Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I make profit off of the Avengers. All rights belong to the MCU and the Walt Disney Company.
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Lowenweiss- Thank you so much for the kind words and for taking the time to review! The idea for this chapter came from the Spider-Man House of M comics I read as a kid, where Spider-Man actively pretends to be a mutant to fit it. I changed it because I feel like at some point Professor Charles Xavier would see Spider-Man on TV and actively wonder if he was or wasn't a mutant, and I had a lot of fun writing this one. Thank you for the amazingly generous words and for making me smile!
It's A Cult Finale
"You sent who after us?" Logan gets in my face, I push him away, but he doesn't move...he's really heavy.
"You kidnapped me!"
"Do you think the Falcon and Winter Solider will sign my autograph book?"
"Can it Bobby!"
"I need eight more to complete my Avengers collection! Wait..Spiderman will sign my autograph book!"
"Shut up BOBBY!" The sensations are too much, everyone's yelling, Logans too close to my face, his stench assaults my nose. He smells like stale beer and cigars. I place my hands over my ears and squeeze my eyes shut. It's too much,
"Logan back away from her, everyone else, lower your voice. Some of us have sensitive ears." I lower my arms and open my eyes, of course everyones looking at me, although Logan does steps back. "I have no doubt these gentleman are here on a misunderstanding so lets open our doors, and explain whats going on." Logan grunts,
"What misunderstanding?" This time I step closer to him,
"Assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping!"
"What deadly weapon?" He grunts into my face,
"Take a guess Edward Scissor-hands!" The knives spring from his knuckles again and come down spearing my mask, ripping it from my hand. Something pushes the two of us apart, not arms or hands, but...force. I turn to redhead, no her name's Jean. She looks away embarrassed, I must look scared, quickly I fix my face. "Look all I have to do is get ahold of them and tell them whats going on and boom, problems over!" I hold my hand out. Instead of just handing it over like a normal person, Wolverine holds my skewered mask on his weird knuckle knives.
"Here you go bub." I sigh and reach forward and pull the fabric off and swear inside my head, then I apologize inside my head, because he's punctured the mask threw both ears. I flip my mask inside out and pull the coms out of both pockets, their ruined. I drop them on the ground and look up,
"They're. Broken." I force out between clenched teeth, Wolverine leans forward,
"Oops," I reach forward to punch him, choke him, I don't know. I don't get the chance because Cyclops or Scott whatever steps in between us,
"Can't you use our phone?" I lilt my head to the side,
"Do you have Stark Industries latest and greatest wavelength telecommunication system?" Scott considers this for a second,
"Um...I don't think...we do, do we?" He turns to Wolverine who simply pushes him away,
"Chuck can just speak to them mind to mind-"
"NO!" I jump up turning around towards the Professor, "You can't, one of them use to be tortured by Hydra if you speak to him in his head it could-"
"Don't worry my dear," The Professor cuts me off with just a wave of his hand, his face breaks into a gentle smile, "None of us here want to cause any of unnecessary force or pain-"
"Sure." I interrupt turn glaring at Wolverine and then rub my temple, my head still aches,
"However," the Professor gains my attention again, "This is a school and I have many children in this building asleep waiting for tomorrow's classes and I will have to defend it as I see fit,"
"These men aren't dangerous" I defend,
"The Winter Solider is so badass, he did start out as a villain killing hundreds over the years. I swear he assassinated Princess Diana, but he's a good guy now, and I reserved a spot on page 21 of my autograph book." I glare at Bobby who's currently showing off a blank page from his book. I give him my best stop it look and when I gain his attention he tilts his head,
"Put it away." I mouth and after a second he flips the page,
"I have one for the Falcon too." I roll my eyes and reach forward swatting the book to the ground."
"Hey!"
"Shut up," I turn back to the Professor, "He is not...not...um...he eats at Buffalo Wild Wings..." I try, "Bad people don't eat at Buffalo Wild Wings...I just need to talk to them." The red light goes off again,
"What did you tell them?" Wolverine steps forward, I hold my hand out to keep him arms length away.
