Sorry to make ya'll wait so long, but my work life has changed. It's for the best, but my chappies will be coming slower than my old 'one every other day' schedule. Hope all had a good holiday season. Please enjoy. THANKS!

Chapter 25 - The Tadpole The Wolfpup

3 days later, NYC, Mickey's School of Boxing

"All your power is in your legs kid, take advantage of that factor. Don't try and block my attack with you're arms, you're not strong enough. Counter with a kick, or use your legs to move yourself out of the way." Taskmaster commanded. "Now ready yourself…" He lunged at the small greenish boy, who jumped up and flipped over the punch. Taskmaster quickly caught Toads wrist, pulling him back down. Toad tried to kick out at him on the way down, but Taskmaster fainted out of the way. Toad hit the ground hard, again.

Taskmaster stood over Toad. "You have to be quicker than that, every time. Your attitude is right, however. Use every action as a chance for attack. Again…"

Slowly Toad pushed himself back up, his face contorting with strain. Everyday, for the past two days, Taskmaster worked with him on hand-to-hand combat, for hours at a time. Not to mention the activities he had Toad do on his own. The workouts were barbaric. Toad felt as though every muscle he had was torn, including his tongue.

Taskmaster physically trained the Brotherhood kids for twelve hours everyday, then two hours of training tapes and vids. Their meals were ground beef and potatoes, cooked but unseasoned. None of the kids had showered or changed clothes since they arrived. At this point, they were all like zombies, performing their assigned tasks like robots. They didn't realize it, but they were all learning to fight without their powers.

"Get up Toad! Ready!" repeated the Taskmaster. Toad got into a stance without even realizing it. The Taskmaster lunged again. This time, Toad fell into a 'frog squat' ducking under the punch, immediately springing up into a front kick. The Taskmaster rolled backwards, but the tip of Toad foot brushed his mask. Taskmaster back flipped, then swept Toads leg out right as he landed. Taskmaster moved to put his knee across the boy's chest, his arm up ready to strike.

"Toad! You have more hand-to-hand potential than any of these losers you run with, yet you don't think! Did you think a little nick was going to stop me? Or Spider-Man? Or any punk out there on the street?" spat Taskmaster. "Every move is followed by another! I told you this before! Now, up! Again!"

Toad moaned, getting up. His chest felt caved-in, yet he was almost positive the Taskmaster had sort of complimented him. 'Most Potential'? he thought.

Taskmaster lunged again. Toad sprung out of the way, not countering. Taskmaster came at him again; Toad dodged again. And again. The fourth time, after dodging, Toad flew at the trainer with a kick. Taskmaster caught his leg between his arm and body. Toad immediately swung his other leg, catching Taskmaster across his body on the other side. Taskmaster thru Toad down to the mat. Standing above the boy, he looked down at him.

"Good. Now go run suicides til I say stop. GO!" He commanded. Toad stumbled to one side of the gym.

'Did he say good?' he wondered. He didn't know if he heard right, but positively not going to ask the Taskmaster to repeat himself. He forced his aching body to run the drill, knowing it may well be an hour before Taskmaster moved him on to something else.

The Institute, Danger Room, 3:45 p.m.

The students were standing in a group around Logan, decked out in sweats. They had just gone thru some martial arts positions; after a three mile run to warm-up.

"Alright, heads up kiddies. Today, how to take down an attacker with weapons. Kurt, go get yer swords, pronto."

"Ja, Mr. Logan." Kurt bamph'd to the locker room, bamphing back with his dual swords.

"Ok, bub, come at me, no kid gloves; ya can't really hurt me, even if by some miracle you get thru."

The kids snickered at that; Kurt however, got all puffed up.

"Ok, Herr Logan, I vill pray for you a speedy recovery." Kurt whipped his swords around his body in a flashy manner.

"Right, that's the only kind of recovery he has, elf!" quipped Mally.

Kurt moved around Logan, feinting this way and that, trying to find and opening. Finally, he thought he saw one.

"Hier komme Ich!" he shouted, moving in, slashing.

Logan's claws shot out; metal met metal. One of Kurt's swords flew out of his hands, clattering to the ground. Kurt was a skilled swordsman however, and he parried Logan's strike at his other sword. He teleported behind Logan, crying "Stand and deliver, Herr Logan!" as he appeared. Logan back flipped up and over the boy, catching the fuzzy mutant in a full nelson as he landed. Logan pulled his outside claws in on either hand, leaving just the middle claws out.

"Yer money or yer life, elf…" growled Logan, grinning.

"Mein Gott, you are quick, Mr. Logan. Fantastisch!" exclaimed Kurt.

The other students all laughed and cheered. Logan let Kurt go, shaking hands, then bowing respectfully to him. Kurt returned the respects.

