Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men, I don't own an emu farm, I don't own Al
Yankovic, and I don't own my soul. It's been sold to a freaky guy wearing a
bucket on his head. I only own some of the OC's. Some of them belong to
Kernl "Toad" Sandrz. You happy? Good.
Hey, everyone! It's me, Pyrotic! Okay, This is my first fanfiction, so I'm sorry if it starts out bad. I promise, it gets better. I already wrote most of the story, but I only posted the first three chapters as an experiment. Umm.. I might not post any more if I don't get any reviews *hint, hint* Oh, yeah, I will mention the first person to give me a review, flame or no, at the end of my fourth chapter. That is, if people like it and give me reviews.
_______________________________Chapter 1_________________________________
Cyclops, also known as Scott Summers, scanned the field. The other X- Men were battling each other in a practice session inside the Danger Room. Gesturing to one of his students, he worked out a maneuver to complete their mission.
The student, Pyro, walked up to him reluctantly, "What?"
Cyclops pointed to another young X-Man, Iceman, "Stop him from getting to the destination.
Pyro grinned, "My pleasure."
Pyro followed Iceman stealthily, until they were out of Cyclops's eyesight.
"Hey, snowman!" Pyro called, "Catch!"
He flicked the cap of his lighter, igniting a flame. He hurled a ball of fire at the other mutant. Iceman looked up, not a moment to soon. He ducked out of the way, and tossed a snowball at Pyro.
Snowballs? Pyro shrugged, If he thinks he can beat me that way, let him.
Seconds later, they were engaged in a fierce battle, which lasted several glorious moments for Pyro as he emerged on top.
Unfortunately, Cyclops had shown up mere seconds before.
"Crap," Pyro muttered.
The battle scene disappeared, revealing a large empty room. Cyclops marched up to them. He pulled Pyro away from Iceman.
"What are you doing?" he shouted, visor glowing red.
"You have to ask?" Pyro asked, "I was stopping Iceman."
"The simulation's over, you don't need to use codenames."
"Okay, I was stopping Bobby."
"I told you to stop him, John," Cyclops yelled, "Not wipe him off the face of the earth!"
"He let his guard down!" John protested, "You're the one who"
Scott sighed, "This means another detention, John. Why don't you ever listen?"
As Scott retreated, he felt John's eyes bore into him. He gladly turned the session over to Professor Xavier.
"Come on, John," Bobby insisted, "It was only practice."
"Whatever."
"Okay, class," Ororo Munroe, known as Storm, announced as she shook back her brilliant shoulder-length silvery-white hair, "In a couple of days, a group of students will be leaving on a training mission, accompanied by a few teachers. Doctor Gray will post a list of names on the bulletin board in the front hall tomorrow. Those of you who aren't on the list will get a holiday until the mission group returns," She smiled as a couple students cheered, "Any questions?"
"Are you going on the trip, Miss Munroe?" a student asked.
"No. I am going on a separate mission this afternoon."
In the back of the room, Rogue looked interested, obviously hoping she was on the list. Next to her, Bobby Drake's emotions looked identical to hers. Most of the class felt the same as them, although the thought of a holiday was also very entertaining. So, to be safe, quite a few decided they didn't care, either way, they could do something interesting.
After a few more classes, Rogue and Bobby sat down to eat lunch. Luckily, there was a wide variety of food choices. A few minutes later, John Allerdyce sat down at their table.
He grinned, looking at them. "What's with you two? You make it look like someone burned your house down."
Rogue rolled her eyes. John was so annoying. "John, is everything you talk about have something to do with fire?"
John looked her, smile fading. "So much for friends. I was even going to tell you something about the mission." He shook his head in mock sadness. Looking up slightly, he smiled in the way that made Rogue and Bobby want to punch him.
"What about the mission?" Bobby asked eagerly.
"Why should I tell you? You obviously could care less about what I think. You don't even stick up for me in practice sessions," John raised his eyebrows. He had no other friends, and most of the time, Rogue and Bobby didn't want to be his friends. John knew it, but he hung out with them anyway.
"John." Rogue groaned. "Let's not go over this again."
"Okay, okay," John said as Rogue kicked him under the circular table, "I'll tell you!" He rubbed his shin.
Rogue smiled, satisfied, "So tell us already!"
"I was getting to it!" John scowled, and flicked the cap of his lighter, "Okay, so I broke into Cyclops' room, and"
"What were you doing in there?" Bobby asked.
"Breaking in, didn't I tell you?"
Bobby sighed, and let John continue.
"Like I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted"
"John, put a lid on the insults and get on with it!" Rogue was looking angry. This, she thought, is the reason no one wants to be friends with him.
John looked offended. "Well, I would be if" he caught Rogue's look, then raised his eyebrows, "What? Is it that time of the month?"
Bobby got up, and would have punched him in the face, except he caught his fist in mid-swing, and twisted it behind his back. No enough to hurt, but enough to restrain him.
"You forget," John said with feigned cheer, "That guys enjoy picking fights with me, and that, I normally win."
"They pick fights with you?" Bobby said, angry. "I think you've got that a bit backwards, even if you do win sometimes." He wrenched his arm out of John's grip and picked up his tray of food and left, Rogue doing the same.
John watched them leave. He knew he had blown it, let his temper show, ever so slightly. True friends were so hard to come by. It was too bad there was no chance of gaining any. And considering the circumstances, that was some way to say goodbye.
