X-Men: Evolution - The Genesis of a Dragon pt.1
Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. That's owned by Marvel and whoever. Vince McMahon and Titan Sports own the WWF/WWE. Shame though. I do own the Jake Wildfire character.
On Friday night, Bayville High's wrestling team had a match against a rival school. The rival school had tied up Bayville 3-3. This final match was a tiebreaker. In Bayville's locker room, the wrestling coach was pacing.
"Ok, we need our best here on this one. Wildfire, wake up! You're next!"
A red-haired teen was what appeared to be meditating out in a corner. He was clad in the wrestling uniform in Bayville's colors with a black T-shirt underneath. Upon the coach's order, he opened his bright blue eyes and put on his headgear. One of the other wrestlers started to speak.
"Hey Jake, break a leg! Preferably one of theirs!" Jake let out a small smile, trying to conquer his shyness.
"Thanks, Tommy! I'll need some luck", Jake said. He gave one final adjustment to his elbow and knee pads, and walked out. Upon arriving on the mat, the Bayville supporters gave a huge cheer and started chanting Jake's name. The coach smiled.
"Win one for us, Jake Wildfire."
Jake and the opposing blue-clad wrestler started grappling and reversing pins. Suddenly, a lightheaded feeling came over the teen wrestler.
Oh man, I feel so weird. Jake thought. It's almost like my body weight is decreasing. Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw his legs hover involuntarily a few millimeters over the purple mat. Oh God, oh God, oh God! Jake yelled mentally. His legs then returned to the ground and the light feeling faded in time for Jake to score a pin, giving Bayville the winning point. He walked back to the locker room, slightly dazed.
"Good job, Jake!" The coach said, patting Jake's back. "Keep it up, and Bayville will be state champs yet again." The other wrestlers whooped it up, yelling in joy.
"Thanks, coach. Is there anything to drink? My throat is hot." Jake said. For the past three weeks, Jake had been getting brief sensations of intense heat forming deep within his throat. Those flashes have been mild, but this one was slightly worse. Jake swigged some water, and the heat in his throat appeared quenched.
On Monday, Jake walked down a hall, basically minding his own business. He always kept to himself, not because he didn't want friends, but because he was very shy. When he got to his locker, two girls passed him by. One of them had brown hair with white bangs. She saw the wrestler and turned around.
"Hey Wildfire!" The teen girl yelled. Her voice had a southern accent. Jake turned his head slowly, blushing.
"Oh, uh....Uh....heh...Hi, M-M-Marie." Jake said, his voice slightly tinged with a Boston accent, making him sound a little bit like JFK. He looked extremely nervous around the Goth. "H-H-How ya doing?" She walked closer to him. Jake's blush intensified and he started to shake. "Oh, man." Jake said very quietly. Jake was always shy, but Marie always made him downright scared. He looked at the other girl, whose hair was dyed dark purple, and was also dressed in black, to help. She merely smiled, as if she was enjoying this.
"Ah heard you excel in Chem. Ah was wondering if you could help me with mah Chemistry homework."
Oh man, those butterflies in my stomach have butterflies in their stomachs. Jake thought as he shook worse than ever. "Uh, uh, uh......ummmm....well...I....uh....uh...well...." Jake blurted, too nervous to actually form a decent response.
"Thanks, sugah. See you at your place after school." The Southern goth turned and walked away. The other girl followed.
"Man, Marie! He was this close to sweating bullets! If you came any closer, he'd go into cardiac!" The purple-haired girl laughed. Her voice sounded rather British.
"Ah thought it was nice of him, Risty." Marie responded, a rare smile on her face. For some reason, Jake made her smile, although she'd never admit it. Jake stared in their direction, then fainted while letting out a huge sigh. About one minute later, a voice echoed in Jake's head.
"Hey Jake! Wake up, dude!" Jake opened his eyes to see a friend. He had long orange hair in a ponytail. The end of the ponytail looked as if it was dipped in white paint, almost like a fox's tail. He wore a black T-shirt with and blue jeans with red tennis shoes. On his face, he had a pair of red shades.
"Hey, Fox." Jake said with a small smile. The red-shaded kid helped Jake up. Jason Fox was one of Jake's best friends.
"I saw ya with that Goth babe. I think she likes ya. Looks like Jake is becoming a real ladies' man, just like yours truly." Jake blushed.
"Jason, please. You will never quit. Why is it that you think that you are the big man on campus?" Jake said.
"Because he ain't." The two turned around to meet Duncan Matthews, star football player. Jason noticed he was carrying a Biology book. He also noticed a red haired gal with him.
"Hey, Matthews." Jason said. "I see you are going to Bio. What a joke. You can't tell the difference between a hand and a foot."
"Why you......" Duncan said, getting ready to charge him. The redhead held him back. "Jean, let me kill him, pleeeeeeease?"
"Whoa!" Jason said. "Man, Duncan, Jean's as hot as ever! Say baby, why don't ya dump the stupid jock and join up with a real man?" Jason mocked, removing his shades, revealing brown eyes.
"Excuse me?" Jean wondered. Jason cracked a coy smile.
"He means he wants you in his bedroom." Jake snickered.
"Hey! I don't go there on a first date!" Jason yelled.
"I'll make sure of that, Foxy!" Duncan yelled out as he charged Jason. Jason smiled slightly then his face displayed intense anger. Before Duncan knew it, Jason Fox had knocked him on his back and trapped him in a Figure Four leglock. Duncan was screaming in pain while Jean and Jake were trying to free him.
