Final Evolution
CHAPTER FOUR
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Wanda and Todd were waiting as the transport vessel entered the city port.
"Yo Pietro! How'd it go?" Todd called out the moment Pietro sauntered off the vessel.
"No big deal." Pietro answered casually. "Didn't help that my squad is full of laggers. Let's head back to the Institute."
As the Brotherhood of Disciplinary disappeared in one of the cars, Instructor Gray, Evan, Kurt and Tabitha filed out of the vessel.
"Good job." Instructor Gray complimented the remaining three students. "Head on back to the Institute for your results at 23 00. I'll see you then."
"Vell, zat leaves us vith three hours of spare time." Kurt stretched a few kinks out of his body. "I'm dropping in to see my folks before going back. Vould you guys like to come along?"
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
"Mamma! Vati! I'm home!"
"Die verschwenderische Sohnrückkehr" A voice commented darkly from behind a newspaper.
"Carsten!! Wieviele Male?!"
Kurt held his hands up in a pacifying gesture. "Mamma, Vati is only joking."
"He shouldn't." Mrs. Wagner huffed and looked back tot her son. "Vell Kurt, how have you been? Are zese your friends?"
"Ja, Mamma. Ve are just on our vay back to ze Institute to get our exam results-"
"-but zen you decided to come say hello first?" Mrs. Wagner shook her head. "Nein, Sohn. Get going now. You can say as many hellos as you like *after* you get ze results."
"Aw, Mamma..." Kurt mock-whined, pretending to look hurt. "You don't miss me?"
"No nonsense now, young Wagner. You're starting to sound like your Vater." Mrs. Wagner passed Kurt some money. "Go rent yourselves a car."
Kurt grinned. "Danke, Mamma. Ve'll be going now."
"Oh yes! Kurt!" Mrs. Wagner took a box from the kitchen table. "Your Vater and I got zis for you. If you hadn't stopped by, ve'd have sent it by mail."
Kurt's eyes flicked up and down as he read the box label, then they widened drastically. "Herr Krieger's Double Chocolate Nut Bars?! You got me Herr Krieger's Double Chocolate Nut Bars?!"
"Ja, Sohn. Your Vater said zese vere your favorite."
Kurt let out a loud whoop and bear-hugged his mother. "Ich liebe dich, Mamma!!"
He disappeared with a #BAMF#, reappearing to also bear-hug his newspaper reading father. "Ich liebe dich, Vati!!"
"Your velcome, Sohn." Mr. Wagner muttered uncomfortably. "Get out of here and get your results now, you hear me?"
"Ja! Danke! Auf Wiedersehen!" #BAMF# "Come on, guys! Let's go!" #BAMF#
Mr. Wagner coughed and waved away smoke from his face. "He's a prodigal son alright." He muttered in German. "But if there's one thing, Anselma, he's *our* prodigal son, and I'm proud of him."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Back in the Institute, the three students parted company for the time being. Tabitha wanted to freshen up first, and Kurt had some unfinished business to take care of with his box of nut bars.
Evan walked across the foyer and toward the directory. Headmaster Xavier was positioned there, conversing with Instructor Summers and Instructor Gray about the exam.
"......So what about the Morlocks' communication tower?"
"The Hydrian army agreed to withdraw their troops on the condition that the Morlocks withdrew the X-Men and allowed the Hydras to use their communication tower."
"Which would explain the emergency recall, right Headmaster?"
"That's correct."
"You realize doing this will cripple most of the students' results heavily, sir."
"Yes, Jean. But such unforeseen events tend to happen from time to time........"
Evan was about to make himself scarce when Instructor Gray noticed him.
"Evan! Come over here!"
Evan reluctantly followed the order, formally saluting both Instructors and the Headmaster.
"Hello again, Evan." Instructor Summers smiled. "Instructor Gray here tells me you're one of her top students."
"Pity he doesn't say much verbally, though." Instructor Gray chuckled. "Most of my students are like that."
"So tell me, young Evan. How did you enjoy your first real battle?" Headmaster Xavier queried.
I didn't enjoy it. It was a disgrace to all that humanity has worked for. We were fighting people we never knew in a war we were never supposed to be involved in, all for Institute funds and a couple of grades. Evan shrugged as apathetically as he could manage.
