Im Nova Part 2: Civilize the mind make savage the body
By DelCreed.
griffincreed@hotmail.com
Scott, Jean, Ororo and Logan had just taken off in the Blackbird when Joseph called out that lunch was ready and it being such a nice, sunny September day everyone decided to eat outside on the back patio. Gambit was going to bring Jubilee back to her school after the meal.
"Pass the chips please Hank," Henry McCoy passed the bag to Bobby. "Pass the mustard please Hank," he passed the mustard bottle to Bobby. "Pass the potato salad please Hank." Sighing Hank reached out and took Bobby's plate, and loaded it with food then handed it and everything Bobby would need to eat, napkins, fork, knife, glass of soda etc… that was on the table near him back to Bobby, Bobby smiled. "Thank you." Jubilee giggled and Hank realized that Bobby's motives all along had been to be served his meal instead of having to get up and serve himself. Everyone was digging in when suddenly Bishop looked up and reached for his gun.
"Something is wrong." Everyone looked at him.
"Bishop like chill dude, it's a nice, sunny day, no bugs and we have some really good eats on the table." Jubilee smiled but then her eyes went wide "Bish is right there is something wrong."
"What do you mean, its nice and quiet, its not like body snatchers are thinking of slithering out of woods to come and get us." Bobby joked as he froze Bishop's gun in a block of ice. "What could possibly spoil this moment right Han-" Bobby's words where cut off by a howl and a scream of terror. Around the side of the mansion a small, thin, balding man came running towards them.
"Help me! Save me! He's going to kill me! He is right behind me!" Then suddenly the little man was sprawled on the ground with something big, blond and snarling on top of him.
"Wrong, he's right on top of ya." The Blond thing taunted his prey.
"SABRETOOTH!" The X-Men all yelled.
"Let him go Tooth." Jubilee yelled as she was about to run and 'Paf' him in the face, but Gambit tripped her and then grabbed her arm.
"You stay here, Logan be killin' us if anythin' happen to you." He hissed.
"Let him go!" Snarled Sabretooth at them. "You gatta be kiddin' me I hunted this little shit all the way from Nevada, Sinister doesn't want his little Ex-toy talkin' to ya, so I was sent to break it." As he spoke he picked up the man and looked at the X-Men. "Transplant here is dyeing slowly from liver cancer, thought he could make up for his past by spillin' Sinister's beans to you and earn himself a pass through the pearly gates. Not going to happen"
"Noooo!" Bobby yelled, thinking of everything this man could tell them about Sinister plans. Sabretooth raised his arm up high and extended his claws
"Say good night Grace." But as Tooth was raising his arm Bobby had iced up and shot forward to grab the little man away from the psychopath, for an instant both Iceman and Sabretooth where touching the mutant Sinister had named Transplant for a good reason, and an instant was all Transplant needed to make the man who would kill him pay for his crimes. Sabretooth's claws plunged into the weak man's chest and crushed his heart, at the exact same instant that the mutant died there was a burst of light and both Bobby and Sabretooth where blasted back to land unconscious on the ground and the man's small lifeless body just seamed to disintegrate before the stunned eyes of all who watched.
"Bobby!" Hank was quickly swinging over to his friend. "Bobby!" It was no use Iceman was out cold (I just had to say that, sorry). Hank gently picked him up and carried him to the Med-Lab only pausing to tell Joseph, Bishop and Gambit to carry Sabretooth down to the Med-Lab too. "We'll need to contain him."
*************
"Ho, Ho my head, who spiked my Dr. Pepper?" Bobby paused. What was wrong with his voice? It felt all gritty and rough. He raised his arm… Hu? Well he tried to raise his arm to rub his head but for some reason he was tied to the bed, and the smells in the room where so strong. He cracked open his eyes a bit… the light was very bright, but he didn't close them. 'The Med-Lab? Why am I tied down in the Med-Lab? Is Hank getting kinky on me or something?' Turning his head Bobby spotted Hank leaning over someone in another bed… What had Sabretooth hurt someone else, for some reason Bobby just seamed to know that the man Tooth had been hunting was dead. Clearing his thought he called out to his blue buddy. "Hey Grover what's the big idea of strapping me to the bed? You afraid I'd fall out something buddy?" Hank swung around and starred at him.
"I'm too busy to see to you right now, so why don't you just shut your mouth and stay silent." Hank went back to looking at the person in the other bed.
"Gosh, Blue I'm sorry, who's hurt? Gambit, Rogue?" He saw Hank tense up. "Its not Jubes is it… oh gosh it is… is she okay? Logan is going to kill us if you can't fix her and Frost… I don't even want to think what she'll do to us." Hank was frowning at him.
"And since when are you concerned about Jubilee? Every time you've ever seen her you've wanted her dead." Bobby was shocked.
