Bow down to Homo Superior, you low-born creatures, for I am Magneto and I proclaim that the Author does not and has never owned the rights to the characters featured in this story!

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Chapter Eleven

Spiked

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The crowd roared as Evan Daniels caught the ball and dribbled it down the court, expertly weaving past the opposing team before faking a pass and throwing the ball high. The ball arced through the air and hit the ring of the net, bouncing off it, hitting the backboard and landing in the net, dropping down just as the half-time whistle sounded.

Ororo rose to her feet, applauding her nephew's skill. Grinning, he jogged over to them.

"Hey mom, Aunty O. Glad you made it."

"Good equaliser, Evan." Ororo smiled and Evan shrugged.

"Yeah. Shame we've lost one of our better players. Pietro may be an arrogant ass and all-round git, but he knew how to play. Shame his dad pulled him out of NY. Odd though, since he left, no-one's broken into my locker."

Ororo raised her eyebrow at that. "You think it was him?"

"Dunno." Evans shrugged, then turned as his coach shouted at him. "Sorry, gotta go!"

"Vivian," Ororo said slowly, "Who is this… Pietro that Evans talks of?"

"Pietro Maximoff, one of his team-mates. White boy, silver hair, impatient as anything and holds grudges until they die from old age." Vivian shrugged. "With him gone, Even's the current star."

Ororo grinned as the game restarted, then she gasped as one of the opposing players, irritated by Evan intercepting the pass, swung at him, sending him flying. Time seemed to slow and Ororo's eyes widened as she saw a dark spike emerge from Evan's elbow, digging into the floor before it dislodged, having brought Evan to a stop.

Ororo stared at the small, unnoticed bone spur as it lay on the floor.

Her nephew was a mutant.

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"Are you sure?" Vivian asked, glancing across to where Evan was being congratulated by several members of his team. Ororo held up the bone spike that she had retreived by means of carefully-directed breezes.

"I saw him extend this from his elbow." She said. "Look at him, he's fine, I don't even know if he realises that he did it, but he did. Evan has the X-gene, and it's activated."

Vivian looked across at her son, her face a miure of emotions. "Does that mean…"

"If he wants, he can have a position at Xaviers." Ororo confirmed. "He'll learn to use his powers, to control them. Do you mind if I talk to him about it at tea-time?"

"Sure." Vivian shrugged. "But I warn you, he's stubborn as anything."

"Maybe I should wait for tea." Ororo allowed. "I brought dessert."

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"Oh my god." Vivian sighed. "Where did you get that cake?"

"Martha made it." Ororo said, leaning back and looking almost regretfully at the final few slices in the middle of the table, wishing that she had just that little bit of space left for it.

"Martha?"

"Clark's mother. Clark is a fellow tutor at the Institute, his mother is the best cook ever." Ororo said. "Logan watches his manners around her, she once banned him from the cookie jar after he swore in her presence, he apologised almost at once."

Vivian's eyes widened as she remembered who Logan was. "No way!"

Before she could continue, Ororo turned to her nephew. "Evan, I saw something very interesting during the match today. You're a mutant, like me."

Evan froze and Ororo pulled the bone spike out of her pocket.

"It seems that you have activated a unique power."

Evan snorted. "Yeah, right. Bone spikes, not like it'll make me Superman."

"It's still a power that you should learn to control."

"You worry too much, Aunty O." Evans stated, "I've got it perfectly under – AAAchoo!"

Ororo's reflexes were the only thing that let her dodge the two bone spikes that sliced through the space where she had been sitting, while another seven embedded themselves into the wall. After a moment, Ororo returned to her seat and sent a speaking look at her nephew.

"It was an accident." Evan protested. "Aside from that sneeze, I have it under control. I'm not going to that Institute."

"What would it take to persuade you otherwise?" Ororo asked and Evan snorted.

"I dunno. Maybe Superman telling me that he works there?"

Ororo managed to hide her amusement.

"So, let me get this straight. The only way you will consider going to study at Xavier's Institute is if Superman himself, a hero who many people don't actually believe exists, comes here and personally tells you that he is a staff member at the institute. Is that about it?"

