"Jubilee!" Peter cried joyfully! He jumped up from his chair and ran toward
the girl. She looked cold and dirty from spending time inside a cell, but
Peter didn't care. His dear friend was ok. He saw Bobby and Rogue and the
four of them were in a group hug. "Where's John?" Bobby and Rogue looked
away. Peter started to panic. "What happened? Is John ok? Did he make it?"
"He's ok, man." Bobby replied. "He...he decided to go with Magneto."
Peter stepped back. "Magneto? But he's...he's the bad guy, he tried to kill Rogue, he's tried to kill Xavier himself-"
"You asked Peter! He went with Magneto, ok? His decision." Peter shook his head. John had lost faith in Xavier's dream. He'd always thought that humans were always out to get him. Now, he'd gone with Magneto.
"Dr. Grey didn't make it," Bobby continued. "She died trying to save us. The dam where we found Stryker ruptured, and she held off the water until we could get to safety."
"Stop. I don't want to hear anymore." Peter left them in the living room. The news was too painful. All he could do was think of Professor Summers, who had been engaged to her. Who knew what he was feeling?
"Wait, Peter!"
"What Jubilee?"
"The Professor said he wanted to see you. He said it was important."
He nodded and headed off in the direction of where Xavier's room was. He didn't feel like talking, but he knew there was no point in hiding from Xavier. How can you avoid saying anything to someone who could read minds? A quick walk up the stairs, and Peter was standing at his door. Before he could knock, someone said, "Come in." Peter stepped in. Xavier was looking outside at the city. He seemed tired. Worn out.
"Peter Rasputin. Besides Logan, it seems that you are quite the hero for the school."
"It was nothing. Logan sent me with them."
"Logan did right. He had faith in you in watching the children. I owe you my thanks."
"No problem. I'm...I'msorry about Dr. Grey."
Professor Xavier wheeled his chair around to look at Peter. "Peter, tell me, what do you know about my team of X-Men."
Peter thought for a moment. "Well, you try to work for peace between humans and mutants. That's what you teach us at the school. That's what you taught all the X-Men before you had them join your team. That's why you always go off to stop Magneto, or try to lobby against people like Senator Kelly who tried to enact the mutant registration act. That's what you fight for."
"You are also aware that Jean shared that vision with the rest of us, correct?"
"Yes, I suppose she did."
"And you? Do you, Peter, share that vision with us?"
Peter knew the question was coming. He had to be honest. Xavier would know if he was lying. "Professor Xavier, you know where I stand. I feel like John. They keep hurting us, always without provocation. They attacked our school, they captured you, and they tried to kill every mutant on the planet! How can I have faith on an idea when everything works against it?"
Xavier looked at him for a moment, then turned his chair around to look outside. "Indeed. You can imagine what it's like to have the knowledge that I wasn't able to turn John away from his inclinations. And you can imagine still what it's like to know that the most admired person in the school is falling from faith himself."
"That's not fair! I never asked to have everyone suddenly look up to me like some type of idol! I never asked for it, just like I never asked for my mutation, and just like I never asked for people to suddenly start hurting me simply because they don't understand who I am! They'll never know, Professor Xavier! And I'm not about to just stand here listing to you tell me otherwise!" Peter started shaking. It took him a while to realize that he just yelled at Professor Xavier, a powerful mutant who could have simply turned him into shish-kebab if he'd wanted to. But Peter didn't back down. He knew how he felt.
"You know," Xavier spoke after a moment's silence, "Banshee and Moira are both in the hospital right now. Both of them are in comas."
"And you expect me to show compassion simply because of one sympathetic human?"
"Bobby Drake certainly does. And I'm sure your parents would too."
Peter stood silent. He hadn't thought about it. His parents must have felt Cerebro's waves too. He hadn't even thought about whether they had survived the onslaught.
"Peter, we all suffer from this conflict. Everyone. All anger and hate has brought us is more destruction, more pain. I understand that I may not be able to convince you. But you must remember, your choices affect others as much as they affect you. If you decide to lash out now, maybe even people you care about might end up getting hurt. Stryker had it happen to him the hard way. He'd made an incredible plan to wipe us out, and Magneto turned it right around and almost had all the humans on earth destroyed."
Peter was starting to tear up. He didn't want to hear it, because he knew it was true. Moira, the Drakes, his parents...perhaps other humans as well who saw mutants as they saw themselves.
"I'll think about it, Professor. Sorry about Dr. Mactaggert and Mr. Cassidy."
"They'll pull through. I know they will." Peter headed toward the door.
"Oh, and Peter?"
"Yes Professor?"
"Please, let Jubilee win a match. Her annoying waling makes Theresa sound like Beethoven."
