Chapter 15

A part of the group

At the institute

Charles had been thinking about Dean, how could he do the things he does without an x-gene? It was mind boggling. The only term that he could use was a freak of nature. Imagine if he had an x-gene, he would be a one of a kind species. A hybrid.

As Charles rolled through the mansion past the lounge he overheard Dean and Kurt talking.

It seemed that those two had connected somehow. He found them sitting in the lounge along with Kitty.

"Codename?" Dean queried.

"Yeah" Kurt confirmed, "We all have codenames. Well except for Rogue but that's because she won't tell anyone her real name"

"Why is she so secretive?" Dean asked.

Kurt shrugged, "Beats me"

Dean looked at Kitty hoping for an answer.

"She's not exactly like the most open person in the world" Kitty said.

For some reason the Goth intrigued Dean but he pushed those thoughts aside, "Tell me some of the codenames" Dean said.

"Mine is Nightcrawler. Scott is Cyclops. Jean is Marvel girl. Kitty is Shadowcat. Even Logan goes by Wolverine" Kurt said.

"What's the Prof's codename, wheels?" Dean joked.

That made Kurt and Kitty laugh.

"No silly, he's Professor X" Kitty said.

"What's the point of them anyway?" Dean asked. He never bothered to ask when he was with Hydra, but he did wonder from time to time.

Charles rolled in, "Your codename is meant to define you" he joined the conversation.

"Plus it's something to call you like during missions" Kitty said.

"See what you can come up with, I'll return shortly" Charles said.

"I don't have a clue where to begin" Dean said.

"Then we'll help you. Won't we Kitty?" Kurt asked the phasing mutant.

That idea perked up Kitty, "Yeah like sure"

Charles found Storm in the infirmary reviewing all the data he obtained from his tests on Dean.

"How's it going Ororo?" Charles asked.

"I measured and weighed Dean. Now from that I can tell his body is denser than a human of equivalent size"

Charles nodded in understanding, "What else have you ascertained so far?"

"He has perfect vision," Ororo replied. "His lens can seemingly adjust to any distance and Logan might have some competition in the sense of smell department"

Charles raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think Dean even realized his sense of smell was superior until when we were talking and he mentioned the slight smell of sulphur that follows Kurt about" Ororo said.

"What smell?" Charles asked. He knows when Kurt teleports there is a sulphurous smell but it dissipates quickly.

Ororo smiled "Exactly. It is so faint that few people pick it up but Logan mentioned it to me that he does"

Charles made a mental note to tell Logan. It might be possible to teach Dean to use that ability in the same way Logan does.

"It's a good thing you found him when you did. I hate to think what Magneto would have done if he had recruited him" Ororo said.

"So do I" Charles said. Eric has his ways of twisting an individual's mind.

"Dean does seem quite interested in knowing the extents of his abilities" Ororo had observed.

"Indeed, the boy reminds me of Logan. In more ways than one" Charles said.

"He definitely has his arrogant attitude" Ororo mentioned.

In the meantime, Kurt and Kitty were still thinking about what Dean's codename would be.

"Ok, let's just brainstorm facts about me" Dean said.

"Ok well let's see." Kurt said.

"You're like supernatural" Kitty said.

Charles found the teens right where he left them, "Any luck?"

"Nothing yet" Kitty said.

"We can't find something that really sticks" Dean said.

Charles pondered on the idea of what codename would suit him, "Normally codenames reflect the person's ability but you have various which make it difficult"

Dean became frustrated, "Prof you said that our codename is meant to define us, but I let my actions define me"

A metaphorical lightbulb lit up in Charles's head, "Perhaps that's the answer. The other have their mutant powers, but you have your skills and technique. You follow the path of the Warrior, therefore that is what you are"

"Hey I kinda like that" Kitty said.

"Yeah, it totally matches" Kurt said enthusiastically.

Dean thought about it, "I like it, Warrior it is"

Elsewhere

A light brown haired teenager, John Allerdyce, was minding his own business, playing with his favorite zippo lighter outside of his school.

To be fair he was supposed to be inside but he decided to play hooky.

Two guys approached him.

"Hey pal, can I have a light?" The first one said with a cigarette in his mouth.

John chuckled, "Take a hike"

They looked at him weirdly, "I just need a light man, it's no big deal"

"Well go get it somewhere else" John said with a cocky grin.

"My brother asked you a simple question" the second one said.

