Long Have I Lived
Chapter 2
Well, it was going to be a oneshot... oops. It is too compelling a world to ignore.
-x
"You should see this class, Chuck. Smart, fast, talented- everything we've trained them to be. But what a bunch of goof offs. It's like having Kurt and Evan and Remy back. All three of them, at the same time. Even Kendy is having a hard time with their sense of humor. They got me today- they went low tech. Seriously, a bucket of water, and a door. Not even Kurt and Remy got me like that. I told them all I didn't care which one did it, they were all going to catch it this time and that I was so mad at them I couldn't even hand out punishments tonight, I'd have them in the morning. Let them think about it over night. Yeah, I was trembling, but because I was trying not to laugh. I already know what they'll get- everyone has to write ten times 'We will not waterbucket The Wolverine' and email it to me. Odd are, someone will type it up, copy it, and send it to everyone so they can forward it to me.
"But when they have to be, they can be serious in a second, all of them. So serious, so intense. I look at those kids, and it's like a time machine. Their powers, their personalities- they remind me of the first couple classes. It almost makes me believe in reincarnation. I keep waiting for you to suddenly show up one morning in a new body and start eating breakfast with me and the kids.
"Yeah, I still eat in the dining hall. I know I don't have to, but I love these kids. Since 'Ro died, I don't know how I'd make it more than a few days without them. They know I'm the headmaster, but once they get over the big honor of eating with 'Headmaster Wolverine', I'm just one of the guys. They keep me young, and they keep me sane, Chuck. I think you were the same way; hope you were. I don't even want to know how feral I'd be now without them, even with Laura and Kendy there.
"I know you hate to hear this kind of thing, but there are days when I think I've lived to long, or maybe just remembered too much. I know I've thanked you before for saving the mad beast that howled at the world from himself.
"What else should you know about...
"The new Star Jammer is about to return from trials. She's a good ship, nimble and small and tough; I wish you could see her, I remember how much you liked to fly. We think she'll go from ground to jump altitude in under ten minutes, it's a hotrod. I'm going to send some of the seniors with her this spring, for their final term. Not all of them have deep space experience, it will be good for them. Some diplomacy, some trade, some boarder patrol. You had it easy. You only had to worry about one world most of the time.
"We're also thinking real hard about finally tearing down the Rodgers building. It's the oldest building left on the campus- I hate to do it, but maybe it's time. The kids are against it, they keep trying to come up with schemes to save Cap Hall. You two and the first class, they look up to you all. Hell, I still look up to the bunch of ya', and I knew you bad moods and hangovers and all." He grinned. "But I'm always going to be short."
A dull thrumming sound cut through the air. With a habit born of long experience, Logan turned and watched as one of the Xavier Institutes's nineteenth generation Blackbirds lifted into the night, winging out over the ocean, then another. First night flight for some of the pilots- they'd be fine, Talon and Bluejay were good teachers and good pilots. Great X-men.
They'd better be- he'd taught them both.
Logan turned back to grave of the first headmaster. "Training flight means it is 2110 or so. I've got a deans-and-admin exercise tonight. Should run about four hours over the time estimate. Let's see if they can save the world and still have this place run normally tomorrow."
He'd stopped those trainings for a while, but he'd had to change his mind. First he noticed his uniform was tight- he'd worn the same size pants for over a century, and he'd had to let his belt out a little. Then he had the horrible realization- he was slowing down. He'd looked around, and there were X-men who were looking soft and soggy. Nuh-uh, not on his watch. He'd started with some soft cajoling and setting a good example, and moved up to shouting and chair tossing and ass kicking for one or two who could take in in the helpful spirit it was intended.
There could only be three kinds of X-men: students, instructors, and heroes. No bench warmers, no console cowboys, not even deans and department heads and accountants and such could fail to excel. If you were mundane, that was fine- Logan had found a good price on exoframes. Wearing the X had always meant something, and more so every year it seemed. So some times things weren't run as smoothly as they could have been, or it seemed like there were three people were two could serve- just as in early years, instructors typically spent three to four hours a day training.
As Logan walked towards the cemetery gate, he stopped frequently. A touch, a soft word, a reassurance about grades of a child or grandchild, a friend's teasing banter. As always, he knelt and kissed Ororo's marker- he came out here two or three times a day for that, if nothing else. A soft breeze, warm for this time of year, stroked his back and hair as he passed through the gates.
He'd known a lot of heroes.
-Author's notes:
Logan's old, not many left who can remember the first class. Really, just him, Laura, and few other near immortals. Xavier, Scott, maybe one other, those are really the only ones who've sat in the big chair in the office in the Mansion. Good thing he's got those shoulders.
And Bluejay is so called because he is bluer than both his famous great grandfathers. BJ has an solid family tree- 4th generation X-man, and he's added to the future. He doesn't want to fight, he's a peace maker. He thinks of fighting as the next to last resort. He can if he has to- if you leave him no choice, he'll tear your spine out and beat you with it. Then puke and have bad dreams for a month.
And it doesn't matter. You can be one the X-men, trained as a warrior, diplomat and scientist, one of the most elite defenders the Earth has ever seen. Or you can be the guy who makes sure they have enough toilet paper. The universe doesn't make a distinction, both can stop a blade, bullet, or beam just as easily. You wear the X, you get trained. The Second Interplanetary War (or the Third, or possibly the First Intersystem War, depends on the historian) had them pushing invaders out of the halls and fields, from their homes and gardens when the Institute became as much a target as Kenya Port, Tolansky Field and Xi Tsu'an Station.