The youngest member (X-Men Evolution)

X-23

-Years ago, The Facility-

Two children were in the middle of a training session in the facility. Marigold cried out in pain as she focused all of her energy on the shield in front of her. The girl standing in front of her growling in anger as she tried to cut through the shield that Marigold had put up with the claws coming from her hands. From a safe room behind a glass window the doctors and scientist watched the two girls fighting. "They are both very strong, they seem to be able to be evenly matched." One doctor noted as he wrote some notes. 

"They are some of the best results from our DNA cloning experiment, and with the subjects from which we cloned them from...I'm not surprised." Another doctor said as the two young girl continued fighting in front of them in the lab. One doctor spoke into a microphone that called into the training room the girls were in so they could hear him. "Number 25, stop hiding behind your shields and attack! X-23 control your anger." He instructed. The two girls did as told, Marigold started throwing punches at the other girl as the doctors watched on. "All of our assassins are so skilled at such young ages. Imagine when they are 10, or even 20. They will be great assets to HYDRA." One doctor said with an evil grin.

-Xavier Institute/ Today-

"Well, as far as I can determine, you've fully recovered from your recent experiences." The Professor said to Rogue as she sat in the infirmary with him. She had been there since she had lost control of her powers, but she was completely healed now. "And if you want to rejoin the other students or visit Marigold I don't see why not." 

The Professor told the girl. "Uh, no! No,I mean uh, I suppose I feel a little bit better, but I think that I could use some more time. It's just that-" Rogue didn't know what to say, cutting herself off as she looked down in shame. "Rogue, Rogue, take as much time as you need." The Professor said, calming the girl down. "I just don't think I'm ready to be around a whole lot of people yet...I don't want to scare Marigold when she wakes up..." Rogue admitted. 

"I understand, but Marigold isn't' even awake yet. So you have time, but I assure you that you loss of control will not frighten the girl, and I'm sure your hesitance has nothing to do with avoiding Logan's training session either." The Professor said, sarcasm dripping from his words as he mentioned Logan's training session. "What? N-No! W-was that today?" Rogue asked, The Professor saw right through her little white lie and let it go as he left Rogue in the infirmary by herself.

The Professor wheeled his way from the infirmary to Marigold's room where she was being watched by Ororo and Jean. "Any improvements?" He asked entering the room. "Not since you checked thirty minutes ago." Jean said with a smirk as she sat by Marigold's bedside. It had been three days since they brought her back, but she was still knocked out from shutting off the Winter Soldier programing in her own mind. 

"Are you sure she is okay? It shouldn't be taking her this long to recover." Ororo said with worry as she brushed some of Marigold's hair out of her face. "There could be many reasons Marigold hasn't woken up yet, we need to be careful with how we treat her, her mind is fragile right now. I can't go poking my mind into hers right now. She is confused enough as it is. We are doing everything we need to medically, all we can do besides that is wait for her to awaken herself...there could be many reasons she hasn't woken up yet." The Professor explained as he wheeled himself beside her bed. 

"Do you think she is choosing to stay asleep?" Jean asked. "Unconsciously she may be doing just that. We need to take our time with this, be patient. No matter how eager we are to have her back. But we should also be mindful of her health, if she stays asleep too much longer we may need to insert an IV for hydration, or even a feeding tube so she doesn't go too hungry." The Professor said, looking over the sleeping girl.