Shout outs:
MorriganFearn: Very keen on the comics aren't you? Cool. I remember a little about the New Mutants, and I'll try to put in their past from the comics, but there will be exceptions. This chapter, for instance, is only a small fraction of comic Ray's past, as I don't know it as much. And the Morlock massacre is not in this chapter. But me thinks the Hellions might pop up maybe sometime.
ldypebsaby: I hope you find Ray's interesting. It is kinda different though...
Disclaimer: I don't own X-men Evolution or the characters in it...
=================================================================
The sewers were home to many things. Ray Crisp was one of them.
It wasn't the best, coming home to it every night. There wasn't any warm dinners, air conditioners, or nice fluffy beds. But at least he wasn't alone. There were others like him. But he was one of the only ones who could pass as a surface dweller.
Outcasts, fearful people, or simply those who were tortured by prosecutions and glares, made up the Tunnelers. Ray had only heard a little about how the group formed, as he was the newest member. From what he knew, a larger group in the sewers, the Morlocks, lived in Bayville, and the Tunnelers were more of a division of them. Their leader, Callisto, had once been with the Tunnelers, but only for a short period of time before she became the leader of the Morlocks. That was mostly all Ray knew.
The Tunnelers were a small group, consisting of only five members. Ray himself was the youngest, but only by a couple of years. There were two females,Scatty and Marrow. Tar Baby and Sunder were both young, Tar Baby in his late teens and Sunder in his mid twenties. It was a small group, but they survived.
Part of the thanks went to Ray. He was the one who would make money and purchase food and other things for the Tunnelers. Since most of them couldn't up onto the streets without raising suspicion or getting odd looks, it was up to Ray to do it. He didn't mind, but it made him feel a little guilty how he could just walk around like he was normal, and the others couldn't. But he was repaying them for taking him in when he was lost.
It had only been about a month since he'd notice what separated him from normal people. At first it was just some spark from his fingertips, and the prickling of his hair. Then it had started to get worse, with the occasional blast of electricity. His abilities weren't under control, and that was why Ray had fled from his family. But now, he had a little more control. He still had to keep a tight lid on things, which was hard. Thankfully though, the others could understand.
Ray checked his watch silently, as he moved along the sewer floors. It was almost time to leave for his job. Knowing that he always had to leave extra early, Ray decided to leave. There was no reason to say bye to anyone, as most of the others knew what time he would leave. Some didn't even care.
Carefully sliding out of the sewers and into an alley, Ray stood up and pulled his duffle bag up. Dressed in a ripped up and dirty white T-shirt and ratty jeans, Ray knew he would have to cover up. Even though it was summer, he slipped on a jacket that was a little less dirty, and wiped the dirt from his face.
Ray continued out of the alley and towards a gym nearby, another thing that was a privilege. Thanks to the fact that he had money left over from his job to pay for the membership he had started before moving in with the Tunnelers, Ray was able to work out and maintain his physique, as well as take showers. It was something most of the Tunnelers had forgotten about.
Picking up his pace so he wouldn't be late, Ray entered the gym. He silently flashed his membership card to the man at the desk, and continued toward the lockeroom. No one paid him any attention as he slipped inside. There was no time to work out, so he'd decided to get right down to a nice and warm quick shower. It was regular that he would have to change out of his tattered and stinky sewer clothes into the clean ones he used for work. The shower was nice, but mostly he just wanted to wash the grime and stink off his body, so nobody at his job would get suspicious.
The lockeroom was empty, so Ray moved about casually, using whatever he need. He laid out his clean clothes on the bench in between the lockers, and stuffed his dirty ones in a bag he'd brought. Ray stripped off his T- shirt, tossing it in the bag quickly. He looked at himself in the mirror, noting how much dirt and grime covered his well-toned upper body. Ray figured he'd might have to take a longer shower not make sure that he'd get it all off. His hair was another matter.
Ray had contemplated on changing his hairstyle, maybe slicking it back, and dying some of his bangs orange and spiking them up. Now though, his hair was short and a little spiked.