"DON'T EVER CALL ME FOXY!!!!!!!!!" Jason yelled with pure hatred. Jason had always found Duncan to be a real pain.
"UNCLE!!! LET ME GO!!!!! MY LEGS!!!!" Duncan screamed, tapping his hand on the ground real fast. Jean was calling for help.
"Jason! Let go! You'll break his legs!! He's had enough!! He's tapping!!" Jake pleaded. Jason then let go of Duncan, leaving Bayville's biggest jock whimpering and nursing his pain-stricken legs.
"Jason! Have you gone nuts?!?!" Jean yelled in anger. She didn't like Duncan, but then she never thought Jason was much either.
"Sorry, babe. I guess I went a little too far. I only wanted to puncture his big ego." Jason was given a slap to the face for that remark. He watched Jean help Duncan up. Just then, they heard a scream.
"AAAHHHH!!!!! My throat!!!"
Jason and Jean turned around to see Jake, clutching his throat in pain. He had his mouth wide open, gasping for cool air. Jean got a peek inside Jake's mouth. It was starting to glow. He also appeared to be hovering about three centimeters off the ground.
"He can't be!" Jean thought. "Jake Wildfire, a mutant?"
After school, A bald man in a wheelchair had a weird apparatus on his head. Jean walked into the room he was in. He appeared to be concentrating. Jean walked in, wanting to talk to him.
"Professor?" The bald man turned around.
"Yes, Jean?"
"Professor, I think there is another mutant out there." Jean said in a shocked manner.
"I know. Cerebro has picked him up." The professor said. He turned again to a computer screen, and typed in some commands. A picture of a redheaded teen appeared.
"Professor, I know him!" Jean said in shock. "That's Jake Wildfire!"
"What do you know about him?" The professor asked.
"Well....he's a very nice guy. Keeps to himself. Very shy. He wants to be a pro wrestler. He is on the wrestling team, and......" Jean started.
"Yes?" the professor quizzed, a small smile forming on his face.
"Well...." Jean continued, "He has a very interesting reaction around Rogue. He blushes like crazy and he gets very scared. Poor old Jake." Jean then started laughing.
"Mr. Wildfire's X-Gene is starting to activate. I sense that he possesses great power. His abilities are going to be unlike anything we've ever seen." The professor stated. His voice had a combination of great joy and concern.
"Foxfire is Jake's best friend. Maybe Jason can help....if he can keep his mind off girls for one minute." Jean replied with some disgust.
Meanwhile, at Jake Wildfire's house, Rogue was staring at a picture of a man who appeared to be an older version of Jake. In the picture, the man wore a black T-shirt, red tights with yellow flames on them, yellow boots and knee pads, and red elbowpads. There was tape on his wrists, and what appeared to be a championship belt around his waist.
"That's my dad." Rogue turned around in fright. Her fears were alleviated when she saw Jake.
"Jake, ya scared me. Why is your dad dressed like that?"
"Well, my dad was a pro wrestler." Jake responded, pointing to the picture. "Eric 'Blazer' Wildfire. He was one of the wrestling greats. Read the caption on the frame."
Rogue looked at the caption, and he was shocked. "Eric 'Blazer' Wildfire. This photo taken upon....winning....first....N..W..A...Championship..in..1979?!?!?!" Rogue looked up at Jake with shock. Jake had a big smile on his face.
"You thought that was wild? Check this!" Jake said, handing another, more recent picture to Rogue. It showed the same man holding up a different belt. The Southern Belle's shock only grew.
"Ah can't believe this....." thought Rogue. She then read the caption. "Eric 'Blazer' Wildfire. Former...2-time.....W-W- World......Wrestling.....Federation Champion?!?!?!? OH MAH GOD!!!!"
Jake smiled. "Cool, huh?" Jake always felt more confident when he was around the old NWA and WWF wrestling memorabilia. "Someday.......that will be me, Marie. Someday......"
Rogue couldn't believe it. A former WWF Champion living in Bayville and his son attending her high school! Jake then started to tell her stories about his dad's exploits......winning the WWF title......wrestling with the likes of Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat......even the ring Jake's father had erected in the basement. Her amazement arose, and she became more interested in Jake. "Hey Jake....."
"Yeah, Marie?"
"If you make it in the pro wrestling thing........could Ah be your valet?" Rogue asked sweetly. Jake blushed and he started to ramble.
"You're admiring Jake's father in his glory days, huh kids?"
The teens turned around to see a brown-haired woman who appeared to be in her late thirties. She was thin and very tall.
"Hi, mom." Jake said. "This is a friend of mine, Marie."
"You mean girrrrrlfriend." A brown-haired boy, around ten, appeared behind Jake's mother.
"Kyle, don't start." Kyle was Jake's little brother.
"But Mom, Jake just showed you his girrrrrrrlfriend."
"Now Kyle, that girl is just a friend of Jake's. Right?" Mrs. Wildfire said, smiling.
"Oh man...." Jake said, blushing. "Marie is only a friend."
"Besides, Ah only came over because Jake said he would help me with mah Chemistry homework." Rogue interjected. Jake's eyes bulged out at that statement.
"Yeah right." Jake thought. "The only reason she is here is because she invited herself here." Unbeknownst to Jake, Kyle, or Mrs. Wildfire, Rogue was getting a psychic transmission from Jean Grey.
Rogue, I have something to tell you about Jake.... Jean started.
You won't believe this Jean, but Jake's dad was a pro wrestler. He even won the WWF title.........