"Why you being such a dick?" the first one said.

"Yeah, why you being such a dick?" the second one asked.

"Because I can" John laughed as he opened and closed his zippo lighter.

"Can I have a light?" The first one asked again.

John opened his zippo lighter, turned the flint wheel, ignited the flame, and stared at it for a second as if he were contemplating his decision. He then closed the zippo, "Sorry can't help you out pal"

The first guy grabbed his lighter and took it.

"Hey!" John got up from where he was siting.

The second guy got in his way as the first one lit his cigarette.

"That's real cute man" John said glaring at him.

"What're you gonna do?" The second guy asked.

John stood there staring at them. They were bigger than him, and there was two of them.

"Suddenly you're not so tough" The first guy said as he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

John smirked, that didn't matter. He took a step back, playfully winked at the first guy, and the cigarette burst into flames lighting his sleeve on fire.

The first guy fell as he tried to put the fire out.

John laughed at the sight, "You play with fire and you'll get burned asshole"

Back at the Institute

Dean was about to have his first training session with the rest of the X-men and he was getting his own uniform.

The X-men had gathered in the Danger Room and were now waiting for Dean to change into his new outfit.

The mood suddenly changed when Dean walked in.

He wore black pants, a belt buckle with a red X on it, custom black boots, a black vest that had a red X on the back, and fingerless gloves that had metal semi-circles by the knuckles. It was all the same material as the normal X-man uniforms except not as tight.

Dean wasn't wearing anything under the vest so it showed off his physique which looked like it was molded like a sculpture.

"So guys what do you think?" Dean asked his teammates.

"Looking good" Kurt said giving him a thumbs up.

"It's original, I like it" Evan said genuinely.

Jean gave him a one over, "It suits you, Warrior"

Rogue walked up to him and examined the vest, "Don't you think you're a little exposed?"

She did have a point though, under the vest was just his bare skin.

"I'm used to being exposed when I'm fighting" Dean said.

"Now that we're all here we can start" Logan said through the mic. He activated one of the simplest programs. Run around the track and try not to be hit while overcoming various obstacles placed in your way.

"Why are we doing this program again?" Evan asked Logan seeing as how they've done this so many times.

"Because I said so Porcupine that's why" Logan replied in his no nonsense way. Seriously Spyke's attitude of late was trying Logan's patience to the limit.

"Shades you're up first" Logan said.

Dean watched as the varying X-men attacked the course in their own unique way utilizing their powers. He was wondering how easy it would be if he had a projectile to shoot like Scott or Evan.

But as he watched Rogue complete it in a pretty impressive time he could see that that excuse is not going to wash. On her belt were these pouches with little things like smoke pellets and these flying discs. They were for people, like her, whose powers were passive in nature.

His turn seemed to come around all too quickly. Logan called his name and he stepped up to the starting line.

This is where Logan became particularly interested.

As Dean started his run Logan's first impression was that Dean still seemed to be adjusting faster to this than he would expect. The boy was definitely hiding something about his past beyond his time in Alberta, there was no doubt about that.

There was just something oddly familiar about how he moved and fought. Like he'd seen it before, or better yet fought someone like that. Logan's sure it'll come to him.

Dean was almost at the end when out of the floor came a 20 foot high metal wall blocking his path.

He jumped at the wall on his right as high as he could then pushed off of it to propel him upward and land at the top of the other piece.

Dean then leaped off the wall and landed with grace before sprinting for the finish line.

Logan stopped the clock in his hand noting the time, "Not bad kid...for your first go"

"Not bad? He rocked!" Kurt proclaimed in support of his new friend.

"Thanks Kurt" Dean said genuinely.

Once everyone had run the course Logan decided on a team building simulation, one the X-men were familiar with. That was climbing up a mountain to claim the flag, same thing they had to do the day they faced the Juggernaut.

There was a shimmer that encompassed the whole room until the cold metal transformed into a grass covered field at the base of a mountain.

Dean was kind of in awe, he never saw the holographic abilities of the Danger Room. How it did this was another question, it all seemed so real.

"Is this a hologram?" Dean asked out loud.

"Forge calls it hard-light" Kurt said in relation to the person who created the technology, "He tried to explain to me how it worked but it went way over my head"

"Oh it's not that complicated really" Kitty said. She was a bit of a computer worm so she understood some of this.

"Not to you maybe but we're not all straight A students" Evan said.

