Professors office, the Institute, Mass.
Charles and Logan turned to Cerebro when they heard the 'alpha' alarm buzz. The Professor wheeled over to the console to see what info Cerebro had on this new find.
Mallory O'Bryanson
Peak Hill, Australia
Physical Mutation/Limited Telekinesis
'Well, I suppose we should take a look' thought Charles. "Logan, please prepare the Blackbird for a trip to Australia. Pick someone to take with us, one of the girls, say Kitty, or Rahne maybe."
"Lets take Rahne," growled Logan. "Kitty will yap our ears off."
"I CAN HEAR YOU MR. LOGAN!!!!!" Kitty screamed from a nearby computer room.
Outskirts of Peak Hill, Australia, in the Outback, night
'I need to get those dingo's off my sweet grass before they wreck it' thought Mally. 'they're gonna wreck my dinner.'
He circled around the pack of dingos resting about 50 yards ahead of him. He knew to get downwind so the wild dogs wouldn't smell him coming. He was about 3 miles from the shack he lived in with his Pappy, at a place where the grass was extra tasty. He loved the outback, running around at night, carefree, having fun. Having fun was what it was all about.
'Time for some dingo bowling' Mally whispered to himself, and with a smirk on his face, started hopping towards the pack of dogs.
Logan and Rahne were watching the boy from about a quarter mile away on a laptop/binocular device Forge created.
"That bloke hops about like a bloody rabbit!" Rahne piped.
"More like a kangaroo," said Logan "look how his legs are formed – it seems like his knees go both ways, depending whether he jumps or runs."
"Yeah, an his thighs and his bum are......well, Jubilee would say he gots a nice bootie.", the little red headed werewolf said.
Logan shut the lid. "That's enough of that, missy."
Next morning, at the O'Bryanson hut
The Professor, Logan, and Rahne walked up to the front door at the shack where the boy lived. The door was open, and they could hear a radio playing.
The Professor rolled forward. "His father knows we're here. He's coming out, worried we are here for his boy. Let me handle this."
A grizzly old man came out, leaning on a shillelagh. "Who are ye and what are ye wantin'!? Ain't no one here but an old gaffer. Come on, out wit it!!"
"Good day, Mr. O'Bryanson," intoned the Professor, using his power slightly to calm the man down. "My name is Charles Xavier. These are my associates, Mr. Logan and Ms. Sinclair. We're here to talk with you......and your son –"
"I told ye, it's only me here. And tell me Guv'nuh, how ye be knowin' me name?" Pappy asked with suspicion in his voice.
Charles smiled. "We represent an institution that works with people like your son Mallory. We are not here to harm you in any way, just to talk."
Pappy spat. "Again I tell ye, tis only me here, ye gets me!? I'm alone! Now be gone!" he shouted, shaking his stick. Logan growled.
The Professor held up a hand to Logan. "Sir, I know about your sons situation. Many of my students share similar traits – "
"Begorrah! Away with ye, I say, Away!" yelled Mr. O'Bryanson.
Charles sighed. "Ms. Sinclair, if you would, a demonstration.....?"
Rahne shifted into wolf form, and slowly walked up to Pappy with a big wolfish grin, sat before him, and gave a little canine yip.
"Jesus, Mary, & Joseph, and All the Saints Above!!" Pappy fell back on his butt, eyes as big as saucers.
After the demonstration, Pappy went and woke his son Mally. Mally slept days mostly – after his mutation kicked in, he felt most comfortable doing his thing at night. They got a good look at him in the daylight. Mally was about 6 feet 7 inches tall, with long red hair in dreadlocks and gray eyes. He looked like he weighed in at about 255 pounds, mostly due to his muscular legs. His upper body was slight, not wimpy, but more like a swimmers build. Beside his legs, the most unusual things about him were his arms and body hair. His arms were just a little short for his torso, and his legs, arms and body were covered with red hairs. His mustache was odd also – it seemed grow out across his lip, with all the roots right under the tip of his nose. It looked ok until you got up close, then you could see it. He was only wearing a kilt, but you could see he was comfortable with the way he looked.
Mally smiled at Xavier and Logan. "G'day mates, me gaffer says ya wants ta yabber wit me about me kangaroo-ness and such. He also says the red wolf over there is a sheila. I think he's been at mull-weed a bit."
At that, Pappy smacked Mally across the shin with his cane. "Yowie! Pa!"
Rahne also transformed back to human form. Mally stopped breathing as he watched.
