"My choice, Professor, is to stop each one individually. If I condense them into one attack per month, I'll end up being out of commission for weeks afterward." He glared at me sternly, clearly not happy with my decision, but if he thought I was going to suffer more pain than was necessary, he had to be insane.
"Are you sure, child? I mean, if neither choice appeals to you, we can always try for another solution." I shook my head.
"Professor, I don't want to put you out more than I can help, but I am not going to be in enough pain to kill me every month. It is simply not going to happen. I have endured enough, and if what you say is true about my inevitable demise without this remedy, then I would rather be in as little pain as possible. The last attack has proven that to me, more than you would realize."
He agreed and returned to his work in Cerebro. I left and finding myself with nothing to do, and since my regime of teaching wouldn't start for another month, I found a secluded area to train in. Believing myself to be alone, I began with a warm-up I had devised.
Q
The dance she wove left a trace upon his mind like a bright star. Twin daggers of emerald purity stalked her every move. Without realizing what he was doing, he had come to the edge of her grove, and was a split second from pouncing when reason took over. He grinned savagely, his face twisted with an unreadable, unrecognizable zeal.
"That freak that had been following her, what was his name ... ahhhh. Sabertooth." He thought joyfully. "He'll help me get her." Slipping away like mist, he soon came upon tracks of the man he sought.
Q
I completed my warn-up and began on a series of martial arts based maneuvers. My imaginary opponent was no match for blasting water. Suddenly, I found myself fighting a real opponent: David. I ended our bout by wrapping him in water ropes, and bringing a loose end against his neck.
"Surrender." I whispered. He growled at me, "Never. I'll not be beaten by somebody younger than me."
He unexpectedly freed himself, and I found myself lying on my back, three long claws extended across my windpipe. Logan's head appeared above me, and he was grinning. He released me, and I brushed myself off, got up, and bowed to my adversary. He spoke after recovering his breath.
"Well, Mama Aqua, you are one of the few people to ever bring me down, but I could teach you a few tricks." I frowned at him, firmly convinced that my last clout had addled him.
"Mama Aqua? What are you talking about, David Logan?"
He pointed to the training grounds I had visited earlier in the day. "Your attempts at mediation have earned you the nickname Mama Aqua. It's all over the school. You impressed these kids. It's kind of hard to do. I think you might be taking on a mother role in their eyes, and I do mean literally."