"I told them you were chasing me...and you were a cult."
"A cult?" Wolverine growls, again with the growling, they picked his name correctly. I point to his outfit, although different from the others it's still a jumpsuit...a weird yellow and blue jumpsuit, and they all have an X branded somewhere on their suits.
"Your point?"
"Your weird clothing, you kept wanting me to talk to the Professor what does that sound like?"
"You're the last person to be judging someone based on what their wearing." He points to my own red and blue costume, I slap his hand away,
"Don't drink the kool aid Mr. Jones." He growls louder and gets really into my face. I push my own face into his refusing to back down, this time Scott pushes us away and points to the red light,
"When that goes off it means someone is approaching and we have about five minutes to decided if their friend or foe, so we don't have time to fight. If we go up there and meet them we can explain this was all a misunderstanding." I shake my head,
"I don't think it was-"
"-then we explain we were wrong, lets go." Scott motions me to follow. I turn back to Wolverine and push him aside,
"Lets go." I mock.
…
As it turns out these X-Men have technology similar to Mr. Stark. It's not as advanced but it's still better than your average tech company and when Mr. Barnes and Mr. Wilson cross the line between what Scott calls the X-Line (how original.) It alerts the Professor, who is able to determine if this is a commercial flight full of people heading to Chicago or a missile lunched on there school ready to blow them up. Although they assure me that most don't know about Mutants their still a risk and when we get back on to the lawn of the school it's a waiting game for both Mr. Wilson and Mr. Barnes. With two giant holes through my mask I've decided to go without it, although I'm the only one who has, everyone else is suited and masked, complete with serious faces. All except Bobby who still clutches that autograph book. After a second long period of silence he leans closer to me,
"I've saved page 45 for you." I knock the book out of his hand again,
"...Do you want a higher page or something?" I sigh and keep my eyes up towards the sky watching as something small and black appears,
"Oh my god is that the Falcon!" Bobby fangirls, but I know better, that's not Flacon,
"Move" I push the nearest people away and jump right before the small missile can hurt anyone,
"Oh my god the Falcon is shooting at us!" Bobby sits up from his place on the grass and smiles, I get to my feet and cup my hands around my mouth,
"Mr. Wilson, please don't shoot again!" I wait until a little black dot appears in the sky again and then sigh, jumping out of the way just as the second missile hits the ground where I just stood ,
"Are you sure you're friends with these people?" Warren asks lazily holding his hand out, I make a face and get up on my own,
"Don't talk to me Worthington." I push myself up and stagger to my feet, this time when I look up I can see Mr. Wilson, in the sky. I wave my hands "Mr. Wilson!" This captures his attention and for a second it seems like he's trying to speak to me through our comms, when it doesn't work he starts to descend. I take long strides away from the others as Mr. Wilson lands,
"We've been tryin to contact you!" I pull the broken coms from my pocket and show them to him flat on my palm before I let them fall on to the lawn. Mr. Wilson looks from me up to the X-Men behind me, "What happened?"
"I was running and then somehow I ended up here." I conveniently leave out the part when Wolverine knocked me out, "and these people, their not a cult...their not normal either, but they haven't done anything to me...well...ya you know lets stick with the first one, they didn't do anything to me." Mr. Wilson looks up,
"How did you break your coms" I sigh,
"Don't asks,"
"What is this?" I look behind me to the school, to the others and slowly turn back back,
"It's a school...for...kids with powers."
"Powers?"
"Ya...ummmm they wanted to know if I wanted admission." Mr. Wilson faces looks confused, "I told them no obviously."
"A school for kids with powers?" Mr. Wilson looks utterly confused and I don't blame him, because part of me is still confused too. "Does that kid have wings?" He points to Warren behind me,
"Yes and now that we know that they are not a threat we can leave."
"what about my autograph book?" Bobby yells behind me,
"First sign that ones autograph book and then leave."
