Take the Long Way Home
Second chapter folks and; some important news. I will put up a new chapter for every five new reviews that I receive.
Maria walks in, followed by a deliriously smiling Shawn.
Lifting one eyebrow; "What exactly have you two been up too?"
Maria just looks at me while Shawn just keeps on grinning. I shake my head. "Never mind, I probably don't want to know. Just get in the fic already."
Oops!!!! Forgot the disclaimer last chapter. Anyway; I don't own X-men evolution, YET. Ya hear that Marvel??!! They will be MINE!!! MWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!!! But Shawn O'Reily is mine, as will be his mutant codename. If you want to use him ask in a review. There is a similar character in a Yu-Yu-Hakusho fic, but I submitted him to the author so it's all good man!!
"AAA"-talking
'AAA'-thought
AAA-telepathy
AAA-self debate???
Chapter Two-The New Arrivals
Maria woke to find the fire had been started; a pot of what appeared to be oatmeal keeping warm at the edge, and no sign of Shawn. She thought of snuggling back down into her blanket but then; she heard some faint music drifting in from outside the cave. She got up and walked outside, all the while her mind was racing. She recognized the tune, vaguely. She had heard it once before, during one of the "blending in" exercises that H.Y.D.R.A. had put her through.
-Flashback-
A man sauntered into the practically deserted park where X-23 sat, a stereo on his shoulder. Not a young man anymore, but not really a grizzled old man. He sat down on the bench opposite her and set his stereo down, giving her a nod in recognition. No sickeningly sweet smile, like the one that most adults did on these "outings". He popped a tape into the deck and sat back, hands behind his head. After a moment, sad, poignant harmonica music began to pour from the speakers, while a man sang about taking the long way home.
-End Flashback-
It was the same tune, no doubt about it. There wasn't any singing, but the music was just as potent as she remembered. There was only one person in the vicinity, so he had to be the source of the beautiful tune. As she exited the cave, she used her sensitive ears to trace the sound upwards, her eyes scanning the cliff face that the cave was situated at the bottom of. She gasped as her eyes reached the top of the forty foot cliff.
It had to be Shawn. It looked similar to him. But it had large bat-like wings erupting from its shoulders; patches of grayish scales speckled the otherwise normal skin. Fangs peeked from the corners of its mouth, its fingers ended in sharp claws and its toes in talons. And it was the one playing the harmonica.
That fact alone made the entire scene seem almost surreal. But what happened next was all too real. As he finished playing; the wings retracted into his back, while the fangs shrank out of sight and the claws, talons and scales seemed too be absorbed into the skin. A completely normal Shawn stood up and stretched and started to turn around; obviously going to scale the cliff face.
That's when it happened.
The ledge gave a sickening lurch, as a gunshot like "Crack!!!" split the air. Shawn pin wheeled his arms for a moment. Then the earth decided to drop out from under him. His last thought before a stray rock sent him to dreamland was: 'I could have just sat on a nice rock or something, but nooooooooo I had to see how strong my wings were.'
-Time: Around 36 hours later. Place: Xavier Institute for Gifted Children-
Logan shook his head, sending drops of water flying. He'd gone riding in an attempt to dispel the worry that had been gnawing at his gut. "Damn rain," he growled, "Knew it was too good a day to last long."
As he neared the gate he thought that he could see some sort of shape leaning up against one of the pillars. As he got closer the rain began to let up and he could make out whoever or whatever it was. When he got a clear look, his breath whistled from between his teeth and he felt as if he had been punched in the gut by the Juggernaut. It was X-23.
She was supporting a boy who appeared to be unconscious. There was a blood stained rag wrapped around his head and one of his shirt sleeves was missing, telling him where the rag had come from. He was battered and had bruises along his arms and what Logan could see of his back, but appeared to be otherwise unharmed.
"Poor kid looks like he went ten rounds with Sabretooth,' was Logan's first thought. Then he turned his attention to X-23. She was in better condition then the boy, but not by much. When Logan got off his bike and came up to them, she stumbled away from the wall, still supporting the boy. As she came closer, he could plainly see the plea in her eyes. She handed him off to Logan without a word. When she saw that he had a good grip on the guy, she let go. Turning as if to leave; she said: "Please, help him." She took one step forward and collapsed.
