AN: This chapter will begin with almost pure action, but don't skip Sensei's segments in here.  They will bring to light a few things that will be crucial in later chapters about Kyle's fighting abilities, and just how come certain characters will thrash him so soundly.  We are slowly but surely getting to the first of the two main plots that will play in this story.  Come the Christmas chapter… be ready.

Chapter 8: Kyle vs. Logan, honor vs. rage.  And the Kidnapping of MacTaggert

There were only a few things that Kyle could not stand.  One was bullies, another was being treated inferior, and the third was an insult to his honor.  And Wolverine had made the brutal mistake of insulting his honor while they two of them were setting up the Christmas tree.  As a result, the young man had challenged the much older and more experienced mutant to a one on one spar in the Danger Room, since the dojo couldn't handle the amount of damage that would most likely ensue.

Kyle walked into the Danger Room, knowing fully well that the rest of the institute was in the Planning room, watching the events here on the screens there.  He heard the door on the far side of the room open, and knew that his foe had just entered.

Wolverine lost no time in attacking Kyle, who was forced to take the defensive almost immediately.  Wolverine's opening move was a brutal double slash, which avoided only partially; he knew he would be bearing at least three marks to show for this fight.  The Wolverine followed up on the attack, as was his berserker style.  As Kyle staggered back, holding his arm, Wolverine came at him, attempting to bring his claws down in an attack that would end the match.  He was caught by surprise when Kyle's left foot caught him in the stomach. 

Wolverine flipped backwards, and watched his opponent carefully. He chuckled when he realized that the kid had baited him by over-exaggerating the wound.  He and Kyle began circling, and Kyle was the next to make a move.  He rushed at Wolverine, a move that would normally be suicidal.  However, when he heard the claws come swiping at him from the right, he quickly ducked underneath them, hoping to execute the same move he had on that jock so long ago. (AN: Chapter 1)

Kyle managed to catch Wolverine in the hold, but was caught by surprise when Wolverine pulled a standing flip, something he would never of thought the burly man capable of, and was sent flying a good ten feet.  He hit the ground hard, and recovered with a roll, which placed him facing the Wolverine again.

The two once again began circling.  Again, Kyle lost his patience first, and rushed the Wolverine.  He was caught totally off guard when Wolverine kicked him in the stomach.  When the burly mutant followed up the kick by jumping on top of him, Kyle smirked at Wolverine.  Wolverine had a split second to realize that the kid was better than he had realized before he caught a pair of feet with his stomach, which then proceeded to throw him a good seven feet away.  After kicking him away, Kyle flipped to his feet, and began circling Wolverine again.

Up in the Planning room, Sensei was watching the fight, and shook his head.  He then said to the group, "That has always been Kyle's weakness in combat.  He lacks patience when fighting the fights that count, and is overly patient in the fights that he should be able to dominate.  This is a fight where he should use some of the patience that we all know he can exercise, and wait for Logan to attack.  Instead, he rushes in against a foe that has many years more experience than him."

Back in the Danger Room, Kyle and Wolverine were still circling.  Surprisingly, Wolverine made the first move this time.  He jumped off the metal wall behind him, and flipped behind Kyle.  Once behind the kid, he launched a spin kick that both caught Kyle in the back, and turned him around.  He quickly moved towards the downed boy, who was having trouble orienting himself.

Damn it! Thought Kyle, just as the older mutant reached him, his claws ready.  Thinking quickly, Kyle brought his legs around to the right, performing a sweep kick that wouldn't look to out of place as a break dancing move.  The kick placed his feet back under him, and, as he took a second to re-orient himself, Wolverine managed to get back to his feet as well.

The two of them circled, and, again, it was Kyle who made the first strike.  This time, he ran right at Wolverine, who swiped at the kid with both sets of claws.  He met nothing but air, however, as the kid landed on his shoulder blades, and then flipped forward… into the wall.

The Planning room burst into sympathetic laughter, laughter because it was just to funny, sympathetic because they knew that had to hurt.  Sensei shook his head, "And that may just win Logan the bout, right there." Everyone turned to Sensei, "Kyle's biggest weaknesses as a fighter are the lack of judgment which experience provides, his inability to compensate when his opponent makes sudden movements, and his lack of sight.  Hitting that wall is going to have rattled him, and will make it harder for him to hear Logan's movements.

As Kyle tried to get the ringing to go away, Wolverine came at him in a burst of speed.  Next thing he knew, he had a set of claws against his forehead.

A growling voice came from next to his right ear. "You're good kid, but you got a long way to go before you measure up to your old man."

Kyle looked forward, his voice controlled, yet a mixture of anger and embarrassment ran underneath the control, and said, "I know that."  Then, using his powers to become mist, he walked right past Wolverine's claws, and left the Danger Room.

