Chapter 3: Catastrophically Good Behavior

Two weeks later, Calvin was able to imagine his duplicate for everyone to see, while still maintaining his own visibility. Xavier had also trained him to use his time machine visibly.

"I wonder how many duplicates I went through," said Calvin. "Most of them disappeared."

"However many it was," said Calvin's duplicate, "You did your best, and that's what matters."

Hobbes stared at the duplicate. His hair was combed, instead of Calvin's spiky hair.

"I used my ethicator," said Calvin. "You think I would be stupid enough to send that other moron to my school? He gets me in so much trouble!"

Hobbes considered reminding Calvin about how the last time he used his ethicator, the "physical manifestation of Calvin's good side" fell in love with Susie. But he decided to let it happen, and tease Calvin about it later.

Calvin's duplicate climbed into the cardboard box, which currently read Time Machine, and lifted into the air. A few seconds later, they disappeared.

"Now, I will summon my next student," said Xavier. He put on a metal helmet, and closed his eyes.

"What's that dorky helmet?" asked Calvin rudely.

"This is Cerebro," answered Xavier. "Now please be quiet. I'm trying to concentrate."

A minute later, what looked like a black portal opened up, and out fell a teenage girl with a ponytail. Calvin stared at the girl in shock Could it be?

Two weeks Ago:

"BYE, MOM! HOBBES AND I ARE GOING TO HAVE A &# OF A TIME!"

"CALVIN! WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT? GET BACK HERE! YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE, YOUNG MAN, BIG…"

"My apologies, ma'am. Sometimes I lose control of my language."

"OUT! I HAVEN'T THE FAINTEST IDEA WHY I LET YOU IN HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! LEAVE! NOW!"

Logan walked over to his car, and got in. "OH NO YOU DON'T!" Calvin's mom shouted. "YOU'RE GOING TO HELP ME FIND CALVIN!"

"I think I already know where he is!" Logan shouted back, and he drove off.

Calvin's mother stormed into the house in a fit of rage. There, in the middle of the living room, was Calvin, with his hair combed, standing beside a cardboard box labeled Time Machine.

"You!" screamed Calvin's mother. "You're in tremendous trouble! NO TELEVISION FOR A WEEK!"

"Oh, that's okay, mom," replied "Calvin." "I think TV does too much to the brain."

"Don't give me your reverse psychology!" snapped Calvin's mother. "I know you want me to 'punish' you by making you watch TV!"

Calvin (who, as you know, was a duplicate of Calvin) decided not to argue.

Five days later, Calvin's mother apologized to Calvin's duplicate. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," she said. "You've been so cooperative. You've been very good at your homework and everything, and I'm going to let you go back to watching TV early."

"Okay," said Calvin's duplicate, "but not tonight. I promised Susie I'd go out for ice cream with her."

Calvin's mom just stared at Calvin. "You? Going out for ice cream with Susie?"

While Calvin's duplicate was away, Calvin's mother spent the night reading "Child Psychology."

"Gee, Calvin," said Susie, "I didn't think you'd ever invite me to Friendly's."

"Yeah," said Duplicate Calvin. "I'm sorry I've been mean to you ever since I met you. I just didn't want anyone to know I liked you."

"That's okay," said Susie. "No one will tease us just because we went out."

Eight days later, it was Calvin's parents' turn to go out. You know what that means.

"I'm warning you, Calvin," said Rosalyn. "Any monkey business, and I'm sending you to Pluto."

Duplicate Calvin looked shocked. "What did Calvin… I mean, what did I ever do to antagonize you into saying that?"

Rosalyn counted on her fingers. "Let's see… You threatened to flush my science notes down the toilet, you locked me outside, you attacked me wearing a stupid hood and cape, you keep answering Charlie's calls and threatening our relationship, etcetera, etcetera."

Duplicate Calvin looked horrified. "I promise you, I won't do any of that."

"Sure," said Rosalyn. "You'll probably come up with something new, and even worse."

Half an hour later, Rosalyn and Duplicate Calvin were finishing up their fourth game of chess. Duplicate Calvin had won once already, while Rosalyn had won twice.

"Ha!" said Duplicate Calvin. "Checkmate, Rosalyn!"

"Good game, Calvin," said Rosalyn, looking at her watch. "Oh, look at that. It's 6:30. Time for bed."

Duplicate Calvin obediently walked up to bed. An hour and a half later, Calvin's parents arrived home.

"Would you like extra payment, Rosalyn?" asked Calvin's father, grumpily.

"Oh, that won't be necessary," replied Rosalyn. "Calvin was a complete angel tonight."

"Is that code?" asked Calvin's dad.

The next day, Rosalyn saw a bald man appear in her bedroom. His legs seemed to fade before they touched the ground.

"Hello, Rosalyn," said the man. "I am Professor Charles Xavier. Welcome to the X-Men."

"Is that a joke?" asked Rosalyn skeptically.

"No, it is not. You have quite a gift that you haven't discovered yet. However, I can see it in you with my telepathy, and with Cerebro."

"Okay," said Rosalyn, still sounding skeptical. "What's my mutant power?"

"I will show you. Please forgive me, but I am about to take control of your power. Do not be alarmed."

What looked like a black portal appeared under Rosalyn. She fell through, and appeared in Xavier's mansion. She looked around. Surrounding her was Xavier in his wheelchair, Calvin, and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes.

"Rosalyn! What the &# are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask the same thing of… Hey, what did you just say?"

"&#," replied Calvin.

"Calvin, what ever happened to that angel I babysat yesterday?"

At first, Calvin was confused, but then he realized whom Rosalyn was talking about. "Oh, you mean my duplicate? Oh, he's probably still at home. No, wait. He should be at school at this time of day.

"Calvin," said Rosalyn, "do you really expect me to believe you actually duplicated yourself?"

"Watch this, said Calvin. He looked beside him, and his smile disappeared. "Oh no! My duplicate took my duplicator!"

Rosalyn rolled her eyes.

Meanwhile, at Calvin's school, Calvin's duplicate was on the teeter-totter with Susie when Moe walked up to them.

"Hey look, it's Twinkie and Dorkins. Two lovers who went out for ice cream."

"What business is that of yours, Moe?" snapped Susie. "We have a perfect right to go out."

"Yeah, Moe, why don't you go out with a cow?" said Duplicate Calvin.

"That does it!" snapped Moe. He walked up to Duplicate Calvin's side of the teeter-totter, but D.C. Jumped off. "So, you want to fight, Moe? Well, we'll see who has the last… whoops! I had an evil thought!" Pfft!

He vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Calvin?" said Susie desperately. She turned to Moe. "What have you done to Calvin?" she said, her eyes glaring with anger.

Moe just laughed. Susie attacked him, and the fight was on.

Susie had done some pretty good damage to Moe, but he finally got the better of her. He pushed her to the ground, and was about to finish her off, when she let out a sonic scream.

"AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Suddenly, a portal opened up under Susie, and she disappeared into it. Moe tried to follow, but it closed before he got anywhere close to it.