#######################################################################
Two months had passed since the incident that had almost killed every mutant and human on the planet. Peter was happy that the school had been reconstructed and everyone was getting back to normal. However, it had been unnerving to get used to the teachers that had taken Dr. Grey's and Professor Summer's place. But everyone kept their spirits up. The memorial had been sad, but it gave the students a sense of closure.
Peter watched from a balcony down at the basketball court. Bobby and Rogue were on one team. Had John been there, he would be playing there too. Everyone in the school had felt a bite of reality. Peter wondered if the school could ever be a true sanctuary again. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a match against the others. But for some reason, Peter didn't feel into it that day. His biology book sat next to him on the table. They were close to finishing another school year. But Peter didn't care at the moment.
"Hey there." Peter was startled. He looked up to see Professor Monroe.
"Oh, hey."
"Let's see, you've put down your biology book, which is no surprise since you never pay attention in my class. And you're sitting here watching the others on a beautiful day like today."
"It's the heat. It has me exhausted." Peter wanted to be alone. But Professor Monroe was persistent. She sat next to him.
"You almost seem angry."
"Ya, well, it helps, you know? When everyone is out to get you, anger helps you keep going. It gives you a cause, a need."
"Funny. I said that to someone once."
"And?"
"Well, they told me that faith could help too."
Peter sighed. "Professor Monroe, I'm not completely convinced. I feel like I could be in two places at once. Here...or with John."
"Actually, it's Storm now."
"Huh?"
"Jean's gone. Scott has understandably left. Our team is down to two, Peter. We've already recruited Nightcrawler, the mutant that Stryker tried to frame with the attempted assassination of the President. But we're going to need more. More people to fight for our cause. I've already talked with Bobby and Rogue. They've been itching to join since our mission at Alkali Lake. You have more than proven yourself as being a team member."
"Why me? I thought I was the rebel who didn't know which way to turn."
"That's why Xavier wants you to join. So you can see what we fight for first hand."
Peter sat and thought for a minute. "I don't know. I don't think my parents would go for it."
"We know that. You're going to be trained first, and it's not too long before the three of you are eighteen. But we do want you to discuss it with your families before you go any further."
Peter smiled. "We're going to need code names too, you know."
"I know. We already had the perfect ones for the others."
"I guess I'm going to have to come up with mine."
"Actually, the Professor already choose yours. And I think it's perfect."
Peter stood up, his towering height and bulk creating a shadow in the late day sun. "Oh really? And what's my name now, Storm?"
"Colossus. From now on, your name is Colossus."
The End
"He's ok, man." Bobby replied. "He...he decided to go with Magneto."
Peter stepped back. "Magneto? But he's...he's the bad guy, he tried to kill Rogue, he's tried to kill Xavier himself-"
"You asked Peter! He went with Magneto, ok? His decision." Peter shook his head. John had lost faith in Xavier's dream. He'd always thought that humans were always out to get him. Now, he'd gone with Magneto.
"Dr. Grey didn't make it," Bobby continued. "She died trying to save us. The dam where we found Stryker ruptured, and she held off the water until we could get to safety."
"Stop. I don't want to hear anymore." Peter left them in the living room. The news was too painful. All he could do was think of Professor Summers, who had been engaged to her. Who knew what he was feeling?
"Wait, Peter!"
"What Jubilee?"
"The Professor said he wanted to see you. He said it was important."
He nodded and headed off in the direction of where Xavier's room was. He didn't feel like talking, but he knew there was no point in hiding from Xavier. How can you avoid saying anything to someone who could read minds? A quick walk up the stairs, and Peter was standing at his door. Before he could knock, someone said, "Come in." Peter stepped in. Xavier was looking outside at the city. He seemed tired. Worn out.
"Peter Rasputin. Besides Logan, it seems that you are quite the hero for the school."
"It was nothing. Logan sent me with them."
"Logan did right. He had faith in you in watching the children. I owe you my thanks."
"No problem. I'm...I'msorry about Dr. Grey."
Professor Xavier wheeled his chair around to look at Peter. "Peter, tell me, what do you know about my team of X-Men."
Peter thought for a moment. "Well, you try to work for peace between humans and mutants. That's what you teach us at the school. That's what you taught all the X-Men before you had them join your team. That's why you always go off to stop Magneto, or try to lobby against people like Senator Kelly who tried to enact the mutant registration act. That's what you fight for."
"You are also aware that Jean shared that vision with the rest of us, correct?"
"Yes, I suppose she did."
"And you? Do you, Peter, share that vision with us?"
Peter knew the question was coming. He had to be honest. Xavier would know if he was lying. "Professor Xavier, you know where I stand. I feel like John. They keep hurting us, always without provocation. They attacked our school, they captured you, and they tried to kill every mutant on the planet! How can I have faith on an idea when everything works against it?"
