Hey guys it's cookie monster here with another chapter. Finals are over and I can finally get some headway on this story. Happy belated Christmas!

I walked in our lair and felt the metal floor shift and sway below me. I headed to Magneto's office dodging flying appliances as I went.

The door was open so I leaned my body on the threshold.

"I haven't seen you this angry in ages. What's wrong?"

My question was thankfully enough to stop him from terrorizing the place.

"Senator Gideon recently proposed to make badges mandatory for all mutants."

I started trembling with rage. The walls began to creak and any metal in the room was thrown in every direction.

People like him are what's wrong with the world.

I breath in and calm down enough to talk "People like him are the reason this stupid war needs fighting."

"He won't live to implement it."

"Do I hear a mission coming on?"

"Not for you. Mystique is more suited for it."

I frown but say "OK… also, consider doing something to ruin his reputation so he doesn't become a martyr. Killing him without thought could cause more harm than good."

"Good point. I'll consider it."

Instead I was tasked with killing a man who murdered a mutant boy.

After receiving the details, I headed to my room and got the tools of my trade. I'd never leave home without my specially made throwing knives that Magneto had gotten me for my 15th birthday.

I carried them around in a stainless steel briefcase with a cursive E on the front.

I'll go light. It's just an ordinary schmuck this time.

I left my more specialized equipment for another day.

I manned our helicopter and started the trip from New York to Chicago.

I wanted to get this done quickly. Every moment I spent on the waste of space was a moment I couldn't spend with mom. Technically I was supposed to leave soon as I could but Magneto didn't mind.

I smile down at the familiar landscape of high rise apartments and skyscrapers.

I land and get to work. Joe Clark according to his file was a minimum wage worker. He had also decided to take the day off after his acquittal.

I stride toward my destination with purpose hoping no one from my past saw me. Luck was on my side and I got to the house without issue.

Lock 0 Electron 1 I thought as I quietly enter. Clark was sleeping in the couch.

I look at the putrid man before me and wonder if I should just stab him and be done. No that would be letting him off too easy.

I took a fireplace poker wrapped it around his neck and dangled him in midair.

His eyes snapped open. He started struggling and tried to scream but he couldn't do anything more than grunt.

I smile and waved at the man.

"You remember little Terrence? A good kid. Had the most peculiar set of eyes one brown the other pink."

My smile grew and I clenched my fist crushing his esophagus but making sure to not kill him..yet.

"Oh thats right you killed him. Then the bigoted all human jury let you walk."

"When domestic terrorism is accepted there is no law and order no justice. "

"Which is why we need to get rid of people like you." Clark's head shook furiously at this.

"You know I lived by here... I'm sure that if you'd ever saw me use my accidentally use my power you'd kill me."

I decide to let him speak.

He shook his head and wheezed out "No reason."

"You didn't need a reason to kill Terrence."

"I have no tolerance for people harming mutants and neither does Magneto."

The man started sobbing and blubbering after I said Magneto.

"Oh don't be afraid of him Mr Clark… be afraid of me"

I always smile at depictions of electrocution in movies. They are so unrealistic. But I suppose if they showed the reality- the sight of burning flesh how skin melted from the current or how you can't struggle to break free because the current makes you unable to control your body there would be no movie.

Ofcourse that behavior makes me seem like a bit of a sadist. But I am one to a degree.

It would been nice for you to assume that being with Magneto changed me for the worse. That he "corrupted" me. You'd be very wrong. In fact, he had me embrace who I am.

I'll spare you the gory details of what happened to Clark but if you're curious you can always look up death by electrocution. It's not for the faint of heart though. You'll see many articles about botched executions and the like. There I warned you.

My mother's facility was the best money could offer nestled in the nearby suburbs.

I enter the lush facility and wondered what having a fountain in the sitting room had to do with healing the mentally ill.

Nothing. But it made people feel less guilty for leaving loved ones in a institution.

I check in and walk toward her room. Was this a good day of bad day? I enter.

"My baby." she hugged me tight.

Good day then.

"Hey mom."

"Chris it's been too long."