Terrific, Marie. But Jake could be a mutant.....
WHAT?!?!? Rogue screamed mentally.
No joke. The professor sensed his X-Gene flashing on and off. His powers are getting ready to emerge. Marie, you've got to help him. The professor also said that Jake's powers are going to be unlike anything we've ever seen so far.
Well, the X-Pervert Foxfire noticed that Jake had started hovering over the ground for brief times and flashes of heat formed in his throat. Rogue remembered.
Marie, that's Jake's powers preparing to appear.
Rogue then left after she heard more stories, and she got that help she wanted. Jake then offered to walk her home, but she refused. The wrestler insisted, and she gave in. For some reason, Rogue couldn't refuse after she looked into Jake's blue eyes. As they were walking, four large thugs had jumped them out of the bushes. They appeared to be wearing gang clothes. One had purple braided hair and held a long chain, another had long blue hair and held a iron pipe, a third had a green Mohawk and had a switchblade knife, and the fourth was bald.
"Well, boys. Looks like we have a couple intruders on our turf." The bald thug said.
"S-S-Stay behind me, Marie." Jake pulled Rogue behind him. "What do you want?"
"We want a tribute, boy!" The bald man grabbed the front of Jake's Y2J jersey.
"Yeah. You wanna walk through our park, you gotta pay a toll." The purple-haired thug agreed, clutching his chain.
"Leave him alone!" Rogue warned.
"Why?" The bald thug laughed. "You his girlfriend or something?" Marie blushed.
"Leave her alone." Jake tried to warn. The bald man snickered.
"Heh." He snorted. The huge man then grabbed Jake and threw him hard into the pavement.
"Jake!" Rogue cried. The blue and purple-haired thugs pounced on the fallen wrestler. They kicked him while whipping him with the chain and iron rod. "No!" Rogue tried to help, but the bald man caught her and twisted her arm. He then caught her other arm and trapped the power- absorbing teen. The switchblade-carrying thug placed the tip of his knife under her chin.
"Now, honey." He cackled. "We cannot allow you to get away with not paying now, can we?" Rogue shivered.
"But we don't have any money." Rogue tried to explain.
"No excuses!" The bald man exclaimed. "Finish the job!" The green Mohawk-wearing thug ran his knife along Marie's neck. Jake tried to fight off the thugs, but they kept beating him. His eyes started to glow blue.
"No." Jake started to feel helpless and angry. "Stop." Heat started to build up in his throat as his rage grew. He grew more concerned with Rogue's safety than his own. He had to fight them off. He had to save Marie at all costs. "Leave." His head started to feel light. "Leave.her.ALOOOONE!!!!" Jake roared, blasting a stream of flames from his mouth, and flying back up to his feet.
"Hey!" The chain and rod-wielding thugs recoiled. "What the." Jake grabbed the thug with the chain, picked him up, and threw him into the other one.
"How?" The bald man let Marie go and charged the wrestler. A snarling Jake jumped into the air and remained there out of his reach. Jake landed behind him and let him have it.
He's too big to suplex.Jake thought. I'll have to get him off his feet. Jake dropkicked the man's legs, causing him to fall to the ground. The red-haired wrestler kicked him, turning him over. Jake then slammed his elbow into the thug's gut. The last thug grabbed Marie and put the knife to her neck.
"Back off, whatever you are!" The thug cried desperately. "Or I'll slice the girl's neck wide open!" Jake stood there. His face and snarl was like an enraged animal. Rogue slammed her elbow into the man's side and Jake spat some flames in the man's eyes, blinding him. He then finished him off with a clothesline. Jake hovered a couple inches of the ground. He landed and walked to Marie, concern on his face.
"You OK?"
"Ah'm fine. A little shaken, but fine." Rogue looked at him. "What was that all about?"
"Well." Jake shyly blushed. "I.did-did-didn't w-want to.to see you get hurt." Marie shook her head.
"Just fly me home." Rogue sighed with some awe. Jake picked her up and concentrated. He hovered, then he was flying like a bird. Rogue couldn't help but smile. This guy's alright. She mused. He's a mutant, huh? Ah'm gonna have to see what you can do, Jake Wildfire. He is kinda cute in this light."You were amazing, Jake!" She said. Jake started blushing. He is kinda cute when he blushes, too.This does feel nice, Jake carrying me home.He was sweet to walk me home, and he was brave to face those thugs back there. Ah'll keep quiet about this. Ah don't want anyone to go crazy with worry.
"Uhh...gee, thanks....heh heh...." Jake replied nervously. Then, they flew over a huge building. Rogue told Jake to land near there. When they did, a German kid ran up to the two mutants.
"Sis, are you OK?" The boy said in a thick German accent.
"Yeah, Ah'm alright, Kurt. Thanks to goofball over here." Rogue said, pointing to Jake.
"Hey!" Jake said as a mock threat. He then saw Jason at the door of the building.
"Yo." Jason said, coolly.
"Yo, yourself." Jake said, smiling. His smile dropped as he reflected on what just happened. "Man, that was weird. I flew! I FLEW! What in the world is going on here? I also spit an inferno into that thug's face! What happened to me to cause this?"
"Perhaps I can explain that." A voice said. Jake looked up at the door to see a bald man in a wheelchair. The man and wrestler introduced one another and then the Professor brought Jake into the mansion. There, Jake learned about mutants, met the other X-Men, and regaled them with stories of his father's legendary pro wrestling career. He even offered to teach a few moves. After he left, the X-Men were left amazed by the teen mutant.
