"You're kidding me right? That's, like, a death sentence!" Kitty Pryde was well known for being over dramatic. But few would argue the validity of this statement.
"Please Kitty, he'll go easy on you." Bobby Drake was begging for his life, "He likes you more than me."
"Maybe he'd like you a little better if you, y'know, didn't mess up his bike while goofing around by the garage."
"Oh, come on. I wasn't goofing, I was experimenting. Y'know, with angles and diameters and … and all that other stuff Jean and Scott keep teaching us." You gotta hand it to Bobby, he could take legitimate scientific terms like 'angles' and 'diameters' and still manage to make an argument that didn't sound compelling in the least.
"See that sounds innocent enough, why don't you go and tell Logan exactly what you told me and I'll tell the professor we have a new opening for the resident class clown." Kitty offered him no solace.
"What about you Rogue, help a guy out?"
Poor Bobby. If you're gonna ask someone for help, don't let them know they're not your first choice. "Sorry Bobby, this girl has no intention of dying on a Friday. Ask me again on Sunday, we'll see if my mood's changed."
"Aw, man. I am so dead." Bobby slumped in his chair defeated.
"Before the weekend, that's gotta be a bummer." Scott Summers had arrived. "Well hold the funeral. We're needed in the danger room."
"Danger room? Why?" Rogue's, question was mirrored by everyone else in the common room.
"Dunno, last minute drill. Suit up."
* * *
The danger room was packed, all the new students: Iceman, Cannonball, Magma, Jubilee, Wolfsbane, Multiple, Berzerker and Sunspot. Plus most of the older students: Rogue, Kitty, Cyclops, Spike and Jean. Everyone except the teachers and Kurt. Rogue wondered where the little guy could've gone too. The voice of Hank McCoy interrupted her thoughts. "Alright students, sorry for the short notice, but we have a special simulation that we're just dying to try out." Funny, Beast did not sound very enthused. "Your objective is simple, don't be overtaken by the enemy AND disable them with non-lethal force." Sounded pretty standard, except for that disabling thing. When the new kids are involved, the objective is usually just to survive. "Simulation begins in three. Two. One." The danger room's environment suddenly changed. The cold metal walls became those of a decorated interior and the floor became carpeted. The mansion? They were in the common room as some had been before.
"Seriously? The common room? What's so spooky about the common room?" As if answering Iceman's question, the lights went out. "All right that helps, still not spooked" Then something rolled towards the center of the students. It looked like … a grenade!
"Everyone down!" On cyclops' command everyone dived out of the way of the potential blast … but it never came. Instead smoke burst out. If their vision had been limited before, now it was nonexistent.
Between coughs, Scott tried to maintain order. "Alright team, let's stay together. Jean can you sense who might be doings this … Jean? Jean!" No answer and no sign of her. "Alright, everyone to me. If you can here my voice, get over here." Rogue, Shadow-cat, Cannonball and Iceman made it to Scott, but no one else seemed to hear him, no one else could hear him. As the smoke cleared they were all alone.
"Beast said there was only one target, right?" Kitty voiced everyone else's amazement. "Who could take down everyone without making any noise?" A loud crash from the next room challenged her statement.
"Whoever they are, we can take them as long as we stick together."
"You mean we can disable 'em together." Rogue morbidly reminded Cyclops.
The group made their way carefully towards the next room. "Alright Kitty, you know what to do."
Shadow cat swallowed hard and nodded reluctantly. She made her way to the center of the room and looked into the darkened corners. "H-hello. Is anybody in here?" She must sound so stupid, Kitty thought. "Look, we don't want any trouble, just come out and no harm till come to you … all right?" Did that ever really work? A quick movement from one of the corners suggested not. "Now!" As something quickly approached the young mutant, Iceman froze Kitty and the figure into a block of solid ice.
"Alright, score one for the Iceman!"
"Yea, that was all you, Bobby?" Kitty phased through the ice block unharmed. "Now to see whose been causing so much- … uh guys? I don't think this is our target?"
"What'ya mean? There's only one target and we just froze em."
"We just iced a lamp." Kitty pointed out to the others. They crowded around to be sure.
"Then heads up people, this isn't over."
Rogue took a closer look at the frozen appliance and noticed it wasn't all that had been thrown at Kitty. There was something attached to it. Something with a flashing light … BANG!
Ice shards and teenagers were thrown across the room. No one was left standing. No one except the masked figure in black. Cannonball was the first to notice.
"You are so going down, man!" The youth instantly became a blur as he charged head first towards the guest.
"Wait, stop!" Iceman's cries came too late unfortunately. The stranger simply leaped over the teenage bullet, allowing for a clear path towards the Iceman. Good thing this wasn't the real mansion or they'd have quite a time covering a hole that size.
Rogue was on her feet and ready to go, but the rest of her team was down. The blast had knocked out Kitty and Scott. Bobby and Cannonball were no help at the moment. It was up to her then. Time to take off the gloves, literally. The stranger had his back to her and didn't seem to notice her advancing on him. A few more steps and she could touch the man's bare neck, draining his strength and disabling without killing him. She held her breath as she got closer. One more step. From behind she could see him tense. He turned his head and … sniffed?
Snikt! Claws drawn, the warrior turned and aimed a hit right for Rogue's head.
"End simulation." As the illusion of the mansion faded away, the only two left standing were Rogue and wolverine, his claws two centimeters from her face. "Congratulations. You're all dead."