"Alright, alright, listen up. I used my claws to remove the first sword, then got out of reach of the second, and immobilized my opponent. Good work elf." Logan said. "Each of yous need to figure out ways for your powers to assist your physical skills in doing what you just saw. Kurt, you grab some padded swords, and I want the shooters and fliers to work with him. That's Scott, Bobby, Sam, Clarice, Theresa, and you too Jeanie, technically yer a flier too."

Logan turned to Mally. "Mal, put a padded sleeve on yer bat. Ground fighters with 'weapons' work with Mally. That's Rahne, Jubilee, Paige, and Scout. You too Rogue, yer strength is yer 'weapon'. And Scout," he smiled at his 'sister', "no blood, ok? I'd like the kangaroo boy in one piece please." Scout smiled back at her 'brother'.

Mally gulped audibly, agreeing. "Right, one piece, ya wolfpup, an no dangling pieces either!"

Logan got a padded practice staff. "Jamie, Freddie, Forge, and Kitty with me. And Dukes, no standin' there absorbing my blows; you gotta get the staff outta my hands, alright?"

"Ok, Mr. Logan, if you say so." sighed Freddie.

"Alright then, if ya need a helmet, put one on; you know who you are. Get into groups and work yer skills. And lets keep the laser burns and frostbite and broken eardrums an such to a minimum, got it?"

They all affirmed, and split into their sparring groups. Five girls stood around Mally.

"Looks like rabbit stew for supper this evening, eh lassies?" teased Rahne, snarling at Mally in her werewolf form.

"Or mayhbe sum Kentucky fried 'roo, whatchu think hop-a-long?" chided Paige, pulling the skin off her arms, revealing cast iron.

All the girls giggled except Scout.

"I would like to try first, Mally, if that is alright with you. I have never fought against an attacker with a weapon like yours." Scout stated. "It will be …fun."

"Yeah, right then. Sure, fun…" Mally quipped. 'Crikey, not only do I have to work with five tough chickys, but one is Wolvie's clone…" he thought.

Scout took a fighters stance. "Let's begin. Come at me Mally." She calmly asked.

The other girls started to cheer for Scout as Mally worked his way around her. He figured he would try to come at her from above, using his jumping skill and height to his advantage. He sprang into the air, and came flying down, aiming for a swat on the little girls shoulder.

Scout waited until the last moment, then rolled under and behind Mally just before he came down. She rolled thru one and a half rotations, then pushing up from the ground with her hands, nailed Mally right in the butt with a mule kick, propelling him into a face plant, sliding across the floor.

"Uhg." groaned Mally, rolling over. "That was a stinger." Looking up, he saw four girls laughing their heads off, and Scout standing there with a small feral grin on her face.

"I have had two days to watch you and the others move, Mally. That was exactly how I thought you would attack me." Scout stated. The other girls laughed even harder.

"Please do not feel 'bad'," Scout continued, noticing Mally's somber look, "I would do the same thing to the others if they attacked me the way I thought they would. I have had extensive training."

"Aw, I'm not bummed, Scout. I shoulda realized you'd already sized me up. That was pretty neat, and yer timing was flawless." Mally looked over at the four other girls. "It's just those four gits giggling like squirrels. Excuse me one sec…"

Mally turned to face Rahne, Paige, Rogue, and Jubes. When they noticed him staring at them, they broke out into uproarious laughter.

Mally quickly jumped behind the four gigglers, whacking them two at a time across their bums with his bat. They all stood up straight, turning to look evilly at Mally while rubbing their respective butts.

"Heya, Mr. Logan! These four need extensive help with this lesson, I jest took 'em out all at once!" shouted Mally. "Scout did great, though. Maybe she could show them some pointers-"

Mally felt powerful arms circle his torso, and blinding flash fireworks went off in front of his eyes. A loud canine growl complete with snapping jaws came from his left, making him twist about, trying to break free of what he assumed was Rogue's grip. Suddenly, he felt someone kick him right in the arse…with what felt like a cast iron foot.

"Scout! Scout! For the love of God, help me!" Mally begged.

"Sorry Mally, but the other girls explained to me about how we girls need to 'stick together' around here. If I help you, I would be breaking 'the code', as Jubilee said." smiled Scout.

"You…you…you all have poisoned the girl!" cried Mally, as he received yet another kick.

That evening, Mickey's School of Boxing, NYC

Magneto and Mystique in the door way of the gym, watching the wretched figures of the worn down Brotherhood go thru assorted tasks. Taskmaster was working with Pietro at the moment, making him dodge kicks and punches while his hands and feet were immobilized. The trainer had connected with the boys body more than once. The rest of the Brotherhood were fairing no better.

"Splendid. Even Toad seems to be improving. And the cocky youthful spirit in all of them is breaking down. Soon, I will have my army, trained and ready for battle…with any human or mutant that stands before us…" mumbled Magneto, smiling wickedly.

The end

Next – Pappy Wolvie hit the Town, II