X-MEN FORGED: NEW RECRUIT
By Jason de L'Epée
FOREWARD: Yet another brave attempt to write something else outside the realm of Sonic the Hedgehog fanfiction. But hey, since I have a set beginning and ending for my Sonic fanfiction and nothing beyond that, I guess I'll need to refocus my energy to other fanfiction until something else comes up. Anyway, the drive to write this one came from a vignette scene I wrote that would not get out of my head until I wrote it down. It sat on my desk for several days demanding to be told, but I didn't know how to continue the plight. At around the same time, I discovered X-Men Evolution, and when I watched the second episode, the muse knocked hard again. This fic was destined to become an X-Men fanfic.
The scary part is that I've never had much exposure to Marvel in my lifetime, so this is a whole new game. Since there are so many universes for the X-Men, I found it impossible to base this fanfiction on just one. Primarily, it sits within the X-Men Evolution universe, with most of the X-Men still in school at Bayville High. However, since I like elements from different universes, I'll pick and choose from there as well. Plus, there's going to be an awful lot of creative license in this fanfic, so forgive me if continuity gets thrown out the window. Oh, Deadpool is so going to pester me about this, I can feel it.
Anyway, enjoy Part 1 of a series of 6: New Recruit.
This work is dedicated to those who have lost loved ones in natural disasters, not limited to tornadoes. Particularly, I write this in remembrance of the lives that were lost during the April and May tornado outbreaks that claimed over 400 lives, as I wrote the premise of the story mere days before the onslaught began on April 25th, 2011.
NOTE: Unlike most writers, I will not attempt to write out the effects of dialects within speech. I'll state what dialects they have at first, but after that, it's up to your imaginations. I find writing dialects in the speech too difficult to translate into speech, and meaning is often lost or confused. If the truth is to be known, it is actually considered improper writing, as it tends to lead to a lot of confusion; although it is acceptable in comic book writing and script-writing. There are some that can do it properly, but I'm not able to do that accurately. The exceptions will be foreign words used. For the X-Men, remember that the speech is more or less the same as their X-Men Evolution counterparts. If you haven't watched that series yet, do so; it's on YouTube.
PROLOGUE:
The storm raged through the night as sheets of rain poured down, threatening to drown the plains of rural Oklahoma. While it was only just after sundown on that stormy day of April, the darkness of the storm had already swallowed up the light of the setting sun, and now all was black. Those who would brave Mother Nature's wrath that night were either foolish or brave.
For two men attempting to reach home that night, neither category fit either one; yet both reconciled to reach home that night. This wasn't the worst storm they weathered so they thought. All they could think of was getting back to the little town of Red Rock, so they could be safe and warm in their own home rather than in a hotel back in Enid. It was only an hour's drive, and the storm didn't hit them until they were over half-way home, so they kept going.
A clap of thunder surprised both of them, but the older of the two didn't let it deter him from the road. However, he did express his thoughts. "Wow, it's been a while since I've seen a storm this bad."
"Good thing we're only twenty minutes from home, Dad," the younger said. "I'm not sure I want to be stuck out here this night."
"Well, let me tell you, Jason, if I knew this storm was coming, I might have gotten us a place to sleep back in Enid or Billings. I know some people back there who would be happy to let us bunk for the night."
Jason smiled. "A little late for that now, don't you think? Might as well try to get home now." Jason looked around the window at the sheets of rain, but not really seeing the hellish fury of the weather outside.
The father, Patrick Downs, glanced over at his son and smiled himself. "You know something, son? I'm proud of you."
Jason grinned as if he was trying to keep from laughing. "Yeah, Dad, you said that over and over back in Enid at regionals."
"Hey, let your old man brag about his son once in a while! How many other fathers in Oklahoma have their son win the regionals for best science project?"
"At least five others, I think," Jason said mischievously. "One for every other region."
"Ok, smarty, but just you wait when you go to win state in Oklahoma City next month."