Evan nodded firmly and Ororo stroked her chin in thought.

"That would be an almost certain no, then."

"You got it, Aunty O." Evan stated. "I'll only go if Superman appears and tells me that he teaches there, and I haven't heard you mention him at all in your discussions with mom. I think I'm safe."

Evan paused and looked at the remains of the cake though. "Although I might be missing out on the food. Oh well, small price to pay. Thanks for the cake, but I gotta go, meeting up with my friends. See ya!"

Vivian and Ororo watched Evan leave, then Vivian turned to her sister.

"Ororo, I've seen that look on your face before. You are planning something. What is it?"

Ororo gave in to temptation and smirked. "Superman does work at the institute. His mother provided the cake. And since he can fly at mach 4 and above, I think that he can easily drop by and introduce himself, once I call him and explain."

Vivian froze, her face a curious mixture of astonishment, disbelief and amusement.

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"Hey, what the hell? Get me down! Wha's happening?"

Xavier raied a querying eyebrow as he pulled up just in front of the white-haired youth who was suspended half a meter above the path. A quick glance round spotted the tell-tale glow of the crystalline emitters that had generated the localised grav-field that had captured the intruder.

"Good evening."

"Aw hell. Charles Xavier himself." The boy moaned. "Damn, how the heck did it get this bad?"

"You seem to have me at a slight disadvantage." Xavier said with a slight smile. "You know my name, but I have yet to learn yours."

"His name is Quicksilver." A voice said, and Charles turned to look at the person walking up the driveway. "My apologies, he decided to disobey my instructions."

"Mystique." Charles said courteously. Mystique nodded, then glanced round in a manner that most people would have thought of as casual.

"Superman is currently helping save a ferry off the coast of Spain." Xavier said. "He should be back in a few hours."

"Thank you." Mystique said, relaxing slightly. "I apologise for the actions of the newest member of my group. I warned him to keep clear of the Mansion, but he refused to listen to me."

Xavier shrugged. "Well, he gave me a chance to evaluate the security systems of the mansion, and they seem to work."

"How?" Quicksilver protested. "I'm too fast for security systems, how did this one get me?"

"It uses optical technology." Xavier said. "Even you cannot outrun light. Computer, lower intruder, designate intruder as Quicksilver, store X-gene signature and intercept if he moves in any direction except towards the main gate."

"Confirmed." A mechanical female voice said and Quicksilver suddenly dropped to the ground, landing on his ass.

"Ow!"

Mystique's eyes widened. "You… you've scanned his X-gene?"

"Actually, I think we now have his entire DNA on record." Xavier said with a smile. "Computer, cross-reference Quicksilver's DNA against all other mutants on database. Report any links."

"That'll take days." Quicksilver sneered, then his expression froze as the voice spoke.

"Search complete. Subject Quicksilver identified as Pietro as son of Eric Lensherr, also known as Magneto. Confirmed as brother of Wanda Maximoff. Mother unconfirmed, high probability Magda Maximoff, non-mutant, deceased."

Quicksilver stared in shock at the small console set into the arm of Xavier's wheelchair, as did Mystique.

"You… You're Magneto's son? She snarled. "When were you going to tell me that? When was he going to tell me?"

"I admit, it was rather unexpected." Xavier noted. "Pietro, you may want to leave, now."

Pietro swallowed and pulled himself to his feet, before vanishing in a silver-and-blue blur, leaving a slight dust trail through the gates. Xavier turned his attention to Mystique.

"It would seem that you were unaware of young Pietro's parentage, Raven." Xavier noted. "I apologise, I did not expect that revelation."

"Neither did I." Mystique said. "I admit to being impressed, though. This is the first time that Quicksilver has apparently failed to simply out-pace any security system. You have my compliments, this place is far more secure than I imagined. Is it because of… him?"

"Superman?" Xavier said with a smile. "Yes, he has proven himself to be a valuable asset to the Institute. It is because of him that Kurt can attend school."