Wolverine wasted no time. He laid the boy on the ground, not noticing the small horns that peeked through the hair near the back of his head, and sprinted to the intercom system set into the wall next to the gate. Slapping his hand on the speakerphone function, he didn't wait for a greeting from their resident scientist, who manned the com station round the clock. He immediately began barking into the speaker.
"This is Wolverine. Beast, get out here and bring some help. We got some guests, and they're pretty banged up." The com crackled to life as Beast replied, "I'm on the way. How bad are they?" Logan's response was relieved, "They'll live but one of em's gonna have one hell of a headache when he wakes up."
--------Later--------
Shawn groaned; he felt like there was an all percussion symphony touring in his head, and his brain had a season front row seat. He lifted a hand up and rubbed his forehead. "The kids comin round; I'll go tell Charles," came a gruff voice. "Fine," came a different, slightly cultured voice, "I'll stay with them, so don't worry about a thing." Footsteps sounded, leaving the room.
Shawn sat up, holding his head in his hands and groaned, "Uuugggghhhhh, anybody get the number on that eighteen wheeler?" He took the hand away from his eyes, and opened them. And came face to face with what appeared to be a blue gorilla in a pair of shorts. He blinked. Rubbed his eyes and took another look. 'Yep, still there.' He opened his mouth to say something and the gorilla backed away, apparently thinking that he was going to scream like a little girl. 'Man I only did that once anyway; was it my fault that I was reading a horror novel at the time?' So he nearly busted a gut at the expression on the guy's face when he said, "I think you missed a spot shaving man."
The guy's jaw hit the floor. After a second or two of stunned silence, he began to chuckle; then laugh, great big bellowing laughs, while tears streamed from his eyes. Shawn began too chuckle as well. As he wiped the last of the tears from his eyes with the back of one big hand, still chuckling all the while, the gruff voice sounded. "Somebody tell a good joke?"
Shawn turned to regard the newcomer. Leather jacket, cowboy boots and hat, faded jeans and t-shirt on a frame that couldn't have topped five feet. Grizzled features and an innate toughness that practically screamed, "Hit me with your best shot pal." Definitely someone you wanted on your side in a bar fight, or any kind of fight for that matter. Lean, mean and willing to put the smack down on anyone who messed with him. This was his first impression of the man called the Wolverine.
"Actually, it was an extremely funny joke, Logan," replied the ape. "K' Hank, I need to ask the kid a couple a questions before the Prof. gets here." He took a seat in the chair next to the bed Shawn was in and leaned in close.
"First off kid, what's your name?" "O'Reily, Shawn O'Reily; and you're Logan; unless my ears aren't working right that is." Logan gave a smirk that matched Shawn's perfectly. "I think I'm gonna like you kid," he chuckled, "Now, why were you with that girl when I found ya?" He gestured too another bed where Maria lay. Shawn narrowed his eyes as he spoke, his voice going slightly frosty. "What's it to ya? I helped her out so I assume that she helped me out. The last thing I remember is gettin up close and personal with a nice sized chunk of limestone, next thing I know, I'm here." His attention seemed to waver for a moment before he looked Logan in the eyes and mouthed "keep talking". The man looked puzzled, but complied; "I just wanna know kid." As he finished this sentence; the boy's hand whipped over to the opposite side of the bed and dived over. His triumphant "Gotcha!!!" was nearly drowned out by a short squeal of pain. He pulled up his fist, with a brown ponytail clutched in it. This was followed by the grimacing face of Kitty Pride. "Owwww; Logan, make him, like, let go!!" "Why were you listening in Kitty?" was his stoic reply.
"Yeah," chimed in Shawn, "Haven't you ever heard, curiosity killed the cat?" "But satisfaction brought him back," She shot back. "Kitty, leave now please," came a smooth voice, with just a hint of impatience. This came from a bald man in a motorized wheelchair, as he rolled in. She huffed and crossed her arms, before sinking into the floor. Shawn didn't even blink.
"First off I must apologize for her behavior. But you don't seem very shocked young man." Shawn turned to face the dude in the chair. "I've seen stranger things," he replied. The man lifted an eyebrow at this, Do tell, sounded the man's voice in his head. "Ghah!! don't do that!!!" Shawn yelled, pounding his heart, as if trying to restart it. "I got enough trouble with just one voice in my head, ok?" The man just sat there for a moment, thinking. 'Hmmm, he appears to be totally at ease.' What do you think Logan?