That night, Rogue was pleased with herself. She had managed to avoid John all day. She walked into the game room. She saw Bobby over in the corner, obviously studying. She waved to him, and he smiled. Rogue walked over to sit next to him. They talked excitedly about the mission for a few minutes, and then fell into silence as Bobby resumed studying.
Rogue let her gaze wander the room, and noticed John sitting by himself in the corner of the room. He was flicking his lighter open-closed repeatedly, as usual, and staring out into space. He had a slightly sad look on his face. Rogue felt somewhat guilty, recalling the earlier events of that day. John felt Rogue's gaze on him, and looked at her, his face no longer showing any hint of sadness. There was an angry look now in his eyes. He got up and left the room, Rogue's eyes following him. She glanced at Bobby, and he shrugged, obviously not caring whether John was angry with him or not. Rogue told him she was tired, and was going to bed and he nodded, resuming his studies.
When Rogue got into bed, about five minutes later, she found a folded up piece of paper on her pillow. Reading it, she knew it was from John, as it was about the training mission.
The students participating in the mission will be the following:
Marie D'Ancanto
Amara Aquilla
Ray Crisp
Roberto Da Costa
Robert Drake
Samuel Gutherie
Katherine pryde
Allen Orris
Peter Rasputin
Aaron Kerr
Shawn Kerr
Kurt Wagner
Also, the teachers attending:
Jean Gray
Scott Summers
Logan
The above will be leaving tomorrow. The students not participating will
have a holiday until the Mission returns.
Rogue restrained herself from doing anything attention-drawing. She wanted to do something to express her delight in being chosen to go on the training mission, but she remembered that she wasn't supposed to know yet. She decided to tell the news Bobby the next day, and let a peaceful sleep wash over her.
Bobby was sleepily making his way down the hall to breakfast when he heard shouting. He peered around the corner, to see John arguing with Jean, Scott, and Logan.
"Why aren't I allowed to go on the mission?" John asked angrily, waving a piece of paper.
Scott's visor was flaring red again, "One, because your behavior in class is terrible, and two"
John interrupted, "Yeah, great excuse, Cyclops!" John spat out Scott's name, twisting the word into an insult. Bobby knew Scott was John's least favorite teacher. John narrowed his eyes, "You just don't want a 'bad boy' messing up your precious mission! No one wants me around, don't you think I know it? I thought this place was different!" John spun around, towards the door. "It's the same way here as everywhere else! Same damn way!"
John flung the door open, and walked out into the snow. Bobby realized that John was leaving, and the only way he could stop him, was to drag him back. Jean, Logan, and Scott realized that, too. Logan grabbed the back of John's jacket.
"John!" Bobby ran to the door, "What are you doing? Where are you going?" Bobby was astonished that anyone would want to leave the mansion.
"I'm leaving! I'm getting away from here!" John wriggled out of his jacket and ran out into the storm.
Logan looked at the jacket, "Should I get him?" He turned to Jean.
"I can't see him anymore! There's too much snow!" Jean looked distressed.
Snow was blowing inside the mansion by the way of the door. Bobby struggled to pull it shut. The wind blowing against it was extremely strong. Logan and Scott moved forward to help, but Bobby, in a burst of strength, slammed the door shut.
Jean closed her eyes, searching with her telepathic powers to locate John. She found him easily, as he was the only one outside for miles. Also, his extreme anger was like a full moon in a starless sky. She slipped into his mind, unnoticed.
Jean looked around her. John obviously had no idea where he was going. Well, Jean thought, maybe I can find something useful in here. Maybe I can find out why he is so angry. John certainly had a lot of unwanted memories and feelings. But then, a memory flashed out at her in pictures, like a strobe light.
Flash!
A younger version of John was happily enjoying a birthday party, obviously his.
Flash!
A cake, complete with lit candles.
Flash!
John mesmerized by the candles.
Flash!
Candles exploding into raw flame, fire enveloping the cake.
Flash!
Everyone running away from the table, except John, still sitting, staring at the flames.
A woman's voice, saying, 'A freak accident, that's all'
A angry thought from John, 'Yeah, an accident made by a freak!'
Flash!
John says goodbye to a girl with tears in his eyes
Flash!
A car driving away.
Another voice, male, 'He's a bad influence on you, Kerri'
A field near a school.
Flash!
Dry grass bursting into conflagration.
Flash!
A policeman, saying, 'Yes, chief, you speak to him, and we can let him off with That'
Flash!
A man, yelling, 'What do you think you were doing? You could have lost me my job, not to mention the people you put in danger! Don't you ever think? Get out of here!'
Flash!
John tearing out of the house without a second thought.
Flash!
John runs into a woman who grabs his arm.
Flash!
John trying to pull away, failing.
Flash!
The woman pulls him back inside the house.
Flash!
John, climbing out a window.
Flash!
A house burning
Suddenly, a mental barrier shot out of nowhere, John had sensed Jean's presence. The fiery mental substance formed a wall around her, burning fiercely. Jean concentrated as the wall closed in on her, and opened her eyes back in the mansion.
"Are you alright, Jean?" Scott asked, worried.
"Yes," Jean found that she was sweating. "Yes, I'm fine."
"Are you sure, Dr. Gray?" Bobby looked down at her.
Jean realized she was on the floor. She stood, dusting herself off. "Yes, I'm sure."
"You went into his mind, didn't you?" Scott wasn't pleased. "Remember what the Professor said: If you want to learn to read minds, start out with simpler ones." Scott looked at the door, and the piles of snow around it. "The way I see it, John is pretty hard to figure out."
