Chapter 4: A Special Interest

The next day, even from the crack of dawn, trouble was brewing. Freddy (aka Blob), Todd (otherwise known as Toad) and Lance (aka Avalance), together known as the Brotherhood, were already at each other's throats.

"Blob, why'd you eat all the cereal?" Todd exclaimed.

"There wasn't any dinner food last night," Freddy replied.

"Oh, so that would explain why there's no more milk, either?" Todd shouted.

"Well maybe if you'd do some shopping," said Freddy.

"Cut it out! I'm sick of you guys always acting like idiots," Lance shouted.

Just then, a glowing card flew in through the window and onto the table. It was an ace of clubs.

"Run for it," Todd shouted.

Blob jumped on the card, crushing the table and smothering the explosion. But the resulting explosion blew Blob into the ceiling!

"Hey, get me down from here! I'm stuck," Freddy shouted.

"With you as fat as you are, I'm not surprised," said Lance smugly.

"Man, where'd that come from?" Todd asked.

"Don't know, don't care, and I'm out of here. This place is becoming a death trap," Lance replied.

He walked out the door. As he slammed the door, Freddy fell through the ceiling and right on Todd!

"The...pain," Todd groaned.

"Enough of this," a guy's voice shouted.

Freddy and Todd walked (limped in Todd's case) into the living room and saw Gambit.

"Uh, so, what's wrong?" Freddy asked.

"Magneto's got an intrest in this guy," said Gambit as he tossed a picture of J.T. at them.

"Yo, get that thing away from me," Todd shouted frantically.

"So what's Magneto want with this guy?" Freddy replied.

"His mutation allows him to turn his hands into deadly weapons," said Gambit.

"Cool," said Freddy.

"And think of what we could do with him around. We could rule this town," said Todd.

"Unfortunately, he's already at the Xavier Institute. Your mission is to convince him to join us," said Gambit.

"Tell Magneto we won't let him down," said Freddy.

"For your sakes, you'd better not," Gambit replied.

Gambit tossed another card toward the ground, hopping out the window as it blew up. The explosion freaked Todd out pretty well. A few days later at the Xavier Institute, it was business as usual. Everyone was getting ready for school, except J.T. who still didn't know if he was going to go back. Everyone was down at breakfast, save J.T. who was fast asleep amidst his possessions, which had been shipped to him that weekend.

"So where is this guy?" Rouge asked.

"Sleeping I think. He sounds like a chainsaw in his sleep," Kitty replied.

"So how long until he wakes up?" Kurt asked.

"Oh about five minutes ago," J.T.'s voice called out.

Everyone turned and saw J.T. standing in the entrance.

"I believe you were talking about me?" J.T. asked.

"What? No! We weren't talking about you," Kurt replied.

"Don't try to fool me with your mind tricks. I'm too stupid for that," said J.T.

"I think the term is 'I'm too smart for that'," said Jean.

"Yeah, but I'm not that smart," said J.T.

"All the more reason for you to join us at school," said Kitty.

"I think I should try getting my powers down before I try my hand at school," said J.T.

"Actually a good idea. The kid's powers are way too dangerous for him to be wandering around without any control," said Wolverine.

"Well at least somebody agrees with me," said J.T.

Just then, Beast came walking (if you can call his moving walking) in with the newspaper.

"Yeesh! What the hell is that?" J.T. shouted as he pointed at Beast.

"Relax! Easy, it's all right, he's harmless. Well, for the most part. That's Hank McCoy, or as we call him Beast," Scott replied.

"Sorry. Five-and-a-half foot tall furry blue monsters aren't exactly normal by my standards," said J.T.

"Then I suppose I'm not normal either," said Kurt.

"What're you talking about?" J.T. asked.

Kurt pressed a button on his watch and revealed his true form.

"Whoa! What the?" J.T. shouted.

"This is my real form. The human form is just a disguise," Kurt replied.

"Oh. Whew. I've been up ten minutes and already I'm wondering if my eyes are correct," said J.T.

"You can rest assured your eyes are working fine," said Beast.

"J.T., maybe you should go to school. You've made large leaps in controlling your powers. Perhaps you are ready to be in public," said Professor Xavier.

"Hm, I...I just don't know. I've tried school before and I hated it. Why do something you hate?" J.T. asked.

"Well for one thing, you won't be an idiot," said Kitty.

"And at least you'll have something to do," said Scott.

"And it's not like you won't know anyone there. We'll all be there," said Rouge.

"Wow, that's something I wouldn't expect to hear from you," said Kitty.

"What are you getting at?" Rouge asked angrily.

"Hey, hey, it's all good. Maybe I will go with you guys," said J.T.

"Then get dressed," said Professor Xavier.

J.T. ran back upstairs and put on a pair of jeans, a Miami Heat jersey with the number 33 on it, a pair of sunglasses and a watch. Then he headed back downstairs.

"I've already contacted Principal Kelly. He'll give you your schedule," said Professor Xavier.

"How'd you know I changed my mind to go?" J.T. asked. "What, can you see the future, too?"

"No, I just had a gut instinct," Professor Xavier replied.

J.T. chuckled. "Well come on. I don't feel like being late," he said.