Headmaster Xavier and Instructor Gray gave each other funny looks. "You were right about his not saying much *verbally*."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
No sooner had Evan parted ways with the Instructors and Headmaster Xavier did he run into Todd.
"Yo Evan. I gotta talk to ya, man."
Evan rolled his eyes. "What have I done now that has severely broken Institution Rules?"
Todd's eyes narrowed, indicating it wasn't funny. "I'm delivering a message, yo."
"From Pietro, I assume?"
"Naw. It's from Wanda." Todd leaned back on his heels. "Instructors Summers and Gray loaded it heavy on Pietro for disobeying direct orders. He's been suspended and all."
"Not dandy to imagine."
"Yeah well, Wanda's downright pissed, yo. She thinks it's your fault." Todd looked evasive. "She says if Pietro fails for the fifth time, all he needs do is cough, and she'll turn you and Freako into pin-cushions."
Evan involuntarily flinched at the thought. No one in their right mind would try and get on Wanda's bad side for a very good reason.
Todd studied the foyer clock. "Well, it's almost time for the exam results. You coming?"
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
All the cadets were assembled in the hallway, awaiting their results.
Kurt crouched in a corner, his tail twitching relentlessly.
Tabitha was twirling her hair nervously.
Evan stood around, staring into space.
Pietro leaned against a wall with the Brotherhood of Disciplinary alongside. Wanda had a dark scowl on her face that, if deadly, could bury anyone six feet under on direct contact.
Sudden footsteps alerted all the students to another's presence in the hallway. It was the mysterious Institute Faculty Head, scary enough to instill fear in everyone, including Wanda. He was know simply by the name Mesmero.
"I will now read out the names of the students who have passed the field exam." Mesmero stated emotionlessly. "Roberto Da Costa. Squad C."
There was a loud whoop as a dark-skinned student shot past and up to the Headmaster's office.
"Tabitha Smith. Squad A."
"WOOHOO!!!! YEAH BABY!!!" Tabitha rejoiced as she took off after the first student.
"Evan Munroe. Squad B. Kurt Wagner. Squad B. That's all. The rest are dismissed."
As Evan and Kurt made their way through the hallway, muttered cries of protest and disappointed mumbles bounced across the walls.
That year beheld more failures than any other before it.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
"These are the students who passed the field exam."
"Ah. Good." Headmaster Xavier gave each of them a warm smile of approval. He looked like he had a lot to say to them, but Mesmero cut in promptly. "Headmaster. Make this quick. We have very little time on our hands."
"Oh...yes, of course." The headmaster nodded and took up a small stack of paper from his office desk.
"You will now receive your diplomas."
Headmaster Xavier went to each student in turn, and handed them each a diploma that certified them as official X-Men.
"Well then, congratulations." Headmaster Xavier cleared his throat. "I hope to see you all in your new X-Man uniform at the Graduation Party later. You are dismissed."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The four graduates returned to the hallway. Surprisingly, not one of the students had left.
Pietro pushed himself off the wall and strode right up to them. He glared at Evan dead in the eye.
All he has to do now is cough, and I'll be an official ex-X-Man. Evan did not so much as twitch his eyebrow. What's he waiting for?
Pietro took a step back. After hesitating for what seemed like ages, he raised his hands from his sides and started to clap.
At first, only his clapping could be heard in the silent hallway. Then Wanda and Todd followed their leader and also clapped. Slowly, all the students started applauded their four peers, the only four who had passed the field exam.
Kurt looked suddenly shy as he backed up behind the other graduates. Evan did his best to suppress a smug smile of triumph.
Moments like these were just too hard to come by. When they did, it was likely that they never came back.
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Howling WereWolf:
Die verschwenderische Sohnrückkehr - The prodigal son returns
Wieviele Male - How many times
Ich liebe dich - I love you
I don't know if there really is such thing as Herr Krieger's Double Chocolate Nut Bars. If there is, I'm calling my agent to order me ten dozen boxes.
A/N: Fraid I'll have to stop Final Evolution for now. I've yet to win Diablos over, and that's a mighty long way to go, considering I'll barely have any free time in 2004.
Adios, people. I'll try my best to update soon.
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