"Mom I was here last month."

"A month is far too long for me to not see you."

Our embrace ends.

"As long as I've been away you'd think you'd be used to it."

"I'm a mother Chris. I'll never get used to you not being there."

I have. I thought.

The homesickness I had vanished completely. My house in Chicago wasn't home anymore. Magneto's palace was.

I'd missed mom so much before because I wasn't used to not seeing her but I'd by then adapted to this. I'd stopped missing her altogether. I had so much to do that I didn't have time to really think about her.

That's not even counting how I was still a bit angry with her about how she purposely ruined my 15th birthday. She was sane while doing so. More on this later.

"How's my little boy doing?"

"Mom I'm taller than you." I tease.

"You'll always be my little boy." She then started asking me questions such as have I been eating enough did I remember to wash my clothes etc.

I frown at this. I acted like an adult. I handled my responsibilities like an adult and Magneto treated me like one. He always took seriously and never babied me. I appreciated that.

Still, she had in the scant hour we had to talk showed more warmth than Magneto ever could. The constant kissing and hugging was annoying but I could live with it.

We played chess and she as usual somehow always knew what moves I'd make. Directly after I had drastically changed my play style.

It blew me away that she wasn't at all surprised by how aggressive I was now. She just kept playing and kept beating me.

"Chris."

I look up from the board

"I've been thinking lately about-"

"Time's up!" an orderly said as she stuck her head in the room.

"My mother's not done talking to me and you will not interrupt her."

The orderly blinked at my venomous reply and left us alone.

She gets up takes the TV remote and takes out the batteries.

She looked hard at the batteries she held.

"They're trying to tell me something."

I indulged her. "What?"

"I'm not sure but I dream of a cold cold wasteland and a lake and you falling out a plane. " She begins to cry.

I hated feeling powerless and nothing made me feel more powerless than when people cried. I don't know how to comfort anyone. I've tried before and I only made things worse.

So I just watched unsure what to do.

She suddenly moved to hug me and I dodged away. The movement was too sudden and I'd been trained too well.

She became more upset and distraught screaming that her baby was gone and that he took him away. That I didn't love her anymore.

I walk toward her raising my arms "Mom I'm here and I love you."

Just as I'm about to close the distance between us I felt an extremely powerful blow to the face. I stumble back blood gushing from my nose. I press the nearby emergency button and leave the room sighing when I hear the door lock behind me.

Imagine living with that everyday. She'd hit me. and hours later ask me who did this to me and treat me with the kindest care.

"We're sorry sir for your injuries." The on-site doctor said

"No it's fine. I should've left as soon as she became belligerent."

That was beyond stupid. I thought.

"Has she been taking her medication?" I ask holding the bandages to my nose.

"Yes, but they seem to be losing their effect."

I sigh. They always do.

I leave.

My second phone rang. I answer."Electron status." Magneto said.

"Mission completed sir without a problem."

"Good. What happened to your voice?"

I sigh. Why did he have to be so observant? "I got punched in the nose."

"Clark catch you off guard?"

"Hardly. You know i'd die of embarrassment if that happened. Mom hit me."

Magneto growls mumbles 'if she wasn't your mother' under his breath and sighs.

"Go home."

"Yes sir."

I go back to the helicopter and made the trip back.

I returned to our base as usual and reported to his office. As I walked in, I noted the presence of several maps on his desk and wall.

I squint and I see the title New York City subway routes.

"Supposably there are mutants living in the abandoned subway tracks underneath New York."

"Have you tried tracking the electricity usage of the subway system?"

He seemed interested and I explained that one way police officers found indoor drug farms was with electricity usage. Unusual usage means unusual activity.

"You have to live under a rock to not use electricity. So if you get several maps of abandoned subway tracks and overlap that with electricity usage and you'll find power use when there should be none."

He seemed interested but as none of his underlings had done this before he wanted me to do it. Of course I'd never done it either but it couldn't be that hard right?

I vastly underestimated how complex city subway power lines were and had to get Magneto's help. He knew about electricity because he was an electric engineer- who worked at harnessing magnetism to power the world without coal . He read the information while I retrieved it. We were a great team and soon found the place.