"Hold on Penny, I'm still confused. This is a school for kids with powers like yourself and they have just been living like this for how long and we never knew about them?" I swallow,
"Their private people." I release a breathy laugh, "Anyway, is it just you?" Mr. Wilson eyes widen,
"You said theirs kids in that mansion?" I nod, and Mr. Wilson pushes his finger into his ear,
"Whats going on?"
"Bucky stop-" theirs a low rumbling, it almost sounds like...
"No," I say to Mr. Wilson,
"Yes." I turn to the others,
"Get down!" I shout, as Mr. Barnes barges through the fence, motorcycle and all. In one swift movement he jumps off the motorcycle steering it so it will skid into the grass and then gets down on one knee, machine gun pointed towards the others, "Mr. Barton no!" Too late, bullets go off. Jean steps forward holding her arms out, bullets ricochet off an invisible forcefield. Mr. Wilson grabs my arm pulling me into his chest and drops to the ground turning at the same time to spread his wings stopping any bullets being misdirected towards us. I can hear glass break as bullets hit the windows of the mansion, so much for being quiet I guess. The bullets stop and carefully Mr. Wilson and I turn towards Mr. Barnes, his gun now floating in the air. I look towards the school where the Professor has he hand extended, he's the cause of the sudden floating machine gun. Mr. Barnes looks around first at us then the Professor, then his hands are over his ears a deep throaty scream escapes his mouth. I wiggle out of Mr. Wilsons grasp and run over. The Professor has to be trying to speak through his mind, to calm him down explain the situation,
"Mr. Barnes calm down-" I watch in slow motion as Mr. Barnes turns, his metal fist comes swinging out to collide with my forehead, hard. I hit the grass with a soft thud seeing stars...wait no these are actual stars, you can see them out here. I blink reaching up to touch the spot Mr. Barnes fist hit my head, ouch thats tender.
"Penny?" A face appears above me,
"Wow it's a god?" I force out between paralyzed lips. Suddenly Mr. Wilsons face is there too,
"No that's just Bucky," Mr. Wilson hand slaps Mr. Barnes across the back of the head, "You hit her."
"I didn't mean too."
"You cut your hair," I mumble, "it looks good." Mr. Barnes smiles,
"Ya?" Mr. Wilsons hand slaps him again,
"Stop it!"
"O my god Spiderman," Suddenly Bobbys face is there too.
"Kneecaps?"
"Kneecaps?" Mr. Wilson repeats, Bobby looks up and salutes
"You can call me Bobby sir." Bobby's voice goes up an octave
"You're the kid with the autograph book?" Bobby looks like he could die of happiness,
"Hey!" A loud angry voice penetrates the air...Wolverine. All the faces look up and suddenly Mr. Barnes is gone and it sounds like someone is fighting, Mr. Wilson disappears and then it's just Bobby, he looks down at me,
"Oh my god this is single handedly the greatest day of my life." I grunt and turn on to my side, sure enough, Mr. Barnes and Wolverine are fighting and Mr. Wilson is trying to diffuse the situation, finally he steps back and raises his arm. Mr. Wilson wears a bracelet, that holds two purposes, one to contact red bird and two, to hold six small darts that hold a drug to paralyze the lucky target,
"Stop," I try to yell, but it comes out more of a choked whisper. Turning over has caused my head to spin widely and my stomach to jump. To my surprise Mr. Barnes is the first to stop and hold his hands out,
"I'm not fighting with you!" Wolverine reaches forward to attack him but suddenly stops fist raised in the air and steps back, it's only when I see the wheel chair do I realize why,
"No more Logan, these men have made it clear they don't wish to fight and I'm sure after figuring out their companion is okay their more than happy to hear us out." Again wolverine growls,
"Buzzkill." Bobby mumbles,
"Now lets go in and have a chat, our physician can take a look at Penny." Mr. Barnes turns towards me suddenly remembering he's suckered punched me with his good arm,
"Oh Penny." Both he and Mr. Wilson hurry back over each grabbing my arm and hauling me to my feet,
"How are you doing kid?" Mr. Wilson asks jiggling my right side,
"Will you sign my autograph book too Mr. Wilson?"
