Disclaimer: I own nothing. Seriously. This is the last time I'll say it? I'm writing fanfiction. I obviously own nothing of what I am writing.
A/N: This is the next chapter, obviously. I've gotten, like, 3 votes total on the pairing thing, and not much in the way of feedback on the 'other mutant from Amity.' So I'm just gonna roll with it. Poll's open on the pairing thing for a while. I'm not gonna rush into that shitstorm.
Danny was amazed to learn who the other mutant was. Seriously, amazed. No, it wasn't Tucker, though Danny was sure the guy was a mutant given his unseemly aptitude with technology, and Xavier said he was on the 'watch' list for potential mutants.
No. It was DASH he met with Professor Xavier, Ororro and Jean Grey when they were leaving. Dash. Fucking. Baxter.
"Fenton?" he looks just as shocked as Danny felt at seeing the 'school loser' identified as a 'fellow' mutant.
"Dash." Danny said, a note of resignment in his voice. Seemed that the universe couldn't let him go to a new school without bringing the number 1 bully with him.
"Mister Baxter's parents were quite forthcoming with their concern for their son's future, and going to a prestigious private school was a step in the right direction." Charles explained in that same gentle tone he always used.
Dash and Danny both settled for ignoring each other while they boarded the plane for New York, with only a few exchanged words between them. Most of it consisted of 'you forgot to check that' or 'watch your step.'
It was, quite possibly, the least antagonistic interaction they'd had in their entire high-school careers. It was almost refreshing.
When they were seated on the small private jet, Danny chose a window seat, imagining just phasing through the wall of the plane and flying alongside. He'd never been able to keep up with planes, but it'd be better than just sitting here in the awkward silence.
Sadly, the silence did not last long as Dash's voice rang through the air and caught Danny's attention from a passing cloud. "Fenton." He said.
"What, Dash?" he asked in return.
"So… You're a Mutant, huh? How long." He asked.
"Two years." Danny answered, figuring he might as well talk. Silence never sat well with him. He liked wither conversation or at least music to keep his mind occupied and away from the probable symptoms of PTSD growing from constantly being on guard for Ghost-attacks. "You?" he finished, asking his own question.
"About two weeks. Remember when Coach Sinders had to resign due to injuries during a practice? We were hitting the tackle-dummies pretty hard, and Kwan started goofing off, calling us all 'little girls' with how 'light' we were pushing against them… Something in me just snapped, man. Sext thing I know? The whole thing is flying across the field and the coach with it. Most os us just assumed it was a Ghost-thing. But after I nearly crushed my dad giving him a hug? I figured something was wrong…" he lifted up his shirt to show what looked like resistance training gear. "Now? I have to wear this thing just so I don't break a door down when I try to open it."
For the first time in a long time, Danny felt sympathy for the Jock. Something about uncontrollable powers resonated in him, reminding him of when he first exited the Ghost Portal and couldn't control his intangibility or his invisibility… Then Dash spoke again.
"Two years, man? Is that why for a while there you were clumsier than usual?" he asked. "And why over the last two years you've gone from utter wimp to passable?" At Danny's shocked look, the jock chuckled, "I'm stupid, not blind, Fenton. You've gotten a lot better over two years, and good at hiding it, but when it comes to bodies? I know what I'm doing. Funny isn't it? I fail nearly everything, but Biology just clicks in my head, you know? Your sister said I would make an excellent Physical Therapist when my football career was done. I laughed it off, but now? Looks like I've got to do something else with my life." There was a note of depression in his voice. The idea of losing what he'd trained for years to achieve, the idea of losing everything he'd thought his future would be…
Danny could relate. "Yeah." He said at last. "My powers don't lend themselves well to physical prowess, so I had to begin working out just to keep up."
"So, what? You psychic like the smokin' hot redhead and the Prof?" Dash asked, moving to sit closer to Danny and getting a genuine smile, for what felt like the first time in weeks as he talked to Danny about the shared difficulties of being a Mutant.
"Only slightly." Danny chuckled.
Then they both realized what was going on and glared at each other.
"Don't think this makes us friends." Danny said.
"Of course not." Dash nodded, "But that doesn't mean we can't hang out every once in a while. You've done some cool stuff, Fenton. And we need to show New York how awesome people from Amity Park are." He held out his hand.
Danny looked the hand over, trying to see if he could detect any obvious trap. Finding none, he tentatively took the offer and shook. "Rivals?" he offered.
"Rivals." Dash nodded.
The rest of the flight was considerably less awkward. Landing in New York was less exciting than Danny had thought it would be. The Avenger's Tower was visible in the Skyline, along with the usual landmarks and such.
"So," Danny spoke at last once they were in the car that was to take them to the school, "Are we going to have to give some kind of demonstration or something?" he asked. He'd been dreading 'showing off' in front of Dash since he'd seen the jock. As much as he didn't mind the thought of being open with his powers and capabilities, he was also leery of letting Dash know that he was, in fact, the 'local hero' of Amity Park.
"Not to worry, Mister Fenton." Ororo said with a grin, "We're here to help you learn how to control your powers, not force you to show off."
Dash chuckled, "What's the problem, Fenton? You afraid your powers won't match up to mine?" he asked through the grin as he flexed as much as the car would allow.
"No, Flash…" the Halfa sighed, "I'm more worried about collateral damage. My powers don't lend themselves well to 'subtle.' They're very visible, and very dangerous."
Dash noticed something in Danny's voice, a note of apprehension beyond what even HE felt at the thought of being a 'freak.' He'd been one of the worst voices among the anti-mutant sentiment before the accident. Now? He was among the people he'd derided and it wasn't comfortable, but he hid it under his usual bravado…
Danny, on the other hand, seemed to want nothing more than to hide his powers beyond even what dash himself was feeling. Not out of fear that it'd come out, though that was there… No. Danny was afraid of hurting others. He'd always marked it off as a weakness of his fellow student, but now? After two years of *Hiding* his powers, powers that Dash came to realize he could probably have used to make his life a living hell, he was still afraid of them.
/End of Chapter
A/N: I know. Dash, right? But I like to think the best of people. He's not a genius, he's not particularly smart, but I like to think that he'd grow up a bit over time. 2 years is a long time to maintain a stereotype, and I knew too many jocks in High School who were great friends of mine, so I refuse to believe that just because he's not overly smart, or that he's a jock, that he can't become a decent person. And 'Rivals' is better than 'bully and victim.'