"Ya best to keep breathin' boy, what, you never seen a lass before?" Rahne snipped to Mally.
"Not one that changes from a dingo to a spiffy red haired pixie!" said Mally. His mustache twitched a little after he spoke, making Rahne giggle and blush.
"Mallory, my name is Charles Xavier, these are my friends Logan and Rahne Sinclaire, also known as Wolverine and Wolfsbane."
"Why do they call ya Wolverine? Are ya a dingo too?" Mally asked.
SNIKT! "No, but these make some people howl, eh bub?" Logan stated.
"CRIKEY! How do I grow those!?" Mally stared in amazement.
"Mallory, I run a school where we teach mutantkind to use and control their powers, to aid themselves and humanity" spoke the professor, "I'd like to offer you a full scholarship to come to America and study with us."
Mally frowned. "Why me? I mean, I dropped outta school when I was 14 and me kangaroo-ness came about, so I know it aint fer me noggin bein' full."
"Well, how old are you Mallory?" Mally told the Professor he was 17. "Some of my students are on a team that works for peace between humans and mutants, called the X-Men. I can offer you the chance to complete your schooling, and train with the X-Men. It's also a place where no one looks at you as being different."
Mally looked at Xavier. "Sounds interesting mate. But no can do."
The Professor was surprised." May I ask why, Mallory?"
"Yep. It's me gaffer. I'm all he's got, and he's getting' on in years. Nobody would be left to care for him."
"The Guv'nuh wants to take you to America for schoolin' fer free and ya says NO?!" Pappy shouted. "Lad, ye just being daft now! Go, I says to ya!"
Logan spoke up. "The Institute needs a gate keeper, don't it Chuck?"
Xavier looked up at Logan and smiled. "Fine idea Logan! I'm beginning to think Jean is correct when she says you're a softy at heart." Logan growled.
"Mr. O'Bryanson, there is an opening for the position of gate keeper at the school also........"
Pappy was already nodding his head. "I accept the job, Gov'nuh! I ain't no fool like me boy here. Maybe ye can knock some smarts into his melon!"
Charles turned to Mally. "Well Mallory, do we have a deal?"
Back at the mansion
Hank and Forge were in the underground hanger, watching the Blackbird taxi to a stop under the slowly closing basketball court.
"Logan radioed that the boys knees were a uni-joint that could walk and run like a homosapien, then reverse to be like a marsupial, for jumping and hopping. Amazing, I can hardly wait to take x-rays........" Hank mused to himself, ever the scientist.
"Is his dad a mutant too?" Forge wondered.
"No, however Logan says he IS quite the character. Coming from Logan, that says something."
The hatch on the X-jet hissed open, and Charles came wheeling out, followed by Rahne, Pappy, and Mallory. Logan was shutting the plane down.
"Hello Professor how was your trip? Bountiful, I presume, as I see we have guests." Hank reached out to shake Pappy's hand.
"Holy Dooley! This must be the furry doctor the dingo lass here was tellin' me about. Stuffed I'll be if'n you ain't blue as the Kings robes!" Pappy said, shaking Hank's hand.
"uhhh, thank you, I believe." Hank turned to Mally "And you must be Mallory. My name is Doctor Henry McCoy, but my acquaintances call me Hank, or Beast. Please do so."
"Thank you Hank, and good ta meet ya mate." Mally turned to Forge. "You must be Forge. From what Rahne has told me, I though yer melon would be bigger!"
Forge laughed. "Nah, it's just my mutation made me good with science and stuff. No big deal."
"Hank is our school's doctor. He will be giving you and your father physicals, if that's alright. But that's for later. Let's get you two settled in." Xavier rolled towards the elevator.
Main Level
When the elevator doors opened, the Professor saw Jean and Scott waiting for them in the foyer. "Hello Professor, I though I heard you coming in."
"Yes, Jean, and well done. I was using a slight shield, hoping you would get through it." Charles smiled. "Hello Scott. Has all been well?"
"Yes Professor, save a few minor stunts pulled by Bobby and Kurt, it's been great." Scott turned to Mally. "You must be Mallory. Hi, I'm Scott Summers, sometimes known as Cyclops. I'm the field leader of the X-Men. This is Jean Grey, she's at school here also." Jean waived hello.
"G'day mates, call me Mally. Say, those are some rippa sunglasses. Kinda like the whole 'world thru rose colored glasses' thing, too right, eh?"
