-Luke's POV-
I don't get why everyone is making such a big fuss about Teon's parents wanting to have their son back. Isn't that what's right?
Don't they understand how lucky Teon is? Most parents in this world or my own would try their hardest to distance themselves with someone like Teon.
Yet Teon's parents want to have their mentally challenged son safe and be around him.
Sure, he might still have all his intelligence, but his mutation makes it so he can't use it most of the time. He just walks around, eats, fights, try to find mates, or please his mistress.
Honestly, in Utopia, he is little more than Hope's pet.
If Teon were to leave and spends time with his parents, living in a familiar environment, he might actually get a better handle of his animal instincts. You would think X-Men would support this, right?
But no, Mistress Hope, Messiah of Mutant Kind does not want that, so the entire X-Men has to drop what they are doing and make sure a mentally challenged mutant boy stays away from his caring parents.
-Scene Change: Cyclops' Office, General POV-
"We're going to lose this case," a woman with short hair and gothic clothes said as she sends a text message to someone
"Then we need another lawyer," Hope said to Cyclops
"Hope, Evangeline[1] is a mutant's rights specialist. She's the best lawyer the X-Men have ever had. If she says it's a bad case." Cyclops said
"This is a bad case," Vange said. "If it goes badly in the afternoon, I can play all sorts of delaying actions, but I'd think it unethical and beneath the X-Men. Looking at the evidence we've got, I can only agree with the family. He should be with them"
"He can look after himself!" Hope exclaimed
"Yes, he can. But he'd do it by sleeping in alleyways and eating trash." Vange said
"... Surely that's his choice" was the best defense Hope could come up with
"I don't know, looking at the evidence… is this his choice?" Vange said, hitting the nail
"Gahk! Not this again!" Hope said throwing her hands up into the air in frustration.
"It's this again because it's still an issue. When the jury looks at him and you, they're looking at a master and a pet."
"Yes. He's imprinted on me. But he was doing even worse stuff before I got to him. I've calmed him down! I'm good for him" Hope tried to defend herself and her eyes got a red glow from copying Cyclops' powers "This is just who he is! Who are they to judge him?"
"They're a court. Judging comes with the territory" Cyclops said, giving Hope the biggest burn she experienced in her life "Now if I can talk to Evangeline[1] alone…"
Hope stormed of the room and gathered the Lights, minus Teon, for a team meeting. She needed something to get her mind off the case…
-Scene Change: Utopia Shores, General POV-
"You are late," Hope looked at Luke disappointedly
"Sorry about that, I got lost on the road of life," Luke said while scratching the back of his head
"Seriously? That lame excuse," Kenji said
"Fine… I saw a black cat walking by and had to go around the island to avoid it,"
"Just-just don't use Kakashi's excuses. He is such a shitty teacher, and he didn't even bother to see Naruto for years despite the kid being hated orphan child of the two people who practically raised him."
"Oh, fine, and just to be fair, I think he is a shitty teacher too," Luke said as he smiled
"You have any idea what just happened?" Laurie asked Gabriel who just shrugged "No clue"
"Anyway, we were just talking about getting codenames," Hope said in a loud tone
"I'm Velocidad," Gabriel said as he punched the air in super speed
'Makes sense, Veloci -for his speed- and Dad because anytime he uses it he gets older' I thought to myself not knowing it was a Spanish word
"I've chosen the name Zero," Kenji said
"That's a cool name, wish I'd chosen it," I said, it actually was, I always used the name Zero in any RPG game I played.
"I will be called Oya, Goddess of Fire and Magic" Idie
Luke raised an eyebrow "Wow, did not expect a non-christian god from you, but I guess it's a good name, also love the afro"
"We also named Teon Primal"
"No, we didn't, you did" Laurie exclaimed
"What's your codename, Laurie?"
"I was thinking Transonic," she said
"Great name, what about you Hope?" Luke asked the messiah
"Hope is my codename, duh. You need to choose one for yourself." Hope said
"Umm… give me a sec… umm… how about Skywalker"
Just as Hope was about to say "Okay,", Gabriel started laughing "Luke Skywalker, perfect, just perfect."
Hope looked confused until Kenji told the future girl it was from a famous movie. She then glared at Luke "Take this seriously,"
"Fine… um… Star Force?"
"Is this from an old movie?" Hope asked Gabriel
Gabriel thought about it for a second "I… don't think so. At least not a famous movie"
Hope sighs "Fine, your code name will be Star Force… All of you go, we should get ready for the court."
After everyone left Luke approached Hope "Hope do you have a second?"
"I have to get ready for court, make it quick."
"Fine. I think you should let Teon go be with his parents."
"WHAT? How could you say that? He is part of the team"
"Yes, but being with his parents is what's best for him."
"Enough, I don't have time to explain myself or my reasoning to you right now, we'll talk about this after the trial, get dressed" she ordered him and then stormed off
Leaving a very angry gravity manipulator behind.
-Scene Change: Court Room, Luke's POV-
Teon's father was currently being questioned by his own lawyer. Apparently our man-beast teammate used to be a computer wizard.
