Introduction

Chapter Five: Enter The Danger Room


"That's my boy," Jean said. She feels an overwhelming swell of joy. Her beloved Scott has opened his eyes. It's been nearly a month since the accident, and, occasionally he would have his ups and downs. He would wake up a few seconds and then be gone again. But this time he sat up and smiled. He was awake now, and feeling invigorated.

"Hello, bright eyes," he says. It is a great relief to see Jean. For the time he has been out, he can't really remember much. It was all a dreamless sleep to him. But every few patches of darkness would lighten and he would see her. Really see her. The light in her eyes, the large smile, the way her long flowing red hair would sparkle in the sunlight. All the times before this, he had seen everything as red. Such is the curse of his powers. "What did I miss?"

Jean gets a little nervous, but has a way of masking it from public view. There is alot that has happened. The first big thing she can remember was the soldiers. She doesn't know the specifics, she spent most of the time unconsious. She can remember them marching down the underground, taking Scott from the bed, and the gun shots. The next thing she recalls was waking up on the floor, seeing Scott and Rogue together in the elevator unconsious. Storm was laying frantically at the door that seemed supernaturally locked and Charles was unconsious as well. She has no idea what happened between, but their was no sign of the soldiers when she awakened.

A few days after that, some new students were welcomed to the school. One of them called himself Gambit. He has the ability to charge an object kinetically and use it as an explosive. His past is shrouded in mystery, but Storm trusts him implicitly. She was the first one to meet him, and she is responsible for his stay at the mansion. He was hesitant at first, but when he met Rogue, that all changed.

Another new member of the School was slightly older than the average student and completely in control of his powers. Jean was responsible for him being here. She was an old colleague of his from the Senate. He was the top scientist in charge of mutant studies, giving him and Jean a close kinship. Relatively, he looked normal, but was a tad bit hairy and apelike. He was very agile and incredibally intelligent. Dr. Henry McCoy, who always liked to use the name of Beast.

Also new to the school was a guy who liked to stay out of sight. He was tortured and tormented as a child, being a star in the German Circus. He used the name Nightcrawler and was able to perform incredible feats as he is able to teleport himself through line of sight. So why was he so tortured? He had the soul of a saint, but, ironically, was trapped in the body of a demon. His skin was covered by a thick, velvet blue fur, his eyes shined bright yellow, and unfortunately, he grew a tale.

All of the students tried to accept him, and he appreciated their efforts. He felt alone though. He spent most of his time in his room, praying. Despite his appearance, he was totally devoted to God. He hated the idea of battle, yet his soul could not deny the urge to fight for what he believed in.

After Jean tells Scott all of these events, he simply smiles. It always lifted his spirit as the ideal of helping other mutants in need has always been his goal in life. His joy is taken back however. Who were the soldiers and what were they doing? Why was he so important to them? What did they want?


The next day begins, bright and early. Jean walks down the hall of the school in a wonderful white gown and sheer house coat. It has an imitation fur trim on the skirt and open sleeves that drape from her arms, creating a very angelic appearance. She is always the first one up in the mornings.

She steps into the large kitchen and puts on some coffee. She needs some coffee before she begins to cook...With the school expanding day by day anymore, she has decided to start a culinary arts class and have some of the students help cook. It gets hard when she cooks for a hundred people three times a day. Storm tries to help, but has a tendency to burn things. Scott, bless his heart, burns things that arent even supposed to be heated and calls it Cajun. Call it strange coincidence, but...

"Need some help, chere?" a sly and persuasive voice asks. It is Remy. Jean is a little shcocked at the site of him up and stirring so early. Usually, Remy likes to sleep late and stay up most of the night. He is what Jean's father always called a "hoot owl."

"You didn't work third shift last night?" Jean asks jokingly. She has found that the only way you can really talk to this young man is by joking around with him. He is very secretive, but she wants him to feel comfortable.