"Scott, if you could get rooms set up for the O'Bryansons, that would be a great help," Xavier said, "And Logan, show Mr. O'Bryanson to the gatekeepers quarters. Mallory, how about a tour of the kitchen and dining room? I'm guessing you might like a snack."
"Now you're talkin' Professor. I hope you have a large veggie bin!"
Gatehouse Cottage, at the head of the mansion drive
"......had a great uncle that had hair like yours Mr. Logan, an big ole bushwacker side chops too. Quite the ladies man, as I remember......" Logan crossed his eyes in grief as the old fellow rambled. He had told Pappy it was just 'Logan' not 'Mr. Logan' but he kept on using the title. It made Logan feel old...well, he WAS old, but he didn't want to be reminded all the time.
"So tell me Mr. Logan, what's a mate to do 'round here when he fancies a pint and the company of a lassie? I mean with this bein' a school an all, and the kiddies as such."
Logan stopped dead and dropped the old man's bag. He turned around and looked at Pappy, his feral grin slowly growing.
"What!?!" piped Pappy. "Just because I'm a little old in the tooth don't mean I'm DEAD!"
'This guy may not be so bad to have around...' thought Logan.
Back in the mansion kitchen
The Professor, Mally, and Jean walked into the big kitchen. At the table sat Storm, Bobby, and Jubilee. They were having fruit slushies, taking advantage of having an 'Iceman' enrolled at school.
"Whoa, this is a bonzer kitchen Professor! Lookit the size of those iceboxes!" Mally exclaimed.
"Yes, we have many mouths to feed, so a large kitchen was needed. Mally, I'd like you to meet Ororo Munroe, Bobby Drake, and Jubilation Lee. Ororo is a teacher here at the school, and Bobby and Jubilation are more of your classmates."
"Oh Professor, you know everybody calls me Jubilee! You don't have to be so formal! Oh, and Hi! Nice kilt! It's so punk rock! Where are you from? What's yer power? Do you want a peach slushie? Bobby, make him a slushie!" said Jubilee, rushing over to shake Mally's hand.
'Holy Crocs!' thought Mally, 'she yabbers like dingo's eat'
'If you only knew' Jean thought back at him.
"Yikes!" Mally turned to Jean. "I see what power you got! I don't mean to be a wanker, but warn me before you do that, eh?"
Jean smiled. "Sorry, but your thought was really loud, and REALLY correct."
"Right. No harm, no foul" Mally winked at Jean, then turned back to Jubilee.
"Well tiny one, back to yer queries: I hail from Australia, and I'm glad ya likes me kilt. It's me Pappy's clan's Plaid, he hails from Scotland. Also, I would love a peach drink – fruits and veggies are my thing see? As far as my powers, well, you're looking at the world's only talking kangaroo!"
Jubilee took a breath. "Cool!! Your mustache even looks kinda whiskery up close, awesome! Well, I do fireworks, Bobby does ice stuff, and Storm does –"
"My own introductions child." Storm cut in. "Hello Mally, nice to meet you. I also do the fruits and vegetable 'thing'. After you get settled, I will show you my garden. I even have some flora from your native land."
"Too Right! Got any sweet grass?" Mally looked hopefully at Ororo.
"I don't think so, but perhaps we can import some, if you like"
"Here ya go boss, one of the Iceman's Peachy Icee Specials! And welcome to mutant high! Do you play any sports?" Bobby asked, handing Mally a frosty glass.
"Well, yeah, I played a lot of football, what you blokes call soccer before I changed. I also like to swim and waterski, barefoot ya know!" Mally holds out one of his size 17 feet.
"Cool...soccer rocks" said Bobby, "and I bet you'd be good at Basketball too. You should see this room we got downstairs, it can be a soccer field, or a B-ball court, or whatever.
Just then Sam stuck his head thru the kitchen door. "Hey ya'll, come on! We're havin' powers races out on the back forty – Oh. Sorry ya'll I didnit mean ta interrupt. You must be the new fellah. Hi, my names Sam, Sam Guthrie. Pleased ta meet ya." Sam shook Mally's hand. "Care ta join us for some fun?"
"Sure mate! Sounds rippa! Just let me finish me peachy-icey-drinky-thingy." Mally turned up his glass, chugging the frozen drink. "WHOA!! Massive Brain Freeze!!"
Meanwhile, back at the Gatehouse
"So, ya have any questions about the job bub?" Logan had just finished telling Pappy about his duties as Gatekeeper.
"Aye, laddie, one. What about the kiddies that's can fly and such? Do I havta open the gate fer them?" Pappy asked, looking serious.