"Come on, Dad, it wasn't that big of a project…"
"Modest as well," Patrick reached over to ruffle Jason's hair. "I'm glad I at least taught you well."
Jason laughed, fighting away his father's strong arm briefly before Patrick got back to driving. "Maybe I could teach you a few lessons myself."
It was Patrick's turn to smile mischievously. "Oh, I'd like to see you try."
Jason laughed a bit, and then looked back at his father. "Thank you, Dad. In the very least, thanks for taking me out to Enid. It was fun."
Patrick smiled. "You know, sometimes I always thought you spent too much time in school, working in labs, but after seeing some of your friends back in Red Rock there, seems like you still find time to at least find some fun. You're still sixteen after all. You deserve some fun."
"As if there's much to do in the grand old town of Red Rock?" Jason teased, but sobered. "But yeah. It's nothing much. We just grab sodas and hang out near the bleachers to watch the Mustangs practice. I thought about taking up a sport once or twice, but never got around to it."
"Well, at least you're good in something," Patrick said. "I remember when math and science were murder for me back in my day."
Jason laughed. "'Back in your day?'"
Patrick's brow sank. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Anything you want, Dad. Anything you want."
"Is that what school is teaching you: how to be a smart-aleck?"
"I think I have the right to tease you once in a while since you brag about me all over town."
Patrick smiled. "Guilty, but at least I have reason. I have an Honor Roll Student as a son, as well as a son with the Regional Science Recognition Award."
"Here we go again."
"Well, I should be proud of a son like that."
"Yeah, I guess. Not bad for being adopted, huh?"
A stunned silence was the only response from Patrick, and Jason soon realized his mistake. "I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean it that way."
"No, it's all right, Jason. I'm just surprised you brought it up. You didn't talk much about it since we told you before last school year."
Jason looked forwards through the drenched windshield, mildly blinking in a barrage of lightning. "I didn't really have anything to say then. I mean, what should have I felt?"
Patrick looked at Jason briefly. "Well, your mother and I were afraid you would be mad at us for not telling you or feeling sad that you weren't a 'real son.' We almost didn't tell you, but I knew you ought to know before you started high school." Patrick smiled. "I must admit, you did surprise us with your response. You were quiet, and accepted it. We were impressed."
Jason shrugged at first. "Well, maybe it's my turn to tell you a little secret."
Patrick looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"If I told you that I already knew before you told me, would you believe me?"
Patrick turned to Jason so hard that he nearly swerved off the road. After straightening out, he had to breathe before answering. "How did you know?"
"Pretty easy. When Beth was born, I noticed she had blue eyes, like you and Mom. I have green eyes. Back in sixth grade in science, the teacher taught us about basic genetics, and told us some genes that were dominant and recessive. Green eyes are a dominant gene, blue eyes are recessive. I asked my teacher about it, and she looked stunned about it." Jason added with a smile. "Kind of like you did just now."
"Oh, laugh it up, son."
Jason sobered up. "When I asked her how that happened, she merely said 'go ask Mom or Dad.' I took the hint." Jason looked down. "To be honest, I was kind of scared that you wouldn't love me anymore after Beth was born. I mean, she was your own kid. I was from somewhere else. Since you now had a kid of your very own, I wondered how I would be treated after that.
"A few days after, Mrs. Glenn, my science teacher, came up to me after class and asked if I had asked my parents yet. I said I didn't; I couldn't because I was scared. I was only twelve then, so I didn't know. She looked at me like she felt sorry for me. She reassured me that you and Mom would love me no matter if I was related or not. It took some convincing, but I felt better about it.
"After that, I just kind of forgot about it. And Mrs. Glenn was right. Just because I'm not really Bethany's brother, or yours or Mom's real son, you still loved me. You didn't send me to some orphanage or somewhere else. You still loved me. And for that, I really thank you, Dad. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
Jason hesitated to continue before looking at his father, and what he saw stunned him. His father had tears in his eyes. Suddenly, Patrick's free hand took Jason's firmly. "My dear boy, I don't care what happens to you. I will always love you as my son. Thank you for believing in us."