Deciding to forget his hair now, Ray finished what he'd come to do. His shower was over after five minutes, and he dried off quickly. He quickly put on his black boxers and baggy black jeans, and then pushed his feet into his other pair of shoes. Then he pulled out his baseball cap, shades, and necklace, and finally stuffed his bag of dirty clothes and his duffle bag into a locker.
A moment later, Ray was walking toward the lockeroom door, necklace already on and slipping his tight white T-shirt. As he exited the gym, he slipped on his shades and then his cap, turning it backwards. Checking his watch, Ray smirked. He had five minutes to get to his job, and it was only a block away.
As he casually walked, he ignored the electrical sensation within him.
=================================================================
"Great job Ray, I like it when you're early."
"Thanks Calvin," muttered Ray as he nodded towards his boss. "So what's up for today?"
The older man nodded and looked at a clipboard in his hand.
"Not much; just a commercial and one photo shoot. Think you can handle it?"
"Hey, no problem, I might even enjoy myself." Ray answered with a smirk. Then he followed Calvin into a room with a few people and cameras and other equipment.
Calvin moved along through, pointing at a piece of fitness equipment. Then he turned toward Ray.
"Alright Ray, this'll be a quick one. Just read the script cards and show some muscles. Walk around the equipment a bit, and make sure you're convincing, calm, and cool. Then they'll just put some pictures of the equipment in the commercial. Easy, ya?"
"You got it boss," remarked Ray.
"Now that's what I like. I believe there might be a salary upgrade in your near future, Ray. You're doing great!" Calvin stated, and patted Ray on the back. Then he moved behind two guys with cue cards. Ray got in place behind the equipment, and prepared himself. A man with a camera signaled the start.
Ray did as he was told, and read off the cue cards, sounding confident and composed. He flexed some arm muscles, and pulled up his shirt, showing his toned chest and six pack abs. After about two minutes he was done.
"Marvelous, Ray! Just like we wanted!" Calvin told him quickly. Then he led Ray into another room, somewhat like the other. There was a small platform with a background, and two girls sitting in chairs. There were still the cameras and people.
"So what's this one?"
"Here's the deal Ray. You'll be standing there with Mindy and Sydney, and make sure to look ecstatic. They'll be all over you, and then dump water on you. Don't look surprised look playful. Make sure to laugh and continued. Then tear your shirt off and flex a bit, but don't look too macho. Focus on the girls, and then the cameras. There will be some artificial snow at the end. Look surprised there, and then look smug. The shoot will be done after that."
"Ok..." Ray trailed off with a slight laugh. He didn't mind it at all, but it seemed a little strange. Although he'd need to snag a shirt for the trip back if he was going to ruin the one he already had on. But the water part was what piqued him slightly. Not that he minded it, but the fact that his "powers" were electrical made him a little worried.
"Ok, places people!" Calvin shouted, so Ray took off his cap and shades, and then joined the two girls on the stage. "Ready, and go!"
Some wild music started to play instantly, and Ray put on his ecstatic face. Sydney and Mindy moved up against him, moving their hands along his chest and arms. They laughed and danced a little, while Ray moved with them. Then they picked up buckets of water, and dumped the over Ray. They giggled with innocent grins, while Ray pretended he loved it. Most of the water had washed his hair and upper body. Ray's spiked hair was now squashed down, and his T-shirt was soaked through and sticking to his muscles tightly. Remembering what Calvin had said, Ray placed his hands on his collar, and easily ripped his T-shirt. The rip exposed most of his chest, while the two girls moved their hands along his muscular pecks. Then they grabbed his shirt instead of Ray, and ripped the rest in half over his abs. Ray let the ruined and wet shirt slip off of his broad shoulders, and flexed a bit. His gaze moved along both girls, and then shot towards the camera. The fake snow started to fall, sticking to his upper body and hair. Ray then pretended to be surprised, and then crossed his arms over his wet chest, and gave a smug look towards the camera.
"Great job!" Calvin echoed as the shoot finished.