"Ahhhhh, no, I guess not." Logan rolled his eyes.
Pappy burst out laughing. "Not much one fer a joke or three, are ye Mr. Logan? Ah, well, I'll keep pullin' ye chain 'til it sinks in, I guess. Now about the pints and the lassie's an such. Where do ye and the Professor go fer a wee bit? An does the big blue Beastie ever join ya?"
Logan smiled at the thought of Xavier and Hank at the kinda seedy bar he liked in town. "Nah, those two are more of the wine drinkin' – art gallery types. Not that that's wrong or anything, but I'm a beer and whiskey type myself. There's a pub in town, but you know how people feel about mutants, and well, after a few my patience gets shorter about that kinda attitude." Suddenly, a lightbulb appeared above Logan's head. "Say Pappy, seein' as how yer place ain't connected to the mansion, then Chuck won't have anything to gripe about me drinkin' over here. Hows about this: you let me have a shelf in the fridge here at the cottage, and you can help yerself to whats on it. Whatta ya say bub?"
Pappy smiled. "Ye gots yerself a deal laddie.....on one condition. Ya see, yer deal solves me need for a pint, but it don't do a thing for my want of a lass. So MY deal is once a week we go to the pub, you bite yer tounge to the pigs, and I gets me fill of yankee lassies!"
"Two times a month bub."
"Aye! Do ya wish me to whither up an die! Three times!"
"Twice a month. Final Offer Pappy."
"err...Sold, to Mr. Logan!"
"AN QUIT IT WITH THE 'MISTER', BUB!"
Back grounds of the mansion
"Ahright, ya'll, here's how it's gonna be! First race is on the ground, Second race is for ya'll who fly or slide or whatever!" Paige was hollaring like only a Kentucky girl can. "I ain't real fast an I don't fly so I'll be the judge. Line up for the ground race!"
Mally saw Rahne, the Sheila who came to get him, change to werewolf form and toe the line. Man, she had pretty fur; why did she have to be part DINGO! Then Scott and another blue furry kid with a Austrian accent lined up. Jubilee turned to him. "Come on Mally, lets go!"
"I think I'll wait this one out tiny one. I'm kinda tired from the flight over."
"Chicken!" Jubilee did the chicken walk, chanting 'bak-bak-bak-bak'.
Mally busted out laughing. "First day I'm here, and here's a wee one callin' my cards! Right, then, you're going down girlie."
With that, the race was on. Mally walked up to the starting line, then bent his knees in reverse to get into 'kangaroo-mode'.
"Jeezus pleezus......" said Scott.
"Holy Mary, mother off Gott......"whispered the blue boy.
"Oh, total gross-out man......" Jubilee stuck out her tounge.
Rahne just made a little canine whimper. She had seen him go before.
Paige raised her hand up. "To the barn, 'round the pond, over both fences, back to here. One rule ya'll, fer Kurt. NO teleporting in place then sayin' 'I WIN' like last time. Got it, fuzzy?"
Kurt sighed. "Ja herr Kommendant."
"OK, then, ya'll get on ya marks, get set, GO!!" Paige dropped her arm.
Mally's first jump put him 20 feet ahead of his new friends. The next jump at 45 feet ahead. Then 70 feet. Just as he was about to jump a forth time, everything got red, and he felt someone tackle him from behind. When he got up he could see Scott running towards him with his hand on his shades.
"Set your phasers to stun!!" Scott laughed as he and the others ran by.
'Too right,' Mally remembered. 'This is a 'powers' race. Well, I guess I just found out what Scott's power is: .50 caliber vision!' He got up and hopped hard to catch up. He could hop at about 50 miles per hour at a sprint, so he still confident of a win.
As he passed Jubilee, the blue boy, and Scott, he zig-zag hopped between them to throw off their gate, shouting "G'day mates! Wouldn't wanna be ya!"
!BAMF!
A nasty sulfur smell surrounded Mally's head, and all of a sudden the blue boy was on his shoulders, riding his jumps like a cowboy, complete with "yeee-haws!" done with a German accent.
"Crikey! That stinks! Get offa me mate!" Mally tried to get the boy off, but the fuzzy blue kid had his tail wrapped around him. He ended up having to do flips and summersaults until the boy fell/teleported to the ground.
"Danke for the ride bruder!" Kurt giggled.
'What next!?!' thought Mally, as he jumped past Scott, Jubilee, and Kurt, dodging crazy firework type things, pushing it to catch up to Rahne, who had gone to full wolf form.
