Chapter 1

Spock came to in a forest; the atmosphere seeming nearly exactly the same as Earth's from a long time ago. Perhaps around the 21st century. He pulled himself to his feet, leaning against a tree for support. Gasping, he fell back, his telepathy screaming. It seemed to have been far increased, along with many other physical traits. He felt… stronger. It was odd. He managed to pull his telepathy back together, and started walking in the direction of the human presences he sensed.

The presences were odd, there was something… off about them he couldn't place. He was still highly disoriented, however, and everything seemed to be spinning. He kept moving forward, stumbling heavily, until he heard voices. They seemed to be coming toward him. But everything was spinning like crazy, and he couldn't focus, couldn't even…

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

"I think he's waking up."

The voice was high pitched, female, and sounded human. He was also pretty sure it came from an adult. He tried to open his eyes. There was something… controll… he controlled something… his mind? He couldn't remember, couldn't think.

"It's alright, take your time, you're safe here."

Spock tried to say something, but it just came out as a moan. Gentle fingers brushed over his forehead, and he fell back against something soft. He was so tired… he wasn't ready to open his eyes, and everything hurt. He was missing something, too, but he wasn't sure what. It was like everything wasn't complete, like he couldn't see, but he wasn't blind. He didn't understand… Things were coming into focus now. Slowly, but they were getting there.

Spock forced his eyes to fly open. The light slammed daggers into the back of his skull. He winced, and waited for his eyes to adjust. Soon, the conglomeration of yellow and blue and red and green all started fading into actual shapes. And there was indeed a woman standing there, or at least someone older than a teenager; a good bit older than Spock himself.

She was dressed strangely, with some kind of mask that covered most of her face, in was all in. She had brown hair and eyes, and was smiling.

"Who…?" Spock's voice cracked, and he couldn't finish. Thankfully, the woman seemed to know what he meant.

"I'm Shadowcat, from the X-Men. We know who you are. When some of the students here found you, your mind was in chaos, and your telepathy was going crazy. Sorry, we kind of had to turn that off."

That's what it was, Spock realized. They had turned off his telepathy!

"We also had to look in your mind. Sorry, but you were tearing yourself and anyone near you apart. If one of our students hadn't had telepathy, something terrible could have happened."

That made sense. An uncontrolled telepath was a dangerous telepath, and every Vulcan knew it well. If he had been endangering people, then it made sense for them to take away his telepathy, and even probe his mind. Psychic barriers could only go so far, and they weren't healthy to have for to long. Getting to the root of the problem was far safer for all involved. Spock approved, provided, of course, they were telling him all the facts.

"So we know where you came from. When we learned you came from a different reality we knew we needed some more facts, you know, to make sure you weren't evil and here to blow everyone up or something. I promise we didn't go far into your memories or anything; we just got the necessities."

Spock nodded. Of course. That made sense. He still wasn't comfortable with the idea of someone going inside his head like that; no Vulcan truly was; however if this Shadowcat was speaking the truth, then it had been logical. He had no wish to hurt someone; especially children, and it would seem to be the children Shadowcat spoke of.

"I understand." Spock said, his voice seeming more under control than before.

"Would you like me to show you around as we talk? Oh, um... I don't know if I can... we were actually watching you in shifts... I need to report in. I might not be the one to show you 'round... sorry."

"That is alright." Spock stated. "I am certain you are quite busy."

"Yeah... hold on a sec. Hey, Cyc? This is Shadowcat, Spock woke up. Uh huh. He's fine. Gotcha. Okay, I'll tell him. See ya."

Shadowcat turned back to the young Vulcan before her.

"Okay, so Cyclops says I'm needed elsewhere, we're gonna have to have Rachel show you around."

"I see. A cyclops is a one eyed creature from Greek mythology."

"Yeah, you really don't get the whole superhero name thing, do you? Don't have 'em over there. Well..." Shadowcat was cut off by a redheaded woman with a boyish haircut opening the door.

"Sorry to cut you short, 'Cat, but Cyke says you're needed at the X - Jet. Mission."

"'Kay Rachel. Thanks." Shadowcat stood, flashed Spock a grin, and dove through the wall. Literally. Passing through it as though it wasn't even there. Spock stared.

"Everyone's kind of weird here." the redhead explained. I'm Rachel. I'm a telepath, like you. Come on, see the school."

Spock got up. "May I ask how Shadowcat was able to..." He was still in shock, he supposed, but he had gone into full Vulcan mode before coming here in preparation for whatever he might find.

"That's her power. We all have one. And before you go out there, you should know that everyone out here is Human." The two walked out the door, and Spock's eyes opened wide. They were in a corridor, and it seemed to be full of children. But such children! They did not seem Human to Spock. And the things they did!

One boy was projecting ice, a girl seemingly using telekinesis, a pair of children throwing some kind of generated slime at each other. They didn't look human either. In all kinds of colors, in all kinds of shapes, it looked more like one of the interplanetary dinners his father attended. But Rachel had said they were all Human. Spock didn't understand. A man walked up to him, in different clothes than everyone else here.

He was in a one piece blue uniform with a 4 in the middle.

"I'm Reed Richards, Mr Fantastic." The man said, extending a hand. Spock flinched inwardly, and hoped in this universe they would not take offence to Vulcan etiquette.

"I apologize, sir." He wasn't sure which title to use. "Vulcans prefer not to make physical contact, particularly with fingers."

"That's all right." The man smiled, and withdrew his hand. Spock detected no signs of malice. "I'm a scientist, and I think we should probably run some tests on you; you know, to make sure this world is safe for you and all. There are also some other things about your philology I wouldn't mind discovering."