"Non," Remy answers, smiling. He looks around the kitchen for some things, not really saying much. Jean turns back to the freezers and pulls out some eggs, bacon, sausage, all the things the children, and adults as well, insist on having. When she turns to Gambit, he is holding some peppers and spices and asking for the shrimp. Jean has a feeling that this is going to be a long morning in the kitchen.

The entire 3 by 2 grill is covered in slices of bacon and sausage. The smell wakes many of the children up, as they realize it is time to go eat! Jean wonders how children can eat so much...They seem like bottomless pits. The eggs are being scrambled and fried, according to each childs likings as Jean rolls out the dough for biscuits. Gambit is trying to help, but making little progress as far as Jean can see.

A few minutes later, Jean and Remy lean against the large freezer doors, looking around at the meal they have created. To Jean's surprise, Gambit has made a very large platter of omlets. But why in the hell was he wanting shrimp? She looks at the omlets a little closer and notices that they are stuffed with peppers and shrimp.

"Remy?" Jean asks, "Is that shrimp?"

Remy smiles widely and acknowledges that fact with a swift head shake. "Of course it is. What? Ya' never ate a shrimp omlet?"

Jean looks up a little disgusted. "No. I can't say that I have."

"Ya' don' know what you missin'," Remy replies. "Dey are tres magnifique."

Jean covers her slight repulsion with a smile. "I see. Well, I will be sure to give you some of that then."

Breakfast is devoured quickly, as generally it is there. The serving trays are emptied...all but the shrimp omlet. Jean giggles seeing it all left there. She can remember over hearing Rogue, in all her southern glory, telling him that she would rather not eat a crawdad for breakfast.

Remy slowly walks over to the table where Scott and Jean are eating. "I take it dey didn' like da' omlet."

Jean smiles at Remy, trying her best to reassure him. "I'll make you a deal," Jean says "This afternoon, we can have a good ole' Cajun Lunch. You get complete freedom!"

Remy smiles at the thought! He likes cooking his favorite dishes from the Big Easy! He doesn't see how the peopl up north could eat such bland foods. They have no flavor! They need spicing up! "T'ank you, Ms. Grey!"

Remy hurries off up stairs to get ready for class. Jean smiles and turns to Scott. He doesn't look to happy and Jean knows why. Scott's delicate stomach can't take the spicey stuff. She laughs and tells him they could always go into Salem Center to eat.


Downstairs, Xavier and Hank are busy putting the finishing touches on the newest invention to grace the School, a training room which has been specifically attuned to the students and faculty of the school. It is quite large and empty, equipped with mechanics that can create all sorts of training environments. It hasn't had a complete testing yet, so Hank and Xavier agree that only the senior members should try it out for now.

Xavier opens his mind to Storm, Jean and Scott and politely asks them to join him below. He tells them there is something he wants to show them.

Within a few minutes, the three team members are all aligned in front of the newest X-Door. They look at it a few minutes and then Scott speaks out. "Gee, Professor," he begins. "It's a door."

Xavier laughs at first. He looks at Scott. "No, my boy." He puts his hand out at the door panel and enters a code into a keypad and the Doors slide open. The X-Men walk in and see nothing but a large black room. Scott feels the temptation to further joke and tell him it is a very large closet, but he holds back his dead pan humor. "Welcome, my X-Men," Xavier begins. The lights come on in the room and reveal lumanescent metallic tiles ligning the floor, walls, and ceiling. "This is the Danger Room."

"Wow."

That single word uttered from Jean's lips completely describe the room. The way the reflections bouce from wall to wall, the room looks to be 10 times it's actual size. It is amazing.

"Do you like it?" Hank's voice echoes off the walls, as they notice him behind a window a few feet up. He has a wide smile across his face. He is obviously proud of this room. he spent alot of time trying to get everything in order so that the X-Men would be able to train with complete freedom. Henry McCoy is a man who has always taken pride in his work, no matter what it is he makes.

Xavier addresses his first students, "We decided this would be more educational than going into the back yard and fighting with one another. This way, there are a few surprises jumping up to help you develop more reflexive skills."

"When can we try it out?" Scott asks.