Dean turned his attention upward. Ok he knows how high the room really is but at the moment this mountain looks really, really high, "Let's do this"

Elsewhere

The first guy, who was on the ground, tried putting out the fire on his sleeve but it wouldn't go out.

"Not so tough now are you?" John waved his hand and the flames engulfed his entire upper body.

The first guy began to scream as the flames charred his flesh.

The second guy grabbed John by his shirt, "What the hell did you do to my brother?!"

"Made him a human barbeque!" John willed the flames from the first guy to expand and travel to the second guy's back.

The second guy threw off his jacket in response, "What are you—you freak?!" he backed away in fear.

The first guy stopped screaming as the flames that were on him faded, leaving him unconscious.

John went to grab his lighter but then suddenly it floated up into the air, "Huh?"

The lighter then flew into a person's hand. The person was a tall old man in a black coat and a black hat that covered his face.

"Quite a talent you have there" The old man said amusingly.

"Who're you?" John asked.

"Someone who doesn't like being treated like the weaker species, like you" The old man said.

The second guy went to run away but the old man waved his hand and the gold chain around the guy's neck tightened and kept him in place.

"You have powers like me" John realized.

"Yes, very much so" The old man dragged the guy back in front of John, "This one tried to take what was yours?"

John glared at the guy who was standing there petrified, "Yes he did" he said with hate in his voice.

"It's humans like him that try and take what they want because they think they have power" The old man willed the zippo to float over to John, "Show him what true power is"

John opened his lighter and willed the flame from his lighter to expand and engulf the guy completely.

Like his brother, the guy started screaming from the pain.

"What's your name?" The old man asked.

"John" he said.

"You're a god among insects John, never let anyone tell you different" The old man said.

The Danger Room

A few minutes later they completed the exercise.

Dean was the first one up there since they weren't supposed to use their powers. If they did Kurt would have definitely been first because he could just teleport to the top of the Mountain.

"It seems I've got the best physical abilities here" Dean proclaimed.

"Yeah definitely, but if I used my powers I would have won easily" Kurt replied with a smile.

"Don't get too confident yet kid, let's see how your teamwork skills are" Logan warned trying not to allow Dean to get ahead of himself.

Dean could be a little arrogant and cocky which was surprising considering how many different ways Logan had come up with to knock him on his ass.

Dean then he turned to his teammates, "Ok then. So what's the deal with this simulation?"

"The aim is to stay alive and make sure the team stays alive" Scott said bluntly.

As Scott said that plasma turrets appeared. Along with giant saw blades and drones that fly up into the air.

Dean was surprised at how many things they started out with.

Evan pat him on the shoulder, "Welcome to hell man"

The X-men readied themselves as the first wave of drones flew at them.

Cyclops shot a couple of them with his optic blasts.

Marvel Girl moved them with her telekinesis and made them crash into each other.

Spyke shot his bone spikes and took out the rest of them.

That's when wave 2 hit them from the other direction.

"Incoming!" Shadowcat shouted as she noticed them.

That finally snapped Warrior out of his boredom as he turned around and focused on a drone that was shooting at him.

Problem here is he can't shoot it down and its way too high for him to jump up and smash it.

Warrior noticed some incoming saw blades and dodged them. As he dodged them though an idea struck him, he grabbed one of the saw blades that was on the ground and threw it like a discus at the drone slicing it in half.

'I guess I can try and use their weapons against them' Warrior thought.

The team finished the rest of the drones and that's when the plasma turrets aimed at them.

"Spread out!" Cyclops yelled as the turrets began the barrage of plasma.

Warrior started running making it fairly easy to dodge the blasts.

Everyone else sort of made a circle to protect each other's backs.

A plasma blast grazed by Spyke's arm, "Dam!"

Cyclops blasted the turret that did it, "On your toes Spyke. Shadowcat draw their fire"

Shadowcat broke the circle and used herself as bait. Whenever the plasma blasts came close they phased through her.

While the turrets were occupied the rest of the X-men had less trouble destroying the turrets.

Warrior caught on to the tactic. He jumped up and smashed the preoccupied turret and continued on doing this.

'It's a good thing I told the Prof to cushion these gloves and boots or that would have stung like a bitch' Warrior thought.

Rogue threw one of her flying disks into a plasma turret sending a small electric shock, disabling it.