"I'll say," said Bobby, thinking about what had just happened. "Why did John want to leave?"
Scott paused, then answered, "He says we aren't giving him a chance. I think he's remembering something that happened a long time ago. Something we know nothing about."
"But," Bobby said, even more confused. "I thought you guys knew about everybody's past and stuff!"
"We know most of our students' histories, but John, well"
At that moment, many students came down the stairs, obviously for breakfast. Scott turned and quickly left the room, saying something about getting ready for classes.
"He did what?" Rogue asked Bobby a couple minutes later.
"I know." Bobby looked worried. "And look what I found in his jacket." He held out his hand. It was John's lighter. "He had it in his pocket, and when Logan grabbed his jacket, he left it behind." He looked at Rogue. "Without this, he'll freeze to death, Rogue!"
Rogue looked amazed. "How could this have happened? Why wasn't John happy here?"
"Scott doesn't know. But Jean went inside his mind or something, I think she might know something."
"And you know something else?" Rogue suddenly remembered overhearing Jean and Scott talking. "Scott and Jean were saying something in the hall the other day. They said that Magneto's Brotherhood is active again. And," She said as she saw Bobby's eyes grow wide. "There have been rumors of people kidnapping mutants and experimenting on them."
Jean was walking very quickly towards them. "Bobby, Rogue. Come with me."
They followed her down to the Blackbird, the X-men's highly advanced jet. "Umm. Dr. Grey? Why are we down here?"
"You're coming with us on a mission. I'll explain to you on the way."
After take-off, Jean turned to them. "Magneto has found a lab where scientists experiment on mutants. He is planning to kill all of the humans and to get the mutants to join him. We're going to try to do what we can and to get the mutants to come with us. Understood?"
Bobby and Rogue nodded, then Bobby spoke, "But. aren't you going to do anything about John?"
Jean sighed. "We are doing all we can. And we may need to talk to you two, in case you know anything useful, since you were his friends"
"But he'll freeze to death!"
"He has his li" Jean broke off as Bobby held out John's lighter. "Where did you get that?" Her voice shook.
"It was in his jacket pocket. He'll freeze." Bobby put the lighter back into his pocket.
Jean put her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do. I'll do all I can to help. I promise."
They landed in the middle of a clearing near a concrete building. Snow was lying everywhere. As they got closer, they saw that a battle was being held there.
Something caught Bobby's eye. "Rogue, look!"
Rogue immediately saw what he meant. "John? But, you couldn't have gotten this far from the mansion.
It was, indeed, John. He was standing, silent, but shivering madly.
"Oh, God! He's freezing!"
But suddenly he stopped shivering. A grin spread across his face. He was growing taller, his skin, eyes, and hair changing color.
"Mystique!" Scott's hands were clenched in fury.
"Come to meddle in what is none of your business, I expect?" Mystique's grin grew wider.
Scott pushed past her and The X-Men followed. He grabbed the shoulder of a guy in front of him. He spun the guy around.
"Oh, it's you, Cyclops." The guy's voice was malevolent, and his dark eyes were narrowed.
"Lance. Or should I say, Avalanche!" Scott sounded extremely annoyed.
"Who did you expect? Weird Al Yankovic? Anyway, I have work to do." the guy walked away.
"Who was that guy?" Rogue asked.
"Don't you know him?" asked Bobby. "He's the number one pain-in-the- you-know-where; Lance Alvers!"
"Oh, he's that guy who always pushes you around?" Rogue turned and then pointed to a group, obviously mutants. They were attacking a bunch of humans, who were using various pieces of equipment to fight back.
Lance stood, in front of and slightly to the left of the Brotherhood. The humans in front of him aimed countless pieces of artillery at him and the others. As he used his power, his eyes rolled up into his head. The ground began to shake. Trees toppled over, as well as everyone around him. After about a minute or so of this, Lance fell to his knees, weakened by the strain. Pain shot through his head. He had used his destructive power much too extensively. He opened his eyes. He could see, but everything was blurred. He saw three unclear objects flying through the air towards Peitro. He got to his feet, despite the excruciating headache he was experiencing. Then he hurled himself into the path of the objects. They slammed into him, knocking him back to the ground. Through the blinding pain of his headache, Lance felt the new pain, but he was unable to place it.
Jean and Scott approached the Brotherhood. The humans were nowhere to be found.
"Stop!" Jean shouted. "Magneto! Take your Brotherhood and leave!"
A tall, helmeted figure turned towards her, ignoring the fact that one of his followers was injured. "As you wish," he said with a slight accent. He signaled to his group and walked away.
They followed him, leaving Lance lying in the snow.
Peitro looked back. "What about Lance?"
"Leave it." Mystique answered, dispassion in her voice.
"But" Peitro began.
"I said: Leave it!"
Jean knelt by Lance, "This is bad," she said, looking worried.
Lance's side had been torn apart and blood was forming a puddle around him. His leg was not as bad as his side, but still deep and bleeding. Last, there was a cut on his neck, and blood trickled to the ground and was absorbed by the snow.
"I'm not sure how bad his neck is, but otherwise, he's in bad shape," Jean looked up at Scott, "Look around the building, take Rogue with you, I'll need Bobby to help me with Lance."
Scott and Rogue immediately started for the building.
"You want to what?" Bobby asked incredulously.
"We have to get Lance to the Blackbird, and try to fix him up best we can until we can take him to the med. center."