Spock inwardly began to panic. No. No more doctors, no more laboratories. The doctors didn't let you go. They hurt you and wouldn't stop. "That would be acceptable." Inwardly, Spock was panicking. This couldn't be happening. Not more doctors.

Reed Richards Mr Fantastic gave him a grin, but was then distracted by someone coming up to ask him something. He and Rachel walked off leaving Spock momentarily alone.

"We'll be back soon Spock." Rachel called over her shoulder. Spock nodded, and they left.

Suddenly, Spock heard someone coming towards him. It was a girl, about his age, with bright red hair and blue eyes.

She wore no mask, but had a one piece red uniform that covered all of her body but face, neck and hands. She had some kind of metal boots and rings around her wrists, and a picture of a prism was on her chest.

And she was flying. Flying without wings, soundlessly gliding through the air, she left a rainbow behind her, and her flight was one of the most graceful things Spock had ever seen.

He was almost disappointed when she alit next to him, but he was a Vulcan. While it would have been preferable to have seen more of this strange phenomena, this was satisfactory. After all, he did not seem in danger of running out of things to study.

"Hi, uh, I'm Lightspeed. Are you Spock?" Her smile was gentle and shy, and she seemed friendly in a way Spock had never experienced before."

"I am Spock."

"I heard about you; they said there was someone here from another reality. Are you alright? I know this is weird, but it's going to be okay. We'll find a way to get you home."

"I am satisfactory. Is my accompanyship to... Dr Richards absolutely necessary?"

"That's the right name. You can also call him Mr Fantastic; either one's fine. And I mean... we don't want you to die or anything. You should probably go... but I don't think you have too."

"It would, however, be logical."

"You say that like it decides everything."

"For Vulcans, my species, it does. We have forsook emotion for the path of logic."

"Uh… what?"

"Once Vulcans were a warlike race, so angry and uncontrolled that we were on the verge of destroying ourselves. However one of us, an incredibly wise Vulcan named Surak realized the danger in which we were placing ourselves. He discovered the path of logic, and the Vulcans followed him. Now we are a completely logical race; all emotion had been purged from us."

Lightspeed blinked. "Uh… okay. So it's logical to go to the doctors."

"Yes. Therefore I will go."

"But you don't want to."

"I have no personal opinion on the matter. It is logical or it is not. And in this case it is logical."

"If you didn't have an opinion you wouldn't have asked if you had to go."

"I was assessing the logic of the situation."

Julie raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Uh huh. Look, Spock… it's okay to be scared."

"I am not scared. And it is not okay. It is human emotion."

"It's not just human for one thing. And… and this isn't the place to have a debate. Look… can I come with you?"

"Why would you wish to accompany me?"

"Why wouldn't I? I don't have anything more interesting to do, and anyway, I've got a friend there, Franklin Richards. Well, he's really more Mass Master's friend, but he's my friend too. I may as well go see him."

"I suppose you may as well." Silently, Spock was glad at the suggestion. This new place... it was so strange, and so foreboding. He didn't understand, and there was no one with him. No one he knew to help him. This girl was already something familiar, and she had been kind to him so far.

And... Spock was hypothesizing that perhaps she had somehow discerned his distaste for doctors.

It was a... nice feeling, his mother would call it, to have someone to be there for him. As soon as he thought it, Spock turned inwardly upon himself. How could he allow himself to think that? Shouldn't he know by now that no one would ever really care for him? He was just the half breed. The experiment. Worthless. Not really a person. No one would ever care about him, and he did not deserve their care. He could never forget that, not ever. He was worthless. Halfbreed. And that was all he would ever be.

"Hey! Hey Pixie, you alright?"

Spock blinked. "Pixie?"

"Yeah..." Lightspeed responded. "Pixie. You look like one. Look, we gotta be getting over to the Fantasticar, okay? That's Mr Fantastic's' transportation."

"Very well. I apologize for losing attention. I was... occupied with my thoughts."

"Hey, it's fine, Spock. It's okay. You're still adjusting here; get lost in your thoughts as often as you want."

Spock nodded. "Thank you. That does not excuse my behavior, however. I will attempt to stay more focused in the future."

"Okay."

Lightspeed and Spock looked up as Mr Fantastic and Rachel came back, Mr Fantastic handing something to an about 17 year old boy with light translucent oscillating scales. The boy thanked him, and walked off.

"You ready to go?" Richards asked.

"I am ready." Spock replied.

"And I'm tagging along." Lightspeed smiled, looking excited but reserved at once. "I figured I could talk to Spock and all; no reason for him to have to take all those tests alone is there?"

"Well some of them use cardiochemonuculaic radiation so... yes for some of them."

"I understand." Lightspeed smiled. "I'll just be there for whichever ones I can."

"Very well. Come along then, you two."

Julie lead the way, and was hovering by the Fantasticar waiting for Spock and Reed. "I'll fly by myself, I can use the exercise."

Reed nodded. "Very well then. Go on."

He and Spock climbed into the car. Spock looked over the sides; there were no wheels that he could see, but there were many complex instruments all along the car. Then the whole thing began to rumble, and the car lifted off the ground!

Complex calculations and mathematical and scientific theories went flying through Spock's head as the machine lifted off the ground smoothly, before it went shooting off forward, Lightspeed flying beside them. Despite the incredibly fast nature of their travel, she seemed easily able to keep pace as she twisted and dived along in the air next to them; her rainbow trailing behind her. Spock thought it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.