Author's Notes: The usual spiel - part of the Mutatis Mutandis A/U storyline. The entire beast is archived at if you wanna catch up. (we also have flame-broiled Mary Sues and scary Graydon Creed porno.)
Iniquitous Genesis
Chapter Two
by N
Getting along, Scott Summers decided, was a heck of a lot harder than Sesame Street made it out to be.
He supposed it wasn't so surprising that over the two weeks they had spent now at the Massachusetts Academy he had found Lance Alvers less aggravating than normal - they had, after all, been forced to co-exist more or less constantly since the Mansion had exploded. He still couldn't claim he liked Lance exactly, but he certainly found him less trying than some of the other people he was now sharing residence with.
Case in point - The Acolytes. More specifically, the Cajun and the Englishman.
Scott wasn't sure what it was about LeBeau that got his guard up, but he suspected it had something to do with the way the lithe young man seemed to appraise everything in a room as though it were potential pawn-shop merchandise. Scott had actually found himself watching the boy at dinner, expecting him to load the expensive silverware into his pockets.
It might also have to do, Scott admitted, with how smoothly he seemed to handle anything female.
Although he preferred to just claim that Remy's goatee pissed him off.
Scott's animosity towards the Englishman was easier to understand - the guy was a prick. He'd been relentlessly unfriendly to everyone save Clarice since arriving at the Academy, treating even the smallest attempts at civility with contempt. More aggravatingly, at least to Scott, was his stubborn refusal to take orders from anyone save Emma Frost.
The Acolytes, Brotherhood and X-Men alike were all expected to attend early-morning training sessions, something Scott found secretly comforting as it was just like his routine back at the Mansion. The Acolytes didn't seem to mind much but the Brotherhood boys had certainly made a fuss about being forced out of bed before seven.
During several training exercises, Scott had found himself falling naturally into his usual role as leader. He'd shouted orders to students not on 'his' team and had been pleasantly surprised when Quicksilver, Toad, and even the huge Russian Colossus had done what he'd told them to.
Not so Chamber.
In the middle of an exercise, Scott had hastily shouted a command in the hopes of "minimizing casualties" on all sides. If Chamber had done what he'd told him to, Pyro wouldn't have been flattened against the wall. But instead of complying for the sake of his teammate, he'd just looked at Scott with an air of defiance that would have made James Dean weep with envy. Splat went the flamethrower.
"What's wrong with you?" Scott had demanded as soon as the session was completed. "He's your teammate and you didn't bother to help him?"
*No,* Jonothon had replied calmly.
Scott had left the training arena absolutely furious.
He found himself thinking of that incident now, as the kids all sat huddled in loose groups, the television having been just turned off.
They'd been watching the news. Well, Scott had been watching the news - most of the other kids were playing some sort of board game and Bobby had been pestering Scott to watch anything BUT the news.
Everyone's attention shifted to the screen, however, when the latest 'mutant bulletin' came on.
"Mutant Registration" were the key words of the broadcast. According to the program, the assassination attempt on Hull had pushed Washington into a frenzy of activity and the taxpayers were screaming for blood. They wanted mutants registered NOW.
"We need to know who they are, and more importantly, what they can do!" Hull shouted impressively from some grainy video footage. "It's a threat to National Security!"
They'd turned the TV off after that.
"Why do they hate us so much?" Kitty asked quietly. She looked as if she didn't really expect an answer.
Lance shrugged uncomfortably. "Jealous," he said.
Scott raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"
"I said they're jealous." He shrugged again. "I mean, we can do shit and they can't. So they're jealous and they want to keep us down so we don't walk all over 'em."
"I think they're just scared," Jean interjected. "Understandably so."
"Sometimes," Kitty muttered, "I wish I wasn't a mutant." She looked guilty then, as though she'd confessed something sinful.
Lance scowled. "Fuck that," he said. "I love being a mutant. Aside from people constantly trying to kill you, anyway. Powers rock."
Quicksilver nodded. "Yeah. I mean, we're better than everyone else!"
Scott frowned. "No we're not. But we have been given these abilities and we should use them. We shouldn't be ashamed of what we are. We should be proud."
And it's from there that things got ugly.
*Oh right, that's part of your Professor's philosophy, innit?* Jonothon asked. *'Know that what makes you different also makes you special. Celebrate your uniqueness.'* His 'voice' was lanced with bitter derision. *So very easy for you to say.*
"Starsmore, we don't all feel that way. Sometimes quite the opposite."
