The Power of Hope
Prologue
By: Lily Handle
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Author's Note: You wouldn't believe the trouble I've had with this story. The prologue took me at least a week to write and it's only two pages long. Arg and growl. At least I've got something out, don't ask me how long it will take to get chapter one written, I haven't a clue. Please read and review.
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"Oh come on, Doc, I know you can hit harder than that," Logan taunted.
"Move these stupid pads, and I'll show you how hard I can hit," Dr. Hope Chandler muttered, tossing her head back to try and get a few strands of sweat soaked hair out of her face. She was practicing how to throw a punch, aiming for two foam pads wrapped on Logan's forearms, and listening to taunts to get her to hit harder. Hope hated this part of the training. On the self-defense part she would push herself, but this attacking part bothered her. She was a pacifist born and bred. Hitting things, especially people, didn't sit well with her, but she did it. She had Logan's voice from a lecture he'd given her earlier running through her head while she swung her left, swung her right and back to left. "Keep your elbows in, make sure you hit with the flats of you fist, and lead with your shoulders." The whole time he was talking he would touch her, showing her how to hit and driving Hope mad. She couldn't quite focus very well when he was touching her. If she didn't quite focus Logan would instruct her on the whole thing all over again. He'd smile the whole time too, like he knew the reason why she didn't get it.
"Doc, you're not paying attention," He said, smiling at her.
"I'm calculating the odds that this is going to kill me," Hope snapped back, "Are the kids back from school yet?"
"Two more hours left, Doc. If you'd rather do something else we can go back to throws."
"God, I hate you," Hope snarled. She still had bruises from the last time Logan had tried to teach her throws, by demonstrating them on her first. She had tried her best to use the throws, but almost every time Logan would use the reversal on her and she'd end up on the ground effectively pinned. "You're movin' to slow, Doc, you gotta know what you're doing before you do it." He kept telling her, but he seemed to know what she was going to do before she did it. Infuriating. Her sessions with Ororo went better. Usually with Charles watching, she was teaching Hope how to direct and understand her powers. It was a sort of target practice mixed with heavy meditation, which left Hope exhausted, but not sore or bruised. She also had sessions with Hank. He was teaching her acrobatics and gymnastics to improve her dodging and flexibility. Hank's training left her sore, but rarely bruised and she was better at it than this. It was just combat training or maybe Logan teaching her that had Hope a little hesitant about these sessions. The first few sessions had been awkward too. Hope didn't know if that was worse than this. If someone had walked in on those first few training session they would have had to be dumb, deaf and blind to miss the tension. She had thought she'd never survive that tension, now she wondered if she'd survive the training.
"The kids do harder stuff than this with less complaining," Logan said casually, which only made Hope angrier.
"The kids are young and sprightly," Hope muttered, throwing her whole weight into her punches, "And if you make a comment on old age I'll knock you out for at least an hour."
"You've got nothin' on me, Doc, trust me." Hope paused for a second, blinking at Logan, what did he mean? He couldn't be that much older than she was, but Logan didn't give her a chance to ask, "Anyway, you've got your hands wrapped, I've got nothin' to fear." Now Hope entertained the idea of trying to channel her power through her eyes but dismissed it. If she used her power and knocked Logan out when he woke up, he'd make her train harder or longer. Both ideas were distasteful to Hope right now, so she tossed her head again, gritted her teeth and focused.
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Hope walked into the Infirmary with a towel draped around her neck, dreaming of Advil and ice packs. Her arms, shoulders and hands ached from training, but it wasn't as bad as normal. She was improving, which gave her the hope that one day it wouldn't be so bad. It actually wasn't that bad, Hope told herself, you just think it is while you're training. Hope always had a nasty temper during Logan's sessions caused by a mix of general annoyance that nothing about fighting or self-defense came easily to her, and that linger tension. Hope sighed; the man was a brilliant kisser. Hope downed the Advil, dry, and then sat in a chair. It would probably be best for her to do some stretches, keep her muscles loose and limber, but she instead grabbed a stool propped her feet up and settled in to catch some sleep. A nap would be nice, a little catch up on the sleep she was still missing from the occasional nightmare. Not that she dwelled on those nightmares, she shoved them away as part of the past that didn't matter. Hope closed her eyes, leaned her head back, and instantly felt her body start to relax. Ah, she thought, a few minutes would be nice.
"Pardon me." Hope sighed and sat up, Charles was waiting just inside the Infirmary, "Am I interrupting something?"
"Nope. Is there something I can do for you Charles?" Hope asked.
"Registration packets came today," Charles held out a manila folder, a very thick manila folder.
"From the government? Already?" Hope got up from the chair and took the file Charles offered.
"Yes, from a new division of the Department of Defense," Charles said while Hope sat back down in her chair, "The Mutant Policing Division."
"So, have you read these over?" Hope asked, scanning the seemingly endless amount of forms.
"Yes, you'll need to print the students' medical records for the last year. They're to be sent in with the registration."
"Are they sending back dog-tags as well?" Hope muttered, tossing the folder onto the counter.
"Medical i.d. cards to be carried at all times."
"So it's started then?"
"Yes it has."
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Author's Note: Cue ominous music please. Ah there we go, that's better. So, you're probably wondering what this all has to do with the plot line, not much yet, but it will, soon hopefully. Anyway, please read and review.
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