"You have an autograph book too!?" Bobby smiles, Mr. Wilson signs
"Come on."
…
As it turns out the X-Men's personal physician is different than any other Doctor I've seen in my life and I've worked with Dr. Strange and Dr. Banner. This on is blue...and covered in hair...and tall, I'd say he's as tall as Dr. Banner and almost as big, be it blue.
"And that way." So far he's had me looking different directions all while shining a flashlight in my eyes. After looking right and left three more times, he sets the flashlight down and turns reaching to grab the scans of my brain he took earlier and place them on the light box across the room. The X-Men have everything including an MRI machine,
"Well?" Mr. Barnes asks from the corner of the room,
"Calm down Rocky." Mr. Wilson scolds,
"She's definitely concussed." The blue physician named Dr. McCoy points to the picture of my head. Mr. Wilson whistles,
"ohhhhhhhhhhhhh Stark is going to kill you" Mr. Wilson laughs directing it towards Mr, Barnes,
"It's mild and the brain is already starting to heal itself, but it should still be taken seriously however, see the differences between these two images?" I squint but see nothing,
"No?" I look up, Dr. McCoy smiles,
"Do you see this?" He points to a small blanketed spot on the picture, "When someone is hit hard enough the brain is bounced back and forth inside the skull, this causes the brain tissue to change shape which can stretch and damage the brain's cells. When hit hard enough the brain can bleed, like this," he points to the spot again, "This can be major and or minor like this one, and when the brain heals the body will naturally absorb this on it's own, but it can take days, even weeks depending on how bad the bleeding is, you're body is already absorbing it see?" he points to the second picture, I squint again but I still don't really see anything, I'm tired and my eyes hurt,
"Okay?"
"My stars and garters it's amazing, you're healing ability is almost as quick as Logan's,"
"He hit me too." I point,
"Gruff guy that attacked this guy?" Mr. Wilson points a thumb at Mr. Barnes,
"Ahh yes, well we're working on that." Dr. McCoy turns back to me, "And you're definitely not a mutant?" I nod,
"Pretty sure."
"How did you become like this?"
"Radioactive spider bite."
"Fascinating," Dr. McCoy whispers, and I feel like he's fangirling and studying me all at the same time, "Can I take some blood?"
"No."
"Be nice, let the big blue man take some blood you don't need all of it." Mr. Barnes jokes, I sigh and roll up my sleeve of the blue sweatshirt he gave me to change into, with it a pair of matching sweatpants. Dr. McCoy looks giddy as he sticks the needle in my arm, I watch him fill three vials and then stick a Avengers bandaid over the puncture wound,
"I thought it was fitting." He smiles,
"Funny."
"Can we take her home?" Mr. Wilson asks,
"Can we go to Buffalo Wild Wings first?" I ask, Dr. McCoy put his hands...paw things into the pockets of his insanely largelab coat and nods,
"It shouldn't be a problem, I wouldn't be surprised if her head's healed before she even sets foot off the property, although I do believe the professor wishes to speak to you before you leave."
"The man in the wheel chair?" Mr. Wilson asks,
"The one who spoke to me in my head?" Mr. Barnes shivers,
"Telepath," Dr. McCoy corrects, "Yes, to be fair you did unleash an array of bullets into his school in the middle of the night." I raise my hand,
"That ones on me, I thought I was being taken to a cult."
"A cult?" Dr. McCoy says taken aback,
"It's good to know if a real cult comes and gets me, you'd unleash a bunch bullets into a school, I feel special. Take that cult school!" Theirs a long pause,
"She's going to be a bit out of it." Dr. McCoy says, I turn towards Mr. Barnes,
"I want Parmesan wings, boneless." He cracks a smile,
"You got it-"
"As long as you don't tell Stark." Mr. Wilson cuts in, I nod.
