Chapter II - God Hates Me
God must hate me. Why else would a big, blue, furry teddy bear be telling me to put on spandex?
"Why is this necessary, Dr. McCoy?" the trepidation in my voice was better suited to dealing with a wild animal than with fabrics.
Even if it is spandex.
A bespectacled Beast - did I forget to mention the teddy bear wears reading glasses? - faced me, clipboard in hand, an amused expression crossing his face before answering "I assure you that these tests are a necessary step in understanding your unique mutation."
"Not the tests." I growled holding up the bizarre blue jumpsuit "The spandex."
Hank McCoy blinked before letting loose a peal of genuine mirth "You sound much as my friend Logan did when he first came here. In time he came around despite his protestations. When in Rome, Mr. Winters, do as the Romans."
The Romans can go to hell.
How had my life come to this? Two days ago I was living with my mother and little sister with none of us having ever heard the word mutant outside of old sci-fi movies. Now I'm living in mutant high with people who wear spandex as part of their educational program. People who can fly, shoot bolts of energy, change shape, or any one of an apparently infinite number of incredible abilities.
Maybe the fits were just me losing my mind.
"Hurry, Mr.Winters. Professor Xavier is no doubt waiting for us at the Danger Room. It would be remiss of us to keep him so."
Sighing I ducked behind the screen and slipped into the jumpsuit - henceforth dubbed the X-suit.
Everything else around here is X-something. X-Men, X-gene, Professor Xavier...these people need to remember that there are 25 other letters in the alphabet.
"Do you require assistance?"
"No! I'm fine!"
I swear I heard the good doctor chuckling.
Leaving the safety of the screen - after taking several deep breaths - we left for my appointment. Beast made no comment about the suit, seemingly content to lead me to this "Danger Room".
I really, really don't like that name.
A few of the other students - Berserker, Bobby, and Rahne if memory serves me - passed us leaving an early morning session in our destination. Battered and bruised Berserker still managed to chuckle at the new guy in his first set of tights.
If that's the way you want to play it...
Not a sound passed my lips as the younger of the boys quietly formed a rather impressive ball of snow in his hand nor did I say anything when he crept up on the unsuspecting Berserker with it.
The strangled yell echoed throughout the entire mansion as that aforementioned snowball went down down the back of his X-suit. It was most definitely music to my ears.
"I'm gonna kill you, Drake!"
Dr. McCoy never looked back apparently used to far more disruptive displays.
I have to admit, after watching both Beserker chasing Bobby with bolts of electricity and Beast's indifference, this place is really beginning to worry me.
Shortly we reached a large metallic door - surprise, surprise it has an X on it - that my furry tour guide stopped at but gestured for me to continue. I didn't.
"What is the matter?"
How can this teddy bear sound so ...erudite?
"What can I expect of this 'Danger Room'?" Nothing good obviously otherwise it wouldn't be called that.
"Ah. That question. The only good answer is anything and everything." Beast raised a hand to forestall my rather predictable irritated response "That is too trite, I know, but bear with me. The Danger Room is a marvel of engineering and holographic technology made expressly to simulate any situation one might encounter as one of the X-Men."
"I am not an X-Man."
"Not yet." he smiled like it was a badge of honor.
I do not like where this is going. I've been hearing nothing but stories of the adventures of the X-Men since I got here and they do not sound happy. Or particularly sane for that matter.
My reply was interrupted by the intercom kicking on "That has yet to be decided upon, Hank. For now let us concentrate on discovering the nature of his mutation."
The Danger Room door slid open.
"If you would, Mr. Winters."
Against my better judgement I enterred the apparently empty cube of a room. It was huge - 50 yards across if not more - but featureless save for an enclosed booth set high on the northern wall. Overall it doesn't look dangerous.
But looks, as they say, can be decieving.
"I am in the control booth to overlook this test. Beast will be joining me shortly. Do your best. This might be a test but it is still dangerous if you don not take it seriously."
"Thank you, Yoda, for the inspiring speech." I wonder if my sarcasm can double as verbal assault under New York law?
"Good luck, my young friend."