"We're going to bring him to the mansion? But, Dr."
"Call me Jean, Bobby. You make me sound like an old lady. And yes, we are taking him to the mansion."
"But, Dr.I mean, Jean, he's from the Brotherhood, our enemy!"
"Yes, but only because we didn't reach out to him in time. Bobby, I need you to trust me! Just help me carry him to the Blackbird, okay?"
Bobby sighed, then grabbed Lance's right arm and put it over his shoulders. Jean looked relieved, and used her telekinetic power to help Bobby carry Lance.
After what had seemed like forever, Scott and Rogue entered the Blackbird. Rogue looked slightly surprised to see Lance there. Scott was carrying an unconscious girl in his arms. She had long black hair and her arms were bound in front of her in a strange way. Buckles made of leather were tightly fastened around her wrists and elbows, strapping her forearms together.
Jean raised her eyebrows at Scott.
"She was the only one left. I think in their hurry, the scientists forgot her. We decided we should leave her bonds on, until we explain who we are. Just in case she decides to attack us." Scott sat her in one of the chairs, the one beside Lance.
"What's he doing here?" Rogue asked. Scott didn't look too pleased either.
"Lance?" Jean looked at her. "Would you have preferred leaving him there to die? Like the Brotherhood?"
The other three X-men looked uncomfortable. Jean dropped the subject and the jet took off.
As they landed, back at the mansion, Jean turned to the two students. "I want you guys to help out Lance and the new girl when they're conscious and out of the med. center, alright?"
Bobby and Rogue nodded, and when they were out of earshot, Rogue said, "She sure sounds confident. How can she be so sure Lance will survive, and that girl will want to stay?"
"I dunno." Bobby shrugged. "She's telepathic."
"Yeah, but she can't read the future."
"And what about John?"
"Sometimes I think he deserves it," Rogue sighed, "But then I remember all the times he was sweet, and helpful."
"Huh?" Bobby looked confused and slightly jealous.
"Remember when Rahne and Jubilee had to leave?"
Bobby nodded.
"John helped them carry their stuff to the car that was bringing them to the airport. And then he said he was sorry they had to leave." Suddenly, Rogue grinned. "They sure had a shock!"
They had reached Rogue's room.
"Well, I'll see ya tomorrow!" Rogue closed the door.
"Yeah." muttered Bobby. "See you."
The next day, Rogue and Bobby met in Bobby's room during breakfast.
"Umm. Bobby? Why are we here?" Rogue asked.
"I thought that since I shared a room with John, we could look through the stuff he left behind. You know, maybe we could find out why he left and where he's going." Bobby sat down on John's bed, Rogue doing the same. "I never saw much of his stuff, he always kept it out of sight." He pulled on a drawer in the nightstand. It slid open. Inside was a pile of photographs.
"Here's something." He flipped through the pictures. There were a couple of a young John and a girl about the same age.
"I wonder who the girl is." Bobby said.
Bobby pulled out a picture that had been crumpled up into a ball. He unfolded it. The picture was of a young couple. In the background was a car. Its back window had 'Just Married' painted on it.
"They must be John's parents." Rogue said quietly. She felt she knew why John had destroyed the picture, but didn't let the thought slip into her consciousness.
Bobby tapped her gloved hand gently. Rogue tore her gaze from the married couple to see what he was showing her. In his hand were pictures, but not of John, or his parents. They were pictures of Bobby and Rogue.
"What?" Rogue looked astonished. "Why would he want those?"
"I think," Bobby said. "that he wanted these because we were, in John's eyes, his friends. Rogue, he really wanted friends. Remember when we first came here? He was always by himself?"
"Yeah. And we felt sorry for him. But when we tried talking to him, he didn't trust us. He thought we were making fun of him." Rogue looked at the pictures of themselves. "Poor John. He didn't trust anybody. Something must have happened to make him like that."
"I wonder what that could be." Bobby put the pictures away.
Rogue walked over to the closet, and opened it. She jumped when she saw what was in it. "Kitty? Why are you in John's closet?"
"So that's, like, where I am! Kind of a mess isn't it?" Kitty walked out of the closet. "I accidentally phased through the floor while I was, like, figuring out what to wear. Oh, yeah, the student-mission-thingy, it was, like, postponed." She shrugged. "What are you guys doing in here?"
"It's my room." Bobby said, sounding annoyed.
"We're" Rogue began. But Kitty cut her off.
"Did you, like, hear about John?"
"Yeah, Bobby saw him leave." Rogue was used to Kitty's perky disposition. Bobby looked a bit unnerved.
"Umm." Bobby whispered to Rogue. "Is she always so."
Before Bobby could think of a word to describe Kitty, Rogue answered. "Yeah."
"I wonder why he left. I mean, like, this is such a great place and all." Kitty obviously didn't hear them talking about her.
"Well," Rogue said. "did you hear about the Brotherhood?"
Kitty's eyes grew large. "No." She plopped herself down onto John's bed. "Tell me!"
Rogue and Bobby explained what had happened on the mission.
Kitty's mouth hung open. "Like, how could anyone do that? I mean, this Lance guy has been working loyally for them for, I dunno, a really long time! And then he saves them, gets badly injured, and they, like totally turn their backs on him! That is so totally wrong!"
"That's what I thought." Rogue said, then decided to change the subject, because Bobby was looking uncomfortable. "Why don't we go and see if the girl we found there is conscious yet."
The three friends left the room together, all of them rather confused about life's recent events.