He was closing in, the next jump would put him right on her tail. Halfway thru the air Rahne spun about and growled a fierce canine 'death' growl, making eye contact with Mally.
His 'instincts' took over. As he landed, he spun out of her path, scanning the area for brush or hills where he could lose the predatory wolf hunting him. He saw a tree about 15 feet away that he could jump in, and he wasted no time getting there.
When he was safely up in the tree, he looked back. He saw Scott, Kurt, Jubilee, and Rahne laughing themselves silly at his actions. If he had been capable of turning redder, he would have. 'Oh, the dingo sheila got me good, so good.' He jumped down from the tree, and snapping his legs back to human, he trotted over to them.
"I have heard of a deer caught in your head lights, but never a kangaroo!" Rahne said, and they all laughed even harder at that. Even Mally had to smile.
"Silly dingo girl! I thought we was just havin' a 'powers' race like the man said! Next thing I knows, I gots a mad wolf attackin' me!"
"SO?" Rahne said, "I'm a werewolf, it's me 'power' to SCARE people! Have you never been ta the picture show laddie!?" She then jumped up and started to 'claw' and 'growl' at him, still in her human form.
"Well, at least ya didn't bite me, ya red haired dingo pixie!" Mally said grabbing her 'claws' by the wrist.
"Oh right, you'da liked that wouldn't ye!" shot Rahne.
"Maybe......" Mally twitched his whiskers at her.
"eeeeeeeeew..." Jubilee and Kurt said together, making kissy faces at each other. Scott just sat there with a pie eating grin.
"YOU GUYS!!" Rahne screamed, turning red.
Back at in the mansion, two hours later, pizza time
ding dong
"PIZZA PIE!" shouted Kitty and Jubilee, both running for the mansion door. Once a month on Saturday nights, Professor Xavier ordered take out pizza for the students. No matter what kind of kid, human or mutant, pizza was it. The Food.
Mally had been introduced to everyone by Jubilee and Rahne, told their power, and their 'codename'. Some of the powers were rippa. The fuzzy blue boy Kurt could teleport himself and others, Bobby could change his whole body to ice, and Paige could rip her skin off, revealing just about whatever underneath. Ms. Munroe, the one called Storm, could control the weather, now THAT was very rippa.
Pappy was having a smashing good time, especially with Logan. They were always in the background, laughing at something or another. Logan even seemed to remember some of the 'old time' things Pappy spoke of, which Mally didn't get.
They had ordered 30 pizzas, Mally had never seen so much food. Apparently, some of the students could eat. A lot. Take Kurt for one, he grabbed a large for himself, shouting about 'how there had better be some left' when he got done. And little 13 year old Freddie Dukes just snatched 3 large pies right of f the stack and sat his considerable self down on the sofa.
"Alright ya lil bubs, you know the rules: you make the mess, you clean it up. I'll have the Professor make you think yer a pink pig if I finds any trash."
Storm called Mally to her. "Mally, here is a veggie special with pineapples that I ordered just for you. Can you eat a whole pizza yourself?" Mally laughed at that. "Crikes ya I can. Thanks Ms. Munroe. You want a piece too?" Storm just smiled and told him to enjoy.
Everyone was eating in the rec room and the big main hall, rooms which were open to each other. As Mally walked to a seat in the rec room, he heard bits and pieces of conversations as he passed by.
"...Professor says I should try harder in Algebra and it will come..."
"...found my undies in with his laundry, Sam about died giving them back."
"...Yeah an like Forge is making me a motherboard with 2 P4 chips in it!"
Mally sat down and took out a slice. As he ate he looked around at all the new and different things and people. Some 'normal' looking mutants, and many 'weird' looking mutant like himself, all mixed up, laughing and stuffing pizza in their mouths. His eyes came to rest on the Professor, who was sitting near Jamie, Paige, and Freddie, talking with them and eating pizza. 'What a good man Xavier is, shelling out all this loot to give these people a chance at a normal life,' Mally thought. "I mean, he is a 'normal' looking mutie, and rich besides, he could have a good life no matter what.'
All of a sudden, Xavier turned and looked directly at Mally, and Mally could see the love and hope in his eyes. 'uh-oh,' thought Mally, 'did you hear that Professor?'
He 'heard' the Professor say 'Yes Mallory, I heard you.'
Mally looked at the Professor across the room. 'Well, I guess what I was sayin' was thanks.'
End – Chapter 2 - Testing