Xavier looked at him for a moment, then turned his chair around to look outside. "Indeed. You can imagine what it's like to have the knowledge that I wasn't able to turn John away from his inclinations. And you can imagine still what it's like to know that the most admired person in the school is falling from faith himself."
"That's not fair! I never asked to have everyone suddenly look up to me like some type of idol! I never asked for it, just like I never asked for my mutation, and just like I never asked for people to suddenly start hurting me simply because they don't understand who I am! They'll never know, Professor Xavier! And I'm not about to just stand here listing to you tell me otherwise!" Peter started shaking. It took him a while to realize that he just yelled at Professor Xavier, a powerful mutant who could have simply turned him into shish-kebab if he'd wanted to. But Peter didn't back down. He knew how he felt.
"You know," Xavier spoke after a moment's silence, "Banshee and Moira are both in the hospital right now. Both of them are in comas."
"And you expect me to show compassion simply because of one sympathetic human?"
"Bobby Drake certainly does. And I'm sure your parents would too."
Peter stood silent. He hadn't thought about it. His parents must have felt Cerebro's waves too. He hadn't even thought about whether they had survived the onslaught.
"Peter, we all suffer from this conflict. Everyone. All anger and hate has brought us is more destruction, more pain. I understand that I may not be able to convince you. But you must remember, your choices affect others as much as they affect you. If you decide to lash out now, maybe even people you care about might end up getting hurt. Stryker had it happen to him the hard way. He'd made an incredible plan to wipe us out, and Magneto turned it right around and almost had all the humans on earth destroyed."
Peter was starting to tear up. He didn't want to hear it, because he knew it was true. Moira, the Drakes, his parents...perhaps other humans as well who saw mutants as they saw themselves.
"I'll think about it, Professor. Sorry about Dr. Mactaggert and Mr. Cassidy."
"They'll pull through. I know they will." Peter headed toward the door.
"Oh, and Peter?"
"Yes Professor?"
"Please, let Jubilee win a match. Her annoying waling makes Theresa sound like Beethoven."
#######################################################################
Two months had passed since the incident that had almost killed every mutant and human on the planet. Peter was happy that the school had been reconstructed and everyone was getting back to normal. However, it had been unnerving to get used to the teachers that had taken Dr. Grey's and Professor Summer's place. But everyone kept their spirits up. The memorial had been sad, but it gave the students a sense of closure.
Peter watched from a balcony down at the basketball court. Bobby and Rogue were on one team. Had John been there, he would be playing there too. Everyone in the school had felt a bite of reality. Peter wondered if the school could ever be a true sanctuary again. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a match against the others. But for some reason, Peter didn't feel into it that day. His biology book sat next to him on the table. They were close to finishing another school year. But Peter didn't care at the moment.
"Hey there." Peter was startled. He looked up to see Professor Monroe.
"Oh, hey."
"Let's see, you've put down your biology book, which is no surprise since you never pay attention in my class. And you're sitting here watching the others on a beautiful day like today."
"It's the heat. It has me exhausted." Peter wanted to be alone. But Professor Monroe was persistent. She sat next to him.
"You almost seem angry."
"Ya, well, it helps, you know? When everyone is out to get you, anger helps you keep going. It gives you a cause, a need."
"Funny. I said that to someone once."
"And?"
"Well, they told me that faith could help too."
Peter sighed. "Professor Monroe, I'm not completely convinced. I feel like I could be in two places at once. Here...or with John."
"Actually, it's Storm now."
"Huh?"
"Jean's gone. Scott has understandably left. Our team is down to two, Peter. We've already recruited Nightcrawler, the mutant that Stryker tried to frame with the attempted assassination of the President. But we're going to need more. More people to fight for our cause. I've already talked with Bobby and Rogue. They've been itching to join since our mission at Alkali Lake. You have more than proven yourself as being a team member."
"Why me? I thought I was the rebel who didn't know which way to turn."
"That's why Xavier wants you to join. So you can see what we fight for first hand."
Peter sat and thought for a minute. "I don't know. I don't think my parents would go for it."
"We know that. You're going to be trained first, and it's not too long before the three of you are eighteen. But we do want you to discuss it with your families before you go any further."
Peter smiled. "We're going to need code names too, you know."
"I know. We already had the perfect ones for the others."
"I guess I'm going to have to come up with mine."
"Actually, the Professor already choose yours. And I think it's perfect."
Peter stood up, his towering height and bulk creating a shadow in the late day sun. "Oh really? And what's my name now, Storm?"
"Colossus. From now on, your name is Colossus."
The End