____________________________________________________________________________ ______
Now is the time where you press the pretty purple-ish button at the bottom of the screen. Yes, the review button. Now, you move you cursor over, and, yes, goood potato. Err. sorry, it's the chocolate. yeah.
Hey, everyone! It's me, Pyrotic! Okay, This is my first fanfiction, so I'm sorry if it starts out bad. I promise, it gets better. I already wrote most of the story, but I only posted the first three chapters as an experiment. Umm.. I might not post any more if I don't get any reviews *hint, hint* Oh, yeah, I will mention the first person to give me a review, flame or no, at the end of my fourth chapter. That is, if people like it and give me reviews.
_______________________________Chapter 1_________________________________
Cyclops, also known as Scott Summers, scanned the field. The other X- Men were battling each other in a practice session inside the Danger Room. Gesturing to one of his students, he worked out a maneuver to complete their mission.
The student, Pyro, walked up to him reluctantly, "What?"
Cyclops pointed to another young X-Man, Iceman, "Stop him from getting to the destination.
Pyro grinned, "My pleasure."
Pyro followed Iceman stealthily, until they were out of Cyclops's eyesight.
"Hey, snowman!" Pyro called, "Catch!"
He flicked the cap of his lighter, igniting a flame. He hurled a ball of fire at the other mutant. Iceman looked up, not a moment to soon. He ducked out of the way, and tossed a snowball at Pyro.
Snowballs? Pyro shrugged, If he thinks he can beat me that way, let him.
Seconds later, they were engaged in a fierce battle, which lasted several glorious moments for Pyro as he emerged on top.
Unfortunately, Cyclops had shown up mere seconds before.
"Crap," Pyro muttered.
The battle scene disappeared, revealing a large empty room. Cyclops marched up to them. He pulled Pyro away from Iceman.
"What are you doing?" he shouted, visor glowing red.
"You have to ask?" Pyro asked, "I was stopping Iceman."
"The simulation's over, you don't need to use codenames."
"Okay, I was stopping Bobby."
"I told you to stop him, John," Cyclops yelled, "Not wipe him off the face of the earth!"
"He let his guard down!" John protested, "You're the one who"
Scott sighed, "This means another detention, John. Why don't you ever listen?"
As Scott retreated, he felt John's eyes bore into him. He gladly turned the session over to Professor Xavier.
"Come on, John," Bobby insisted, "It was only practice."
"Whatever."
"Okay, class," Ororo Munroe, known as Storm, announced as she shook back her brilliant shoulder-length silvery-white hair, "In a couple of days, a group of students will be leaving on a training mission, accompanied by a few teachers. Doctor Gray will post a list of names on the bulletin board in the front hall tomorrow. Those of you who aren't on the list will get a holiday until the mission group returns," She smiled as a couple students cheered, "Any questions?"
"Are you going on the trip, Miss Munroe?" a student asked.
"No. I am going on a separate mission this afternoon."
In the back of the room, Rogue looked interested, obviously hoping she was on the list. Next to her, Bobby Drake's emotions looked identical to hers. Most of the class felt the same as them, although the thought of a holiday was also very entertaining. So, to be safe, quite a few decided they didn't care, either way, they could do something interesting.
After a few more classes, Rogue and Bobby sat down to eat lunch. Luckily, there was a wide variety of food choices. A few minutes later, John Allerdyce sat down at their table.
He grinned, looking at them. "What's with you two? You make it look like someone burned your house down."
Rogue rolled her eyes. John was so annoying. "John, is everything you talk about have something to do with fire?"
John looked her, smile fading. "So much for friends. I was even going to tell you something about the mission." He shook his head in mock sadness. Looking up slightly, he smiled in the way that made Rogue and Bobby want to punch him.
"What about the mission?" Bobby asked eagerly.
"Why should I tell you? You obviously could care less about what I think. You don't even stick up for me in practice sessions," John raised his eyebrows. He had no other friends, and most of the time, Rogue and Bobby didn't want to be his friends. John knew it, but he hung out with them anyway.
"John." Rogue groaned. "Let's not go over this again."
"Okay, okay," John said as Rogue kicked him under the circular table, "I'll tell you!" He rubbed his shin.
Rogue smiled, satisfied, "So tell us already!"
"I was getting to it!" John scowled, and flicked the cap of his lighter, "Okay, so I broke into Cyclops' room, and"
"What were you doing in there?" Bobby asked.
"Breaking in, didn't I tell you?"
Bobby sighed, and let John continue.
"Like I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted"
"John, put a lid on the insults and get on with it!" Rogue was looking angry. This, she thought, is the reason no one wants to be friends with him.
John looked offended. "Well, I would be if" he caught Rogue's look, then raised his eyebrows, "What? Is it that time of the month?"
Bobby got up, and would have punched him in the face, except he caught his fist in mid-swing, and twisted it behind his back. No enough to hurt, but enough to restrain him.
"You forget," John said with feigned cheer, "That guys enjoy picking fights with me, and that, I normally win."
"They pick fights with you?" Bobby said, angry. "I think you've got that a bit backwards, even if you do win sometimes." He wrenched his arm out of John's grip and picked up his tray of food and left, Rogue doing the same.
John watched them leave. He knew he had blown it, let his temper show, ever so slightly. True friends were so hard to come by. It was too bad there was no chance of gaining any. And considering the circumstances, that was some way to say goodbye.
