kiragecko's X-Men
You Want HIM On The Team?
by kiragecko

And now to actually let people know what's going on. Hopefully the next couple stories will set up the world a bit better. And Canada isn't always cold, unless you're from California. They're in Northern Ontario, which is like Northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or Alberta except it has slightly more people and is quite a bit warmer. Most of Canada doesn't have that many trees. Not that you care, but I hate people thinking all of Canada looks the same.

Another note: I have now updated this story but I still want to thank my amazing beta'er, giveGodtheglory. I was so excited to get these three stories up I did it without her final okay on this one. Please forgive me, wonderful gift from the Lord :(

The team was shocked into silence by their benefactor's entrance. In the month and a half they'd been together they had seen him once since recruitment. Scott usually talked to him telepathically. He looked impressive in his thing-that-had-been-a-wheelchair-before-Kitty's-friends-got-a-hold-of-it. His head gleamed in the fluorescent lights of the danger room. If he had steepled his fingers and laughed maniacally he would have been a textbook villain. Instead he coughed politely.

"I have traced down the final member of your team."

They hadn't known they needed a final member. Bobby grinned.

"Is he (or she, I'm not looking to get beat up, Betsy) super strong? I've been thinking about it and it would be great if we could have someone on par with Colossus, or maybe even the Hulk! We could call him (or her)… Magesto (or Magesta, oww, Betsy) and he'd be like 'Magesto (or Magesta) smash puny building. Purple Head is squished.'"

"Bobby!"

"I would have preferred you hadn't suggested a female could be that stupid. Or have such an awful name."

"Magesta is a cool name, Betsy. Way better then Whisper."

"You will be taking that back, of course."

"Ughummhuh…of course?"

Alex piloted the plane, Scott by his side. Others, Ororo especially, had complained that he was too young, at fourteen, to be risking all their lives like that. Scott asked if they'd rather be flown by someone who hadn't taken any lessons - maybe YOU'D like to risk all our lives. Everyone was now taking lessons - from Alex.

There were too many trees to land near the mutant. Forest stretched as far as the eye could see, unbroken except for a few clearings and a road cutting across it - the TransCanada Highway. Whoever this was didn't like company.

"Okay, everyone, be pleasant. Iceman, NO Canadian jokes. Actually, don't talk at all. And don't mention Magesto."

"How about Mag- I'm not saying anything Storm, really!"

"We don't know anything about this person except that he's powerful. Be cautious, don't make him angry."

They were walking through the woods now. Alex had a strange device in his hands and was conferring quietly with his brother. Storm had asked Whisper why a non-powered human was on the team but had only gotten a secretive smile from her companion. Alex was a question to everyone. Not even Whisper was sure of the answer. Perhaps if the professor wasn't so strict about psychic probes…

A gesture from Cyclops brought everyone to a halt. He spoke loudly.

"Hello. We don't mean you any harm. We wanted to talk to you. Could you come out into this clearing we're in?"

There was a low growl.

Jubilee was talking frantically now, her voice low.

"Come on, Wolvy, let's just ignore the stupid guys. We don't need to kill them. Anyways, if you go running out there I'd be left undefended so I'd have to come too and then people would shoot at me and you'd get REALLY mad and…"

It would have worked if the idiots hadn't started coming over.

He launched himself out of the cover they were in and Jubilee, true to her word, followed. They didn't shoot her, however. The black lady shot Wolvy.

Storm had panicked at the sight of one hundred and eighty pounds of anger and sharp objects. The lightening bolt hit him and less then two seconds later she was falling out of the air, crying with pain.

"You stupid idiot! What do you think you're doing, hitting him? I was trying to calm him down and you shot him and now he's gonna try ta kill you and GET BACK, don't be stupid, you can't stop him, you'll die and I'll be mad and there'll be blood EVERYWHERE and Wolvy they're just stupid idiots don't worry about them, they aren't worth it…"

Cyclops spoke softly, "Get back."

"Storm's out."

"Carry her to the trees. Everyone, let her work."

Ten minutes later they were talking congenially from either sides of the clearing. At least the X-Men were congenial.

"Dumb jerks. You shot him! What are you doing here anyways?"

The him in question was leaning against a tree, arms crossed, watching them. He hadn't said a word.

"We are here to offer him, and you, a place at our school. I'm terribly sorry for what happened to your partner."

"We aren't interested."

She turned at some signal the others didn't see.

"We aren't, Wolvy. It's probably a trap and even if it isn't who wants to go to some stupid school?"

Again, there was nothing anyone else could see. Storm wondered if the girl was having a conversation with herself. This 'Wolvy' didn't inspire confidence that he even knew how to talk.

"We're not going. There's no reason to."

"Money."

Okay. He could talk.

"We're doing just fine out here!"

"Ya want clothes."

This wasn't surprising. The girl was dressed in rags and a huge fur coat, stained and dirty. She looked about eight, with shaggy black hair and flashing slanted brown eyes in a pixy like face. Beneath the dirt she was probably Asiatic.

"I can get clothes."

"How?"

"Steal them."

'Wolvy' looked at the X-Men for the first time.

"What ya want from me?"

Jubilee had been livid when she found out they wanted him to fight. Sparks had danced around her and she had almost blasted Cyclops the same way she had Storm. Her partner had touched her shoulder softly, however, and she had spun around and marched into the trees.

"I'm not going. You'll have ta beat me up to get me on that plane, Wolvy! You gonna do that?"

"Go without you."

"You wouldn't!"

"They'd come pick ya up in a couple'a days."

"I hate you! You're an idiot!"

She had been glaring at everyone for an hour now. Scott and 'Ro go the worst of it. Kurt hadn't been able to figure out what was going on (his English was still almost nonexistent), so Betsy had filled him in, obviously finding the entire situation highly amusing. Bobby had taken up the challenge of getting conversation from a stone.

"So, short, dark, and kind of ugly, what's your name? I'm Bobby, also known as Iceman and I figure calling you 'Wolvy' is likely to get me killed."

"Shut up."

That was Jubilee.

"Kid, be nice."

That was short, dark, and kind of ugly.

"Well?"

It was obvious that the guy wasn't going to shut up, so Jubilee answered.

"It's short for wolf."

"Bit small for a wolf. More like a wolverine."

That was Betsy. She turned back to Kurt. Jubilee was out of her seat.

"Kid, it's a good name. Wolverines are nasty. Never let go."

"Still gonna kill her."

"Naw. Give 'em your name."

More glares.

"Fine. I'm Jubilee. I'm twelve years old and I'll blast the next person that insults Wolvy. So don't talk!"

The last part was directed at Bobby. He grinned.

"Want gum?"

The pack of gum in her hands (and Bobby complaining in the background that he'd only meant a piece), the tiny girl calmed down.

"Want some, Wolvy?"

He shook his head. She was the only one who could tell he was smiling.

"It's been forever since I had gum. I want to go to McDonald's, 'kay, Wolvy? And shopping. And I want a discman. And no more cold, I hate Canada. And we go back to California the second we got enough money. We never come back here again. And maybe KFC, too. Or Burger King, I'm not picky. And I get to sleep in a bed! But I don't have to like anyone, do I?"

This time everyone could see Wolverine grin.