*'Sometimes.' Rot 'sometimes.' I disagree with the sentiment every bloody day.*
"Look-" Scott started.
*Forget it. Unlike you, Summers, I can't hide what I am beneath a pair of cool shades.*
Kurt's tail lashed but his gaze was steady. "Ja. And what of me, hm? You think I do not know the pain of being different?"
*Yeah. You know. Which is why you've smartly opted to hide behind a holographic façade. But there's one very important difference between you and I, Kurt.*
Kurt winced as Jonothon turned to face him fully, the psionic energy field that sustained his life roiling and spitting sparks every which way. It was so bright it hurt the eyes to look at.
*You. Are. WHOLE.*
Kurt and Jonothon stared at each other for a second, both defiant. but Scott saw it was Kurt who first dropped his eyes.
*Like it or not the fact remains that not all of us wind up GQ models with useful if sometimes annoying super-powers,* Jonothon continued, looking at Scott again. *Mutancy, despite whatever your professor or ol' bucket-head may 'ave said ter the contrary, is dangerous. It can sodding KILL you if you're not lucky.*
Jonothon laughed. Scott decided the sensation could be likened to something rusty and hollow clanging around inside your head. *And if you're really unlucky,* Jonothon said with a shake of his head, *it don't kill you, after all.*
"So stop whining and fuckin' off yourself already," Lance said after an uncomfortable silence. Scott secretly blessed his rude little heart.
Jonothon laughed again. *And how do you propose I do that? I'm already dead.*
"Yeah, you're that goth," Lance retorted.
Jonothon looked at Lance evenly for a moment before turning and striding out of the room. Lance snorted.
"Asshole."
"You might want t'watch it, mate," Pyro said from his position of hanging upside down off the couch. "I really think he doesn't give a fuck. I mean, what's he got t'lose?" He sat up and grinned. "Think that's the only thing I like about him."
"Jono does SO care about stuff," Clarice admonished quietly. "It's just that most of it's broken." She looked at Kurt. "I'm sorry. What he said wasn't fair."
Kurt nodded, but Scott thought that he looked unconvinced.
Alvers got it right, Scott thought angrily. That guy IS an asshole.
*You should leave it alone,* Jean whispered suddenly in his mind.
*Probably,* he replied as he headed for the door. *But I can't.*
He went to find Chamber.
***
"Charles, ya can't be serious!"
The newscast that had come as something as a surprise to the children was not so to the adults - Xavier and Frost had both known that Mutant Registration was bound to be implemented in the near future. After careful interior debate, Xavier had summoned Hank, Logan and Storm to his room.
"I'm afraid I am, Logan," Charles replied. "Washington is in an uproar. After what Magneto did. well, it's no surprise things are going the way they are now. What is needed is a mutant to step up out of hiding and defend our kind." He sighed. "Logan, we've done nothing wrong."
"Yeah, like they'll believe that. The government don't play fair, Chuck."
"Not always, no. But we have to try."
Storm nodded. "Charles is right. Our home was destroyed - not by humans, as you recall. Still, we were pursued by the authorities and hunted by giant machines designed to hurt us." She shook her head. "That's no way for anyone to be treated, and I refuse to let our children - and their children after them - grow up in a world like that."
Xavier smiled. "My sentiments exactly. And because of that, I have decided to go to Washington myself."
"But the kids," Hank interjected.
"Will be safe here. The entire reason we were running at all was to ensure that they were not harmed in any way. While I don't trust Emma, I must admit that she wouldn't dream of hurting them. These children are innocents. I am an adult, and I must take some responsibility in this situation."
Logan's shoulders sagged. "I don't like it, Chuck," he growled.
Storm patted Logan's arm. "No. But it must be done. It's our chance to prove that we mean humanity no harm." She turned to the Professor. "I shall accompany you, Charles." She held up a hand before he could protest. "No. You will need someone there with you. just in case. You have no choice in the matter."
Logan chuckled. "She's stubborn, Chuck."
Xavier smiled. "Indeed. Very well, Ororo. Thank you." He sighed. "I don't relish telling the children the news."
***
Scott caught up to the Jonothon outside the main building and fell into pace beside him. The other boy ignored him with quiet determination for about five minutes before he stopped, the remains of his face pulling itself into an exasperated expression.
*Can't shake you, I suppose,* he said.