A different turret shot her in the leg making her fall down from the sudden surge of pain, "Darn it"

Warrior quickly noticed this and shattered the turret with a powerful kick. Right after he spotted a turret fire a couple of buzz saws at her.

In just a few seconds Warrior grabbed Rogue and moved out of the way. He offered Rogue a helping hand, "You ok?"

Rogue got up rubbing her leg where she was hit, "Oh I'm just dandy" she grumbled.

Warrior then spotted another turret appear behind her so he ran past her and in an instant he crushed it with his bare hands.

Rogue was amazed at how fast Dean reacted to all of this, so amazed that she didn't notice something incoming.

Warrior heard something big move behind him. He looked to Rogue and spotted a giant spiked ball coming straight for her.

"Watch out!" Warrior shouted as he sprinted as fast as he could. He pushed Rogue out of the way and the giant spiked ball collided onto him.

Warrior was knocked back and left a dent in the ball, 'Well that went well...not'

In the observation room Logan couldn't help but laugh his ass off.

Warrior rose to his feet to see that the others were doing better than he was, meaning they aren't getting squashed by giant spiked balls.

After all the turrets were destroyed the floor opened up in the center of the Danger room and giant metal tentacles came out.

'Very creative' Warrior thought.

Up in the observation room, Logan was watching.

Seems they will have to fix that spiked ball.

Dean may be the most skilled one out of the teens but how he handles himself in a team is another thing entirely hence adding him to this little Danger Room session.

"How is our Warrior fairing" Charles asked as he rolled in.

Logan laughed, "He's hilarious"

Charles looked down to see some members of the X-men wrapped up in the tentacles and the rest making quick work of them. He then spotted Dean ripping a tentacle off with his bare hands.

An hour after it started the X-men were panting but besides that they seemed to be ok. Three different exercises can do that.

The only one that didn't look tired was Dean.

The doors opened and Logan walked in, "Well congratulations," he said in a tone that made it hard to know whether he actually meant that or not, "That's the first time you managed to complete the exercise in under a full hour. Maybe next time we can step it up a notch or two"

Most of them groaned with premonitions of further pain.

Dean's eyes widened at the revelation, 'It gets even better?'

"Dean" Logan gruffly snapped out to get the kid's attention, "Your aim is good and your teamwork is partially-existent so that about puts you on a par with the others"

"C'mon I was great" Dean argued.

"Really?" Logan asked skeptically, "That why there's a Dean shaped dent in that metal sphere because you're so good now" He sarcastically commented with a cheeky grin.

Dean stayed silent while Rogue felt a little embarrassed.

"Well that is us done for the day" Logan informed them, "Get cleaned up and ready for dinner"

Everyone marched out of the Danger Room heading towards the changing rooms.

"I think you did well for your first day" Scott said optimistically.

As the leader of the X-men Scott knew he couldn't treat Dean differently just because he gets Jean's attention.

"Yeah, but next time I could go without getting hammered by a giant spike ball" Dean complained feeling sore.

"Did you even break a sweat man?" Evan asked him since unlike the rest of them there was no sign of perspiration on him.

"I barely ever sweat" Dean replied.

Rogue's gaze drifts to Dean. It wasn't hard to miss how well Dean built at any time in whatever he wears but in that uniform….she shook her head, 'God what am I thinking?' she wondered.

She knows where thoughts like that can only lead to, her being heartbroken. She hasn't even noticed the little look over Dean was giving her.

Dean knows that they train daily here, and it shows on Rogue. Her body was more toned than the other girls and in that uniform it really showed.

After getting changed and eating dinner the group all headed back up to their rooms. It was getting late so they were all getting ready to sleep.

Dean was in his room when suddenly he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in" Dean said.

In came Rogue wearing her orange and green pajamas and gloves since she's interacting with people.

She closed the door and looked at Dean. She hadn't noticed what he was wearing when she came in, well actually he was barely wearing anything. All he wore were some black shorts leaving everything else exposed. This in Rogue's case wasn't such a bad thing.

Dean turned around from what he was doing and looked at her "You need something?" he asked as he sat down on his bed.

Rogue snapped out of her daydream, "I just wanted to say thank you for helping me in the Danger Room, it really means a lot to me" She confessed.

"No problem, just next time pay attention" Dean said.

"I know" Rogue said. Doesn't mean she doesn't wish she had helped more. Sometimes she thinks her powers aren't all that helpful when they need to be taking the offensive.

