Bad Day, Bad Day
The next day John walked stiffly to the kitchen. "Way to go hotshot," He grumbled to himself. "Not even here a week and already you're ready to get kicked out."
"I don't think it will come to that."
"What?" John whirled around and saw Ororo behind him. "Geeze lady you're good at sneaking up on people. Or I must be slipping."
"Well you were a bit preoccupied," Ororo pointed out.
"Yeah well being lectured like I was back in high school does do that to people," John grunted as he sat down. "Who the hell was I kidding coming here? I mean I can't teach a class! I'm nothing like you or the others."
"Well why did you come here?" Ororo asked. "If you don't mind me asking?"
"Honestly? I'm not really sure," John sighed. "I've always been a loner by nature. Had a hard time fitting in anywhere. Not real good at this whole 'team' thing. Got in fights all the time in school, dropped out of that. Went into the army. God only knows how I managed to get out of it without being court-martialed. Just trying to figure out what the hell to do with my life I guess. Sound like a loser huh?"
"No you sound like a man searching for his path in life," Ororo pointed out.
"Yeah well the trouble is my path is usually filled with disaster," John grunted. "I don't do well with authority."
"I've noticed. It is an adjustment living here," Ororo told him. "But it's one we all have made."
"Yeah you have no idea how many times I've wanted to pop Summers one," Logan chuckled as he appeared. "Fortunately things have a habit of happening to him so I don't have to."
"Jeesh!" John startled. "I've gotta be losing my touch! I didn't even sense you!"
"Nah," Logan waved. "Let's just say I've been sneaky for a very long time."
"Are you gonna rag on me too?" John asked.
"Please!" Logan snorted. "Let's just say there's a reason I don't do classrooms."
"Yeah well Xavier's got me doing Phys. Ed with you now," John grunted. "He says I still need supervision."
"Good," Logan drank some coffee. "Someone else to help me torture the kids."
"Well you're taking this well," John sighed. "Let me ask you something, how do you make it in here? I mean, how did you fit in?"
"When did he fit in?" Ororo gave him a wry look.
"Ha ha. But I know where you're coming from. We're both loners by nature," Logan told him. "But we both know that there's a bigger picture going on and in my case, well I ended up wanting to be part of that."
"I dunno if I can be," John sighed. Then an alarm sounded. "What the hell is that?"
"Let's find out," Logan ran down the halls. John and Ororo followed him to the Hangar. Hank had already arrived and was now carrying an unconscious Scott out of the Blackbird. His uniform was scratched and torn.
"What happened to him?" Logan asked.
"I don't know," Hank said. "We need to get him to the infirmary."
"What about the others?" Ororo asked. "Are they all right?"
Hank looked at her. "There are no others. Cyclops was the only one on board."
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The first thing Scott heard was Hank shouting. "Will all of you get out of here?"
"He's waking up!" Kurt shouted. Scott opened his eyes and saw several X-Men in the infirmary looking over him.
"What happened? Where are the others?" Scott looked around.
"That's what we were gonna ask you!" Kurt said. "Where's Rogue? And Kitty and…"
"I…I don't," Scott held his head. "Wait, I remember now. We just landed on the island and were about to scout it when we encountered Polaris."
"Polaris?" Ororo frowned.
"Yeah she was on a mission to recruit the mutant herself," Scott nodded. "We were about to fight when…something attacked us instantly. It was all so fast. The next thing I knew, I'm here."
"Somehow you must have gotten away and set the auto pilot on the Blackbird," Xavier frowned. "Let me see if I can put the pieces of the puzzle together." He lightly touched Scott's forehead.
"What do you see?" Scott asked his mentor.
"Nothing," Xavier sighed. "But I did sense traces of a powerful mind."
"You think it was a trap set by Magneto?" Logan asked. "He's got at least one telepath working for him."
"Mastermind may be quite adept but no," Xavier shook his head. "No this is something I have never encountered before."
"Well whoever it is, Rogue and the others are still back there!" Kurt said. "We have to go rescue them!"
"I agree with the Elf," Logan growled. "You up for a trip back Cyke?"
"Yeah I'm fine now," Scott nodded. "It feels like nothing ever happened to me."
"Good. Cyclops you'll have to go back for obvious reasons," Xavier nodded. "I'll fly out with you. Storm, Wolverine, Thunderbird, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Magma you will come with us. The rest of you remain here…"
"Hold it!" Scott held up his hand then pointed to John. "Him? He's still injured! There's no way…"
"You don't think I can cut it kid?" John snapped. "It'll take more than a little scratch to…"
"Enough! Both of you!" Xavier interrupted sharply. "Like it or not this a team and the two of you are going to have to learn to work together! That's an order!"
"And you thought I was a pain to work with," Logan chuckled.
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Not long after the team was in the Blackbird. "Jeeze you people have everything don't you?" John whistled as he looked out the window. "You got any of those tiny bags of peanuts or little liquor bottles? Hey how about some stewardesses? That would be good!"
"Professor I don't understand why he has to be here," Scott questioned as he flew up front with Xavier. "Why not Beast or one of the others? Heck I'd even trust Boom Boom to be in more control than him!"
"Someone has to watch the others back at the mansion. Besides Thunderbird has tracking skills as well as strength," Xavier said. "They may come in handy on this mission."
"If you say so," Scott sighed. "The radar's picked up something."
Two fighter jets were streaking towards them. "This is not good," Logan remarked.
"What are we waiting for? Can't we just out fly 'em?" John asked.
"That's not the problem," Logan said.
"Blackbird this is Raven from GI Joe," A haughty female voice could be heard. "You are in restricted airspace."
"That's the problem!" Logan rolled his eyes.
"Follow us and land at the designated coordinates," Raven instructed. They soon found themselves landing on the aircraft carrier USS Flag.
"What now?" John asked as they landed. "Are we gonna be arrested and fight our way out?"
"Well we're not going to be arrested but I guarantee there's gonna be some fighting!" Scott groaned as he saw the Misfits greet them on the landing field.
"Sheesh," Lance groaned. "And I thought this was gonna be hard enough without the Mass Device! Of all the times for Trinity to make repairs on it!"
"Hi there!" Todd waved. "Nice to see you again!"
"Just when I thought this day could not get any worse…" Scott groaned.