"I am amazed! That Jake Wildfire is one incredible person. Rogue, how did you meet him?" Storm inquired.
"I think Storm wants some of the dragon." Jason "Foxfire" Fox butted in, reappearing out of nowhere. Jason was a mutant as well. His abilities were invisibility and the power to shoot flames from his hands.
"Excuse me?" Storm replied.
"Storm, You are so intelligent, yet so naive." Jason retorted. Storm looked ready to blast Foxfire with 2,000,000 volts of pure lightning. Even she found Jason annoying. Every female did.
"Like, where'd that 'Dragon' bit come from?" Kitty "Shadowcat" Pryde asked.
"Ah get it. X-Pervert is saying that if Jake joins the X-Men, 'Dragon' would be the perfect codename for him." Rogue responded, crossing her arms.
"Yeah. Jake's basically a dragon in a human form." Scott "Cyclops" Summers concluded.
"Wow, you figured that out all by yourself? It's a miracle! Hallelujah!" Foxfire cheered, laughing. If there was one major crack in the X-Men, it was that Foxfire and Cyclops never got along. Jason would often make jokes about Scott's "fearless leader" role. Out of jealousy, Foxfire often tried to make Cyclops look bad.
"Fox, shut up." Scott replied in a tired manner. "I am exteremely fed up with your constantly being a nuisance. I hope Jake is not like you, Shades." Jason ripped off his glasses and stared down Scott. Cyclops smiled, knowing he got under Fox's skin. There were only two things that did that: A guy calling Jason "Foxy", and making fun of his shades.
"Relax, Scott. Jake ain't like Jason, thank God." Rogue defended. "He's very sweet. Sickeningly sweet, but he kinda grows on ya." The Southern Belle started to blush.
"Hey, I think my sister has a crush on zis Jake guy." Kurt laughed. Rogue looked up at her blue-furred brother like she was about to kick him right in the head. After this, the X-Men went to their rooms, still abuzz about the mutant wrestler.
The next day, Jake was hanging out alone on a street when he encountered a white-haired kid packing super speed.
"HEYJAKEY!" The kid yelled.
"Who are you?"
"Thename'sPietro.PietroMaximoff,thebestlookingguyinthistown.Iheardthatyouwer eamutant."
"Yeah. You are too. Super speed's a cool power. I can fly and breathe fire." Another voice, a familiar voice, asserted itself.
"Well, well, well! If it ain't the Brotherhood's very own fruitcake." Jason was leaning against the wall, smirking. Jason enjoyed making Quicksilver jokes as much as he enjoyed making Cyclops jokes. Pietro "Quicksilver" Maximoff looked rather annoyed at that crack.
"Well, if it ain't X-Pervert himself." Quicksilver joked.
"At least I'm straight!" Jason retorted. It then erupted into a verbal war. Quicksilver and Foxfire were trading insults, and it was getting close to trading jabs. At that time, a hunched-over kid leapt out of the shadows.
"Yo."
"What the......" Jake was spooked by the frog-like freshman. But then, the two mutants....."Todd?"
"Jake?" Toad asked, almost trying to dredge up a memory. "Jake, ya old nut!!!!"
"Todd, my old friend!" Jake yelled. The two hugged and started chatting up about old times in Boston, where the two originally resided. It turned out that Jake Wildfire and Todd Tolensky met there when they were younger. Jake was the first person that Toad actually considered a friend. Actually, more like an older brother.
Foxfire and Quicksilver took a break from beating each other senseless and stared agape as the two old friends talked about stuff in general. Then they saw Todd and Jake walk off together, cracking jokes, like the old days.
"Todd never told me he knew that goofball." Quicksilver said.
"A: Jake ain't a goofball. and B: You should try getting to know people instead of drinking all that bleach, weedbrain!" yelled Foxfire. They immediately started fistfighting again.
Later on, Jake returned to the Institute. When he got there, Jason had told Kitty about his friendship with Toad.
"Uh......Jake.....like, there's something you totally need to know about Todd." The Chicago Valley Girl started.
"What?" Jake responded. Kitty then told Jake about the Brotherhood/X-Men feud. Jake was shocked. If he joined the X-Men, he would end up an enemy to his first best friend. If he joined the Brotherhood, he would end up making enemies of his new friends at the Institute. Jake became depressed."Oh man, oh man, oh man. I can't join one group without alienating someone I know in the other." He walked away, feeling really torn.
"Hey, Jake! Ya don't need to decide right away!" Foxfire yelled. Shadowcat punched him in the jaw.
When a down Jake walked out to the garden, he saw Storm and Rogue talking. He didn't want to intrude, but he was desperate for advice.
"H-H-H-Hello, ladies." Jake said. "Sorry to i-intrude, but I nee-need some advice."
"Quite alright, Jake." Storm replied, smiling.
"It's OK, sugah." Rogue said. Jake started blushing again.
"Well, ya know Toad, right?" Jake started. The ladies nodded. "Well, he's an old, old friend of mine. We met in Boston. I consider him a little brother to me. He is in the Brotherhood. If I join you in the X-Men, I'll alienate him, which is not what he needs. He's lived a hard life. But if I join the Brotherhood, I'm afraid I'll end up making enemies out of you. I don't know what to do."
"God, that's real tough." Rogue said.
What will Storm tell Jake? Will Jake join the Brotherhood or the X-Men? Will Foxfire ever quit being a lamebrain? Find out on Genesis of a Dragon, pt.2!
Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. That's owned by Marvel and whoever. Vince McMahon and Titan Sports own the WWF/WWE. Shame though. I do own the Jake Wildfire character.
On Friday night, Bayville High's wrestling team had a match against a rival school. The rival school had tied up Bayville 3-3. This final match was a tiebreaker. In Bayville's locker room, the wrestling coach was pacing.
"Ok, we need our best here on this one. Wildfire, wake up! You're next!"
A red-haired teen was what appeared to be meditating out in a corner. He was clad in the wrestling uniform in Bayville's colors with a black T-shirt underneath. Upon the coach's order, he opened his bright blue eyes and put on his headgear. One of the other wrestlers started to speak.
"Hey Jake, break a leg! Preferably one of theirs!" Jake let out a small smile, trying to conquer his shyness.
"Thanks, Tommy! I'll need some luck", Jake said. He gave one final adjustment to his elbow and knee pads, and walked out. Upon arriving on the mat, the Bayville supporters gave a huge cheer and started chanting Jake's name. The coach smiled.
"Win one for us, Jake Wildfire."
Jake and the opposing blue-clad wrestler started grappling and reversing pins. Suddenly, a lightheaded feeling came over the teen wrestler.
Oh man, I feel so weird. Jake thought. It's almost like my body weight is decreasing. Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw his legs hover involuntarily a few millimeters over the purple mat. Oh God, oh God, oh God! Jake yelled mentally. His legs then returned to the ground and the light feeling faded in time for Jake to score a pin, giving Bayville the winning point. He walked back to the locker room, slightly dazed.
"Good job, Jake!" The coach said, patting Jake's back. "Keep it up, and Bayville will be state champs yet again." The other wrestlers whooped it up, yelling in joy.
"Thanks, coach. Is there anything to drink? My throat is hot." Jake said. For the past three weeks, Jake had been getting brief sensations of intense heat forming deep within his throat. Those flashes have been mild, but this one was slightly worse. Jake swigged some water, and the heat in his throat appeared quenched.
On Monday, Jake walked down a hall, basically minding his own business. He always kept to himself, not because he didn't want friends, but because he was very shy. When he got to his locker, two girls passed him by. One of them had brown hair with white bangs. She saw the wrestler and turned around.
"Hey Wildfire!" The teen girl yelled. Her voice had a southern accent. Jake turned his head slowly, blushing.
"Oh, uh....Uh....heh...Hi, M-M-Marie." Jake said, his voice slightly tinged with a Boston accent, making him sound a little bit like JFK. He looked extremely nervous around the Goth. "H-H-How ya doing?" She walked closer to him. Jake's blush intensified and he started to shake. "Oh, man." Jake said very quietly. Jake was always shy, but Marie always made him downright scared. He looked at the other girl, whose hair was dyed dark purple, and was also dressed in black, to help. She merely smiled, as if she was enjoying this.
"Ah heard you excel in Chem. Ah was wondering if you could help me with mah Chemistry homework."
Oh man, those butterflies in my stomach have butterflies in their stomachs. Jake thought as he shook worse than ever. "Uh, uh, uh......ummmm....well...I....uh....uh...well...." Jake blurted, too nervous to actually form a decent response.
"Thanks, sugah. See you at your place after school." The Southern goth turned and walked away. The other girl followed.
"Man, Marie! He was this close to sweating bullets! If you came any closer, he'd go into cardiac!" The purple-haired girl laughed. Her voice sounded rather British.
"Ah thought it was nice of him, Risty." Marie responded, a rare smile on her face. For some reason, Jake made her smile, although she'd never admit it. Jake stared in their direction, then fainted while letting out a huge sigh. About one minute later, a voice echoed in Jake's head.
"Hey Jake! Wake up, dude!" Jake opened his eyes to see a friend. He had long orange hair in a ponytail. The end of the ponytail looked as if it was dipped in white paint, almost like a fox's tail. He wore a black T-shirt with and blue jeans with red tennis shoes. On his face, he had a pair of red shades.
"Hey, Fox." Jake said with a small smile. The red-shaded kid helped Jake up. Jason Fox was one of Jake's best friends.
"I saw ya with that Goth babe. I think she likes ya. Looks like Jake is becoming a real ladies' man, just like yours truly." Jake blushed.
"Jason, please. You will never quit. Why is it that you think that you are the big man on campus?" Jake said.
"Because he ain't." The two turned around to meet Duncan Matthews, star football player. Jason noticed he was carrying a Biology book. He also noticed a red haired gal with him.
"Hey, Matthews." Jason said. "I see you are going to Bio. What a joke. You can't tell the difference between a hand and a foot."
"Why you......" Duncan said, getting ready to charge him. The redhead held him back. "Jean, let me kill him, pleeeeeeease?"
"Whoa!" Jason said. "Man, Duncan, Jean's as hot as ever! Say baby, why don't ya dump the stupid jock and join up with a real man?" Jason mocked, removing his shades, revealing brown eyes.
"Excuse me?" Jean wondered. Jason cracked a coy smile.
"He means he wants you in his bedroom." Jake snickered.
"Hey! I don't go there on a first date!" Jason yelled.
"I'll make sure of that, Foxy!" Duncan yelled out as he charged Jason. Jason smiled slightly then his face displayed intense anger. Before Duncan knew it, Jason Fox had knocked him on his back and trapped him in a Figure Four leglock. Duncan was screaming in pain while Jean and Jake were trying to free him.