Jean quickly interceeds. "You wont be trying it out for a while, big boy! You are still recovering." Scott looks down at the ground like a puppy dog. Jean smiles, "Sorry Scott. Doctor's orders."

"Would you like to come up here and help me, Scott?" Hank asks. It is a good idea for someone else to learn the basic controls of the room. Scott is a little disappointed that he cannot actually train, but he would rather be up in the control room then sitting in the hall wimpering like a dog.

Scott and Xavier both exit the room, leaving Jean and Storm inside the vast room. They look at each other and a smile stretches across both their faces. Jean and Storm are more like sisters than anyone could imagine. Althought they love each other dearly, neither one likes to lose. And they are willing to prove it time and time again!

The Room grows dark and Xavier's voice is heard from above. "Ladies," he bgins, "this exercise is designed to test your reflexes and ability to stay on guard. You will both be put through a series of tests. If you can make it to the other side of the room, you will have proven ready for more difficult tests."

Jean and Storm, both completely suited, as per request of Xavier before, take on their battle stance and prepare for anything. They are very sure of their abilities. no matter what the boys up stairs throw at them, they no they are ready for it.

The room hums and the lights fluxuate. From all corners of the room, the tiles begin to grow and expand, almost as if liquid. They take on human shapes, mechanical clams and wires, and small orbs begin to spin from above. The first test falls on Storm.

The African goddess' eyes grow white and a small wind builds up around her, her hair flows in the wind, her cape lifted from the gust. Within seconds she is airborn, swerving in and out of the clams and wheels, creating clouds from the moisture around her, zapping bolts of lightning left and right, taking out anything and everything that could pose a threat. Her liquid movements are like the wind itself, flowing like a currect. She easily evades any and all the troubles thrown at her, as she lands on the other end of the room, completely unharmed and smiling.

"Very good, Ororo," Hanks voice says across the intercom. "I suppose i am going to have to try a little harder on you next time."

Storm smiles to the window and then focuses her attention on jean. The competitive nature she has seems to spark up as she determines to herself she will be quicker. Her and ororo always liked to play games like that with one another.

"Are you ready, Jean?" Scott asks her. He is always concerned something is going to happen to her.

Jean smiles and looks up at the window, smirking, "Bring it on, lil' man!"

Jean begins to walk across the room. Invisibly, she springs up a telekinetic force bubble around her, keeping her mind open to sense from which direction these things may attack. Considering, however, these are machines, she soon discovers that telepathy will provide her no defense. She jumps from ring to ring, trying to avoid the orbs. Ever yfew moments she finds something she can lift to throw at them, knocking out their sensors.

She is just feet away from the room's end, and making remarkable time. Storm may have been fast but Jean knows she is faster. She smiles in relief as she realizes one more step is all it takes. She doesn't seem to notice that instantly from behind, some arms grab ahold of her. Large, silver, mechanic arms that squeeze her tightly. She concentrates, but is unable to destroy them.

Storm notices that jean's relatively cool character has beome tempered. She doesn't look as though she is alright. She can see her pain and frustration. It is killing her that she cannot free herself. "Scott, Henry!" Storm shouts. "Stop this test at once! She does not seem to be all right!"

Scott grabs the controls unthinkingly, trying to release her.

"No!" Hank shouts. "That is the wrong control!"

Below, in the Danger Room, a beam begins to shoot at jean from the orb. At this moment she is trapped and being attacked. She has to do something to stop it now! it is driving her crazy.

"Come on, Jeannie! You can't take much more of this..." the voice. It has began to talk to her again. She had thought it had left her after their last confrontation, but apparently she was wrong. And it's words were speaking truth to her now. She knew she had to do something. "Let it out, Jean...Show them what you got..."

Jean lifts her head from the arms of the machine. her eyes grow bright white and she freezes all her movements. From across the room, Storm covers her mouth, aghast at what she sees before her. In an instant flash, the room seems flooded with fire.

"No!" Scott screams. "Jean! Storm! No!"