Mystique nodded slowly. "Then for that, he has my thanks. Please tell him that should he ever tire of this place, the Brotherhood would be overjoyed to have him join."

"Slight problem with that." Xavier smiled. "The Brotherhood is comprised of Mutants, yes?"

"Of course." Mystique said, her voice reflecting her confusion.

"Superman is not a mutant." Xavier said. "He does not have the X-gene, he got his powers a different way."

Mystique froze, her expression shocked.

"So you see," Xavier continued, "He has no reason at all to follow the philosophy of mutant superiority that you and Eric follow. Now, you may wish to return to the Brotherhood, so I wish you good day. And should you ever decide you can no longer follow my old friend, we will be happy for you to join our ranks."

"…thank you." Mystique managed as she turned and strode away. Xavier watched her leave, then turned back to the mansion.

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"What?"

"Xavier just confirmed that Superman isn't a mutant." Mystique repeated into her phone. "Apparently, Superman does not have the X-gene. He got his powers a different way."

"This is unthinkable!" Magneto raged. "So much power, and he is merely an enhanced human!"

"That is what it seems like." Mystique said. "He designed the security used by the mansion, security which caught your son."

"How could that… wait. My son?"

"Your son, Pietro Maximoff, son of Eric Lensherr and Magda Maximoff." Mystique said. "Xavier was kind enough to inform me of Pietro's parentage when I went to retrieve him."

There was a long silence from the phone.

"Eric, I still follow your lead, but why didn't you tell me?"

There was another long pause before Magneto responded.

"I was testing my son to see if he could keep secrets. His speed makes him an almost perfect courier for vital messages that I do not want intercepted, but couriers need to be trustworthy."

"I see." Mystique said thoughtfully. "While he is here, though, whose command is he under?"

"Yours, of course." Magneto responded almost instantly. "I told him that he is to obey you. It will do him good to learn to take orders from someone who knows what needs to be done."

"Thank you, Magneto." Mystique said, smiling. "And if he disobeys my orders?"

"Then punish him as you see fit, my dear. By the way, my sources have discovered another mutant, one who is invulnerable and with great strength. His name is Fred Dukes, although some call him Blob, and his power may help against this… freak. He will be arriving from Texas in a few days."

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"Evan, can you come out here for a moment?"

"Sure thing, Aunty O." Even shouted and a moment later he appeared at the back door. "Whatcha want?"

"Come here."

Evan shrugged and walked over. "Okay, I'm here."

"Good." Ororo smiled. "Now, look up."

"Sure." Evan muttered. "What am… I… oh. My."

"Hello." Said the descending figure. "I guess you know who I am."

"S… superman…" Evan managed, astonishment overwhelming him. Superman nodded as he landed.

"Yes. Superman. I heard that you've been offered a place in Xavier's Institute. Since I'm one of the tutors there, I look forwards to helping to teach you to master your powers soon."

Evan stared in shock. "You… teach… at…"

"I do." Superman said. "I primarily help those new to their powers learn how to use them in ways that don't put others at risk. Since I'm almost invulnerable and immune to most powers, it's the perfect job for me."

"When you're not rescuing boats, repairing collapsing dams, re-directing volcanic explosions and so on." Storm interjected.

Evan stared at them for a moment before speaking. "Aunty O, is there a word for those moments where you want to cheer and curse at the same time?"

"Why?"

"Cheer because… it's Superman! And I can get lessons from him! That's really cool. Curse because I promised I'd go only if Superman was teaching there, and you didn't tell me that he actually was."

"You don't have to go if you don't want to." Superman said, and Even looked at him as if he was crazy.

"And miss being taught by Superman? Are you nuts?"

"No, I'm Superman." Came the instant response and Evan facepalmed.

"Walked right into that one."

Ororo started to laugh and Superman smiled.

"I'll probably see you in a few days. Now if you'll excuse me, I promised to take my sister out to the cinema."

Evan stared as Superman vanished into the darkening night, then turned to Ororo.

"Aunty O… Superman has a sister?"