'He's got guts and a sense of humor; I'd say we may have found a perfect blend of Cyclops, Bobby, and possibly me,' Came the mental reply. "Do you know where you are young man?" Shawn looked at him a moment, then proceeded to rattle of a string of coordinates. Beast and Wolverine both chuckled at this one.
"That's not exactly what I meant." Shawn grinned, "I know, I was just messin with ya. I'm at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Children in upper New York and you're Prof. Charles Xavier. I was on my way here anyhow. Now can you answer something for me?" The professor nodded and he continued, "Is Maria okay?"
"Do you mean the girl that brought you to the institute?" Interrupted Beast, sounding surprised. "Yeah, why, what's wrong?" Professor X shook his head, "Nothing, we were just under the impression that she didn't have a real name." "She didn't, I suggested the name when she kinda got upset that she didn't have a real name. She looked like a Maria anyway."
"Very well then; she's fine. Extremely tired and a little bruised, but other wise fine. She's sleeping right now, but should wake up in a few hours." "Good," Shawn looked over to Wolverine, "Hey I know that we just met; but could you do me a huge favor? I left a couple of duffel bags in the cave we spent the day at while I was waiting for it to get dark enough too travel. They've got some clothes, CD's, and cooking utensils in them; there's also a staff stuck behind them, it's mine as well. Could you please? I'd go myself but I doubt these guys," he jerked a thumb at Hank and the professor, "would let me go." Logan thought about it a moment before nodding. "Sure kid, just give me the coordinates to the place and somebody'll go pick it up." Shawn again rattled off a set of numbers and Wolverine took his leave.
"There's something that's been bothering me, um Shawn, right?" Beast spoke up. Shawn nodded, "And that would be?" "Why did 'Maria' bring you here instead of taking you to a regular hospital?" At that moment, a ripping sound filled the air, and a long grayish scaly tail was hanging over the edge of the bed. "Any other stupid questions?" Shawn said in a deadpan voice.
"It would seem that we have a new student at the Institute." "Um professor?" "Yes Shawn?" "Would you tell the guy hanging from the ceiling and that girl that you told to leave earlier to come out now?" Xavier sharply looked up from his steepled hands. "Kurt? Kitty?" "Uh-oh." "Busted." Xavier sighed before gesturing. "Shawn O'Reily, meet Kitty and Kurt. They are both students here and members of our special task team, the X-Men."
Kurt offered his hand, which Shawn shook vigorously, not in the least affected by his strange appearance. Kitty on the other hand, crossed her arms and gave a short, "We've met." Shawn winced and so did Kurt. Even he had felt the ice on that one. "Listen, I'm sorry bout that hair pulling thing," he stuck out his hand, "Peace?"
She considered it for a moment, then accepted the hand with a smile bright enough too light half of upstate New York, "Peace" "Why don't you inform everyone else that we have a new student?" said the professor. "Make that two students sir" "Say what!!??" exclaimed Kitty. "Maria's being chased by someone; I know that much, and I don't like it. I figure that she'll be safer here than out on her own." "Your intentions are noble enough, but what makes you so sure that she will listen to you, or stay at all?" queried the Prof. "If worst comes to worst I'll challenge her to a sparring match, if I win, she stays; she wins, she can go. She's the type who'll stick to their word even if they don't like it." Then he gave an evil grin, "And I never lose." You just want her to stick around so you can "get to know her better". Remember I was at the cave too ya know came the feral voice in Shawn's head. Shut up man, I'm not that interested in her The only response he got was a snort before the other presence left him to his thoughts.
"Okay; Kurt, Kitty clear out of here. He needs his rest." Beast called, looking up from his conversation with an African-American woman who possessed striking white hair. "See ya," Kitty waved before sinking into the floor once again. Kurt gave a grin and a wave before vanishing with a loud "BAMF" in a cloud of sulfurous smoke. Shawn adjusted himself on the bed so that his tail wasn't getting crushed and settled in. "I think I'm gonna like it here."
Fight time next time. Who will come out on top? The new kid in town or the battle hardened ex-spy? Find out next time!
Well? What do you think? Please, Please review!!!!!! Flame me, criticize me; praise me; say that you're an alien named Bjorn from the pasta head nebula!!!! Just review already.