Three chapters in one day? And this chapter being extra long? If I were you I would reward that amazing author with reviews *hint hint nudge nudge*
Rachel ;)
Chapter 5
It was Pike's idea to go early.
Having immediately phoned the professor after leaving Jim's apartment, they explained the situation, mentioned how the boy could teleport but had also hinted at being able to do other things as well, and told him when and where the so called 'championship' was, the address handily printed on the back of the card.
Jim had told them that the match ended at 11, and that he would meet them then.
Pike had called that a defensive move.
The blonde didn't want them to see him fight.
And so, of course, the professor ordered them to do the complete opposite.
They arrived at the ring at half nine.
Nervously stepping into the dimly basement, Scotty repocketed the card he had shown at the door, and turned to Nyota questioningly.
She shrugged, "I guess we just... follow the crowd?"
Because there was a crowd, and a surprisingly big one considering this whole 'Underground Las Vegas' thing was meant to be relatively secret.
They slowly trailed after the mass of men and women making their way through the shady-looking corridor, before finally emerging into a large open space, a boxing ring in the middle with tiered seats on two sides, and a standing area occupying the rest of the room.
"Seats?" Scotty asked, pointing to two in the top row, relatively hidden in the shadows.
Uhura nodded, and they quickly made their way over.
She was unsure how Jim would react if he saw them, and so, the dark corner was the perfect place to hide yet still observe.
They had been sitting for half an hour before a referee swung under the rope's and grabbed a microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen and all species in between, are you ready for tonight's Championship match!"
The crowd roared in response, and he grinned, "Alright then! Our first contender is-"
"I don't see him" Uhura whispered, glancing around at the crowd.
"He'll come in when his name is called, it's tradition" Scotty replied, and she shot him a strange look.
He shrugged sheepishly, "I had a... a very eventful youth, lassie".
"Uh-huh" She agreed, "Remind me to ask you about that later. Now, however-"
"Ladies and gents, give a round of applause for the man defending his Champion title for the third year running, JAMES T. KIRK!"
Ninety percent of the crowd leapt to their feet and began screaming one name.
"JIM! JIM! JIM! JIM! JIM!"
Both mutants stared in shock at the near-fanatical reaction, their eyes drawn to the one scrawny figure sliding under the rope in the boxing ring below.
Jim.
He was wearing a pair of shorts, both hands wrapped in white gauze the only form of protection seen, and he was shirtless.
They could see the scars from the top tier.
Without knowing so, Uhura grabbed Scotty's arm, and squeezed, tightly, as this mere child walked to the centre of the boxing ring, seeming indifferent to the pure mass of his muscled opponent.
"We have to- We have to stop this!" She hissed quickly, "He can't- We can't let him- He's going to get killed!"
Scotty kept a firm grasp on her hand, "He's the defending champion, Nyota. He's won before. Twice, in fact. And based on the standing ovation he got... I'd say the lad is a fine fighter indeed".
She turned to him, clear terror written across her features, and he quickly soothed her, "Let's just see how this plays out. He's got to be good to get this far. And if anything does happen to the lad... I'll cut the power. There's a socket behind me, one tap of my finger and the lights go out".
She slowly nodded, still worried but understanding the logic behind what the Scotsman said.
Turning back to the ring, she focused instead on the match that had already started.
She was immediately mesmerized by the boy's every move.
He was quick, graceful, and light on his feet. He knew when to strike, where to strike, and how hard to strike. He had enough balance to stay standing but was still flexible enough to duck and bend and weave around his large opponent. He kept his guard up at all times, only dropping it enough to execute the perfect uppercut to send his opponent reeling. From the second the bell rang and they started fighting, he held all the winning cards, owned the upper hand, and had it all at his fingertips.
It was almost as if he could predict his enemies next move.
The sound of the bell ringing once more was what finally snapped them out of it, and when they blinked and actually processed what they were looking at, they could only freeze in shock.
Jim had won.
Jim, 17-year-old tiny skinny Jim Kirk, had won.
Jim Kirk had won against a man twice his size all in the first round.
"Did that... Did that just actually happen?" Uhura asked, confused, and Scotty slowly nodded, "Ay, lass... I believe it just did".
They found him in the locker room ten minutes later.
"Jim! How the hell did you- That was- I mean, you just-"
He immediately tensed and spun around to face them, and the words died on her lips as she saw the bloody lip and black eye.
"... You're here" He finally said, "You... You watched the match. Why did you watch the match?!"
She blinked and took a step back at the sudden change of topic, "I... We just... We wanted to-"
"To see how you fight, lad" Scotty finished, "We meant no harm. We were merely... interested, that's all. And for what it's worth? You're a pretty damn great boxer".
Jim swallowed but slowly relaxed, and began unwrapping his hands.