Until his mutation activated, that is. After that, he ran from home and found himself in some blond woman's basement.
The first thing this woman did with the strange man she found in her basement was fucking him, how it happened, I had no clue.
Teon couldn't speak more than three words before we found him, so how could any woman with a shred of self-respect slept with him after finding out he broke into her apartment, was beyond me.
He then saw an add of Miami Spring Break and sneaked into a plane to go there, when he did get there he beat up a half-a-dozen random man and raped just as many beautiful women. Which, apparently, the court found not guilty due to his mental instability at the time.
Then Teon's mother took the stand, she cried and told everyone, how she wanted his son back, faults and all. I honestly could barely hold my tears in.
It looked like they were going to win the case, until…
-General POV-
Teon jumped to the stand and started talking, with actual sentences
"I am different from you. I am not sentient in the way you are. I am a deeply profoundly separate way of existence.
If we recognize alien and machine intelligence, and we thankfully do, you must also recognize me. I am a primitive yes, but I'm a modern primitive.
But beyond those traditional primal urges, I am a creature who uses instinct to process the modern world. I care little for politeness. But my, if you will, hyper-instincts find solutions to problems of civilization.
Given suitable motivation and an understanding of the social context. I find optimum, if often unconventional, routes to their achievement purely instinctively.
Present me with a fridge and I will eat its contests in the exact order to satisfy my present nutritional needs normally weighted towards sustaining maximum muscle growth.
Present me with a courtroom… and you get this.
As much as I regret my parents' loss, their child is gone. And I am here, I will never be the same boy again. I have two comforts for them.
First, I sprouted their child like a seed. I am still their boy and in my own way, I still love them. I just can't be with them.
The Second comfort is more profound and hopefully will help them come to terms with this change. I am happy.
In fact, in all probability, I am happier than anyone in this room. That I am primarily a creature of instinct means I suffer none of the alienation of the intellect. I have no angst, no lasting doubts, no regrets, I live in the second and revel in it.
I am the pursuit of happiness embodied. And all this court can do is curtail that." Teon finished his speech
He then jumped back to his seat and asked his female lawyer "Mate?"
Who said "Not now, Teon"
-Scene Change: Outside the Courtroom-
Luke angrily walked towards Hope who was scratching Teon's ear. "Can we have a word? In private!" He said, barely containing his anger.
Hope nods her head and looks at Teon, "Go to Vange" she says and he does
After he left, Luke looks at Hope "Are you happy now? Are you happy you break that old woman's heart?"
"What are you talking about? I didn't break anyone's heart. Teon said what he wanted and the Judge gave him permission to do what makes him happy. What's wrong with that?"
"What's wrong is we don't know if it is his will or his masters!" Luke all but screamed
"I had enough of this. You are part of my team, that means you follow my lead, is that understood?"
Luke wanted to argue, but he was compelled to say "Crystal"
"Good, and don't bring this up again, it could mess up team dynamic," Hope said as she walks away.
While they were having this talk Kenji and Laurie were having a talk about Hope and her influence over them. Neither seemed to be happy about it. Especially Kenji.
-Later That Day, Cerebra Room-
Three blond girls were standing next to each other, one of them connected to the mutant detection machine, Cerebra.
Luke walks in "You are Three-In-One[2], right? Three of the most powerful telepaths on the island? Maybe the world?"
"That is," Celeste said "Correct," Irma said "Lucas Long," Phoebe said
"Good, I need your help," Luke said
"Why would we help you?" Irma asked him
"Because I asked nicely?" Luke offered, only to see three sets of eyes roll, he then sighed "and I'll owe you one,"
They had a quick telepathic discussion,
"We accept," Celeste said
"Gre-" he tried to say but was cut off by one of the others
"On the condition that you owe us three"
"And it's nothing sexual,"
"I agree, but you'll not reveal what it is to anyone, not even Emma or her boyfriend. If you do there'll be... consequences," He said, doubling the gravity affecting the girls, forcing them to enter their diamond forms.
They were not in any pain, but there was some pressure. They looked at each other and nodded "Very well" they all said at the same time, making Luke release the pressure. "What is this favor?" one of them asked
"Hope Summers has created some form of psychic link between her and the Lights, this link benefits her far more than it does us. I want it gone."
The girls looked at each other, the one called Phoebe spoke "You have powerful defenses, we have been trying to enter your mind since you came here, nothing worked" she admitted, then Celeste spoke "It might take us days, maybe even weeks of painful sessions to breach your defenses" she said, and then Irma finished "but we can remove this psychic link from you"
"Well then, we better get started," Luke said as he smirked
Characters:
Evangeline 'Vange' Whedon[1]: She is a lawyer and a member of the Mutant Rights Coalition. She is also a mutant who turns into a dragon when coming into contact with blood.
Three-In-One[2]: Three clones from Emma Frost's harvested eggs, created by the Weapon Plus program. They are now free, and part of Utopia's, helping as support