He went into the Locker Room, and changed in silence.  When Wolverine reached the room, Kyle had already left.

None of the other X-Men worried about him, figuring he was able to take care of himself.  However, when he did not show up for dinner, they had begun to worry.  The Professor, making use of his telepathy, found that Kyle was in the Dojo, and he was giving of a strange mental aura.

Sensei nodded at this proclamation.  "He is meditating.  Come, this will be a good opportunity to see what true meditation looks like."  The rest of the students followed the Sensei out to the dojo.

When they arrived, he opened the door just enough to let them all in.  The entered, and saw that Kyle was deep in meditation.  But not the kind they were being trained in.  While they were trained to sit in a comfortable position, Kyle was standing, his left leg forming the base of a T His right leg was behind the left, extended so that it was even with his hand.  His right hand was a fist; the left was palm open, facing away.  His face was turned towards his left hand, and his body was drenched with sweat.  Suddenly, Kyle broke his meditation by swinging his left foot around in a round house. 

Over the course of the next 15 minutes, they watched Kyle execute the most difficult looking sequence of maneuvers they had yet to see in the dojo.  Right as he finished, Sensei swung at his leg with a wooden staff, knocking his feet out from under him.

Kyle was surprised, but he recovered quick enough to flip backwards, landing on his feet.  Sensei spoke to his son, "Kyle, there was no honor lost in that fight earlier today.  Logan is a far more skilled fighter than you.  Precious few people actually possess more skill than him, and you have just found that out the hard way."  Kyle calmed himself, listening to his sensei's words.  He opened his mouth to respond, when Sensei continued "Kyle what is the sound of one hand clapping?"  Kyle watched his father strangely for a second, as did everyone else.  "Do you remember what your initial response to that question was? You told me that it makes no sound.  I told you to meditate on it.  It took you nearly three weeks, but you gave me my answer.  Do you know why I asked you that question?"  Kyle shook his head.  "It was to show you that not all is how it seems at first glance.  Logan's comment was an innocent statement, which you took a little too personally.  While I admit that it was brusque, it was not an insult worth fighting over.  At this moment, however, only a select few know the truth behind his statement.  You should have been content in this knowledge that you share with us.  Instead, you fought with a foe whom I do not think I could defeat."  As Kyle looked at his father, and thought of his words, Sensei turned to the rest of Xavier's students.

"I would like to say something to you all.  In the short time I have been here, I have found that, the words of my old sensei were correct.  He once told me that "Those who you teach will be your children."  Now that I look back on it, I mistook his meaning.  I thought he meant that those who I taught must be my children.  Now I see that he meant that I would see them as my children.  I would like to tell you something I told Kyle long ago.  If you ever need to work off some frustration, or to talk, or just a shoulder to cry when no other shoulder will lend itself to you… I am here for you.  I now see why my sensei called me his son, for I was in spirit and heart, if not in blood and flesh and law."

*Meanwhile, on a small island off the coast of Ireland*

Mystique looked at the island facility from a nearby hill.  She knew that entering it would be no easy task, but she was determined to do it.

Toad and Pyro watched their boss from their spots on the hill behind her.  Finally, Pyro leaned over towards Toad. "Why do ya' think the boss-sheila wants th's MacTaggert.

Toad whispered back, "Who knows, yo.  And what do yo think of the new guy?"

Pyro looked over at the young man in question.  He had been recruited by Mystique on an earlier trip to Ireland, and she had had him officially join up with the Brotherhood when they arrived.  He had brown hair, which seemed to naturally lie flat against his skull.  His eyes were a piercing green, and his face was adorned with a goatee.  He stood an easy 5'9, and had a lanky build.  His skin was light colored, and his features looked a little hawk-like.  His uniform was hunter green for the most part.  Fingerless black gloves covered his hands, and his feet were covered with black combat boots.  His left shoulder had a metal pad over it, and a pair of bandoliers covered his chest.

Before Pyro could respond, Mystique spoke up.

"Alright you rejects, listen up.  We're going to kidnap Moira MacTaggert.  The reason will be clear to you soon enough.  All you need to know is this… She's a dear friend of Professor Xavier."

The Brotherhood listened as she detailed their entrance plan, and winced as she threatened them multiple times against failing.

Their plan went off without a hitch.  Lance took out the outer wall with his power, while the new guy exercised his power, a voice that could shatter steel, to take care of the relatively light defenses.  Toad grabbed the Irish researcher, as Pyro covered their tracks by burning the building to the ground.

On the way back to America, via a medium-sized plane that Mystique had 'acquired', the Brotherhood decided to find out a bit about their new housemate.

He looked at them, and said, in a voice that seemed deathly quiet, "Mah name be Conner Finnegan . But ye' can call me' Banshee."

R&R