Title: Requiems of The Past
Disclaimer: I own nothing from X-Men Evolution. It's a great show, I'd suggest for everyone to at least watch one episode…
Warning: This story is an alternate universe to the one seen in the show, which occurs after episode fourteen; Growing Pains. It will contain angst, fluff, and violence.
Rating: For the most part I'm going to say at least PG-13.
Author's Notes: Some of the characters mentioned in the last chapter as well as the ones from this chapter were given to me by my friends and cannot be used with my permission. (I already have theirs!)
Dialogue Notes: Italics- Flashbacks, Bold- Thoughts, Bold/Italics- Telepathy, ""-Regular speech
Chapter Dedication: I'm dedicating this chapter to everyone that made a character for me. You know who you are!
Chapter 4: In The Same Boat
Michael asks, "Ok, Magnus. If you could make out with any celebrity, who would it be?"
Magnus smirks and honestly replies, "I don't think I like this question."
Samuel shouts, "Oh come on! You gotta answer!"
Magnus gives the question some thought, but finally answers, "It would have to be…"
"Magnus." The group turns to see the professor with Logan standing beside him, "I need to speak with you. Michael…Raine you too." Both Raine and Rhane stand up, but Rhane speaks, "Uh…sir? Which one?"
Xavier smiles and replies, "Ms. Kumo." Logan bent over and Xavier whispers into his ear and then he walks off toward the frozen pool. Magnus, Michael, and Raine walk over to the professor and wait for him to tell them what's going on.
Logan comes back from the pool with Brad Stone, who looks just as confused as the others felt. Xavier says, "I haven't given you all a real run of the Danger Room. You've been in there for reflex exercises, strength testing, speed testing. But I haven't seen yet your full potential. Please, come with me."
Michael says, "Oh man. This is going to be fun."
Raine has an expression of worry on her face, but is still walking with them.
Magnus smiles, "Finally! Time to stretch my wings."
Brad declares, "Ha! You guys wait and see…I'll be on top."
The group of four kids and two adults walk into the mansion and travel down an elevator to the underside of the mansion. This is where Xavier has built the inventions that would put the US government to shame.
The final door opens and the group steps inside the Danger Room Control Center. Magnus remembers Hank McCoy from when he woke up in the medical room. Hank turns and says, "Good afternoon students."
Xavier says, "Now Magnus doesn't know about the Danger Room and so we'll send him in alone so he can get to know it. Ok, Magnus?"
"Fine with me."
"Very well. You'll be needing a change of clothes." He rolls over to what looks to be some kind of vault and pulls out some sleek looking black clothes. He hands them to Magnus and says, "Just before you enter the Danger Room, there's a changing room. Hurry, I wanna see what you're able to do."
Magnus takes the clothes and is astonished to feel how soft and lightweight the fabric is, "What is this?"
"The material…" Beast answers, "…is of my own design. Its tensile strength is that of carbon steel. Bullet proof up to a certain degree, form fitting, and it has a system that helps you regulate your respiration and body temperature when you're say…working out in the Danger room. Have fun."
Strangely Magnus is overcome with excitement that he showed in a broad smile, "Ok. Let's go." Magnus exits the control room and enters a door beside the one with Danger Room painted on it. The door splits and slides apart instantly as if it doesn't want him to tough it. "Even the doors don't like me." When he comes out of the changing room he stretches and is amazed at how lightweight the fabric is. He also notices with increasing curiosity that there are holes for his wings, and the fabric itself seems to be familiar with the contours of his body.
Entering the Danger Room sends waves of excitement and adrenaline through his blood stream; waking his senses to their full functionality The Danger Room itself is a large expansive room circular in design, but still at least forty feet across. There is an elevated section of the floor that Magnus guesses is twenty-five feet across. But that's all that Magnus senses, nothing out of the ordinary. He walks further into the chrome silver colored room and steps up onto the elevated section.
Hank's voice booms into the room on a loud speaker, "Alright Magnus. This first test will test your reflexes. Tell me when your ready and we'll begin."
Magnus closes his eyes and sighs, letting out his frustrations and worries, cleansing his body and mind of all his earthly distractions. "This is definitely going to be fun." "Alright let's kick this party off!"
Magnus perks his ears up and waits for any changes in his environment. Hank starts the beginner's course and watches with intense interest. A section of wall opens and a small, slender rectangle moves out of its hiding place. Magnus' ears pick up the shifting metal and his eyes track the movement, He plots all possible escape and takes it…all of this taking only seconds. He flips sideways and lands on his feet. Beside him appears a hole with ash bordering it.
Hank says, "Wow. Nice reflexes. Test two." Another series of buttons produces another test for Magnus. In the Danger Room Magnus closes his eyes, trusting his ears. He dodges another shot, but hears something different, he can't pin point this sound…and can't figure out why. Suddenly his skin feels the faint distortion of air pressure directly behind him. He twists his body and a rather large metal spike attached to a metal wire running into the wall passes almost silently behind his back. He flattens his wings to his body, not feeling the slightest amount of pain. When the spike withdrew he stretches his wings back out from the sides of his body and he takes flight.
Once Magnus gets into in the air, he believes this training exercise is over…and he was right. Once the program ran it course, Magnus lands on the central platform, only a thin layer of sweat covering his body. Hank's voice rings out again, "Fantastic Magnus! That was incredible!"
Magnus wipes the sweat from his forehead and says, "Thanks Hank. What's next?" He takes the bandage off his wing and sees only a tiny scar, the remnants of the humans' hatred.
This time the voice belongs to Xavier, "That'll be all today, Magnus. Thank you."
Magnus turns and leaves the Danger Room, seeing the other three teens and Xavier in the hallway outside the Danger Room. "How'd I do?"
Michael says, "That was great. How'd you know about the spike?"
"I have enhanced senses. My skin felt the distortion of the air behind and I reacted."
Raine asks, "Are you conscious of all the decisions your brain makes?"
"Not all of them, but I've learned to trust my instincts."
Brad walks up and playfully punches his shoulders, "Nice job dude. We should spare sometime."
Magnus brushes some ice off his shoulder, "Yes we should."
Xavier rolls over to the group and says, "All of you come with me. I have a mission for you."
The laughter and teenage banter ceases with the news of an actual mission. Raine says, "Why him? He just got here. We should train him some more."
Xavier says, I understand your concern, however, this is only a minor rescue mission; nothing but human guards. He can handle it. Change clothes and meet me in the day room."
Raine goes into the changing room and says, "Wait." The three males stop in their tracks and wait for Raine to exit. When she does, she passes by Magnus, "No offense. I just think you need more training, that's all."
"None taken. In fact I agree with you. Why are you sending me professor?"
Xavier projects in a privet thought only to Magnus, "Because, Magnus, they asked specifically to see you."