"DON'T EVER CALL ME FOXY!!!!!!!!!" Jason yelled with pure hatred. Jason had always found Duncan to be a real pain.
"UNCLE!!! LET ME GO!!!!! MY LEGS!!!!" Duncan screamed, tapping his hand on the ground real fast. Jean was calling for help.
"Jason! Let go! You'll break his legs!! He's had enough!! He's tapping!!" Jake pleaded. Jason then let go of Duncan, leaving Bayville's biggest jock whimpering and nursing his pain-stricken legs.
"Jason! Have you gone nuts?!?!" Jean yelled in anger. She didn't like Duncan, but then she never thought Jason was much either.
"Sorry, babe. I guess I went a little too far. I only wanted to puncture his big ego." Jason was given a slap to the face for that remark. He watched Jean help Duncan up. Just then, they heard a scream.
"AAAHHHH!!!!! My throat!!!"
Jason and Jean turned around to see Jake, clutching his throat in pain. He had his mouth wide open, gasping for cool air. Jean got a peek inside Jake's mouth. It was starting to glow. He also appeared to be hovering about three centimeters off the ground.
"He can't be!" Jean thought. "Jake Wildfire, a mutant?"
After school, A bald man in a wheelchair had a weird apparatus on his head. Jean walked into the room he was in. He appeared to be concentrating. Jean walked in, wanting to talk to him.
"Professor?" The bald man turned around.
"Yes, Jean?"
"Professor, I think there is another mutant out there." Jean said in a shocked manner.
"I know. Cerebro has picked him up." The professor said. He turned again to a computer screen, and typed in some commands. A picture of a redheaded teen appeared.
"Professor, I know him!" Jean said in shock. "That's Jake Wildfire!"
"What do you know about him?" The professor asked.
"Well....he's a very nice guy. Keeps to himself. Very shy. He wants to be a pro wrestler. He is on the wrestling team, and......" Jean started.
"Yes?" the professor quizzed, a small smile forming on his face.
"Well...." Jean continued, "He has a very interesting reaction around Rogue. He blushes like crazy and he gets very scared. Poor old Jake." Jean then started laughing.
"Mr. Wildfire's X-Gene is starting to activate. I sense that he possesses great power. His abilities are going to be unlike anything we've ever seen." The professor stated. His voice had a combination of great joy and concern.
"Foxfire is Jake's best friend. Maybe Jason can help....if he can keep his mind off girls for one minute." Jean replied with some disgust.
Meanwhile, at Jake Wildfire's house, Rogue was staring at a picture of a man who appeared to be an older version of Jake. In the picture, the man wore a black T-shirt, red tights with yellow flames on them, yellow boots and knee pads, and red elbowpads. There was tape on his wrists, and what appeared to be a championship belt around his waist.
"That's my dad." Rogue turned around in fright. Her fears were alleviated when she saw Jake.
"Jake, ya scared me. Why is your dad dressed like that?"
"Well, my dad was a pro wrestler." Jake responded, pointing to the picture. "Eric 'Blazer' Wildfire. He was one of the wrestling greats. Read the caption on the frame."
Rogue looked at the caption, and he was shocked. "Eric 'Blazer' Wildfire. This photo taken upon....winning....first....N..W..A...Championship..in..1979?!?!?!" Rogue looked up at Jake with shock. Jake had a big smile on his face.
"You thought that was wild? Check this!" Jake said, handing another, more recent picture to Rogue. It showed the same man holding up a different belt. The Southern Belle's shock only grew.
"Ah can't believe this....." thought Rogue. She then read the caption. "Eric 'Blazer' Wildfire. Former...2-time.....W-W- World......Wrestling.....Federation Champion?!?!?!? OH MAH GOD!!!!"
Jake smiled. "Cool, huh?" Jake always felt more confident when he was around the old NWA and WWF wrestling memorabilia. "Someday.......that will be me, Marie. Someday......"
Rogue couldn't believe it. A former WWF Champion living in Bayville and his son attending her high school! Jake then started to tell her stories about his dad's exploits......winning the WWF title......wrestling with the likes of Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat......even the ring Jake's father had erected in the basement. Her amazement arose, and she became more interested in Jake. "Hey Jake....."
"Yeah, Marie?"
"If you make it in the pro wrestling thing........could Ah be your valet?" Rogue asked sweetly. Jake blushed and he started to ramble.
"You're admiring Jake's father in his glory days, huh kids?"
The teens turned around to see a brown-haired woman who appeared to be in her late thirties. She was thin and very tall.
"Hi, mom." Jake said. "This is a friend of mine, Marie."
"You mean girrrrrlfriend." A brown-haired boy, around ten, appeared behind Jake's mother.
"Kyle, don't start." Kyle was Jake's little brother.
"But Mom, Jake just showed you his girrrrrrrlfriend."
"Now Kyle, that girl is just a friend of Jake's. Right?" Mrs. Wildfire said, smiling.
"Oh man...." Jake said, blushing. "Marie is only a friend."
"Besides, Ah only came over because Jake said he would help me with mah Chemistry homework." Rogue interjected. Jake's eyes bulged out at that statement.
"Yeah right." Jake thought. "The only reason she is here is because she invited herself here." Unbeknownst to Jake, Kyle, or Mrs. Wildfire, Rogue was getting a psychic transmission from Jean Grey.
Rogue, I have something to tell you about Jake.... Jean started.
You won't believe this Jean, but Jake's dad was a pro wrestler. He even won the WWF title.........