At least Dr.McCoy sounds like he's enjoying himself.
"Brotherhood Simulation 1, commencing."
The room changed in the blink of an eye from empty cube to a construction site. Completely. Blue sky overhead, girder skeleton of a building looming, bricks and beams lying everywhere, even a soft breeze blew through the area obscuring the reality of the Danger Room.
A quick scan of the area revealed...no one. Not a single soul, real or holographic, could be seen.
Great but there is no way I'm walking into the maze of construction. Let them come to me. If the programmed Brotherhood is anything like the stories I have heard I will not have to wait long.
They did not disappoint.
Not two minutes had passed before the first simulated Brotherhood member came barreling out from behind a cement mixer with an unused girder in his hands.
The size and strength...this must be the Blob.
"Look what we've got here, another X-geek!" Not the brightest sounding fellow but when you're holding a steel girder how bright do you need to be?
He hefted the girder with sickening flexing of muscle - if I called it a flabalanche do you think he'd hurt me? Any more than he's planning to, at least? - and began lumbering my way with earthshaking steps.
What in the hell is wrong with Professor Xavier to put me in here? I have fits not powers.
As the girder went up I thought for a moment that I was going to die but then I felt it again. The same sensation I had during the accident.
...a sparkling rain of broken glass frozen in a moment's time...Cavalier caught in the air halfway off the bridge, front end still crumpling from the truck's impact...Mother and Anna screaming silently...even as I moved, oddly calm, perfectly throughout the eternal moment...
Sidestepping the blow was easy. Standing next to the crater that could have been me the truth of my abilities began to grow clear.
Blob was eternally fighting the currents of temporal flow, battling against time. I was an eddy in the stream. A singularity wherein time became subjective to my perception.
Dodging every repeated blow of the girder I began to laugh.
Unfortunately, Lardo wasn't alone.
"Getting cocky, loser!"
The rapid fire words made it to me a second before the first blow. A second hit air as I threw myself hard to the right, tucking up and rolling to crouched position several yards away. Years of training at my uncle's hands came back instantly.
Hopefully, it will help.
Standing next to Blob was a young white haired man. Slim, sleek, and wearing white & silver spandex. Twitchy, too, like he had too much caffeine.
This must be Quicksilver. Two on one, now.
Quicksilver waved and seemed almost to disappear but I was ready for him this time. Aware now of the nature of his abilities his motion could still be seen by eyes watching through slow motion. Swifter than I - even after I entered my singularity - his punch caught me across the jaw but I was more irritated than hurt. His second attempt, on the other hand, fell into my waiting arms.
My right hand latched onto his suit just below the throat as I stepped up till the right halves of our bodies touched. His momentum bounced him off my set shoulder and a simple twist of my wrist flung him head over heels into a conveniently placed pile of bricks.
After Quicksilver went unconscious the room returned to a featureless metal cube.
"This session is over. Meet us in my office, Mr. Winters." came the Professor's authoritarian tones.
"Yes, almighty bald one."
After a quick stop to change I headed back up to the normal sections of the mansion. Every one of the younger students seemed to be out in the halls. All at the same time the new guy came through after his first session. How convenient.
Berserker, Bobby, Jubilee, Jamie, Rahne, Sam, and one or two others who's names I hadn't yet bothered to learn all milled about the central recreation area. From the mutterings I must have been a disappointment. Only a few bruises. Not much of a show really.
These guys really need a hobby.
"Show's over kids." Logan, as the Professor had called him, called from the kitchen doorway sounding none too happy with them.
Of course, I think he always sounds that way.
"Go find something to do or I'll find something for you to do."
You'd think that they all had super speed the way they scattered. Not that I can blame them. No one in their right mind would ever willingly get on Wolverine's bad side.
He jerked his head towards Xavier's office, brushing the remains of his meal off his hands "Chuck's waiting for ya, kid."
I nodded and went on my way.
At least this office doesn't have an X on the door, I thought one hand poised to knock.
"Come in, Ryan."
Telepaths suck.