It was Jason's turn to feel tears' sting in his eyes, choking his throat. He could only nod.
Patrick sniffed a bit before answering. "You know, your Mom and I always wanted to have kids of our own, but she could never conceive. We wanted someone to raise as our own, but somebody had different plans, I suppose. However, we decided to look for a different way to get a son. A pastor back home talked to us about adopting. It sounded like a good idea at the time, so we went through the process. It took a very long time, a very trying time for us, but we were approved, and we found you to adopt soon after."
"I'm glad you did, Dad. I couldn't have asked for a better Dad or Mom," Jason said, looking out into the storm, noting with some mild concern that the winds were picking up.
"To be honest, when your mother became pregnant with little Bethany, it took us for a surprise. I remember how excited you were when you thought you were going to have a brother."
"Oh, now it's my turn to say 'laugh it up.'"
"Let's say we're even."
"Deal."
As Jason looked back outside again, Patrick looked over at his son as if pondering to ask him a question. For a few seconds, he carefully considered his words. Finally, he asked, "Do you ever wonder who your real Mom or Dad were?"
Jason was pulled back from the violence outside with this simple question. He didn't answer right away, but he finally replied, "I don't even remember my 'mother'. I don't even know if she had brown or blond hair. I don't even know if my Dad stayed with her, or had abandoned her and me. I just don't know."
"Well, don't worry about it. I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm sorry," Patrick replied.
Jason squeezed his father's hand. "It's okay. I kind of figured you would ask that anyway."
A flash of lightning pierced the sky followed immediately by a clap of thunder shook the car that both felt it in their seats. Jason replied first. "Good grief; that was a close one."
Even Patrick was rattled. "I know."
Jason looked out as the wind seemed to have gotten stronger. "This storm has gotten really bad. Look at the rain. It's practically horizontal now."
"Son, turn on the radio and see if you can find the weather."
Jason obeyed wordlessly. He reached for the knobs for the radio, and listened in as he searched for the weather. Pressing SCAN, he flipped out his cell phone. "I'll try to call home and see if Mom knows anything."
"Good idea." Patrick focused on driving, trying to see through the rain while slowing down in face of the wind.
Jason whipped out his cellphone and checked the screen. "Damn it! No service."
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised; there aren't many cell towers out here."
Almost on cue, the radio made a peculiar buzzing, before a long beep. After the beep finished, an automated voice reported, "The National Weather Service in Oklahoma City has issued a tornado warning for the following counties: Logan. Payne. Noble. The tornado warning has been issued until 8:15 PM central daylight time. At 7:23 PM, Doppler radar had detected a severe thunderstorm capable of producing golf-ball-sized hail, high winds and tornadoes. Storm spotters have spotted a tornado on the ground north of Perry Municipal Airport, heading north-northeast at around twenty miles per hour."
"Perry Municipal? That's only a mile south of us!" Jason said, as the radio pelted out the warning to get to shelter.
"We'd better get out of the car and get to a ditch. Hopefully we can find a culvert to squat down in. When we get out of the car, duck down and run to the ditch on the north side. You got me, son?"
"Yes, Dad." Jason nodded.
Dad parked the car on the shoulder, and threw open the door on his side. As he stepped out, he was met with fierce wind and stinging rain. He covered his face as he struggled to get out of the car. Jason tried to open the door on his side, but the wind was forcing it shut. "Dad, the door is stuck!"
"Get out on this side. Crawl over! Hurry!"