Terrific, Marie. But Jake could be a mutant.....
WHAT?!?!? Rogue screamed mentally.
No joke. The professor sensed his X-Gene flashing on and off. His powers are getting ready to emerge. Marie, you've got to help him. The professor also said that Jake's powers are going to be unlike anything we've ever seen so far.
Well, the X-Pervert Foxfire noticed that Jake had started hovering over the ground for brief times and flashes of heat formed in his throat. Rogue remembered.
Marie, that's Jake's powers preparing to appear.
Rogue then left after she heard more stories, and she got that help she wanted. Jake then offered to walk her home, but she refused. The wrestler insisted, and she gave in. For some reason, Rogue couldn't refuse after she looked into Jake's blue eyes. As they were walking, four large thugs had jumped them out of the bushes. They appeared to be wearing gang clothes. One had purple braided hair and held a long chain, another had long blue hair and held a iron pipe, a third had a green Mohawk and had a switchblade knife, and the fourth was bald.
"Well, boys. Looks like we have a couple intruders on our turf." The bald thug said.
"S-S-Stay behind me, Marie." Jake pulled Rogue behind him. "What do you want?"
"We want a tribute, boy!" The bald man grabbed the front of Jake's Y2J jersey.
"Yeah. You wanna walk through our park, you gotta pay a toll." The purple-haired thug agreed, clutching his chain.
"Leave him alone!" Rogue warned.
"Why?" The bald thug laughed. "You his girlfriend or something?" Marie blushed.
"Leave her alone." Jake tried to warn. The bald man snickered.
"Heh." He snorted. The huge man then grabbed Jake and threw him hard into the pavement.
"Jake!" Rogue cried. The blue and purple-haired thugs pounced on the fallen wrestler. They kicked him while whipping him with the chain and iron rod. "No!" Rogue tried to help, but the bald man caught her and twisted her arm. He then caught her other arm and trapped the power- absorbing teen. The switchblade-carrying thug placed the tip of his knife under her chin.
"Now, honey." He cackled. "We cannot allow you to get away with not paying now, can we?" Rogue shivered.
"But we don't have any money." Rogue tried to explain.
"No excuses!" The bald man exclaimed. "Finish the job!" The green Mohawk-wearing thug ran his knife along Marie's neck. Jake tried to fight off the thugs, but they kept beating him. His eyes started to glow blue.
"No." Jake started to feel helpless and angry. "Stop." Heat started to build up in his throat as his rage grew. He grew more concerned with Rogue's safety than his own. He had to fight them off. He had to save Marie at all costs. "Leave." His head started to feel light. "Leave.her.ALOOOONE!!!!" Jake roared, blasting a stream of flames from his mouth, and flying back up to his feet.
"Hey!" The chain and rod-wielding thugs recoiled. "What the." Jake grabbed the thug with the chain, picked him up, and threw him into the other one.
"How?" The bald man let Marie go and charged the wrestler. A snarling Jake jumped into the air and remained there out of his reach. Jake landed behind him and let him have it.
He's too big to suplex.Jake thought. I'll have to get him off his feet. Jake dropkicked the man's legs, causing him to fall to the ground. The red-haired wrestler kicked him, turning him over. Jake then slammed his elbow into the thug's gut. The last thug grabbed Marie and put the knife to her neck.
"Back off, whatever you are!" The thug cried desperately. "Or I'll slice the girl's neck wide open!" Jake stood there. His face and snarl was like an enraged animal. Rogue slammed her elbow into the man's side and Jake spat some flames in the man's eyes, blinding him. He then finished him off with a clothesline. Jake hovered a couple inches of the ground. He landed and walked to Marie, concern on his face.
"You OK?"
"Ah'm fine. A little shaken, but fine." Rogue looked at him. "What was that all about?"
"Well." Jake shyly blushed. "I.did-did-didn't w-want to.to see you get hurt." Marie shook her head.
"Just fly me home." Rogue sighed with some awe. Jake picked her up and concentrated. He hovered, then he was flying like a bird. Rogue couldn't help but smile. This guy's alright. She mused. He's a mutant, huh? Ah'm gonna have to see what you can do, Jake Wildfire. He is kinda cute in this light."You were amazing, Jake!" She said. Jake started blushing. He is kinda cute when he blushes, too.This does feel nice, Jake carrying me home.He was sweet to walk me home, and he was brave to face those thugs back there. Ah'll keep quiet about this. Ah don't want anyone to go crazy with worry.
"Uhh...gee, thanks....heh heh...." Jake replied nervously. Then, they flew over a huge building. Rogue told Jake to land near there. When they did, a German kid ran up to the two mutants.
"Sis, are you OK?" The boy said in a thick German accent.
"Yeah, Ah'm alright, Kurt. Thanks to goofball over here." Rogue said, pointing to Jake.
"Hey!" Jake said as a mock threat. He then saw Jason at the door of the building.
"Yo." Jason said, coolly.
"Yo, yourself." Jake said, smiling. His smile dropped as he reflected on what just happened. "Man, that was weird. I flew! I FLEW! What in the world is going on here? I also spit an inferno into that thug's face! What happened to me to cause this?"
"Perhaps I can explain that." A voice said. Jake looked up at the door to see a bald man in a wheelchair. The man and wrestler introduced one another and then the Professor brought Jake into the mansion. There, Jake learned about mutants, met the other X-Men, and regaled them with stories of his father's legendary pro wrestling career. He even offered to teach a few moves. After he left, the X-Men were left amazed by the teen mutant.