Bloody and bruised knuckles were revealed underneath.
Nyota winced in sympathy and reached forward, intending to help remove the pain.
The second she touched his wrist, everything came crumbling down.
Jim froze as he felt an all-too-familiar shock, eyes widening, breath stuttering, panic and terror and oh god no and Nyota leapt back as if stung.
Immediately, he was surrounded by emotions, emotions belonging to himself, to her, to the Scotsman, to everyone.
They were loud and they were imposing and they were fucking horrifying and in the back of his brain, his mind (un)helpfully listed every single one.
He spoke without meaning to.
"Emotional empathic".
His voice was a mere whisper... but she still heard him.
Uhura stared at him in shock, "... What?"
Jim abruptly jerked back, staying well out of her reach as he tore at the bandages around his hands, "What? What what?! What are you talking about?!"
"You just... You just said-"
"I just said nothing".
And he knows she can tell he's lying because he can tell he's lying and he's only had this new fucking horrendous power for a full five seconds and she's had years to hone it and-
"You said emotional emphatic" She repeated, staring at him in part awe and part wariness, "You know what I can do, but I never told you... How?"
"I've no idea what you're talking about" He spat, throwing his bag over his shoulder just that little bit too aggressively.
"No, I know what I heard" She pressed, before her eyes suddenly softened, "Is that what you can do then? Tell what people are? What their powers are? Just by... touching them?"
He takes a jerky step backwards, head shaking unconsciously because there's too many emotions everyone's sending off emotions and I can't handle this I can't handle this I can't handle-
"I fucking wish".
"You wish you could, laddie?" the Scotsman spoke for the first time, stepping forwards, "Or you wish it were that simple?"
Silence.
Jim abruptly turned to him, movements uncoordinated and sudden and nervous, "What do you do?"
"What?"
"What do you do?!" He snarled, taking another step back, reminding the pair all-too-well of a cornered cat.
Scotty frowned, "Well, I... I control machines".
"Machines?"
"Ay. I can get them to do what I please. Machines, technology, some vehicles... Anything with a few wires and a battery".
"Not people? You can't control people?"
"Even though I know a few who act like robots, lad, unfortunately not".
This seemed to calm him, and Nyota was pleased when some of his waves of fear lessened slightly.
"Not people" He repeated quietly, as if talking to himself, "Not people. Nothing to do with people".
She shared a concerned frown with her partner before turning back to the boy, "Does that... change things?"
"Change things?" He looked up at her, eyes unfocused and dazed until suddenly- they weren't.
He abruptly straightened up, mask back in place although just that little bit more frayed at the edges.
"Change things?" He repeated, "Of course not. Why would it change things?"
He scoffed and adjusted the shoulder strap on his bag.
She swallowed, "Alright then. It doesn't change things... So why did you want to know?"
"Curiosity".
"Curiosity killed the cat".
Jim's grin was razor sharp, "But satisfaction brought it back".
His gaze drifted back to Scotty's, "Machines, huh? I bet you could show me a thing or two about those".
"Ay, laddie. But you'd have to come with us to find out".
He seemed to have expected this answer.
The blonde slowly nodded, "Alright. Then let's make a deal. You go back to this school of yours and tell Pike that he has no fucking clue what he's getting himself into-"
"I think we can handle some teenage angst, Kirk".
He paused, tasting the air.
Despite trying her best to hide them, he could still feel the faint hint of emotion flowing around her.
Authority.
Determination.
Hopefulness.
And he could smell the distrust that just reeked off of himself too, a vile, acrid, pungent smell that seemed to sour the very air around him.
"You want me to come with you" He said suddenly, "Why?"
"So we can help you" came the immediate answer.
He frowned.
His brain supplied a helpful 'That tastes like the truth'.
"Why do you want to help? You can't help. I'm nothing like you've dealt with before!"
"Then we'll both learn together".
Truth.
"And if I say no?"
"Then we'll leave you alone".
Lie.
"Honestly?"
She shifted uncomfortably, "Well... Sort of. We won't try and recruit you again but..."
"You'll keep tabs on me".
"... Yea".
Truth.
Jim frowned and considered his options.
One on hand, he had a life for himself here, in Las Vegas, a life he had worked hard to build and contrast and-
And he was never going to amount to anyway if he stayed.
Plus, he also had this new power that he'd have to learn to deal with.
Fucks sake.
The blonde sighed and tiredly scrubbed at his face with battered and bleeding hands.
It'd be something new, at least.
"... Alright" He finally said, "Alright, yes, I'll... I'll come with you. For a... a trail run, of sorts".
Uhura grinned a brilliant white, "Good. Great. Fantastic... You ready to leave now?"
He gestured at his bag sheepishly, "Yea. I, ah... kinda guessed something like this would happen. I'm ready if you are".