"Hey, Hank are you okay? Your talking really weird, not at all like my Twinkie run buddy." Bobby was startled to see Hank cross the room in a single leap to land by his side.
"What did you say?" Bobby wasn't so sure he wanted to say anything with Hank acting funny. Hank was leaning closer and looking into his eyes now. "Bobby?"
"Yes Hank" Hank seamed to stagger backwards. "Oh, sorry you put onions on my burger before the whole Sabretooth thing went down, guess my breath is ripe hu?"
"You… you are… Bobby, but then who-." Stammering and shaking, 'guess someone spiked his Dr. Pepper too'. Hank bounded across the room "who is this?" Hank pushed the bed to where Bobby could see who was laying in it. This time it was Bobby's world that bottomed out, because in the bed, under perfectly smoothed blankets was another Bobby Drake.
"That's me! What did Sinister clone me too?" Hank shook his head sadly. "Well then what, 'cause now there is two of us." Hank was still nodding his head, as he picked up a mirror and held it up for Bobby to see his face. In a silence born of shock Bobby was looking at his reflection with yellow/green eyes when only this morning he'd been using blue ones. "No, oh Hank no." and then Bobby Drake, the former Iceman passed out cold. Hank quickly started to undo the restraints that where tying Bobby down, but he wondered aloud to the room of silent people.
"If you are Bobby, and I know you are, then who is within your former shell?" A sound made him turn quickly around and he saw Bobby's body leaping towards him. "Oh my Stars and-" Hank was able to catch the smaller body and pin it's flaying arms to its sides. "You mustn't up set yourself."
"Up set my self, Shag rug I'm goin' ta tear me a new blue fur coat." A smooth medium pitched voice hissed. Then seeing that he was unable to break free the interloper in Drake's body cast a look around the immediate area for a weapon, and as he searched his eyes fell on the body still half strapped to the bed beside him. "That's, that's my… my body." He looked down at his hands and body. "Aw, crap I'm in that snot nosed kid's body. Put me back… NOW!" There was no denying it there had truly been one heck of a swish pulled on him.
"This mutant you hunted… and killed, what could he do?" Drake's face scowled. "How can I help you and Bobby get back to normal if you don't help me now. What were his powers?"
"Body part swapping, he could take someone's heart and put it into someone else's body as long as both bodies where still being kept alive." Hanks mind buzzed, what could Transplant have transplanted to put Bobby and Sabretooth into each other's bodies? Suddenly a cold chill ran down his spine…
"Stop that Creed, you have no idea how to use Robert's ice powers. I have a very bad feeling about this." Taking Sabretooth by surprise Hank suddenly tossed him into a Shi'ar containment-field (As seen in the animated T.V. show) "Scan patient's brain wave patterns and compare with subjects Drake Bobby and Creed Victor." He ordered the computer. The computer hummed and then flashed a message on a nearby screen. "Yes, there is no other answer. Creed-" Hank turned to the force-field "I can't switch you back." Creed was stunned and he look it, and from the bed a gasp caught Hank's attention. "Bobby."
"You can't fix us? Why? Hank you can fix anything." The Doctor quickly returned to his friend and finished releasing him. "Hank you once saved my goldfish."
"Bobby I just fed it and installed a filter on his tank, but this… even I know my limits and a brain transplant is definitely mine."
"Brain?" Hank nodded.
"From what Creed said and the computer has confirmed it, your brain is now locked inside Sabretooth's body and his is in your body. Bobby I'm sorry."
************
The time after that shocking discovery seamed to crawl by for Bobby. Hank was giving him tests, studying tests, thinking up new test and tests, tests, tests. The others in the mansion had all been told of the strange happenings, and Rogue had even told Remy, over the radio in the mini jet, about the strange news. Only Scott's team weren't told because they where in public. Bobby just sat there letting Hank turn him into a pincushion and thinking.
"Bobby look on the bright side, you always wanted to be taller." Hank smiled at him.
"Cute Hank, you want bright side, fine how is this for bright siding; point 1) Logan hates Creed, one look at me an d he'll slice me before I can say 'hey Canuckelhead its me'. Point 2) Logan is going to kill me, and it's going to hurt… a lot."
"I will have Bishop and Rogue standing by to explain things to him as soon as they land and get away from the new student."
"Well, fine but point 3) I'm stuck in the body of a psychopath wanted by S.H.E.A.L.D., and just about every law enforcement agency on earth."
"S.H.E.A.L.D. can be informed of your new circumstances Bobby."
"Point 4) I'm Graydon Creed's daddy. I can see Christmas now, 'Graydon behave yourself and don't beat up grandpa again.' Hank, what will I tell my parents, I can't let them see me like this… oh no, you'll have to tell them I died." Bobby gulped. "I'm their only child, they'll be devastated."