I got to spar with Magneto and not Mystique who had just returned from some mission. I hated that I always lost to him and a plan came to me. I "accidentally" left my tool belt on me as I entered the VR room.

Of course Magneto sensed the metal and rolled his eyes at my foolishness.

Let him do that.

He was feeling cocky as usual and let me pick the setting. I chose downtown Chicago as I knew the area very well and I needed every advantage I could get with him.

A desolate urban wasteland appeared in front of me. The first thing I did was take off my belt and sent it in one direction while I flew the opposite way.

I found a building which had lost most of it glass while it's steel structure remained. That would work nicely.

I flew upstairs to the top floor. Once there I see Magneto flying in the distance towards my belt's location.

Soon he was directly next to another building and it was time.

I close my eyes and focus. This has to be too fast for him to react.

I reach out my hands In front of me and suddenly bring them down. The building next to Magneto collapsed and it was my hope it would take the man with it.

When the dust cleared I found that he was perfectly fine floating in the air and probably annoyed with my little trick.

I sent several cars flying at him. He caught each one.

Crap.

I decide to change plans. I pushed every car he had caught towards him betting he wouldn't be able to stop then all.

I felt huge amount of resistance before it suddenly disappeared. I hear the smash of metal on metal and wonder if I'd finally beaten him.

But if so why was the sim still on?

I sense something metal coming towards me. I turn around and see the last thing I see is a giant semi truck.

I open my eyes and see the elderly man smirking at his victory.

I'll get you one day.

"You were so focused on trapping me that you didn't notice that a semi truck was coming after you.

I stood up " I didn't for a second believe your trick but it was useful for determining where you were."

"How did you do that?"

"Based on which cars were lifted and in which direction I determined your vantage point

"So you guessed"

"I made an inference."

"Which is an educated guess."

He frowned at me before he continued " Still you did better than I expected. You picked a place you knew well, used tricks that had I not known you and had I not been more powerful than you would've worked."

"And your control has dramatically improved. We're getting closer and closer to unlocking your potential. Well done."

I smile at this "Thanks". I spotted my belt reach down to get it before I feel a shooting pain in my back.

"Ugh. My back. Sim's too realistic." I mutter.

Magneto scoffs. "You're too young to know real back pain."

This concludes my training for the day. I head out our NYC based hideout-a ritzy penthouse and hopped on the bus.

While visiting a nearby museum I noticed a woman with gorgeous white hair and matching blue eyes.

I think I'm in love. Optimism said.

She's way out our league man. Cynicism saiid.

I then noticed the small group of students she had with her. She talked about the exhibit to the bored teens who likely signed up just to get out of school.

She can teach me any day. Manipulation said.

I do concur. I also believe I would have been more interested in history had she been my teacher. Logic said

Oh not you too. Think with you head guys not your balls. Cynicism said.

Of course with me being 15 there was no chance of anything happening but I stayed around to hear her wonderful voice. She had a gorgeous Nigerian accent.

I tailed the group a bit before I walked a bit ahead.

"Give it back! Give it back John!" I turn and see a girl with brown hair and a single white strand trying in vain to get her phone back from a boy.

"Go long Bobby.' John threw the phone and I altered its path so it landed in my hand. This meant everyone's attention was suddenly on me. I hated when people noticed me.

"It's not nice to take what's not yours." I say.

"And you are?" John said

"A person." I deadpan.

Everyone laughed at this.

Good. I don't want to look stupid. Wit is good.

John rolled his eyes and I handed the phone to the girl.

"Thanks he's just being a jerk. I'm Marie"

I clasp her hand in a shake.

"Chris."

From her surprise she didn't expect such a formal gesture. Oh well.

As fast as I could I left.

I also decided to see New York's Symphony Orchestra. I went with Magneto to a symphony earlier which I'm guessing was revenge for my dare. That backfired because I loved it. I had spent a year hearing nothing but classical music and learned to love it.