"Keeping secrets from the Iron Man I can do that." I give him a thumbs up,
"Is everything okay in here?" the Professor rolls in Wolverine at his side, only now he's dressed in jeans, a black shirt, brown leather jacket and...cowboy boots. Where is this guy from?
"Considering everything." Mr. Barnes mumbles,
"You're the one that hit her bub." Wolverine jabs, Mr. Barnes gets to his feet,
"Who hit her first?"
"Buck, stop!" Mr. Wilson demands stepping forward to grab his shoulder and pull him back,
"At least mine was an accident." Mr. Barnes spits out before sitting back into his chair in the corner,
"He's not lying." I yawn, "Can we go?" I lean to the left farther and farther until I just completely lay down on bed I've been sitting on.
"I wanted us to have a talk of understanding."
"They're mutants," I point out, "the world doesn't know about them so shhhh."
"Mutants?" Mr. Barnes turns towards the Professor, "This is a safe haven for them isn't it?"
"You know?" I lift my head up. Dr. McCoy's big blue paw comes to rest on the top of my head and pushes me back down onto the mattress
"Shhhh," he whispers,
"Adults are talking." I mumble into the blankets,
"Back in the war I knew the Germans were conducting experiments on those who...were different, and then when Hydra took me I knew those people were mutants, I had a front row seat to their torture and they had one to mine."
"So you can see why it is imperative that the world remains in the dark to our existence."
"Yes I understand, what I don't understand is how you're still alive" Mr. Barnes turns towards Wolverine, "You still go by James?" I open my mouth wide, but choose not to say anything, Mr. Wilson steps closer.
"Wait you know this guy?"
"You know me?" Wolverine questions. Bobby's voice rings inside my mangled and confused brain
"Yay, he's in a perpetual bad mood, probably because he can't remember anything?"
"Ya, you were part of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, we meet in Normandy...you looked...different then, but even now your still the same old James Howlett."
"I go by Logan now." Wolverine says...although he looks equally confused,
"Logan suffers memory lost as a result of his own experimentation brought on by weapon X."
"These people help you at least?" Mr. Barnes swallows, Wolverine nods,
"Ya, you?" Mr. Barnes shrugs,
"Court mandated therapy." Both men nod and look uncomfortable for a second. I don't know if my brain is really healing or if this revelation has made me more awake but I sit up,
"That's nice, can we get wings now?" Mr. Wilson nods,
"I'm with the kid, I need a beer."
"You're not being held hostage here, you can leave whenever you need too, we want you to know you can trust us with you're secretes and we hope we can trust you." Without taking his eyes off of Wolverine Mr. Barnes nods,
"We won't tell anybody, you have my word."
"Thank you." The professor smiles and looks towards me,
"Can I call you wheels?"
"Charles Xaiver will do." He smiles,
"Will do," I turn back to Mr. Wilson, "Buffalo Wild Wings?" He nods,
"We'll have to go to a different one, someone didn't pay." He directs towards Mr. Barnes
"You said we have to go I said okay." I slide off the bed, my feet hit the floor and before I can fall Dr. McCoy grabs my left bicep and halls me up,
"You're going to need to watch her." He tells Mr. Wilson who steps forward grabbing my other arm,
"Lets go," I turn,
"My suit-"
"Bucky's got you're suit"
"Amazing material?" Dr. McCory says holding my suit between two fingers before handing it over to Mr. Barnes,
"Buffalo Wild Wing!" I shout,
"Keep her safe." Dr. McCoy yells,
"We will." Someone shout back,
"Wings, Wilson, and a newly fresh cut Barnes!" I cheer, "I was right about the haircut." Mr. Barnes grumbles behind me,
"Shut up, Penny." Mr. Wilson practically carries me to door, and then right as were about to leave I hear it,
"WAIT MY AUTOGRAPH BOOK!"