That night, Rogue was pleased with herself. She had managed to avoid John all day. She walked into the game room. She saw Bobby over in the corner, obviously studying. She waved to him, and he smiled. Rogue walked over to sit next to him. They talked excitedly about the mission for a few minutes, and then fell into silence as Bobby resumed studying.
Rogue let her gaze wander the room, and noticed John sitting by himself in the corner of the room. He was flicking his lighter open-closed repeatedly, as usual, and staring out into space. He had a slightly sad look on his face. Rogue felt somewhat guilty, recalling the earlier events of that day. John felt Rogue's gaze on him, and looked at her, his face no longer showing any hint of sadness. There was an angry look now in his eyes. He got up and left the room, Rogue's eyes following him. She glanced at Bobby, and he shrugged, obviously not caring whether John was angry with him or not. Rogue told him she was tired, and was going to bed and he nodded, resuming his studies.
When Rogue got into bed, about five minutes later, she found a folded up piece of paper on her pillow. Reading it, she knew it was from John, as it was about the training mission.
The students participating in the mission will be the following:
Marie D'Ancanto
Amara Aquilla
Ray Crisp
Roberto Da Costa
Robert Drake
Samuel Gutherie
Katherine pryde
Allen Orris
Peter Rasputin
Aaron Kerr
Shawn Kerr
Kurt Wagner
Also, the teachers attending:
Jean Gray
Scott Summers
Logan
The above will be leaving tomorrow. The students not participating will
have a holiday until the Mission returns.
Rogue restrained herself from doing anything attention-drawing. She wanted to do something to express her delight in being chosen to go on the training mission, but she remembered that she wasn't supposed to know yet. She decided to tell the news Bobby the next day, and let a peaceful sleep wash over her.
Bobby was sleepily making his way down the hall to breakfast when he heard shouting. He peered around the corner, to see John arguing with Jean, Scott, and Logan.
"Why aren't I allowed to go on the mission?" John asked angrily, waving a piece of paper.
Scott's visor was flaring red again, "One, because your behavior in class is terrible, and two"
John interrupted, "Yeah, great excuse, Cyclops!" John spat out Scott's name, twisting the word into an insult. Bobby knew Scott was John's least favorite teacher. John narrowed his eyes, "You just don't want a 'bad boy' messing up your precious mission! No one wants me around, don't you think I know it? I thought this place was different!" John spun around, towards the door. "It's the same way here as everywhere else! Same damn way!"
John flung the door open, and walked out into the snow. Bobby realized that John was leaving, and the only way he could stop him, was to drag him back. Jean, Logan, and Scott realized that, too. Logan grabbed the back of John's jacket.
"John!" Bobby ran to the door, "What are you doing? Where are you going?" Bobby was astonished that anyone would want to leave the mansion.
"I'm leaving! I'm getting away from here!" John wriggled out of his jacket and ran out into the storm.
Logan looked at the jacket, "Should I get him?" He turned to Jean.
"I can't see him anymore! There's too much snow!" Jean looked distressed.
Snow was blowing inside the mansion by the way of the door. Bobby struggled to pull it shut. The wind blowing against it was extremely strong. Logan and Scott moved forward to help, but Bobby, in a burst of strength, slammed the door shut.
Jean closed her eyes, searching with her telepathic powers to locate John. She found him easily, as he was the only one outside for miles. Also, his extreme anger was like a full moon in a starless sky. She slipped into his mind, unnoticed.
Jean looked around her. John obviously had no idea where he was going. Well, Jean thought, maybe I can find something useful in here. Maybe I can find out why he is so angry. John certainly had a lot of unwanted memories and feelings. But then, a memory flashed out at her in pictures, like a strobe light.
Flash!
A younger version of John was happily enjoying a birthday party, obviously his.
Flash!
A cake, complete with lit candles.
Flash!
John mesmerized by the candles.
Flash!
Candles exploding into raw flame, fire enveloping the cake.
Flash!
Everyone running away from the table, except John, still sitting, staring at the flames.
A woman's voice, saying, 'A freak accident, that's all'
A angry thought from John, 'Yeah, an accident made by a freak!'
Flash!
John says goodbye to a girl with tears in his eyes
Flash!
A car driving away.
Another voice, male, 'He's a bad influence on you, Kerri'
A field near a school.
Flash!
Dry grass bursting into conflagration.
Flash!
A policeman, saying, 'Yes, chief, you speak to him, and we can let him off with That'
Flash!
A man, yelling, 'What do you think you were doing? You could have lost me my job, not to mention the people you put in danger! Don't you ever think? Get out of here!'
Flash!
John tearing out of the house without a second thought.
Flash!
John runs into a woman who grabs his arm.
Flash!
John trying to pull away, failing.
Flash!
The woman pulls him back inside the house.
Flash!
John, climbing out a window.
Flash!
A house burning
Suddenly, a mental barrier shot out of nowhere, John had sensed Jean's presence. The fiery mental substance formed a wall around her, burning fiercely. Jean concentrated as the wall closed in on her, and opened her eyes back in the mansion.
"Are you alright, Jean?" Scott asked, worried.
"Yes," Jean found that she was sweating. "Yes, I'm fine."
"Are you sure, Dr. Gray?" Bobby looked down at her.
Jean realized she was on the floor. She stood, dusting herself off. "Yes, I'm sure."
"You went into his mind, didn't you?" Scott wasn't pleased. "Remember what the Professor said: If you want to learn to read minds, start out with simpler ones." Scott looked at the door, and the piles of snow around it. "The way I see it, John is pretty hard to figure out."