Since then I went to the concerts every chance I got. Magneto had bought seasons pases for both of us so we could go when we wanted to.

I got several irritated glances from the other patrons who were dressed to the nines in suits and dresses in comparison to my jeans and a tee.

I smile at them sweetly before sitting in my seat.

Premium seats bitches. Rebellion gloated.

I shook my head and Logic did the same.

How childish. We thought.

This didn't go over well with the guy sitting next to me. I'm just going to call him Daddy Warbucks for fun. Yes, I watch Broadway musicals too.

Daddy Warbucks was a jerk. A very vocal jerk.

"You can't afford to sit here." The man said.

"I have a ticket." I hand it to the man.

"You must have stole it."

I rolled my eyes and turned around in my seat. The show is going to start soon and then he'd have to shut up.

Except he didn't. Instead I hear the sound of tearing paper. I turn to him just as he says

"Guards he snuck in without a ticket."

I hate you.

The guards came over. I gathered my things ready to leave.

"This guy says he snuck in without a ticket."

I glare at Warbucks.

"That won't be necessary. I saw his ticket. He just misplaced it."

I turn around and there was a man in a wheelchair.

Yeah, into that guy's grubby hands.

The guards look suspicious but the suspicion suddenly left them and they left.

How?

The man placed his hand on his temple and kept staring at me.

Once the symphony ended I left as soon as I could because the way he stared at me was just weird.

I return home just in time for dinner. When asked what I did that day I relayed my story.

You shouldn't have showed up in jeans and a t-shirt that's just asking for trouble. Toad said

"What you're siding with him? That's victim-blaming."

Magneto clears his throat and we were immediately silent.

"We've found the location of the mutants living in the subway."

I smiled at this and quietly chew my food.

"Mystique Toad and Sabretooth and I will meet with these morlocks and attempt to…"

I stopped listening right there. I wouldn't get to go. I felt angry but didn't dare say a word.

The next day

"Electron while we're gone I want you to practice your drills." My teacher told me.

"Okay."

"I take it you're not thrilled this turn of events."

How did you guess?

I feared that if I said anything I would say something extremely rude and end up getting punished for my troubles. So I shook my head instead.

This was an issue that frequently came up. He was fine with me doing small things like offing a human or sabotaging something but real missions ones I had the ability to do were denied to me.

What did he think? That my utility belt was just for show? I wanted to meet other mutants. Most of them were my age. I should be out there with them recruiting.

"Be patient."

The irony.

The explanation for the lack of missions was that

Every minute I spent doing missions with a moment that I wasn't training.

The only missions I would be allowed to go on for missions where no one lived in the end.

Therefore it made sense to send other people instead.

Well I'd better get on those drills. I thought.

Directly after this I got dressed and headed to MIT for classes. One thing I loved about NYC was it's great transit system. The new imported from Japan bullet trains took me to from New York to Massachusetts in 20 minutes each way.

While in my cal 3 class I quietly took notes and paid attention. My professor said "Can someone please solve this?"

She looked around at the several raised hands and said "No you all went already I want…"

Please don't call me. Please don't call me.

"You the one in the back."

I point at myself

"Yes you."

I'd already done that problem. In fact I completed every practice problem in the chapter so I could be certain I understood everything.

I get up. My breath picked up my head felt like it was spinning. The voices in my head were arguing over what to do next. I make my way to the board and quickly do the problem.

"That's correct and what your name dear?"

"Chris."

Then I saw nothing. My eyes opened and I found I was in a hospital bed. The doctor arrived in my room followed by Magneto and Mystique in disguise.

"What happened?" I ask

"You don't remember? You fainted in class." The doctor said.

I turned as red as a tomato. Public speaking that had to be my worst fear of all. And now my fear wasn't even a secret.

It was such a stupid illogical fear. It went completely against all reason which was why I hated it. I wouldn't have minded if I were afraid of sharks or heights but public speaking really?

Even worse after I passed out Magneto called off the mission and rushed to the hospital. The morlocks were very mobile and by now they probably moved to another part of the city. So I bungled a mission.

The week was already off to a bad start.

I hate Mondays.