"Thanks," answered Ray, but then he halted. Electricity was moving along his skin and along the water. A few sparks were shooting off. Ray quickly fled the room through the back door, coming into a room filled with hanging large curtains and crates, with a little light from florescent lamps toward the ceiling and catwalks.
Ray dropped onto one knee as some bolts of electricity shot out from his skin. The water on his skin was a conduit for his powers, causing a little smoke.
"Dammit, how could I have been so stupid?!" Ray shouted angrily, slamming his fist into a crate. He reached out and grabbed onto something. Only then did he realize his mistake.
It was a metal pole.
The electricity surged from Ray onto the bar. It didn't cause him pain, but it was a strange sensation and it was exhausting him greatly. He couldn't control his powers.
The electrical current flashed up the bar and towards an electrical generator. The electricity touched it, and a moment later a bright explosion filled the room. Ray was knocked onto his back as a flare erupted above him. Flames lashed out onto the large curtains and crates. The ceiling pillars and catwalks were damaged as well. A fiery catwalk crashed down inches from Ray. He backed up quickly against a wall.
A large section of the ceiling pillars started to give way, cracking and breaking up. Flaming chunks of wood and stone were raining onto the floor. Ray scrambled to get up as something shot through the ceiling. He looked up, peering through the heat and fires. Oddly, a bony spike had pierced through the ceiling, wedged still. Then another did the same. Then another and another, forming a circle. The circle chunk of the ceiling started to crack, as it was kicked toward the ground. For a split second Ray thought Marrow would poke her head through. The spikes were after all her powers.
But instead Ray watched as someone looked down at him from the roof. A puff of smoke surrounded them. The breaking pillars started breaking more, as someone appeared in front of Ray, also in a puff of smoke. He was staring at a teen like him, only covered in blue fur and with a swishing tail. The guy grabbed Ray's bare and wet arm, and suddenly they were on the roof.
"Ouch!!" The blue teen shouted, instantly shooting his hand away from Ray after receiving a jolt. Below them, the pillars collapsed onto the floor, and the room became ablaze even more. Ray just stared at the two people in front of him. Mainly the elf or demon looking one. He backed up surprised, and started to lose his balance. Both guys in front of him lashed out and grabbed his arms, pulling him away from the hole in the roof. Both of them received jolts.
Ray wanted to apologize, but he was too fixed in awe.
"Who are you people?" He finally got out.
"My name's Evan and this is Kurt," the other guy with blonde hair and dark skin answered. The blue one smiled sheepishly. "You're Ray Crisp, right?"
Ray nodded meekly.
"Ve're here to help you. See, ve're mutants like you. Vith special powers and all. There's a place vhere we live, and there's a man who can really help you. Trust us, you should definitely come." Kurt stated happily, showing his German accent.
"Really, people like us?"
Evan and Kurt nodded, and then looked to the side as firefighters appeared on the scene.
"Is this place nice?" Ray asked, feeling he should really check it out. Both guys smirked and nodded. "Well, I guess I could try it, but..." Ray trailed off. "I need to say bye to some people first, and give 'em thanks. I'll meet you in that alley in ten minutes." Ray pointed to an alley next to the one he used to enter the sewers. Both guys nodded, and disappeared, reappearing in a puff of smoke in the alley.
Ray stood silently, soot clouding his face and upper body, and his jeans charred. Quietly he was excited, but he felt sad about what he was leaving behind. Even if it was just a job and a group of people in the sewers he didn't know much about.
But Ray Crisp was ready to start anew, and take control.
=================================================================
A/N: Ok...this was definietly a change from Ray's past. Obviously he wasn't a model in the comics, but I guess it's just something totally different. I think Ray was with the group called the Tunnelers, but since I didn't know who else was with them, I just put in the names of someone of the Morlocks in one of the X-men Evolution comic. Except Marrow, she's been with the Morlocks and the X-men in the comics. Alright, about halfway through. Sorry if this is going slow, but please bear with it, and keep reviewing! Thanks.