"I am amazed! That Jake Wildfire is one incredible person. Rogue, how did you meet him?" Storm inquired.
"I think Storm wants some of the dragon." Jason "Foxfire" Fox butted in, reappearing out of nowhere. Jason was a mutant as well. His abilities were invisibility and the power to shoot flames from his hands.
"Excuse me?" Storm replied.
"Storm, You are so intelligent, yet so naive." Jason retorted. Storm looked ready to blast Foxfire with 2,000,000 volts of pure lightning. Even she found Jason annoying. Every female did.
"Like, where'd that 'Dragon' bit come from?" Kitty "Shadowcat" Pryde asked.
"Ah get it. X-Pervert is saying that if Jake joins the X-Men, 'Dragon' would be the perfect codename for him." Rogue responded, crossing her arms.
"Yeah. Jake's basically a dragon in a human form." Scott "Cyclops" Summers concluded.
"Wow, you figured that out all by yourself? It's a miracle! Hallelujah!" Foxfire cheered, laughing. If there was one major crack in the X-Men, it was that Foxfire and Cyclops never got along. Jason would often make jokes about Scott's "fearless leader" role. Out of jealousy, Foxfire often tried to make Cyclops look bad.
"Fox, shut up." Scott replied in a tired manner. "I am exteremely fed up with your constantly being a nuisance. I hope Jake is not like you, Shades." Jason ripped off his glasses and stared down Scott. Cyclops smiled, knowing he got under Fox's skin. There were only two things that did that: A guy calling Jason "Foxy", and making fun of his shades.
"Relax, Scott. Jake ain't like Jason, thank God." Rogue defended. "He's very sweet. Sickeningly sweet, but he kinda grows on ya." The Southern Belle started to blush.
"Hey, I think my sister has a crush on zis Jake guy." Kurt laughed. Rogue looked up at her blue-furred brother like she was about to kick him right in the head. After this, the X-Men went to their rooms, still abuzz about the mutant wrestler.
The next day, Jake was hanging out alone on a street when he encountered a white-haired kid packing super speed.
"HEYJAKEY!" The kid yelled.
"Who are you?"
"Thename'sPietro.PietroMaximoff,thebestlookingguyinthistown.Iheardthatyouwer eamutant."
"Yeah. You are too. Super speed's a cool power. I can fly and breathe fire." Another voice, a familiar voice, asserted itself.
"Well, well, well! If it ain't the Brotherhood's very own fruitcake." Jason was leaning against the wall, smirking. Jason enjoyed making Quicksilver jokes as much as he enjoyed making Cyclops jokes. Pietro "Quicksilver" Maximoff looked rather annoyed at that crack.
"Well, if it ain't X-Pervert himself." Quicksilver joked.
"At least I'm straight!" Jason retorted. It then erupted into a verbal war. Quicksilver and Foxfire were trading insults, and it was getting close to trading jabs. At that time, a hunched-over kid leapt out of the shadows.
"Yo."
"What the......" Jake was spooked by the frog-like freshman. But then, the two mutants....."Todd?"
"Jake?" Toad asked, almost trying to dredge up a memory. "Jake, ya old nut!!!!"
"Todd, my old friend!" Jake yelled. The two hugged and started chatting up about old times in Boston, where the two originally resided. It turned out that Jake Wildfire and Todd Tolensky met there when they were younger. Jake was the first person that Toad actually considered a friend. Actually, more like an older brother.
Foxfire and Quicksilver took a break from beating each other senseless and stared agape as the two old friends talked about stuff in general. Then they saw Todd and Jake walk off together, cracking jokes, like the old days.
"Todd never told me he knew that goofball." Quicksilver said.
"A: Jake ain't a goofball. and B: You should try getting to know people instead of drinking all that bleach, weedbrain!" yelled Foxfire. They immediately started fistfighting again.
Later on, Jake returned to the Institute. When he got there, Jason had told Kitty about his friendship with Toad.
"Uh......Jake.....like, there's something you totally need to know about Todd." The Chicago Valley Girl started.
"What?" Jake responded. Kitty then told Jake about the Brotherhood/X-Men feud. Jake was shocked. If he joined the X-Men, he would end up an enemy to his first best friend. If he joined the Brotherhood, he would end up making enemies of his new friends at the Institute. Jake became depressed."Oh man, oh man, oh man. I can't join one group without alienating someone I know in the other." He walked away, feeling really torn.
"Hey, Jake! Ya don't need to decide right away!" Foxfire yelled. Shadowcat punched him in the jaw.
When a down Jake walked out to the garden, he saw Storm and Rogue talking. He didn't want to intrude, but he was desperate for advice.
"H-H-H-Hello, ladies." Jake said. "Sorry to i-intrude, but I nee-need some advice."
"Quite alright, Jake." Storm replied, smiling.
"It's OK, sugah." Rogue said. Jake started blushing again.
"Well, ya know Toad, right?" Jake started. The ladies nodded. "Well, he's an old, old friend of mine. We met in Boston. I consider him a little brother to me. He is in the Brotherhood. If I join you in the X-Men, I'll alienate him, which is not what he needs. He's lived a hard life. But if I join the Brotherhood, I'm afraid I'll end up making enemies out of you. I don't know what to do."
"God, that's real tough." Rogue said.
What will Storm tell Jake? Will Jake join the Brotherhood or the X-Men? Will Foxfire ever quit being a lamebrain? Find out on Genesis of a Dragon, pt.2!