Once again I found myself sitting before Xavier - the first time in the two days I had been here. Beast sat next to me scribbling notes furiously on his clipboard. Both had interest written across their faces. One tempered with enthusiasm, the other with a somber overcast.
Care to guess which had which?
"First I must say that you did very well for your first time in the Danger Room. Extraordinarily so." Professor Xavier leaned forward, lacing his fingers together "Where did you learn hand to hand techniques, Ryan?"
You think they could have asked before the session.
"My uncle Hugh started teaching me how to fight when I was five years old. Liutentenant Colonel Hugh Reynolds." I couldn't help grinning and tapping my foot at the memories of that old man "He's Mother's uncle."
"Your great uncle taught you how to defend yourself?" Xavier sounded almost surprised as if he had not been reading my mind.
Perhaps he wasn't but I can't trust someone who can read my every thought.
"My goodness! The man must be in his sixties at the very least." exclaimed Dr. McCoy - who's astonishment I am far more inclined to believe.
I wonder if they'd be this excited if I told them that the Colonel is a lunatic? A seventy-two year old man getting you up at five every morning for that ten mile run is a little unusual.
Lazily eyeing a cardinal perched outside the window I halfheartedly replied to their questions - mostly about my health, exercise regimen, eating habits, etc. It was like a doctor's interview.
Without the turn your head and cough routine anyway.
Half an hour later they got to the interesting, and disturbing, lines of conversation.
Professor Xavier, relaxing now with a cup of coffee by the window, watched something below the window's edge but his mind remained on me.
"Beast and I have come to the same opinion, Mr. Winters. We would have you join a new team of the X-Men consisting of several new students. All close to your age. All possessed of remarkable talents."
Clipboard, for once, set down Dr. McCoy watched me with an intent gleam from amidst the azure fur of his visage "I think you should consider this offer heavily. The chance to train your abilities to their maximum potential is not one to lightly cast aside. Practice makes perfect and nowhere can one learn their worth better than in defense of mankind."
Shifting forward I placed my forearms upon my lap face carefully frozen. The offer is not unexpected but it is most certainly unwelcome. How can one expect me to go off galivanting and fighting the good fight? I am no hero. I just want control.
Of course what I said was significantly less eloquent.
"What a crock of shit!" both sat stock still at the vehement proclamation "You want me to be the knight in shining spandex? Go fight the Brotherhood and this Magneto guy? You've got to be fucking kidding me!"
Silenced reigned for several moments as they swallowed my words.
The Professor spoke crisply "I assure we are not kidding you. We take our role quite seriously and - as I respect your opinion - I ask that you respect our decisions as well."
I think I touched a nerve with that one. Poor sod.
"Yes. Well," Beast spoke quickly and soothingly as if to defuse the situation "perhaps it is still too early to expect such things from Mr. Winters. He has only recently arrived and has had precious little time to settle in. Let us leave this matter till a future day wherein we are all in a better temper."
In other words - till I can be civil. I don't give a rat's ass if they don't like the way I talk. Or act, for that matter.
"Yes. Perhaps that would be for the best, Hank." Xavier said wearily as he massaged his temples "You may go, Ryan."
"Aye, Captain."
Who says I know nothing of diplomacy?
Nodding my farewell of Beast I left. I did not make it as far as I had hoped.
"Hey, kid."
Wolverine sat alone on one of the sofas in the rec room, a beer in one hand and the remote in the other. I still don't know why he dresses like the Bounty paper towels guy.
"I heard what you said and you're right. It all sounds like a crock full of it." he paused to take a drink "I didn't buy the hero bit either when I first came here. Still don't most days but it's not about being a hero. It's about caring enough about something to fight for it. To protect it with everything you've got. Even if you have to spill your guts for it."
Logan craned his head to look me in the eyes "Take it from an old Canuck, bub. With power like yours you will have to fight some day. Whether or not it's on your terms is the choice. Think about it."
With that he went back to his shows and left me standing there wrapped in my thoughts. Thoughts turned now to the reality of my powers and the chains they bound me in.
As the old saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. How true that would seem so shortly. Much to my sorrow.