"It's not your fault, we can't chose what we're born with" Dean said guessing her thoughts.

"Yeah, I wish I was as lucky as you" Rogue said.

Dean laid back and stared at the ceiling, "I'm not lucky, I wish I was" he said sounding sad.

This was the second time Rogue picked up on that strange tone of his, "You told me that I don't know you, you say that like you've been through hell in the past"

Dean locked eyes with her and looked slightly emotional confirming what she said.

He got up from his bed and walked over to the window, "You called me the popular kid. You called me brave, I wasn't born like that"

Rogue looked at him strangely, "That's a little hard to believe"

Dean chuckled, but not in a happy way, "Let me tell you a story about a wimpy kid"

Flashback

I was in the fourth grade. My parents enrolled me into school a year earlier because I was smarter than the average kid.

Little Dean was at the playground sitting with one of his classmates.

"Math is stupid, I wish we didn't have to learn it" Monica said.

Dean pushed his glasses up to his nose, "I don't think it's so hard, it's actually kind of simple when you think about it"

Monica blankly stared at him, "If I was as smart as you it would be simple"

"At least it's the last day of school" Dean said looking forward to the summer.

"Hey nerd" Someone said.

Little Dean looked at saw Doug and his two pals.

Doug got left back twice. His gut was the only thing bigger than his ego, he liked taking other kids' food

"Hi Doug" Dean said with a low voice not making eye contact.

"Shut up wimp" Doug said staring him down, "Where's your lunch?"

"Yeah where's your lunch?" One of his pals repeated.

Dean shrugged, "Didn't get any today, my parents are taking me out for pizza later"

Doug lifted him up by his shirt, "You wouldn't lie to me would you?"

"Never" Dean said trying to avoid a confrontation.

Doug spotted Monica's lunch box behind her. He put Dean down, "Looks like Monica has some to share" he grabbed her lunch box.

"Hey give it back!" Monica shouted.

Doug held it above his head, "Since you want it so bad you can reach it"

Monica tried jumping to reach it but Doug was too tall.

Doug knocked her down and he and his pals started laughing.

Monica's eyes started tearing.

"Aww are you gonna cry little baby?" Doug made fun of her.

Dean couldn't stand to watch, "Hey give it back!"

Doug stopped and glared at him, "Or what pipsqueak?"

"I'll…" Dean didn't know what came over him, why would he talk back to Doug? That was stupid.

"That's what I thought" Doug punched Dean in the face breaking his glasses, "Guys let's show the nerd who's boss" the three of them started kicking him while he was down.

End Flashback

"I was a little nerd that wasn't strong or brave" Dean said, "My dad taught me how to be that way"

"Wow, I would have never thought" Rogue said.

Dean sat down on his bed, "Don't judge a book by its cover"

Even though he seemed genuine Rogue still thought that wasn't all of his secret past, "So what ended up happening with that bully?"

Dean smirked, "Let's just say my dad gave me some lessons and he never bothered me again"

Rogue smiled and sat next to him, "So how're ya feeling?"

"It still kind of hurts" Dean pretended to wince in pain.

"Aww you poor baby, are you gonna cry?" Rogue teased him.

Dean just looked at her with a blank expression.

Rogue laughed at his reaction.

"It's not funny" Dean said.

"Yeah it is, you should see your face" Rogue continued to laugh.

"You can stop now" Dean said with a serious face.

"Or what ya gonna stare me to death?" Rogue laughed a little more.

Dean raised an eyebrow and smirked, "You wanna play huh? Ok I can play too" he moved over to her and started tickling her sides.

"Ahahaha Dean stop please hahaha!" Rogue said laughing uncontrollably.

"Say it, say you're sorry" Dean said with a smirk.

"Ok I'm sorry" Rogue said.

"And who's the king? C'mon say it" Dean continued tickling her.

"Ahahaha y-you are" Rogue squealed out.

Dean stopped, "I think I've proven my point"

Rogue got up and had a mischievous look in her eye, one that gave Dean chills.

"Just in case you're thinking about it you're not fast enough to catch me" Dean said backing away.

"We'll see about that, I'll get you when you least expect it" Rogue walked out swaying her hips slightly.

'I'll keep my eyes on you then' Dean thought.

Author's note: Looks like the shrew is starting to give in! Sorry for the late update, work has gotten the best of me. Next chapter comin soon!