Jason unbuckled his seatbelt and started climbing over the seat. The car wasn't very large, and it was a tight fit to get through. Patrick reached in to get Jason's hand to speed him up. As Jason climbed over, he became aware of a strange loud sound, as if there was a freight train bearing down on them. Patrick looked around. He was hearing it too.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a tree ripped from the ground smashed into the car in the front. Before both could react, the car lurched sideways, causing Patrick to fall back inside. Jason pulled him inside by sheer instinct as his ears began popping. Suddenly, the car was thrown up from the ground into a tumble. Jason held on to his father tightly as the car slammed into the earth violently. Again and again the fearsome wind picked it up and smashed it down again. Jason felt a blow to the side of his head, and the world became darkness to him.
XXXXXXXXXX
Jason struggled to open his eyes. Every time he tried, a sick wave of nausea hit him in the gut. He felt numb on one side of his body, as something hot and sticky clung to the right side of his face. The rain, now gentle and serene, was pouring down upon him. The world was still dark, but he could see blurs. His vision started sharpening, but with it came pain to his head. He felt like his head took a hit from a pile driver. He struggled to sit up, wincing as a pain in his side nearly doubled him over. Struggling to breathe, he looked around. "Wha…where am I?"
As he tried to recover his bearings, he soon found that he was sitting on the edge of a road. He held his head with his right hand as he kept himself up with his left. At once he felt something warm, wet and sticky. He pulled his hand away and found it drenched in blood, coming from an immense gash on his face that narrowly missed his temple. He quickly found other injuries: asphalt burns, other cuts and gashes and his right arm felt wrong. Maybe it was broken.
Flashes of his memory blasted through his brain, attempting to piece together what happened. Gasping from pain, he breathed, "I remember. I was in the car..." At the thought of the car, his eyes bulged open under the swelling of his wounds. He struggled to get to his feet, but a lancing pain in his right side nearly threw him back down. Jason coughed and groaned. "I must have broke a rib or two." He looked around in the rain. "Dad!?"
There was no answer. He looked around some more. "Dad!?" Still no answer. He looked around some more, and then he spotted lights in the ditch a hundred feet from where he had lay. He followed the light, thankful that his legs weren't broken. Gingerly pressing forward, he wrapped his left arm around his right side, and kept the gash covered on his face with his right hand. He slipped and slid through the muddy embankment, becoming aware at the chunks of tree, rock and what looked like siding from a barn lying strewn about.
When he was within thirty feet of the light, he soon saw what it was. It was his Dad's car, twisted and gnarled like it was made of tin foil. A bigger surprise awaited him, for as he walked towards it, he noticed something lying underneath the car: a still form of a man. His hair, while blood-matted, had specks of grey in it.
"Dad!" Jason cried out. Picking up speed, wincing at the pain in his side, he collapsed at the side of his father, pinned under the twisted wreck. His father seemed to have gotten the worst of it. His face was torn in two places, and his left arm had a compound fracture where the bone had shot out the flesh. He was unconscious.
"Dad!" Jason cried out desperately, each cry afterwards was harder and more desperate than the last. "Dad! Please wake up! Please!" In pure desperation, Jason tried pushing the car off of his father, but a shocking pain in his side made him stop. It was too strong. As he cried out in his pain, he looked around. "Help! Somebody help! Somebody!" He kept calling out. "Somebody, please help! My dad's going to die! Somebody, please!" But there was no answer to his cries for help. The next cries were coupled by tears. "Please…help."
Jason collapsed on to his left side, writhing in his helplessness. He felt his brain numb and his vision started to fade from loss of blood. On top of that was that a shocking sensation started burning his hands, particularly in the fingers.
But he wasn't going to give up now. His father needed him. Sitting up again, he rubbed his bloody hands together to try to numb the shocking pain that was tormenting them, but it only made it worse. As his mind began to fall into a sleepy stupor, he tried once again to shove the car off his father.
He collapsed back on his side, his energy gone as his mind returned to the realm of darkness. He was already out as his vision faded, seeing one last shining light shine on both him and his father as his eyes closed.
