"Why does he make us do this?" Kitty moaned while rolling her eyes. "I mean, who's he trying to impress anyway?"
"I can't complain." Kurt replied. "He's taught me a lot in these sessions."
"Teachers pet." Jubilee spit the words. "I hate this. He scares me when he gets like this."
"Hey!" Scott butted in. "He's still an instructor and he deserves our respect."
"Ja!" Kurt replied. "And besides, Scott's twice the pet I am despite my tail!" He laughed and bounded off in to the danger room.
"Honestly." Jean replied. "I wonder what he gets out of this."
"NOW!" Wolverine barked from within the room and they all jumped before flowing in through the door.
But it had already begun.
They all knew what was to follow. They were to attack Logan now – en mass. Every one of the X-Men and New Mutants were to face him – both individually and as a group – simultaneously.
Logan moved with a savage grace and a maddening assuredness. Scott knew all too well what was to follow – a savage ballet of violence.
It's unfortunate that they could not see it through the eyes of the Wolverine…
Jubilee rushed him. He knew that she hated these sessions – and she made up for it by fighting twice as hard. Even though he rarely said it – he liked Jubilee.
I'm 15… For a moment…Her bursts blinded him and he could feel them beginning to sear his skin. He swept low while blind and felt the contact as he wiped her feet out from under her.
caught in between 10 and 20…
She landed with a graceless thump on the floor and he turned his attention elsewhere.
and I'm just dreamin'…
"Damn!" She swore. "How does he move so fast?"
countin' the ways to where you are…
Suddenly, from the corner Storm made her move.
I'm 22 for a moment…She rose in to the air and he felt the wind swirl around him, knocking him off balance – but he was too heavy for her to truly lift indoors and they all knew it.
and she feels better than ever…
But today she was strong and he actually left the ground for an instant.
and we're on fire…
That's when the lightning hit and he convulsed involuntarily.
making our way back from mars …
His arm shot out and he managed to snag Rogue around the wrist and hurl her towards Storm. No one was prepared and they went down in a heap breaking her concentration and freeing the wild little man.
15 there's still time for you…
Kurt dove madly, a flurry of acrobatic leaps and bounds, each landing a punch or kick…
time to buy and time to lose…
Until he grabbed the little man and teleported.
15...
And he dropped Logan from a good fifteen feet above the danger room floor.
there's never a wish better than this…
And everyone held their breath as he landed with a savage crash. Kurt had scored a serious hit against Logan.
when you've only got a hundred years to live …
He had barely hit the ground before he leapt to his feet and lunged toward Ronnie. She recoiled, unprepared and Beast dove between them, preparing to stop Logan's charge.
I'm 33 … For a moment…Beast caught Logan by the shoulder and drove his fist in to Logan's gut.
still the man… but you see I'm a 'they',
Using all his strength and force to lift and throw the man up…
a kid on the way,
…And over the frightened young Scottish girl.
baby and family on my mind
Just then Logan spun and caught sight of Charles Xavier watching from the observation room.
I'm 45 for a moment…Xavier's forehead was wrinkled in concern for his students.
the sea is high and I'm heading into crisis…
Today he's not only afraid of Logan's exuberance, but there had been word of Magneto this morning and Xavier shouldered the news alone.
chasing the years of my life
Logan put it out of his mind and spun on the nearest cluster of students.
15 there's still time for you
The New Mutants always hung together in battle – he wanted desperately to break them of that habit and so he charged.
time to buy and time to lose
They bolted. Each looking just to survive this moment.
yourself
Each wishing simply to be somewhere else, doing something far more normal.
within a morning star
Secretly, Logan wished he could just let them all go out in to the world and lose themselves in trivial matters, but he knew – that attitude would never serve them in a world such as this.
15... I'm all right with you …
Just then, Sam rocketed in and slammed both fists in to Logan's gut and propelled them both towards the observation deck.
15...
Logan actually laughed when he heard the New Mutants cheer. Then he slammed in to the safety glass and shook off the blow as he fell back to the floor
there's never a wish better than this…
He recovered quickly and dove for Bobby. Much to his surprise, Bobby didn't run. Inspired by Sam he took the initiative and let fly with a devastatingly sharp burst of ice blades.
when you've only got a hundred years to live …
Wolverine rolled to one side and dove towards Jean, his hands cupped and headed for her throat. He caught his own reflection in the scattered bits of ice. He looked insane.
as time goes by suddenly,
He looked bloody, fierce and savage – a look he had seen on Sabertooth many times before.
"oh why?"
He hated looking like a madman.
another blink of the eye …
But with any luck at all…
67 is gone.
It would serve his purpose well to show them all the savagery inherent in all things human.
the sun is getting high and we're moving on.
Jean had forced her focus and he felt the blow – not as strong as she could have been with proper time to concentrate – but enough to knock him backward. He rolled on the floor and for the first time in a long time – he felt old.
I'm 99 for a moment in time…He shook it off though – or more to the point – the fear came back and jolted him to action.
for just another moment
"What fear?" You might ask.
and I'm just dreamin' …
The one and only fear he had any more…
countin' the ways to where you are …
The fear he would outlive them all… If they weren't ready for anything at anytime. Terror and images flooded his mind. Small coffins sinking in the ground…
15... there's still time for you
The halls of the mansion no longer filled with laughter and life…
22... I feel her too …
His hands dirty with the earth of freshly dug graves…
33... your on your way every day's a new day
Gentle souls like Hank and Kurt – murdered for their pelts or sport…15... there's still time for you.
Concentration camps.
24... it's time to choose.
Extermination squads.
15...
Holocausts.
there's never a wish better than this…
All manner of evil things he'd seen happen in his one life already…
when you've only got a hundred years…
The things he'd die to prevent from befalling these people – His people. He gritted his teeth and dove yet again, a murderous rage in his eyes but only the purest of love…
… to live …
… in his heart.