"I'll say," said Bobby, thinking about what had just happened. "Why did John want to leave?"
Scott paused, then answered, "He says we aren't giving him a chance. I think he's remembering something that happened a long time ago. Something we know nothing about."
"But," Bobby said, even more confused. "I thought you guys knew about everybody's past and stuff!"
"We know most of our students' histories, but John, well"
At that moment, many students came down the stairs, obviously for breakfast. Scott turned and quickly left the room, saying something about getting ready for classes.
"He did what?" Rogue asked Bobby a couple minutes later.
"I know." Bobby looked worried. "And look what I found in his jacket." He held out his hand. It was John's lighter. "He had it in his pocket, and when Logan grabbed his jacket, he left it behind." He looked at Rogue. "Without this, he'll freeze to death, Rogue!"
Rogue looked amazed. "How could this have happened? Why wasn't John happy here?"
"Scott doesn't know. But Jean went inside his mind or something, I think she might know something."
"And you know something else?" Rogue suddenly remembered overhearing Jean and Scott talking. "Scott and Jean were saying something in the hall the other day. They said that Magneto's Brotherhood is active again. And," She said as she saw Bobby's eyes grow wide. "There have been rumors of people kidnapping mutants and experimenting on them."
Jean was walking very quickly towards them. "Bobby, Rogue. Come with me."
They followed her down to the Blackbird, the X-men's highly advanced jet. "Umm. Dr. Grey? Why are we down here?"
"You're coming with us on a mission. I'll explain to you on the way."
After take-off, Jean turned to them. "Magneto has found a lab where scientists experiment on mutants. He is planning to kill all of the humans and to get the mutants to join him. We're going to try to do what we can and to get the mutants to come with us. Understood?"
Bobby and Rogue nodded, then Bobby spoke, "But. aren't you going to do anything about John?"
Jean sighed. "We are doing all we can. And we may need to talk to you two, in case you know anything useful, since you were his friends"
"But he'll freeze to death!"
"He has his li" Jean broke off as Bobby held out John's lighter. "Where did you get that?" Her voice shook.
"It was in his jacket pocket. He'll freeze." Bobby put the lighter back into his pocket.
Jean put her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do. I'll do all I can to help. I promise."
They landed in the middle of a clearing near a concrete building. Snow was lying everywhere. As they got closer, they saw that a battle was being held there.
Something caught Bobby's eye. "Rogue, look!"
Rogue immediately saw what he meant. "John? But, you couldn't have gotten this far from the mansion.
It was, indeed, John. He was standing, silent, but shivering madly.
"Oh, God! He's freezing!"
But suddenly he stopped shivering. A grin spread across his face. He was growing taller, his skin, eyes, and hair changing color.
"Mystique!" Scott's hands were clenched in fury.
"Come to meddle in what is none of your business, I expect?" Mystique's grin grew wider.
Scott pushed past her and The X-Men followed. He grabbed the shoulder of a guy in front of him. He spun the guy around.
"Oh, it's you, Cyclops." The guy's voice was malevolent, and his dark eyes were narrowed.
"Lance. Or should I say, Avalanche!" Scott sounded extremely annoyed.
"Who did you expect? Weird Al Yankovic? Anyway, I have work to do." the guy walked away.
"Who was that guy?" Rogue asked.
"Don't you know him?" asked Bobby. "He's the number one pain-in-the- you-know-where; Lance Alvers!"
"Oh, he's that guy who always pushes you around?" Rogue turned and then pointed to a group, obviously mutants. They were attacking a bunch of humans, who were using various pieces of equipment to fight back.
Lance stood, in front of and slightly to the left of the Brotherhood. The humans in front of him aimed countless pieces of artillery at him and the others. As he used his power, his eyes rolled up into his head. The ground began to shake. Trees toppled over, as well as everyone around him. After about a minute or so of this, Lance fell to his knees, weakened by the strain. Pain shot through his head. He had used his destructive power much too extensively. He opened his eyes. He could see, but everything was blurred. He saw three unclear objects flying through the air towards Peitro. He got to his feet, despite the excruciating headache he was experiencing. Then he hurled himself into the path of the objects. They slammed into him, knocking him back to the ground. Through the blinding pain of his headache, Lance felt the new pain, but he was unable to place it.
Jean and Scott approached the Brotherhood. The humans were nowhere to be found.
"Stop!" Jean shouted. "Magneto! Take your Brotherhood and leave!"
A tall, helmeted figure turned towards her, ignoring the fact that one of his followers was injured. "As you wish," he said with a slight accent. He signaled to his group and walked away.
They followed him, leaving Lance lying in the snow.
Peitro looked back. "What about Lance?"
"Leave it." Mystique answered, dispassion in her voice.
"But" Peitro began.
"I said: Leave it!"
Jean knelt by Lance, "This is bad," she said, looking worried.
Lance's side had been torn apart and blood was forming a puddle around him. His leg was not as bad as his side, but still deep and bleeding. Last, there was a cut on his neck, and blood trickled to the ground and was absorbed by the snow.
"I'm not sure how bad his neck is, but otherwise, he's in bad shape," Jean looked up at Scott, "Look around the building, take Rogue with you, I'll need Bobby to help me with Lance."
Scott and Rogue immediately started for the building.
"You want to what?" Bobby asked incredulously.
"We have to get Lance to the Blackbird, and try to fix him up best we can until we can take him to the med. center."
