Did y' push the girl down, Siku?!"

"Unca Remy, it's not..."

"Siku!" Remy ran over to Bethany, lending her a hand. "Don' y' ever do dat again, understand?"

Siku faced the floor. "Yes Unca Remy."

"...And I promise, for the sake of humanity, for the sake of the 'normal' individuals out there in the world, I will personally see that freaks and mutants shall perish! We need to protect the future generation from the muties lingering out there, and by the name of God, I will protect them as long as I live!"

"You have no right to speak the Lord's name with such an evil mission." Hank whispered, sitting on a love seat as he gazed at the television screen.

"Ah agree with ya sugah," Rogue added. "Ah don't know what this man is thinkin' in his flea of a brain right now, but ah swear, you can see so much hatred in his eyes."

As Rogue finished what she was saying, the door of the main hall slowly opened. Hank smiled and stood up from his seat as he saw their visitors come in.

"Good afternoon sweetheart," he said, walking to her as she continued to mope her way inside. "What's the matter?"

"Go on cherie, tell him." Remy mumbled.

Siku cleared her throat, facing the floor, afraid to look at her father. "I...I...I hurt this girl at school."

"Who?" Hank inquired.

"Bethany."

Hank stood silent, his face indicating his disappointment. "Go upstairs Siku, I'll be with you in a minute." he whispered.

The little girl was surprised with her father's response, expecting the blue furry scientist to burst out in anger right about now, but then again, this was Henry McCoy.

Without saying another word, Siku slowly stepped up the staircase, walking down the hall. Hank sighed, turning to Remy. "Is the girl injured?"

"I don' t'ink so," Remy replied, slipping his hands into his jean pockets. "I managed to get her after she shoved Bethany to the floor."

"I should have told her not to emit such strength," Hank shook his head. "Siku does have similar genetic powers to myself, her full strength at her age can be devastating."

"Y' want me t' talk to her, mon ami?"

"No." Hank answered. "I think I'll need to talk to her myself."

"Whatever you feel is right, homme."

Knock! Knock!

Siku sat on her bed, lying down, cuddling on her soft pillow. She lifted her head, facing the door. "Daddy?" she called as she sat up.

Hank opened the door, peering his head through. "Sikudhani, are you all right?"

At first, she was hesitant to respond, but eventually, she decided to speak. "I guess, but daddy, it wasn't..." "I know darling." he interrupted her, sitting next to her bedside. "I'm not mad."

"You aren't?" Siku asked, sounding surprised.

Hank chuckled. "No Siku," he replied. "But I need to talk to you about something, something very important."

"What is it daddy?"

He sighed, placing an arm around her shoulder and cuddling her against him. "Siku, you're eight years old now, and I think you will understand what I mean about taking responsibilities."

"But I'm not a grown up yet."

"Even children need responsibilities. Taking the garbage out, keeping your bed and room clean, that's a responsibility."

Siku was still bewildered. "So you're saying I need to keep my room clean more often, daddy?"

He laughed, smiling at her. "No, dear, I mean about your...special gift."

"My powers?" she queried.

He nodded. "As every, or what every 'special' person should do, we need to control ourselves and not let our powers get the best of us."

"But they don't care about us daddy!" she turned away. "Bethany, the teachers, the town, they look at me like I'm...weird. They think I'm some kind of..I don't know, outcast."

"Siku," he said in a serious tone. "They don't treat us different because we're outcasts, but they act the way they do because they feel threatened."

"Why?"

"They want to feel special, and are threatened that we do possess a gift that they cannot have. To make themselves feel powerful, they go against us."

"Why don't we go against them?!" Siku snapped sourly.

"It's not right, Siku." Hank answered, rubbing her shoulder gently. "Truth is, there is a lot more humans than mutants, and even though we might be able to win an international war against them, it would be with the cost of thousands...maybe millions of lives, which would be for an unnecessary cause."

"But they would never be friends with us."

"How do you know that, Siku? Even though many people don't feel that we are a part of the world, we have many friends that are humans. For example, Cierra doesn't call you names, and she doesn't mind if you're 'different'. She's still your best friend."

"I guess you have a point daddy." she said.

The blue furred mutant lifted Siku off her bed and placed her on his lap. "Don't worry Siku, I know I'm right."

She giggled, Hank stared at her eye to eye. "But you promise me, that you should use your powers cautiously. Your special gift is not to be used as an advantage in life, but as a protection if you need any, understand Siku?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"And you promise to apologize to Bethany tomorrow, at school?"

Siku sighed, rolling her eyes. "Yes, Daddy."

"Good."

"Daddy, can you just make me one promise in return?" Siku inquired.

"What promise do you want me to make, darling?"

She smiled. "Can I help you make friends with other humans someday?"

He laughed, leaning over to embrace her. "You sure can Siku, you sure can..."