Welcome to the Xavier Institute Thunderbird

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this," John Proudstar grumbled to himself as he drove up the Institute's driveway. "But what the hey. I mean I didn't want to go back into the army, I hate hanging around the reservation and I'm not exactly business management material. I just hope teaching kids doesn't get too boring."

At that very moment a small explosive appeared in front of his car. "What?" He blinked right before it went off. He barely managed to avoid it but drove his car straight into a tree.

"Boom Boom look what you did!" Amara shrieked. She ran over with Kurt and Rogue. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" John said wobbly. "Good thing I had my seat belt on. Oh look at all the stars…"

"Better get him to the infirmary!" Rogue tore open the side of the car and dragged him out. She handed him to Kurt.

"On it!" Kurt nodded. The next thing John knew he was surrounded by a puff of foul smelling smoke. He passed out and awoke shortly after lying flat on a table in a hospital room. What really got his attention was a big blue…something in a lab coat and spectacles was staring over him.

"Good morning!" Hank said cheerfully exposing his canines in a huge smile.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" John sat up and immediately fell off the table butt first onto the floor. "WHAT THE HELL…?"

"Oh that's right you didn't meet Mr. McCoy," Xavier calmly wheeled himself into the infirmary. "I'm sorry your introduction to the Xavier Institute was an…eventful one."

"Understatement of the year," John grumbled as he stood up. "Geeze you nearly gave me a heart attack buddy!"

"Your injuries were not serious," Hank said.

"Except for the one in my pride," John grumbled. "Is this some kind of hazing thing? Because if it is, this would explain why you have trouble recruiting people."

"No we usually save that for later in the day," Hank held out his hand. "I'm Hank McCoy. They call me Beast for obvious reasons. I'm also the resident doctor, well…the closest thing we have to a doctor here."

"John Proudstar," He warily shook his hand. "Unit used to call me Thunderbird back in the day."

"Well Mr. Proudstar I'm glad that you have decided to join us," Xavier smiled. "If you would follow me I'd like to introduce you to the rest of the staff."

"Uh before we go any further I think you ought to know that I kind of dropped out of school to join the army when I was a kid," John said as they went upstairs in some kind of elevator.

"I assure you Mr. Proudstar I am aware of your academic record," Xavier told him. "However since one of my instructors has never even been to school and two of them have recently graduated high school education is not that big an issue."

"Huh, just like my old high school," John grunted. "All they cared about was how many touchdowns I could make for the team."

"You were in football as well?" Hank asked. "So was I."

"They let you play?" John asked. "No offense."

"None taken," Hank waved. "Although I obtained my strength and dexterity in high school I did not acquire my outward appearance until about a year ago. I suspect however if I was revealed as a mutant before then things would have been much different."

"Yeah I hear ya," John sighed. "One of the reasons I left the army. Let's just say I didn't wanna take any chances once I figured out what I was."

"Here we are," Xavier said as they entered his study. "Everyone I'd like you to meet our newest faculty member, John Proudstar codename Thunderbird. You know Logan and Ororo Monroe, also known as Wolverine and Storm."

"Nice to see you again," Ororo nodded.

"Yeah finally someone new around here to keep the rugrats in check," Logan grinned.

"Thank god!" John groaned when he saw Logan. "Somebody normal around here!"

"If you are under the impression that Logan is normal you must need help," Warren snickered.

"This is Warren Worthington the Third also known as Angel," Xavier continued. "For obvious reasons. And these two are our junior instructors, Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Scott is also known as Cyclops and is also the team leader."

"Interesting," John looked at Jean. "So what do they call you?"

"Just Jean," She shrugged. "For some reason I never got a codename."

"O-kay…" John looked around. "So what exactly do I get to do around here? Teach gym?"

"Actually we all take turns training the team," Ororo told him.

"Depending on who is in the infirmary at the moment," Hank grinned.

"Well that fills me with confidence," John rolled his eyes.

"We can work on actual lesson plans later," Xavier said. "I think Mr. Proudstar would like to freshen up before his first teacher session."

"It's a training session for teaching staff only," Ororo said. "I'll show you to your room."

"Sure thing," John nodded. "But I'd better get my stuff out of my car."

"We had one of the kids take your suitcase out of what's left of your car and put it in your room," Logan told him.

"Thanks," John did a double take. "What do you mean what's left of my car?"

"Well you did wrap it around a tree and Rogue had to yank off the door," Scott told him. "That reminds me, do you have any experience in body shop? You know putting cars together?"

"Not really…" John looked at him.

"Then you might have a problem," Warren snickered.

"Fortunately we do have some rather talented students in that department," Xavier said.

"Wonderful," John groaned as he followed Ororo out the door. "Who's this Rogue guy? Strong like me?"

"She's a student," Ororo grinned. "She has super strength as well as the ability of flight but her main power is absorption."

"Meaning…"

"She can steal your powers and memories through her skin. A single touch could render you unconscious or a coma depending on how long she touches you."

"Wonderful," John groaned. "There's a helpful safety tip."

"Here's your room," Ororo opened the door.

"So this is where I'm bunking huh? Not bad. I…" He looked at the ground. "Let me take a wild guess. One of the kids can create ice, am I right?"

"Yes why do you…?" Her eyes fell on John's suitcase. It was encased in a block of ice. "BOBBY!"

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Half an hour later John was looking at himself wearing a skintight black spandex uniform with an X on it. "Do you people really wear this stuff? Weird. Not that I have much of a choice seeing as how all my clothes are still frostbitten."

"Don't worry," Hank told him as they made their way down to the hall where the Danger Room was. "Amara will melt your clothes post haste. Assuming she doesn't burn them of course."

"Oh that really fills me with confidence," John said as they joined the other instructors. "So everybody wears black huh? First school I've ever been in where the teachers wear skintight uniforms. At least they're comfortable."

"Were you expecting some kind of gaudy costume?" Logan snickered.

"Oh yeah that would have been fun," John grumbled. "Knowing my luck it would have had feathers, fringes and everything. So what kind of training do you people do around here?"

"We call it the Danger Room. Here is where we learn our most important lessons. Lesson one is how to stay alive," Scott told him. "That's what the Danger Room is for."

"Uh huh," John looked at him as if he was insane. "So what do I have to do?"

"Simple," Scott folded his arms and smiled. "Just cross the room and walk out the other door."

"That's it?" John looked at him. "You gotta be kidding me! Piece of cake! See ya on the other side!" He walked in and immediately some whirring and clicking could be heard. "HEY WHAT THE…LEGGO YOU…" Instantly John was flung back into the hall.

"Did I mention that the room may not let you cross?" Scott snickered.

"And I thought I had trouble on my first Danger Room session," Warren laughed.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" John groaned as he lay on the floor.