"Bobby you are over acting now, your parents will love you no matter what and they'll get use to your new 'look' you just need to give them a chance."
"Point 6) I'm working for X-Factor now and I don't want to work for X-Factor."
"No, you don't, Sabretooth ran away from them remember."
"Point 7) I'm an accountant, who is going to hire an accountant who looks like this Hank?" Bobby said gesturing at his new face.
"Well Bobby, I believe that the IRS would be pleased to have you in their auditing department." Hank shot back trying not to smile.
"Fine, laugh at my pain, point 8) Mystique has seen me naked, and this body did 'IT' with her." Hank choked on that one.
"Well… when you see Creed again later you can have the pleasure of telling him that the White Queen has seen the body he is in naked." For the first time since the incident Bobby really smiled.
*********
Three hours later.
"I have good news and bad news Bobby." Hank told him as most of the group sat with them in the Med-Lab now, waiting to hear all the test results. "Good or bad news first.'
"Bad, so the good can kinda cheer me up after." Bobby muttered. It was still hard for everyone ot hear Bobby's 'Self' speaking from the body of one of their greatest enemies.
"Very well, I can't reverse Transfer's transfer." Bobby rolled his eyes.
"Um, Hank we know that." Hank Smiled.
"Well then it wasn't so bad then, now for the good news, my tests show that what I'd thought would be happening is happening." Bobby frowned.
"Hank I'm not a 'path I cant read your mind, all I can do in this body is smell, hear, taste and see really good and heal up fast after cutting myself with these stupid things." Bobby lifted his hands and 10 four-inch long claws shot out from the tips of his fingers. "I'm afraid to go to the bathroom. I miss my powers, it figures, just when I was starting to do some really neat stuff its yanked away and given to someone else."
"No it wasn't Bobby you have all the powers now." At his friend's confused look Hank explained his findings to everyone. "Sabretooth's powers all come from his body, whereas your powers Bobby are generated by chemicals from your brain that change your body. Therefore once your brain has again saturated your body in its chemicals your ice powers will return, this is like your body has been given an upgrade."
"But… if Bobby has all the powers, what dose Creed have?" Marrow asked.
"Squat, nothing, nada. Bobby's body with out the chemicals from his brain is just a normal body with an X factor gean floating in it, but it has no powers now." Bobby was stunned.
"Hank, what will happen to my body? Creed now?"
"Well Bobby I've been thinking about that and I think it would be best if we had S.H.E.A.L.D. come and take Creed away so he can't hurt anyone when he is wearing your face."
"But Hank, he has no powers now, what harm can he do?" Joseph asked.
"Men like Creed have been hurting others without mutant powers for a very long time. We cannot let him roam free to threaten the lives of more innocent people." Everyone nodded and started to file out of the room. Bobby looked at Hank.
"Thanks Hank I know you tried everything, now I think I' need to brush my teeth and I don't know what, maybe I'll cough up a hairball or something.
***********
A half hour later;
Bobby wandered into the kitchen to find Marrow fixing a plate of food.
"I was just dishin' up some supper for you, But don't expect me to ever do it again okay, this is a one time offer." She set the plate on the table and watched him chewing thoughtfully. "What are you thinking about?"
"Well I'm thinking I need a new name. I don't look or feel like 'Iceman' anymore. You want to help me choose?" She smiled evilly.
"This will be fun, well lets see…um… Cold Claws."
"Sickle"
"Naw, he's one of them Russian heroes isn't he?"
"Ho, ya your right."
"Blizzard."
"A Dairy Queen semi-frozen ice cream treat?"
"Point taken."
"Yeti, um… forget it, it rhymes with confetti"
"Polar."
"Ho, ho I got one, hear me out. I have claws, lots of hair and I make ice, I can be a Wampa! Like in Star Wars, you know the snow monster that tries to eat Luke Skywalker." Marrow cringed and shook her head.
"Lucas would sue you butt off for copy write infringements glassier butt." For another twenty minutes they tried to find a name, but with out luck, then Gambit strolled into the kitchen.
"So how's it goin' Frostbite?" Marrow and Bobby stared at him. "What? Gambit sorry, he meant it as a joke mon ami."
"Its perfect!" Bobby and Marrow shouted together.
"Qui?" (What?) Gambit looked at them oddly.
"We where tryin' ta find the ice cube a new code name, and here you stroll in an give it to him like that." She snapped her fingers. "Good going."
"Ya, thanks Gumbo." They where all talking when Rogue walked in and announced that the Blackbird was landing and she and Bishop where off to pin Logan down and tell him the 'Good' news. "Rogue, could you just do one thing for me, please."
"Sure, what?"
"Make sure you get it all on videotape."
Fin Part two.
Note: Bobby as Frostbite is my idea, please don't use with out asking me first, thank you. (I didn't put this at the start because it would have given away the story)