"We're going to bring him to the mansion? But, Dr."
"Call me Jean, Bobby. You make me sound like an old lady. And yes, we are taking him to the mansion."
"But, Dr.I mean, Jean, he's from the Brotherhood, our enemy!"
"Yes, but only because we didn't reach out to him in time. Bobby, I need you to trust me! Just help me carry him to the Blackbird, okay?"
Bobby sighed, then grabbed Lance's right arm and put it over his shoulders. Jean looked relieved, and used her telekinetic power to help Bobby carry Lance.
After what had seemed like forever, Scott and Rogue entered the Blackbird. Rogue looked slightly surprised to see Lance there. Scott was carrying an unconscious girl in his arms. She had long black hair and her arms were bound in front of her in a strange way. Buckles made of leather were tightly fastened around her wrists and elbows, strapping her forearms together.
Jean raised her eyebrows at Scott.
"She was the only one left. I think in their hurry, the scientists forgot her. We decided we should leave her bonds on, until we explain who we are. Just in case she decides to attack us." Scott sat her in one of the chairs, the one beside Lance.
"What's he doing here?" Rogue asked. Scott didn't look too pleased either.
"Lance?" Jean looked at her. "Would you have preferred leaving him there to die? Like the Brotherhood?"
The other three X-men looked uncomfortable. Jean dropped the subject and the jet took off.
As they landed, back at the mansion, Jean turned to the two students. "I want you guys to help out Lance and the new girl when they're conscious and out of the med. center, alright?"
Bobby and Rogue nodded, and when they were out of earshot, Rogue said, "She sure sounds confident. How can she be so sure Lance will survive, and that girl will want to stay?"
"I dunno." Bobby shrugged. "She's telepathic."
"Yeah, but she can't read the future."
"And what about John?"
"Sometimes I think he deserves it," Rogue sighed, "But then I remember all the times he was sweet, and helpful."
"Huh?" Bobby looked confused and slightly jealous.
"Remember when Rahne and Jubilee had to leave?"
Bobby nodded.
"John helped them carry their stuff to the car that was bringing them to the airport. And then he said he was sorry they had to leave." Suddenly, Rogue grinned. "They sure had a shock!"
They had reached Rogue's room.
"Well, I'll see ya tomorrow!" Rogue closed the door.
"Yeah." muttered Bobby. "See you."
The next day, Rogue and Bobby met in Bobby's room during breakfast.
"Umm. Bobby? Why are we here?" Rogue asked.
"I thought that since I shared a room with John, we could look through the stuff he left behind. You know, maybe we could find out why he left and where he's going." Bobby sat down on John's bed, Rogue doing the same. "I never saw much of his stuff, he always kept it out of sight." He pulled on a drawer in the nightstand. It slid open. Inside was a pile of photographs.
"Here's something." He flipped through the pictures. There were a couple of a young John and a girl about the same age.
"I wonder who the girl is." Bobby said.
Bobby pulled out a picture that had been crumpled up into a ball. He unfolded it. The picture was of a young couple. In the background was a car. Its back window had 'Just Married' painted on it.
"They must be John's parents." Rogue said quietly. She felt she knew why John had destroyed the picture, but didn't let the thought slip into her consciousness.
Bobby tapped her gloved hand gently. Rogue tore her gaze from the married couple to see what he was showing her. In his hand were pictures, but not of John, or his parents. They were pictures of Bobby and Rogue.
"What?" Rogue looked astonished. "Why would he want those?"
"I think," Bobby said. "that he wanted these because we were, in John's eyes, his friends. Rogue, he really wanted friends. Remember when we first came here? He was always by himself?"
"Yeah. And we felt sorry for him. But when we tried talking to him, he didn't trust us. He thought we were making fun of him." Rogue looked at the pictures of themselves. "Poor John. He didn't trust anybody. Something must have happened to make him like that."
"I wonder what that could be." Bobby put the pictures away.
Rogue walked over to the closet, and opened it. She jumped when she saw what was in it. "Kitty? Why are you in John's closet?"
"So that's, like, where I am! Kind of a mess isn't it?" Kitty walked out of the closet. "I accidentally phased through the floor while I was, like, figuring out what to wear. Oh, yeah, the student-mission-thingy, it was, like, postponed." She shrugged. "What are you guys doing in here?"
"It's my room." Bobby said, sounding annoyed.
"We're" Rogue began. But Kitty cut her off.
"Did you, like, hear about John?"
"Yeah, Bobby saw him leave." Rogue was used to Kitty's perky disposition. Bobby looked a bit unnerved.
"Umm." Bobby whispered to Rogue. "Is she always so."
Before Bobby could think of a word to describe Kitty, Rogue answered. "Yeah."
"I wonder why he left. I mean, like, this is such a great place and all." Kitty obviously didn't hear them talking about her.
"Well," Rogue said. "did you hear about the Brotherhood?"
Kitty's eyes grew large. "No." She plopped herself down onto John's bed. "Tell me!"
Rogue and Bobby explained what had happened on the mission.
Kitty's mouth hung open. "Like, how could anyone do that? I mean, this Lance guy has been working loyally for them for, I dunno, a really long time! And then he saves them, gets badly injured, and they, like totally turn their backs on him! That is so totally wrong!"
"That's what I thought." Rogue said, then decided to change the subject, because Bobby was looking uncomfortable. "Why don't we go and see if the girl we found there is conscious yet."
The three friends left the room together, all of them rather confused about life's recent events.
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