Scott shook his head. "No. Long legs."
*Wotcher want? A bleedin' apology?*
"No." Scott folded his arms across his chest. "Although I think you owe Kurt one."
Telepathic snort. *Tell yer wot, Summers - you go ask the fuzzy elf if wot I said was true."
"And if he denies it?"
*Then he's a sodding liar.*
"Look, Kurt has every right to want a chance to be normal and you have no reason to make him feel bad for that," Scott said quietly. "Jealousy isn't a good enough motivation for cutting into someone like that."
Jonothon froze and Scott waited, realizing seconds too late that he'd crossed some sort of line.
Good, he thought. Serves him right.
*Give me one good reason why I shouldn't beat the shite out of you this instant,* Jonothon said angrily, his hands curling into fists.
"Because you know I'm right." Scott took a step closer, deliberately invading the other boy's personal space, his brows drawn together sternly. "By the way, I notice you weren't attacking Clarice. In case you hadn't noticed, she's another whole freak, too."
Jonothon retreated a step and Scott felt a savage little thrill at the fact. *That's different.*
"Oh really? How, exactly?"
*Naff off, Summers,* Jonothon replied, turning away.
"Oh, I get it. You can't think of how it's different, can you? It's just because she was on your team."
Jonothon rounded on him. *No, it is bloody well NOT!* he shouted. Scott winced, wishing (not for the last time) that telepaths had a volume switch. He didn't have time for further reflection as a very angry and very combustible specter glared into his eyes.
*I don't give a toss fer 'teams,' Summers. The lot of yer can 'ang yerselves for all of me, and that includes the Russian, the Aussie and especially Magneto's sniveling little bootlick.* He pulled back somewhat, his shoulders slouching. *So don't you tell me why I feel the way I do, because you have no idea wot that gel means ter me.*
Scott blinked. "You love her?" he asked, shocked.
Jonothon laughed. *Not that it's any of your business, but yes. Although not in the way you probably think.* He cocked his head so he could look at Scott down the long length of his nose. *Now if you'll excuse me, I've 'ad quite enough of your bullshit for one evening.* He turned and strode off.
Scott let him go, but he wasn't able to shake the sense that he'd failed to resolve the problem.
***
Charles Xavier announced his intentions to his students after dinner. The reaction was pretty much what he'd expected: negative.
"Professor Xavier, you can't just like, leave us!" Kitty practically wailed. "We went through so much to get here."
Xavier nodded. "I know. And please, I want you children to understand that I am not abandoning you. Part of the reason I a going to Washington is to secure a safer future for all of you."
*How selfless,* Jonothon psi-muttered. Clarice shot him a warning look.
"We understand, Professor," Scott said before anyone else could protest. "It's something that you have to do."
Xavier nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Scott. And please remember that both Logan and Hank will still be here with you."
"Children, really," Emma added, smiling, "you'll be under my care and supervision."
Scott felt a sudden urge to join Kitty in begging the Proofessor to stay.
***
Preparations were made, lawyers were called. Wolverine spent twenty minutes on the phone with Nick Fury, swearing more than a sailor with a nasty genital rash. Somewhere amidst all the phone calls and favours called in, Charles was granted access to his considerable finances once more.
Late in the evening before he was scheduled to leave Massachusetts, Charles Xavier wearily picked up the telephone at his bedside after it rang shrilly. "Hello?"
"Charles Xavier, is that you?"
Charles' brow furrowed deeply - very few people could contact him on this line, and yet he was having a hard time placing the voice, which was heavily accented and far too cheerful for such a late hour.
"Yes," he said cautiously. "Yes, this is he."
"Saints be praised! Had a hell of a time trackin' ye down, man."
Charles' brow smoothed and he smiled into the receiver. "Sean Cassidy," he said softly.
"Aye, aye. A friend in Intelligence tipped me off that ye'd been makin' arrangements t'come out of hiding. I heard about Magneto and yuir school. I'm so sorry, Charles. Whatever happened t'the children?"
"They're as safe as they're going to get. Unfortunately, I have to leave them. I can't drag them into this business with the government." He sighed. "I worry. If something happens while I'm away. Wolverine is capable, but you know how he gets."
"That I do. Well Charles, ye let me know if I can help in any way. I'm on a leave of absence from Interpol at th'moment, so me schedule is wide open."
Probably shouldn't have said that, old friend, Xavier thought and then slowly said, "Well, there is ONE thing."
***
